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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 8, 2021

1933 Act File No. [•]-[•]

1940 Act File No. 811-23749

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM N-2

(Check appropriate box or boxes)

and

PIMCO Access Income Fund

(Registrant Exact Name as Specified in Charter)

1633 Broadway

New York, New York 10019

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(Number, Street, City, State, Zip Code)

(844) 337-4626

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code)

Ryan G. Leshaw

c/o Pacific Investment Management Company LLC

650 Newport Center Drive

Newport Beach, California 92660

(Name and Address (Number, Street, City, State, Zip Code) of Agent for Service)

Copies of Communications to:

David C. Sullivan, Esq.

Nathan Briggs, Esq.

Ropes & Gray LLP

Prudential Tower, 800 Boylston Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02199

Approximate Date of Commencement of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

If appropriate, check the following box:

Check each box that appropriately characterizes the Registrant:

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment that specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

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The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state or jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Preliminary Prospectus, subject to completion dated October 8, 2021

PIMCO ACCESS INCOME FUND

Common Shares

$20.00 per Share

PIMCO Access Income Fund (the “Fund”) is a newly organized, non-diversified, limited term, closed-end management investment company with no operating history.

Investment Objectives. The Fund seeks current income as a primary objective and capital appreciation as a secondary objective. The Fund’s investment objectives are considered non-fundamental and may be changed by the Fund’s board of trustees (the “Board”) without shareholder approval. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives or that the Fund’s investment program will be successful.

Investment Strategy. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by utilizing a dynamic asset allocation strategy among multiple fixed income sectors in the global public and private credit markets, including corporate debt, mortgage-related and other asset-backed instruments, government and sovereign debt, taxable municipal bonds and other fixed-, variable- and floating-rate income-producing securities of U.S. and foreign issuers, including emerging market issuers, and real estate and real estate-related investments (collectively, “real estate investments”). The Fund may invest without limitation in investment grade debt securities and below investment grade debt securities (commonly referred to as “high yield” securities or “junk bonds”), including securities of stressed, distressed or defaulted issuers.

An investment in the Fund involves certain risks arising from, among other things, the Fund’s ability to invest without limitation in below investment grade debt securities (commonly referred to as “high yield” securities or “junk bonds”), including securities of stressed, distressed or defaulted issuers, as well as risks from illiquid investments and real estate investments. An investment in the Fund is also subject to the risk of the use of leverage and risks related to investments in derivative instruments. Investors should carefully consider the Fund’s risks and investment objectives, as an investment in the Fund may not be appropriate for all investors and is not designed to be a complete investment program. No assurance can be given that the Fund’s investment objectives will be achieved. Before buying any of the Fund’s Common Shares, you should read the discussion of the principal risks of investing in the Fund in “Principal Risks of the Fund” beginning on page 106 of this prospectus.

Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

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The underwriters expect to deliver the Common Shares to purchasers on or about [•], 2021.

The date of this prospectus is [•], 2021

Investment Manager. The Fund’s investment manager is Pacific Investment Management Company LLC (“PIMCO” or the “Investment Manager”). As of [•], 2021, PIMCO had approximately $[•] trillion in assets under management. On behalf of the Fund, PIMCO utilizes a dynamic asset allocation strategy among multiple fixed income sectors in the global credit markets.

No Prior History. Because the Fund is newly organized, its common shares of beneficial interest (“Common Shares”) have no history of public trading. Shares of closed-end funds frequently trade at a significant discount from their net asset value, which creates a risk of loss for investors purchasing shares in the initial public offering. This risk is greater for investors who expect to sell their Common Shares in a relatively short period after completion of the initial public offering.

The Fund’s Common Shares have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to notice of issuance, under the trading or “ticker” symbol “PAXS.”

Portfolio Contents. The Fund will normally invest worldwide in a portfolio of debt obligations and other income-producing securities and instruments of any type and credit quality and with varying maturities and related derivative instruments. The Fund’s portfolio of debt obligations and other income producing securities and instruments may include, without limitation, bonds, debentures, notes, and other debt securities and similar instruments of varying maturities issued by various U.S. and foreign (non-U.S.) corporate and other issuers, including corporate debt securities; commercial paper; securitizations and mortgage-related and other asset-backed instruments issued by government agencies or other governmental entities or by private originators or issuers (including agency and non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities and commercial mortgage-backed securities, collateralized bond obligations, collateralized mortgage obligations, collateralized loan obligations, other collateralized debt obligations and other similarly structured securities, including the residual or equity tranches thereof); derivatives on mortgage-related instruments; U.S. Government securities; obligations of foreign governments or their sub-divisions, agencies and government sponsored enterprises and obligations of international agencies and supranational entities; municipal securities and other debt securities issued by states or local governments and their agencies, authorities and other government-sponsored enterprises, including taxable municipal securities (such as Build America Bonds); payment-in-kind securities; zero-coupon bonds; inflation-indexed bonds issued by both governments and corporations; structured notes, including hybrid or indexed securities; catastrophe bonds and other event-linked bonds; credit-linked notes; credit-linked trust instruments; structured credit products; loans (including, among others, bank loans, whole loans, senior loans, mezzanine loans, delayed funding loans, covenant-lite obligations, revolving credit facilities and loan participations and assignments, loans held and/or originated by private financial institutions, including commercial and residential mortgage loans, corporate loans and consumer loans (such as credit card receivables, automobile loans and student loans)); preferred securities; convertible debt securities (i.e., debt securities that may be converted at either a stated price or stated rate into underlying shares of common stock), including synthetic convertible debt securities (i.e., instruments created through a combination of separate securities that possess the two principal characteristics of a traditional convertible security, such as an income-producing security and the right to acquire an equity security) and contingent convertible securities; bank capital securities; and bank certificates of deposit, fixed time deposits and bankers’ acceptances. The rate of interest on an income-producing security may be fixed, floating or variable, and may move in the opposite direction to interest rates generally or the interest rate on another security or index. Certain corporate income-producing securities, such as convertible bonds, also may include the right to participate in equity appreciation, and PIMCO will generally evaluate those instruments based primarily on their debt characteristics. The

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Fund may invest without limitation in investment grade debt securities and below investment grade debt securities (commonly referred to as “high yield” securities or “junk bonds”), including securities of stressed, distressed or defaulted issuers. The Fund may invest in any level of the capital structure of an issuer of mortgage-backed or asset-backed instruments, including the equity or “first loss” tranche. The Fund may invest in securitization risk retention tranches in the capacity of a third-party purchaser with respect to securitizations sponsored by others.

The Fund may invest directly or indirectly in real estate investments, including through one or more subsidiaries (which could be structured as real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) or real estate operating companies (“REOCs”)) and/or through joint ventures with affiliated or unaffiliated third parties, including partnerships, co-tenancies and other co-ownership arrangements or participations with mortgage or investment banks, financial institutions, real estate developers, owners, managers or other third parties. The Fund’s real estate investments may be structured through privately-owned operating entities that hold whole or partial interests in real properties. The Fund’s real estate investments may include, without limitation, the mortgage-related investments described above, equity or debt securities issued by REITs or real estate-related investment companies, other types of public and private real estate loans and debt and direct investments in commercial and residential real estate, including land, for-sale and for-rent housing, office, hotel, retail and industrial investments.

The Fund may invest in, originate and/or securitize loans, including, without limitation, to corporations and/or other legal entities and individuals and/or residential and/or commercial real estate or mortgage-related loans, consumer loans or other types of loans, which may be in the form of whole loans, secured and unsecured notes, senior and second lien loans, mezzanine loans or similar investments.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities of U.S. issuers. Subject to the limit described below on investments in securities and instruments that are economically tied to “emerging market” countries, the Fund may invest without limitation in securities of foreign (non-U.S.) issuers, securities traded principally outside of the United States and securities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. The Fund may invest up to 30% of its total assets in securities and instruments that are economically tied to “emerging market” countries; however, the Fund may invest without limitation in short-term investment grade sovereign debt issued by emerging market issuers.

As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund will normally invest at least 25% of its total assets (i.e., concentrate) in real estate investments and mortgage-related assets issued by government agencies or other governmental entities or by private originators or issuers.

The Fund may invest either directly or indirectly through wholly-owned and/or controlled subsidiaries (each, a “Subsidiary,” and collectively, “Subsidiaries”) in shares, certificates, notes or other securities issued by a special purpose entity (“SPE”) sponsored by an alternative lending platform or its affiliates (the “Sponsor”) that represent the right to receive principal and interest payments due on pools of whole loans or fractions of whole loans, which may (but may not) be issued by the Sponsor, held by the SPE (“Alt Lending ABS”). Any such Alt Lending ABS may be backed by consumer, residential or other loans.

Leverage. The Fund currently intends, subject to favorable market conditions, to add leverage to its portfolio by utilizing reverse repurchase agreements. The Fund may also enter into transactions other than those noted above that may give rise to a form of leverage including, among others, (i) selling credit default swaps, (ii) dollar rolls, (iii) borrowings, such as through bank loans or commercial paper and/or other credit facilities, (iv) futures and forward contracts (including foreign currency exchange contracts), (v) total return swaps, (vi) other derivative transactions, (vii) loans of portfolio securities, (viii) short sales and (ix) when-issued, delayed delivery and forward commitment transactions. Although it has no current intention to do so, the Fund may also determine to issue preferred shares or other types of senior securities to add leverage to its portfolio.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund will limit its use of leverage, subject to the limitations set forth in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, from any combination of (i) reverse repurchase agreements (whether or not these instruments are covered as discussed below), (ii) borrowings (i.e., loans or lines of credit from banks or other credit facilities), (iii) any future issuance of preferred shares, and (iv) to the extent described below, credit default swaps, other swap agreements and futures contracts (whether or not these instruments are covered with segregated assets as discussed below) such that the assets attributable to the use of such leverage will not exceed 50% of the Fund’s total assets (including, for purposes of the 50% limit, the amounts of leverage obtained through the use of such instruments) (the “50% policy”).

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As is common in the real estate industry, certain of the Fund’s real estate investments, if any, would be expected to be leveraged. For example, the Fund may make investments in real estate joint ventures or other real estate investments that obtain debt financing consisting of property level debt. Property level debt would generally be incurred by operating entities held by the Fund and secured by real estate owned by such operating entities. When such property level debt is not recourse to the Fund, the Fund will not treat such borrowings as senior securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) for purposes of complying with the 1940 Act’s limitations on leverage unless the entity holding such debt is a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Fund and the financial statements of such entity is consolidated in the Fund’s financial statements. The Fund’s investments may also include direct or indirect interests in public or private companies or properties, and such investments may have highly leveraged capital structures.

To the extent that any Subsidiary of the Fund directly incurs leverage in the form of debt or preferred shares and its financial statements are consolidated with those of the Fund, the amount of such leverage used by the Fund and such Subsidiary will be consolidated and treated as senior securities for purposes of complying with the 1940 Act’s limitations on leverage by the Fund.

The Fund may choose to increase or decrease, or eliminate entirely, its use of leverage over time and from time to time based on PIMCO’s assessment of the yield curve environment, interest rate trends, market conditions and other factors. By using leverage, the Fund seeks to obtain a higher return for holders of Common Shares (“Common Shareholders”) than if the Fund did not use leverage. Leveraging is a speculative technique and there are special risks and costs involved. There can be no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be used or that it will be successful during any period in which it is employed.

Limited Term. In accordance with the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, the Fund intends to terminate as of the first business day following the twelfth anniversary of the effective date of the Fund’s initial registration statement, which the Fund currently expects to occur on or about [•] (the “Dissolution Date”); provided that the Board may, by a vote of a majority of the Board and seventy-five percent (75%) of the Continuing Trustees, as defined below (a “Board Action Vote”), without shareholder approval, extend the Dissolution Date (i) once for up to one year, and (ii) once for up to an additional six months, to a date up to and including eighteen months after the initial Dissolution Date, which date shall then become the Dissolution Date. Each Common Shareholder would be paid a pro rata portion of the Fund’s net assets upon termination of the Fund.

The Board may, by a Board Action Vote, cause the Fund to conduct a tender offer, as of a date within twelve months preceding the Dissolution Date (as may be extended as described above), to all Common Shareholders to purchase 100% of the then outstanding Common Shares of the Fund at a price equal to the net asset value per Common Share on the expiration date of the tender offer (an “Eligible Tender Offer”). The Board has established that the Fund must have at least $200 million of net assets immediately following the completion of an Eligible Tender Offer to ensure the continued viability of the Fund (the “Dissolution Threshold”). In an Eligible Tender Offer, the Fund will offer to purchase all Common Shares held by each Common Shareholder; provided that if the number of properly tendered Common Shares would result in the Fund having aggregate net assets below the Dissolution Threshold, the Eligible Tender Offer will be canceled, no Common Shares will be repurchased pursuant to the Eligible Tender Offer, and the Fund will terminate as scheduled. If an Eligible Tender Offer is conducted and the number of properly tendered Common Shares would result in the Fund having aggregate net assets greater than or equal to the Dissolution Threshold, all Common Shares properly tendered and not withdrawn will be purchased by the Fund pursuant to the terms of the Eligible Tender Offer. Following the completion of an Eligible Tender Offer, the Board may, by a Board Action Vote, eliminate the Dissolution Date without shareholder approval. The Fund is not a so-called “target date” or “life cycle” fund whose asset allocation becomes more conservative over time as its target date, often associated with retirement, approaches. In addition, the Fund is not a “target term” fund and thus does not seek to return the Fund’s initial public offering price per Common Share upon termination of the Fund or in an Eligible Tender Offer. The final distribution of net assets per Common Share upon termination or the price per Common Share in an Eligible Tender Offer may be more than, equal to or less than the initial public offering price per Common Share.

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The Board may, to the extent it deems appropriate and without shareholder approval, adopt a plan of liquidation at any time preceding the anticipated Dissolution Date, which plan of liquidation may set forth the terms and conditions for implementing the termination of the existence of the Fund, including the commencement of the winding down of its investment operations and the making of one or more liquidating distributions to Common Shareholders prior to the Dissolution Date.

Please read this prospectus carefully before deciding whether to invest and retain it for future reference. It sets forth concisely the information about the Fund that a prospective investor ought to know before investing in the Fund. The Fund has filed with the SEC a Statement of Additional Information dated [•] containing additional information about the Fund (the “Statement of Additional Information”). The Statement of Additional Information is incorporated by reference into this prospectus, which means it is part of this prospectus for legal purposes. The Fund will also produce both annual and semi-annual reports that will contain important information about the Fund. Copies of the Statement of Additional Information and the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports, when available, may be obtained upon request, without charge, by calling (844) 337-4626 or by writing to the Fund at Regulatory Document Request, 650 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, California 92660. You may also call this toll-free telephone number to request other information about the Fund or to make shareholder inquiries. The Statement of Additional Information is, and the annual reports and the semi-annual reports will be, made available free of charge on the Fund’s website at www.pimco.com/prospectuses. Information on, or accessible through, the Fund’s website is not a part of, and is not incorporated into, this prospectus. You may also access reports and other information about the Fund on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov. You may get copies of this information, with payment of a duplication fee, by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the Public Reference Section of the SEC, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520.

The Common Shares do not represent a deposit or obligation of, and are not guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank or other insured depository institution, and are not federally insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

You should only rely on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Neither the Fund nor the underwriters have authorized any other person to provide you with different information. Neither the Fund nor the underwriters take any responsibility for, or provide any assurances as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. Neither the Fund nor the underwriters are making an offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front hereof. The Fund’s business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

Until [•], 2022 (25 days after the commencement of this offering), all dealers that buy, sell or trade the Fund’s Common Shares, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This delivery requirement is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

As permitted by regulations adopted by the SEC, paper copies of the Fund’s annual and semi-annual shareholder reports will not be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Fund or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank. Instead, the reports will be made available on the Fund’s website, pimco.com/literature, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you own these shares through a financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank, you may contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. If you invest directly with the Fund, you can inform the Fund that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports by calling 844.337.4626. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with the Fund or to all funds held in your account if you invest through a financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank.

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Prospectus Summary

This is only a summary. This summary may not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in the Fund’s common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Common Shares”). You should review the more detailed information contained in this prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information, especially the information set forth under the heading “Principal Risks of the Fund.”

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Summary of Fund Expenses

The following table shows estimated Fund expenses as a percentage of net assets attributable to Common Shares. The purpose of the following table and the example below is to help you understand the fees and expenses (annualized) that an investor in Common Shares of the Fund would bear, directly or indirectly, as a result of this offering. The expenses shown in the table and related footnotes are based on estimated amounts for the Fund’s first year of operations and assume that the Fund issues [•] Common Shares. The Fund’s actual expenses may vary from the estimated expenses shown in the table. The following table and the expenses shown assume the Fund uses leverage in the form of reverse repurchase agreements in an amount equal to 45% of the Fund’s total managed assets (including assets attributable to reverse repurchase agreements) (i.e., leverage representing approximately 66.67% of the Fund’s net assets attributable to Common Shares) and shows Fund expenses as a percentage of net assets attributable to Common Shares. The percentages above and information below do not reflect the Fund’s use of other forms of economic leverage, such as credit default swaps or other derivative instruments. See “Management of the Fund” and “Dividend Reinvestment Plan.”

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Example

The following example illustrates the expenses that you would pay on a $1,000 investment in Common Shares of the Fund, assuming (1) that the Fund incurs total annual expenses of [•]% of net assets attributable to Common Shares in years 1 through 10 (assuming assets attributable to reverse repurchase agreements representing 45% of the Fund’s total managed assets) and (2) a 5% annual return⁽¹⁾:

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Financial Highlights

The Fund is newly organized and its Common Shares have not previously been offered. Therefore, the Fund does not have any financial history. Additional information about the Fund’s investments will be available in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports when they are available.

Use of Proceeds

The proceeds of the offering of Common Shares will be approximately $[•] (or $[•] if the Underwriters exercise the over-allotment option in full). PIMCO (and not the Fund) has agreed to pay underwriting compensation of up to $[•] per Common Share to the Underwriters and certain dealers in connection with the offering. PIMCO has agreed to pay all of the Fund’s organizational expenses and all offering costs associated with this offering, and the Fund is not obligated to repay any such organizational expenses or offering costs paid by PIMCO. The Fund will invest the proceeds of the offering in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies as set forth below. It is currently anticipated that the Fund will be able to invest substantially all of the proceeds of this offering in accordance with its investment objectives and policies within approximately three months after the completion of the offering. Pending such investment, it is anticipated that the proceeds of this offering will be invested in high grade short-term securities, credit-linked trust certificates, and/or high yield securities index futures contracts or similar derivative instruments designed to give the Fund exposure to the securities and markets in which it intends to invest while the Investment Manager selects specific investments.

The Fund

The Fund is a newly organized, non-diversified, limited term, closed-end management investment company. The Fund was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on October 1, 2021, pursuant to an Agreement and Declaration of Trust governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. As a newly organized entity, the Fund has no operating history. The Fund’s principal office is located at 1633 Broadway, New York, New York 10019, and its telephone number is (844) 337-4626.

Investment Objectives and Policies

When used in this prospectus, the term “invest” includes both direct investing and indirect investing and the term “investments” includes both direct investments and indirect investments. For example, the Fund may invest indirectly by investing in derivatives or through its Subsidiaries. The Fund may be exposed to the different types of investments described below through its investments in its Subsidiaries. The allocation of the Fund’s assets to a Subsidiary will vary over time and will likely not include all of the different types of investments described herein at any given time.

The Fund seeks current income as a primary objective and capital appreciation as a secondary objective. The Fund’s investment objectives are considered non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval.

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by utilizing a dynamic asset allocation strategy among multiple fixed income sectors in the global public and private credit markets, including corporate debt (including, among other things, fixed-, variable- and floating-rate bonds, loans, convertible securities and stressed, distressed and defaulted debt securities issued by U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) corporations or other business entities, including emerging market issuers), mortgage-related and other asset-backed instruments, government and sovereign debt, taxable municipal bonds and other fixed-, variable- and floating-rate income-producing securities of U.S. and foreign issuers, including emerging market issuers, and real estate and real estate-related investments (collectively, “real estate investments”). The Fund may invest without limitation in investment grade debt securities and below investment grade debt securities (commonly referred to as “high yield” securities or “junk bonds”), including securities of stressed, distressed or defaulted issuers. The types of securities and instruments in which the Fund may invest are summarized under “Portfolio Contents” below. The Fund cannot assure you that it will achieve its investment objectives or that the Fund’s investment program will be successful, and you could lose all of your investment in the Fund.

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Portfolio Management Strategies

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Portfolio Contents

The Fund will normally invest worldwide in a portfolio of debt obligations and other income-producing securities and instruments of any type and credit quality and with varying maturities and related derivative instruments.

The Fund’s portfolio of debt obligations and other income producing securities and instruments may include, without limitation, bonds, debentures, notes, and other debt securities and similar instruments of varying maturities issued by various U.S. and foreign (non-U.S.) corporate and other issuers, including corporate debt securities; commercial paper; securitizations and mortgage-related and other asset-backed instruments issued by government agencies or other governmental entities or by private originators or issuers (including agency and non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities and commercial mortgage-backed securities, collateralized bond obligations, collateralized mortgage obligations, collateralized loan obligations, other collateralized debt obligations and other similarly structured securities, including the residual or equity tranches thereof); derivatives on mortgage-related instruments; U.S. Government securities; obligations of foreign governments or their sub-divisions, agencies and government sponsored enterprises and obligations of international agencies and supranational entities; municipal securities and other debt securities issued by states or local governments and their agencies, authorities and other government-sponsored enterprises, including taxable municipal securities (such as Build America Bonds); payment-in-kind securities; zero-coupon bonds; inflation-indexed bonds issued by both governments and corporations; structured notes, including hybrid or indexed securities; catastrophe bonds and other event-linked bonds; credit-linked notes; credit-linked trust instruments; structured credit products; loans (including, among others, bank loans, whole loans, senior loans, mezzanine loans, delayed funding loans, covenant-lite obligations, revolving credit facilities and loan participations and assignments, loans held and/or originated by private financial institutions, including commercial and residential mortgage loans, corporate loans and consumer loans (such as credit card receivables, automobile loans and student loans)); preferred securities; convertible debt securities (i.e., debt securities that may be converted at either a stated price or stated rate into underlying shares of common stock), including synthetic convertible debt securities (i.e., instruments created through a combination of separate securities that possess the two principal characteristics of a traditional convertible security, such as an income-producing security and the right to acquire an equity security) and contingent convertible securities; bank capital securities; and bank certificates of deposit, fixed time deposits and bankers’ acceptances. The rate of interest on an income-producing security may be fixed, floating or variable, and may move in the opposite direction to interest rates generally or the interest rate on another security or index. Certain corporate income-producing securities, such as convertible bonds, also may include the right to participate in equity appreciation, and PIMCO will generally evaluate those instruments based primarily on their debt characteristics.

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The Fund may invest in debt securities of stressed or distressed issuers as well as in defaulted securities and debtor-in-possession financings. At any given time and from time to time, all of the Fund’s portfolio may consist of below investment grade securities and/or mortgage-related or other types of asset-backed securities. The Fund may invest in any level of the capital structure of an issuer of mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities, including the equity or “first loss” tranche. The Fund may invest in securitization risk retention tranches in the capacity of a third-party purchaser with respect to securitizations sponsored by others. The Fund may invest without limitation in investment grade debt securities and below investment grade debt securities (commonly referred to as “high yield” securities or “junk bonds”), including securities of stressed, distressed or defaulted issuers. The Fund may invest in any level of the capital structure of an issuer of mortgage-backed or asset-backed instruments, including the equity or “first loss” tranche.

The Fund may invest directly or indirectly in real estate investments, including through one or more subsidiaries (which could be structured as real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) or real estate operating companies (“REOCs”)) and/or through joint ventures with affiliated or unaffiliated third parties, including partnerships, co-tenancies and other co-ownership arrangements or participations with mortgage or investment banks, financial institutions, real estate developers, owners, managers or other third parties. The Fund’s real estate investments may be structured through privately-owned operating entities that hold whole or partial interests in real properties. In such event, the Fund may not be in a position to exercise sole decision-making authority regarding the underlying real estate held by the joint venture entity, and as a result the Fund may also be subject to the potential risk of impasses on decisions, such as a sale, foreclosure and restructuring because neither it nor its joint venture partners would have full control over the investments held by the joint venture entity. Unlike investments in a wholly-owned subsidiary, investments in joint venture entities may, under certain circumstances, involve risks related to the involvement of a third party, including the possibility that the Fund’s joint venture partners might become bankrupt or fail to fund their required capital contributions. The Fund expects that the other third-party joint venture partners that will invest alongside the Fund in a joint venture entity will generally be affiliated or non-affiliated third-party property managers or institutional investors such as public pension funds, corporate pension funds, investment funds and companies and qualified trusts forming part of an endowment or charitable foundation. The Fund’s real estate investments may include, without limitation, the mortgage-related investments described above, equity or debt securities issued by REITs or real estate-related investment companies, other types of public and private real estate loans and debt and direct investments in commercial and residential real estate, including land, for-sale and for-rent housing, office, hotel, retail and industrial investments. See “Principal Risks of the Fund—REIT Subsidiary Risk” and “Principal Risks of the Fund—Tax Risk.”

The Fund has not established safeguards it will apply to, or that will be required in, the joint venture entities. Any particular safeguards the Fund will require for investments in joint venture entities will be determined on a case-by-case basis after PIMCO considers all facts it believes are relevant, such as the nature and attributes of the Fund’s potential joint venture entity partner, the proposed structure of the joint venture entity, the nature of the operations, liabilities and assets the joint venture entity may conduct or own, and the proportion of the size of the Fund’s interest when compared to the interests owned by other joint venture entity party. The Fund expects to consider specific safeguards to address potential consequences relating to (i) the management of the joint venture, such as obtaining certain approval rights in joint ventures the Fund does not control or providing for procedures to address decisions in the event of an impasse if the Fund shares control of the joint venture; (ii) the Fund’s ability to exit a joint venture, such as requiring buy/sell rights, redemption rights or forced liquidation under certain circumstances; (iii) the Fund’s ability to control transfers of interests held by other parties in the joint venture, such as requiring consent, right of first refusal or forced redemption rights in connection with transfers; and (iv) a REIT subsidiary’s qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, if applicable. Investment through a REIT subsidiary involves risks, including the risk that the failure of the REIT subsidiary to qualify as a REIT will have adverse tax consequences on the REIT subsidiary and the Fund and may adversely affect the performance of the Fund. See “Principal Risks of the Fund—REIT Subsidiary Risk” and “Principal Risks of the Fund—Tax Risk.”

The Fund may invest in, originate and/or securitize loans, including, without limitation, to corporations and/or other legal entities and individuals (including foreign (non-U.S.) and emerging market entities and individuals) and/or residential and/or commercial real estate or mortgage-related loans, consumer loans or other types of loans, which may be in the form of whole loans, secured and unsecured notes, senior and second lien loans, mezzanine loans or similar investments. Such borrowers may have credit ratings that are determined by one or more NRSROs or PIMCO to be below investment grade. The loans the Fund invests in, originates and/or securitizes may vary in

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maturity and/or duration. The Fund will not normally invest more than 25% of its total assets in whole loans that the Fund has directly originated; however, otherwise, the Fund is not limited in the amount, size or type of loans it may invest in, originate and/or securitize, including with respect to a single borrower or with respect to borrowers that are determined to be below investment grade, other than pursuant to any applicable law. The Fund’s investments in, origination of and/or securitization of loans may also be limited by the requirements the Fund intends to observe under Subchapter M of the Code, in order to qualify as a RIC. The Fund uses the term “securitize” to describe a strategy under which a company, such as the Fund or a Subsidiary (sometimes referred to as an “originator” or “sponsor”), transfers income-producing assets to a single-purpose, bankruptcy-remote subsidiary (also referred to as a “special purpose entity” or “SPE”), which is established for the purpose of holding such assets and entering into a structured finance transaction. The SPE then issues notes secured by such assets. The SPE may issue the notes in the capital markets either publicly or privately to a variety of investors. There may be a single class of notes or multiple classes of notes, the most senior of which carries less credit risk and the most junior of which may carry substantially the same credit risk as the equity of the SPE, which is the riskiest class of the SPE and bears the bulk of defaults and serves to protect the other, more senior classes from default in all but the most severe circumstances. The Fund may to retain all or a portion of the equity in the SPE. The Fund may invest in securitization risk retention tranches in its capacity as a sponsor of the relevant securitizations, and/or in the capacity of a third-party purchaser with respect to securitizations sponsored by others.

The Fund may invest, either directly or indirectly through its Subsidiaries, in Alt Lending ABS. Any such Alt Lending ABS may be backed by consumer, commercial, residential or other loans, including those issued by an SPE sponsored by an online or alternative lending platform or an affiliate thereof. When acquiring loans or purchasing Alt Lending ABS, the Fund is not restricted by any particular borrower credit criteria. Accordingly, certain loans acquired by the Fund or underlying any Alt Lending ABS purchased by the Fund may be subprime in quality, or may become subprime in quality.

The Fund may normally invest up to 40% of its total assets in bank loans (including, among others, senior loans, delayed funding loans, covenant-lite obligations, revolving credit facilities and loan participations and assignments). The Fund will not normally invest more than 10% of its total assets in convertible debt securities (i.e., debt securities that may be converted at either a stated price or stated rate into underlying shares of common stock).

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities of U.S. issuers. Subject to the limit described below on investments in securities and instruments that are economically tied to “emerging market” countries, the Fund may invest without limitation in securities of foreign (non-U.S.) issuers, securities traded principally outside of the United States and securities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. The Fund may invest without limitation in investment grade sovereign debt denominated in the relevant country’s local currency with less than one year remaining to maturity (“short-term investment grade sovereign debt”), including short-term investment grade sovereign debt issued by emerging market issuers. The Fund may invest up to 30% of its total assets in securities and instruments that are economically tied to “emerging market” countries other than investments in short-term investment grade sovereign debt issued by emerging market issuers, where, as noted above, there is no limit. The Fund may also invest directly in foreign currencies, including local emerging market currencies.

As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund will normally invest at least 25% of its total assets (i.e., concentrate) in real estate investments and mortgage-related assets issued by government agencies or other governmental entities or by private originators or issuers.

The Fund may, but is not required to, utilize various derivative strategies (both long and short positions) involving the purchase or sale of futures and forward contracts (including foreign currency exchange contracts), call and put options, credit default swaps, total return swaps, basis swaps and other swap agreements and other derivative instruments for investment purposes, leveraging purposes or in an attempt to hedge against market, credit, interest rate, currency and other risks in the portfolio. The Fund may purchase and sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis and may engage in short sales.

The Fund may invest in equity interests, such as shares of other investment companies, including open-end or closed-end management investment companies and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), and exchange-traded REITs. The Fund may also invest without limitation in preferred securities. The Fund may invest in securities of companies with any market capitalization, including small, medium and large capitalizations. Equity interests may be issued by public or private issuers.

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The Fund may invest in securities that have not been registered for public sale in the U.S. or relevant non-U.S. jurisdictions, including without limitation securities eligible for purchase and sale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act, or relevant provisions of applicable non-U.S. law, and other securities issued in private placements.

The Fund may seek to gain exposure to certain newly-issued Regulation S securities through investments in a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Fund organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands (a “Cayman Subsidiary”). Regulation S securities are securities of U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that are issued through private offerings without registration with the SEC pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act. Offerings of Regulation S Securities may be conducted outside of the United States. Any Cayman Subsidiary will be advised by PIMCO, and shall have the same investment objective as the Fund. A Cayman Subsidiary (unlike the Fund) may invest without limitation in Regulation S securities. While a Cayman Subsidiary may be considered similar to an investment company, it is not registered under the 1940 Act and is not subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act. In addition, changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of the Fund and/or a Cayman Subsidiary to operate as described in this prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information and could adversely affect the Fund. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could adversely affect the performance of the Fund and/or a Cayman Subsidiary.

The Fund may invest without limitation in illiquid investments (i.e., investments that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment).

The Fund may make investments in debt instruments and other securities or instruments directly or through one or more Subsidiaries, REIT subsidiaries and joint ventures. Each Subsidiary may invest, for example, in whole loans or in shares, certificates, notes or other securities representing the right to receive principal and interest payments due on fractions of whole loans or pools of whole loans, or any other security or other instrument that the Fund may hold directly. References herein to the Fund include references to a Subsidiary, REIT subsidiary or joint venture in respect of the Fund’s investment exposure. The allocation of the Fund’s assets to a Subsidiary, REIT subsidiary or joint venture will vary over time and will likely not include all of the different types of investments described herein at any given time.

To the extent its financial statements are consolidated with those of the Fund, the Fund will treat a Subsidiary’s assets as assets of the Fund for purposes of determining compliance with various provisions of the 1940 Act, applicable to the Fund, including those relating to investment policies (Section 8), affiliated transactions and custody (Section 17) and capital structure and leverage (Section 18). In addition, PIMCO and the Fund’s Board of Trustees will comply with the provisions of Section 15 of the 1940 Act with respect to such a Subsidiary’s investment advisory contracts.

PIMCO has applied for exemptive relief from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that, if granted, would permit the Fund to, among other things, co-invest with certain other persons, including certain affiliates of PIMCO and certain public or private funds managed by PIMCO and its affiliates, subject to certain terms and conditions. However, there is no assurance that such relief will be granted.

Temporary Defensive Investments. In attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, as determined by PIMCO, when PIMCO deems it appropriate to do so, the Fund may, for temporary defensive purposes, deviate from its investment strategy by investing some or all of its total assets in investments such as high grade debt securities, including high quality, short-term debt securities, and cash and cash equivalents. The Fund may not achieve its investment objectives when it does so.

The following provides additional information regarding the types of securities and other instruments in which the Fund will ordinarily invest. A more detailed discussion of these and other instruments and investment techniques that may be used by the Fund is provided under “Investment Objectives and Policies” in the Statement of Additional Information.

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High Yield Securities

The Fund may invest without limitation in debt instruments that are, at the time of purchase, rated below investment grade (below Baa3 by Moody’s or below BBB- by either S&P or Fitch) or unrated but determined by PIMCO to be of comparable quality. However, the Fund will not normally invest more than 20% of its total assets in debt instruments, other than mortgage-related and other asset-backed instruments, that are, at the time of purchase, rated CCC+ or lower by S&P and Fitch and Caa1 or lower by Moody’s or that are unrated but determined by PIMCO to be of comparable quality to securities so rated. The Fund may invest without limitation in mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities regardless of rating (i.e., of any credit quality). The Fund may invest in debt securities of stressed or distressed issuers. The Fund may invest in defaulted securities and DIP financings. Below investment grade securities are commonly referred to as “high yield” securities or “junk bonds.” See “Portfolio Management Strategies—Credit Quality” above for additional information regarding high yield securities, junk bonds and other similar instruments, including the ability of the Fund to invest in such instruments.

The market values of high yield securities tend to reflect individual developments of the issuer to a greater extent than do higher-quality securities, which tend to react mainly to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. In addition, lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to general economic conditions. Certain emerging market governments that issue high yield securities in which the Fund may invest are among the largest debtors to commercial banks, foreign governments and supranational organizations, such as the World Bank, and may not be able or willing to make principal and/or interest payments as they come due.

Credit ratings and unrated securities. Rating agencies are private services that provide ratings of the credit quality of debt obligations. Appendix A to this prospectus describes the various ratings assigned to debt obligations by Moody’s, S&P and Fitch. As noted in Appendix A, Moody’s, S&P and Fitch may modify their ratings of securities to show relative standing within a rating category, with the addition of numerical modifiers (1, 2 or 3) in the case of Moody’s, and with the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign in the case of S&P and Fitch. Ratings assigned by a rating agency are not absolute standards of credit quality and do not evaluate market risks. Rating agencies may fail to make timely changes in credit ratings and an issuer’s current financial condition may be better or worse than a rating indicates. The Fund will not necessarily sell a security when its rating is reduced below its rating at the time of purchase. The ratings of a debt security may change over time. Moody’s, S&P and Fitch monitor and evaluate the ratings assigned to securities on an ongoing basis. As a result, debt instruments held by the Fund could receive a higher rating (which would tend to increase their value) or a lower rating (which would tend to decrease their value) during the period in which they are held by the Fund.

The Fund may purchase unrated securities (which are not rated by a rating agency) if PIMCO determines, in its sole discretion, that the security is of comparable quality to a rated security that the Fund may purchase. In making ratings determinations, PIMCO may take into account different factors than those taken into account by rating agencies, and PIMCO’s rating of a security may differ from the rating that a rating agency may have given the same security. Unrated securities may be less liquid than comparable rated securities and involve the risk that the portfolio manager may not accurately evaluate the security’s comparative credit rating. The Fund may invest a substantial portion of its assets in unrated securities and therefore may be particularly subject to the associated risks. Analysis of the creditworthiness of issuers of high yield securities may be more complex than for issuers of higher-quality fixed income securities. To the extent that the Fund invests in high yield and/or unrated securities, the Fund’s success in achieving its investment objectives may depend more heavily on the portfolio manager’s credit analysis than if the Fund invested exclusively in higher-quality and rated securities.

Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investments

Subject to the limit described elsewhere in this prospectus on investments in securities and instruments that are economically tied to “emerging market” countries, the Fund may invest without limitation in instruments of corporate and other foreign (non-U.S.) issuers, and in instruments traded principally outside of the United States. The Fund may invest in sovereign and other debt securities issued by foreign governments and their respective sub-divisions, agencies or instrumentalities, government sponsored enterprises and supranational government entities. Supranational entities include international organizations that are organized or supported by one or more government entities to promote economic reconstruction or development and by international banking institutions and related governmental agencies. As a holder of such debt securities, the Fund may be requested to participate in

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the rescheduling of such debt and to extend further loans to governmental entities. In addition, there are generally no bankruptcy proceedings similar to those in the United States by which defaulted foreign debt securities may be collected. Investing in foreign securities involves special risks and considerations not typically associated with investing in U.S. securities. See “Principal Risks of the Fund—Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investment Risk.”

PIMCO will generally consider an instrument to be economically tied to a non-U.S. country if the issuer is a foreign (non-U.S.) government (or any political subdivision, agency, authority or instrumentality of such government), or if the issuer is organized under the laws of a non-U.S. country. In the case of money market instruments, other than commercial paper and certificates of deposit, such instruments will be considered economically tied to a non-U.S. country if the issuer of such money market instrument is organized under the laws of a non-U.S. country. In the case of commercial paper and certificates of deposit, instruments will be considered economically tied to a non-U.S. country if the “country of exposure” of such instrument is a non-U.S. country, as determined by the criteria set forth below. With respect to derivative instruments, PIMCO will generally consider such instruments to be economically tied to non-U.S. countries if the underlying assets are foreign currencies (or baskets or indexes of such currencies), or instruments or securities that are issued by foreign governments or issuers organized under the laws of a non-U.S. country (or if the underlying assets are money market instruments other than commercial paper and certificates of deposit, the issuer of such money market instrument is organized under the laws of a non-U.S. country, or, in the case of underlying assets that are commercial paper or certificates of deposit, if the “country of exposure” of such money market instrument is a non-U.S. country). A security’s “country of exposure” will be determined by PIMCO using certain factors provided by a third-party analytical service provider. The factors will be applied in order such that the first factor to result in the assignment of a country determines the “country of exposure.” Both the factors and the order in which they are applied may change in the discretion of PIMCO. The current factors, listed in the order in which they will be applied, are: (i) if an asset-backed or other collateralized security, the country in which the collateral backing the security is located; (ii) the “country of risk” of the issuer; (iii) if the security is guaranteed by the government of a country (or any political subdivision, agency, authority or instrumentality of such government), the country of the government or instrumentality providing the guarantee; (iv) the “country of risk” of the issuer’s ultimate parent; or (v) the country where the issuer is organized or incorporated under the laws thereof. “Country of risk” is a separate four-part test determined by the following factors, listed in order of importance: (i) management location; (ii) country of primary listing; (iii) sales or revenue attributable to the country; and (iv) reporting currency of the issuer.

The Fund may invest in Brady Bonds, which are securities created through the exchange of existing commercial bank loans to sovereign entities for new obligations in connection with a debt restructuring. Investments in Brady Bonds may be viewed as speculative. Brady Bonds acquired by the Fund may be subject to restructuring arrangements or to requests for new credit, which may cause the Fund to realize a loss of interest or principal on any of its portfolio holdings.

The foreign securities in which the Fund may invest include without limitation Eurodollar obligations and “Yankee Dollar” obligations. Eurodollar obligations are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit and time deposits issued outside the U.S. capital markets by foreign branches of U.S. banks and by foreign banks. Yankee Dollar obligations are U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued in the U.S. capital markets by foreign banks. Eurodollar and Yankee Dollar obligations are generally subject to the same risks that apply to domestic debt issues, notably credit risk, interest rate risk, market risk and liquidity risk. Additionally, Eurodollar (and to a limited extent, Yankee Dollar) obligations are subject to certain sovereign risks. One such risk is the possibility that a sovereign country might prevent capital, in the form of U.S. dollars, from flowing across its borders. Other risks include adverse political and economic developments; the extent and quality of government regulation of financial markets and institutions; the imposition of foreign withholding or other taxes; and the expropriation or nationalization of foreign issuers.

Emerging Markets Investments

The Fund may invest without limitation in short-term investment grade sovereign debt, including short-term investment grade sovereign debt issued by emerging market issuers. The Fund may invest up to 30% of its total assets in securities and instruments that are economically tied to “emerging market” countries, other than investments in short-term investment grade sovereign debt issued by emerging market issuers, where as noted above there is no limit. PIMCO will generally consider an instrument to be economically tied to an emerging market

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country if: the issuer is organized under the laws of an emerging market country; the currency of settlement of the security is a currency of an emerging market country; the security is guaranteed by the government of an emerging market country (or any political subdivision, agency, authority or instrumentality of such government); for an asset-backed or other collateralized security, the country in which the collateral backing the security is located is an emerging market country; or the security’s “country of exposure” is an emerging market country, as determined by the criteria set forth below. With respect to derivative instruments, PIMCO will generally consider such instruments to be economically tied to emerging market countries if the underlying assets are currencies of emerging market countries (or baskets or indexes of such currencies), or instruments or securities that are issued or guaranteed by governments of emerging market countries or by entities organized under the laws of emerging market countries or an instrument’s “country of exposure” is an emerging market country. PIMCO has broad discretion to identify countries that it considers to qualify as emerging markets. In exercising such discretion, PIMCO identifies countries as emerging markets consistent with the strategic objectives of the Fund. For example, the Fund may consider a country to be an emerging market country based on a number of factors including, but not limited to, if the country is classified as an emerging or developing economy by any supranational organization such as the World Bank or the United Nations, or related entities, or if the country is considered an emerging market country for purposes of constructing emerging markets indices. In some cases, this approach may result in PIMCO identifying a particular country as an emerging market with respect to the Fund, that may not be identified as an emerging market with respect to other funds managed by PIMCO.

