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Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc.

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Namestring
Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc.
Legal namestring
Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc.
Company typeenum
Public
Founded yearint
1973
Descriptiontext

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (NYSE American: CRF) is a diversified, closed-end management investment company incorporated in New York on March 16, 1973 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The fund seeks capital appreciation as its primary investment objective, with current income as a secondary objective, and employs a balanced approach that combines value and growth investing in S&P 500-linked equities without restriction on sector or industry. The fund may also invest without limitation in other closed-end investment companies and ETFs, subject to a 3% voting-stock cap in any single underlying investment company, allowing for layered fund-of-fund exposure within the portfolio.

CRF operates as a single closed-end fund product, with shares listed and traded on the NYSE American exchange under the ticker "CRF." Investment management is provided by Cornerstone Advisors, LLC, which also manages a sister fund, Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. (CLM). The fund executes a Board-approved managed distribution policy that pays monthly distributions of $0.1176 per share, targeting an annualized distribution rate of approximately 21% of net asset value — which may include a return-of-capital component. The fund maintains approximately $1 billion in assets under management.

The revenue mechanics for CRF are atypical of operating companies: as a closed-end fund, CRF does not generate revenue in the conventional sense. Its primary cash outflows are monthly distributions to stockholders and its inflow is investment performance within the portfolio. The relevant commercial scale metric is AUM (~ $1B) and its distribution yield (~19.7–20% annualized). Investor access is exclusively through the NYSE American secondary market, where the fund has historically traded at a premium to NAV — an unusual positioning relative to most closed-end funds, which typically trade at discounts.

Short descriptiontext

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (NYSE American: CRF) is a diversified closed-end investment fund incorporated in 1973 that seeks capital appreciation and current income through value and growth equity strategies, serving individual and institutional investors on the NYSE American exchange.

Operating statusenum
Operating
Ownership categoryenum
Headcount rangeband
101–250
akta.pro rankint
HeadquartersCincinnati, United States
HQ citystring
Cincinnati
HQ countrystring
United States
HQ regionstring
North America
Markets served

Serves global market

Offices1 record

Each record includes

City, Country, Type, Description, Source

Keyword5 values
closed-end fund, diversified investment fund, capital appreciation, value growth investing, monthly distributions
NAICS code1 code
  • Other Investment Pools and Funds5259
SIC code1 code
  • Investment Advice6282
Product category
Closed-end investment fund management
No data
Distribution channels1 record

Each record includes

Title, Type, Scope, Target buyer, Description, Source

Cost components5 values
Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
GTM typeB2C
B2C
Offering typeServices
Services
Core offering1 text field

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (CRF) is a diversified, closed-end management investment company that invests primarily in S&P 500-linked equities using a balanced approach combining value and growth investing without regard to sector or industry. The fund's primary investment objective is capital appreciation, with current income as a secondary objective, delivered through a Board-approved managed distribution policy paying monthly distributions to stockholders.

Differentiator
Functional benefit
Problem solved
Quantifiable outcome1 value
  • Monthly distribution of $0.1176 per share (approximately 19.7-20% annualized yield)
Product overview1 text field

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (CRF) is a single closed-end investment fund. The fund was incorporated in New York on March 16, 1973 and commenced investment operations on May 15, 1973. It trades on NYSE American under ticker symbol CRF. The fund's investment objective is capital appreciation with current income as a secondary objective. The fund uses a balanced approach including value and growth investing, seeking companies at reasonable prices without regard to sector or industry that demonstrate favorable long-term growth characteristics. The fund may invest without limitation in other closed-end investment companies and ETFs.

Product and service1 record
1Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (CRF)
CategoryClosed-end investment fund
Description

A diversified, closed-end management investment company traded on NYSE American under ticker symbol CRF, with an investment objective of capital appreciation and a secondary objective of current income. The fund uses a balanced approach combining value and growth investing strategies, seeking companies at reasonable prices that demonstrate favorable long-term growth characteristics without regard to sector or industry. The fund may invest without limitation in other closed-end investment companies and ETFs. Monthly distributions are paid under a Board-approved managed distribution policy at $0.1176 per share, representing an annualized distribution rate of approximately 21% of NAV.

