Investment idea model basket

Defensive Income

Duration proxy for retirees reallocating from cash.

What is the thesis for Defensive Income?

Low-leverage utilities, staples, and select REITs with yields that re-rate as the front end falls. Built for investors rotating out of money-market funds.

This is a curated QuantLink model basket. It is not a filed portfolio, not a fund, and not investment advice.

Published Mar 30, 2026. Updated Apr 8, 2026. Source: QuantLink curated model basket and FastAPI ideas endpoint.

Holdings
5
Benchmark
AGG
Status
New
1Y model return
+2.1%

Performance as of Sep 9, 2026.

Thesis narrative

Built for the cash-rotation trade

$6T sits in money-market funds earning a rate that is about to fall. A meaningful slice rotates back into equity income. This book is positioned for that flow.

Why these five

Each name clears three filters:

  1. Dividend coverage > 1.4x on operating cash flow
  2. Net leverage < 4x (REITs) or < 2.5x (non-REIT)
  3. Beta < 0.7 vs SPY over trailing 3Y

What it isn't

This is not a high-yield grab. We exclude MLPs, BDCs, and anything with a yield trap footprint. Target blended yield is ~3.8% — enough to matter, not so much that it signals distress.

Model basket holdings

Model basket: curated equal or target weighting, not a filed portfolio. Weights are the target basket weights returned by the live ideas endpoint.

NameSymbolModel weight
Realty IncomeO22.00%
Southern CompanySO22.00%
Procter & GamblePG20.00%
Coca-ColaKO18.00%
American TowerAMT18.00%

Backtested performance vs AGG

Performance is backtested from the returned tearsheet series. It reflects the model basket methodology and benchmark series, not live fund returns or a filed portfolio track record. Performance as of Sep 9, 2026.

Total Return

+2.1%

↑ AGG -3.2%

Ann. Return

+2.1%

↑ AGG -3.3%

Ann. Vol

13.8%

↑ AGG 4.0%

Sharpe

0.15

↑ AGG -0.83

Max Drawdown

-9.4%

↓ AGG -4.6%

Alpha vs AGG

+6.4%

↓ hit rate 48.8%

Performance as of Sep 9, 2026.

Rolling Performance vs Benchmark

Portfolio Holdings

Holding
Weight
Country
Exchange
Sector
Industry
Mkt Cap
Price
1Y
1Y Trend
O
ORealty Income
22.0%
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
SO
SOSouthern Company
22.0%
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
PG
PGProcter & Gamble
20.0%
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
AMT
AMTAmerican Tower
18.0%
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
KO
KOCoca-Cola
18.0%
—
—
—
—
—
—
—

SSR performance series fallback

The table below is the server-rendered reference series behind the interactive chart. Values show the wealth index level from a 1.00 starting value, not a second 1Y return figure. Series as of Sep 9, 2026.