Investing in emerging market securities imposes risks different from, or greater than, risks of investing in domestic securities or in foreign, developed countries. The securities and currency markets of emerging market countries are generally smaller, less developed, less liquid, and more volatile than the securities and currency markets of the United States and other developed markets and disclosure and regulatory standards in many respects are less stringent. There also may be a lower level of monitoring and regulation of securities markets in emerging market countries and the activities of investors in such markets and enforcement of existing regulations may be extremely limited. Government enforcement of existing securities regulations is limited, and any enforcement may be arbitrary and the results may be difficult to predict. In addition, reporting requirements of emerging market countries with respect to the ownership of securities are more likely to be subject to interpretation or changes without prior notice to investors than more developed countries.

Many emerging market countries have experienced substantial, and in some periods extremely high, rates of inflation for many years. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had and may continue to have negative effects on such countries’ economies and securities markets.

Economies of emerging market countries generally are heavily dependent upon international trade and, accordingly, have been and may continue to be affected adversely by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values, and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade. The economies of emerging market countries also have been and may continue to be adversely affected by economic conditions in the countries with which they trade. The economies of emerging market countries may also be predominantly based on only a few industries or dependent on revenues from particular commodities. In addition, custodial services and other investment-related costs may be more expensive in emerging markets than in many developed markets, which could reduce the Fund’s income from securities or debt instruments of emerging market country issuers. Governments of many emerging market countries have exercised and continue to exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector. In some cases, the government owns or controls many companies, including some of the largest in the country. Accordingly, government actions could have a significant effect on economic conditions in an emerging country and on market conditions, prices and yields of securities in the Fund’s portfolio.

Emerging market countries are more likely than developed market countries to experience political uncertainty and instability, including the risk of war, terrorism, nationalization, limitations on the removal of funds or other assets, or diplomatic developments that affect investments in these countries. No assurance can be given that adverse political changes will not cause the Fund to suffer a loss of any or all of its investments in emerging market countries or interest/dividend income thereon.

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Foreign investment in certain emerging market country securities is restricted or controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions or controls may at times limit or preclude foreign investment in certain emerging market country securities and increase the costs and expenses of the Fund. Certain emerging market countries require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons, limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular issuer, limit the investment by foreign persons only to a specific class of securities of an issuer that may have less advantageous rights than the classes available for purchase by domiciliaries of the countries and/or impose additional taxes on foreign investors. Certain emerging market countries may also restrict investment opportunities in issuers in industries deemed important to national interests. Emerging market countries may require governmental approval for the repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales of securities by foreign investors.

As reflected in the above discussion, investments in emerging market securities involve a greater degree of risk than, and special risks in addition to the risks associated with, investments in domestic securities or in securities of foreign developed countries. See “Principal Risks of the Fund—Emerging Markets Risk.”

Foreign Currencies and Related Transactions

The Fund’s Common Shares will be priced in U.S. dollars and the distributions paid by the Fund to Common Shareholders will be paid in U.S. dollars. However, a significant portion of the Fund’s assets may be denominated in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies and the income received by the Fund from many foreign debt obligations will be paid in foreign currencies. The Fund also may invest in or gain exposure to foreign currencies themselves for investment or hedging purposes. The Fund’s investments in securities that trade in, or receive revenues in, foreign currencies will be subject to currency risk, which is the risk that fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies may negatively affect an investment. See “Principal Risks of the Fund—Currency Risk.” The Fund may (but is not required to) hedge some or all of its exposure to foreign currencies through the use of derivative strategies. For instance, the Fund may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts, and may buy and sell foreign currency futures contracts and options on foreign currencies and foreign currency futures. A forward foreign currency exchange contract, which involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date at a price set at the time of the contract, may reduce the Fund’s exposure to changes in the value of the currency it will deliver and increase its exposure to changes in the value of the currency it will receive for the duration of the contract. The effect on the value of the Fund is similar to selling securities denominated in one currency and purchasing securities denominated in another currency. Foreign currency transactions, like currency exchange rates, can be affected unpredictably by intervention (or the failure to intervene) by U.S. or foreign governments or central banks, or by currency controls or political developments. Such events may prevent or restrict the Fund’s ability to enter into foreign currency transactions, force the Fund to exit a foreign currency transaction at a disadvantageous time or price or result in penalties for the Fund, any of which may result in a loss to the Fund.

Contracts to sell foreign currency would limit any potential gain that might be realized by the Fund if the value of the hedged currency increases. The Fund may enter into these contracts to hedge against foreign exchange risk arising from the Fund’s investment or anticipated investment in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Suitable hedging transactions may not be available in all circumstances and there can be no assurance that the Fund will engage in such transactions at any given time or from time to time when they would be beneficial. Although PIMCO has the flexibility to engage in such transactions for the Fund, it may determine not to do so or to do so only in unusual circumstances or market conditions. Also, these transactions may not be successful and may eliminate any chance for the Fund to benefit from favorable fluctuations in relevant foreign currencies.

The Fund may also use derivatives contracts for purposes of increasing exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one currency to another. To the extent that it does so, the Fund will be subject to the additional risk that the relative value of currencies will be different than anticipated by PIMCO.

Please see “Investment Objectives and Policies—Non-U.S. Securities,” “Investment Objectives and Policies—Foreign Currency Transactions” and “Investment Objectives and Policies—Foreign Currency Exchange-Related Securities” in the Statement of Additional Information for a more detailed description of the types of foreign investments and foreign currency transactions in which the Fund may invest or engage and their related risks.

Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Instruments

The Fund may invest in a variety of mortgage-related and other asset-backed instruments issued by government agencies or other governmental entities or by private originators or issuers.

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As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund will normally invest at least 25% of its total assets (i.e., concentrate) in real estate investments and mortgage-related assets issued by government agencies or other governmental entities or by private originators or issuers.

Mortgage-related assets include, but are not limited to, any security, instrument or other asset that is related to U.S. or non U.S. mortgages, including those issued by private originators or issuers, or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities or by non-U.S. governments or authorities, such as, without limitation, assets representing interests in, collateralized or backed by, or whose values are determined in whole or in part by reference to any number of mortgages or pools of mortgages or the payment experience of such mortgages or pools of mortgages, including real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”), which could include resecuritizations of REMICs (“Re-REMICs”), mortgage pass-through securities, inverse floaters, collateralized mortgage obligations, collateralized loan obligations, multiclass pass-through securities, private mortgage pass- through securities, and stripped mortgage securities (generally interest-only and principal-only securities), mortgage-related asset backed securities and mortgage-related loans (including through participations, assignments, originations and whole loans), including commercial and residential mortgage loans. Such mortgage loans may include non-performing loans, which are loans considered in default or close to default, and reperforming loans (“RPLs”), which are loans that have previously been delinquent but are current at the time securitized. Exposures to mortgage-related assets through derivatives or other financial instruments will be considered investments in mortgage-related assets.

The value of some mortgage-related or other asset-backed securities (“ABS”) in which the Fund invests may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates, and, like other fixed-income investments, the ability of the Fund to utilize these instruments successfully may depend in part upon the ability of PIMCO to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. See “–Mortgage Pass-Through Securities” below. The Fund may also invest in debt securities which are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-related assets, and in other types of mortgage-related assets and ABS. See “–Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (“CMOs”)” below.

The financial downturn of the late 2000s adversely affected the market for mortgage-related securities. The downturn saw dramatic declines in the housing market, with falling home prices and increasing foreclosures and unemployment, and significant asset write-downs by financial institutions. Between 2008 and 2009, the market for mortgage-related securities (and other ABS) was particularly adversely impacted by, among other factors, the failure of certain large financial institutions and the events leading to the conservatorship and the control by the U.S. Government of the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae” or “FNMA”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac” or “FHLMC”), as described below. These events, coupled with the general economic downturn, resulted in a substantial level of uncertainty in the financial markets, particularly with respect to mortgage-related investments. There is no assurance that the U.S. Government would take similar or further action to support the mortgage-related securities industry, as it has in the past, should the economy experience another downturn. Further, any future government actions may significantly alter the manner in which the mortgage-related securities market functions. Each of these factors could ultimately increase the risk that the Fund could realize losses on mortgage-related securities.

The mortgage-related assets in which the Fund may invest may pay variable or fixed rates of interest.

Through investments in mortgage-related assets, including those that are issued by private issuers, the Fund may have some exposure to subprime loans as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. Private issuers include commercial banks, savings associations, mortgage companies, investment banking firms, finance companies and special purpose finance entities (called special purpose vehicles or SPVs) and other entities that acquire and package mortgage loans for resale as mortgage-related assets.

Mortgage Pass-Through Securities. Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a “pass through” of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments may result from repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs that may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by GNMA) are described as “modified pass-through.” These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

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The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated lower rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase. The residential mortgage market in the United States has experienced in the past, and could experience in the future, difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of the Fund’s mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies, defaults and losses on residential mortgage loans may increase substantially over certain periods. A decline in or flattening of housing values may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses on residential mortgages. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. As a result of the 2008 financial crisis, a number of residential mortgage loan originators experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Owing largely to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain mortgage-related securities, which adversely affected the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could recur or worsen in the future.

The principal U.S. governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly-owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration, or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Government-related guarantors (i.e., not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government) include FNMA and FHLMC. FNMA is a government-sponsored corporation the common stock of which is owned entirely by private stockholders. FNMA purchases conventional (i.e., not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages from a list of approved seller/servicers which include state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks and credit unions and mortgage bankers. Pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA, but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. FHLMC was created by Congress in 1970 for the purpose of increasing the availability of mortgage credit for residential housing. It is a government-sponsored corporation that issues Participation Certificates (“PCs”), which are pass-through securities, each representing an undivided interest in a pool of residential mortgages. FHLMC guarantees the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal, but PCs are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. Instead, they are supported only by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency’s obligations.

On September 6, 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”) placed FNMA and FHLMC into conservatorship. As the conservator, FHFA succeeded to all rights, titles, powers and privileges of FNMA and FHLMC and of any stockholder, officer or director of FNMA and FHLMC with respect to FNMA and FHLMC and the assets of FNMA and FHLMC. FHFA selected a new chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors for each of FNMA and FHLMC. In connection with the conservatorship, the U.S. Treasury entered into a Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement with each of FNMA and FHLMC pursuant to which the U.S. Treasury will purchase up to an aggregate of $100 billion of each of FNMA and FHLMC to maintain a positive net worth in each enterprise. This agreement contains various covenants that severely limit each enterprise’s operations. In exchange for entering into these agreements, the U.S. Treasury received $1 billion of each enterprise’s senior preferred stock and warrants to purchase 79.9% of each enterprise’s common stock. In February 2009, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was doubling the size of its commitment to each enterprise under the Senior Preferred Stock Program to $200 billion. The U.S. Treasury’s obligations under the Senior Preferred Stock Program are for an indefinite period of time for a maximum amount of $200 billion per enterprise. On December 24, 2009, the U.S. Treasury announced further amendments to the Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreements which included additional financial support to certain governmentally supported entities, including the FHLBs, FNMA and FHLMC. There is no assurance that the obligations of such entities will be satisfied in full, or that such obligations will not decrease in value or default. It is difficult, if not impossible, to predict the future political, regulatory or economic changes that could impact the FNMA, FHLMC and the FHLBs, and the values of their related securities or obligations.

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FNMA and FHLMC are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remain liable for all of its obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities.

Under the Federal Housing Finance Regulatory Reform Act of 2008 (the “Reform Act”), which was included as part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, FHFA, as conservator or receiver, has the power to repudiate any contract entered into by FNMA or FHLMC prior to FHFA’s appointment as conservator or receiver, as applicable, if FHFA determines, in its sole discretion, that performance of the contract is burdensome and that repudiation of the contract promotes the orderly administration of FNMA’s or FHLMC’s affairs. The Reform Act requires FHFA to exercise its right to repudiate any contract within a reasonable period of time after its appointment as conservator or receiver. FHFA, in its capacity as conservator, has indicated that it has no intention to repudiate the guaranty obligations of FNMA or FHLMC because FHFA views repudiation as incompatible with the goals of the conservatorship. However, in the event that FHFA, as conservator or if it is later appointed as receiver for FNMA or FHLMC, were to repudiate any such guaranty obligation, the conservatorship or receivership estate, as applicable, would be liable for actual direct compensatory damages in accordance with the provisions of the Reform Act. Any such liability could be satisfied only to the extent of FNMA’s or FHLMC’s assets available therefor. In the event of repudiation, the payments of interest to holders of FNMA or FHLMC mortgage-backed securities would be reduced if payments on the mortgage loans represented in the mortgage loan groups related to such mortgage-backed securities are not made by the borrowers or advanced by the servicer. Any actual direct compensatory damages for repudiating these guaranty obligations may not be sufficient to offset any shortfalls experienced by such mortgage-backed security holders. Further, in its capacity as conservator or receiver, FHFA has the right to transfer or sell any asset or liability of FNMA or FHLMC without any approval, assignment or consent. Although FHFA has stated that it has no present intention to do so, if FHFA, as conservator or receiver, were to transfer any such guaranty obligation to another party, holders of FNMA or FHLMC mortgage-backed securities would have to rely on that party for satisfaction of the guaranty obligation and would be exposed to the credit risk of that party. In addition, certain rights provided to holders of mortgage-backed securities issued by FNMA and FHLMC under the operative documents related to such securities may not be enforced against FHFA, or enforcement of such rights may be delayed, during the conservatorship or any future receivership. The operative documents for FNMA and FHLMC mortgage-backed securities may provide (or with respect to securities issued prior to the date of the appointment of the conservator may have provided) that upon the occurrence of an event of default on the part of FNMA or FHLMC, in its capacity as guarantor, which includes the appointment of a conservator or receiver, holders of such mortgage-backed securities have the right to replace FNMA or FHLMC as trustee if the requisite percentage of mortgage-backed securities holders consent. The Reform Act prevents mortgage-backed security holders from enforcing such rights if the event of default arises solely because a conservator or receiver has been appointed. The Reform Act also provides that no person may exercise any right or power to terminate, accelerate or declare an event of default under certain contracts to which FNMA or FHLMC is a party, or obtain possession of or exercise control over any property of FNMA or FHLMC, or affect any contractual rights of FNMA or FHLMC, without the approval of FHFA, as conservator or receiver, for a period of 45 or 90 days following the appointment of FHFA as conservator or receiver, respectively.

FHFA and the White House have made public statements regarding plans to consider ending the conservatorships of FNMA and FHLMC. In the event that FNMA and FHLMC are taken out of conservatorship, it is unclear how the capital structure of FNMA and FHLMC would be constructed and what effects, if any, there may be on FNMA’s and FHLMC’s creditworthiness and guarantees of certain mortgage-backed securities. It is also unclear whether the U.S. Treasury would continue to enforce its rights or perform its obligations under the Senior Preferred Stock Programs. Should FNMA’s and FHLMC’s conservatorship end, there could be an adverse impact on the value of their securities, which could cause losses to the Fund.

Privately-Issued Mortgage-Related Securities. Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers may be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such non-governmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no

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direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in the former pools. However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit, which may be issued by governmental entities or private insurers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets the Fund’s investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originators/servicers and poolers, PIMCO determines that the securities meet the Fund’s quality standards. Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable.

Privately-issued mortgage-related securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately-issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose and borrower characteristics. Mortgage pools underlying privately-issued mortgage-related securities more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value ratio mortgages and manufactured housing loans, in addition to commercial mortgages and other types of mortgages where a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee is not available. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a privately-issued mortgage-related securities pool may vary to a greater extent than those included in a government guaranteed pool, and the pool may include subprime mortgage loans. Subprime loans are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their loans. For these reasons, the loans underlying these securities have had in many cases higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements.

The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. When acquiring mortgage-related securities, the Fund is not restricted by any particular borrower credit criteria. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. Other types of privately-issued mortgage-related securities, such as those classified as pay-option adjustable rate or Alt-A have also performed poorly. Even loans classified as prime have experienced higher levels of delinquencies and defaults. The substantial decline in real property values across the U.S. following the 2008 financial crisis exacerbated the level of losses that investors in privately issued mortgage-related securities experienced. Market factors that may adversely affect mortgage loan repayment include adverse economic conditions, unemployment, a decline in the value of real property, or an increase in interest rates.

The Fund may purchase privately-issued mortgage-related securities that are originated, packaged and serviced by third party entities. It is possible these third parties could have interests that are in conflict with the holders of mortgage-related securities, and such holders (such as the Fund) could have rights against the third parties or their affiliates. For example, if a loan originator, servicer or its affiliates engaged in negligence or willful misconduct in carrying out its duties, then a holder of the mortgage-related security could seek recourse against the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable. Also, as a loan originator/servicer, the originator/servicer or its affiliates may make certain representations and warranties regarding the quality of the mortgages and properties underlying a mortgage-related security. If one or more of those representations or warranties is false, then the holders of the mortgage-related securities (such as the Fund) could trigger an obligation of the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable, to repurchase the mortgages from the issuing trust.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, many of the third parties that are legally bound by trust and other documents have failed to perform their respective duties, as stipulated in such trust and other documents, and investors have had limited success in enforcing terms. To the extent third party entities involved with privately issued mortgage-related securities are involved in litigation relating to the securities, actions may be taken that are adverse to the interests of holders of the mortgage-related securities, including the Fund. For example, third parties may seek to withhold proceeds due to holders of the mortgage-related securities, including the Fund, to cover legal or related costs. Any such action could result in losses to the Fund.

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PIMCO seeks to manage the portion of the Fund’s assets committed to privately-issued mortgage-related securities in a manner consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives, policies and overall portfolio risk profile. In determining whether and how much to invest in privately-issued mortgage-related securities, and how to allocate those assets, PIMCO will consider a number of factors. These may include, but are not limited to: (1) the nature of the borrowers (e.g., residential vs. commercial); (2) the collateral loan type (e.g., for residential: First Lien-Jumbo/Prime, First Lien-Alt-A, First Lien-Subprime, First Lien-Pay-Option or Second Lien; for commercial: Conduit, Large Loan or Single Asset / Single Borrower); and (3) in the case of residential loans, whether they are fixed rate or adjustable mortgages. Each of these criteria can cause privately-issued mortgage-related securities to have differing primary economic characteristics and distinguishable risk factors and performance characteristics.

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations. A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are generally collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC or FNMA and their income streams. CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as “tranches,” with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including prepayments. The riskiest portion is the “equity” tranche which bears the bulk of defaults and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as “sequential pay” CMOs), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including prepayments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full. CMOs may be less liquid and may exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

Commercial or Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities. CMBS or RMBS include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial or residential real property. Many of the risks of investing in CMBS or RMBS reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. CMBS or RMBS may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

CMO Residuals. CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing. The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of a CMO is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMO and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the prepayment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to prepayments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only (or IO) class of SMBS (described below). In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based. As described below with respect to SMBS, in certain circumstances the Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual. CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. CMO residuals may, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, may not, have been registered under the Securities Act. CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the Securities Act, may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability.

Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities. ARMBS have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARMBS would permit the Fund to participate in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARMBS are based. Such ARMBS generally have higher current yield and lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional fixed income debt

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securities of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, the Fund can reinvest the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARMBS, however, have limits on the allowable annual or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, the Fund, when holding an ARMBS, would not benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (i.e., the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages, ARMBS behave more like fixed income securities and less like adjustable-rate securities and are subject to the risks associated with fixed income securities. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable-rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.

Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities. SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the IO class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or PO class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.

Collateralized Bond Obligations, Collateralized Loan Obligations and other Collateralized Debt Obligations. The Fund may invest in each of CBOs, CLOs, other CDOs and other similarly structured securities. CBOs, CLOs, and CDOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is often backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed income securities. The collateral can be from many different types of fixed income securities such as high-yield debt, residential privately-issued mortgage-related securities, commercial or residential privately-issued mortgage-related securities, trust preferred securities and emerging market debt. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. Other CDOs are trusts backed by other types of assets representing obligations of various parties. CBOs, CLOs, and other CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses. For CBOs, CLOs and CDOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the “equity” tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since they are partially protected from defaults, senior tranches from a CBO trust, CLO trust or trust of another CDO typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO, CLO or other CDO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CBO, CLO or other CDO securities as a class. The Fund may invest in any tranche, including the equity tranche, of a CBO, CLO or other CDO. The risks of an investment in a CBO, CLO or other CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the instrument in which the Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid investments; however, an active dealer market may exist for CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs allowing them to qualify for Rule 144A under the Securities Act. In addition to the normal risks associated with debt instruments discussed elsewhere in this prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (e.g., prepayment risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, market risk, structural risk, legal risk, interest rate risk (which may be exacerbated if the interest rate payable on a structured financing changes based on multiples of changes in interest rates or inversely to changes in interest rates) and default risk), CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the risk that the Fund may invest in CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

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Asset-Backed Securities. ABS are bonds backed by pools of loans or other receivables. ABS are created from many types of assets, including auto loans, credit card receivables, home equity loans and student loans. ABS are typically issued through special purpose vehicles that are bankruptcy remote from the issuer of the collateral. The credit quality of an ABS transaction depends on the performance of the underlying assets. To protect ABS investors from the possibility that some borrowers could miss payments or even default on their loans, ABS include various forms of credit enhancement. Some ABS, particularly home equity loan ABS, are subject to interest rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which in turn affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS. In addition, ABS have structural risk due to a unique characteristic known as early amortization, or early payout, risk. Built into the structure of most ABS are triggers for early payout, designed to protect investors from losses. These triggers are unique to each transaction and can include a big rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level or even the bankruptcy of the originator. Once early amortization begins, all incoming loan payments (after expenses are paid) are used to pay investors as quickly as possible based upon a predetermined priority of payment. The Fund may invest in any tranche, including the equity tranche, of an ABS.

The Fund may invest in other types of asset-backed securities that are offered in the marketplace, including Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (“EETCs”). EETCs are typically issued by specially-created trusts established by airlines, railroads, or other transportation corporations. The proceeds of EETCs are used to purchase equipment, such as airplanes, railroad cars, or other equipment, which in turn serve as collateral for the related issue of the EETCs. The equipment generally is leased by the airline, railroad or other corporation, which makes rental payments to provide the projected cash flow for payments to EETC holders. Holders of EETCs must look to the collateral securing the certificates, typically together with a guarantee provided by the lessee corporation or its parent company for the payment of lease obligations, in the case of default in the payment of principal and interest on the EETCs. However, because principal and interest payments on EETCs are funded in the ordinary course by the lessee corporation, the Fund will treat EETCs as corporate bonds/obligations for purposes of compliance testing and related classifications.

Mortgage-Related Derivative Instruments. The Fund may engage in derivative transactions related to mortgage-backed securities, including purchasing and selling exchange-listed and over-the-counter (“OTC”) put and call options, futures and forwards on mortgages and mortgage-backed securities. The Fund may also invest in mortgage-backed securities credit default swaps, which include swaps the reference obligation for which is a mortgage-backed security or related index, such as the CMBX Index (a tradeable index referencing a basket of commercial mortgage-backed securities), the TRX Index (a tradeable index referencing total return swaps based on commercial mortgage-backed securities) or the ABX (a tradeable index referencing a basket of sub-prime mortgage-backed securities). The Fund may invest in newly developed mortgage related derivatives that may hereafter become available.

Please see “Investment Objectives and Policies—Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Instruments” in the Statement of Additional Information and “Principal Risks of the Fund—Mortgage-Related and Asset-Backed Instruments Risk” in this prospectus for a more detailed description of the types of mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities in which the Fund may invest and their related risks.

Municipal Bonds

Municipal bonds share the attributes of debt/fixed income securities in general, but are generally issued by states, municipalities and other political subdivisions, agencies, authorities and instrumentalities of states and multi-state agencies or authorities, and may be either taxable or tax-exempt instruments. The municipal bonds that the Fund may purchase include, without limitation, general obligation bonds and limited obligation bonds (or revenue bonds), including industrial development bonds issued pursuant to former federal tax law. General obligation bonds are obligations involving the credit of an issuer possessing taxing power and are payable from such issuer’s general revenues and not from any particular source. Limited obligation bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other

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specific revenue source or annual revenues. Tax-exempt private activity bonds and industrial development bonds generally are also limited obligation bonds and thus are not payable from the issuer’s general revenues. The credit and quality of private activity bonds and industrial development bonds are usually related to the credit of the corporate user of the facilities. Payment of interest on and repayment of principal of such bonds is the responsibility of the corporate user (and/or any guarantor).

The Fund may invest in Build America Bonds, which are tax credit bonds created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which authorizes state and local governments to issue Build America Bonds as taxable bonds in 2009 and 2010, without volume limitations, to finance any capital expenditures for which such issuers could otherwise issue traditional tax-exempt bonds. State and local governments may receive a direct federal subsidy payment for a portion of their borrowing costs on Build America Bonds equal to 35% of the total coupon interest paid to investors (or 45% in the case of Recovery Zone Economic Development Bonds). The state or local government issuer can elect to either take the federal subsidy or pass the 35% tax credit along to bondholders. The Fund’s investments in Build America Bonds will result in taxable income and the Fund may elect to pass through to shareholders the corresponding tax credits. The tax credits can generally be used to offset federal income taxes and the alternative minimum tax, but such credits are generally not refundable. Build America Bonds involve similar risks as municipal bonds, including credit and market risk. They are intended to assist state and local governments in financing capital projects at lower borrowing costs and are likely to attract a broader group of investors than tax-exempt municipal bonds. For example, taxable funds, such as the Fund, may choose to invest in Build America Bonds. Although Build America Bonds were only authorized for issuance during 2009 and 2010, the program may have resulted in reduced issuance of tax-exempt municipal bonds during the same period. The Build America Bond program expired on December 31, 2010, at which point no further issuance of new Build America Bonds was permitted. As of the date of this prospectus, there is no indication that Congress will renew the program to permit issuance of new Build America Bonds.

The Fund may invest in pre-refunded municipal bonds. Pre-refunded municipal bonds are bonds that have been refunded to a call date prior to the final maturity of principal, or, in the case of pre-refunded municipal bonds commonly referred to as “escrowed-to-maturity bonds,” to the final maturity of principal, and remain outstanding in the municipal market. The payment of principal and interest of the pre-refunded municipal bonds held by the Fund is funded from securities in a designated escrow account that holds U.S. Treasury securities or other obligations of the U.S. Government (including its agencies and instrumentalities (“Agency Securities”)). Interest payments on pre-funded municipal bonds issued on or prior to December 31, 2017 are exempt from federal income tax; pre-funded municipal bonds issued after December 31, 2017 will not qualify for such tax-advantaged treatment. Pre-refunded municipal bonds usually will bear an AAA/Aaa rating (if a re-rating has been requested and paid for) because they are backed by U.S. Treasury securities or Agency Securities. Because the payment of principal and interest is generated from securities held in an escrow account established by the municipality and an independent escrow agent, the pledge of the municipality has been fulfilled and the original pledge of revenue by the municipality is no longer in place. The escrow account securities pledged to pay the principal and interest of the pre-refunded municipal bond do not guarantee the price movement of the bond before maturity. Issuers of municipal bonds refund in advance of maturity the outstanding higher cost debt and issue new, lower cost debt, placing the proceeds of the lower cost issuance into an escrow account to pre-refund the older, higher cost debt. Investment in pre-refunded municipal bonds held by the Fund may subject the Fund to interest rate risk and market risk. In addition, while a secondary market exists for pre-refunded municipal bonds, if the Fund sells pre-refunded municipal bonds prior to maturity, the price received may be more or less than the original cost, depending on market conditions at the time of sale.

The Fund may invest in municipal lease obligations. A lease is not a full faith and credit obligation of the issuer and is usually backed only by the borrowing government’s unsecured pledge to make annual appropriations for lease payments. There have been challenges to the legality of lease financing in numerous states, and, from time to time, certain municipalities have considered not appropriating money for lease payments. In deciding whether to purchase a lease obligation for the Fund, PIMCO will assess the financial condition of the borrower or obligor, the merits of the project, other credit characteristics of the obligor, the level of public support for the project and the legislative history of lease financing in the state. These securities may be less readily marketable than other municipal securities.

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Some longer-term municipal bonds give the investor the right to “put” or sell the security at par (face value) within a specified number of days following the investor’s request-usually one to seven days. This demand feature enhances a security’s liquidity by shortening its effective maturity and enables it to trade at a price equal to or very close to par. If a demand feature terminates prior to being exercised, the Fund would hold the longer-term security, which could experience substantially more volatility.

The Fund may invest in municipal warrants, which are essentially call options on municipal bonds. In exchange for a premium, municipal warrants give the purchaser the right, but not the obligation, to purchase a municipal bond in the future. The Fund may purchase a warrant to lock in forward supply in an environment in which the current issuance of bonds is sharply reduced. Like options, warrants may expire worthless and may have reduced liquidity.

The Fund may invest in municipal bonds with credit enhancements such as letters of credit, municipal bond insurance and standby bond purchase agreements (“SBPAs”). Letters of credit are issued by a third party, usually a bank, to enhance liquidity and to ensure repayment of principal and any accrued interest if the underlying municipal bond should default. Municipal bond insurance, which is usually purchased by the bond issuer from a private, nongovernmental insurance company, provides an unconditional and irrevocable guarantee that the insured bond’s principal and interest will be paid when due. Insurance does not guarantee the price of the bond. The credit rating of an insured bond reflects the credit rating of the insurer, based on its claims-paying ability. The obligation of a municipal bond insurance company to pay a claim extends over the life of each insured bond. Although defaults on insured municipal bonds have been low to date and municipal bond insurers have met their claims, there is no assurance that this will continue. A higher-than expected default rate could strain the insurer’s loss reserves and adversely affect its ability to pay claims to bondholders. Because a significant portion of insured municipal bonds that have been issued and are outstanding is insured by a small number of insurance companies, not all of which have the highest credit rating, an event involving one or more of these insurance companies, such as a credit rating downgrade, could have a significant adverse effect on the value of the municipal bonds insured by such insurance company or companies and on the municipal bond markets as a whole. An SBPA is a liquidity facility provided to pay the purchase price of bonds that cannot be re-marketed. The obligation of the liquidity provider (usually a bank) is only to advance funds to purchase tendered bonds that cannot be re-marketed and does not cover principal or interest under any other circumstances. The liquidity provider’s obligations under the SBPA are usually subject to numerous conditions, including the continued creditworthiness of the underlying borrower.

Real Estate Instruments

Real Estate Investments. The Fund may invest directly or indirectly in real estate investments, including through one or more subsidiaries (which could be structured as REITs or REOCs) and/or through joint ventures with affiliated or unaffiliated third parties, including partnerships, co-tenancies and other co-ownership arrangements or participations with mortgage or investment banks, financial institutions, real estate developers, owners, managers or other third parties. The Fund’s real estate investments may be structured through privately-owned operating entities that hold whole or partial interests in real properties. The Fund’s real estate investments may include, without limitation, the mortgage-related investments described above, equity or debt securities issued by REITs or real estate-related investment companies, other types of public and private real estate loans and debt and direct investments in commercial and residential real estate, including land, for-sale and for-rent housing, office, hotel, retail and industrial investments. The Fund may make investments in commercial and residential real estate on an undeveloped or developed basis, including as a result of foreclosure on underlying loans. Although PIMCO generally expects to arrange for third-party property managers or joint venture partners to manage such investments, the Fund, PIMCO and/or their respective affiliates (as well as entities owned by or affiliated with any of the foregoing) may also provide such services.

Direct Real Estate Investments. The Fund may invest directly in real estate (“Direct Real Estate Investments”), which may be held through joint ventures and REIT subsidiaries. The Fund will be exposed to certain risks associated with its Direct Real Estate Investments, including general risks affecting all types of real estate and certain specific risks associated with specific asset classes of Direct Real Estate Investments. The Fund is not limited in the types of real estate in which it may invest.

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Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”). REITs are companies that own interests in real estate or in real estate related loans or other interests, and their revenue primarily consists of rent derived from owned, income producing real estate properties and capital gains from the sale of such properties. The Fund may invest in shares of REITs. A REIT in the U.S. is generally not taxed on income distributed to shareholders so long as it meets certain tax related requirements, including the requirement that it distribute substantially all of its taxable income to such shareholders (other than net capital gains for each taxable year). As a result, U.S. REITs tend to pay relatively higher dividends than other types of companies. Dividends paid by U.S. REITs generally will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction, and are generally not considered qualified dividend income eligible for reduced rates of taxation for U.S. federal income tax purposes but may be considered to be “qualified REIT dividends” eligible for a 20% deduction for non-corporate taxpayers.

REITs can generally be classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs or hybrid REITs. Equity REITs, which invest the majority of their assets directly in real property, derive their income primarily from rents. Equity REITs can also realize capital gains by selling properties that have appreciated in value. Mortgage REITs, which invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages, derive their income primarily from interest payments. Hybrid REITs combine the characteristics of both equity REITs and mortgage REITs. Finally, REITs may either be public or private. Private REITs are not traded on a national securities exchange, whereas public REITs are traded on a national securities exchange. Accordingly, private REITs may be less liquid than public REITs. This reduces the ability of the Fund to redeem its investment in a private REIT early. Private REITs are also generally harder to value and may bear higher fees than public REITs.

Private Real Estate. The Fund may invest in private real estate investments directly or indirectly through investing in joint ventures and/or REIT subsidiaries. The Fund expects that many of its private real estate investments, if any, will consist of real estate joint ventures where the Fund or a REIT subsidiary partners with a real estate operator. The Fund may also make investments in partnerships or other co-ownership arrangements or participations arrangements with other investors, including affiliates, to acquire properties. Private real estate investments may consist of fee simple interests for the properties (in which the joint venture owns both the land and the building improvements), as well as leased fee and leasehold interests.

Private real estate investments may include debt or equity investments in private real estate operating companies that own or manage real estate, privately offered REITs, mortgages secured by commercial or residential real estate, securities issued by real estate companies prior to an IPO, PIPEs and joint ventures which invest in residential, commercial or industrial real estate. These investments may include retail, office, hotel, healthcare, multifamily residential, industrial and other properties. Restrictions under the Code applicable to regulated investment companies, such as the Fund, can limit investments in private real estate, or cause such investments to be structured in a less tax-advantaged manner. By investing through joint ventures and REIT subsidiaries, the Fund may have greater access to these investments and therefore will be able to build a more diversified portfolio of private and public real estate investments.

Private real estate investments are generally less liquid than public real estate investments and may involve complex investment structures. In addition, private real estate investments may have higher capital requirements and transactions involving this asset class may be more complex than those of public real estate investments. Making private real estate investments involves a high degree of sophistication, and returns are subject to the skill and decision-making process of PIMCO, as well as local, regional, and national market conditions.

Loans and Other Indebtedness; Loan Participations and Assignments

The Fund may purchase indebtedness and participations in loans held and/or originated by private financial institutions, including commercial and residential mortgage loans, corporate loans and consumer loans, as well as interests and/or servicing or similar rights in such loans. Such investments may be secured or unsecured and may be newly-originated (and may be specifically designed for the Fund). Indebtedness is different from traditional debt securities in that debt securities are part of a large issue of securities to the public whereas indebtedness may not be a security, and may represent a specific loan to a borrower. Loan participations typically represent direct participation, together with other parties, in a loan to a borrower, and generally are offered by banks or other financial institutions or lending syndicates. The Fund may participate in such syndications, or can buy part of a loan, becoming a part lender. When purchasing indebtedness and loan participations, the Fund assumes the credit risk associated with the borrower and may assume the credit risk associated with an interposed bank or other financial intermediary. The indebtedness and loan participations that the Fund may acquire may not be rated by any NRSRO.

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A loan is often administered by an agent bank acting as agent for all holders. The agent bank administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. In addition, the agent bank is normally responsible for the collection of principal and interest payments from the borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all institutions which are parties to the loan agreement. Unless, under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness, the Fund has direct recourse against the borrower, the Fund may have to rely on the agent bank or other financial intermediary to apply appropriate credit remedies against a borrower.

A financial institution’s employment as agent bank might be terminated in the event that it fails to observe a requisite standard of care or becomes insolvent. A successor agent bank would generally be appointed to replace the terminated agent bank, and assets held by the agent bank under the loan agreement would likely remain available to holders of such indebtedness. However, if assets held by the agent bank for the benefit of the Fund were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent bank’s general creditors, the Fund might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal and/or interest. In situations involving other interposed financial institutions (e.g., an insurance company or governmental agency) similar risks may arise.

Purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of principal and interest. If the Fund does not receive scheduled interest or principal payments on such indebtedness, the NAV, market share price and/or yield of the Common Shares could be adversely affected. Loans that are fully secured offer the Fund more protection than an unsecured loan in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the borrower’s obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated. In the event of the bankruptcy of a borrower, the Fund could experience delays or limitations in its ability to realize the benefits of any collateral securing a loan.

The Fund may acquire loans and loan participations with credit quality comparable to that of issuers of its securities investments. Indebtedness of companies whose creditworthiness is poor and/or subprime in quality involves substantially greater risks, and may be highly speculative. Some companies may never pay off their indebtedness, or may pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Consequently when acquiring indebtedness of companies with poor credit, the Fund bears a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested of the instrument acquired. The Fund may make purchases of indebtedness and loan participations to achieve income and/or capital appreciation, rather than to seek income.

The Fund limits the amount of its total assets that it will invest in issuers within the same industry (except with respect to the Fund’s policy to concentrate in real estate investments and mortgage-related assets issued by government agencies or entities or private originators or issuers). For purposes of these limits, the Fund generally will treat the corporate borrower as the “issuer” of indebtedness held by the Fund. In the case of loan participations where a bank or other lending institution serves as a financial intermediary between the Fund and the corporate borrower, if the participation does not shift to the Fund the direct debtor-creditor relationship with the corporate borrower, SEC interpretations require the Fund to treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the corporate borrower as “issuers.” Treating a financial intermediary as an issuer of indebtedness may restrict the Fund’s ability to invest in indebtedness related to a single financial intermediary, or a group of intermediaries engaged in the same industry, even if the underlying borrowers represent many different companies and industries.

Loans and other types of direct indebtedness (which the Fund may purchase or otherwise gain exposure to) may not be readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. In connection with certain loan transactions, transaction costs that are borne by the Fund may include the expenses of third parties that are retained to assist with reviewing and conducting diligence, negotiating, structuring and servicing a loan transaction, and/or providing other services in connection therewith. Furthermore, the Fund may incur such costs in connection with loan transactions that are pursued by the Fund but not ultimately consummated (so-called “broken deal costs”). In some cases, negotiations involved in disposing of indebtedness may require weeks to complete. Consequently, some indebtedness may be difficult or impossible to dispose of readily at what PIMCO believes to be a fair price. In addition, valuation of illiquid indebtedness involves a greater degree of judgment in determining the Fund’s NAV than if that value were based on available market quotations, and could result in significant variations in the Fund’s daily share price. At the same time, some loan interests are traded among certain financial institutions and accordingly may be deemed liquid. As the market for different types of indebtedness develops, the liquidity of these instruments is expected to improve. Acquisitions of loan participations are considered to be debt obligations for purposes of the Fund’s investment restriction relating to the lending of funds or assets by the Fund.

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Acquisitions of loans through a purchase of a loan, loan origination or direct assignment of a financial institution’s interests with respect to a loan may involve additional risks to the Fund. The purchaser of an assignment typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations under the loan agreement with the same rights and obligations as the assigning lender. Assignments may, however, be arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and potential assignors, and the rights and obligations acquired by the purchaser of an assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning lender. If a loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral, and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that the Fund could be held liable as co-lender. It is unclear whether loans and other forms of direct indebtedness offer securities law protections against fraud and misrepresentation.

The Fund may make, participate in or acquire DIP financings. DIP financings are arranged when an entity seeks the protections of the bankruptcy court under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. These financings allow the entity to continue its business operations while reorganizing under Chapter 11. Such financings constitute senior liens on unencumbered security (i.e., security not subject to other creditors’ claims). There is a risk that the entity will not emerge from Chapter 11 and be forced to liquidate its assets under Chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. In the event of liquidation, the Fund’s only recourse will be against the property securing the DIP financing.

The Fund may make investments in debt instruments and other securities or instruments directly or through one or more Subsidiaries, REIT subsidiaries and joint ventures. Each Subsidiary may invest, for example, in whole loans or in shares, certificates, notes or other securities representing the right to receive principal and interest payments due on fractions of whole loans or pools of whole loans, or any other security or other instrument that the Fund may hold directly. References herein to the Fund include references to a Subsidiary, REIT subsidiary or joint venture in respect of the Fund’s investment exposure. The allocation of the Fund’s assets to a Subsidiary, REIT subsidiary or joint venture will vary over time and will likely not include all of the different types of investments described herein at any given time.

To the extent its financial statements are consolidated with those of the Fund, the Fund will treat a Subsidiary’s assets as assets of the Fund for purposes of determining compliance with various provisions of the 1940 Act, applicable to the Fund, including those relating to investment policies (Section 8), affiliated transactions and custody (Section 17) and capital structure and leverage (Section 18). In addition, PIMCO and the Fund’s Board of Trustees will comply with the provisions of Section 15 of the 1940 Act with respect to such a Subsidiary’s investment advisory contracts.