Scale indicator4 records

Each record includes

Type, Value, Description, Source

Partnership1 partner
Strategic tierCoreTypeOthers
Description

Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. (ticker CLM) is a related closed-end management investment company also managed by Cornerstone Advisors, LLC. Both funds operate under similar monthly distribution policies and file joint SEC reports. They are sister funds within the Cornerstone funds family.

Recent move3 records

Each record includes

Date, Type, Title, Description, Source

Expansion highlight2 records

Each record includes

Type, Description

Peers10 records
TypeDirect peer
Description

Sister closed-end management investment company managed by the same Cornerstone Advisors, LLC. Operates an essentially identical monthly distribution policy and files joint SEC reports; effectively the most directly comparable peer.

TypeDirect peer
Description

Diversified US equity closed-end fund with a multi-manager structure; comparable diversified-equity mandate and public fund structure to CRF.

3Tri-Continental Corporation (TY)
TypeDirect peer
Description

One of the oldest diversified US equity closed-end funds, focused on long-term growth and income. Highly comparable to CRF in vehicle type, mandate, and long operating history.

TypeDirect peer
Description

Diversified, US equity-focused closed-end fund that pursues long-term capital appreciation with distributions, structurally and strategically analogous to CRF.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Long-running equity closed-end fund from Royce & Associates with a more small-cap-focused mandate; comparable as a peer in the diversified equity closed-end category though narrower in size orientation.

TypeDirect peer
Description

Closed-end investment company emphasizing capital appreciation and income from a diversified equity portfolio, closely matching CRF's mandate and structure.

TypeDirect peer
Description

Closed-end, diversified equity fund with a balanced value-and-growth approach and a multi-decade operating history, directly comparable to CRF's stated investment approach.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Public asset manager that sponsors a broad family of closed-end and open-end funds, including Gabelli Dividend & Income Trust. Comparable as the manager-side peer to Cornerstone Advisors, LLC.

TypeDirect peer
Description

Closed-end fund focused on dividend-paying equities with regular distributions, run by GAMCO. Comparable mandate and shareholder yield orientation to CRF.

TypeDirect peer
Description

Closed-end fund that invests primarily in US equities with an emphasis on long-term capital appreciation and current income, structurally and strategically analogous to CRF.

Market position
Strengths5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Weaknesses5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Competitive moat3 records

Each record includes

Type, Details

Key highlights6 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Customer concentration

Classification, Details

Segment1 record

Each record includes

Title, Type, Primary, Description, Pain point addressed, Use case, Source

Ideal customer profile2 records

Each record includes

Profile, Firmographic size, Sales motion, Sales cycle length, Buying structure, Purchase trigger, Buyer persona, Geography, Industry vertical, Primary use case, Description, Pain points, Evidence proof points, Target buyer

Technology focused
No
API detail
Has APIbool
No

Docs URL, Description

AI maturity
App detail

Has app

Core technology
Revenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Number of profiles
No data
No data
Funding overview

Funding stage, Last funding date, Total funding USD

Funding rounds

Each record includes

Round, Amount USD, Date, Pre money valuation, Total investors, Investors, News

Investors

Each record includes

Name, Type, Date of entry, Rounds participated, Website

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Each record includes

Name, Acquisition type, Announced date, Completed date, Status, Website, News

Investment

Each record includes

Name, Round, Announced date, Lead investor, Website, News

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc.

Closed-end investment fund managementcornerstonetotalreturnfund.com

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (NYSE American: CRF) is a diversified closed-end investment fund incorporated in 1973 that seeks capital appreciation and current income through value and growth equity strategies, serving individual and institutional investors on the NYSE American exchange.

What Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. does

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (NYSE American: CRF) is a diversified, closed-end management investment company incorporated in New York on March 16, 1973 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The fund seeks capital appreciation as its primary investment objective, with current income as a secondary objective, and employs a balanced approach that combines value and growth investing in S&P 500-linked equities without restriction on sector or industry. The fund may also invest without limitation in other closed-end investment companies and ETFs, subject to a 3% voting-stock cap in any single underlying investment company, allowing for layered fund-of-fund exposure within the portfolio.

CRF operates as a single closed-end fund product, with shares listed and traded on the NYSE American exchange under the ticker "CRF." Investment management is provided by Cornerstone Advisors, LLC, which also manages a sister fund, Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. (CLM). The fund executes a Board-approved managed distribution policy that pays monthly distributions of $0.1176 per share, targeting an annualized distribution rate of approximately 21% of net asset value — which may include a return-of-capital component. The fund maintains approximately $1 billion in assets under management.

The revenue mechanics for CRF are atypical of operating companies: as a closed-end fund, CRF does not generate revenue in the conventional sense. Its primary cash outflows are monthly distributions to stockholders and its inflow is investment performance within the portfolio. The relevant commercial scale metric is AUM (~ $1B) and its distribution yield (~19.7–20% annualized). Investor access is exclusively through the NYSE American secondary market, where the fund has historically traded at a premium to NAV — an unusual positioning relative to most closed-end funds, which typically trade at discounts.

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. firmographics

Firmographics
Name
Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc.
Legal name
Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc.
Website
https://cornerstonetotalreturnfund.com
Company type
Public
Founded year
1973
Operating status
Operating
Headcount range
101–250 employees
Short description
Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (NYSE American: CRF) is a diversified closed-end investment fund incorporated in 1973 that seeks capital appreciation and current income through value and growth equity strategies, serving individual and institutional investors on the NYSE American exchange.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Where Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city
Cincinnati
HQ country
United States
HQ region
North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. business model

Business model
GTM type
B2C
Offering type
Services
Cost components
Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (CRF) is a diversified, closed-end management investment company that invests primarily in S&P 500-linked equities using a balanced approach combining value and growth investing without regard to sector or industry. The fund's primary investment objective is capital appreciation, with current income as a secondary objective, delivered through a Board-approved managed distribution policy paying monthly distributions to stockholders.

Product overview

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (CRF) is a single closed-end investment fund. The fund was incorporated in New York on March 16, 1973 and commenced investment operations on May 15, 1973. It trades on NYSE American under ticker symbol CRF. The fund's investment objective is capital appreciation with current income as a secondary objective. The fund uses a balanced approach including value and growth investing, seeking companies at reasonable prices without regard to sector or industry that demonstrate favorable long-term growth characteristics. The fund may invest without limitation in other closed-end investment companies and ETFs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

  • Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (CRF) A diversified, closed-end management investment company traded on NYSE American under ticker symbol CRF, with an investment objective of capital appreciation and a secondary objective of current income. The fund uses a balanced approach combining value and growth investing strategies, seeking companies at reasonable prices that demonstrate favorable long-term growth characteristics without regard to sector or industry. The fund may invest without limitation in other closed-end investment companies and ETFs. Monthly distributions are paid under a Board-approved managed distribution policy at $0.1176 per share, representing an annualized distribution rate of approximately 21% of NAV.

Quantifiable outcome

  • Monthly distribution of $0.1176 per share (approximately 19.7-20% annualized yield)

Companies that use Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc.

