Is GDL a Friend, Question Mark or Foe?

GDL is classified a Question Mark under the Income Quality Score framework, based on long-duration distribution and total-return history. This is a research classification, not investment advice.

How safe is the GDL distribution?

A Question Mark is an income asset with a mixed or incomplete quality record — some income-quality signals are strong while others are weak, or the available history is too short to classify with confidence. It warrants a closer look rather than a conclusion.

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Public snapshot

GDL Income Quality Score

Name: GDL Income Quality Score
Creator: Income Quality Score
Keywords: GDL income quality, GDL dividend quality, GDL dividend safety, GDL distribution history, GDL dividend score, GDL analysis, The GDL Fund dividend

The GDL Fund (GDL) has an Income Quality Score of 55/100, classified as a Question Mark with high confidence, based on a 10-year income and total-return history.

The GDL Fund (GDL) is a closed-end fund and is part of the IQ Score universe.

July 2026 snapshotAs of July 7, 2026Lookback: 10-year

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Long-term focused10-year income and total-return analysis

Data-drivenObjective scoring across 4 quality, distribution and risk signals

Clear classificationFriends to own. Foes to avoid.

IQ Score

55/100

Question MarkHigh confidence

Asset Type

CEF

Exchange

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Trailing Yield (TTM)

—

Rank in CEF Universe

134 of 263

Lookback

10-year

Data as of

July 7, 2026

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About this snapshot
This is the public July 2026 snapshot. Public snapshots are delayed and frozen: once released, a month's scores do not change, and current data is reserved for members. The July 2026 snapshot is published as the public launch snapshot.

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IQ Signal Scores

4 quality, distribution and risk signals combined into the overall IQ Score.

Economic Payout Coverage

34/100

Working Capital Preservation

60/100

Distribution Cut Score

100/100

Distribution Trend

50/100

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IQ Score History

IQ Score trajectory since 2023

GDL's IQ Score has 70 recorded points from 2023-05-31 to 2026-07-07, most recently 54, ranging between 40 and 54 over the period. The chart above plots the score against the methodology's Friend and Foe thresholds and overlays a base-100 normalised price line for capital-preservation context.

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GDL distribution history & safety

Across 7 years of distribution data (2020–2026), GDL recorded 1 annual increase and no distribution cuts. Distribution stability is a core IQ Score signal — a long record free of cuts supports a stronger classification, while repeated cuts weaken it. Per-year figures are shown in the panel above.

Annual increases

2020–2026

Distribution cuts

2020–2026

Years of data

2020–2026

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Trailing yield (TTM)

As of snapshot

Stable

Distribution trend

Over available history

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IQ Score is a long-duration quality and distribution-safety classification for income assets. It is research based on historical data, not personal investment advice, and it does not tell you what to buy or sell. Figures reflect a delayed public snapshot and may differ from current data.