Loan Origination

The Fund may seek to originate loans, including, without limitation, residential and/or commercial real estate or mortgage-related loans, consumer loans or other types of loans, which may be in the form of whole loans, secured and unsecured notes, senior and second lien loans, mezzanine loans or similar investments. The Fund may originate loans to corporations and/or other legal entities and individuals, including foreign (non-U.S.) and emerging market entities and individuals. Such borrowers may have credit ratings that are determined by one or more NRSROs or PIMCO to be below investment grade. The loans the Fund originates may vary in maturity and/or duration. The Fund will not normally invest more than 25% of its total assets in whole loans that the Fund has directly originated; however, otherwise, the Fund is not limited in the amount, size or type of loans it may originate, including with respect to a single borrower or with respect to borrowers that are determined to be below investment grade, other than pursuant to any applicable law. The Fund’s origination of loans may also be limited by the Fund’s intention to qualify as a regulated investment company. The Fund may retain fees received in connection with originating or structuring the terms of any such loan.

In determining whether to make a direct loan, the Fund will rely primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower and/or any collateral for payment of interest and repayment of principal. In making a direct loan, the Fund is exposed to the risk that the borrower may default or become insolvent and, consequently, that the Fund will lose money on the loan. Furthermore, direct loans may subject the Fund to liquidity and interest rate risk and certain direct loans may be deemed illiquid. Direct loans are not publicly traded and may not have a secondary market. The lack of a secondary market for direct loans may have an adverse impact on the ability of the Fund to dispose of a direct loan and/or to value the direct loan.

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When engaging in direct lending, the Fund’s performance may depend, in part, on the ability of the Fund to originate loans on advantageous terms. In originating and purchasing loans, the Fund will often compete with a broad spectrum of lenders. Increased competition for, or a diminishment in the available supply of, qualifying loans could result in lower yields on and/or less advantageous terms of such loans, which could reduce Fund performance.

As part of its lending activities, the Fund may originate loans (including subprime loans) to companies that are experiencing significant financial or business difficulties, including companies involved in bankruptcy or other reorganization and liquidation proceedings or that are rated “below investment grade” by a NRSRO. Although the terms of such financing may result in significant financial returns to the Fund, they involve a substantial degree of risk. The level of analytical sophistication, both financial and legal, necessary for successful financing to companies experiencing significant business and financial difficulties is unusually high. Different types of assets may be used as collateral for the Fund’s loans and, accordingly, the valuation of and risks associated with such collateral will vary by loan. There is no assurance that the Fund will correctly evaluate the value of the assets collateralizing the Fund’s loans or the prospects for a successful reorganization or similar action. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a company that the Fund funds, the Fund may lose all or part of the amounts advanced to the borrower or may be required to accept collateral with a value less than the amount of the loan advanced by the Fund or its affiliates to the borrower. Furthermore, in the event of a default by a borrower, the Fund may have difficulty disposing of the assets used as collateral for a loan.

Various state licensing requirements could apply to the Fund with respect to the origination, acquisition, holding, servicing, foreclosure and/or disposition of, loans and similar assets. The licensing requirements could apply depending on the location of the borrower, the location of the collateral securing the loan, or the location where the Fund or PIMCO operates or has offices. In states in which it is licensed, the Fund or PIMCO will be required to comply with applicable laws and regulations, including consumer protection and anti-fraud laws, which could impose restrictions on the Fund’s or PIMCO’s ability to take certain actions to protect the value of its holdings in such assets and impose compliance costs. Failure to comply with such laws and regulations could lead to, among other penalties, a loss of the Fund’s or PIMCO’s license, which in turn could require the Fund to divest assets located in or secured by real property located in that state. These risks will also apply to issuers and entities in which the Fund invests that hold similar assets, as well as any origination company or servicer in which the Fund owns an interest. Loan origination and servicing companies are routinely involved in legal proceedings concerning matters that arise in the ordinary course of their business. These legal proceedings range from actions involving a single plaintiff to class action lawsuits with potentially tens of thousands of class members. In addition, a number of participants in the loan origination and servicing industry (including control persons of industry participants) have been the subject of regulatory actions by state regulators, including state Attorneys General, and by the federal government. Governmental investigations, examinations or regulatory actions, or private lawsuits, including purported class action lawsuits, may adversely affect such companies’ financial results. To the extent the Fund seeks to engage in origination and/or servicing directly, or has a financial interest in, or is otherwise affiliated with, an origination or servicing company, the Fund will be subject to enhanced risks of litigation, regulatory actions and other proceedings. As a result, the Fund may be required to pay legal fees, settlement costs, damages, penalties or other charges, any or all of which could materially adversely affect the Fund and its holdings.

Risk Retention Investments

The Fund may invest in risk retention tranches of commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) or other eligible securitizations, if any (“risk retention tranches”), which are eligible residual interests held by the sponsors of such securitizations pursuant to the final rules implementing the credit risk retention requirements of Section 941 of the Dodd-Frank Act (the “U.S. Risk Retention Rules”). In the case of CMBS transactions, for example, the U.S. Risk Retention Rules permit all or a portion of the retained credit risk associated with certain securitizations (i.e., retained risk) to be held by an unaffiliated “third party purchaser,” such as the Fund, if, among other requirements, the third-party purchaser holds its retained interest, unhedged, for at least five years following the closing of the CMBS transaction, after which it is entitled to transfer its interest in the securitization to another person that meets the requirements for a third-party purchaser. Even after the required holding period has expired, due to the generally illiquid nature of such investments, no assurance can be given as to what, if any, exit strategies will ultimately be available for any given position.

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In addition, there is limited guidance on the application of the final U.S. Risk Retention Rules to specific securitization structures. There can be no assurance that the applicable federal agencies charged with the implementation of the final U.S. Risk Retention Rules (the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve Board, the SEC, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency) could not take positions in the future that differ from the interpretation of such rules taken or embodied in such securitizations, or that the final U.S. Risk Retention Rules will not change.

Furthermore, in situations where the Fund invests in risk retention tranches of securitizations structured by third parties, the Fund may be required to execute one or more letters or other agreements, the exact form and nature of which will vary (each, a “Risk Retention Agreement”) under which it will make certain undertakings designed to ensure such securitization complies with the final U.S. Risk Retention Rules. Such Risk Retention Agreements may include a variety of representations, warranties, covenants and other indemnities, each of which may run to various transaction parties. If the Fund breaches any undertakings in any Risk Retention Agreement, it will be exposed to claims by the other parties thereto, including for any losses incurred as a result of such breach, which could be significant and exceed the value of the Fund’s investments.

Securitizations

The Fund uses the term “securitize” to describe a strategy under which the Fund or a Subsidiary (sometimes referred to as an “originator” or “sponsor”) transfers income-producing assets to a single-purpose, bankruptcy-remote subsidiary (also referred to as a “special purpose entity” or “SPE”), which is established for the purpose of holding such assets and entering into a structured finance transaction. The SPE may be funded with, among other things, whole loans or interests from other pools and such loans may or may not be rated. The SPE then issues notes secured by such assets. The SPE may issue the notes in the capital markets either publicly or privately to a variety of investors. There may be a single class of notes or multiple classes of notes, the most senior of which carries less credit risk and the most junior of which may carry substantially the same credit risk as the equity of the SPE, which is the riskiest class of the SPE and bears the bulk of defaults and serves to protect the other, more senior classes from default in all but the most severe circumstances. The Fund may retain all or a portion of the equity in the SPE. The Fund’s interests in the SPE, if any, will be subordinated to the other interests issued by the SPE. As such, the Fund will only receive cash distributions on such interests if the SPE has made all cash interest and other required payments on all other interests it has issued. In addition, the Fund’s subordinated interests will likely be unsecured and rank behind all of the secured creditors, known or unknown, of the SPE, including the holders of the senior interests it has issued. The Fund may invest in securitization risk retention tranches in its capacity as a sponsor of the relevant securitizations, and/or in the capacity of a third-party purchaser with respect to securitizations sponsored by others.

Delayed Funding Loans and Revolving Credit Facilities

The Fund may enter into, or acquire participations in, delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities, in which a bank or other lender agrees to make loans up to a maximum amount upon demand by the borrower during a specified term. These commitments may have the effect of requiring the Fund to increase its investment in a company at a time when it might not be desirable to do so (including at a time when the company’s financial condition makes it unlikely that such amounts will be repaid). Delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities are subject to credit, interest rate and liquidity risk and the risks of being a lender.

Bonds

The Fund may invest in a wide variety of bonds of varying maturities issued by non-U.S. (foreign) and U.S. corporations and other business entities, governments and quasi-governmental entities and municipalities and other issuers. Bonds may include, among other things, fixed or variable/floating-rate debt obligations, including bills, notes, debentures, money market instruments and similar instruments and securities. Bonds generally are used by corporations as well as governments and other issuers to borrow money from investors. The issuer pays the investor a fixed or variable rate of interest and normally must repay the amount borrowed on or before maturity. Certain bonds are “perpetual” in that they have no maturity date.

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Preferred Securities

Preferred securities represent an equity interest in a company that generally entitles the holder to receive, in preference to the holders of other stocks such as common stocks, dividends and a fixed share of the proceeds resulting from liquidation of the company. Unlike common stocks, preferred securities usually do not have voting rights. Preferred securities in some instances are convertible into common stock. Some preferred securities also entitle their holders to receive additional liquidation proceeds on the same basis as holders of a company’s common stock, and thus also represent an ownership interest in the company. Some preferred securities offer a fixed rate of return with no maturity date. Because they never mature, these preferred securities may act like long-term bonds, can be more volatile than other types of preferred securities and may have heightened sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Other preferred securities have a variable dividend, generally determined on a quarterly or other periodic basis, either according to a formula based upon a specified premium or discount to the yield on particular U.S. Treasury securities or based on an auction process, involving bids submitted by holders and prospective purchasers of such securities. Although they are equity securities, preferred securities have certain characteristics of both debt securities and common stock. They are like debt securities in that their stated income is generally contractually fixed. They are like common stocks in that they do not have rights to precipitate bankruptcy proceedings or collection activities in the event of missed payments. Furthermore, preferred securities have many of the key characteristics of equity due to their subordinated position in an issuer’s capital structure and because their quality and value are heavily dependent on the profitability of the issuer rather than on any legal claims to specific assets or cash flows. Because preferred securities represent an equity ownership interest in a company, their value usually will react more strongly than bonds and other debt instruments to actual or perceived changes in a company’s financial condition or prospects, or to fluctuations in the equity markets.

In order to be payable, dividends on preferred securities must be declared by the issuer’s board of directors. In addition, distributions on preferred securities may be subject to deferral and thus may not be automatically payable. Income payments on some preferred securities are cumulative, causing dividends and distributions to accrue even if they are not declared by the board of directors of the issuer or otherwise made payable. Other preferred securities are non-cumulative, meaning that skipped dividends and distributions do not continue to accrue. There is no assurance that dividends on preferred securities in which the Fund invests will be declared or otherwise made payable.

Preferred securities have a liquidation value that generally equals their original purchase price at the date of issuance. The market values of preferred securities may be affected by favorable and unfavorable changes affecting the issuers’ industries or sectors. They also may be affected by actual and anticipated changes or ambiguities in the tax status of the security and by actual and anticipated changes or ambiguities in tax laws, such as changes in corporate and individual income tax rates or the rates applicable to dividends. The dividends paid on the preferred securities in which the Fund invests might not be eligible for the favorable tax treated accorded to “qualified dividend income.” See “Taxation” in the Statement of Additional Information. Because the claim on an issuer’s earnings represented by preferred securities may become disproportionately large when interest rates fall below the rate payable on the securities or for other reasons, the issuer may redeem preferred securities, generally after an initial period of call protection in which the security is not redeemable. Thus, in declining interest rate environments in particular, the Fund’s holdings of higher dividend-paying preferred securities may be reduced and the Fund may be unable to acquire securities paying comparable rates with the redemption proceeds.

Convertible Securities and Synthetic Convertible Securities

Convertible securities (i.e., debt securities that may be converted at either a stated price or stated rate into underlying shares of common stock) have general characteristics similar to both debt securities and equity securities. Although to a lesser extent than with debt obligations, the market value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, tends to increase as interest rates decline. In addition, because of the conversion feature, the market value of convertible securities tends to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying common stocks and, therefore, also will react to variations in the general market for equity securities.

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Convertible securities are investments that provide for a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than common stocks. There can be no assurance of current income because the issuers of the convertible securities may default on their obligations. Convertible securities, however, generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible debt securities of similar credit quality because of the potential for equity-related capital appreciation. A convertible security, in addition to providing current income, offers the potential for capital appreciation through the conversion feature, which enables the holder to benefit from increases in the market price of the underlying common stock.

The Fund may invest in synthetic convertible securities, which are created through a combination of separate securities that possess the two principal characteristics of a traditional convertible security, that is, an income-producing component and the right to acquire a convertible component. The income-producing component is achieved by investing in non-convertible, income-producing securities such as bonds, preferred securities and money market instruments. The convertible component is achieved by purchasing warrants or options to buy common stock at a certain exercise price, or options on a stock index. The Fund may also purchase synthetic securities created by other parties, typically investment banks, including convertible structured notes. The income-producing and convertible components of a synthetic convertible security may be issued separately by different issuers and at different times. The values of synthetic convertible securities will respond differently to market fluctuations than a traditional convertible security because a synthetic convertible is composed of two or more separate securities or instruments, each with its own market value. Synthetic convertible securities are also subject to the risks associated with derivatives. See “Principal Risks of the Fund—Derivatives Risk.” In addition, if the value of the underlying common stock or the level of the index involved in the convertible element falls below the strike price of the warrant or option, the warrant or option may lose all value.

Contingent Convertible Securities

Contingent convertible securities (“CoCos”) are a form of hybrid debt security issued primarily by non-U.S. issuers, which have loss absorption mechanisms built into their terms. CoCos have no stated maturity, have fully discretionary coupons and are typically issued in the form of subordinated debt instruments. CoCos generally either convert into equity of the issuer or have their principal written down upon the occurrence of certain triggering events (“triggers”) linked to regulatory capital thresholds or regulatory actions relating to the issuer’s continued viability. In certain scenarios, investors in CoCos may suffer a loss of capital ahead of equity holders or when equity holders do not. There is no guarantee that the Fund will receive a return of principal on CoCos. Any indication that an automatic write-down or conversion event may occur can be expected to have an adverse effect on the market price of CoCos. CoCos are often rated below investment grade and are subject to the risks of high yield securities.

Because CoCos are issued primarily by financial institutions, CoCos may present substantially increased risks at times of financial turmoil, which could affect financial institutions more than companies in other sectors and industries. Further, the value of an investment in CoCos is unpredictable and will be influenced by many factors and risks, including interest rate risk, credit risk, market risk and liquidity risk. An investment by the Fund in CoCos may result in losses to the Fund.

Some additional risks associated with CoCos include, but are not limited to:

Loss absorption risk. CoCos may be subject to an automatic write-down (i.e., the automatic write-down of the principal amount or value of the securities, potentially to zero, and the cancellation of the securities) under certain circumstances, which could result in the Fund losing a portion or all of its investment in such securities. In addition, the Fund may not have any rights with respect to repayment of the principal amount of the securities that has not become due or the payment of interest or dividends on such securities for any period from (and including) the interest or dividend payment date falling immediately prior to the occurrence of such automatic write-down. An automatic write-down could also result in a reduced income rate if the dividend or interest payment is based on the security’s par value. In addition, CoCos have fully discretionary coupons. This means coupons can potentially be cancelled at the issuer’s discretion or at the request of the relevant regulatory authority in order to help the issuer absorb losses and may be suspended in the event there are insufficient distributable reserves.

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Subordinated instruments. CoCos will, in the majority of circumstances, be issued in the form of subordinated debt instruments in order to provide the appropriate regulatory capital treatment prior to a conversion. Accordingly, in the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of an issuer prior to a conversion having occurred, the rights and claims of the holders of the CoCos, such as the Fund, against the issuer in respect of or arising under the terms of the CoCos shall generally rank junior to the claims of all holders of unsubordinated obligations of the issuer. In addition, if the CoCos are converted into the issuer’s underlying equity securities following a conversion event (i.e., a “trigger”), each holder will be subordinated due to their conversion from being the holder of a debt instrument to being the holder of an equity instrument.

Market value will fluctuate based on unpredictable factors. The trading behavior of a given issuer’s CoCos may be strongly impacted by the trading behavior of other issuers’ CoCos, such that negative information from an unrelated CoCo may cause a decline in value of one or more CoCos held by the Fund. Accordingly, the trading behavior of CoCos may not follow the trading behavior of other similarly structured securities. The value of CoCos is unpredictable and could be influenced by many factors including, without limitation: (i) the creditworthiness of the issuer and/or fluctuations in such issuer’s applicable capital ratios; (ii) supply and demand for the CoCos; (iii) general market conditions and available liquidity; and (iv) economic, financial and political events that affect the issuer, its particular market or the financial markets in general.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements and Dollar Rolls

As described under “Use of Leverage,” the Fund may use, among other things, reverse repurchase agreements and/or dollar rolls to add leverage to its portfolio. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund sells securities to a bank or broker dealer and agrees to repurchase the securities at a mutually agreed future date and price. A dollar roll is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement except that the counterparty with which the Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction is not obligated to return the same securities as those originally sold by the Fund, but only securities that are “substantially identical.” Generally, the effect of a reverse repurchase agreement or dollar roll transaction is that the Fund can recover and reinvest all or most of the cash invested in the portfolio securities involved during the term of the agreement and still be entitled to the returns associated with those portfolio securities, thereby resulting in a transaction similar to a borrowing and giving rise to leverage for the Fund. The Fund will incur interest expense as a cost of utilizing reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls. In the event the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement or dollar roll files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the agreement may be restricted pending a determination by the other party, or its trustee or receiver, whether to enforce the Fund’s obligation to repurchase the securities.

Commercial Paper

Commercial paper represents short-term unsecured promissory notes issued in bearer form by corporations such as banks or bank holding companies and finance companies. The rate of return on commercial paper may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies.

U.S. Government Securities

U.S. Government securities are obligations of and, in certain cases, guaranteed by, the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. The U.S. Government does not guarantee the NAV of the Fund’s shares. Some U.S. Government securities, such as Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and securities guaranteed by GNMA, are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; others, such as those of the FHLBs, are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “U.S. Treasury”); others, such as those of FNMA, are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency’s obligations; and still others are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality. U.S. Government securities may include zero coupon securities, which do not distribute interest on a current basis and tend to be subject to greater risk than interest-paying securities of similar maturities.

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Bank Capital Securities and Bank Obligations

The Fund may invest in bank capital securities of both non-U.S. (foreign) and U.S. issuers. Bank capital securities are issued by banks to help fulfill their regulatory capital requirements. There are three common types of bank capital: Lower Tier II, Upper Tier II and Tier I. Upper Tier II securities are commonly thought of as hybrids of debt and preferred securities. Upper Tier II securities are often perpetual (with no maturity date), callable and have a cumulative interest deferral feature. This means that under certain conditions, the issuer bank can withhold payment of interest until a later date. However, such deferred interest payments generally earn interest. Tier I securities often take the form of trust preferred securities.

The Fund may also invest in other bank obligations including without limitation certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and fixed time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates that are issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and that earn a specified return. Bankers’ acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are “accepted” by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are generally no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is generally no market for such deposits. The Fund may also hold funds on deposit with its custodian bank in an interest-bearing account for temporary purposes.

Zero-Coupon Bonds, Step-Ups and Payment-In-Kind Securities

Zero-coupon bonds pay interest only at maturity rather than at intervals during the life of the security. Like zero-coupon bonds, “step up” bonds pay no interest initially but eventually begin to pay a coupon rate prior to maturity, which rate may increase at stated intervals during the life of the security. PIKs are debt obligations that pay “interest” in the form of other debt obligations, instead of in cash. Each of these instruments is normally issued and traded at a deep discount from face value. Zero-coupon bonds, step-ups and PIKs allow an issuer to avoid or delay the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments and, as a result, may involve greater credit risk than bonds that pay interest currently or in cash. The Fund would be required to distribute the income on these instruments as it accrues, even though the Fund will not receive the income on a current basis or in cash. Thus, the Fund may have to sell investments, including when it may not be advisable to do so, to make income distributions to its shareholders.

Inflation-Indexed Bonds

Inflation-indexed bonds (other than municipal inflation-indexed bonds and certain corporate inflation-indexed bonds) are fixed income securities the principal value of which is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. If the index measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds (other than municipal inflation-indexed bonds and certain corporate inflation-indexed bonds) will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of TIPS. For bonds that do not provide a similar guarantee, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal. TIPS may also be divided into individual zero-coupon instruments for each coupon or principal payment (known as “iSTRIPS”). An iSTRIP of the principal component of a TIPS issue will retain the embedded deflation floor that will allow the holder of the security to receive the greater of the original principal or inflation-adjusted principal value at maturity. iSTRIPS may be less liquid than conventional TIPS because they are a small component of the TIPS market. Municipal inflation-indexed securities are municipal bonds that pay coupons based on a fixed rate plus CPI. With regard to municipal inflation-indexed bonds and certain corporate inflation-indexed bonds, the inflation adjustment is typically reflected in the semi-annual coupon payment. As a result, the principal value of municipal inflation-indexed bonds and such corporate inflation-indexed bonds does not adjust according to the rate of inflation. At the same time, the value of municipal inflation-indexed securities and such corporate inflation-indexed securities generally will not increase if the rate of inflation decreases. Because municipal inflation-indexed securities and corporate inflation-indexed securities are a small component of the municipal bond and corporate bond markets, respectively, they may be less liquid than conventional municipal and corporate bonds.

The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. If nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates may rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds. Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity. See “Taxation” in the Statement of Additional Information.

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Event-linked Instruments

The Fund may obtain event-linked exposure by investing in “event-linked bonds” or “event-linked swaps” or by implementing “event-linked strategies.” Event-linked exposure results in gains or losses that typically are contingent upon, or formulaically related to, defined trigger events. Examples of trigger events include hurricanes, earthquakes, weather-related phenomena or statistics relating to such events. Some event-linked bonds are commonly referred to as “catastrophe bonds.” If a trigger event occurs, the Fund may lose a portion or its entire principal invested in the bond or notional amount on a swap. Event-linked exposure often provides for an extension of maturity to process and audit loss claims when a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred. An extension of maturity may increase volatility. Event-linked exposure may also expose the Fund to certain other risks including credit risk, counterparty risk, adverse regulatory or jurisdictional interpretations and adverse tax consequences. Event-linked exposures may also be subject to liquidity risk.

Variable- and Floating-Rate Securities

Variable- and floating-rate instruments are instruments that pay interest at rates that adjust whenever a specified interest rate changes and/or that reset on predetermined dates (such as the last day of a month or calendar quarter). In addition to senior loans, variable- and floating-rate instruments may include, without limitation, instruments such as catastrophe and other event-linked bonds, instruments such as bank capital securities, unsecured bank loans, corporate bonds, money market instruments and certain types of mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities. Due to their variable- or floating-rate features, these instruments will generally pay higher levels of income in a rising interest rate environment and lower levels of income as interest rates decline. For the same reason, the market value of a variable- or floating-rate instrument is generally expected to have less sensitivity to fluctuations in market interest rates than a fixed-rate instrument, although the value of a variable- or floating-rate instrument may nonetheless decline as interest rates rise and due to other factors, such as changes in credit quality.

The Fund also may engage in credit spread trades. A credit spread trade is an investment position relating to a difference in the prices or interest rates of two bonds or other securities, in which the value of the investment position is determined by changes in the difference between the prices or interest rates, as the case may be, of the respective securities.

Inverse Floaters

An inverse floater is a type of debt instrument that bears a floating or variable interest rate that moves in the opposite direction to interest rates generally or the interest rate on another security or index. Changes in interest rates generally, or the interest rate of the other security or index, inversely affect the interest rate paid on the inverse floater, with the result that the inverse floater’s price will be considerably more volatile than that of a fixed-rate bond. The Fund may invest without limitation in inverse floaters, which brokers typically create by depositing an income-producing instrument, which may be a mortgage-related security, in a trust. The trust in turn issues a variable rate security and inverse floaters. The interest rate for the variable rate security is typically determined by an index or an auction process, while the inverse floater holder receives the balance of the income from the underlying income-producing instrument less an auction fee. The market prices of inverse floaters may be highly sensitive to changes in interest rates and prepayment rates on the underlying securities, and may decrease significantly when interest rates increase or prepayment rates change. In a transaction in which the Fund purchases an inverse floater from a trust, and the underlying bond was held by the Fund prior to being deposited into the trust, the Fund will typically treat the transaction as a secured borrowing for financial reporting purposes. As a result, for financial reporting purposes, the Fund will generally incur a non-cash interest expense with respect to interest paid by the trust on the variable rate securities, and will recognize additional interest income in an amount directly corresponding to the non-cash interest expense. Therefore, the Fund’s NAV per Common Share and performance will not be affected by the non-cash interest expense. This accounting treatment does not apply to inverse floaters acquired by the Fund when the Fund did not previously own the underlying bond.

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Derivatives

The Fund may, but is not required to, use various derivative instruments for risk management purposes or as part of its investment strategy. The Fund may use various derivatives transactions to add leverage to its portfolio.

See “Use of Leverage.” Generally, derivatives are financial contracts whose value depends upon, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index, and may relate to, among others, stocks, bonds, real estate investments, interest rates, spreads between different interest rates, currencies or currency exchange rates, commodities and related indexes. Examples of derivative instruments that the Fund may use include, without limitation, futures and forward contracts (including foreign currency exchange contracts), call and put options (including options on futures contracts), credit default swaps, total return swaps, basis swaps and other swap agreements. The Fund’s use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other more traditional investments. Please see “Principal Risks of the Fund—Derivatives Risk” in this Prospectus and see “Investment Objectives and Policies—Derivative Instruments” in the Statement of Additional Information for additional information about these and other derivative instruments that the Fund may use and the risks associated with such instruments. There is no assurance that these derivative strategies will be available at any time or that PIMCO will determine to use them for the Fund or, if used, that the strategies will be successful. In addition, the Fund may be subject to certain restrictions on its use of derivative strategies imposed by guidelines of one or more rating agencies that may issue ratings for any preferred shares issued by the Fund.

Certain Interest Rate Transactions

In order to reduce the interest rate risk inherent in the Fund’s underlying investments and capital structure, the Fund may (but is not required to) enter into interest rate swap transactions. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with a counterparty of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, such as an exchange of fixed rate payments for floating rate payments. These transactions generally involve an agreement with the swap counterparty to pay a fixed or variable rate payment in exchange for the counterparty paying the Fund the other type of payment stream (i.e., variable or fixed). The payment obligation would be based on the notional amount of the swap. Other forms of interest rate swap agreements in which the Fund may invest include without limitation interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or “cap;” interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified rate, or “floor;” and interest rate “collars,” under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels. The Fund may (but is not required to) use interest rate swap transactions with the intent to reduce or eliminate the risk that an increase in short-term interest rates could pose for the performance of the Fund’s Common Shares as a result of leverage, and also may use these instruments for other hedging or investment purposes. Any termination of an interest rate swap transaction could result in a termination payment by or to the Fund.

Credit Default Swaps

The Fund may enter into credit default swaps for both investment and risk management purposes, as well as to add leverage to the Fund’s portfolio. A credit default swap may have as reference obligations one or more securities that are not currently held by the Fund. The protection “buyer” in a credit default swap is generally obligated to pay the protection “seller” an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided that no credit event, such as a default, on a reference obligation has occurred. The buyer is effectively buying insurance or protection from the adverse effect of a credit event. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the “par value” (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount, if the swap is cash settled. The Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund may recover nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer generally may elect to receive the full notional value of the swap from the seller, who, in turn, generally will recover an amount significantly lower than the equivalent face amount of the obligations of the reference entity, whose value may have significantly decreased, through (i) physical delivery of such obligations by the buyer, (ii) cash settlement or (iii) an auction process. As a seller, the Fund generally receives an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap provided that there is no credit event. As the seller, the Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.

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The spread of a credit default swap is the annual amount the protection buyer must pay the protection seller over the length of the contract, expressed as a percentage of the notional amount. When spreads rise, market perceived credit risk rises and when spreads fall, market perceived credit risk falls. Wider credit spreads and decreasing market values, when compared to the notional amount of the swap, represent a deterioration of the referenced entity’s credit soundness and a greater likelihood or risk of default or other credit event occurring as defined under the terms of the agreement. For credit default swaps on ABS and credit indexes, the quoted market prices and resulting values, as well as the annual payment rate, serve as an indication of the current status of the payment/performance risk.

Credit default swaps involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk and credit risk, among other risks associated with derivative instruments. A buyer generally also will lose the upfront and/or periodic payments it made for the swap and recover nothing should no credit event occur and the swap is held to its termination date. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the seller, coupled with the upfront or periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the seller. The Fund’s obligations under a credit default swap will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund). In connection with credit default swaps in which the Fund is the buyer, the Fund may segregate or “earmark” cash or liquid assets, or enter into certain offsetting positions, with a value at least equal to the Fund’s exposure (any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed by the Fund to any counterparty), on a marked-to-market basis. In connection with credit default swaps in which the Fund is the seller, if the Fund covers its position through asset segregation, the Fund will segregate or “earmark” cash or assets determined to be liquid with a value at least equal to the full notional amount of the Fund’s obligation under the swap. Such segregation or “earmarking” will not limit the Fund’s exposure to loss. See “Principal Risks of the Fund—Segregation and Coverage Risk.” and “Principal Risks of the Fund—Regulatory Risk—Commodity Pool Operator.”

Hybrid Instruments

A hybrid instrument is a type of potentially high-risk derivative that combines a traditional bond, stock or commodity with an option or forward contract. Generally, the principal amount, amount payable upon maturity or redemption, or interest rate of a hybrid is tied (positively or negatively) to the price of some commodity, currency or securities index or another interest rate or some other economic factor (each a “benchmark”). The interest rate or (unlike most fixed income securities) the principal amount payable at maturity of a hybrid security may be increased or decreased, depending on changes in the value of the benchmark. An example of a hybrid could be a bond issued by an oil company that pays a small base level of interest with additional interest that accrues in correlation to the extent to which oil prices exceed a certain predetermined level. Such a hybrid instrument would be a combination of a bond and a call option on oil.

Hybrids can be used as an efficient means of pursuing a variety of investment goals, including currency hedging, duration management and increased total return. Hybrids may not bear interest or pay dividends. The value of a hybrid or its interest rate may be a multiple of a benchmark and, as a result, may be leveraged and move (up or down) more steeply and rapidly than the benchmark. These benchmarks may be sensitive to economic and political events, such as commodity shortages and currency devaluations, which cannot be readily foreseen by the purchaser of a hybrid. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could be zero. Thus, an investment in a hybrid may entail significant market risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional, U.S. dollar-denominated bond that has a fixed principal amount and pays a fixed rate or floating rate of interest. The purchase of hybrids will also expose the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the hybrids. These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the NAV of the Common Shares if the Fund invests in hybrid instruments.

Certain hybrid instruments may provide exposure to the commodities markets. These are derivative securities with one or more commodity-linked components that have payment features similar to commodity futures contracts, commodity options or similar instruments. Commodity-linked hybrid instruments may be either equity or debt securities, leveraged or unleveraged, and are considered hybrid instruments because they have both security and commodity-like characteristics. A portion of the value of these instruments may be derived from the value of a commodity, futures contract, index or other economic variable.

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Certain issuers of structured products such as hybrid instruments may be deemed to be investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, the Fund’s investments in these products may be subject to limits applicable to investments in investment companies and may be subject to restrictions contained in the 1940 Act.

The Fund’s use of commodity-linked instruments may be limited by the Fund’s intention to qualify as a RIC and may limit the Fund’s ability to so qualify. In order to qualify for the special tax treatment accorded RICs and their shareholders, the Fund must, among other things, derive at least 90% of its income from certain specified sources (qualifying income). Income from certain commodity-linked instruments does not constitute qualifying income to the Fund. The tax treatment of certain other commodity-linked instruments in which the Fund might invest is not certain, in particular with respect to whether income and gains from such instruments constitute qualifying income. If the Fund were to treat income from a particular instrument as qualifying income and the income were later determined not to constitute qualifying income and, together with any other nonqualifying income, caused the Fund’s nonqualifying income to exceed 10% of its gross income in any taxable year, the Fund would fail to qualify as a RIC unless it is eligible to and does pay a tax at the Fund level. See “Tax Matters.”

Structured Notes and Related Instruments

The Fund may invest in “structured” notes and other related instruments, which are privately negotiated debt obligations in which the principal and/or interest is determined by reference to the performance of a benchmark asset, market or interest rate (an “embedded index”), such as selected securities, an index of securities or specified interest rates, or the differential performance of two assets or markets, such as indexes reflecting bonds. Structured instruments may be issued by corporations, including banks, as well as by governmental agencies. Structured instruments frequently are assembled in the form of medium-term notes, but a variety of forms are available and may be used in particular circumstances. The terms of such structured instruments normally provide that their principal and/or interest payments are to be adjusted upwards or downwards (but ordinarily not below zero) to reflect changes in the embedded index while the structured instruments are outstanding. As a result, the interest and/or principal payments that may be made on a structured product may vary widely, depending on a variety of factors, including the volatility of the embedded index and the effect of changes in the embedded index on principal and/or interest payments. The rate of return on structured notes may be determined by applying a multiplier to the performance or differential performance of the referenced index(es) or other asset(s). Application of a multiplier involves leverage that will serve to magnify the potential for gain and the risk of loss.

The Fund may use structured instruments for investment purposes and also for risk management purposes, such as to reduce the duration and interest rate sensitivity of the Fund’s portfolio, and for leveraging purposes. While structured instruments may offer the potential for a favorable rate of return from time to time, they also entail certain risks. Structured instruments may be less liquid than other debt securities, and the price of structured instruments may be more volatile. In some cases, depending on the terms of the embedded index, a structured instrument may provide that the principal and/or interest payments may be adjusted below zero. Structured instruments also may involve significant credit risk and risk of default by the counterparty. Structured instruments may also be illiquid. Like other sophisticated strategies, the Fund’s use of structured instruments may not work as intended. If the value of the embedded index changes in a manner other than that expected by PIMCO, principal and/or interest payments received on the structured instrument may be substantially less than expected. Also, if PIMCO chooses to use structured instruments to reduce the duration of the Fund’s portfolio, this may limit the Fund’s return when having a longer duration would be beneficial (for instance, when interest rates decline).

Credit-Linked Trust Certificates

The Fund may invest in credit-linked trust certificates, which are investments in a limited purpose trust or other vehicle which, in turn, invests in a basket of derivative instruments, such as credit default swaps, total return swaps, interest rate swaps or other securities, in order to provide exposure to the high yield or another debt securities market. Like an investment in a bond, investments in credit-linked trust certificates represent the right to receive periodic income payments (in the form of distributions) and payment of principal at the end of the term of the certificate. However, these payments are conditioned on the trust’s receipt of payments from, and the trust’s

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potential obligations to, the counterparties to the derivative instruments and other securities in which the trust invests. For instance, the trust may sell one or more credit default swaps, under which the trust would receive a stream of payments over the term of the swap agreements provided that no event of default has occurred with respect to the referenced debt obligation upon which the swap is based. If a default occurs, the stream of payments may stop and the trust would be obligated to pay to the counterparty the par (or other agreed upon value) of the referenced debt obligation. This, in turn, would reduce the amount of income and principal that the Fund would receive as an investor in the trust. The Fund’s investments in these instruments are indirectly subject to the risks associated with derivative instruments, including, among others, credit risk, default or similar event risk, counterparty risk, interest rate risk, leverage risk, valuation risk and management risk. It is expected that the trusts that issue credit-linked trust certificates will constitute “private” investment companies, exempt from registration under the 1940 Act. Therefore, the certificates will not be subject to applicable investment limitations and other regulation imposed by the 1940 Act (although the Fund will remain subject to such limitations and regulation, including with respect to its investments in the certificates). Although the trusts are typically private investment companies, they generally are not actively managed such as a “hedge fund” might be. It also is expected that the certificates will be exempt from registration under the Securities Act. Accordingly, there may be no established trading market for the certificates and they may constitute illiquid investments. See “Principal Risks of the Fund—Liquidity Risk.” If market quotations are not readily available for the certificates, they will be valued by the Fund at fair value as determined by the Board or persons acting at its direction. See “Net Asset Value.” The Fund may lose its entire investment in a credit-linked trust certificate.

Rule 144A Securities

The Fund may invest in securities that have not been registered for public sale, but that are eligible for purchase and sale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Rule 144A permits certain qualified institutional buyers, such as the Fund, to trade in privately placed securities that have not been registered for sale under the Securities Act.

Investments in a Cayman Subsidiary

Investments in a Cayman Subsidiary are expected to provide the Fund with exposure to newly-issued Regulation S securities. Regulation S securities are securities of U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that are issued through private offerings without registration with the SEC pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act. Any Cayman Subsidiary will be advised by PIMCO, and shall have the same investment objective as the Fund. While a Cayman Subsidiary may be considered similar to an investment company, it is not registered under the 1940 Act and is not subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act.

In addition, changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of the Fund and/or a Cayman Subsidiary to operate as described in this prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information and could adversely affect the Fund. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could adversely affect the performance of the Fund and/or a Cayman Subsidiary.

Regulation S Securities

The Fund may invest in the securities of U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that are issued through private offerings without registration with the SEC pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act. Offerings of Regulation S securities may be conducted outside of the United States. Because Regulation S securities are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale, certain Regulation S Securities may be considered illiquid. Although Regulation S securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the price realized from these sales could be less than those originally paid by the Fund. Further, companies whose securities are not publicly traded may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements that would be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. Accordingly, Regulation S securities may involve a high degree of business and financial risk and may result in substantial losses.

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“Covenant-lite” Obligations

The Fund may invest in, or obtain exposure to, obligations that may be “covenant-lite,” which means such obligations lack, or possess fewer, financial covenants that protect lenders. Covenant-lite agreements feature incurrence covenants, as opposed to more restrictive maintenance covenants. Under a maintenance covenant, the borrower would need to meet regular, specific financial tests, while under an incurrence covenant, the borrower only would be required to comply with the financial tests at the time it takes certain actions (e.g., issuing additional debt, paying a dividend, making an acquisition). A covenant-lite obligation contains fewer maintenance covenants than other obligations, or no maintenance covenants, and may not include terms that allow the lender to monitor the performance of the borrower and declare a default if certain criteria are breached.

Other Investment Companies

The Fund may invest in securities of other open- or closed-end investment companies, including without limitation ETFs, to the extent that such investments are consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives, strategies and policies and permissible under the 1940 Act. The Fund may invest in other investment companies to gain broad market or sector exposure, including during periods when it has large amounts of uninvested cash (such as the period shortly after the Fund receives the proceeds of the offering of its Common Shares) or when PIMCO believes share prices of other investment companies offer attractive values. The Fund will treat its investments in other investment companies that invest primarily in types of securities in which the Fund may invest directly as investments in such types of securities for purposes of the Fund’s investment policies (e.g., the Fund’s investment in an investment company that invests primarily in debt securities will be treated by the Fund as an investment in a debt security). As a shareholder in an investment company, the Fund would bear its ratable share of that investment company’s expenses and would remain subject to payment of the Fund’s management fees and other expenses with respect to assets so invested. Common Shareholders would therefore be subject to duplicative expenses to the extent the Fund invests in other investment companies. The securities of other investment companies may be leveraged, in which case the NAV and/or market value of the investment company’s shares will be more volatile than unleveraged investments. See “Principal Risks of the Fund—Leverage Risk.”

Common Stocks and Other Equity Securities

The Fund may invest in equity interests, such as shares of other investment companies, including open-end or closed-end management investment companies and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), and exchange-traded REITs. The Fund may also invest without limitation in preferred securities. Equity interests may be issued by public or private issuers. The Fund may invest in securities of companies with any market capitalization, including small, medium and large capitalizations. For instance, in connection with the restructuring of a debt instrument, either outside of bankruptcy court or in the context of bankruptcy court proceedings, the Fund may determine or be required to accept common stocks or other equity securities in exchange for all or a portion of the debt instrument. Depending upon, among other things, PIMCO’s evaluation of the potential value of such securities in relation to the price that could be obtained by the Fund at any given time upon sale thereof, the Fund may determine to hold these equity securities in its portfolio.

Although common stocks and other equity securities have historically generated higher average returns than debt securities over the long term, they also have experienced significantly more volatility in those returns and in certain years have significantly underperformed relative to debt securities. An adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of a particular equity security held by the Fund. Also, prices of common stocks and other equity securities are sensitive to general movements in the equity markets and a decline in those markets may depress the prices of the equity securities held by the Fund. The prices of equity securities fluctuate for many different reasons, including changes in investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market or when political or economic events affecting the issuer occur. In addition, prices of equity securities may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase. The Fund may invest in common shares of pooled vehicles, such as those of other investment companies, and in common shares of REITs.

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Alternative Lending ABS

The Fund may invest, either directly or indirectly through its Subsidiaries, in Alt Lending ABS backed by consumer, commercial, residential or other loans, issued by an SPE sponsored by an online or alternative lending platform or an affiliate thereof.

When purchasing Alt Lending ABS collateralized by loans, the Fund is not restricted by any particular borrower credit criteria. Accordingly, certain loans underlying any Alt Lending ABS purchased by the Fund may be subprime in quality, or may become subprime in quality. Alternative lending, which may include or sometimes be referred to as peer-to-peer lending, online lending or marketplace lending, is a method of financing in which an alternative lending platform (i.e., an online lending marketplace or lender that is not a traditional lender, such as a bank) facilitates the borrowing and lending of money while generally not relying on deposits for capital to fund loans. It is considered an alternative to more traditional debt financing done through a bank. There are several different models of alternative lending but, very generally, a platform typically matches consumers, small or medium-sized businesses or other types of borrowers with investors that are interested in gaining investment exposure to the loans made to such borrowers. Prospective borrowers are usually required to provide or give access to certain financial information to the platform, such as the intended purpose of the loan, income, employment information, credit score, debt-to-income ratio, credit history (including defaults and delinquencies) and home ownership status, and, in the case of small business loans, business financial statements and personal credit information regarding any guarantor, some of which information is made available to prospective lenders. Often, platforms charge fees to borrowers to cover these screening and administrative costs. Based on this and other relevant supplemental information, the platform usually assigns its own credit rating to the borrower and sets the interest rate for the requested borrowing. Platforms then post the borrowing requests online and investors may choose among the loans, based on the interest rates the loans are expected to yield less any servicing or origination fees charged by the platform or others involved in the lending arrangement, the background data provided on the borrowers and the credit rating assigned by the platform. In some cases, a platform partners with a bank to originate a loan to a borrower, after which the bank sells the loan to the platform or directly to the investor; alternatively, some platforms may originate loans themselves. Some investors, including the Fund, may not review the particular characteristics of the loans in which they invest at the time of investment, but rather negotiate in advance with platforms the general criteria of the investments, as described above. As a result, the Fund is dependent on the platforms’ ability to collect, verify and provide information to the Fund about each loan and borrower.