DateModel basket wealth indexAGG
Sep 10, 20251.0000x1.0000x
Sep 11, 20251.0077x1.0019x
Sep 12, 20251.0050x1.0010x
Sep 15, 20250.9984x1.0027x
Sep 16, 20250.9991x1.0031x
Sep 17, 20251.0061x1.0013x
Sep 18, 20250.9943x0.9985x
Sep 19, 20250.9938x0.9985x
Sep 22, 20250.9903x0.9973x
Sep 23, 20250.9969x0.9989x
Sep 24, 20250.9981x0.9970x
Sep 25, 20250.9948x0.9956x
Sep 26, 20250.9989x0.9963x
Sep 29, 20251.0009x0.9982x
Sep 30, 20251.0026x0.9981x
Oct 1, 20251.0031x0.9974x
Oct 2, 20250.9942x0.9985x
Oct 3, 20250.9978x0.9974x
Oct 6, 20250.9899x0.9952x
Oct 7, 20250.9970x0.9969x
Oct 8, 20250.9887x0.9970x
Oct 9, 20250.9875x0.9958x
Oct 10, 20250.9929x0.9999x
Oct 13, 20250.9873x1.0018x
Oct 14, 20250.9985x1.0034x
Oct 15, 20251.0009x1.0030x
Oct 16, 20251.0031x1.0066x
Oct 17, 20251.0086x1.0052x
Oct 20, 20251.0134x1.0069x
Oct 21, 20251.0159x1.0079x
Oct 22, 20251.0165x1.0078x
Oct 23, 20251.0101x1.0060x
Oct 24, 20251.0096x1.0070x
Oct 27, 20251.0082x1.0077x
Oct 28, 20250.9935x1.0083x
Oct 29, 20250.9778x1.0035x
Oct 30, 20250.9828x1.0016x
Oct 31, 20250.9811x1.0010x
Nov 3, 20250.9721x0.9965x
Nov 4, 20250.9679x0.9970x
Nov 5, 20250.9617x0.9943x
Nov 6, 20250.9619x0.9980x
Nov 7, 20250.9699x0.9976x
Nov 10, 20250.9661x0.9972x
Nov 11, 20250.9816x1.0002x
Nov 12, 20250.9802x0.9998x
Nov 13, 20250.9739x0.9968x
Nov 14, 20250.9758x0.9956x
Nov 17, 20250.9697x0.9958x
Nov 18, 20250.9752x0.9964x
Nov 19, 20250.9676x0.9964x
Nov 20, 20250.9654x0.9976x
Nov 21, 20250.9768x1.0000x
Nov 24, 20250.9698x1.0020x
Nov 25, 20250.9733x1.0036x
Nov 26, 20250.9789x1.0052x
Nov 28, 20250.9833x1.0038x
Dec 1, 20250.9689x0.9962x
Dec 2, 20250.9636x0.9975x
Dec 3, 20250.9651x0.9994x
Dec 4, 20250.9639x0.9970x
Dec 5, 20250.9587x0.9959x
Dec 8, 20250.9508x0.9943x
Dec 9, 20250.9476x0.9934x
Dec 10, 20250.9440x0.9966x
Dec 11, 20250.9476x0.9968x
Dec 12, 20250.9540x0.9937x
Dec 15, 20250.9629x0.9947x
Dec 16, 20250.9574x0.9966x
Dec 17, 20250.9654x0.9963x
Dec 18, 20250.9544x0.9988x
Dec 19, 20250.9441x0.9940x
Dec 22, 20250.9446x0.9936x
Dec 23, 20250.9453x0.9936x
Dec 24, 20250.9525x0.9958x
Dec 26, 20250.9539x0.9960x
Dec 29, 20250.9552x0.9972x
Dec 30, 20250.9561x0.9968x
Dec 31, 20250.9502x0.9944x
Jan 2, 20260.9489x0.9941x
Jan 5, 20260.9468x0.9960x
Jan 6, 20260.9455x0.9958x
Jan 7, 20260.9328x0.9968x
Jan 8, 20260.9486x0.9950x
Jan 9, 20260.9491x0.9972x
Jan 12, 20260.9562x0.9967x
Jan 13, 20260.9646x0.9976x
Jan 14, 20260.9775x0.9991x
Jan 15, 20260.9792x0.9978x
Jan 16, 20260.9837x0.9961x
Jan 20, 20260.9852x0.9923x
Jan 21, 20260.9864x0.9956x
Jan 22, 20260.9828x0.9958x
Jan 23, 20260.9870x0.9967x
Jan 26, 20260.9864x0.9982x
Jan 27, 20260.9915x0.9975x
Jan 28, 20260.9821x0.9971x
Jan 30, 20261.0003x0.9969x
Feb 2, 20260.9928x0.9925x
