XA Investments Appoints New Head of Product Development
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 26 2026
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Should l Buy MCN?
Source: Newsfilter
- Executive Appointment: XA Investments LLC has announced the appointment of Lauren Michalak as managing director and head of product development and strategy, responsible for proprietary closed-end funds, which is expected to enhance the firm's product innovation and market strategy efforts.
- Extensive Experience: Michalak brings 20 years of experience from Nuveen, where she raised over $15 billion in new capital and led complex cross-functional initiatives across multiple fund structures, demonstrating her deep expertise in all stages of the product development lifecycle.
- Strategic Growth: At Nuveen, she was responsible for the strategy of the North American Responsible Investing business line, managing over $100 billion in assets, and designed multi-year strategic plans focused on growth in sustainability investment capabilities, which is likely to provide XA's clients with more competitive investment products.
- Educational Background: Lauren earned her MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in economics and mathematics from Loyola University Chicago, graduating with highest honors, and holds FINRA licenses, showcasing her professional qualifications in the finance sector.
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About MCN
Madison Covered Call & Equity Strategy Fund (the Fund) is a diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund's primary investment objective is to provide a high level of current income and current gains, with a secondary objective of long-term capital appreciation. The Fund pursue its investment objectives by investing primarily in large and mid-capitalization common stocks. Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to generate current earnings from option premiums by writing (selling) covered call options on a substantial portion of its portfolio securities. The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in common stocks, with at least 65% of its total assets in common stocks of large capitalization issuers. The Fund may invest the remainder of its total assets in companies that meet the Fund's growth and value criteria but whose market capitalization is considered as middle-sized or mid-cap. The Fund's investment advisor is Madison Asset Management, LLC.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
XA Investments Appoints New Head of Product Development
- Executive Appointment: XA Investments LLC has announced the appointment of Lauren Michalak as managing director and head of product development and strategy, responsible for proprietary closed-end funds, which is expected to enhance the firm's product innovation and market strategy efforts.
- Extensive Experience: Michalak brings 20 years of experience from Nuveen, where she raised over $15 billion in new capital and led complex cross-functional initiatives across multiple fund structures, demonstrating her deep expertise in all stages of the product development lifecycle.
- Strategic Growth: At Nuveen, she was responsible for the strategy of the North American Responsible Investing business line, managing over $100 billion in assets, and designed multi-year strategic plans focused on growth in sustainability investment capabilities, which is likely to provide XA's clients with more competitive investment products.
- Educational Background: Lauren earned her MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in economics and mathematics from Loyola University Chicago, graduating with highest honors, and holds FINRA licenses, showcasing her professional qualifications in the finance sector.
See More
XAI Octagon Trust Announces 1-for-5 Reverse Stock Split
- Reverse Stock Split: XAI Octagon Floating Rate & Alternative Income Trust has announced a 1-for-5 reverse stock split, effective March 20, 2026, which will consolidate every five shares into one, potentially enhancing the market value per share and improving investor confidence.
- Dividend Adjustment: Following the reverse split, the monthly dividend will increase from $0.060 to $0.30 per share, reflecting the Trust's confidence in future earnings growth and attracting more investor interest in its income potential.
- Trading Arrangements: Post-split, the Trust's common shares will begin trading on March 23, 2026, ensuring that all shareholders maintain their ownership percentages, which enhances market liquidity and transparency.
- Shareholder Rights Protection: The reverse split will not issue fractional shares, with cash compensation provided instead, ensuring all shareholders' rights are protected and further enhancing the Trust's governance structure and investor trust.
See More
XAI Madison Equity Fund Declares Monthly Distribution of $0.060 per Share
- Monthly Distribution Announcement: The XAI Madison Equity Premium Income Fund has declared a monthly distribution of $0.060 per share, payable on March 2, 2026, with a record date of February 17, 2026, reflecting the fund's commitment to maintaining stable distributions.
- Stable Distribution Amount: The distribution amount remains unchanged from the previous month, indicating the fund's strategy to sustain consistent income distributions in the current market environment, which aims to bolster investor confidence and attract more investments.
- Tax Information Disclosure: The fund will report the specific tax characteristics of the distributions to shareholders via Form 1099 after the end of the 2026 calendar year, ensuring shareholders are informed about the source of distributions and their potential tax implications, thereby enhancing transparency.