Platforms may set minimum eligibility standards for borrowers to participate in alternative lending arrangements and may limit the maximum permitted borrowings. Depending on the purpose and nature of the loan, its term may, for example, be as short as six months or shorter, or as long as thirty years or longer.

Repurchase Agreements

The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements, in which the Fund purchases a security from a bank or broker-dealer and the bank or broker-dealer agrees to repurchase the security at the Fund’s cost plus interest within a specified time. If the party agreeing to repurchase should default, the Fund will seek to sell the securities it holds. This could involve transaction costs or delays in addition to a loss on the securities if their value should fall below their repurchase price. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are considered to be illiquid investments.

When-Issued, Delayed Delivery and Forward Commitment Transactions

The Fund may purchase securities that it is eligible to purchase on a when-issued basis, may purchase and sell such securities for delayed delivery and may make contracts to purchase such securities for a fixed price at a future date beyond normal settlement time (forward commitments). When-issued transactions, delayed delivery purchases and forward commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the securities declines prior to the settlement date. These transactions may result in a form of leverage and increase the Fund’s overall investment exposure. Typically, no income accrues on securities the Fund has committed to purchase prior to the time delivery of the securities is made, although the Fund may earn income on securities it has segregated to cover these positions. When the Fund has sold a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the Fund does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a transaction fails to pay for the securities, the Fund could suffer a loss. Additionally, when selling a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis without owning the security, the Fund will incur a loss if the security’s price appreciates in value such that the security’s price is above the agreed-upon price on the settlement date.

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Short Sales

A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security or other instrument that it does not own in anticipation that the market price will decline. The Fund may use short sales for investment purposes or for hedging and risk management purposes. The Fund may also take short positions with respect to the performance of securities, indexes, interest rates, currencies and other assets or markets through the use of derivative or forward instruments. When the Fund engages in a short sale of a security, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the counterparty. The Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and would often be obligated to pay over any payments received on such borrowed securities. The Fund’s obligation to replace the borrowed security will be secured by collateral deposited with the Fund’s custodian in the name of the lender. The Fund may not receive any payments (including interest) on its collateral. Short sales expose the Fund to the risk that it will be required to cover its short position at a time when the securities have appreciated in value, thus resulting in a loss to the Fund. The Fund may engage in so-called “naked” short sales when it does not own or have the immediate right to acquire the security sold short at no additional cost, in which case the Fund’s losses theoretically could be unlimited. If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time that the Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and securities being hedged if the short sale is being used for hedging purposes. See “Principal Risks of the Fund—Derivatives” and “Principal Risks of the Fund—Short Sales Risk.” See also “Principal Risks of the Fund—Leverage Risk” and “Principal Risks of the Fund—Segregation and Coverage Risk.” The Fund may engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act rules and interpretations thereunder and other federal securities laws. To the extent the Fund engages in short selling in foreign (non-U.S.) jurisdictions, the Fund will do so subject to the laws and regulations of such jurisdiction.

Subsidiaries and Affiliates

The Fund may execute its strategy by investing through one or more Subsidiaries. The Fund reserves the right to establish Subsidiaries through which the Fund may execute its strategy.

PIMCO has applied for exemptive relief from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that, if granted, would permit the Fund to, among other things, co-invest with certain other persons, including certain affiliates of PIMCO and certain public or private funds managed by PIMCO and its affiliates, subject to certain terms and conditions. However, there is no assurance that such relief will be granted.

Lending of Portfolio Securities

For the purpose of achieving income, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers or other financial institutions provided a number of conditions are satisfied, including that the loan is fully collateralized. See “Investment Objectives and Policies—Loans of Portfolio Securities” in the Statement of Additional Information for details. When the Fund lends portfolio securities, its investment performance will continue to reflect changes in the value of the securities loaned. The Fund will also receive a fee or interest on the collateral it receives from the borrower. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in the collateral or delay in recovery of the collateral if the borrower fails to return the security loaned or becomes insolvent, or the risk of loss due to the investment performance of the collateral. The Fund may pay lending fees to the party arranging the loan.

Portfolio Turnover

The length of time the Fund has held a particular security is not generally a consideration in investment decisions. A change in the securities held by the Fund is known as “portfolio turnover.” The Fund may engage in frequent and active trading of portfolio securities to achieve its investment objectives, particularly during periods of volatile market movements. High portfolio turnover (e.g., over 100%) generally involves correspondingly greater expenses

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to the Fund, including brokerage commissions or dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestments in other securities. Sales of portfolio securities may also result in realization of taxable capital gains, including short-term capital gains (which are generally treated as ordinary income upon distribution in the form of dividends). The trading costs and tax effects associated with portfolio turnover may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.

Please see “Investment Objectives and Policies” in the Statement of Additional Information for additional information regarding the investments of the Fund and their related risks.

Use of Leverage

As soon as reasonably practicable following the completion of the initial public offering of the Fund’s Common Shares, the Fund intends, subject to favorable market conditions, to add leverage to its portfolio by utilizing reverse repurchase agreements, such that the leverage initially obtained represents approximately 45% of the Fund’s total managed assets (including the amounts of leverage obtained through the use of such instruments) (i.e., leverage representing approximately 66.67% of the Fund’s net assets attributable to Common Shares). The Fund may also enter into transactions reverse repurchase agreements that may give rise to a form of leverage including, among others, (i) selling credit default swaps, (ii) dollar rolls, (iii) borrowings, such as through bank loans or commercial paper and/or other credit facilities, (iv) futures and forward contracts (including foreign currency exchange contracts), (v) total return swaps, (vi) other derivative transactions, (vii) loans of portfolio securities, (viii) short sales and (ix) when-issued, delayed delivery and forward commitment transactions. Although it has no current intention to do so, the Fund may also determine to issue preferred shares or other types of senior securities to add leverage to its portfolio. The Fund’s Board may authorize the issuance of preferred shares without the approval of Common Shareholders. If the Fund issues preferred shares in the future, all costs and expenses relating to the issuance and ongoing maintenance of the preferred shares will be borne by the Common Shareholders, and these costs and expenses may be significant.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund will limit its use of leverage, subject to the limitations set forth in the 1940 Act, from any combination of (i) reverse repurchase agreements (whether or not these instruments are covered as discussed below), (ii) borrowings (i.e., loans or lines of credit from banks or other credit facilities), (iii) any future issuance of preferred shares, and (iv) to the extent described below, credit default swaps, other swap agreements and futures contracts (whether or not these instruments are covered with segregated assets as discussed below), subject to the 50% policy.

For these purposes, assets attributable to the use of leverage from credit default swaps, other swap agreements and futures contracts will be determined based on the current market value of the instrument if it is cash settled or based on the notional value of the instrument if it is not cash settled. In addition, assets attributable to credit default swaps, other swap agreements or futures contracts will not be counted towards the 50% policy to the extent that the Fund owns offsetting positions or enters into offsetting transactions. The Fund intends to utilize certain kinds of leverage, such as reverse repurchase agreements and credit default swaps, opportunistically and may choose to increase or decrease, or eliminate entirely, its use of such leverage over time and from time to time based on PIMCO’s assessment of the yield curve environment, interest rate trends, market conditions and other factors.

The net proceeds the Fund obtains from reverse repurchase agreements or other forms of leverage utilized, if any, will be invested in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies as described in this prospectus. So long as the rate of return, net of applicable Fund expenses, on the debt obligations and other investments purchased by the Fund exceeds the costs to the Fund of the leverage it utilizes, the investment of the Fund’s net assets attributable to leverage will generate more income than will be needed to pay the costs of the leverage. If so, and all other things being equal, the excess may be used to pay higher dividends to Common Shareholders than if the Fund were not so leveraged.

The 1940 Act generally prohibits the Fund from engaging in most forms of leverage representing indebtedness (currently including the use of reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, bank loans, commercial paper or other credit facilities, credit default swaps, total return swaps and other derivative transactions, loans of portfolio securities, short sales and when-issued, delayed delivery and forward commitment transactions, to the extent that these instruments are not covered as described below) unless immediately after the issuance of the leverage the Fund

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has satisfied the asset coverage test with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness prescribed by the 1940 Act; that is, the value of the Fund’s total assets less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities (for these purposes, “total net assets”) is at least 300% of the senior securities representing indebtedness (effectively limiting the use of leverage through senior securities representing indebtedness to 33¹/₃% of the Fund’s total net assets, including assets attributable to such leverage). In addition, the Fund is currently not permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on its Common Shares unless, at the time of such declaration, this asset coverage test is satisfied after giving effect to the dividend or distribution. The Fund may (but is not required to) cover its commitments under reverse repurchase agreements, credit default swaps, dollar rolls, derivatives and certain other instruments by the segregation of liquid assets, or by entering into offsetting transactions or owning positions covering its obligations. To the extent that certain of these instruments are so covered, they will not be considered “senior securities” under the 1940 Act and related SEC guidance currently in effect, and therefore will not be subject to the 1940 Act 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to forms of senior securities representing indebtedness used by the Fund. However, reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls and other such instruments, even if covered, represent a form of economic leverage and create special risks. The use of these forms of leverage increases the volatility of the Fund’s investment portfolio and could result in larger losses to Common Shareholders than if these strategies were not used. See “Principal Risks of the Fund—Leverage Risk.” To the extent that the Fund engages in borrowings, it may prepay a portion of the principal amount of the borrowing to the extent necessary in order to maintain the required asset coverage. Failure to maintain certain asset coverage requirements could result in an event of default.

See “The New SEC Derivatives Rule and Potential Implications for the Fund” in the Statement of Additional Information for a discussion of upcoming regulatory changes that will affect how the asset coverage tests described above are calculated.

Under the 1940 Act, the Fund is currently not permitted to issue preferred shares unless immediately after such issuance the value of the Fund’s total asset net assets is at least 200% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s preferred shares plus the aggregate amount of any senior securities of the Fund representing indebtedness (i.e., such liquidation value plus the aggregate amount of senior securities representing indebtedness may not exceed 50% of the Fund’s total net assets). In addition, for so long as the Fund has preferred shares outstanding, the Fund will not be permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on its Common Shares unless, at the time of such declaration, the value of the Fund’s total net assets, after giving effect to such cash dividend or other distribution, satisfies the above referenced 200% coverage requirement.

As is common in the real estate industry, certain of the Fund’s real estate investments, if any, would be expected to be leveraged. For example, the Fund may make investments in real estate joint ventures or other real estate investments that obtain debt financing consisting of property level debt. Property level debt would generally be incurred by operating entities held by the Fund and secured by real estate owned by such operating entities. When such property level debt is not recourse to the Fund, the Fund will not treat such borrowings as senior securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) for purposes of complying with the 1940 Act’s limitations on leverage unless the entity holding such debt is a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Fund and the financial statements of such entity is consolidated in the Fund’s financial statements. The Fund’s investments may also include direct or indirect interests in public or private companies or properties, and such investments may have highly leveraged capital structures. The cumulative effect of the use of leverage by the Fund or the real estate investments in which the Fund invests could result in substantial losses, exceeding those that would have been incurred had leverage not been employed, which may impede the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective and decrease returns to shareholders.

The Fund may also use leverage by mortgaging properties held by special purpose vehicles, or by acquiring property with existing debt. Property level debt would generally be incurred by operating entities held by the Fund or by joint ventures entered into by one of the Fund’s operating entities and secured by real estate owned by such operating entities. Such operating entities would solely own real estate assets and would borrow from a lender using the owned property as mortgage collateral. If an operating entity were to default on a loan, the lender’s recourse would be to the mortgaged property and the lender would typically not have a claim to other assets of the Fund or its subsidiaries. Any such borrowings will generally be the sole obligation of each respective special purpose vehicle, without any recourse to any other special purpose vehicle, Subsidiary, REIT Subsidiary, joint venture, the Fund or its assets, and the Fund will not treat such non-recourse borrowings as senior securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) for purposes of complying with the 1940 Act’s limitations on leverage unless the entity holding such debt is a

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wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Fund and the financial statements of such entity is consolidated in the Fund’s financial statements. If cash flow is insufficient to pay principal and interest on a special purpose vehicle’s borrowings, a default could occur, ultimately resulting in foreclosure of any security instrument securing the debt and a complete loss of the investment, which could result in losses to the Fund.

To the extent that any Subsidiary of the Fund directly incurs leverage in the form of debt or preferred shares and its financial statements are consolidated with those of the Fund, the amount of such leverage used by the Fund and such Subsidiaries will be consolidated and treated as senior securities for purposes of complying with the 1940 Act’s limitations on leverage by the Fund.

Leveraging is a speculative technique and there are special risks and costs involved. There is no assurance that the Fund will utilize reverse repurchase agreements, credit default swaps, dollar rolls or borrowings, issue preferred shares or utilize any other forms of leverage (such as the use of derivatives strategies). If used, there can be no assurance that the Fund’s leveraging strategies will result in a higher yield on your Common Shares. When leverage is used, the NAV and market price of the Common Shares and the yield to Common Shareholders will be more volatile. See “Principal Risks of the Fund—Leverage Risk.” In addition, dividend, interest and other costs and expenses borne by the Fund with respect to its use of reverse repurchase agreements, credit default swaps, total return swaps, dollar rolls, borrowings, preferred shares or any other forms of leverage are borne by the Common Shareholders and result in a reduction of the NAV of the Common Shares. In addition, because the fees received by the Investment Manager are based on the Fund’s average daily “total managed assets” (including any assets attributable to any reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, borrowings and preferred shares that may be outstanding) minus accrued liabilities (other than liabilities representing reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls and borrowings), the Investment Manager has a financial incentive for the Fund to use certain forms of leverage (e.g., reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, borrowings and preferred shares), which may create a conflict of interest between the Investment Manager, on the one hand, and the Common Shareholders, on the other hand.

The Fund also may borrow money in order to repurchase its shares or as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes, including for the payment of dividends or the settlement of securities transactions which otherwise might require untimely dispositions of portfolio securities held by the Fund.

Effects of Leverage

The following table is furnished in response to requirements of the SEC. It is designed to illustrate the effects of leverage through the use of senior securities, as that term is defined under Section 18 of the 1940 Act, on Common Share total return, assuming investment portfolio total returns (consisting of income and changes in the value of investments held in the Fund’s portfolio) of -10%, -5%, 0%, 5% and 10%. These assumed investment portfolio returns are hypothetical figures and are not necessarily indicative of the investment portfolio returns expected to be experienced by the Fund. The table further assumes that the Fund utilizes leverage representing approximately 45% of the Fund’s total managed assets (including assets attributable to such leverage) at an estimated annual effective interest expense rate of [•]% payable by the Fund on such instruments (based on market conditions). Based on such estimated annual effective interest expense rate, the annual return that the Fund’s portfolio must experience (net of non-interest expenses) in order to cover such costs is [•]%. The information below does not reflect the Fund’s use of certain other forms of economic leverage achieved through the use of other instruments or transactions not considered to be senior securities under the 1940 Act, such as covered credit default swaps or other derivative instruments. The assumed investment portfolio returns in the table below are hypothetical figures and are not necessarily indicative of the investment portfolio returns experienced or expected to be experienced by the Fund. Your actual returns may be greater or less than those appearing below. In addition, actual borrowing expenses associated with reverse repurchase agreements (or dollar rolls or borrowings, if any) used by the Fund may vary frequently and may be significantly higher or lower than the rate used for the example below.

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Common Share total return is composed of two elements—the Common Share dividends paid by the Fund (the amount of which is largely determined by the net investment income of the Fund after paying dividend payments on any preferred shares issued by the Fund and expenses on any forms of leverage outstanding) and gains or losses on the value of the securities and other instruments the Fund owns. As required by SEC rules, the table assumes that the Fund is more likely to suffer capital losses than to enjoy capital appreciation. For example, to assume a portfolio total return of 0%, the Fund must assume that the income it receives on its investments is entirely offset by losses in the value of those investments. This table reflects hypothetical performance of the Fund’s portfolio and not the actual performance of the Fund’s Common Shares, the value of which is determined by market forces and other factors.

Should the Fund elect to add leverage, any benefits of such leverage cannot be fully achieved until the proceeds resulting from the use of such leverage have been received by the Fund and invested in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies. As noted above, the Fund’s willingness to use leverage, and the extent to which leverage is used at any time, will depend on many factors, including, among other things, PIMCO’s assessment of the yield curve environment, interest rate trends, market conditions and other factors.

Principal Risks of the Fund

The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, whether through the Fund’s direct investments, investments by its Subsidiaries, REIT subsidiaries, joint ventures or derivatives positions.

No Prior History

The Fund is a newly organized, non-diversified, limited term, closed-end management investment company with no history of operations and is designed for long-term investors and not as a trading vehicle.

Market Discount Risk

The price of the Fund’s Common Shares will fluctuate with market conditions and other factors. If you sell your Common Shares, the price received may be more or less than your original investment. The Common Shares are designed for long-term investors and should not be treated as trading vehicles. Shares of closed-end management investment companies frequently trade at a discount from their NAV. The Common Shares may trade at a price that is less than the initial offering price. This risk may be greater for investors who sell their Common Shares relatively shortly after completion of the initial offering. The sale of Common Shares by the Fund (or the perception that such sales may occur), particularly if sold at a discount to the then-current market price of the Common Shares, may have an adverse effect on the market price of the Common Shares.

New/Small Fund Risk

A new or smaller fund’s performance may not represent how the fund is expected to or may perform in the long term if and when it becomes larger and has fully implemented its investment strategies. Investment positions may have a disproportionate impact (negative or positive) on performance in a new and smaller fund, such as the Fund. New and smaller funds may also require a period of time before they are invested in securities that meet their investment objectives and policies and achieve a representative portfolio composition. Fund performance may be lower or higher during this “ramp-up” period, and may also be more volatile, than would be the case after the fund is fully invested. Similarly, a new or smaller fund’s investment strategy may require a longer period of time to show returns that are representative of the strategy. New funds have limited performance histories for investors to evaluate and new and smaller funds may not attract sufficient assets to achieve investment and trading efficiencies. If a new or smaller fund were to fail to successfully implement its investment strategies or achieve its investment objectives, performance may be negatively impacted, and any resulting liquidation could create negative transaction costs for the fund and tax consequences for investors.

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Limited Term Risk

Unless the limited term provision of the Fund’s Declaration is amended by shareholders in accordance with the Declaration, or unless the Fund completes an Eligible Tender Offer and converts to perpetual existence, the Fund will terminate on or about the Dissolution Date. The Fund is not a so-called “target date” or “life cycle” fund whose asset allocation becomes more conservative over time as its target date, often associated with retirement, approaches. In addition, the Fund is not a “target term” fund whose investment objective is to return its original NAV on the Dissolution Date or in an Eligible Tender Offer. The Fund’s investment objectives and policies are not designed to seek to return to investors that purchase shares in this offering their initial investment of $20.00 per share on the Dissolution Date or in an Eligible Tender Offer, and such investors and investors that purchase shares after the completion of this offering may receive more or less than their original investment upon dissolution or in an Eligible Tender Offer.

Because the assets of the Fund will be liquidated in connection with the dissolution, the Fund will incur transaction costs in connection with dispositions of portfolio securities. The Fund does not limit its investments to securities having a maturity date prior to the Dissolution Date and may be required to sell portfolio securities when it otherwise would not, including at times when market conditions are not favorable, which may cause the Fund to lose money. In particular, the Fund’s portfolio may still have large exposures to illiquid securities as the Dissolution Date approaches, and losses due to portfolio liquidation may be significant. During the Wind-Down Period, the Fund may begin liquidating all or a portion of the Fund’s portfolio, and the Fund may deviate from its investment strategy and may not achieve its investment objectives. As a result, during the Wind-Down Period, the Fund’s distributions may decrease, and such distributions may include a return of capital. It is expected that Common Shareholders will receive cash in any liquidating distribution from the Fund, regardless of their participation in the Fund’s automatic dividend reinvestment plan. However, if on the Dissolution Date the Fund owns securities for which no market exists or securities that are trading at depressed prices, such securities may be placed in a liquidating trust. Any such liquidating trust or other similar vehicle is not expected to be a registered investment company. The Fund cannot predict the amount, if any, of securities that will be required to be placed in a liquidating trust. The Fund’s investment objectives and policies are not designed to seek to return investors’ original investment upon termination of the Fund, and investors may receive more or less than their original investment upon termination of the Fund. As the assets of the Fund will be liquidated in connection with its termination, the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities when it otherwise would not, including at times when market conditions are not favorable, which may cause the Fund to lose money. The Fund may receive proceeds from the disposition of portfolio investments that are less than the valuations of such investments by the Fund and, in particular, losses from the disposition of illiquid securities may be significant. The disposition of portfolio investments by the Fund could also cause market prices of such instruments, and hence the NAV and market price of the Common Shares, to decline. In addition, disposition of portfolio investments will cause the Fund to incur increased brokerage and related transaction expenses.

Moreover, in conducting such portfolio transactions, the Fund may need to deviate from its investment policies and may not achieve its investment objectives. The Fund’s portfolio composition may change as its portfolio holdings mature or are called or sold in anticipation of an Eligible Tender Offer or the Dissolution Date. During such period(s), it is possible that the Fund will hold a greater percentage of its total assets in shorter term and lower yielding securities and cash and cash equivalents than it would otherwise, which may impede the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objectives and adversely impact the Fund’s performance and distributions to Common Shareholders, which may in turn adversely impact the market value of the Common Shares. In addition, the Fund may be required to reduce its leverage, which could also adversely impact its performance. The additional cash or cash equivalents held by the Fund could be obtained through reducing the Fund’s distributions to Common Shareholders and/or holding cash in lieu of reinvesting, which could limit the ability of the Fund to participate in new investment opportunities. The Fund does not limit its investments to securities having a maturity date prior to or around the Dissolution Date, which may exacerbate the foregoing risks and considerations. A Common Shareholder may be subject to the foregoing risks over an extended period of time, particularly if the Fund conducts an Eligible Tender Offer and is also subsequently terminated by or around the Dissolution Date.

If the Fund conducts an Eligible Tender Offer, the Fund anticipates that funds to pay the aggregate purchase price of shares accepted for purchase pursuant to the tender offer will be first derived from any cash on hand and then from the proceeds from the sale of portfolio investments held by the Fund. In addition, the Fund may be required to dispose of portfolio investments in connection with any reduction in the Fund’s outstanding leverage necessary in order to maintain the Fund’s desired leverage ratios following a tender offer. The risks related to the disposition of

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securities in connection with the Fund’s dissolution also would be present in connection with the disposition of securities in connection with an Eligible Tender Offer. It is likely that during the pendency of a tender offer, and possibly for a time thereafter, the Fund will hold a greater than normal percentage of its total assets in cash and cash equivalents, which may impede the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objectives and decrease returns to shareholders. The tax effect of any such dispositions of portfolio investments will depend on the difference between the price at which the investments are sold and the tax basis of the Fund in the investments. Any capital gains recognized on such dispositions, as reduced by any capital losses the Fund realizes in the year of such dispositions and by any available capital loss carryforwards, will be distributed to shareholders as capital gain dividends (to the extent of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) or ordinary dividends (to the extent of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses) during or with respect to such year, and such distributions will generally be taxable to Common Shareholders. If the Fund’s tax basis for the investments sold is less than the sale proceeds, the Fund will recognize capital gains, which the Fund will be required to distribute to Common Shareholders. In addition, the Fund’s purchase of tendered Common Shares pursuant to a tender offer would have tax consequences for tendering Common Shareholders and may have tax consequences for non-tendering Common Shareholders. See “Tax matters” below.

The purchase of Common Shares by the Fund pursuant to a tender offer will have the effect of increasing the proportionate interest in the Fund of non-tendering Common Shareholders. All Common Shareholders remaining after a tender offer may be subject to proportionately higher expenses due to the reduction in the Fund’s total assets resulting from payment for the tendered Common Shares. Such reduction in the Fund’s total assets may result in less investment flexibility, reduced diversification and greater volatility for the Fund, and may have an adverse effect on the Fund’s investment performance. Such reduction in the Fund’s total assets may also cause Common Shares to become thinly traded or otherwise negatively impact secondary trading of Common Shares. A reduction in net assets, and the corresponding increase in the Fund’s expense ratio, could result in lower returns and put the Fund at a disadvantage relative to its peers and potentially cause the Fund’s Common Shares to trade at a wider discount to NAV than it otherwise would. Furthermore, the portfolio of the Fund following an Eligible Tender Offer could be significantly different and, therefore, Common Shareholders retaining an investment in the Fund could be subject to greater risk. For example, the Fund may be required to sell its more liquid, higher quality portfolio investments to purchase Common Shares that are tendered in an Eligible Tender Offer, which would leave a less liquid, lower quality portfolio for remaining shareholders. The prospects of an Eligible Tender Offer may attract arbitrageurs who would purchase the Common Shares prior to the tender offer for the sole purpose of tendering those shares which could have the effect of exacerbating the risks described herein for shareholders retaining an investment in the Fund following an Eligible Tender Offer.

The Fund is not required to conduct an Eligible Tender Offer. If the Fund conducts an Eligible Tender Offer, there can be no assurance that the number of tendered Common Shares would not result in the Fund having aggregate net assets below the Dissolution Threshold, in which case the Eligible Tender Offer would be canceled, no Common Shares would be repurchased pursuant to the Eligible Tender Offer and the Fund will dissolve on the Dissolution Date (subject to possible extensions). Following the completion of an Eligible Tender Offer in which the number of tendered Common Shares would result in the Fund having aggregate net assets greater than or equal to the Dissolution Threshold, the Board may, by a Board Action Vote, eliminate the Dissolution Date without shareholder approval. Thereafter, the Fund will have a perpetual existence. The Investment Manager may have a conflict of interest in recommending to the Board that the Dissolution Date be eliminated and the Fund have a perpetual existence. The Fund is not required to conduct additional tender offers following an Eligible Tender Offer and conversion to perpetual existence. Therefore, remaining Common Shareholders may not have another opportunity to participate in a tender offer. Shares of closed-end management investment companies frequently trade at a discount from their NAV, and as a result remaining Common Shareholders may only be able to sell their Shares at a discount to NAV.

Market Risk

The market price of securities owned by the Fund may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Securities may decline in value due to factors affecting securities markets generally or particular industries represented in the securities markets. The value of a security may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, adverse changes to credit markets or

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adverse investor sentiment generally. The value of a security may also decline due to factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. During a general downturn in the securities markets, multiple asset classes may decline in value simultaneously. Equity securities generally have greater price volatility than fixed income securities. Credit ratings downgrades may also negatively affect securities held by the Fund. Even when markets perform well, there is no assurance that the investments held by the Fund will increase in value along with the broader market. In addition, market risk includes the risk that geopolitical and other events will disrupt the economy on a national or global level. For instance, war, terrorism, market manipulation, government defaults, government shutdowns, political changes or diplomatic developments, public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics and epidemics) and natural/environmental disasters can all negatively impact the securities markets, which could cause the Fund to lose value. These events could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions or quarantines, and significantly adversely impact the economy.

The current contentious domestic political environment, as well as political and diplomatic events within the United States and abroad, such as presidential elections in the U.S. or abroad or the U.S. government’s inability at times to agree on a long-term budget and deficit reduction plan, has in the past resulted, and may in the future result, in a government shutdown or otherwise adversely affect the U.S. regulatory landscape, the general market environment and/or investment sentiment, which could have an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments and operations. Additional and/or prolonged U.S. federal government shutdowns may affect investor and consumer confidence and may adversely impact financial markets and the broader economy, perhaps suddenly and to a significant degree. Governmental and quasi-governmental authorities and regulators throughout the world have previously responded to serious economic disruptions with a variety of significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including but not limited to, direct capital infusions into companies, new monetary programs and dramatically lower interest rates. An unexpected or sudden reversal of these policies, or the ineffectiveness of these policies, could increase volatility in securities markets, which could adversely affect the Fund’s investments. Any market disruptions could also prevent the Fund from executing advantageous investment decisions in a timely manner. Funds that have focused their investments in a region enduring geopolitical market disruption will face higher risks of loss. Thus, investors should closely monitor current market conditions to determine whether the Fund meets their individual financial needs and tolerance for risk.

Current market conditions may pose heightened risks with respect to the Fund’s investment in fixed income securities. Interest rates in the U.S. are near historically low levels. As such, fixed income securities markets may experience heightened levels of interest rate, volatility and liquidity risk. Any interest rate increases in the future could cause the value of any fund, such as the Fund, that invests in fixed income securities to decrease.

Exchanges and securities markets may close early, close late or issue trading halts on specific securities, which may result in, among other things, the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments at an advantageous time or accurately price its portfolio investments.

Asset Allocation Risk

The Fund’s investment performance depends upon how its assets are allocated and reallocated. A principal risk of investing in the Fund is that PIMCO may make less than optimal or poor asset allocation decisions. PIMCO employs an active approach to allocation among multiple fixed income sectors, but there is no guarantee that such allocation techniques will produce the desired results. It is possible that PIMCO will focus on an investment that performs poorly or underperforms other investments under various market conditions. You could lose money on your investment in the Fund as a result of these allocation decisions.

Management Risk

The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. PIMCO and each individual portfolio manager will apply investment techniques and risk analysis in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results. Certain securities or other instruments in which the Fund seeks to invest may not be available in the quantities desired. In addition, regulatory restrictions, actual or potential conflicts of interest or other considerations may cause PIMCO to restrict or prohibit participation in certain investments. In such circumstances, PIMCO or the individual portfolio managers

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may determine to purchase other securities or instruments as substitutes. Such substitute securities or instruments may not perform as intended, which could result in losses to the Fund. The Fund is also subject to the risk that deficiencies in the internal systems or controls of PIMCO or another service provider will cause losses for the Fund or hinder Fund operations. For example, trading delays or errors (both human and systemic) could prevent the Fund from purchasing a security expected to appreciate in value. To the extent the Fund employs strategies targeting perceived pricing inefficiencies, arbitrage strategies or similar strategies, it is subject to the risk that the pricing or valuation of the securities and instruments involved in such strategies may change unexpectedly, which may result in reduced returns or losses to the Fund. Additionally, actual or potential conflicts of interest, legislative, regulatory, or tax restrictions, policies or developments may affect the investment techniques available to PIMCO and each individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Fund and may also adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objectives. There also can be no assurance that all of the personnel of PIMCO will continue to be associated with PIMCO for any length of time. The loss of the services of one or more key employees of PIMCO could have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability to realize its investment objectives.

In addition, the Fund may rely on various third-party sources to calculate its NAV. As a result, the Fund is subject to certain operational risks associated with reliance on service providers and service providers’ data sources. In particular, errors or systems failures and other technological issues may adversely impact the Fund’s calculations of its NAV, and such NAV calculation issues may result in inaccurately calculated NAV, delays in NAV calculation and/or the inability to calculate NAV over extended periods. The Fund may be unable to recover any losses associated with such failures.

Issuer Risk

The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons that directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets. A change in the financial condition of a single issuer may affect securities markets as a whole. These risks can apply to the Common Shares issued by the Fund and to the issuers of securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests.

Interest Rate Risk

Interest rate risk is the risk that fixed income securities and other instruments in the Fund’s portfolio will decline in value because of a change in interest rates. As nominal interest rates rise, the value of certain fixed income securities held by the Fund is likely to decrease. A nominal interest rate can be described as the sum of a real interest rate and an expected inflation rate. Interest rate changes can be sudden and unpredictable, and the Fund may lose money as a result of movements in interest rates. The Fund may not be able to effectively hedge against changes in interest rates or may choose not to do so for cost or other reasons.

A wide variety of factors can cause interest rates to rise (e.g., central bank monetary policies, inflation rates, general economic conditions). This risk may be particularly acute in the current market environment because market interest rates are currently near historically low levels. Thus, the Fund currently faces a heightened level of interest rate risk.

Fixed income securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates, usually making them more volatile. Duration is a measure used to determine the sensitivity of a security’s price to changes in interest rates that incorporates a security’s yield, coupon, final maturity and call features, among other characteristics. Duration is useful primarily as a measure of the sensitivity of a fixed income security’s market price to interest rate (i.e., yield) movements. All other things remaining equal, for each one percentage point increase in interest rates, the value of a portfolio of fixed income investments would generally be expected to decline by one percent for every year of the portfolio’s average duration above zero. For example, the value of a portfolio of fixed income securities with an average duration of eight years would generally be expected to decline by approximately 8% if interest rates rose by one percentage point.

Variable and floating rate securities may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as interest rates in general. Conversely, floating rate securities will not generally increase in value if interest rates decline. Inverse floating rate securities may decrease in value if interest rates increase. Inverse floating rate securities may also exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation with similar credit quality. When the Fund holds variable or floating rate securities, a decrease (or, in the case of inverse floating rate securities, an increase) in market interest rates will adversely affect the income received from such securities and the NAV of the Fund’s shares.

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During periods of very low or negative interest rates, the Fund may be unable to maintain positive returns. Interest rates in the United States and many parts of the world are at or near historically low levels. Very low or negative interest rates may magnify interest rate risk. Changing interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, may have unpredictable effects on markets, may result in heightened market volatility and may detract from Fund performance to the extent the Fund is exposed to such interest rates.

Measures such as average duration may not accurately reflect the true interest rate sensitivity of the Fund. This is especially the case if the Fund consists of securities with widely varying durations. Therefore, if the Fund has an average duration that suggests a certain level of interest rate risk, the Fund may in fact be subject to greater interest rate risk than the average would suggest. This risk is greater to the extent the Fund uses leverage or derivatives in connection with the management of the Fund.

Convexity is an additional measure used to understand a security’s or Fund’s interest rate sensitivity. Convexity measures the rate of change of duration in response to changes in interest rates. With respect to a security’s price, a larger convexity (positive or negative) may imply more dramatic price changes in response to changing interest rates. Convexity may be positive or negative. Negative convexity implies that interest rate increases result in increased duration, meaning increased sensitivity in prices in response to rising interest rates. Thus, securities with negative convexity, which may include bonds with traditional call features and certain mortgage-backed securities, may experience greater losses in periods of rising interest rates. Accordingly, if the Fund holds such securities, the Fund may be subject to a greater risk of losses in periods of rising interest rates.

Rising interest rates may result in a decline in value of the Fund’s fixed income investments and in periods of volatility. Further, while U.S. bond markets have steadily grown over the past three decades, dealer “market making” ability has remained relatively stagnant. As a result, dealer inventories of certain types of bonds and similar instruments, which provide a core indication of the ability of financial intermediaries to “make markets,” are at or near historic lows in relation to market size. Because market makers provide stability to a market through their intermediary services, a significant reduction in dealer inventories could potentially lead to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the fixed income markets. Such issues may be exacerbated during periods of economic uncertainty. All of these factors, collectively and/or individually, could cause the Fund to lose value.

Credit Risk

The Fund could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a fixed income security, or the counterparty to a derivatives contract, repurchase agreement or a loan of portfolio securities is unable or unwilling, or is perceived as unable or unwilling, to make timely principal and/or interest payments or to otherwise honor its obligations. The downgrade of the credit of a security held by the Fund may decrease its value. Measures such as average credit quality may not accurately reflect the true credit risk of the Fund. This is especially the case if the Fund consists of securities with widely varying credit ratings. This risk is greater to the extent the Fund uses leverage or derivatives in connection with the management of the Fund.

Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Instruments Risk

The mortgage-related assets in which the Fund may invest include, but are not limited to, any security, instrument or other asset that is related to U.S. or non-U.S. mortgages, including those issued by private originators or issuers, or issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities or by non-U.S. governments or authorities, such as, without limitation, assets representing interests in, collateralized or backed by, or whose values are determined in whole or in part by reference to any number of mortgages or pools of mortgages or the payment experience of such mortgages or pools of mortgages, including Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (“REMICs”), which could include resecuritizations of REMICs (“Re-REMICs”), mortgage pass-through securities, inverse floaters, collateralized mortgage obligations, collateralized loan obligations, multiclass pass-through securities, private mortgage pass-through securities, stripped mortgage securities (generally interest-only and principal-only securities), mortgage-related asset backed securities and mortgage-related loans (including through participations, assignments, originations and whole loans), including commercial and residential mortgage loans. Exposures to mortgage-related assets through derivatives or other financial instruments will be considered investments in mortgage-related assets.

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The Fund may also invest in other types of asset-backed securities, including CDOs, CBOs and CLOs and other similarly structured securities See “The Fund’s Investment Objectives and Strategies-Portfolio Contents and Other Information-Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Instruments” in this prospectus and “Investment Objectives and Policies-Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Instruments” in the Statement of Additional Information for a description of the various mortgage-related and other asset-backed instruments in which the Fund may invest and their related risks.

Mortgage-related and other asset-backed instruments represent interests in “pools” of mortgages or other assets such as consumer loans or receivables held in trust and often involve risks that are different from or possibly more acute than risks associated with other types of debt instruments.

Generally, rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of fixed rate mortgage-related assets, making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates. As a result, in a period of rising interest rates, the Fund may exhibit additional volatility since individual mortgage holders are less likely to exercise prepayment options, thereby putting additional downward pressure on the value of these securities and potentially causing the Fund to lose money. This is known as extension risk. Mortgage-backed securities can be highly sensitive to rising interest rates, such that even small movements can cause the Fund to lose value. Mortgage-backed securities, and in particular those not backed by a government guarantee, are subject to credit risk. When interest rates decline, borrowers may pay off their mortgages sooner than expected. This can reduce the returns of the Fund because the Fund may have to reinvest that money at the lower prevailing interest rates. The Fund’s investments in other asset-backed instruments are subject to risks similar to those associated with mortgage-related assets, as well as additional risks associated with the nature of the assets and the servicing of those assets. Payment of principal and interest on asset-backed instruments may be largely dependent upon the cash flows generated by the assets backing the instruments, and asset-backed instruments may not have the benefit of any security interest in the related assets.

Subordinate mortgage-backed or asset-backed instruments are paid interest only to the extent that there are funds available to make payments. To the extent the collateral pool includes a large percentage of delinquent loans, there is a risk that interest payments on subordinate mortgage-backed or asset-backed instruments will not be fully paid.

There are multiple tranches of mortgage-backed and asset-backed instruments, offering investors various maturity and credit risk characteristics. Tranches are categorized as senior, mezzanine, and subordinated/equity or “first loss,” according to their degree of risk. The most senior tranche of a mortgage-backed or asset-backed instrument has the greatest collateralization and pays the lowest interest rate. If there are defaults or the collateral otherwise underperforms, scheduled payments to senior tranches take precedence over those of mezzanine tranches, and scheduled payments to mezzanine tranches take precedence over those to subordinated/equity tranches. Lower tranches represent lower degrees of credit quality and pay higher interest rates intended to compensate for the attendant risks. The return on the lower tranches is especially sensitive to the rate of defaults in the collateral pool. The lowest tranche (i.e., the “equity” or “residual” tranche) specifically receives the residual interest payments (i.e., money that is left over after the higher tranches have been paid and expenses of the issuing entities have been paid) rather than a fixed interest rate. The Fund may also invest in the residual or equity tranches of mortgage-related and other asset-backed instruments, which may be referred to as subordinate mortgage-backed or asset-backed instruments and interest-only mortgage-backed or asset-backed instruments. The Fund expects that investments in subordinate mortgage-backed and other asset-backed instruments will be subject to risks arising from delinquencies and foreclosures, thereby exposing its investment portfolio to potential losses. Subordinate securities of mortgage-backed and other asset-backed instruments are also subject to greater credit risk than those mortgage-backed or other asset-backed instruments that are more highly rated.

The mortgage markets in the United States and in various foreign countries have experienced extreme difficulties in the past that adversely affected the performance and market value of certain mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential and commercial mortgage loans (especially subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) may increase, and a decline in or flattening of housing and other real property values may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. In addition, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.

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With respect to risk retention tranches (i.e., eligible residual interests initially held by the sponsors of CMBS and other eligible securitizations pursuant to the U.S. Risk Retention Rules), a third-party purchaser, such as the Fund, must hold its retained interest, unhedged, for at least five year following the closing of the CMBS transaction, after which it is entitled to transfer its interest in the securitization to another person that meets the requirements for a third-party purchaser. Even after the required holding period has expired, due to the generally illiquid nature of such investments, no assurance can be given as to what, if any, exit strategies will ultimately be available for any given position.

In addition, there is limited guidance on the application of the Final U.S. Risk Retention Rules to specific securitization structures. There can be no assurance that the applicable federal agencies charged with the implementation of the Final U.S. Risk Retention Rules (the FDIC, the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve Board, the SEC, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency) could not take positions in the future that differ from the interpretation of such rules taken or embodied in such securitizations, or that the Final U.S. Risk Retention Rules will not change.

Furthermore, in situations where the Fund invests in risk retention tranches of securitizations structured by third parties, the Fund may be required to execute one or more letters or other agreements, the exact form and nature of which will vary (each, a “Risk Retention Agreement”) under which it will make certain undertakings designed to ensure such securitization complies with the Final U.S. Risk Retention Rules. Such Risk Retention Agreements may include a variety of representations, warranties, covenants and other indemnities, each of which may run to various transaction parties. If the Fund breaches any undertakings in any Risk Retention Agreement, it will be exposed to claims by the other parties thereto, including for any losses incurred as a result of such breach, which could be significant and exceed the value of the Fund’s investments.