Feb 3, 20261.0069x0.9926x
Feb 4, 20261.0175x0.9920x
Feb 5, 20261.0225x0.9963x
Feb 6, 20261.0213x0.9969x
Feb 9, 20261.0168x0.9972x
Feb 10, 20261.0276x1.0001x
Feb 11, 20261.0376x0.9978x
Feb 12, 20261.0534x1.0023x
Feb 13, 20261.0642x1.0055x
Feb 17, 20261.0623x1.0056x
Feb 18, 20261.0447x1.0042x
Feb 19, 20261.0554x1.0044x
Feb 20, 20261.0637x1.0046x
Feb 23, 20261.0781x1.0066x
Feb 24, 20261.0798x1.0065x
Feb 25, 20261.0672x1.0060x
Feb 26, 20261.0736x1.0076x
Feb 27, 20261.0918x1.0096x
Mar 2, 20261.0837x1.0024x
Mar 3, 20261.0720x1.0013x
Mar 4, 20261.0677x1.0009x
Mar 5, 20261.0507x0.9980x
Mar 6, 20261.0526x0.9968x
Mar 9, 20261.0539x1.0000x
Mar 10, 20261.0521x0.9967x
Mar 11, 20261.0439x0.9922x
Mar 12, 20261.0419x0.9886x
Mar 13, 20261.0445x0.9878x
Mar 16, 20261.0523x0.9916x
Mar 17, 20261.0463x0.9936x
Mar 18, 20261.0235x0.9894x
Mar 19, 20261.0198x0.9905x
Mar 20, 20260.9984x0.9823x
Mar 23, 20260.9990x0.9860x
Mar 24, 20260.9897x0.9833x
Mar 25, 20260.9890x0.9868x
Mar 26, 20260.9898x0.9812x
Mar 27, 20260.9950x0.9811x
Mar 30, 20261.0051x0.9861x
Mar 31, 20261.0057x0.9884x
Apr 1, 20261.0071x0.9857x
Apr 2, 20261.0125x0.9880x
Apr 6, 20261.0132x0.9862x
Apr 7, 20261.0071x0.9874x
Apr 8, 20261.0206x0.9899x
Apr 9, 20261.0314x0.9905x
Apr 10, 20261.0280x0.9888x
Apr 13, 20261.0205x0.9908x
Apr 14, 20261.0177x0.9934x
Apr 15, 20261.0128x0.9918x
Apr 16, 20261.0168x0.9904x
Apr 17, 20261.0280x0.9941x
Apr 20, 20261.0203x0.9940x
Apr 21, 20261.0014x0.9903x
Apr 22, 20261.0011x0.9917x
Apr 23, 20261.0194x0.9901x
Apr 24, 20261.0191x0.9915x
Apr 27, 20261.0124x0.9900x
Apr 28, 20261.0280x0.9896x
Apr 29, 20261.0222x0.9853x
Apr 30, 20261.0385x0.9867x
May 1, 20261.0357x0.9847x
May 4, 20261.0257x0.9816x
May 5, 20261.0258x0.9834x
May 6, 20261.0299x0.9876x
May 7, 20261.0146x0.9852x
May 8, 20261.0107x0.9875x
May 11, 20261.0127x0.9849x
May 12, 20261.0196x0.9820x
May 13, 20261.0082x0.9824x
May 14, 20261.0087x0.9821x
May 15, 20261.0024x0.9759x
May 18, 20261.0162x0.9758x
May 19, 20261.0246x0.9720x
May 20, 20261.0258x0.9779x
May 21, 20261.0276x0.9791x
May 22, 20261.0298x0.9801x
May 26, 20261.0270x0.9829x
May 27, 20261.0344x0.9837x
May 28, 20261.0263x0.9857x
May 29, 20261.0174x0.9863x
Jun 1, 20260.9988x0.9825x
Jun 2, 20261.0021x0.9828x
Jun 3, 20260.9984x0.9807x
Jun 4, 20261.0089x0.9823x
Jun 5, 20261.0300x0.9774x
Jun 8, 20261.0170x0.9774x
Jun 9, 20261.0365x0.9794x
Jun 10, 20261.0497x0.9788x
Jun 11, 20261.0405x0.9845x
Jun 12, 20261.0452x0.9833x
Jun 15, 20261.0386x0.9842x
Jun 16, 20261.0399x0.9854x
Jun 17, 20261.0229x0.9818x
Jun 18, 20261.0163x0.9847x
Jun 22, 20261.0155x0.9820x
Jun 23, 20261.0318x0.9828x
Jun 24, 20261.0327x0.9876x
Jun 25, 20261.0219x0.9882x
