DWS Municipal Income Trust (NYSE: KTF) is a closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide a high level of current income exempt from federal income tax by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of investment-grade, tax-exempt municipal securities. The fund principally invests in investment-grade tax-exempt municipal securities rated Baa or BBB or better by Moody's or S&P, or unrated securities deemed comparable by the investment manager; up to 20% of total assets may be allocated to high-yield municipal securities below investment grade, with no more than 20% in unrated municipal securities; the portfolio includes revenue bonds (82%), general obligation bonds (11%), lease obligations (7%), and escrowed to maturity/prerefunded bonds (1%), spanning sectors such as healthcare, infrastructure, airports, education, and utilities, with top holdings including Georgia Main Street Natural Gas, Colorado State Health Facilities Authority (CommonSpirit Health), and City & County of Denver Airport System Revenue. It benchmarks performance against the Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index and employs leverage representing approximately 33% of total assets to enhance yield potential.
Launched on October 20, 1988, and managed by DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., an affiliate of DWS Group (a global asset manager under Deutsche Bank), the trust is headquartered at 875 Third Avenue, New York, New York, with principal executive offices there.
The fund's portfolio is geographically concentrated in the United States (98%), with minor exposure to Puerto Rico (2%), targeting investors seeking tax-advantaged income from municipal issuers including states, counties, municipalities, and related authorities.
In a major strategic shift announced in March 2024, the Board of Trustees approved the termination of the fund, with a liquidating distribution to shareholders planned no later than November 30, 2026; concurrently, the fund increased its monthly distribution rate to an annualized target of at least 7% of net asset value per share, effective from the April 2024 dividend declaration, though portions may constitute return of capital rather than investment income.