Mortgage-Related Derivative Instruments Risk

The Fund may engage in derivative transactions related to mortgage-backed securities, including purchasing and selling exchange-listed and OTC put and call options, futures and forwards on mortgages and mortgage-backed securities. The Fund may also invest in mortgage-backed securities credit default swaps, which include swaps the reference obligation for which is a mortgage-backed security or related index, such as the CMBX Index (a tradeable index referencing a basket of commercial mortgage-backed securities), the TRX Index (a tradeable index referencing total return swaps based on commercial mortgage-backed securities) or the ABX (a tradeable index referencing a basket of sub-prime mortgage-backed securities). The Fund may invest in newly developed mortgage related derivatives that may hereafter become available.

Derivative mortgage-backed securities (such as principal-only (“POs”), interest-only (“IOs”) or inverse floating rate securities) are particularly exposed to call and extension risks. Small changes in mortgage prepayments can significantly impact the cash flows and the market value of these derivative instruments. In general, the risk of faster than anticipated prepayments adversely affects IOs, super floaters and premium priced mortgage-backed securities. The risk of slower than anticipated prepayments generally affects POs, floating-rate securities subject to interest rate caps, support tranches and discount priced mortgage-backed securities. In addition, particular derivative instruments may be leveraged such that their exposure (i.e., price sensitivity) to interest rate and/or prepayment risk is magnified.

Mortgage-related derivative instruments involve risks associated with mortgage-related and other asset-backed instruments, privately-issued mortgage-related securities, the mortgage market, the real estate industry, derivatives and credit default swaps. See “Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Instruments Risk,” “Privately-Issued Mortgage-Related Securities Risk,” “Derivatives Risk,” and “Credit Default Swaps Risk.”

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Privately-Issued Mortgage-Related Securities Risk

There are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in pools created by non-governmental issuers. Privately-issued mortgage-related securities are also not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee.

Privately-issued mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.

High Yield Securities Risk

To the extent that the Fund invests in high yield securities and unrated securities of similar credit quality (commonly known as “high yield securities” or “junk bonds”), the Fund may be subject to greater levels of credit risk, call risk and liquidity risk than funds that do not invest in such securities, which could have a negative effect on the NAV and market price of the Fund’s Common Shares or Common Share dividends. These securities are considered predominantly speculative with respect to an issuer’s continuing ability to make principal and interest payments, and may be more volatile than other types of securities. An economic downturn or individual corporate developments could adversely affect the market for these securities and reduce the Fund’s ability to sell these securities at an advantageous time or price. The Fund may purchase distressed securities that are in default or the issuers of which are in bankruptcy, which involve heightened risks.

Issuers of high yield securities may have the right to “call” or redeem the issue prior to maturity, which may result in the Fund having to reinvest the proceeds in other high yield securities or similar instruments that may pay lower interest rates. The Fund may also be subject to greater levels of liquidity risk than funds that do not invest in high yield securities. Consequently, transactions in high yield securities may involve greater costs than transactions in more actively traded securities. These factors may result in the Fund being unable to realize full value for these securities and/or may result in the Fund not receiving the proceeds from a sale of a high yield security for an extended period after such sale, each of which could result in losses to the Fund. Because of the risks involved in investing in high yield securities, an investment in the Fund should be considered speculative. To the extent that the Fund invests in high yield securities and unrated securities of similar credit quality (commonly known as “high yield securities” or “junk bonds”), the Fund may be subject to greater levels of credit risk, call risk and liquidity risk than funds that do not invest in such securities, which could have a negative effect on the NAV and market price of the Fund’s Common Shares or Common Share dividends. These securities are considered predominantly speculative with respect to an issuer’s continuing ability to make principal and interest payments, and may be more volatile than other types of securities. An economic downturn or individual corporate developments could adversely affect the market for these securities and reduce the Fund’s ability to sell these securities at an advantageous time or price. The Fund may purchase distressed securities that are in default or the issuers of which are in bankruptcy, which involve heightened risks.

Issuers of high yield securities may have the right to “call” or redeem the issue prior to maturity, which may result in the Fund having to reinvest the proceeds in other high yield securities or similar instruments that may pay lower interest rates. The Fund may also be subject to greater levels of liquidity risk than funds that do not invest in high yield securities. Consequently, transactions in high yield securities may involve greater costs than transactions in more actively traded securities. These factors may result in the Fund being unable to realize full value for these securities and/or may result in the Fund not receiving the proceeds from a sale of a high yield security for an extended period after such sale, each of which could result in losses to the Fund. Because of the risks involved in investing in high yield securities, an investment in the Fund should be considered speculative.

In general, lower rated debt securities carry a greater degree of risk that the issuer will lose its ability to make interest and principal payments, which could have a negative effect on the Fund. Securities of below investment grade quality are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay principal and are commonly referred to as “high yield” securities or “junk bonds.” High yield securities involve a greater risk of default and their prices are generally more volatile and sensitive to actual or perceived negative developments. Debt securities in the lowest investment grade category also may be considered to possess some speculative characteristics by certain rating agencies. The Fund may purchase stressed or distressed

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securities that are in default or the issuers of which are in bankruptcy, which involve heightened risks. An economic downturn could severely affect the ability of issuers (particularly those that are highly leveraged) to service or repay their debt obligations. Lower-rated securities are generally less liquid than higher-rated securities, which may have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to dispose of them. For example, under adverse market or economic conditions, the secondary market for below investment grade securities could contract further, independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer, and certain securities in the Fund’s portfolio may become illiquid or less liquid. As a result, the Fund could find it more difficult to sell these securities or may be able to sell these securities only at prices lower than if such securities were widely traded. To the extent the Fund focuses on below investment grade debt obligations, PIMCO’s capabilities in analyzing credit quality and associated risks will be particularly important, and there can be no assurance that PIMCO will be successful in this regard. Due to the risks involved in investing in high yield securities, an investment in the Fund should be considered speculative. The Fund’s credit quality policies apply only at the time a security is purchased, and the Fund is not required to dispose of a security in the event that a rating agency or PIMCO downgrades its assessment of the credit characteristics of a particular issue. Analysis of creditworthiness may be more complex for issuers of high yield securities than for issuers of higher quality debt securities. Analysis of creditworthiness may be more complex for issuers of high yield securities than for issuers of higher quality debt securities.

Distressed and Defaulted Securities Risk

Investments in the securities of financially distressed issuers involve substantial risks, including the risk of default. Such investments may be in default at the time of investment. In addition, these securities may fluctuate more in price, and are typically less liquid. The Fund also will be subject to significant uncertainty as to when, and in what manner, and for what value obligations evidenced by securities of financially distressed issuers will eventually be satisfied. Defaulted obligations might be repaid only after lengthy workout or bankruptcy proceedings, during which the issuer might not make any interest or other payments. In any such proceeding relating to a defaulted obligation, the Fund may lose its entire investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value substantially less than its original investment. Moreover, any securities received by the Fund upon completion of a workout or bankruptcy proceeding may be less liquid, speculative or restricted as to resale. Similarly, if the Fund participates in negotiations with respect to any exchange offer or plan of reorganization with respect to the securities of a distressed issuer, the Fund may be restricted from disposing of such securities. To the extent that the Fund becomes involved in such proceedings, the Fund may have a more active participation in the affairs of the issuer than that assumed generally by an investor. The Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of principal or interest on its portfolio holdings.

Also among the risks inherent in investments in a troubled issuer is that it frequently may be difficult to obtain information as to the true financial condition of such issuer. PIMCO’s judgments about the credit quality of a financially distressed issuer and the relative value of its securities may prove to be wrong.

Inflation-Indexed Security Risk

Inflation-indexed debt securities are subject to the effects of changes in market interest rates caused by factors other than inflation (real interest rates). In general, the value of an inflation-indexed security, including Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (“TIPS”), tends to decrease when real interest rates increase and can increase when real interest rates decrease. Thus generally, during periods of rising inflation, the value of inflation-indexed securities will tend to increase and during periods of deflation, their value will tend to decrease. Interest payments on inflation-indexed securities are unpredictable and will fluctuate as the principal and interest are adjusted for inflation. There can be no assurance that the inflation index used (i.e., the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”)) will accurately measure the real rate of inflation. Increases in the principal value of TIPS due to inflation are considered taxable ordinary income. Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed debt security will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though the Fund will not receive the principal until maturity. Additionally, a CPI swap can potentially lose value if the realized rate of inflation over the life of the swap is less than the fixed market implied inflation rate (fixed breakeven rate) that the investor agrees to pay at the initiation of the swap. With municipal inflation-indexed securities, the inflation adjustment is integrated into the coupon payment, which is federally tax-exempt (and may be state tax-exempt). For municipal inflation-indexed securities, there is no adjustment to the principal value. Because municipal inflation-indexed securities are a small component of the municipal bond market, they may be less liquid than conventional municipal bonds.

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Senior Debt Risk

The Fund may be subject to greater levels of credit risk than funds that do not invest in below investment grade senior debt. The Fund may also be subject to greater levels of liquidity risk than funds that do not invest in senior debt. Restrictions on transfers in loan agreements, a lack of publicly available information and other factors may, in certain instances, make senior debt more difficult to sell at an advantageous time or price than other types of securities or instruments. Additionally, if the issuer of senior debt prepays, the Fund will have to consider reinvesting the proceeds in other senior debt or similar instruments that may pay lower interest rates.

Loans and Other Indebtedness; Loan Participations and Assignments Risk

Loan interests may take the form of (i) direct interests acquired during a primary distribution, (ii) loans originated by the Fund or (iii) assignments of, novations of or participations in all or a portion of a loan acquired in secondary markets. In addition to credit risk and interest rate risk, the Fund’s exposure to loan interests may be subject to additional risks. For example, purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of principal and interest. Loans are subject to the risk that scheduled interest or principal payments will not be made in a timely manner or at all, either of which may adversely affect the values of the loan. If the Fund does not receive scheduled interest or principal payments on such indebtedness, the Fund’s share price and yield could be adversely affected. Loans that are fully secured offer the Fund more protection than an unsecured loan in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. However, the collateral underlying a loan may be unavailable or insufficient to satisfy a borrower’s obligation, and the Fund could become part owner of any collateral if a loan is foreclosed, subjecting the Fund to costs associated with owning and disposing of the collateral.

Investments in loans through a purchase of a loan, loan origination or a direct assignment of a financial institution’s interests with respect to a loan may involve additional risks to the Fund. For example, if a loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become owner, in whole or in part, of any collateral, which could include, among other assets, real estate or other real or personal property, and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and holding or disposing of the collateral. The purchaser of an assignment typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations under the loan agreement with the same rights and obligations as the assigning lender. Assignments may, however, be arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and potential assignors, and the rights and obligations acquired by the purchaser of an assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning lender.

In connection with purchasing loan participations, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the loan, nor any rights of set-off against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the loan participation. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender that is selling the participation. In the event of the insolvency of the lender selling a participation, the Fund may be treated as a general creditor of the lender and may not benefit from any set-off between the lender and the borrower. Certain loan participations may be structured in a manner designed to prevent purchasers of participations from being subject to the credit risk of the lender, but even under such a structure, in the event of the lender’s insolvency, the lender’s servicing of the participation may be delayed and the assignability of the participation impaired.

The Fund may have difficulty disposing of loans and loan participations because to do so it will have to assign or sell such securities to a third party. Because there is no liquid market for many such securities, the Fund anticipates that such securities could be sold only to a limited number of institutional investors. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities and the Fund’s ability to dispose of particular loans and loan participations when that would be desirable, including in response to a specific economic event such as a deterioration in the creditworthiness of the borrower. The lack of a liquid secondary market for loans and loan participations also may make it more difficult for the Fund to assign a value to these securities for purposes of valuing the Fund’s portfolio.

Investments in loans may include participations in bridge loans, which are loans taken out by borrowers for a short period (typically less than one year) pending arrangement of more permanent financing through, for example, the issuance of bonds, frequently high yield bonds issued for the purpose of acquisitions.

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To the extent the Fund invests in loans, including bank loans, or originates loans, the Fund may be subject to greater levels of credit risk, call risk, settlement risk and liquidity risk. These instruments are considered predominantly speculative with respect to an issuer’s continuing ability to make principal and interest payments and may be more volatile than other types of securities. The Fund may also be subject to greater levels of liquidity risk than funds that do not invest in loans. In addition, the loans in which the Fund invests may not be listed on any exchange and a secondary market for such loans may be comparatively illiquid relative to markets for other more liquid fixed income securities. Consequently, transactions in loans may involve greater costs than transactions in more actively traded securities. In connection with certain loan transactions, transaction costs that are borne by the Fund may include the expenses of third parties that are retained to assist with reviewing and conducting diligence, negotiating, structuring and servicing a loan transaction, and/or providing other services in connection therewith. Furthermore, the Fund may incur such costs in connection with loan transactions that are pursued by the Fund but not ultimately consummated (so-called “broken deal costs”).

Restrictions on transfers in loan agreements, a lack of publicly-available information, irregular trading activity and wide bid/ask spreads, among other factors, may, in certain circumstances, make loans more difficult to sell at an advantageous time or price than other types of securities or instruments. These factors may result in the Fund being unable to realize full value for the loans and/or may result in the Fund not receiving the proceeds from a sale of a loan for an extended period after such sale, each of which could result in losses to the Fund. Some loans may have extended trade settlement periods, including settlement periods of greater than seven days, which may result in cash not being immediately available to the Fund. If an issuer of a loan prepays or redeems the loan prior to maturity, the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds in other loans or similar instruments that may pay lower interest rates. Because of the risks involved in investing in loans, an investment in the Fund should be considered speculative.

The Fund’s investments in subordinated and unsecured loans generally are subject to similar risks as those associated with investments in secured loans. Subordinated or unsecured loans are lower in priority of payment to secured loans and are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and property securing the loan or debt, if any, may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to the senior secured obligations of the borrower. This risk is generally higher for subordinated unsecured loans or debt, which are not backed by a security interest in any specific collateral. Subordinated and unsecured loans generally have greater price volatility than secured loans and may be less liquid. There is also a possibility that originators will not be able to sell participations in subordinated or unsecured loans, which would create greater credit risk exposure for the holders of such loans. Subordinate and unsecured loans share the same risks as other below investment grade securities.

There may be less readily available information about most loans and the underlying borrowers than is the case for many other types of securities. Loans may be issued by companies that are not subject to SEC reporting requirements and therefore may not be required to file reports with the SEC or may file reports that are not required to comply with SEC form requirements. In addition, such companies may be subject to a less stringent liability disclosure regime than companies subject to SEC reporting requirements. Loans may not be considered “securities,” and purchasers, such as the Fund, therefore may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections of the federal securities laws. Because there is limited public information available regarding loan investments, the Fund is particularly dependent on the analytical abilities of the Fund’s portfolio managers.

Economic exposure to loan interests through the use of derivative transactions may involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the loan interest directly during a primary distribution, through direct originations or through assignments of, novations of or participations in a loan acquired in secondary markets since, in addition to the risks described above, certain derivative transactions may be subject to leverage risk and greater illiquidity risk, counterparty risk, valuation risk and other risks.

Loan Origination Risk

The Fund may also seek to originate loans, including, without limitation, residential and/or commercial real estate or mortgage-related loans, consumer loans or other types of loans, which may be in the form of whole loans, secured and unsecured notes, senior and second lien loans, mezzanine loans or similar investments. The Fund may originate loans to corporations and/or other legal entities and individuals, including foreign (non-U.S.) and emerging market entities and individuals. Such borrowers may have credit ratings that are determined by one or more NRSROs or PIMCO to be below investment grade. The Fund may subsequently offer such investments for sale to third parties;

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provided, that there is no assurance that the Fund will complete the sale of such an investment. If the Fund is unable to sell, assign or successfully close transactions for the loans that it originates, the Fund will be forced to hold its interest in such loans for an indeterminate period of time. This could result in the Fund’s investments having high exposure to certain borrowers. The Fund will be responsible for the expenses associated with originating a loan (whether or not consummated). This may include significant legal and due diligence expenses, which will be indirectly borne by the Fund and Common Shareholders.

Loan origination and servicing companies are routinely involved in legal proceedings concerning matters that arise in the ordinary course of their business. In addition, a number of participants in the loan origination and servicing industry (including control persons of industry participants) have been the subject of regulatory actions by state regulators, including state Attorneys General, and by the federal government. Governmental investigations, examinations or regulatory actions, or private lawsuits, including purported class action lawsuits, may adversely affect such companies’ financial results. To the extent the Fund engages in origination and/or servicing directly, or has a financial interest in, or is otherwise affiliated with, an origination or servicing company, the Fund will be subject to enhanced risks of litigation, regulatory actions and other proceedings. As a result, the Fund may be required to pay legal fees, settlement costs, damages, penalties or other charges, any or all of which could materially adversely affect the Fund and its investments.

Foreign Loan Originations Risk

The Fund may originate loans to foreign entities and individuals, including foreign (non-U.S.) and emerging market entities and individuals. Such loans may involve risks not ordinarily associated with exposure to loans to U.S. entities and individuals. The foreign lending industry may be subject to less governmental supervision and regulation than exists in the U.S.; conversely, foreign regulatory regimes applicable to the lending industry may be more complex and more restrictive than those in the U.S., resulting in higher costs associated with such investments, and such regulatory regimes may be subject to interpretation or change without prior notice to investors, such as the Fund. Foreign lending may not be subject to accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and practices comparable to those in the U.S. Due to difference in legal systems, there may be difficulty in obtaining or enforcing a court judgment outside the U.S. In addition, to the extent that investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. The Fund’s loans to foreign entities and individuals may be subject to risks of increased transaction costs, potential delays in settlement or unfavorable differences between the U.S. economy and foreign economies.

The Fund’s exposure to loans to foreign entities and individuals may be subject to withholding and other foreign taxes, which may adversely affect the net return on such investments. In addition, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange controls may adversely affect the market value of the Fund’s exposure to loans to foreign entities and individuals. The Fund is unlikely to be able to pass through to its shareholders foreign income tax credits in respect of any foreign income taxes it pays.

Subprime Risk

Loans, and debt instruments collateralized by loans (including Alt Lending ABS), acquired by the Fund may be subprime in quality, or may become subprime in quality. Although there is no specific legal or market definition of “subprime,” subprime loans are generally understood to refer to loans made to borrowers that display poor credit histories and other characteristics that correlate with a higher default risk. Accordingly, subprime loans, and debt instruments secured by such loans (including Alt Lending ABS), have speculative characteristics and are subject to heightened risks, including the risk of nonpayment of interest or repayment of principal, and the risks associated with investments in high yield securities. In addition, these instruments could be subject to increased regulatory scrutiny. The Fund is not restricted by any particular borrower credit criteria when acquiring loans or debt instruments collateralized by loans.

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Privacy and Data Security Risk

The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (“GLBA”) and other laws limit the disclosure of certain non-public personal information about a consumer to non-affiliated third parties and require financial institutions to disclose certain privacy policies and practices with respect to information sharing with both affiliates and non-affiliated third parties. Many states and a number of non-U.S. jurisdictions have enacted privacy and data security laws requiring safeguards on the privacy and security of consumers’ personally identifiable information. Other laws deal with obligations to safeguard and dispose of private information in a manner designed to avoid its dissemination. Privacy rules adopted by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and SEC implement GLBA and other requirements and govern the disclosure of consumer financial information by certain financial institutions, ranging from banks to private investment funds. U.S. platforms following certain models generally are required to have privacy policies that conform to these GLBA and other requirements. In addition, such platforms typically have policies and procedures intended to maintain platform participants’ personal information securely and dispose of it properly.

The Fund generally does not intend to obtain or hold borrowers’ non-public personal information, and the Fund intends to implement procedures designed to prevent the disclosure of borrowers’ non-public personal information to the Fund. However, service providers to the Fund, its Subsidiaries or REIT subsidiaries, including their custodians and the platforms acting as loan servicers for the Fund, its Subsidiaries or REIT subsidiaries, may obtain, hold or process such information. The Fund cannot guarantee the security of non-public personal information in the possession of such a service provider and cannot guarantee that service providers have been and will continue to comply with the GLBA, other data security and privacy laws and any other related regulatory requirements. Violations of GLBA and other laws could subject the Fund to litigation and/or fines, penalties or other regulatory action, which, individually or in the aggregate, could have an adverse effect on the Fund. The Fund may also face regulations related to privacy and data security in the other jurisdictions in which the Fund invests.

Platform Risk

The Alt Lending ABS in which the Fund may invest are typically not listed on any securities exchange and not registered under the Securities Act. In addition, the Fund anticipates that these instruments may only be sold to a limited number of investors and may have a limited or non-existent secondary market. Accordingly, the Fund currently expects that certain of the investments it may make in Alt Lending ABS will face heightened levels of liquidity risk. Although currently there is generally no reliable, active secondary market for certain Alt Lending ABS, a secondary market for these Alt Lending ABS may develop. If the Fund purchases Alt Lending ABS on an alternative lending platform, the Fund will have the right to receive principal and interest payments due on loans underlying the Alt Lending ABS only if the platform servicing the loans receives the borrower’s payments on such loans and passes such payments through to the Fund. If a borrower is unable or fails to make payments on a loan for any reason, the Fund may be greatly limited in its ability to recover any outstanding principal or interest due, as (among other reasons) the Fund may not have direct recourse against the borrower or may otherwise be limited in its ability to directly enforce its rights under the loan, whether through the borrower or the platform through which such loan was originated, the loan may be unsecured or under-collateralized and/or it may be impracticable to commence a legal proceeding against the defaulting borrower.

The Fund may have limited knowledge about the underlying loans and is dependent upon the platform for information regarding underlying loans. Although the Fund may conduct diligence on the platforms, the Fund generally does not have the ability to independently verify the information provided by the platforms, other than payment information regarding loans underlying the Alt Lending ABS owned by the Fund, which the Fund observes directly as payments are received. With respect to Alt Lending ABS that the Fund purchases in the secondary market (i.e., not directly from an alternative lending platform), the Fund may not perform the same level of diligence on such platform or at all. The Fund may not review the particular characteristics of the loans collateralizing an Alt Lending ABS, but rather negotiate in advance with platforms the general criteria of the underlying loans. As a result, the Fund is dependent on the platforms’ ability to collect, verify and provide information to the Fund about each loan and borrower.

The Fund relies on the borrower’s credit information, which is provided by the platforms. However, such information may be out of date, incomplete or inaccurate and may, therefore, not accurately reflect the borrower’s actual creditworthiness. Platforms may not have an obligation to update borrower information, and, therefore, the Fund may not be aware of any impairment in a borrower’s creditworthiness subsequent to the making of a particular loan. The platforms’ credit decisions and scoring models may be based on algorithms that could potentially contain programming or other errors or prove to be ineffective or otherwise flawed. This could adversely affect loan pricing data and approval processes and could cause loans to be mispriced or misclassified, which could ultimately have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance.

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In addition, the underlying loans, in some cases, may be affected by the success of the platforms through which they are facilitated. Therefore, disruptions in the businesses of such platforms may also negatively impact the value of the Fund’s investments. In addition, disruption in the business of a platform could limit or eliminate the ability of the Fund to invest in loans originated by that platform, and therefore the Fund could lose some or all of the benefit of its diligence effort with respect to that platform.

Platforms are for-profit businesses that, as a general matter, generate revenue by collecting fees on funded loans from borrowers and by assessing a loan servicing fee on investors, which may be a fixed annual amount or a percentage of the loan or amounts collected. This business could be disrupted in multiple ways; for example, a platform could file for bankruptcy or a platform might suffer reputational harm from negative publicity about the platform or alternative lending more generally and the loss of investor confidence in the event that a loan facilitated through the platform is not repaid and an investor loses money on its investment. Many platforms and/or their affiliates have incurred operating losses since their inception and may continue to incur net losses in the future, particularly as their businesses grow and they incur additional operating expenses. Platforms may also be forced to defend legal action taken by regulators or governmental bodies. Alternative lending is a newer industry operating in an evolving legal environment. Platforms may be subject to risk of litigation alleging violations of law and/or regulations, including, for example, consumer protection laws, whether in the U.S. or in foreign jurisdictions. Platforms may be unsuccessful in defending against such lawsuits or other actions and, in addition to the costs incurred in fighting any such actions, platforms may be required to pay money in connection with the judgments, settlements or fines or may be forced to modify the terms of its borrower loans, which could cause the platform to realize a loss or receive a lower return on a loan than originally anticipated. Platforms may also be parties to litigation or other legal action in an attempt to protect or enforce their rights or those of affiliates, including intellectual property rights, and may incur similar costs in connection with any such efforts.

The Fund’s investments in Alt Lending ABS may expose the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer. Generally, such instruments are unsecured obligations of the issuer; an issuer that becomes subject to bankruptcy proceedings may be unable to make full and timely payments on its obligations to the Fund, even if the payments on the underlying loan or loans continue to be made timely and in full. In addition, when the Fund owns Alt Lending ABS, the Fund and its custodian generally does not have a contractual relationship with, or personally identifiable information regarding, individual borrowers, so the Fund will not be able to enforce underlying loans directly against borrowers and may not be able to appoint an alternative servicing agent in the event that a platform or third-party servicer, as applicable, ceases to service the underlying loans. Therefore, the Fund is more dependent on the platform for servicing than if the Fund had owned whole loans through the platform. Where such interests are secured, the Fund relies on the platform to perfect the Fund’s security interest. In addition, there may be a delay between the time the Fund commits to purchase an instrument issued by a platform, its affiliate or a special purpose entity sponsored by the platform or its affiliate and the issuance of such instrument and, during such delay, the funds committed to such an investment will not earn interest on the investment nor will they be available for investment in other alternative lending-related instruments, which will reduce the effective rate of return on the investment. The Fund’s investments in Alt Lending ABS may be illiquid.

Securitization Risk

The Fund uses the term “securitize” to describe a strategy under which the Fund or a Subsidiary (sometimes referred to as an “originator” or “sponsor”) transfers income-producing assets to a single-purpose, bankruptcy-remote subsidiary (also referred to as a “special purpose entity” or “SPE”), which is established for the purpose of holding such assets and entering into a structured finance transaction. The SPE may be funded with, among other things, whole loans or interests from other pools and such loans may or may not be rated. The SPE then issues notes secured by such assets. The SPE may issue the notes in the capital markets either publicly or privately to a variety of investors. There may be a single class of notes or multiple classes of notes, the most senior of which carries less credit risk and the most junior of which may carry substantially the same credit risk as the equity of the SPE, which is the riskiest class of the SPE and bears the bulk of defaults and serves to protect the other, more senior classes from default in all but the most severe circumstances. The Fund may retain all or a portion of the equity in the SPE. The Fund’s interests in the SPE, if any, will be subordinated to the other interests issued by the SPE. As such, the Fund

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will only receive cash distributions on such interests if the SPE has made all cash interest and other required payments on all other interests it has issued. In addition, the Fund’s subordinated interests will likely be unsecured and rank behind all of the secured creditors, known or unknown, of the SPE, including the holders of the senior interests it has issued. The Fund may invest in securitization risk retention tranches in its capacity as a sponsor of the relevant securitizations, and/or in the capacity of a third-party purchaser with respect to securitizations sponsored by others. Any significant repurchases or indemnification payments could materially and adversely affect the liquidity, financial condition and operating results of the SPE and/or the Fund.

In some cases, relatively short-term credit facilities may be used to finance the acquisition by SPEs of loans and other assets until a sufficient quantity of assets is accumulated, at which time the credit facility is refinanced through a portfolio level financing, such as a securitization. As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it will not be able to acquire, during the period that the short-term facilities are available, a sufficient amount of eligible assets for the purposes of a securitization. The Fund also bears the risk that it will not be able to obtain such short-term credit facilities or may not be able to renew any short-term credit facilities after they expire should it find it necessary to obtain extensions for such short-term credit facilities to allow more time to obtain a long-term financing or to seek and acquire the necessary eligible instruments for a long-term financing. Inability to renew or extend these short-term credit facilities may require the Fund to seek more costly financing for these assets or to lose the ability to utilize them in connection with a securitization. These facilities may be recourse to the Fund, and even if they are non-recourse, the Fund may bear the “first loss” associated with any decreases in value of the assets. The Fund may provide guarantees in support of credit facilities used to acquire assets, and there can be no assurance that such guarantees will not have adverse consequences for the Fund.

The Fund may also engage in transactions utilizing SPEs and securitization techniques where the assets sold or contributed to the SPE remain on the Fund’s balance sheet for accounting purposes. If, for example, the Fund sells the assets to the SPE with recourse or provides a guarantee or other credit support to the SPE, the SPE’s assets will remain on the Fund’s balance sheet. Consolidation would also generally result if the Fund determines that consolidation would result in a more accurate reflection of its assets, liabilities and results of operations.

A successful securitization may also impose financial and operating covenants that restrict the Fund’s business activities and may include limitations that could hinder the Fund’s ability to finance additional loans and investments or to make the distributions required to maintain its status as a RIC under the Code. The 1940 Act may also impose restrictions on the structure of any securitizations.

Section 941 of the Dodd-Frank Act, and the rules adopted pursuant thereto (the “U.S. Risk Retention Rules”), generally require the seller, sponsor or securitizer of a SPE to retain no less than five percent of the credit risk in assets it sells into a securitization and prohibits such securitizer from, directly or indirectly, hedging or otherwise transferring the retained credit risk. Under the U.S. Risk Retention Rules, if the Fund is considered the sponsor of a SPE, it may be required to retain five percent of the credit risk in the SPE, which may be retained horizontally in the equity tranche of the SPE or vertically as a five percent interest in each tranche of the securities issued by the SPE.

Risk Retention Investment Risk

The Fund may invest in risk retention tranches of CMBS or other eligible securitizations, if any (“risk retention tranches”), which are eligible residual interests held by the sponsors of such securitizations pursuant to the U.S. Risk Retention Rules. In the case of CMBS transactions, for example, the U.S. Risk Retention Rules permit all or a portion of the retained credit risk associated with certain securitizations (i.e., retained risk) to be held by an unaffiliated “third party purchaser,” such as the Fund, if, among other requirements, the third-party purchaser holds its retained interest, unhedged, for at least five years following the closing of the CMBS transaction, after which it is entitled to transfer its interest in the securitization to another person that meets the requirements for a third-party purchaser. Even after the required holding period has expired, due to the generally illiquid nature of such investments, no assurance can be given as to what, if any, exit strategies will ultimately be available for any given position.

In addition, there is limited guidance on the application of the final U.S. Risk Retention Rules to specific securitization structures. There can be no assurance that the applicable federal agencies charged with the implementation of the final U.S. Risk Retention Rules (the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve Board, the SEC, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency) could not take positions in the future that differ from the interpretation of such rules taken or embodied in such securitizations, or that the final U.S. Risk Retention Rules will not change.

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Furthermore, in situations where the Fund invests in risk retention tranches of securitizations structured by third parties, the Fund may be required to execute one or more letters or other agreements, the exact form and nature of which will vary (each, a “Risk Retention Agreement”) under which it will make certain undertakings designed to ensure such securitization complies with the final U.S. Risk Retention Rules. Such Risk Retention Agreements may include a variety of representations, warranties, covenants and other indemnities, each of which may run to various transaction parties. If the Fund breaches any undertakings in any Risk Retention Agreement, it will be exposed to claims by the other parties thereto, including for any losses incurred as a result of such breach, which could be significant and exceed the value of the Fund’s investments.

“Covenant-lite” Obligations Risk

Covenant-lite obligations contain fewer maintenance covenants than other obligations, or no maintenance covenants, and may not include terms that allow the lender to monitor the performance of the borrower and declare a default if certain criteria are breached. Covenant-lite loans may carry more risk than traditional loans as they allow individuals and corporations to engage in activities that would otherwise be difficult or impossible under a covenant-heavy loan agreement. In the event of default, covenant-lite loans may exhibit diminished recovery values as the lender may not have the opportunity to negotiate with the borrower prior to default.

Reinvestment Risk

Income from the Fund’s portfolio will decline if and when the Fund invests the proceeds from matured, traded or called debt obligations at market interest rates that are below the portfolio’s current earnings rate. For instance, during periods of declining interest rates, an issuer of debt obligations may exercise an option to redeem securities prior to maturity, forcing the Fund to invest in lower-yielding securities. The Fund also may choose to sell higher yielding portfolio securities and to purchase lower yielding securities to achieve greater portfolio diversification, because the portfolio managers believe the current holdings are overvalued or for other investment-related reasons. A decline in income received by the Fund from its investments is likely to have a negative effect on dividend levels and the market price, NAV and/or overall return of the Common Shares.

Call Risk

Call risk refers to the possibility that an issuer may exercise its right to redeem a fixed income security earlier than expected. Issuers may call outstanding securities prior to their maturity for a number of reasons. If an issuer calls a security in which the Fund has invested, the Fund may not recoup the full amount of its initial investment and may be forced to reinvest in lower-yielding securities, securities with greater credit risks or securities with other, less favorable features.

Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investment Risk

Foreign (non-U.S.) securities may experience more rapid and extreme changes in value than securities of U.S. companies. The securities markets of many foreign countries are relatively small, with a limited number of companies representing a small number of industries. Additionally, issuers of foreign (non-U.S.) securities are usually not subject to the same degree of regulation as U.S. issuers. Reporting, accounting, auditing and custody standards of foreign countries differ, in some cases significantly, from U.S. standards. Global economies and financial markets are becoming increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Also, nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, political changes or diplomatic developments could adversely affect the Fund’s investments in a foreign country. In the event of nationalization, expropriation or other confiscation, the Fund could lose its entire investment in foreign (non-U.S.) securities. Adverse conditions in a certain region can adversely affect securities of other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated. To the extent that the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a specific geographic region, the Fund will generally have more exposure to regional economic risks associated with foreign (non-U.S.) investments. Foreign (non-U.S.) securities may also be less liquid and more difficult to value than securities of U.S. issuers.

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The Fund may face potential risks associated with the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union (“EU”). The departure may result in substantial volatility in financial and foreign exchange markets and a sustained weakness in the British pound, the euro and other currencies, which may impact Fund returns. It may also destabilize some or all of the other EU member countries and/or the Eurozone. These developments could result in losses to the Fund, as there may be negative effects on the value of the Fund’s investments and/or on the Fund’s ability to enter into certain transactions or value certain investments, and these developments may make it more difficult for the Fund to exit certain investments at an advantageous time or price. Adverse events triggered by the departure, as well as an exit or expulsion of an EU member state other than the United Kingdom from the EU, could negatively impact Fund returns.

The Fund may invest in securities and instruments that are economically tied to Russia. Investments in Russia are subject to various risks such as political, economic, legal, market and currency risks. The risks include uncertain political and economic policies, short term market volatility, poor accounting standards, corruption and crime, an inadequate regulatory system and unpredictable taxation. Investments in Russia are particularly subject to the risk that economic sanctions may be imposed by the United States and/or other countries. Such sanctions—which may impact companies in many sectors, including energy, financial services and defense, among others—may negatively impact the Fund’s performance and/or ability to achieve its investment objectives. The Russian securities market is characterized by limited volume of trading, resulting in difficulty in obtaining accurate prices. The Russian securities market, as compared to U.S. markets, has significant price volatility, less liquidity, a smaller market capitalization and a smaller number of traded securities. There may be little publicly available information about issuers. Settlement, clearing and registration of securities transactions are subject to risks because of registration systems that may not be subject to effective government supervision. This may result in significant delays or problems in registering the transfer of securities. Russian securities laws may not recognize foreign nominee accounts held with a custodian bank, and therefore the custodian may be considered the ultimate owner of securities they hold for their clients. Ownership of securities issued by Russian companies is recorded by companies themselves and by registrars instead of through a central registration system. It is possible that the ownership rights of the Fund could be lost through fraud or negligence. While applicable Russian regulations impose liability on registrars for losses resulting from their errors, it may be difficult for the Fund to enforce any rights it may have against the registrar or issuer of the securities in the event of loss of share registration. Adverse currency exchange rates are a risk and there may be a lack of available currency hedging instruments. Investments in Russia may be subject to the risk of nationalization or expropriation of assets. Oil, natural gas, metals, and timber account for a significant portion of Russia’s exports, leaving the country vulnerable to swings in world prices.

Risk of Investing in China

Investments in securities of companies domiciled in the People’s Republic of China (“China” or the “PRC”) involve a high degree of risk and special considerations not typically associated with investing in the U.S. securities markets. Such heightened risks include, among others, an authoritarian government, popular unrest associated with demands for improved political, economic and social conditions, the impact of regional conflict on the economy and hostile relations with neighboring countries.

Military conflicts, either in response to internal social unrest or conflicts with other countries, could disrupt economic development. The Chinese economy is vulnerable to the long-running disagreements with Hong Kong related to integration. China has a complex territorial dispute regarding the sovereignty of Taiwan; Taiwan-based companies and individuals are significant investors in China. Potential military conflict between China and Taiwan may adversely affect securities of Chinese issuers. In addition, China has strained international relations with Japan, India, Russia and other neighbors due to territorial disputes, historical animosities and other defense concerns. China could be affected by military events on the Korean peninsula or internal instability within North Korea. These situations may cause uncertainty in the Chinese market and may adversely affect the performance of the Chinese economy.

The Chinese government has implemented significant economic reforms in order to liberalize trade policy, promote foreign investment in the economy, reduce government control of the economy and develop market mechanisms.

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But there can be no assurance that these reforms will continue or that they will be effective. Despite reforms and privatizations of companies in certain sectors, the Chinese government still exercises substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector and may own or control many companies. The Chinese government continues to maintain a major role in economic policy making and investing in China involves risks of losses due to expropriation, nationalization, confiscation of assets and property, and the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and on repatriation of capital invested.

The Chinese government may intervene in the Chinese financial markets, such as by the imposition of trading restrictions, a ban on “naked” short selling or the suspension of short selling for certain stocks. This may affect market price and liquidity of these stocks, and may have an unpredictable impact on the investment activities of the Fund. Furthermore, such market interventions may have a negative impact on market sentiment which may in turn affect the performance of the securities markets and as a result the performance of the Fund.

In addition, there is less regulation and monitoring of the securities markets and the activities of investors, brokers and other participants in China than in the United States. Accordingly, issuers of securities in China are not subject to the same degree of regulation as those in the United States with respect to such matters as insider trading rules, tender offer regulation, stockholder proxy requirements and the requirements mandating timely and accurate disclosure of information. Stock markets in China are in the process of change and further development. This may lead to trading volatility, and difficulties in the settlement and recording of transactions and interpretation and application of the relevant regulations. Custodians may not be able to offer the level of service and safe-keeping in relation to the settlement and administration of securities in China that is customary in more developed markets. In particular, there is a risk that the Fund may not be recognized as the owner of securities that are held on behalf of the Fund by a sub-custodian.

The Renminbi (“RMB”) is currently not a freely convertible currency and is subject to foreign exchange control policies and repatriation restrictions imposed by the Chinese government. The imposition of currency controls may negatively impact performance and liquidity of the Fund as capital may become trapped in the PRC. The Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation of capital, as well as by the application to the Fund of any restrictions on investments. Investing in entities either in, or which have a substantial portion of their operations in, the PRC may require the Fund to adopt special procedures, seek local government approvals or take other actions, each of which may involve additional costs and delays to the Fund.

While the Chinese economy has grown rapidly in recent years, there is no assurance that this growth rate will be maintained. China may experience substantial rates of inflation or economic recessions, causing a negative effect on the economy and securities market. China’s economy is heavily dependent on export growth. Reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, institution of tariffs or other trade barriers or a downturn in any of the economies of China’s key trading partners may have an adverse impact on the securities of Chinese issuers.

The tax laws and regulations in the PRC are subject to change, including the issuance of authoritative guidance or enforcement, possibly with retroactive effect. The interpretation, applicability and enforcement of such laws by the PRC tax authorities are not as consistent and transparent as those of more developed nations, and may vary over time and from region to region. The application and enforcement of the PRC tax rules could have a significant adverse effect on the Fund and its investors, particularly in relation to capital gains withholding tax imposed upon non-residents. In addition, the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices applicable to Chinese companies may be less rigorous, and may result in significant differences between financial statements prepared in accordance with PRC accounting standards and practices and those prepared in accordance with international accounting standards.

From time to time and as recently as January 2020, China has experienced outbreaks of infectious illnesses, and the country may be subject to other public health threats, infectious illnesses, diseases or similar issues in the future. Any spread of an infectious illness, public health threat or similar issue could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the Chinese economy, which in turn could adversely affect the Fund’s investments and could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.

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Emerging Markets Risk

Foreign investment risk may be particularly high to the extent that the Fund invests in securities of issuers based in or doing business in emerging market countries or invests in securities denominated in the currencies of emerging market countries. Investing in securities of issuers based in or doing business in emerging markets entails all of the risks of investing in foreign securities noted above, but to a heightened degree.

Investments in emerging market countries pose a greater degree of systemic risk (i.e., the risk of a cascading collapse of multiple institutions within a country, and even multiple national economies). The inter-relatedness of economic and financial institutions within and among emerging market economies has deepened over the years, with the effect that institutional failures and/or economic difficulties that are of initially limited scope may spread throughout a country, a region or all or most emerging market countries. This may undermine any attempt by the Fund to reduce risk through geographic diversification of its portfolio.

There is a heightened possibility of imposition of withholding taxes on interest or dividend income generated from emerging market securities. Governments of emerging market countries may engage in confiscatory taxation or expropriation of income and/or assets to raise revenues or to pursue a domestic political agenda. In the past, emerging market countries have nationalized assets, companies and even entire sectors, including the assets of foreign investors, with inadequate or no compensation to the prior owners. There can be no assurance that the Fund will not suffer a loss of any or all of its investments, or interest or dividends thereon, due to adverse fiscal or other policy changes in emerging market countries.

There is also a greater risk that an emerging market government may take action that impedes or prevents the Fund from taking income and/or capital gains earned in the local currency and converting into U.S. dollars (i.e., “repatriating” local currency investments or profits). Certain emerging market countries have sought to maintain foreign exchange reserves and/or address the economic volatility and dislocations caused by the large international capital flows by controlling or restricting the conversion of the local currency into other currencies. This risk tends to become more acute when economic conditions otherwise worsen. There can be no assurance that if the Fund earns income or capital gains in an emerging market currency or PIMCO otherwise seeks to withdraw the Fund’s investments from a given emerging market country, capital controls imposed by such country will not prevent, or cause significant expense in, doing so.