- Investment Strategy Overview: The fund aims to achieve a high level of current income and capital appreciation primarily by investing in common stocks and writing covered call options, a strategy that helps maintain stable income amidst market volatility.
See More
XA Investments Appoints New Director of Regional Sales
- New Sales Director: XA Investments LLC announced the appointment of Tom McCabe as Director of Regional Sales, bringing over 15 years of financial services experience focused on Registered Investment Advisors and Family Office networks to accelerate the firm's distribution efforts in the interval fund and closed-end fund markets.
- Market Expansion Strategy: McCabe will drive the distribution of the Octagon XAI CLO Income Fund (OCTIX), with a particular focus on the East Coast market, which is expected to significantly enhance the company's market penetration and client relationship management capabilities in that region.
- Industry Background Advantage: Prior to joining XAI, McCabe served as a Sales Executive at Vanguard, where he was responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with Registered Investment Advisors in the Southeast, bringing valuable client resources and market insights to XAI.
- Company Vision and Growth: Founded in 2016, XAI is committed to providing investors with diverse alternative investment strategies, and McCabe's addition is expected to further drive innovation and market leadership in this area.
See More
XA Investments Launches First Credit Interval Fund Index with Over $79 Billion in Assets
- Industry First: XA Investments' launch of the XAI Interval Fund Credit Index™ (INTVL-C) focuses on non-listed credit interval funds, making it the only index of its kind in the market, aimed at providing fund managers with a true benchmark for comparison.
- Substantial Asset Base: As of December 31, 2025, the 58 constituents of INTVL-C collectively hold over $79 billion in total net assets, underscoring the index's significance and impact in the alternative credit investment space.
- Enhanced Transparency: The index offers asset managers a transparent and comprehensive view of leading credit interval and tender offer funds, fostering greater investor engagement and confidence in this rapidly growing investment market.
- Market Leaders: The constituents of INTVL-C include market leaders such as Cliffwater, CION, and Carlyle, reflecting their performance-driving role within this segment and further solidifying XA Investments' leadership position in the industry.
See More
XA Investments Launches First Credit Interval Fund Index with Over $79 Billion in Assets
- Industry First: XA Investments' launch of the XAI Interval Fund Credit Index (INTVL-C) focuses on non-listed interval and tender offer funds, becoming the only available credit index, aimed at providing fund managers with a true peer benchmark.
- Substantial Asset Base: As of December 31, 2025, the index's 58 constituents boast over $79 billion in total net assets, reflecting strong market demand and growth potential for alternative credit investments.
- Enhanced Transparency: INTVL-C offers asset managers a transparent and comprehensive view of leading credit interval funds, facilitating benchmarking and peer comparison, which enhances investor confidence and engagement.
- Market Impact: The index's launch not only signifies a significant advancement in the alternative credit fund landscape but also aims to drive greater investor attention and trust in this rapidly growing investment space.
See More
XA Investments Appoints New Head of Product Development
- Executive Appointment: XA Investments LLC has announced the appointment of Lauren Michalak as managing director and head of product development and strategy, responsible for proprietary closed-end funds, which is expected to enhance the firm's product innovation and market strategy efforts.
- Extensive Experience: Michalak brings 20 years of experience from Nuveen, where she raised over $15 billion in new capital and led complex cross-functional initiatives across multiple fund structures, demonstrating her deep expertise in all stages of the product development lifecycle.
- Strategic Growth: At Nuveen, she was responsible for the strategy of the North American Responsible Investing business line, managing over $100 billion in assets, and designed multi-year strategic plans focused on growth in sustainability investment capabilities, which is likely to provide XA's clients with more competitive investment products.
- Educational Background: Lauren earned her MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in economics and mathematics from Loyola University Chicago, graduating with highest honors, and holds FINRA licenses, showcasing her professional qualifications in the finance sector.
See More
XAI Octagon Trust Announces 1-for-5 Reverse Stock Split
- Reverse Stock Split: XAI Octagon Floating Rate & Alternative Income Trust has announced a 1-for-5 reverse stock split, effective March 20, 2026, which will consolidate every five shares into one, potentially enhancing the market value per share and improving investor confidence.