Jun 26, 20261.0419x0.9890x
Jun 29, 20261.0325x0.9893x
Jun 30, 20261.0148x0.9855x
Jul 1, 20261.0171x0.9807x
Jul 2, 20261.0429x0.9818x
Jul 6, 20261.0260x0.9823x
Jul 7, 20261.0427x0.9778x
Jul 8, 20261.0301x0.9761x
Jul 9, 20261.0232x0.9775x
Jul 10, 20261.0309x0.9765x
Jul 13, 20261.0406x0.9728x
Jul 14, 20261.0314x0.9757x
Jul 15, 20261.0274x0.9771x
Jul 16, 20261.0505x0.9770x
Jul 17, 20261.0402x0.9777x
Jul 20, 20261.0332x0.9752x
Jul 21, 20261.0252x0.9731x
Jul 22, 20261.0350x0.9715x
Jul 23, 20261.0287x0.9691x
Jul 24, 20261.0389x0.9703x
Jul 27, 20261.0427x0.9726x
Jul 28, 20261.0591x0.9749x
Jul 29, 20261.0633x0.9712x
Jul 30, 20261.0456x0.9719x
Jul 31, 20261.0417x0.9694x
Aug 3, 20261.0352x0.9683x
Aug 4, 20261.0400x0.9723x
Aug 5, 20261.0301x0.9728x
Aug 6, 20261.0322x0.9700x
Aug 7, 20261.0324x0.9717x
Aug 10, 20261.0236x0.9681x
Aug 11, 20261.0230x0.9689x
Aug 12, 20261.0269x0.9700x
Aug 13, 20261.0347x0.9726x
Aug 14, 20261.0365x0.9705x
Aug 17, 20261.0269x0.9682x
Aug 18, 20261.0301x0.9692x
Aug 19, 20261.0400x0.9739x
Aug 20, 20261.0385x0.9706x
Aug 21, 20261.0340x0.9692x
Aug 24, 20261.0463x0.9712x
Aug 25, 20261.0425x0.9758x
Aug 26, 20261.0332x0.9743x
Aug 27, 20261.0233x0.9740x
Aug 28, 20261.0262x0.9706x
Aug 31, 20261.0224x0.9698x
Sep 1, 20261.0234x0.9635x
Sep 2, 20261.0237x0.9642x
Sep 3, 20261.0311x0.9653x
Sep 4, 20261.0234x0.9658x

Themes and category

Investment ideaDefensive IncomeQuality

Methodology and caveats

QuantLink fetches this idea from the live FastAPI ideas endpoints and renders the returned title, thesis, holdings, themes, benchmark, and tearsheet fields directly. Missing fields are left unavailable rather than fabricated.

Holdings are a curated model basket. They are not 13F filings, not insider filings, not adviser holdings, and not a claim that any person or fund owns the basket.

Backtested performance depends on the returned basket weights, benchmark, rebalancing assumptions, available price history, and calculation choices in the tearsheet endpoint. Backtests can differ materially from live results and do not include every cost, tax, capacity, liquidity, or execution constraint an investor may face.

Equal-weight and target-weight baskets can drift between rebalance points. Rebalancing can increase turnover, and concentrated thematic baskets can have higher drawdowns than a broad market benchmark.

Frequently asked questions

Research the stocks behind this idea

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Public research

QuantLink is a research tool, not investment advice. This page shows a curated model basket and backtested performance, not a filed portfolio, fund return, or recommendation to buy or sell securities.