Bankruptcy law and creditor reorganization processes may differ substantially from those in the United States, resulting in greater uncertainty as to the rights of creditors, the enforceability of such rights, reorganization timing and the classification, seniority and treatment of claims. In certain emerging market countries, although bankruptcy laws have been enacted, the process for reorganization remains highly uncertain. In addition, it may be impossible to seek legal redress against an issuer that is a sovereign state.

Emerging market countries typically have less established legal, accounting and financial reporting systems than those in more developed markets, which may reduce the scope or quality of financial information available to investors. Governments in emerging market countries are often less stable and more likely to take extra-legal action with respect to companies, industries, assets, or foreign ownership than those in more developed markets.

Moreover, it can be more difficult for investors to bring litigation or enforce judgments against issuers in emerging markets or for U.S. regulators to bring enforcement actions against such issuers. The Fund may also be subject to Emerging Markets Risk if it invests in derivatives or other securities or instruments whose value or return are related to the value or returns of emerging markets securities.

Other heightened risks associated with emerging markets investments include without limit (i) risks due to less social, political and economic stability; (ii) the smaller size of the market for such securities and a lower volume of trading, resulting in a lack of liquidity and in price volatility; (iii) certain national policies which may restrict the Fund’s investment opportunities, including restrictions on investing in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to relevant national interests and requirements that government approval be obtained prior to investment by foreign persons; (iv) certain national policies that may restrict the Fund’s repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales of securities, including temporary restrictions on foreign capital remittances; (v) the lack of uniform accounting and auditing standards and/or standards that may be significantly different from the standards

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required in the United States; (vi) less publicly available financial and other information regarding issuers; (vii) potential difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations; and (viii) higher rates of inflation, higher interest rates and other economic concerns. The Fund may invest to a substantial extent in emerging market securities that are denominated in local currencies, subjecting the Fund to a greater degree of foreign currency risk. Also, investing in emerging market countries may entail purchases of securities of issuers that are insolvent, bankrupt or otherwise of questionable ability to satisfy their payment obligations as they become due, subjecting the Fund to a greater amount of credit risk and/or high yield risk. The economy of some emerging markets may be particularly exposed to or affected by a certain industry or sector, and therefore issuers and/or securities of such emerging markets may be more affected by the performance of such industries or sectors.

Currency Risk

Currency risk may be particularly high because the Fund may, at times or in general, have substantial exposure to emerging market currencies, and engage in foreign currency transactions that are economically tied to emerging market countries. These currency transactions may present market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or engaging in foreign currency transactions that are economically tied to developed foreign countries.

Investments denominated in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or that trade in, and receive revenues in, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, or derivatives that provide exposure to foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, are subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged.

Currency rates in foreign (non-U.S.) countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates, rates of inflation, balance of payments and governmental surpluses or deficits, intervention (or the failure to intervene) by U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) governments, central banks or supranational entities such as the International Monetary Fund, or by the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the United States or abroad. These fluctuations may have a significant adverse impact on the value of the Fund’s portfolio and/or the level of Fund distributions made to Common Shareholders. There is no assurance that a hedging strategy, if used, will be successful. Moreover, currency hedging techniques may be unavailable with respect to emerging market currencies. As a result, the Fund’s investments in foreign currency-denominated, and especially emerging market-currency denominated securities may reduce the returns of the Fund.

The local emerging market currencies in which the Fund may be invested from time to time may experience substantially greater volatility against the U.S. dollar than the major convertible currencies of developed countries. Some of the local currencies in which the Fund may invest are neither freely convertible into one of the major currencies nor internationally traded. The local currencies may be convertible into other currencies only inside the relevant emerging market where the limited availability of such other currencies may tend to inflate their values relative to the local currency in question. Such internal exchange markets can therefore be said to be neither liquid nor competitive. In addition, many of the currencies of emerging market countries in which the Fund may invest have experienced steady devaluation relative to freely convertible currencies.

Continuing uncertainty as to the status of the euro and the European Monetary Union (“EMU”) has created significant volatility in currency and financial markets generally. Any partial or complete dissolution of the EMU could have significant adverse effects on currency and financial markets, and on the values of the Fund’s portfolio investments. If one or more EMU countries were to stop using the euro as its primary currency, the Fund’s investments in such countries may be redenominated into a different or newly adopted currency. As a result, the value of those investments could decline significantly and unpredictably. In addition, securities or other investments that are redenominated may be subject to foreign currency risk, liquidity risk and valuation risk to a greater extent than similar investments currently denominated in euros. To the extent a currency used for redenomination purposes is not specified in respect of certain EMU-related investments, or should the euro cease to be used entirely, the currency in which such investments are denominated may be unclear, making such investments particularly difficult to value or dispose of. The Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek judicial or other clarification of the denomination or value of such securities.

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There can be no assurance that if the Fund earns income or capital gains in a non-U.S. country or PIMCO otherwise seeks to withdraw the Fund’s investments from a given country, capital controls imposed by such country will not prevent, or cause significant expense in, doing so.

U.S. Government Securities Risk

Certain U.S. Government Securities, such as U.S. Treasury bills, notes, bonds, and mortgage-related securities guaranteed by the GNMA, are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; others, such as those of the Federal Home Loan Banks (“FHLBs”) or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”), are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; others, such as those of the FNMA, are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency’s obligations; and still others are supported only by the credit of the agency, instrumentality or corporation. Although legislation has been enacted to support certain government sponsored entities, including the FHLBs, FHLMC and FNMA, there is no assurance that the obligations of such entities will be satisfied in full, or that such obligations will not decrease in value or default. It is difficult, if not impossible, to predict the future political, regulatory or economic changes that could impact the government sponsored entities and the values of their related securities or obligations. In addition, certain governmental entities, including FNMA and FHLMC, have been subject to regulatory scrutiny regarding their accounting policies and practices and other concerns that may result in legislation, changes in regulatory oversight and/or other consequences that could adversely affect the credit quality, availability or investment character of securities issued by these entities. Yields available from U.S. Government debt securities are generally lower than the yields available from other debt securities. The values of U.S. Government Securities change as interest rates fluctuate.

Convertible Securities Risk

The market values of convertible securities may decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, may increase as interest rates decline. A convertible security’s market value, however, tends to reflect the market price of the common stock of the issuing company when that stock price approaches or is greater than the convertible security’s “conversion price.” The conversion price is defined as the predetermined price at which the convertible security could be exchanged for the associated stock. As the market price of the underlying common stock declines, the price of the convertible security tends to be influenced more by the yield of the convertible security. Thus, it may not decline in price to the same extent as the underlying common stock. In the event of a liquidation of the issuing company, holders of convertible securities may be paid before the company’s common stockholders but after holders of any senior debt obligations of the company. Consequently, the issuer’s convertible securities generally entail less risk than its common stock but more risk than its debt obligations. Convertible securities are often rated below investment grade or not rated.

Synthetic Convertible Securities Risk

The values of synthetic convertible securities will respond differently to market fluctuations than a traditional convertible security because a synthetic convertible is composed of two or more separate securities or instruments (such as a debt security and a warrant or option to purchase another security), each with its own market value. Synthetic convertible securities are also subject to the risks associated with derivatives. In addition, if the value of the underlying common stock or the level of the index involved in the convertible element falls below the strike price of the warrant or option, the warrant or option may lose all value.

Contingent Convertible Securities Risk

The risks of investing in CoCos include, without limit, the risk that interest payments will be cancelled by the issuer or a regulatory authority, the risk of ranking junior to other creditors in the event of a liquidation or other bankruptcy-related event as a result of holding subordinated debt, the risk of the Fund’s investment becoming further subordinated as a result of conversion from debt to equity, the risk that the principal amount due can be written down to a lesser amount, and the general risks applicable to fixed income investments, including interest rate risk, credit risk, market risk and liquidity risk, any of which could result in losses to the Fund. CoCos may experience a loss absorption mechanism trigger event, which would likely be the result of, or related to, the deterioration of the issuer’s financial condition (e.g., a decrease in the issuer’s capital ratio) and status as a going concern. In such a case, with respect to CoCos that provide for conversion into common stock upon the occurrence of the trigger event, the market price of the issuer’s common stock received by the Fund will have likely declined, perhaps substantially, and may continue to decline, which may adversely affect the Fund’s NAV.

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Real Estate Risk

To the extent that the Fund invests directly or indirectly in real estate investments, including investments in private real estate joint ventures, REITs, real estate companies, real estate-related loans or real estate-linked derivative instruments, it will be subject to the risks associated with owning real estate and with the real estate industry generally. These risks include, but are not limited to: the burdens of ownership of real property; general and local economic conditions (such as an oversupply of space or a reduction in demand for space); the supply and demand for properties (including competition based on rental rates); energy and supply shortages; fluctuations in average occupancy and room rates; the attractiveness, type and location of the properties and changes in the relative popularity of commercial properties as an investment; the financial condition and resources of tenants, buyers and sellers of properties; increased mortgage defaults; the quality of maintenance, insurance and management services; changes in the availability of debt financing which may render the sale or refinancing of properties difficult or impracticable; changes in building, environmental and other laws and/or regulations (including those governing usage and improvements), fiscal policies and zoning laws; changes in real property tax rates; changes in interest rates and the availability of mortgage funds which may render the sale or refinancing of properties difficult or impracticable; changes in operating costs and expenses; energy and supply shortages; uninsured losses or delays from casualties or condemnation; negative developments in the economy that depress travel or leasing activity; environmental liabilities; contingent liabilities on disposition of assets; uninsured or uninsurable casualties; acts of God, including earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters; social unrest and civil disturbances, epidemics, pandemics or other public crises; terrorist attacks and war; risks and operating problems arising out of the presence of certain construction materials, structural or property level latent defects, work stoppages, shortages of labor, strikes, union relations and contracts, fluctuating prices and supply of labor and/or other labor-related factor; and other factors which are beyond the control of PIMCO and its affiliates.

In addition, the Fund’s investments will be subject to various risks which could cause fluctuations in occupancy, rental rates, operating income and expenses or which could render the sale or financing of its properties difficult or unattractive. For example, following the termination or expiration of a tenant’s lease, there may be a period of time before the Fund will begin receiving rental payments under a replacement lease. During that period, the Fund will continue to bear fixed expenses such as interest, real estate taxes, maintenance and other operating expenses. In addition, declining economic conditions may impair the Fund’s ability to attract replacement tenants and achieve rental rates equal to or greater than the rents paid under previous leases. Increased competition for tenants may require the Fund to make capital improvements to properties which would not have otherwise been planned. Ultimately, to the extent that the Fund is unable to renew leases or re-let space as leases expire, decreased cash flow from tenants will result, which could adversely impact the Fund’s operating results.

Real estate values have been historically cyclical. As the general economy grows, demand for real estate increases and occupancies and rents increase. As occupancies and rents increase, property values increase, and new development occurs. As development occurs, occupancies, rents and property values may decline. Because leases are usually entered into for long periods and development activities often require extended times to complete, the real estate value cycle often lags the general business cycle. Because of this cycle, real estate companies have historically often incurred large swings in their profits and the prices of their securities.

Private Real Estate Risk

Investments in private real estate include additional risks. For example, lease defaults, terminations by one or more tenants or landlord-tenant disputes may reduce the Fund’s revenues and net income. Any of these situations may result in extended periods during which there is a significant decline in revenues or no revenues generated by a property. If this occurred, it could adversely affect the Fund’s results of operations.

To the extent the Fund invests in real estate investments, the Fund’s financial position and its ability to make distributions may also be adversely affected by financial difficulties experienced by any major tenants, including bankruptcy, insolvency or a general downturn in the business, or in the event any major tenants do not renew or extend their relationship as their lease terms expire. A tenant in bankruptcy may be able to restrict the ability to collect unpaid rents or interest during the bankruptcy proceeding. Furthermore, dealing with a tenants’ bankruptcy or other default may divert management’s attention and cause the Fund to incur substantial legal and other costs.

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Investments in real estate will be pressured in challenging economic and rental market conditions. If the Fund is unable to re-let or renew leases for all or substantially all of the space at these properties, if the rental rates upon such renewal or re-letting are significantly lower than expected, or if the Fund’s reserves for these purposes prove inadequate, the Fund will experience a reduction in net income and may be required to reduce or eliminate cash distributions.

The Fund may obtain only limited warranties when it purchases an equity investment in private commercial real estate. The purchase of properties with limited warranties increases the risk that the Fund may lose some or all of its invested capital in the property, as well as the loss of rental income from that property if an issue should arise that decreases the value of that property and is not covered by the limited warranties. If any of these results occur, it may have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s business, financial condition and results of operations and the Fund’s ability to make distributions.

Investments in private real estate may be substantially less liquid than many other securities, such as common stocks or U.S. government securities.

Private real estate investment opportunities may not be available at times or prices that the Fund considers to be attractive. It may also be difficult to find suitable private real estate investments for the Fund. Accordingly, there may be a significant time between when the Fund commences investment operations and when the Fund has allocated its capital to private real estate investments, if at all.

REIT Risk

REITs are pooled investment vehicles that own, and usually operate, income-producing real estate. Some REITs also finance real estate. If a REIT meets certain requirements, including distributing to shareholders substantially all of its taxable income (other than net capital gains), then it is not taxed on the income distributed to shareholders. Therefore, REITs tend to pay higher dividends than other issuers.

REITs can be divided into three basic types: Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property. They derive their income primarily from rents received and any profits on the sale of their properties. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive most of their income from mortgage interest payments. As its name suggests, Hybrid REITs combine characteristics of both Equity REITs and Mortgage REITs.

An investment in a REIT, or in a real estate linked derivative instrument linked to the value of a REIT, is subject to the risks that impact the value of the underlying properties of the REIT. These risks include loss to casualty or condemnation, and changes in supply and demand, interest rates, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes and operating expenses. Other factors that may adversely affect REITs include poor performance by management of the REIT, changes to the tax laws, or failure by the REIT to qualify for tax-free distribution of income. REITs are also subject to default by borrowers and self-liquidation, and are heavily dependent on cash flow. Some REITs lack diversification because they invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property. Mortgage REITs may be impacted by the quality of the credit extended.

REIT Subsidiary Risk

The Fund may form REIT subsidiaries (“REIT Subsidiaries”), which are private real estate investment funds that may invest in certain real estate and real estate-related investments and that will elect to be taxed as REITs beginning with the first year in which they commence material operations. Investments in REIT Subsidiaries are subject to risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate. REIT Subsidiaries may be affected by changes in the real estate markets generally as well as changes in the values of any properties owned by the REIT Subsidiaries or securing any mortgages owned by the REIT Subsidiaries (which changes in value could be influenced by market conditions for real estate in general or fluctuations in the value of rights to natural resources appurtenant to the

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properties held by the REIT Subsidiaries). If a REIT Subsidiary’s underlying assets are highly exposed to properties used by a particular industry, it will be subject to risks associated with such industry. A REIT Subsidiary will not be diversified and will be subject to heavy cash flow dependency, possible lack of availability of financing, changes in interest rates, prepayment and defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, adverse economic conditions, adverse changes in tax laws, and the possibility of failing to maintain an exemption under the 1940 Act. Any rental income or income from the disposition of real estate could adversely affect the REIT Subsidiary’s ability to retain its tax status, which would have adverse tax consequences. See “REIT Subsidiary Risk—Tax Risk” below. Each REIT Subsidiary is subject to the risk that it will need to liquidate a holding at an economically inopportune time.

To the extent a REIT Subsidiary holds mortgages, it will be subject to the following risks: (1) during periods of declining interest rates, mortgagors may be inclined to prepay their mortgages, which prepayment may diminish the yield on securities issued by the REIT Subsidiary; and (2) when interest rates rise, the value of the REIT Subsidiary’s investment in fixed rate obligations can be expected to decline.

Each REIT Subsidiary may have limited diversification because it may invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property. Each REIT Subsidiary will not be traded on a national securities exchange and an investment therein is, therefore, generally less liquid. Each REIT Subsidiary may also be difficult to value.

Each REIT Subsidiary may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying real property, fluctuations in the demand for real estate, defaults by tenants, and decreases in market rates for rent. To the extent it invests in mortgages or otherwise derives income from the collection of interest payments, a REIT Subsidiary may be affected by the quality of credit extended, prepayments and defaults by borrowers, and changes in market interest rates, and may be more susceptible to interest rate risk (see “Principal Risks of the Fund—Interest Rate Risk” above).

Each REIT Subsidiary likely will depend on its ability to generate cash flow to make distributions to the Fund. The Fund’s investments in the REIT Subsidiary could cause the Fund to recognize income in excess of cash received from those securities and, as a result, the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities, including when it is not advantageous to do so, in order to make distributions. By investing in a REIT Subsidiary, the Fund is indirectly exposed to risks associated with the REIT Subsidiary’s investments. A REIT Subsidiary may invest in real estate and real estate-related investments through wholly-owned special purpose companies. Because each REIT Subsidiary will not be registered under the 1940 Act, the Fund, as an investor in a REIT Subsidiary, will not have the protections afforded to investors in registered investment companies. Changes in the laws of the United States, under which the Fund and its REIT Subsidiaries are organized, including the regulations under the Code, could result in the inability of the Fund and/or its REIT Subsidiaries to operate as described in this prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information, and could negatively affect the Fund and it shareholders. Ownership of and investment through REIT Subsidiaries by a closed-end management investment company is relatively novel investment strategy. Differences between the statutory and regulatory regimes applicable to a management investment company and a REIT present additional challenges and risks with regard to a REIT Subsidiary’s qualification as a REIT under the Code, which could result in a REIT Subsidiary and the Fund having additional tax liability, and reduce the Fund’s current income. See “Principal Risks of the Fund—Tax Risk.”

REIT Subsidiaries could default on their obligations or go bankrupt. A REIT Subsidiary will be solely responsible for its own obligations, including with respect to creditors. A REIT Subsidiary will be operated as a separate company and will observe its own corporate formalities (i.e., it will maintain its own separate books & records, and execute agreements in its own name and on its own behalf). Accordingly, creditors and other claimants may only look to the REIT Subsidiary and its assets for settlement of their claims against the REIT Subsidiary. Creditors and other claimants against a REIT Subsidiary will not have general recourse against the Fund. Each REIT Subsidiary is responsible for its own legal costs in defending against any such claims, but those legal costs may diminish its returns, and thus ultimately diminish returns to Fund shareholders. There is no guarantee that creditors and other claimants against any REIT Subsidiary will not try to reach the assets of the Fund, even where there is no legal basis for recourse to the Fund’s assets. The Fund intends to dispute any such claims, but to the extent it does so it may incur legal costs that will diminish its returns to shareholders.

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Each REIT Subsidiary may invest in securities of non-U.S. issuers, including those in emerging markets, thereby exposing the Fund to various risks that may not be applicable to U.S. securities. Each REIT Subsidiary may use derivatives for speculative or hedging purposes and non-hedging purposes (that is, to seek to increase total return). Each REIT Subsidiary is likely to incur leverage for investment or other purposes, which may increase its volatility. Each REIT Subsidiary may invest without limitation in restricted and illiquid investments and equity securities without limitation as to market capitalization, including micro-cap companies, the prices of which may be subject to erratic market movements.

Each REIT Subsidiary will elect to be taxed as a REIT beginning with the first year in which it commences material operations. A REIT is not subject to entity-level tax on the income and gain it distributes to shareholders. In order to qualify as a REIT under the Code, each REIT Subsidiary must satisfy a number of requirements on a continuing basis, including requirements regarding the composition of its assets, sources of its gross income, distributions and stockholder ownership. The Fund and the Investment Manager intend to structure each REIT Subsidiary and its activities in a manner designed to satisfy all of these requirements. However, the application of such requirements is not entirely clear, and it is possible that the IRS may interpret or apply those requirements in a manner that jeopardizes the ability of the REIT Subsidiaries to satisfy all of the requirements for qualification as a REIT.

Not more than 50% of the value of a REIT Subsidiary’s outstanding capital stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals or certain specified entities during the last half of any calendar year (the “50% Test”), and the REIT Subsidiary’s shares must be held by a minimum of 100 persons during at least 335 days in each taxable year subsequent to the first taxable year for which the REIT Subsidiary’s qualification as a REIT is effective (the “100-shareholder test”). For purposes of the 50% Test, each REIT Subsidiary will “look through” to the beneficial owners of the Fund’s shares. Accordingly, if five or fewer individuals or certain specified entities during the last half of any calendar year own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of a REIT Subsidiary’s shares through the Fund, then the REIT Subsidiary’s qualification as a REIT could be jeopardized. The provisions of the 1940 Act, such as those pertaining to a closed-end fund’s purchase of its own shares, do not allow the Fund to maintain the kind of shareholder ownership limitations that are commonly used by REITs to ensure compliance with the 50% Test. The Investment Manager may not have the information necessary for it to ascertain with certainty whether or not a REIT Subsidiary satisfies the 50% Test.

In order to meet the 100-shareholder test necessary to qualify as a REIT under the Code, each REIT Subsidiary will have approximately 100 to 125 preferred shareholders who will be “accredited investors” as defined in Regulation D of the 1933 Act and will be “qualified purchasers” for purposes of the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. The preferred shareholders will be unaffiliated with PIMCO, and private placement, administrative, distribution and reporting services with respect to the preferred shareholders will be provided by a third party firm. Each REIT Subsidiary’s preferred shareholders will have priority in the payment of dividends on their preferred shares at the established rate. As such, dividend payments to each REIT Subsidiary’s preferred shareholders, along with any other expenses of the REIT Subsidiary, may reduce the amount of income payable by the REIT Subsidiary to the Fund. Each REIT Subsidiary’s preferred shares are not convertible or mandatorily redeemable and any exercisable rights would generally only arise in an event of default.

Further, to obtain the favorable tax treatment afforded to REITs under the Code, among other things, each REIT Subsidiary generally will be required each year to distribute to its stockholders at least 90% of its REIT taxable income determined without regard to the dividends-paid deduction and excluding net capital gain. To the extent that it does not distribute all of its net capital gains, or distributes at least 90%, but less than 100%, of its REIT taxable income, as adjusted, it will have to pay a corporate level tax on amounts retained. Furthermore, if it fails to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of (a) 85% of its ordinary income for that year, (b) 95% of its capital gain net income for that year, and (c) any undistributed taxable income from prior periods, it would have to pay a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the excess of the amounts required to be distributed over the sum of (a) the amounts that it actually distributed and (b) the amounts it retained and upon which it paid income tax at the corporate level. These requirements could cause it to distribute amounts that otherwise would be spent on investments in real estate assets, and it is possible that a REIT Subsidiary might be required to borrow funds, possibly at unfavorable rates, or sell assets to fund the required distributions.

Even if a REIT Subsidiary qualifies for taxation as a REIT, it may be subject to certain U.S. federal, state and local taxes on its income and assets, including taxes on any undistributed income, taxes on income from some activities conducted as a result of a foreclosure, and state or local income, franchise, property and transfer taxes, including mortgage recording taxes. Dividends payable by a REIT Subsidiary to the Fund and, in turn, by the Fund to its shareholders, generally are not qualified dividends eligible for the reduced rates of tax.

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If a REIT Subsidiary fails to qualify as a REIT for any taxable year and it does not qualify for certain statutory relief provisions, it will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income at corporate rates. In addition, it will generally be disqualified from treatment as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year of losing its REIT status. Losing its REIT status will reduce its net earnings available for investment or distribution to stockholders because of the additional tax liability. In addition, distributions to stockholders will no longer qualify for the dividends paid deduction, and a REIT Subsidiary will no longer be required to make distributions. If this occurs, the REIT Subsidiary might be required to borrow funds or liquidate some investments in order to pay the applicable tax.

Real Estate Joint Venture Risks

The Fund or a REIT subsidiary may enter into real estate joint ventures with third parties to make investments. The Fund may also make investments in partnerships or other co-ownership arrangements or participations. Such investments may involve risks not otherwise present with other methods of investment, including, for instance, the following risks and conflicts of interest:

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In addition, disputes between the Fund and its real estate joint venture partners may result in litigation or arbitration that would increase the Fund’s expenses and prevent the Fund’s officers and trustees from focusing their time and efforts on the Fund’s business. Any of the above might subject the Fund to liabilities and thus reduce its returns on the investment with that real estate joint venture partner.

Recourse Financings Risk

In certain cases, financings for the Fund’s commercial real estate properties may be recourse to the Fund. Generally, commercial real estate financings are structured as non-recourse to the borrower, which limits a lender’s recourse to the property pledged as collateral for the loan, and not the other assets of the borrower or to any parent of borrower, in the event of a loan default. However, lenders customarily will require that a creditworthy parent entity enter into so-called “recourse carveout” guarantees to protect the lender against certain bad-faith or other intentional acts of the borrower in violation of the loan documents. A “bad boy” guarantee typically provides that the lender can recover losses from the guarantors for certain bad acts, such as fraud or intentional misrepresentation, intentional waste, willful misconduct, criminal acts, misappropriation of funds, voluntary incurrence of prohibited debt and environmental losses sustained by lender. In addition, “bad boy” guarantees typically provide that the loan will be a full personal recourse obligation of the guarantor, for certain actions, such as prohibited transfers of the collateral or changes of control and voluntary bankruptcy of the borrower. Financing arrangements with respect to the Fund’s investments could generally require “bad boy” guarantees from the Fund and/or certain of the Fund’s Subsidiaries, REIT subsidiaries and joint ventures, and in the event that such a guarantee is called, the Fund’s assets could be adversely affected. Moreover, the Fund’s “bad boy” guarantees could apply to actions of the joint venture partners associated with the Fund’s investments. While PIMCO expects to negotiate indemnities from such joint venture partners to protect against such risks, there remains the possibility that the acts of such joint venture partner could result in liability to the Fund under such guarantees. The Fund may provide “bad boy” guarantees on behalf of other funds, investment vehicles and accounts managed by the PIMCO or its affiliates investing alongside the Fund and as such guarantees are not for borrowed money, they will typically not be included under the Fund’s leverage limitations.

Valuation Risk

Certain securities in which the Fund invests may be less liquid and more difficult to value than other types of securities. When market quotations or pricing service prices are not readily available or are deemed to be unreliable, the Fund values its investments at fair value as determined in good faith pursuant to policies and procedures approved by the Board. Fair value pricing may require subjective determinations about the value of a security or other asset. As a result, there can be no assurance that fair value pricing will result in adjustments to the prices of securities or other assets or that fair value pricing will reflect actual market value, and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security or other asset will be materially different from quoted or published prices, from the prices used by others for the same security or other asset and/or from the value that actually could be or is realized upon the sale of that security or other asset.

Leverage Risk

The Fund’s use of leverage, if any, creates the opportunity for increased Common Share net income, but also creates special risks for Common Shareholders. To the extent used, there is no assurance that the Fund’s leveraging strategies will be successful. Leverage is a speculative technique that may expose the Fund to greater risk and increased costs. The Fund’s assets attributable to leverage, if any, will be invested in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies. Interest expense payable by the Fund with respect to derivatives and other forms of leverage, and dividends payable with respect to preferred shares outstanding, if any, will generally be based on shorter-term interest rates that would be periodically reset. So long as the Fund’s portfolio investments provide a higher rate of return (net of applicable Fund expenses) than the interest expenses and other costs to the Fund of such leverage, the investment of the proceeds thereof will generate more income than will be needed to pay the costs of the leverage. If so, and all other things being equal, the excess may be used to pay higher dividends to Common Shareholders than if the Fund were not so leveraged. If, however, shorter-term interest rates rise relative to the rate of return on the Fund’s portfolio, the interest and other costs to the Fund of leverage could exceed the rate of return on the debt obligations and other investments held by the Fund, thereby reducing return to Common Shareholders. In addition, fees and expenses of any form of leverage used by the Fund will be borne entirely by the Common

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Shareholders (and not by preferred shareholders, if any) and will reduce the investment return of the Common Shares. Therefore, there can be no assurance that the Fund’s use of leverage will result in a higher yield on the Common Shares, and it may result in losses. In addition, any preferred shares issued by the Fund are expected to pay cumulative dividends, which may tend to increase leverage risk. Leverage creates several major types of risks for Common Shareholders, including:

In addition, the counterparties to the Fund’s leveraging transactions and any preferred shareholders of the Fund will have priority of payment over the Fund’s Common Shareholders.

Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risks that the interest income earned on the investment of the proceeds will be less than the interest expense and Fund expenses associated with the repurchase agreement, that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the price at which the Fund is obligated to repurchase such securities and that the securities may not be returned to the Fund. There is no assurance that reverse repurchase agreements can be successfully employed. Dollar roll transactions involve the risk that the market value of the securities the Fund is required to purchase may decline below the agreed upon repurchase price of those securities. Successful use of dollar rolls may depend upon the Investment Manager’s ability to correctly predict interest rates and prepayments. There is no assurance that dollar rolls can be successfully employed. In connection with reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls, the Fund will also be subject to counterparty risk with respect to the purchaser of the securities. If the broker/dealer to whom the Fund sells securities becomes insolvent, the Fund’s right to purchase or repurchase securities may be restricted.

The Fund may engage in reverse repurchases, loans of portfolio securities, short sales and when-issued, delayed delivery and forward commitment transactions, credit default swaps, basis swaps and other swap agreements, purchases or sales of futures and forward contracts (including foreign currency exchange contracts), call and put options or other derivatives. The Fund’s use of such transactions gives rise to associated leverage risks described above, and may adversely affect the Fund’s income, distributions and total returns to Common Shareholders. To the extent that any offsetting positions do not behave in relation to one another as expected, the Fund may perform as if it is leveraged through use of these derivative strategies.

Any reverse repurchases, loans of portfolio securities, short sales and when-issued, delayed delivery and forward commitment transactions, credit default swaps, basis swaps and other swap agreements, purchases or sales of futures and forward contracts (including foreign currency exchange contracts), call and put options or other derivatives by the Fund or counterparties to the Fund’s other leveraging transactions, if any, would have seniority over the Fund’s Common Shares.

On October 28, 2020, the SEC adopted Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act providing for the regulation of a registered investment company’s use of derivatives and certain related instruments. Among other things, Rule 18f-4 limits a fund’s derivatives exposure through a value-at-risk test and requires the adoption and implementation of a derivatives risk management program for certain derivatives users. Subject to certain conditions, limited derivatives users (as defined in Rule 18f-4), however, would not be subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. In connection with the adoption of Rule 18f-4, the SEC also eliminated the asset segregation framework arising from prior SEC guidance for covering derivatives and certain financial instruments (accordingly, all disclosure in this registration statement regarding how the Fund will segregate, cover or earmark for derivative investments will be superseded by the requirements of Rule 18f-4 as of the date the Fund complies with such rule). Compliance with Rule 18f-4 will not be required until August 19, 2022. As the Fund comes into compliance, the Fund’s approach to asset segregation and coverage requirements described in this Prospectus will be impacted. In addition, Rule 18f-4 could restrict the Fund’s ability to engage in certain derivatives transactions and/or increase the costs of such derivatives transactions, which could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund and the Common Shares and/or the Fund’s distribution rate.

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Because the fees received by the Investment Manager may increase depending on the types of leverage utilized by the Fund, the Investment Manager has a financial incentive for the Fund to use certain forms of leverage, which may create a conflict of interest between the Investment Manager, on the one hand, and the Common Shareholders, on the other hand.

The Fund may also use leverage by mortgaging properties held by special purpose vehicles, or by acquiring property with existing debt. Property level debt would generally be incurred by operating entities held by the Fund or by joint ventures entered into by one of the Fund’s operating entities and secured by real estate owned by such operating entities. Such operating entities would solely own real estate assets and would borrow from a lender using the owned property as mortgage collateral. If an operating entity were to default on a loan, the lender’s recourse would be to the mortgaged property and the lender would typically not have a claim to other assets of the Fund or its subsidiaries. Any such borrowings will generally be the sole obligation of each respective special purpose vehicle, without any recourse to any other special purpose vehicle, Subsidiary, REIT Subsidiary, joint venture, the Fund or its assets, and the Fund will not treat such non-recourse borrowings as senior securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) for purposes of complying with the 1940 Act’s limitations on leverage unless the entity holding such debt is a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Fund and the financial statements of such entity is consolidated in the Fund’s financial statements.. If cash flow is insufficient to pay principal and interest on a special purpose vehicle’s borrowings, a default could occur, ultimately resulting in foreclosure of any security instrument securing the debt and a complete loss of the investment, which could result in losses to the Fund.

To the extent that any Subsidiary of the Fund directly incurs leverage in the form of debt or preferred shares and its financial statements are consolidated with those of the Fund, the amount of such leverage used by the Fund and such Subsidiaries will be consolidated and treated as senior securities for purposes of complying with the 1940 Act’s limitations on leverage by the Fund.

Regulation S Securities Risk

Regulation S securities are offered through private offerings without registration with the SEC pursuant to Regulation S of the Securities Act. Because Regulation S Securities are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale, Regulation S Securities may be considered illiquid. Furthermore, because Regulation S Securities are generally less liquid than registered securities, a Fund may take longer to liquidate these positions than would be the case for publicly traded securities. Although Regulation S securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the price realized from these sales could be less than those originally paid by the Fund. Further, companies whose securities are not publicly traded may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements that would be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. Accordingly, Regulation S securities may involve a high degree of business and financial risk and may result in substantial losses.

Segregation and Coverage Risk

Certain portfolio management techniques, such as, among other things, entering into reverse repurchase agreement transactions, swap agreements, futures contracts or other derivative transactions, purchasing securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis or engaging in short sales currently may be considered senior securities unless steps are taken to segregate the Fund’s assets or otherwise cover its obligations. To avoid having these instruments considered senior securities, the Fund may segregate liquid assets with a value equal (on a daily mark-to-market basis) to its obligations under these types of leveraged transactions, enter into offsetting transactions or otherwise cover such transactions. At times, all or a substantial portion of the Fund’s liquid assets may be segregated for purposes of various portfolio transactions. The Fund may be unable to use such segregated assets for certain other purposes, which could result in the Fund earning a lower return on its portfolio than it might otherwise earn if it did not have to segregate those assets in respect of, or otherwise cover, such portfolio positions. To the extent the Fund’s assets are segregated or committed as cover, it could limit the Fund’s investment flexibility. Segregating assets and covering positions will not limit or offset losses on related positions.

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See “The New SEC Derivatives Rule and Potential Implications for the Fund” in the Statement of Additional Information for a discussion of upcoming regulatory changes that will affect how the asset coverage tests described above are calculated.

Derivatives Risk

The use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. Derivatives are subject to a number of risks, such as liquidity risk (which may be heightened for highly-customized derivatives), interest rate risk, market risk, credit risk, leveraging risk, counterparty risk, tax risk and management risk, as well as risks arising from changes in applicable requirements. They also involve the risk of mispricing, the risk of unfavorable or ambiguous documentation and the risk that changes in the value of a derivative instrument may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, rate or index. If the Fund invests in a derivative instrument, the Fund could lose more than the initial amount invested and derivatives may increase the volatility of the Fund, especially in unusual or extreme market conditions. Also, suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances and there can be no assurance that the Fund will engage in these transactions to reduce exposure to other risks when that would be beneficial or that, if used, such strategies will be successful. The Fund’s use of derivatives may increase or accelerate the amount of taxes payable by Common Shareholders.

Over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivatives are also subject to the risk that a counterparty to the transaction will not fulfill its contractual obligations to the other party, as many of the protections afforded to centrally-cleared derivative transactions might not be available for OTC derivative transactions. For derivatives traded on an exchange or through a central counterparty, credit risk resides with the Fund’s clearing broker, or the clearinghouse itself, rather than with a counterparty in an OTC derivative transaction. The primary credit risk on derivatives that are exchange-traded or traded through a central clearing counterparty resides with the Fund’s clearing broker or the clearinghouse itself.

Participation in the markets for derivative instruments involves investment risks and transaction costs to which the Fund may not be subject absent the use of these strategies. The skills needed to successfully execute derivative strategies may be different from those needed for other types of transactions. If the Fund incorrectly forecasts the value and/or creditworthiness of securities, currencies, interest rates, counterparties or other economic factors involved in a derivative transaction, the Fund might have been in a better position if the Fund had not entered into such derivative transaction. In evaluating the risks and contractual obligations associated with particular derivative instruments, it is important to consider that certain derivative transactions may be modified or terminated only by mutual consent of the Fund and its counterparty. Therefore, it may not be possible for the Fund to modify, terminate, or offset the Fund’s obligations or the Fund’s exposure to the risks associated with a derivative transaction prior to its scheduled termination or maturity date, which may create a possibility of increased volatility and/or decreased liquidity to the Fund.

Because the markets for certain derivative instruments (including markets located in foreign countries) are relatively new and still developing, appropriate derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances for risk management or other purposes. Upon the expiration of a particular contract, the Fund may wish to retain the Fund’s position in the derivative instrument by entering into a similar contract, but may be unable to do so if the counterparty to the original contract is unwilling to enter into the new contract and no other appropriate counterparty can be found. When such markets are unavailable, the Fund will be subject to increased liquidity and investment risk.

The Fund may enter into opposite sides of interest rate swap and other derivatives for the principal purpose of generating distributable gains on the one side (characterized as ordinary income for tax purposes) that are not part of the Fund’s duration or yield curve management strategies (“paired swap transactions”), and with a substantial possibility that the Fund will experience a corresponding capital loss and decline in NAV with respect to the opposite side transaction (to the extent it does not have corresponding offsetting capital gains). Consequently, Common Shareholders may receive distributions and owe tax on amounts that are effectively a taxable return of the shareholder’s investment in the Fund, at a time when their investment in the Fund has declined in value, which tax may be at ordinary income rates. The tax treatment of certain derivatives in which the Fund invests may be unclear and thus subject to recharacterization. Any recharacterization of payments made or received by the Fund pursuant to derivatives potentially could affect the amount, timing or character of Fund distributions. In addition, the tax treatment of such investment strategies may be changed by regulation or otherwise.

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When a derivative is used as a hedge against a position that the Fund holds, any loss generated by the derivative generally should be substantially offset by gains on the hedged investment, and vice versa. Although hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains. Hedges are sometimes subject to imperfect matching between the derivative and the underlying instrument, and there can be no assurance that the Fund’s hedging transactions will be effective. In such case, the Fund may lose money.

The regulation of the derivatives markets has increased over the past several years, and additional future regulation of the derivatives markets may make derivatives more costly, may limit the availability or reduce the liquidity of derivatives, or may otherwise adversely affect the value or performance of derivatives. Any such adverse future developments could impair the effectiveness or raise the costs of the Fund’s derivative transactions, impede the employment of the Fund’s derivatives strategies, or adversely affect the Fund’s performance and cause the Fund to lose value. For instance, on October 28, 2020, the SEC adopted Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act providing for the regulation of a registered investment company’s use of derivatives and certain related instruments. Among other things, Rule 18f-4 limits a fund’s derivatives exposure through a value-at-risk test and requires the adoption and implementation of a derivatives risk management program for certain derivatives users. Subject to certain conditions, limited derivatives users (as defined in Rule 18f-4), however, would not be subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. In connection with the adoption of Rule 18f-4, the SEC also eliminated the asset segregation framework arising from prior SEC guidance for covering derivatives and certain financial instruments (accordingly, all disclosure in this registration statement regarding how the Fund will segregate, cover or earmark for derivative investments will be superseded by the requirements of Rule 18f-4 as of the date the Fund complies with such rule). Compliance with Rule 18f-4 will not be required until August 19, 2022. As the Fund comes into compliance, the Fund’s approach to asset segregation and coverage requirements will be impacted. In addition, Rule 18f-4 could restrict the Fund’s ability to engage in certain derivatives transactions and/or increase the costs of such derivatives transactions, which could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund and the Common Shares and/or the Fund’s distribution rate.

Credit Default Swaps Risk

Credit default swap agreements may involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk and credit risk. A buyer generally also will lose its investment and recover nothing should no credit event occur and the swap is held to its termination date. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the seller (if any), coupled with the upfront or periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the seller. When the Fund acts as a seller of a credit default swap, it is exposed to many of the same risks of leverage described herein since if an event of default occurs, the seller must pay the buyer the full notional value of the reference obligation.

Although the Fund may seek to realize gains by selling credit default swaps that increase in value, to realize gains on selling credit default swaps, an active secondary market for such instruments must exist or the Fund must otherwise be able to close out these transactions at advantageous times. In addition to the risk of losses described above, if no such secondary market exists or the Fund is otherwise unable to close out these transactions at advantageous times, selling credit default swaps may not be profitable for the Fund.

The market for credit default swaps has become more volatile as the creditworthiness of certain counterparties has been questioned and/or downgraded. The Fund will be subject to credit risk with respect to the counterparties to the credit default swap contract (whether a clearing corporation or another third party). If a counterparty’s credit becomes significantly impaired, multiple requests for collateral posting in a short period of time could increase the risk that the Fund may not receive adequate collateral. The Fund may exit its obligations under a credit default swap only by terminating the contract and paying applicable breakage fees, or by entering into an offsetting credit default swap position, which may cause the Fund to incur more losses.

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Counterparty Risk

The Fund will be subject to credit risk with respect to the counterparties to the derivative contracts and other instruments entered into by the Fund or held by special purpose or structured vehicles in which the Fund invests. In the event that the Fund enters into a derivative transaction with a counterparty that subsequently becomes insolvent or becomes the subject of a bankruptcy case, the derivative transaction may be terminated in accordance with its terms and the Fund’s ability to realize its rights under the derivative instrument and its ability to distribute the proceeds could be adversely affected. If a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under a derivative contract due to financial difficulties, the Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery (including recovery of any collateral it has provided to the counterparty) in a dissolution, assignment for the benefit of creditors, liquidation, winding-up, bankruptcy or other analogous proceeding. In addition, in the event of the insolvency of a counterparty to a derivative transaction, the derivative transaction would typically be terminated at its fair market value. If the Fund is owed this fair market value in the termination of the derivative transaction and its claim is unsecured, the Fund will be treated as a general creditor of such counterparty and will not have any claim with respect to any underlying security or asset. The Fund may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances. While the Fund may seek to manage its counterparty risk by transacting with a number of counterparties, concerns about the solvency of, or a default by, one large market participant could lead to significant impairment of liquidity and other adverse consequences for other counterparties.