- Dividend Adjustment: Following the reverse split, the monthly dividend will increase from $0.060 to $0.30 per share, reflecting the Trust's confidence in future earnings growth and attracting more investor interest in its income potential.
- Trading Arrangements: Post-split, the Trust's common shares will begin trading on March 23, 2026, ensuring that all shareholders maintain their ownership percentages, which enhances market liquidity and transparency.
- Shareholder Rights Protection: The reverse split will not issue fractional shares, with cash compensation provided instead, ensuring all shareholders' rights are protected and further enhancing the Trust's governance structure and investor trust.
See More
XAI Madison Equity Fund Declares Monthly Distribution of $0.060 per Share
- Monthly Distribution Announcement: The XAI Madison Equity Premium Income Fund has declared a monthly distribution of $0.060 per share, payable on March 2, 2026, with a record date of February 17, 2026, reflecting the fund's commitment to maintaining stable distributions.
- Stable Distribution Amount: The distribution amount remains unchanged from the previous month, indicating the fund's strategy to sustain consistent income distributions in the current market environment, which aims to bolster investor confidence and attract more investments.
- Tax Information Disclosure: The fund will report the specific tax characteristics of the distributions to shareholders via Form 1099 after the end of the 2026 calendar year, ensuring shareholders are informed about the source of distributions and their potential tax implications, thereby enhancing transparency.
- Investment Strategy Overview: The fund aims to achieve a high level of current income and capital appreciation primarily by investing in common stocks and writing covered call options, a strategy that helps maintain stable income amidst market volatility.
See More
XA Investments Appoints New Director of Regional Sales
- New Sales Director: XA Investments LLC announced the appointment of Tom McCabe as Director of Regional Sales, bringing over 15 years of financial services experience focused on Registered Investment Advisors and Family Office networks to accelerate the firm's distribution efforts in the interval fund and closed-end fund markets.
- Market Expansion Strategy: McCabe will drive the distribution of the Octagon XAI CLO Income Fund (OCTIX), with a particular focus on the East Coast market, which is expected to significantly enhance the company's market penetration and client relationship management capabilities in that region.
- Industry Background Advantage: Prior to joining XAI, McCabe served as a Sales Executive at Vanguard, where he was responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with Registered Investment Advisors in the Southeast, bringing valuable client resources and market insights to XAI.
- Company Vision and Growth: Founded in 2016, XAI is committed to providing investors with diverse alternative investment strategies, and McCabe's addition is expected to further drive innovation and market leadership in this area.
See More
XA Investments Launches First Credit Interval Fund Index with Over $79 Billion in Assets
- Industry First: XA Investments' launch of the XAI Interval Fund Credit Index™ (INTVL-C) focuses on non-listed credit interval funds, making it the only index of its kind in the market, aimed at providing fund managers with a true benchmark for comparison.
- Substantial Asset Base: As of December 31, 2025, the 58 constituents of INTVL-C collectively hold over $79 billion in total net assets, underscoring the index's significance and impact in the alternative credit investment space.
- Enhanced Transparency: The index offers asset managers a transparent and comprehensive view of leading credit interval and tender offer funds, fostering greater investor engagement and confidence in this rapidly growing investment market.
- Market Leaders: The constituents of INTVL-C include market leaders such as Cliffwater, CION, and Carlyle, reflecting their performance-driving role within this segment and further solidifying XA Investments' leadership position in the industry.
See More
XA Investments Launches First Credit Interval Fund Index with Over $79 Billion in Assets
- Industry First: XA Investments' launch of the XAI Interval Fund Credit Index (INTVL-C) focuses on non-listed interval and tender offer funds, becoming the only available credit index, aimed at providing fund managers with a true peer benchmark.
- Substantial Asset Base: As of December 31, 2025, the index's 58 constituents boast over $79 billion in total net assets, reflecting strong market demand and growth potential for alternative credit investments.
- Enhanced Transparency: INTVL-C offers asset managers a transparent and comprehensive view of leading credit interval funds, facilitating benchmarking and peer comparison, which enhances investor confidence and engagement.
- Market Impact: The index's launch not only signifies a significant advancement in the alternative credit fund landscape but also aims to drive greater investor attention and trust in this rapidly growing investment space.
See More