Customer profile

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API
No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

  • Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. (CLM)coreOthersCornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. (ticker CLM) is a related closed-end management investment company also managed by Cornerstone Advisors, LLC. Both funds operate under similar monthly distribution policies and file joint SEC reports. They are sister funds within the Cornerstone funds family.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

  • Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund (CLM): Sister closed-end management investment company managed by the same Cornerstone Advisors, LLC. Operates an essentially identical monthly distribution policy and files joint SEC reports; effectively the most directly comparable peer.
  • Liberty All-Star Equity Fund (USA): Diversified US equity closed-end fund with a multi-manager structure; comparable diversified-equity mandate and public fund structure to CRF.
  • Tri-Continental Corporation (TY): One of the oldest diversified US equity closed-end funds, focused on long-term growth and income. Highly comparable to CRF in vehicle type, mandate, and long operating history.
  • Adams Diversified Equity Fund (ADX): Diversified, US equity-focused closed-end fund that pursues long-term capital appreciation with distributions, structurally and strategically analogous to CRF.
  • General American Investors (GAM): Closed-end investment company emphasizing capital appreciation and income from a diversified equity portfolio, closely matching CRF's mandate and structure.
  • Source Capital (SOR): Closed-end, diversified equity fund with a balanced value-and-growth approach and a multi-decade operating history, directly comparable to CRF's stated investment approach.
  • Gabelli Dividend & Income Trust (GDV): Closed-end fund focused on dividend-paying equities with regular distributions, run by GAMCO. Comparable mandate and shareholder yield orientation to CRF.
  • Boulder Growth & Income Fund (BIF): Closed-end fund that invests primarily in US equities with an emphasis on long-term capital appreciation and current income, structurally and strategically analogous to CRF.

Broad incumbents

  • Royce Micro-Cap Trust (RMT): Long-running equity closed-end fund from Royce & Associates with a more small-cap-focused mandate; comparable as a peer in the diversified equity closed-end category though narrower in size orientation.
  • GAMCO Investors (GBL): Public asset manager that sponsors a broad family of closed-end and open-end funds, including Gabelli Dividend & Income Trust. Comparable as the manager-side peer to Cornerstone Advisors, LLC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc.

What does Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. do?

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (CRF) is a diversified, closed-end management investment company that invests primarily in S&P 500-linked equities using a balanced approach combining value and growth investing without regard to sector or industry. The fund's primary investment objective is capital appreciation, with current income as a secondary objective, delivered through a Board-approved managed distribution policy paying monthly distributions to stockholders.

Is Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. a public or private company?

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.

When was Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. founded?

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. was founded in 1973. It employs 101 to 250 people.

Where is Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. based?

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. is headquartered in Cincinnati, United States, in the North America region.

Who are Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc.'s main competitors?

Direct peers on record are Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund (CLM), Liberty All-Star Equity Fund (USA), Tri-Continental Corporation (TY), Adams Diversified Equity Fund (ADX), General American Investors (GAM), Source Capital (SOR), Gabelli Dividend & Income Trust (GDV) and Boulder Growth & Income Fund (BIF). Broad incumbents are Royce Micro-Cap Trust (RMT) and GAMCO Investors (GBL).

Does Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. have an API?

No public API is recorded for Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc..