Equity Securities and Related Market Risk

The market price of common stocks and other equity securities may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Equity securities may decline in value due to factors affecting equity securities markets generally, particular industries represented in those markets, or the issuer itself. The values of equity securities may decline due to real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, adverse changes to credit markets or adverse investor sentiment generally. They may also decline due to labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. Equity securities generally have greater price volatility than bonds and other debt securities.

Different types of equity securities provide different voting and dividend rights and priority in the event of the bankruptcy and/or insolvency of the issuer. In addition to common stock, equity securities may include preferred securities, convertible securities and warrants. Equity securities other than common stock are subject to many of the same risks as common stock, although possibly to different degrees. The risks of equity securities are generally magnified in the case of equity investments in distressed companies.

Preferred Securities Risk

In addition to equity securities risk, credit risk and possibly high yield risk, investment in preferred securities involves certain other risks. Certain preferred securities contain provisions that allow an issuer under certain conditions to skip or defer distributions. If the Fund owns a preferred security that is deferring its distribution, the Fund may be required to include the amount of the deferred distribution in its taxable income for tax purposes although it does not currently receive such amount in cash. In order to receive the special treatment accorded to regulated investment companies and their shareholders under the Code and to avoid U.S. federal income and/ or excise taxes at the Fund level, the Fund may be required to distribute this income to shareholders in the tax year in which the income is recognized (without a corresponding receipt of cash by the Fund). Therefore, the Fund may be required to pay out as an income distribution in any such tax year an amount greater than the total amount of cash income the Fund actually received and to sell portfolio securities, including at potentially disadvantageous times or prices, to obtain cash needed for these income distributions. Preferred securities often are subject to legal provisions that allow for redemption in the event of certain tax or legal changes or at the issuer’s call. In the event of redemption, the Fund may not be able to reinvest the proceeds at comparable rates of return. Preferred securities are subordinated to bonds and other debt securities in an issuer’s capital structure in terms of priority for corporate income and liquidation payments, and therefore will be subject to greater credit risk than those debt securities. Preferred securities may trade less frequently and in a more limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than many other securities.

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Private Placements and Restricted Securities Risk

A private placement involves the sale of securities that have not been registered under the Securities Act or relevant provisions of applicable non-U.S. law to certain institutional and qualified individual purchasers, such as the Fund. In addition to the general risks to which all securities are subject, securities received in a private placement generally are subject to strict restrictions on resale, and there may be no liquid secondary market or ready purchaser for such securities. Therefore, the Fund may be unable to dispose of such securities when it desires to do so, or at the most favorable time or price. Private placements may also raise valuation risks. Restricted securities are often purchased at a discount from the market price of unrestricted securities of the same issuer reflecting the fact that such securities may not be readily marketable without some time delay. Such securities are often more difficult to value and the sale of such securities often requires more time and results in higher brokerage charges or dealer discounts and other selling expenses than does the sale of liquid securities trading on national securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter markets. Until the Fund can sell such securities into the public markets, its holdings will be less liquid and any sales will need to be made pursuant to an exemption under the Securities Act.

Confidential Information Access Risk

In managing the Fund (and other PIMCO clients), PIMCO may from time to time have the opportunity to receive Confidential Information about the issuers of certain investments, including, without limitation, senior floating rate loans, other loans and related investments being considered for acquisition by the Fund or held in the Fund’s portfolio. For example, an issuer of privately placed loans considered by the Fund may offer to provide PIMCO with financial information and related documentation regarding the issuer that is not publicly available. Pursuant to applicable policies and procedures, PIMCO may (but is not required to) seek to avoid receipt of Confidential Information from the issuer so as to avoid possible restrictions on its ability to purchase and sell investments on behalf of the Fund and other clients to which such Confidential Information relates. In such circumstances, the Fund (and other PIMCO clients) may be disadvantaged in comparison to other investors, including with respect to the price the Fund pays or receives when it buys or sells an investment. Further, PIMCO’s and the Fund’s abilities to assess the desirability of proposed consents, waivers or amendments with respect to certain investments may be compromised if they are not privy to available Confidential Information. PIMCO may also determine to receive such Confidential Information in certain circumstances under its applicable policies and procedures. If PIMCO intentionally or unintentionally comes into possession of Confidential Information, it may be unable, potentially for a substantial period of time, to purchase or sell investments to which such Confidential Information relates.

Inflation/Deflation Risk

Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from the Fund’s investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of payments at future dates. As inflation increases, the real value of the Fund’s portfolio could decline. Deflation risk is the risk that prices throughout the economy decline over time. Deflation may have an adverse effect on the creditworthiness of issuers and may make issuer default more likely, which may result in a decline in the value of the Fund’s portfolio and Common Shares.

Regulatory Changes Risk

Financial entities, such as investment companies and investment advisers, are generally subject to extensive government regulation and intervention. Government regulation and/or intervention may change the way the Fund is regulated, affect the expenses incurred directly by the Fund and the value of its investments, and limit and/or preclude the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. Government regulation may change frequently and may have significant adverse consequences. The Fund and the Investment Manager have historically been eligible for exemptions from certain regulations. However, there is no assurance that the Fund and the Investment Manager will continue to be eligible for such exemptions. Actions by governmental entities may also impact certain instruments in which the Fund invests.

Moreover, government regulation may have unpredictable and unintended effects. Legislative or regulatory actions to address perceived liquidity or other issues in fixed income markets generally, or in particular markets such as the municipal securities market, may alter or impair the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment objectives or utilize certain investment strategies and techniques.

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Current rules related to credit risk retention requirements for asset-backed securities may increase the cost to originators, securitizers and, in certain cases, asset managers of SPEs in which the Fund may invest. The impact of the risk retention rules on the securitization markets is uncertain. These requirements may increase the costs to originators, securitizers, and, in certain cases, collateral managers of SPEs in which the Fund may invest, which costs could be passed along to the Fund as an investor in such vehicles. In addition, the costs imposed by the risk retention rules on originators, securitizers and/or collateral managers may result in a reduction of the number of new offerings of asset-backed securities and thus in fewer investment opportunities for the Fund. A reduction in the number of new securitizations could also reduce liquidity in the markets for certain types of financial assets, which in turn could negatively affect the returns on the Fund’s investment.

Regulatory Risk—LIBOR

The Fund’s investments (including, but not limited to, repurchase agreements, collateralized loan obligations and mortgage-backed securities), payment obligations and financing terms may rely in some fashion on the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). LIBOR is an average interest rate, determined by the ICE Benchmark Administration, that banks charge one another for the use of short-term money. The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), which regulates LIBOR, has announced plans to phase out the use of LIBOR by the end of 2021. On July 27, 2017, the Chief Executive of the FCA announced that after 2021 it will cease its active encouragement of banks to provide the quotations needed to sustain LIBOR due to the absence of an active market for interbank unsecured lending and other reasons. On March 5, 2021, the ICE Benchmark Administration (“IBA”), the administrator of LIBOR, announced that it will cease publication of many of its LIBOR settings after December 31, 2021, and that it will cease publication of certain commonly used tenors of U.S. dollar LIBOR after June 30, 2023. While the FCA may consult on the issue of requiring the IBA to produce certain LIBOR tenors on a synthetic basis, it has announced that all 35 LIBOR settings will either cease to be provided by any administrator or will no longer be representative as of the dates published by the IBA. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation have issued guidance encouraging market participants to adopt alternatives to LIBOR in new contracts as soon as practicable and no later than December 31, 2021. Although the transition process away from LIBOR has become increasingly well-defined in advance of the anticipated discontinuation date, there remains uncertainty regarding the future utilization of LIBOR and the nature of any replacement rate (e.g., the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, which is intended to replace U.S. dollar LIBOR and measures the cost of overnight borrowings through repurchase agreement transactions collateralized with U.S. Treasury securities). Any potential effects of the transition away from LIBOR on the Fund or on certain instruments in which the Fund invests can be difficult to ascertain, and they may vary depending on factors that include, but are not limited to: (i) existing fallback or termination provisions in individual contracts and (ii) whether, how, and when industry participants develop and adopt new reference rates and fallbacks for both legacy and new products and instruments. For example, certain of the Fund’s investments may involve individual contracts that have no existing fallback provision or language that contemplates the discontinuation of LIBOR, and those investments could experience increased volatility or illiquidity as a result of the transition process. In addition, interest rate provisions included in such contracts, or in contracts or other arrangements entered into by the Fund, may need to be renegotiated. The transition may also result in a reduction in the value of certain instruments held by the Fund, a change in the cost of borrowing or the dividend rate for any preferred shares that may be issued by the Fund, or a reduction in the effectiveness of related Fund transactions such as hedges. Any such effects of the transition away from LIBOR, as well as other unforeseen effects, could result in losses to the Fund.

Regulatory Risk—Commodity Pool Operator

The CFTC has adopted regulations that subject registered investment companies and their investment advisers to regulation by the CFTC if the registered investment company invests more than a prescribed level of its liquidation value in futures, options on futures or commodities, swaps, or other financial instruments regulated under the CEA and the rules thereunder (“commodity interests”), or if the Fund markets itself as providing investment exposure to such instruments. The Investment Manager is registered with the CFTC as a CPO. However, with respect to the Fund, the Investment Manager has claimed an exclusion from registration as a CPO pursuant to CFTC Rule 4.5. For the Investment Manager to remain eligible for this exclusion, the Fund must comply with certain limitations, including limits on its ability to use any commodity interests and limits on the manner in which the Fund holds out its use of such commodity interests. These limitations may restrict the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment objectives and strategies, increase the costs of implementing its strategies, result in higher expenses for the Fund, and/or adversely affect the Fund’s total return. To the extent the Fund becomes ineligible for this exclusion from CFTC regulation, the Fund may consider steps in order to continue to qualify for exemption from CFTC regulation, or may determine to operate subject to CFTC regulation.

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Liquidity Risk

Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to purchase or sell. Illiquid investments are investments that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. Illiquid investments may become harder to value, especially in changing markets. The Fund’s investments in illiquid securities may reduce the returns of the Fund because it may be unable to sell the illiquid investments at an advantageous time or price or possibly require the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations, which could prevent the Fund from taking advantage of other investment opportunities. Additionally, the market for certain investments may become illiquid under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer. Bond markets have consistently grown over the past three decades while the capacity for traditional dealer counterparties to engage in fixed income trading has not kept pace and in some cases has decreased. As a result, dealer inventories of corporate bonds, which provide a core indication of the ability of financial intermediaries to “make markets,” are at or near historic lows in relation to market size. Because market makers seek to provide stability to a market through their intermediary services, the significant reduction in dealer inventories could potentially lead to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the fixed income markets. Such issues may be exacerbated during periods of economic uncertainty. In such cases, the Fund, due to limitations on investments in illiquid investments and the difficulty in purchasing and selling such securities or instruments, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain sector.

Many of the Fund’s real estate investments, if any, would be expected to be less liquid. In addition, the Code also places limits on the Fund’s ability to sell certain properties held by a REIT subsidiary. Accordingly, the Fund may have heightened exposure to liquidity risk to the extent it holds these investments. Fixed income securities with longer durations until maturity face heightened levels of liquidity risk as compared to fixed income securities with shorter durations until maturity. The risks associated with illiquid instruments may be particularly acute in situations in which the Fund’s operations require cash (such as in connection with repurchase offers) and could result in the Fund borrowing to meet its short-term needs or incurring losses on the sale of illiquid instruments. It may also be the case that other market participants may be attempting to liquidate fixed income holdings at the same time as the Fund, causing increased supply in the market and contributing to liquidity risk and downward pricing pressure.

The Alt Lending ABS in which the Fund invests are typically not listed on any securities exchange and not registered under the Securities Act. In addition, the Fund anticipates that these instruments may only be sold to a limited number of investors and may have a limited or non-existent secondary market. Accordingly, the Fund currently expects that certain of its investments in Alt Lending ABS will face heightened levels of liquidity risk. Although currently, there is generally no active reliable, secondary market for certain Alt Lending ABS, a secondary market for these alternative lending-related instruments may develop.

Tax Risk

The Fund intends to elect to be treated as a “regulated investment company” (a “RIC”) under the Code and intends each year to qualify and be eligible to be treated as such, so that it generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its net investment income or net short-term or long-term capital gains, that are distributed (or deemed distributed, as described below) to shareholders. In order to qualify and be eligible for such treatment, the Fund must meet certain asset diversification tests, derive at least 90% of its gross income for such year from certain types of qualifying income, and distribute to its shareholders at least 90% of its “investment company taxable income” as that term is defined in the Code (which includes, among other things, dividends, taxable interest and the excess of any net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses, as reduced by certain deductible expenses).

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The Fund’s investment strategy will potentially be limited by its intention to qualify for treatment as a RIC, and can limit the Fund’s ability to qualify as such. The tax treatment of certain of the Fund’s investments under one or more of the qualification or distribution tests applicable to RICs is uncertain. An adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS or a change in law might affect the Fund’s ability to qualify or be eligible for treatment as a RIC.

If, in any year, the Fund were to fail to qualify for treatment as a RIC under the Code, and were ineligible to or did not otherwise cure such failure, the Fund would be subject to tax on its taxable income at corporate rates and, when such income is distributed, shareholders would be subject to a further tax to the extent of the Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits.

Subsidiary Risk

To the extent the Fund invests through one or more of its Subsidiaries, the Fund would be exposed to the risks associated with such Subsidiary’s investments. Such Subsidiaries would likely not be registered as investment companies under the 1940 Act and therefore would not be subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the jurisdiction in which a Subsidiary is organized could result in the inability of the Fund and/or the Subsidiary to operate as intended and could adversely affect the Fund.

Non-Diversification Risk

The Fund is “non-diversified,” which means that the Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in the securities of a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund. Focusing investments in a small number of issuers increases risk. A fund that invests in a relatively smaller number of issuers is more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence than a diversified fund might be. Some of those issuers also may present substantial credit or other risks. Similarly, the Fund may be subject to increased economic, business or political risk to the extent that it invests a substantial portion of its assets in a particular currency, in a group of related industries, in a particular issuer, in the bonds of similar projects or in a narrowly defined geographic area outside the U.S. Notwithstanding the Fund’s status as a “non-diversified” investment company under the 1940 Act, the Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company accorded special tax treatment under the Code, which imposes its own diversification requirements.

Portfolio Turnover Risk

The Investment Manager will manage the Fund without regard generally to restrictions on portfolio turnover. The use of futures contracts and other derivative instruments with relatively short maturities may tend to exaggerate the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund. Trading in fixed income securities does not generally involve the payment of brokerage commissions, but does involve indirect transaction costs. The use of futures contracts and other derivative instruments may involve the payment of commissions to futures commission merchants or other intermediaries. Higher portfolio turnover involves correspondingly greater expenses to the Fund, including brokerage commissions or dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestments in other securities. The higher the rate of portfolio turnover of the Fund, the higher these transaction costs borne by the Fund generally will be. Such sales may result in realization of taxable capital gains (including short-term capital gains, which are generally taxed to shareholders at ordinary income tax rates when distributed net of short-term capital losses and net long-term capital losses), and may adversely impact the Fund’s after-tax returns.

Operational Risk

An investment in the Fund, like any fund, can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in personnel and errors caused by third-party service providers. The occurrence of any of these failures, errors or breaches could result in a loss of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund. While the Fund seeks to minimize such events through controls and oversight, there may still be failures that could cause losses to the Fund.

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Other Investment Companies Risk

When investing in an investment company, the Fund will bear its ratable share of that investment company’s expenses and would remain subject to payment of the Fund’s management fees and other expenses with respect to assets so invested. Common Shareholders would therefore be subject to duplicative expenses to the extent the Fund invests in other investment companies. In addition, the securities of other investment companies may also be leveraged and will therefore be subject to same leverage risks.

Cybersecurity Risk

As the use of technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the Fund has become potentially more susceptible to operational and information security risks resulting from breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional cyber events that may, among other things, cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption and/or destruction, lose operational capacity, result in the unauthorized release or other misuse of confidential information, or otherwise disrupt normal business operations. Cyber security breaches may involve unauthorized access to the Fund’s digital information systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding), but may also result from outside attacks such as denial-of-service attacks (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). In addition, cyber security breaches involving the Fund’s third party service providers (including but not limited to advisers, administrators, transfer agents, custodians, distributors and other third parties), trading counterparties or issuers in which the Fund invests can also subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. Moreover, cyber security breaches involving trading counterparties or issuers in which the Fund invests could adversely impact such counterparties or issuers and cause the Fund’s investments to lose value.

Cyber security failures or breaches may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. These failures or breaches may also result in disruptions to business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses; interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, process shareholder transactions or otherwise transact business with shareholders; impediments to trading; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines; penalties; reputational damage; reimbursement or other compensation costs; additional compliance and cyber security risk management costs and other adverse consequences. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in an attempt to prevent any cyber incidents in the future.

Like with operational risk in general, the Fund has established risk management systems and business continuity plans designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security. However, there are inherent limitations in these plans and systems, including that certain risks may not have been identified, in large part because different or unknown threats may emerge in the future. As such, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially because the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of issuers in which the Fund may invest, trading counterparties or third party service providers to the Fund.

There is also a risk that cyber security breaches may not be detected. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

Potential Conflicts of Interest Risk—Allocation of Investment Opportunities

The Investment Manager and its affiliates are involved worldwide with a broad spectrum of financial services and asset management activities and may engage in the ordinary course of business in activities in which their interests or the interests of their clients may conflict with those of the Fund. The Investment Manager may provide investment management services to other funds and discretionary managed accounts that follow an investment program similar to that of the Fund. Subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Investment Manager intends to engage in such activities and may receive compensation from third parties for its services. The results of the Fund’s investment activities may differ from those of other accounts managed by the Investment Manager or its affiliates, and it is possible that the Fund could sustain losses during periods in which one or more other accounts managed by the Investment Manager or its affiliates, including proprietary accounts, achieve profits on their trading. The Investment Manager and its affiliates have adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to allocate investment opportunities on a fair and equitable basis over time.

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Repurchase Agreements Risk

The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements, in which the Fund purchases a security from a bank or broker-dealer, which agrees to repurchase the security at the Fund’s cost plus interest within a specified time. If the party agreeing to repurchase should default, the Fund would seek to sell the securities which it holds. This could involve procedural costs or delays in addition to a loss on the securities if their value should fall below their repurchase price. Repurchase agreements may be or become illiquid. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund.

Structured Investments Risk

Holders of structured products, including structured notes, credit-linked notes and other types of structured products, bear the risks of the underlying investments, index or reference obligation and are subject to counterparty risk. The Fund may have the right to receive payments only from the structured product, and generally does not have direct rights against the issuer or the entity that sold the assets to be securitized. While certain structured products enable the investor to acquire interests in a pool of securities without the brokerage and other expenses associated with directly holding the same securities, investors in structured products generally pay their share of the structured product’s administrative and other expenses. Although it is difficult to predict whether the prices of indices and securities underlying structured products will rise or fall, these prices (and, therefore, the prices of structured products) are generally influenced by the same types of political and economic events that affect issuers of securities and capital markets generally. If the issuer of a structured product uses shorter term financing to purchase longer term securities, the issuer may be forced to sell its securities at below market prices if it experiences difficulty in obtaining such financing, which may adversely affect the value of the structured products owned by the Fund. Structured products generally entail risks associated with derivative instruments.

Collateralized Loan Obligations Risk

CLOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses. The cash flows from a CLO trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the equity tranche which generally bears losses in connection with the first defaults, if any, on the bonds or loans in the trust. A senior tranche from a CLO trust typically has higher credit ratings and lower yields than the underlying securities. CLO tranches, even senior ones, can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults and aversion to CLO securities. The risks of an investment in a CLO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class/tranche of the CLO in which the Fund invests. Normally, CLOs are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws. Investments in CLOs may be or become illiquid. In addition to the normal risks associated with debt instruments (e.g., interest rate risk and credit risk), CLOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from the collateral will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the risk that the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the risk that the Fund may invest in CBOs, CLOs or other CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the risk that the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or others and may produce unexpected investment results.

Market Disruptions Risk

The Fund is subject to investment and operational risks associated with financial, economic and other global market developments and disruptions, including those arising from war, terrorism, market manipulation, government interventions, defaults and shutdowns, political changes or diplomatic developments, public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics and epidemics) and natural/environmental disasters, which can all negatively impact the securities markets, interest rates, secondary trading, ratings, credit risk, inflation, deflation, other factors relating to the Fund’s investments or the Investment Manager’s operations and the value of an investment in the Fund, its distributions and its returns. These events can also impair the technology and other operational systems upon which the Fund’s service providers, including PIMCO as the Fund’s investment adviser, rely, and could otherwise disrupt the Fund’s service providers’ ability to fulfill their obligations to the Fund.

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The U.S. Federal Reserve has made emergency interest-rate cuts, moving short-term rates to near zero, issued forward guidance that rates will remain low until the economy weathers the COVID-19 crisis, and resumed quantitative easing. Additionally, Congress has approved stimulus to offset the severity and duration the adverse economic effects of COVID-19 and related disruptions in economic and business activity. Dozens of central banks across Europe, Asia, and elsewhere have announced and/or adopted similar economic relief packages. The introduction and adoption of these packages could cause market disruptions and volatility. In addition, the end of any such program could cause market downturns, disruptions and volatility, particularly if markets view the ending as premature.

Focused Investment Risk

To the extent that the Fund focuses its investments in a particular sector, it may be susceptible to loss due to adverse developments affecting that sector, including (but not limited to): governmental regulation; inflation; rising interest rates; cost increases in raw materials, fuel and other operating expenses; technological innovations that may render existing products and equipment obsolete; competition from new entrants; high research and development costs; increased costs associated with compliance with environmental or other governmental regulations; and other economic, business or political developments specific to that sector. Furthermore, the Fund may invest a substantial portion of its assets in companies in related sectors that may share common characteristics, are often subject to similar business risks and regulatory burdens, and whose securities may react similarly to the types of developments described above, which will subject the Fund to greater risk. The Fund also will be subject to focused investment risk to the extent that it invests a substantial portion of its assets in a particular issuer, market, asset class, country or geographic region.

Zero-Coupon Bond, Step-Ups and Payment-in-Kind Securities Risk

The market prices of zero-coupon, step-ups and payment-in-kind securities are generally are more volatile than the prices of securities that pay interest periodically and in cash, and are likely to respond to changes in interest rates to a greater degree than other types of debt securities with similar maturities and credit quality. Because zero-coupon securities bear no interest, their prices are especially volatile. And because zero-coupon bondholders do not receive interest payments, the prices of zero-coupon securities generally fall more dramatically than those of bonds that pay interest on a current basis when interest rates rise. The market for zero-coupon and payment-in-kind securities may suffer decreased liquidity. In addition, as these securities may not pay cash interest, the Fund’s investment exposure to these securities and their risks, including credit risk, will increase during the time these securities are held in the Fund’s portfolio. Further, to maintain its qualification for treatment as a RIC and to avoid Fund-level U.S. federal income and/or excise taxes, the Fund is required to distribute to its shareholders any income it is deemed to have received in respect of such investments, and the value of paid-in-kind interest, notwithstanding that cash has not been received currently. Consequently, the Fund may have to dispose of portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances to generate the cash, or may have to leverage itself by borrowing the cash to satisfy this distribution requirement. The required distributions, if any, would result in an increase in the Fund’s exposure to these securities. Zero coupon bonds, step-ups and payment-in-kind securities allow an issuer to avoid or delay the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments and, as a result, may involve greater credit risk than bonds that pay interest currently or in cash. The Fund would be required to distribute the income on these instruments as it accrues, even though the Fund will not receive the income on a current basis or in cash. Thus, the Fund may sell other investments, including when it may not be advisable to do so, to make income distributions to its shareholders.

Debt Securities Risk

Debt securities are generally subject to the risks described below and further herein:

Issuer risk. The value of debt securities may decline for a number of reasons that directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage, reduced demand for the issuer’s goods and services, historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of the assets of the issuer. A change in the financial condition of a single issuer may affect securities markets as a whole. These risks can apply to the Common Shares issued by the Fund and to the issuers of securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests.

Interest rate risk. The market value of debt securities changes in response to interest rate changes and other factors. Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of debt securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise, which would be reflected in the Fund’s NAV. The Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply in a manner not anticipated by the Fund’s management. Moreover, because rates on certain floating rate debt securities typically reset only periodically, changes in prevailing interest rates (and particularly sudden and significant changes) can be expected to cause some fluctuations in the NAV of the Fund to the extent that it invests in floating rate debt securities.

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Prepayment risk. During periods of declining interest rates, borrowers may prepay principal. This may force the Fund to reinvest in lower yielding securities, resulting in a possible decline in the Fund’s income and distributions.

Credit risk. Credit risk is the risk that one or more debt securities in the Fund’s portfolio will decline in price or fail to pay interest or principal when due because the issuer of the security experiences a decline in its financial status. Credit risk is increased when a portfolio security is downgraded or the perceived creditworthiness of the issuer deteriorates.

Reinvestment risk. Reinvestment risk is the risk that income from the Fund’s portfolio will decline if the Fund invests the proceeds from matured, traded or called fixed income securities at market interest rates that are below the portfolio’s current earnings rate.

Duration and maturity risk. The Fund may seek to adjust the duration or maturity of its investments in debt securities based on its assessment of current and projected market conditions. The Fund may incur costs in seeking to adjust the average duration or maturity of its portfolio of debt securities. There can be no assurances that the Fund’s assessment of current and projected market conditions will be correct or that any strategy to adjust duration or maturity will be successful.

Sovereign Debt Risk

In addition to the other risks applicable to debt investments, sovereign debt (debt issued by a foreign government) may decline in value as a result of default or other adverse credit event resulting from an issuer’s inability or unwillingness to make principal or interest payments in a timely fashion. A sovereign entity’s failure to make timely payments on its debt can result from many factors, including, without limitation, insufficient foreign currency reserves or an inability to sufficiently manage fluctuations in relative currency valuations, an inability or unwillingness to satisfy the demands of creditors and/or relevant supranational entities regarding debt service or economic reforms, the size of the debt burden relative to economic output and tax revenues, cash flow difficulties, and other political and social considerations. The risk of loss to the Fund in the event of a sovereign debt default or other adverse credit event is heightened by the unlikelihood of any formal recourse or means to enforce its rights as a holder of the sovereign debt. In addition, sovereign debt restructurings, which may be shaped by entities and factors beyond the Fund’s control, may result in a loss in value of the Fund’s sovereign debt holdings.

Certain Affiliations

Certain broker-dealers may be considered to be affiliated persons of the Fund and/or the Investment Manager due to their possible affiliations with Allianz SE, the ultimate parent of the Investment Manager. Absent an exemption from the SEC or other regulatory relief, the Fund is generally precluded from effecting certain principal transactions with affiliated brokers, and its ability to purchase securities being underwritten by an affiliated broker or a syndicate including an affiliated broker, or to utilize affiliated brokers for agency transactions, is subject to restrictions. This could limit the Fund’s ability to engage in securities transactions and take advantage of market opportunities.

Anti-Takeover Provisions

The Declaration includes provisions that could limit the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or to convert the Fund to open-end status. See “Anti-Takeover and Other Provisions in the Declaration of Trust and Bylaws.” These provisions in the Declaration could have the effect of depriving the Common Shareholders of opportunities to sell their Common Shares at a premium over the then-current market price of the Common Shares or at NAV.

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Fund Distribution Rates

Although the Fund may seek to maintain level distributions, the Fund’s distribution rates may be affected by numerous factors, including but not limited to changes in realized and projected market returns, fluctuations in market interest rates, Fund performance, and other factors. There can be no assurance that a change in market conditions or other factors will not result in a change in the Fund’s distribution rate or that the rate will be sustainable in the future.

For instance, during periods of low or declining interest rates, the Fund’s distributable income and dividend levels may decline for many reasons. For example, the Fund may have to deploy uninvested assets (whether from purchases of Fund shares, proceeds from matured, traded or called debt obligations or other sources) in new, lower yielding instruments. Additionally, payments from certain instruments that may be held by the Fund (such as variable and floating rate securities) may be negatively impacted by declining interest rates, which may also lead to a decline in the Fund’s distributable income and dividend levels.

How the Fund Manages Risk

Investment Limitations

The investment restrictions set forth below are each a fundamental policy of the Fund that may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding Common Shares and, if issued, preferred shares voting together as a single class, and of the holders of a majority of any outstanding preferred shares voting as a separate class. The Fund may not:

See “Investment Objectives and Policies” and “Investment Restrictions” in the Statement of Additional Information for a complete list of the fundamental investment policies of the Fund.

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Management of Investment Portfolio and Capital Structure to Limit Leverage Risk

The Fund may take certain actions if short-term interest rates increase or market conditions otherwise change (or the Fund anticipates such an increase or change) and the Fund’s leverage begins (or is expected) to adversely affect Common Shareholders. In order to attempt to offset such a negative impact of leverage on Common Shareholders, the Fund may shorten the average maturity or duration of its investment portfolio (by investing in short-term, high quality securities or implementing certain hedging strategies). Should the Fund issue preferred shares, the Fund also may attempt to reduce leverage by redeeming or otherwise purchasing any preferred shares that may be outstanding or by reducing any holdings in other instruments that create leverage. As explained above under “Principal Risks of the Fund—Leverage Risk,” the success of any such attempt to limit leverage risk depends on PIMCO’s ability to accurately predict interest rate or other market changes. Because of the difficulty of making such predictions, the Fund may not be successful in managing its interest rate exposure in the manner described above.

Hedging and Related Strategies

The Fund may (but is not required to) use various investment strategies to seek exposure to foreign currencies, or attempt to hedge exposure to reduce the risk of loss and preserve capital, due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates relative to the U.S. dollar. See “The Fund’s Investment Objective and Strategies—Portfolio Contents—Foreign Currencies and Related Transactions.” The Fund may also purchase credit default swaps for the purpose of hedging the Fund’s credit exposure to certain issuers and, thereby, seek to decrease its exposure to credit risk, and it may invest in structured notes or interest rate futures contracts or swap, cap, floor or collar transactions for the purpose of reducing the interest rate sensitivity of the Fund’s portfolio and, thereby, seek to decrease the Fund’s exposure to interest rate risk. See “Portfolio Contents—Credit Default Swaps,” “Portfolio Contents—Structured Notes and Related Instruments” and “Portfolio Contents—Certain Interest Rate Transactions” in this prospectus. Other derivatives strategies and instruments that the Fund may use include, without limitation: financial futures contracts; short sales; other types of swap agreements or options thereon; options on financial futures; and options based on either an index or individual debt securities whose prices, PIMCO believes, correlate with the prices of the Fund’s investments. Income earned by the Fund from its hedging and related transactions may be subject to one or more special U.S. federal income tax rules that can affect the amount, timing or character of distributions to, and taxes payable by, Common Shareholders. For instance, income earned by the Fund from its foreign currency hedging activities, if any, may give rise to ordinary income that, to the extent not offset by losses from such activities, may be distributed to Common Shareholders and taxable at ordinary income rates. Therefore, any foreign currency hedging activities by the Fund can increase the amount of distributions taxable to Common Shareholders as ordinary income. See “Taxation” in the Statement of Additional Information. There is no assurance that these hedging strategies will be available at any time or that PIMCO will determine to use them for the Fund or, if used, that the strategies will be successful. PIMCO may determine not to engage in hedging strategies or to do so only in unusual circumstances or market conditions. In addition, the Fund may be subject to certain restrictions on its use of hedging strategies imposed by guidelines of one or more ratings agencies that may issue ratings on any preferred shares issued by the Fund.

Management of the Fund [TO BE UPDATED BY AMENDMENT]

Trustees and Officers

The business of the Fund is managed under the direction of the Fund’s Board. The Board is responsible for the management of the Fund, including supervision of the duties performed by the Investment Manager. The Board is currently composed of [•] Trustees of the Fund (“Trustees”), [•] of whom are not “interested persons” of the Fund (as that term is defined by Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act). The Trustees meet periodically throughout the year to discuss and consider matters concerning the Fund and to oversee the Fund’s activities, including its investment performance, compliance program and risks associated with its activities. The names and business addresses of the Trustees and officers of the Fund and their principal occupations and other affiliations during the past five years are set forth under “Management of the Fund” in the Statement of Additional Information.

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Investment Manager

PIMCO serves as the investment manager of the Fund. Subject to the supervision of the Board, PIMCO is responsible for managing the investment activities of the Fund and the Fund’s business affairs and other administrative matters.

PIMCO is located at 650 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660. Organized in 1971, PIMCO provides investment management and advisory services to private accounts of institutional and individual clients and to registered investment companies. PIMCO is a majority-owned indirect subsidiary of Allianz SE, a publicly traded European insurance and financial services company. As of [•], 2021, PIMCO had approximately $[•] trillion in assets under management.

The following individuals are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management of the Fund:

Please see the Statement of Additional Information for additional information about other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, the portfolio managers’ compensation and the portfolio managers’ ownership of shares of the Fund.

Control Persons

Prior to the public offering of Common Shares, Allianz Fund Investments, Inc., an affiliate of the Investment Manager, purchased Common Shares from the Fund in an amount satisfying the net worth requirements of Section 14(a) of the 1940 Act. Therefore, Allianz Fund Investments, Inc. currently owns 100% of the outstanding Common Shares. Allianz Fund Investments, Inc. may be deemed to control the Fund until such time as it owns less than 25% of the outstanding Common Shares, which is expected to occur as of the completion of the offering of Common Shares. The principal business address of Allianz Fund Investments, Inc. is 1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.

Additional Information

The Trustees are responsible generally for overseeing the management of the Fund. The Trustees authorize the Fund to enter into service agreements with the Investment Manager, the Underwriters and other service providers in order to provide, and in some cases authorize service providers to procure through other parties, necessary or desirable services on behalf of the Fund. Shareholders are not intended to be third-party beneficiaries of such service agreements.

Neither this prospectus, the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, any contracts filed as exhibits to the Fund’s registration statement, nor any other communications or disclosure documents from or on behalf of the Fund creates a contract between a shareholder of the Fund and the Fund, a service provider to the Fund, and/or the Trustees or officers of the Fund. The Trustees may amend this prospectus, the Statement of Additional Information, and any other contracts to which the Fund is a party, and interpret the investment objective(s), policies, restrictions and contractual provisions applicable to the Fund without shareholder input or approval, except in circumstances in which shareholder approval is specifically required by law (such changes to fundamental investment policies) or where a shareholder approval requirement is specifically disclosed in the Fund’s prospectus or Statement of Additional Information.

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Investment Management Agreement

Pursuant to an investment management agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund (the “Investment Management Agreement”), the Fund has agreed to pay the Investment Manager an annual fee, payable monthly, in an amount equal to [•]% of the Fund’s average daily “total managed assets.” Total managed assets includes total assets of the Fund (including any assets attributable to any reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, borrowings and preferred shares that may be outstanding) minus accrued liabilities (other than liabilities representing reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls and borrowings). By way of clarification, with respect to any reverse repurchase agreement or similar transaction, “total managed assets” includes any proceeds from the sale of an asset of the Fund to a counterparty in such a transaction, in addition to the value of the underlying asset as of the relevant measuring date. In addition, for purposes of calculating “total managed assets,” the Fund’s derivative investments will be valued based on their market value.

Pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement, PIMCO shall provide to the Fund investment guidance and policy direction in connection with the management of the Fund, including oral and written research, analysis, advice and statistical and economic data and information. In addition, under the terms of the Investment Management Agreement, subject to the general supervision of the Board, PIMCO provides or causes to be furnished all supervisory and administrative and other services reasonably necessary for the operation of the Fund under the unified management fee, including but not limited to the supervision and coordination of matters relating to the operation of the Fund, including any necessary coordination among the custodian, transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, recordkeeping agent (including pricing and valuation of the Fund), accountants, attorneys and other parties performing services or operational functions for the Fund; the provision of adequate personnel, office space, communications facilities, and other facilities necessary for the effective supervision and administration of the Fund, as well as the services of a sufficient number of persons competent to perform such supervisory and administrative and clerical functions as are necessary for compliance with federal securities laws and other applicable laws; the maintenance of the books and records of the Fund; the preparation of all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns and reports for the Fund; the preparation, filing and distribution of any proxy materials (except as provided below), periodic reports to shareholders and other regulatory filings; the preparation and filing of such registration statements and other documents with such authorities as may be required to register and maintain the listing of the shares of the Fund; the taking of other such actions as may be required by applicable law (including establishment and maintenance of a compliance program for the Fund); and the provision of administrative services to shareholders as necessary, including: the maintenance of a shareholder information telephone number; the provision of certain statistical information and performance of the Fund; an internet website (if requested); and maintenance of privacy protection systems and procedures.

In addition, under the Investment Management Agreement, PIMCO will procure, at its own expense, the following services, and will bear expenses associated with the following for the Fund: a custodian or custodians for the Fund to provide for the safekeeping of the Fund’s assets; a recordkeeping agent to maintain the portfolio accounting records for the Fund; a transfer agent for the Fund; a dividend disbursing agent and/or registrar for the Fund; all audits by the Fund’s independent public accountant (except fees to auditors associated with satisfying rating agency requirements for preferred shares or other securities issued by the Fund and other related requirements in the Fund’s organizational documents); valuation services; maintaining the Fund’s tax records; all costs and/or fees incident to meetings of the Fund’s shareholders, the preparation, printing and mailing of the Fund’s prospectuses (although the Fund will bear such expenses in connection with the offerings made pursuant to this prospectus as noted below) notices and proxy statements, press releases and reports to its Shareholders, the filing of reports with regulatory bodies, the maintenance of the Fund’s existence and qualification to do business, the expense of issuing, redeeming, registering and qualifying for sale, Common Shares with the federal and state securities authorities, and the expense of qualifying and listing Shares with any securities exchange or other trading system; legal services (except for extraordinary legal expenses); costs of printing certificates representing Shares of the Fund; the Fund’s pro rata portion of its fidelity bond and other insurance premiums; and costs and expenses associated with the making of an Eligible Tender Offer, other than brokerage and related transaction costs associated with the disposition of portfolio investments in connection with the Eligible Tender Offer.

Except as otherwise described in this prospectus, the Fund pays, except as otherwise agreed in writing, in addition to the investment management fee described above, all expenses not assumed by PIMCO, including, without limit, salaries and other compensation or expenses, including travel expenses, of any of the Fund’s executive officers and employees, if any, who are not officers, directors, shareholders, members, partners or employees of PIMCO or its subsidiaries or affiliates; taxes and governmental fees, if any, levied against the Fund; brokerage fees and

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commissions and other portfolio transaction expenses incurred by or for the Fund (including, without limit, fees and expenses of outside legal counsel or third-party consultants retained in connection with reviewing, negotiating and structuring specialized loans and other investments made by the Fund, and any costs associated with originating loans, asset securitizations, alternative lending-related strategies and so-called “broken-deal costs” (e.g., fees, costs, expenses and liabilities, including, for example, due diligence-related fees, costs, expenses and liabilities, with respect to unconsummated investments)); expenses of the Fund’s securities lending (if any), including any securities lending agent fees, as governed by a separate securities lending agreement; costs, including interest expenses, of borrowing money or engaging in other types of leverage financing including, without limit, through the use by the Fund of reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, bank borrowings, credit facilities and tender option bonds; costs, including dividend and/or interest expenses and other costs (including, without limit, offering and related legal costs, fees to brokers, fees to auction agents, fees to transfer agents, fees to ratings agencies and fees to auditors associated with satisfying ratings agency requirements for preferred shares or other securities issued by the Fund and other related requirements in the Fund’s organizational documents) associated with the Fund’s issuance, offering, redemption and maintenance of preferred shares, commercial paper or other instruments (such as the use of reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, bank borrowings, credit facilities and tender option bonds) for the purpose of incurring leverage; fees and expenses of any underlying funds or other pooled vehicles in which the Fund invests; dividend and interest expenses on short positions taken by the Fund; fees and expenses, including travel expenses and fees and expenses of legal counsel retained for their benefit, of trustees who are not officers, employees, partners, shareholders or members of PIMCO or its subsidiaries or affiliates; extraordinary expenses, including extraordinary legal expenses, as may arise, including, without limit, expenses incurred in connection with litigation, proceedings, other claims and the legal obligations of the Fund to indemnify its trustees, officers, employees, shareholders, distributors and agents with respect thereto; fees and expenses, including legal, printing and mailing, solicitation and other fees and expenses associated with and incident to shareholder meetings and proxy solicitations involving contested elections of trustees, shareholder proposals or other non-routine matters that are not initiated or proposed by Fund management; organizational and offering expenses of the Fund, including registration (including Share registration fees), legal, marketing, printing, accounting and other expenses, associated with organizing the Fund in its state of jurisdiction and in connection with the initial registration of the Fund under the 1940 Act and the initial registration of its Common Shares under the Securities Act and with respect to share offerings, such as rights offerings and shelf offerings, following the Fund’s initial offering; expenses associated with tender offers and other share repurchases and redemptions; and fees and expenses associated with seeking, applying for and obtaining formal exemptive, no-action and/or other relief from the SEC in connection with the operation of a managed distribution plan; and expenses of the Fund that are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

As discussed in “Investment Objectives and Strategies” section of this prospectus, the Fund may pursue its investment objective by investing in Subsidiaries, REIT subsidiaries and joint ventures.

PIMCO may earn a profit on the management fee paid by the Fund. Also, under the terms of the Investment Management Agreement, PIMCO, and not Common Shareholders, would benefit from any price decreases in third-party services retained by PIMCO to provide administrative and other services necessary for the operation of the Fund, including decreases resulting from an increase in net assets.

Because the fees received by PIMCO from the Fund are based on the total managed assets of the Fund (including any assets attributable to any reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, borrowings and preferred shares that may be outstanding), minus accrued liabilities (other than liabilities representing reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls and borrowings), PIMCO has a financial incentive for the Fund to use certain forms of leverage, which may create a conflict of interest between PIMCO, on the one hand, and the Common Shareholders, on the other hand.