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Live signals
Seeking AlphaCRF: The 22% Dividend Looks Great Until You See Where It Comes From (NYSE:CRF)Cornerstone Total Return Fund trades at a 4% premium to NAV and offers a 22% dividend yield, but is rated Sell. The high yield comes from a managed distribution policy that returns capital and erodes NAV rather than generating sustainable income. The fund's tech-heavy, large-cap portfolio tracks broad indexes, but higher fees and NAV drag undermine long-term outperformance.Defense WorldAlmitas Capital LLC Takes $11.29 Million Position in Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. $CRFAlmitas Capital LLC bought 1,572,309 shares of Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. in the second quarter, valued at about $11.29 million, according to its 13F filing. The stake is 2.7% of Almitas's holdings, its seventh largest position, and the firm held 1.34% of CRF at period end. The fund also declared a monthly dividend of $0.1176 per share, payable December 31.Stock TitanCornerstone Funds Keep 2027 Distribution Percentage at 21%Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. and Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. have declared monthly distributions for October through December 2026 and maintained their annual distribution percentage at 21% for 2027. The Boards of Directors determined that this percentage will be applied to the funds' net asset values as of the end of October 2026 to set the subsequent distribution amounts. This policy aims to provide stable liquidity to stockholders, though a portion of these distributions is expected to consist of return-of-capital.Seeking AlphaCornerstone Upcoming Rights Offering Presents Total Return OpportunitiesCornerstone Total Return Fund (CRF) and Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund (CLM) have announced an upcoming rights offering that allows shareholders to purchase new shares at a 4% premium to net asset value. This corporate action is expected to reduce current trading premiums, with historical trends suggesting that market prices and premiums typically recover after the offering as new capital is deployed. The announcement provides existing shareholders an opportunity to participate in the offering while potentially offering new investors a more attractive entry point once premiums compress.Markets DailyCornerstone Total Return Fund (NYSEAMERICAN:CRF) Stock Passes Below 200-Day Moving Average – Should You Sell?Cornerstone Total Return Fund's stock price passed below its 200-day moving average during Wednesday trading, reaching a low of $7.16 before closing at $7.17 with a volume of 684,363 shares. Several institutional investors, including Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management, Newbridge Financial Services Group, Ascentis Independent Advisors, Destination Wealth Management, and Goldman Sachs Group, have recently adjusted their positions in the fund. The fund is a diversified, closed-end management investment company that has operated since 1989, seeking to provide income and capital appreciation through fixed-income and equity securities.GlobeNewswireCornerstone Funds Announce Continuing Monthly DistributionsCornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. (CLM) and Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (CRF), both closed-end management investment companies traded on NYSE American, announced monthly distributions for July through September 2026 at $0.1215 and $0.1176 per share respectively. The distributions are part of each Fund's Board-approved monthly distribution policy and are not tied to actual investment income or capital gains, meaning a portion may consist of return-of-capital. Each Fund's Board maintains that the policy provides stockholders with liquidity and flexibility, though the final tax composition of 2026 distributions will not be determined until year-end.Stock TitanCornerstone funds set July-Sept. monthly payoutsCornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. (CLM) and Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (CRF) announced their monthly distribution amounts for July through September 2026, with CLM paying $0.1215 per share and CRF paying $0.1176 per share on their respective record and payable dates. The distributions are made under each Fund's previously adopted monthly distribution policy, which provides for annual resetting of the distribution amount based on net asset value and board-approved annualized distribution percentage. The Funds noted that a portion of 2026 distributions is expected to consist of return-of-capital rather than investment income or capital gains.Defense WorldCornerstone Total Return Fund (NYSEAMERICAN:CRF) Stock Passes Above 50 Day Moving Average – Should You Sell?Cornerstone Total Return Fund's share price crossed above its fifty day moving average during trading on Monday, with the stock trading at $7.17 after reaching a high of $7.26. The fund also announced a monthly dividend of $0.1176 per share, representing a 19.7% annualized dividend yield, with an ex-dividend date of June 15th. Several institutional investors, including Sculptor Capital LP, Raymond James Financial Inc., and others, have recently modified their holdings in the investment management company.Seeking AlphaCRF: A Soft Market Will Hurt Its Premium (NYSE:CRF)Binary Tree Analytics has issued a negative investment thesis on Cornerstone Total Return Fund Inc (CRF), a closed-end fund with approximately $1 billion in assets under management, warning that the fund's shares trade at a premium of roughly 19% above the underlying portfolio value. The analysis highlights that this premium historically vanishes during market downturns, and that the fund's high distribution rate of approximately 19% is not supported by the actual long-term compounding of its underlying S&P 500-linked equities.Defense WorldCornerstone Total Return Fund (NYSEAMERICAN:CRF) Share Price Crosses Below Two Hundred Day Moving Average – Time to Sell?Cornerstone Total Return Fund's stock price crossed below its 200-day moving average on Thursday, trading at $7.04 versus a 200-day average of $7.76. The fund also declared a monthly dividend of $0.1176 per share, payable on June 30th, representing an annualized dividend yield of approximately 20%. Several institutional investors, including Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management, Goldman Sachs, and CoreCap Advisors, recently increased their positions in the fund.