A discussion regarding the considerations of the Fund’s Board for approving the Investment Management Agreement between PIMCO and the Fund will be included in the Fund’s first report to shareholders for the period ending [•].

Net Asset Value

The NAV of the Fund’s Common Shares will be determined by dividing the total value of the Fund’s portfolio investments and other assets, less any liabilities, by the total number of shares outstanding.

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On each day that the NYSE is open, Fund shares are ordinarily valued as of the close of regular trading (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) (“NYSE Close”). Information that becomes known to the Fund or its agents after the time as of which NAV has been calculated on a particular day will not generally be used to retroactively adjust the price of a security or the NAV determined earlier that day. If regular trading on the NYSE closes earlier than scheduled, the Fund may calculate its NAV as of the earlier closing time or calculate its NAV as of the normally scheduled close of regular trading on the NYSE for that day. The Fund generally does not calculate its NAV on days on which the NYSE is not open for business. If the NYSE is closed on a day it would normally be open for business, the Fund may calculate its NAV as of the normally scheduled NYSE Close or such other time that the Fund may determine. The Fund reserves the right to change the time as of which its NAV is calculated if the Fund closes earlier, or as permitted by the SEC.

For purposes of calculating NAV, portfolio securities and other assets for which market quotes are readily available are valued at market value. Market value is generally determined on the basis of official closing prices or the last reported sales prices, or if no sales are reported, based on quotes obtained from established market makers or prices (including evaluated prices) supplied by the Fund’s approved pricing services, quotation reporting systems and other third-party sources (together, “Pricing Services”). The Fund will normally use pricing data for domestic equity securities received shortly after the NYSE Close and does not normally take into account trading, clearances or settlements that take place after the NYSE Close. A foreign (non-U.S.) equity security traded on a foreign exchange or on more than one exchange is typically valued using pricing information from the exchange considered by PIMCO to be the primary exchange. A foreign (non-U.S.) equity security will be valued as of the close of trading on the foreign exchange, or the NYSE Close, if the NYSE Close occurs before the end of trading on the foreign exchange. Domestic and foreign (non-U.S.) fixed income securities, non-exchange traded derivatives, and equity options are normally valued on the basis of quotes obtained from brokers and dealers or Pricing Services using data reflecting the earlier closing of the principal markets for those securities. Prices obtained from Pricing Services may be based on, among other things, information provided by market makers or estimates of market values obtained from yield data relating to investments or securities with similar characteristics. Certain fixed income securities purchased on a delayed-delivery basis are marked to market daily until settlement at the forward settlement date. Exchange-traded options, except equity options, futures and options on futures are valued at the settlement price determined by the relevant exchange. Swap agreements are valued on the basis of bid quotes obtained from brokers and dealers or market-based prices supplied by Pricing Services. With respect to any portion of the Fund’s assets that are invested in one or more open-end management investment companies (other than ETFs), the Fund’s NAV will be calculated based upon the NAVs of such investments.

If a foreign (non-U.S.) equity security’s value has materially changed after the close of the security’s primary exchange or principal market but before the NYSE Close, the security may be valued at fair value based on procedures established and approved by the Board. Foreign (non-U.S.) equity securities that do not trade when the NYSE is open are also valued at fair value. With respect to foreign (non-U.S.) equity securities, the Fund may determine the fair value of investments based on information provided by Pricing Services and other third-party vendors, which may recommend fair value or adjustments with reference to other securities, indexes or assets. In considering whether fair valuation is required and in determining fair values, the Fund may, among other things, consider significant events (which may be considered to include changes in the value of U.S. securities or securities indexes) that occur after the close of the relevant market and before the NYSE Close. The Fund may utilize modeling tools provided by third-party vendors to determine fair values of non-U.S. securities. For these purposes, any movement in the applicable reference index or instrument (“zero trigger”) between the earlier close of the applicable foreign market and the NYSE Close may be deemed to be a significant event, prompting the application of the pricing model (effectively resulting in daily fair valuations). Foreign (non-U.S.) exchanges may permit trading in foreign (non-U.S.) equity securities on days when the Fund is not open for business, which may result in the Fund’s portfolio investments being affected when shareholders are unable to buy or sell shares.

Senior secured floating rate loans for which an active secondary market exists to a reliable degree will be valued at the mean of the last available bid/ask prices in the market for such loans, as provided by a Pricing Service. Senior secured floating rate loans for which an active secondary market does not exist to a reliable degree will be valued at fair value, which is intended to approximate market value. In valuing a senior secured floating rate loan at fair value, the factors considered may include, but are not limited to, the following: (a) the creditworthiness of the borrower and any intermediate participants, (b) the terms of the loan, (c) recent prices in the market for similar loans, if any, and (d) recent prices in the market for instruments of similar quality, rate, period until next interest rate reset and maturity.

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Investments valued in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are converted to the U.S. dollar using exchange rates obtained from Pricing Services. As a result, the value of such investments and, in turn, the NAV of the Fund’s shares may be affected by changes in the value of currencies in relation to the U.S. dollar. The value of investments traded in markets outside the United States or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar may be affected significantly on a day that the Fund is not open for business. As a result, to the extent that the Fund holds foreign (non-U.S.) investments, the value of those investments may change at times when shareholders are unable to buy or sell shares and the value of such investments will be reflected in the Fund’s next calculated NAV.

Investments for which market quotes or market-based valuations are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board or persons acting at their direction. The Board has adopted methods for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available, and has delegated to PIMCO the responsibility for applying the fair valuation methods. In the event that market quotes or market-based valuations are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to a Board approved valuation method, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Valuation Oversight Committee of the Board (“Valuation Oversight Committee”), generally based on recommendations provided by PIMCO. Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/ask information, indicative market quotations, Pricing Services’ prices), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the NYSE Close, that materially affect the values of the Fund’s securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, the exchanges or markets on which the securities trade do not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Board has delegated to PIMCO the responsibility for monitoring significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund’s securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be reevaluated in light of such significant events.

When the Fund uses fair valuation to determine the value of a portfolio security or other asset for purposes of calculating its NAV, such investments will not be priced on the basis of quotes from the primary market in which they are traded, but rather may be priced by another method that the Board or persons acting at their direction believe reflects fair value. Fair valuation may require subjective determinations about the value of a security. While the Fund’s policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund’s NAV that fairly reflects security values as of the time of pricing, the Fund cannot ensure that fair values determined by the Board or persons acting at their direction would accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain for a security if it were to dispose of that security as of the time of pricing (for instance, in a forced or distressed sale). The prices used by the Fund may differ from the value that would be realized if the securities were sold.

On December 3, 2020, the SEC adopted Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, which is intended to address valuation practices and the role of the board of directors with respect to the fair value of the investments of a registered investment company or business development company. Among other things, Rule 2a-5 will permit a fund’s board to designate the fund’s primary investment adviser to perform the fund’s fair value determinations, which will be subject to board oversight and certain reporting and other requirements intended to ensure that the board receives the information it needs to oversee the investment adviser’s fair value determinations. Compliance with Rule 2a-5 will not be required until September 8, 2022. PIMCO continues to review Rule 2a-5 and its impact on PIMCO’s and the Fund’s valuation policies and related practices.

Distributions

Commencing with the Fund’s first dividend, the Fund currently intends to make regular monthly cash distributions to Common Shareholders at a rate based upon the past and projected net income of the Fund. Subject to applicable law, the Fund may fund a portion of its distributions with gains from the sale of portfolio securities and other sources. The dividend rate that the Fund pays on its Common Shares may vary as portfolio and market conditions change, and will depend on a number of factors, including without limitation the amount of the Fund’s undistributed net investment income and net short- and long-term capital gains, as well as the costs of any leverage obtained by the Fund (including interest or other expenses on any reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls and borrowings

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and dividends payable on any preferred shares issued by the Fund). As portfolio and market conditions change, the rate of distributions on the Common Shares and the Fund’s dividend policy could change. There can be no assurance that a change in market conditions or other factors will not result in a change in the Fund distribution rate or that the rate will be sustainable in the future. See “Principal Risks of the Fund—Fund Distribution Rates.” For a discussion of factors that may cause the Fund’s income and capital gains (and therefore the dividend) to vary, see “Principal Risks of the Fund.” The Fund will generally distribute each year all of its net investment income and net short-term capital gains. In addition, at least annually, the Fund will generally distribute net realized long-term capital gains not previously distributed, if any. The net investment income of the Fund consists of all income (other than net short-term and long-term capital gains) less all expenses of the Fund (after it pays accrued dividends on any outstanding preferred shares).

To permit the Fund to maintain a more stable monthly distribution, the Fund may distribute less than the entire amount of net investment income earned in a particular period. The undistributed net investment income would be available to supplement future distributions. As a result, the distributions paid by the Fund for any particular monthly period may be more or less than the amount of net investment income actually earned by the Fund during the period. Undistributed net investment income will be additive to the Fund’s NAV and, correspondingly, distributions from undistributed net investment income will be deducted from the Fund’s NAV.

The tax treatment and characterization of the Fund’s distributions may vary significantly from time to time because of the varied nature of the Fund’s investments. For example, the Fund may enter into opposite sides of multiple interest rate swaps or other derivatives with respect to the same underlying reference instrument (e.g., a 10-year U.S. treasury) that have different effective dates with respect to interest accrual time periods for the principal purpose of generating distributable gains (characterized as ordinary income for tax purposes) that are not part of the Fund’s duration or yield curve management strategies. In such a “paired swap transaction”, the Fund would generally enter into one or more interest rate swap agreements whereby the Fund agrees to make regular payments starting at the time the Fund enters into the agreements equal to a floating interest rate in return for payments equal to a fixed interest rate (the “initial leg”). The Fund would also enter into one or more interest rate swap agreements on the same underlying instrument, but take the opposite position (i.e., in this example, the Fund would make regular payments equal to a fixed interest rate in return for receiving payments equal to a floating interest rate) with respect to a contract whereby the payment obligations do not commence until a date following the commencement of the initial leg (the “forward leg”). The Fund may engage in investment strategies, including those that employ the use of derivatives, to, among other things, seek to generate current, distributable income, even if such strategies could potentially result in declines in the Fund’s NAV. The Fund’s income and gain-generating strategies, including certain derivatives strategies, may generate current income and gains taxable as ordinary income sufficient to support monthly distributions even in situations when the Fund has experienced a decline in net assets due to, for example, adverse changes in the broad U.S. or non-U.S. equity markets or the Fund’s debt investments, or arising from its use of derivatives. Because some or all of these transactions may generate capital losses without corresponding offsetting capital gains, portions of the Fund’s distributions recognized as ordinary income for tax purposes (such as from paired swap transactions) may be economically similar to a taxable return of capital when considered together with such capital losses. The tax treatment of certain derivatives in which the Fund invests may be unclear and thus subject to recharacterization. Any recharacterization of payments made or received by the Fund pursuant to derivatives potentially could affect the amount, timing or character of Fund distributions. In addition, the tax treatment of such investment strategies may be changed by regulation or otherwise.

Distributions by the Fund to its shareholders that the Fund properly reports as “section 199A dividends,” as defined and subject to certain conditions described below, are treated as qualified REIT dividends in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. Non-corporate shareholders are permitted a federal income tax deduction equal to 20% of qualified REIT dividends received by them, subject to certain limitations. Very generally, a “section 199A dividend” is any dividend or portion thereof that is attributable to certain dividends received by a RIC from REITs, to the extent such dividends are properly reported as such by the RIC in a written notice to its shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. The Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as section 199A dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so.

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To the extent required by the 1940 Act and other applicable laws, absent an exemption, a notice will accompany each monthly distribution with respect to the estimated source (as between net income, gains or other capital source) of the distribution made. If the Fund estimates that a portion of one of its dividend distributions may be comprised of amounts from sources other than net income, in accordance with its policies and good accounting practices, the Fund will notify shareholders of record of the estimated composition of such distribution through a Section 19 Notice. For these purposes, the Fund estimates the source or sources from which a distribution is paid, to the close of the period as of which it is paid, in reference to its internal accounting records and related accounting practices. If, based on such accounting records and practices, it is estimated that a particular distribution does not include capital gains or paid-in surplus or other capital sources, a Section 19 Notice generally would not be issued. It is important to note that differences exist between the Fund’s daily internal accounting records and practices, the Fund’s financial statements presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, and recordkeeping practices under income tax regulations. For instance, the Fund’s internal accounting records and practices may take into account, among other factors, tax-related characteristics of certain sources of distributions that differ from treatment under U.S. GAAP. Examples of such differences may include, among others, the treatment of paydowns on mortgage-backed securities purchased at a discount and periodic payments under interest rate swap contracts. Accordingly, among other consequences, it is possible that the Fund may not issue a Section 19 Notice in situations where the Fund’s financial statements prepared later and in accordance with U.S. GAAP and/or the final tax character of those distributions might later report that the sources of those distributions included capital gains and/or a return of capital.

The tax characterization of the Fund’s distributions made in a taxable year cannot finally be determined until at or after the end of the year. As a result, there is a possibility that the Fund may make total distributions during a taxable year in an amount that exceeds the Fund’s net investment income and net realized capital gains for the relevant year (including as reduced by any capital loss carry-forwards). For example, the Fund may distribute amounts early in the year that are derived from short-term capital gains, but incur net short-term capital losses later in the year, thereby offsetting short-term capital gains out of which distributions have already been made by the Fund. In such a situation, the amount by which the Fund’s total distributions exceed net investment income and net realized capital gains would generally be treated as a tax-free return of capital up to the amount of a shareholder’s tax basis in his or her Common Shares, with any amounts exceeding such basis treated as gain from the sale of Common Shares. In general terms, a return of capital would occur where the Fund distribution (or portion thereof) represents a return of a portion of your investment, rather than net income or capital gains generated from your investment during a particular period. A return of capital distribution is not taxable, but it reduces a shareholder’s tax basis in the Common Shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of the Common Shares. The Fund will prepare and make available to shareholders detailed tax information with respect to the Fund’s distributions annually. See “Tax Matters.”

The 1940 Act currently limits the number of times the Fund may distribute long-term capital gains in any tax year, which may increase the variability of the Fund’s distributions and result in certain distributions being comprised more or less heavily than others of long-term capital gains currently eligible for favorable income tax rates.

Unless a Common Shareholder elects to receive distributions in cash, all distributions of Common Shareholders whose shares are registered with the plan agent will be automatically reinvested in additional Common Shares of the Fund under the Fund’s Dividend Reinvestment Plan.

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

The Fund has adopted a Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the “Plan”) which allows Common Shareholders to reinvest Fund distributions in additional Common Shares of the Fund. [•] (the “Plan Agent”) serves as agent for Common Shareholders in administering the Plan. It is important to note that participation in the Plan and automatic reinvestment of Fund distributions does not ensure a profit, nor does it protect against losses in a declining market.

Automatic Enrollment/Voluntary Participation

Under the Plan, Common Shareholders whose shares are registered with the Plan Agent (“registered shareholders”) are automatically enrolled as participants in the Plan and will have all Fund distributions of income, capital gains and returns of capital (together, “distributions”) reinvested by the Plan Agent in additional Common Shares of the Fund, unless the Common Shareholder elects to receive cash. Registered shareholders who elect not to participate in the Plan will receive all distributions in cash paid by check and mailed directly to the Common Shareholder of record (or if the shares are held in street or other nominee name, to the nominee) by the Plan Agent.

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Participation in the Plan is voluntary. Participants may obtain further information about the Plan or terminate or resume their enrollment in the Plan at any time without penalty by notifying the Plan Agent online at www.astfinancial.com, by calling (844) 33-PIMCO (844 337-4626), by writing to the Plan Agent, [•], at [•], or, as applicable, by completing and returning the transaction form attached to a Plan statement. A proper notification will be effective immediately and apply to the Fund’s next distribution if received by the Plan Agent at least three (3) days prior to the record date for the distribution; otherwise, a notification will be effective shortly following the Fund’s next distribution and will apply to the Fund’s next succeeding distribution thereafter. If you withdraw from the Plan and so request, the Plan Agent will arrange for the sale of your shares and send you the proceeds, minus brokerage commissions.

How Shares Are Purchased Under The Plan

For each Fund distribution, the Plan Agent will acquire Common Shares for participants either (i) through receipt of newly issued Common Shares from the Fund (“newly issued shares”) or (ii) by purchasing Common Shares of the Fund on the open market (“open market purchases”). If, on a distribution payment date, the NAV is equal to or less than the market price per Common Share plus estimated brokerage commissions (often referred to as a “market premium”), the Plan Agent will invest the distribution amount on behalf of participants in newly issued shares at a price equal to the greater of (i) NAV or (ii) 95% of the market price per Common Share on the payment date. If the NAV is greater than the market price per Common Share plus estimated brokerage commissions (often referred to as a “market discount”) on a distribution payment date, the Plan agent will instead attempt to invest the distribution amount through open market purchases. If the Plan Agent is unable to invest the full distribution amount in open market purchases, or if the market discount shifts to a market premium during the purchase period, the Plan Agent will invest any un-invested portion of the distribution in newly issued shares at a price equal to the greater of (i) NAV or (ii) 95% of the market price per share as of the last business day immediately prior to the purchase date (which, in either case, may be a price greater or lesser than the NAV per Common Share on the distribution payment date). No interest will be paid on distributions awaiting reinvestment.

Under the Plan, the market price of Common Shares on a particular date is the last sales price on the exchange where the Common Shares are listed on that date or, if there is no sale on the exchange on that date, the mean between the closing bid and asked quotations for the Common Shares on the exchange on that date. The NAV per Common Share on a particular date is the amount calculated on that date (normally at NYSE Close) in accordance with the Fund’s then-current policies.

Fees and Expenses

No brokerage charges are imposed on reinvestments in newly issued shares under the Plan. However, all participants will pay a pro rata share of brokerage commissions incurred by the Plan Agent when it makes open market purchases. There are currently no direct service charges imposed on participants in the Plan, although the Fund reserves the right to amend the Plan to include such charges. If the Plan is amended to include such service charges, the Plan Agent will include a notification with the Plan statement to registered holders of Common Shares with the Plan Agent.

Shares Held Through Nominees

In the case of a registered shareholder such as a broker, bank or other nominee (together, a “nominee”) that holds Common Shares for others who are the beneficial owners, the Plan Agent will administer the Plan on the basis of the number of Common Shares certified by the nominee/record shareholder as representing the total amount registered in such shareholder’s name and held for the account of beneficial owners who are to participate in the Plan. If your Common Shares are held through a nominee and are not registered with the Plan Agent, neither you nor the nominee will be participants in or have distributions reinvested under the Plan. If you are a beneficial owner of Common Shares and wish to participate in the Plan, and your nominee is unable or unwilling to become a registered shareholder and a Plan participant on your behalf, you may request that your nominee arrange to have all or a portion of your shares re-registered with the Plan Agent in your name so that you may be enrolled as a participant in the Plan. Please contact your nominee for details or for other possible alternatives. Registered shareholders whose shares are registered in the name of one nominee firm may not be able to transfer the shares to another firm and continue to participate in the Plan.

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Tax Consequences

Automatically reinvested dividends and distributions are taxed in the same manner as cash dividends and distributions—i.e., automatic reinvestment in additional shares does not relieve Common Shareholders of, or defer the need to pay, any income tax that may be payable (or that is required to be withheld) on Fund dividends and distributions. The Fund and the Plan Agent reserve the right to amend or terminate the Plan. Additional information about the Plan, as well as a copy of the full Plan itself, may be obtained from the Plan Agent, [•], at [•]; telephone number: (844) 33-PIMCO (844-337-4626); website: www.astfinancial.com.

Description of Capital Structure

The following is a brief description of the anticipated capital structure of the Fund. This description does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the Declaration and the Fund’s Bylaws, as amended and restated through the date hereof (the “Bylaws”). The Declaration and Bylaws are each exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

The Fund is an unincorporated voluntary association with transferable shares of beneficial interest (commonly referred to as a “Massachusetts business trust”) established under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by the Declaration. The Declaration provides that the Board may authorize separate classes of shares of beneficial interest. Preferred shares may be issued in one or more series, with such par value and with such rights as determined by the Board, by action of the Board without the approval of the Common Shareholders. The Declaration authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of Common Shares. The Common Shares will be issued with a par value of $0.00001 per share. The Fund’s Common Shares have been approved for listing on the NYSE, subject to notice of issuance, under the trading or “ticker” symbol “PAXS.” The Fund intends to hold annual meetings of shareholders so long as the Common Shares are listed on a national securities exchange and annual meetings are required as a condition of such listing.

Common Shareholders are entitled to share equally in dividends declared by the Board to Common Shareholders and in the net assets of the Fund available for distribution to Common Shareholders after payment of the preferential amounts payable to holders of any outstanding preferred shares of beneficial interest. All Common Shares of the Fund have equal rights to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation. Common Shares of the Fund will, when issued, be fully paid and, subject to matters discussed in “Anti-Takeover and Other Provisions in the Declaration of Trust and Bylaws,” non-assessable, and will have no pre-emptive or conversion rights or rights to cumulative voting, and have no right to cause the Fund to redeem their shares. Upon liquidation of the Fund, after paying or adequately providing for the payment of all liabilities of the Fund and the liquidation preference with respect to any outstanding preferred shares of beneficial interest, and upon receipt of such releases, indemnities and refunding agreements as they deem necessary for their protection, the Trustees may distribute the remaining assets of the Fund among the Fund’s Common Shareholders.

Shareholders of each class are entitled to one vote for each share held. Common Shareholders will vote with the holders of any outstanding preferred shares as a single class on each matter submitted to a vote of holders of Common Shares, except as otherwise provided by the Declaration, the Bylaws or applicable law.

The Fund will make available unaudited reports at least semiannually and audited financial statements annually to all of its shareholders.

PIMCO has agreed to pay all of the Fund’s organizational expenses and all offering costs associated with this offering. The Fund is not obligated to repay any such organizational expenses or offering costs paid by PIMCO.

Unlike open-end funds, closed-end funds like the Fund do not continuously offer shares and do not provide daily redemptions. Rather, if a shareholder determines to buy additional Common Shares or sell shares already held, the shareholder may do so by trading on the exchange through a broker or otherwise. The Declaration limits the ability of the Fund to convert to open-end status. See “Anti-Takeover and Other Provisions in the Declaration of Trust and Bylaws.”

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Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at prices lower than net asset value. Shares of closed-end investment companies have during some periods traded at prices higher than net asset value and during other periods traded at prices lower than net asset value. The Fund cannot assure you that Common Shares will trade at a price equal to or higher than net asset value in the future. See “Use of Proceeds.” In addition to net asset value, market price may be affected by factors relating to the Fund such as dividend levels and stability (which will in turn be affected by Fund expenses, including the costs of any reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, borrowings, preferred shares or other leverage used by the Fund, levels of dividend and interest payments by the Fund’s portfolio holdings, levels of appreciation/depreciation of the Fund’s portfolio holdings, regulation affecting the timing and character of Fund distributions and other factors), portfolio credit quality, liquidity, call protection, market supply and demand, and similar factors relating to the Fund’s portfolio holdings. The Fund’s market price may also be affected by general market or economic conditions, including market trends affecting securities values generally or values of closed-end fund shares more specifically. The Common Shares are designed primarily for long-term investors, and investors in the Common Shares should not view the Fund as a vehicle for trading purposes. See the Statement of Additional Information under “Repurchase of Common Shares; Conversion to Open-End Fund.”

Although it has no present intention to do so, the Fund may determine in the future to issue preferred shares or other senior securities to add leverage to its portfolio. Any such preferred shares would have complete priority upon distribution of assets over the Common Shares. See “Use of Leverage.”

Anti-Takeover and Other Provisions in the Declaration of Trust and Bylaws

Anti-Takeover Provisions

The Declaration and the Bylaws include provisions that could limit the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or to convert the Fund to open-end status. The Fund’s Trustees are divided into three classes. At each annual meeting of shareholders, the term of one class will expire and each Trustee elected to that class will hold office until the third annual meeting thereafter. The classification of the Board in this manner could delay for an additional year the replacement of a majority of the Board. In addition, the Declaration provides that a Trustee may be removed only for cause and only (i) by action of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the outstanding shares of the classes or series of shares entitled to vote for the election of such Trustee, or (ii) by written instrument, signed by at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the remaining Trustees, specifying the date when such removal shall become effective. Cause for these purposes shall require willful misconduct, dishonesty or fraud on the part of the Trustee in the conduct of his or her office or such Trustee being convicted of a felony.

As described below, the Declaration grants special approval rights with respect to certain matters to members of the Board who qualify as “Continuing Trustees,” which term means a Trustee who either (i) has been a member of the Board since the date when Common Shares are first sold pursuant to a public offering or (ii) was nominated to serve as a member of the Board, or designated as a Continuing Trustee, by a majority of the Continuing Trustees then members of the Board.

The Declaration requires the affirmative vote or consent of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the Board and holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the Fund’s shares to authorize certain Fund transactions not in the ordinary course of business, including a merger or consolidation or share exchange, any shareholder proposal as to specific investment decisions made or to be made with respect to the assets of the Fund, a sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition by the Fund or any series or class of shares (in one or a series of transactions in any twelve-month period) to or with any person of any assets of the Fund or such series or class having an aggregate fair market value of $1,000,000 or more, except for transactions in securities effected by the Fund or a series or class in the ordinary course of business, or issuance or transfer by the Fund of the Fund’s shares having an aggregate fair market value of $1,000,000 or more (except as may be made pursuant to a public offering, the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan or upon exercise of any stock subscription rights), unless the transaction is authorized by both a majority of the Trustees and seventy-five percent (75%) of the Continuing Trustees (in which case no shareholder authorization would be required by the Declaration, but may be required in certain cases under

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the 1940 Act). The Declaration also requires the affirmative vote or consent of holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of each class of the Fund’s shares entitled to vote on the matter to authorize a conversion of the Fund from a closed-end to an open-end investment company, unless the conversion is authorized by both a majority of the Trustees and seventy-five percent (75%) of the Continuing Trustees (in which case shareholders would have only the minimum voting rights required by the 1940 Act with respect to the conversion). Also, separate from the limited term provision, the Declaration provides that the Fund may be terminated at any time by vote or consent of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the Fund’s shares or, alternatively, by vote or consent of both a majority of the Trustees and seventy-five percent (75%) of the Continuing Trustees. See “Anti-Takeover and Other Provisions in the Declaration of Trust and Bylaws” in the Statement of Additional Information for a more detailed summary of these provisions.

The Board may from time to time grant other voting rights to shareholders with respect to these and other matters in the Bylaws, certain of which are required by the 1940 Act.

The overall effect of these provisions is to render more difficult the accomplishment of a merger or the assumption of control of the Fund by a third party. These provisions also provide, however, the advantage of potentially requiring persons seeking control of the Fund to negotiate with its management regarding the price to be paid and facilitating the continuity of the Fund’s investment objectives and policies. The provisions of the Declaration and Bylaws described above could have the effect of depriving the Common Shareholders of opportunities to sell their Common Shares at a premium over the then-current market price of the Common Shares by discouraging a third party from seeking to obtain control of the Fund in a tender offer or similar transaction. The Board has considered the foregoing anti-takeover provisions and concluded that they are in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders, including Common Shareholders.

The foregoing is intended only as a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Declaration and the Bylaws, both of which are on file with the SEC.

Shareholder Liability

Under Massachusetts law, shareholders could, in certain circumstances, be held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund. However, the Declaration contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for debts or obligations of the Fund and requires that notice of such limited liability be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by the Fund or the Trustees. The Declaration further provides for indemnification out of the assets and property of the Fund for all loss and expense of any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which the Fund would be unable to meet its obligations. The Fund believes that the likelihood of such circumstances is remote.

Forum for Adjudication of Disputes

The Bylaws provide that unless the Fund consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Fund or one or more of the shareholders, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any Trustee, officer, other employee of the Fund, or the Fund’s investment adviser to the Fund or the Fund’s shareholders, (iii) any action asserting a breach of contract by the Fund, by any Trustee, officer or other employee of the Fund, or by the Fund’s investment adviser, (iv) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act, Chapter 182 of the Massachusetts General Laws or the Declaration or the Bylaws, (v) any action to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of the Declaration or the Bylaws or any agreement contemplated by any provision of the 1940 Act, the Declaration or the Bylaws, or (vi) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be within the federal or state courts in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (each, a “Covered Action”).

The Bylaws further provide that if any Covered Action is filed in a court other than in a federal or state court sitting within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any shareholder, such shareholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of the federal and state courts within The Commonwealth of Massachusetts in connection with any action brought in any such courts to enforce the preceding sentence (an “Enforcement Action”) and (ii) having service of process made upon such shareholder in any such Enforcement Action by service upon such shareholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such shareholder.

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Any person purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of beneficial interest of the Fund will be (i) deemed to have notice of and consented to the foregoing paragraph and (ii) deemed to have waived any argument relating to the inconvenience of the forum referenced above in connection with any action or proceeding described in the foregoing paragraph.

This forum selection provision may limit a shareholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with Trustees, officers or other agents of the Fund and its service providers, which may discourage such lawsuits with respect to such claims and increase the costs for a shareholder to pursue such claims. If a court were to find the forum selection provision contained in the Bylaws to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, the Fund may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions. This forum selection provision shall not apply to claims made under federal securities laws. The enforceability of exclusive forum provisions is questionable.

Derivative and Direct Claims of Shareholders

The Declaration contains provisions regarding derivative and direct claims of shareholders. As used in the Declaration, a “direct” shareholder claim refers to (i) a claim based upon alleged violations of a shareholder’s individual rights independent of any harm to the Fund, including a shareholder’s voting rights under Article V of the Declaration or Article 10 of the Bylaws, rights to receive a dividend payment as may be declared from time to time, rights to inspect books and records, or other similar rights personal to the shareholder and independent of any harm to the Fund; and/or (ii) a claim for which a direct Shareholder action is expressly provided under the U.S. federal securities laws. Any other claim asserted by a shareholder, including without limitation any claims purporting to be brought on behalf of the Fund or involving any alleged harm to the Fund, are considered a “derivative” claim.

A shareholder or group of shareholders may not bring or maintain any court action, proceeding or claim on behalf of the Fund or any series or class of shares without first making demand on the Trustees requesting the Trustees to bring or maintain such action, proceeding or claim. Such demand shall not be excused under any circumstances, including claims of alleged interest on the part of the Trustees, unless the plaintiff makes a specific showing that irreparable nonmonetary injury to the Fund would otherwise result. The Trustees shall consider such demand within 90 days of its receipt by the Fund. In their sole discretion, the Trustees may submit the matter to a vote of shareholders of the Fund or a series or class of shares, as appropriate. Any decision by the Trustees to bring, maintain or settle (or not to bring, maintain or settle) such court action, proceeding or claim, or to submit the matter to a vote of shareholders shall be made by the Trustees in their business judgment and shall be binding upon the shareholders and no suit, proceeding or other action shall be commenced or maintained after a decision to reject a demand. Any Trustee who is not an “interested person” (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act) of the Fund acting in connection with any demand or any proceeding relating to a claim on behalf of or for the benefit of the Fund shall be deemed to be independent and disinterested with respect to such demand, proceeding or claim.

A shareholder or group of shareholders may not bring or maintain a direct action or claim for monetary damages against the Fund or the Trustees predicated upon an express or implied right of action under the Declaration (excepting rights of action permitted under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act), nor shall any single shareholder, who is similarly situated to one or more other shareholders with respect to the alleged injury, have the right to bring such an action, unless such group of shareholders or shareholder has obtained authorization from the Trustees to bring the action. The requirement of authorization shall not be excused under any circumstances, including claims of alleged interest on the part of the Trustees. The Trustees shall consider such request within 90 days of its receipt by the Fund. In their sole discretion, the Trustees may submit the matter to a vote of shareholders of the Fund or series or class of shares, as appropriate. Any decision by the Trustees to settle or to authorize (or not to settle or to authorize) such court action, proceeding or claim, or to submit the matter to a vote of shareholders, shall be made in their business judgment and shall be binding on all shareholders.

Any person purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of beneficial interest of the Fund will be deemed to have notice of and consented to the foregoing provisions. These provisions may limit a shareholder’s ability to bring a claim against the Trustees, officers or other agents of the Fund and its service providers, which may discourage such lawsuits with respect to such claims.

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These provisions in the Declaration regarding derivative and direct claims of shareholders shall not apply to claims made under federal securities laws.

Repurchase of Common Shares; Conversion to Open-End Fund

The Fund is a closed-end investment company and as such its shareholders will not have the right to cause the Fund to redeem their shares. Instead, the Common Shares will trade in the open market at a price that will be a function of factors relating to the Fund such as dividend levels and stability (which will in turn be affected by Fund expenses, including the costs of any reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, borrowings, preferred shares and other leverage used by the Fund, levels of dividend and interest payments by the Fund’s portfolio holdings, levels of appreciation/depreciation of the Fund’s portfolio holdings, regulation affecting the timing and character of the Fund’s distributions and other factors), portfolio credit quality, liquidity, call protection, market supply and demand and similar factors relating to the Fund’s portfolio holdings. The market price of the Common Shares may also be affected by general market or economic conditions, including market trends affecting securities values generally or values of closed-end fund shares more specifically. Shares of a closed-end investment company may frequently trade at prices lower than NAV. The Fund’s Board regularly monitors the relationship between the market price and NAV of the Common Shares. If the Common Shares were to trade at a substantial discount to NAV for an extended period of time, the Board of Trustees may consider the repurchase of its Common Shares on the open market or in private transactions, the making of a tender offer for such shares or the conversion of the Fund to an open-end investment company. The Fund cannot assure you that its Board of Trustees will decide to take or propose any of these actions, or that share repurchases or tender offers will actually reduce any market discount. See “Tax Matters” in the Statement of Additional Information for a discussion of the tax implications of a tender offer by the Fund.

If the Fund were to convert to an open-end company, the Common Shares likely would no longer be listed on the NYSE. In contrast to a closed-end investment company, shareholders of an open-end investment company may require the company to redeem their shares at any time (except in certain circumstances as authorized by or under the 1940 Act) at their NAV, less any redemption charge that is in effect at the time of redemption.

Before deciding whether to take any action to convert the Fund to an open-end investment company, the Board of Trustees would consider all relevant factors, including the extent and duration of the discount, the liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio, the impact of any action that might be taken on the Fund or its shareholders, and market considerations. Based on these considerations, even if the Common Shares should trade at a discount, the Board of Trustees may determine that, in the interest of the Fund and its shareholders, no action should be taken. See the Statement of Additional Information under “Repurchase of Common Shares; Conversion to Open-End Fund” for a further discussion of possible action to reduce or eliminate any such discount to NAV.

Limited Term and Eligible Tender Offer

In accordance with the Fund’s Declaration, the Fund intends to terminate as of the first business day following the twelfth anniversary of the effective date of the Fund’s initial registration statement, which the Fund currently expects to occur on or about [•]; provided that the Board may, by a Board Action Vote, without shareholder approval, extend the Dissolution Date (i) once for up to one year, and (ii) once for up to an additional six months, to a date up to and including eighteen months after the initial Dissolution Date, which date shall then become the Dissolution Date. In determining whether to extend the Dissolution Date, the Board may consider the inability to sell the Fund’s assets in a time frame consistent with dissolution due to lack of market liquidity or other extenuating circumstances. Additionally, the Board may determine that market conditions are such that it is reasonable to believe that, with an extension, the Fund’s remaining assets will appreciate and generate income in an amount that, in the aggregate, is meaningful relative to the cost and expense of continuing the operation of the Fund. Each Common Shareholder would be paid a pro rata portion of the Fund’s net assets upon termination of the Fund.

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Beginning one year before the Dissolution Date (the “Wind-Down Period”), the Fund may begin liquidating all or a portion of the Fund’s portfolio, and may deviate from its investment policies and may not achieve its investment objectives. During the Wind-Down Period (or in anticipation of an Eligible Tender Offer, as defined below), the Fund’s portfolio composition may change as more of its portfolio holdings are called or sold and portfolio holdings are disposed of in anticipation of liquidation. Rather than reinvesting the proceeds of matured, called or sold securities in accordance with the investment program described herein, the Fund may invest such proceeds in short term or other lower yielding securities or hold the proceeds in cash, which may adversely affect its performance.

The Board may, by a Board Action Vote, cause the Fund to conduct a tender offer, as of a date within twelve months preceding the Dissolution Date (as may be extended as described above), to all Common Shareholders to purchase 100% of the then outstanding Common Shares of the Fund at a price equal to the NAV per Common Share on the expiration date of an Eligible Tender Offer. The Board has established that the Fund must have net assets totaling greater than or equal to the Dissolution Threshold immediately following the completion of an Eligible Tender Offer to ensure the continued viability of the Fund. In an Eligible Tender Offer, the Fund will offer to purchase all shares held by each shareholder; provided that if the number of properly tendered shares would result in the Fund having aggregate net assets below the Dissolution Threshold, the Eligible Tender Offer will be canceled, no shares will be repurchased pursuant to the Eligible Tender Offer, and the Fund will begin (or continue) liquidating its portfolio and proceed to terminate on or about the Dissolution Date. If an Eligible Tender Offer is conducted and the number of properly tendered shares would result in the Fund having aggregate net assets greater than or equal to the Dissolution Threshold, all Common Shares properly tendered and not withdrawn would be purchased by the Fund pursuant to the terms of the Eligible Tender Offer. Regardless of whether the Eligible Tender Offer is completed or canceled, PIMCO will pay all costs and expenses associated with the Eligible Tender Offer, other than brokerage and related transaction costs associated with the disposition of portfolio investments in connection with the Eligible Tender Offer, which will be borne by the Fund and its Common Shareholders.

Following the completion of an Eligible Tender Offer, the Board may, by a Board Action Vote, eliminate the Dissolution Date without shareholder approval. In determining whether to eliminate the Dissolution Date, the Board may consider market conditions at such time and all other factors deemed relevant by the Board in consultation with the Investment Manager, taking into account that the Investment Manager may have a potential conflict of interest in recommending to the Board that the limited term structure be eliminated and the Fund have a perpetual existence. In making a decision to eliminate the Dissolution Date to provide for the Fund’s perpetual existence, the Board will take such actions with respect to the continued operations of the Fund as it deems to be in the best interests of the Fund. The Fund is not required to conduct additional tender offers following an Eligible Tender Offer and conversion to a perpetual structure. Therefore, remaining Common Shareholders may not have another opportunity to participate in a tender offer or exchange their Common Shares for the then-existing NAV per Common Share.

All Common Shareholders remaining after a tender offer will be subject to proportionately higher expenses due to the reduction in the Fund’s total assets resulting from payment for the tendered Common Shares. A reduction in net assets, and the corresponding increase in the Fund’s expense ratio, could result in lower returns and put the Fund at a disadvantage relative to its peers and potentially cause the Fund’s Common Shares to trade at a wider discount to NAV than it otherwise would. Such reduction in the Fund’s total assets may also result in less investment flexibility, reduced diversification and greater volatility for the Fund, and may have an adverse effect on the Fund’s investment performance. Moreover, the resulting reduction in the number of outstanding Common Shares could cause the Common Shares to become more thinly traded or otherwise adversely impact the secondary market trading of such Common Shares.

The Eligible Tender Offer would be made in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Exchange Act and the applicable tender offer rules thereunder (including Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E under the Exchange Act). The Fund’s purchase of tendered Common Shares pursuant to a tender offer would have tax consequences for tendering Common Shareholders and may have tax consequences for non-tendering Common Shareholders. In addition, the Fund would continue to be subject to its obligations with respect to its issued and outstanding borrowings, preferred stock or debt securities, if any. An Eligible Tender Offer may be commenced upon approval of a majority of the Trustees, without a shareholder vote. The Fund is not required to conduct an Eligible Tender Offer. If no Eligible Tender Offer is conducted, the Fund will dissolve on the Dissolution Date (subject to extension as described above), unless the limited term provisions of the Declaration are amended with the vote of shareholders.

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The Board may terminate the Fund without shareholder approval at any time, including prior to the Dissolution Date. Upon its termination, the Fund will distribute substantially all of its net assets to shareholders, after paying or otherwise providing for all charges, taxes, expenses and liabilities, whether due or accrued or anticipated, of the Fund, as may be determined by the Board. The Fund retains broad flexibility to liquidate its portfolio, wind up its business and make liquidating distributions to Common Shareholders in a manner and on a schedule it believes will best contribute to the achievement of its investment objectives. Accordingly, as the Fund nears an Eligible Tender Offer or the Dissolution Date, the Investment Manager may begin liquidating all or a portion of the Fund’s portfolio through opportunistic sales. During this time, the Fund may not achieve its investment objectives, comply with the investment guidelines described in this prospectus or be able to sustain its historical distribution levels. During such period(s), the Fund’s portfolio composition may change as more of its portfolio holdings are called or sold and portfolio holdings are disposed of in anticipation of liquidation or an Eligible Tender Offer. Rather than reinvesting the proceeds of matured, called or sold securities in accordance with the investment program described above, the Fund may invest such proceeds in short term or other lower yielding securities or hold the proceeds in cash, which may adversely affect its performance. The Fund’s distributions during the Wind-Down Period may decrease, and such distributions may include a return of capital. The Fund may distribute the proceeds in one or more liquidating distributions prior to the final liquidation, which may cause fixed expenses to increase when expressed as a percentage of assets under management. It is expected that shareholders will receive cash in any liquidating distribution from the Fund, regardless of their participation in the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan. shareholders generally will realize capital gain or loss upon the termination of the Fund in an amount equal to the difference between the amount of cash or other property received by the shareholder (including any property deemed received by reason of its being placed in a liquidating trust) and the shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in the shares of the Fund for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

If on the Dissolution Date the Fund owns securities for which no market exists or securities that are trading at depressed prices, such securities may be placed in a liquidating trust. Securities placed in a liquidating trust may be held for an indefinite period of time, potentially several years or longer, until they can be sold or pay out all of their cash flows. During such time, the shareholders will continue to be exposed to the risks associated with the Fund and the value of their interest in the liquidating trust will fluctuate with the value of the liquidating trust’s remaining assets. To the extent the costs associated with a liquidating trust exceed the value of the remaining securities, the liquidating trust trustees may elect to write off or donate the remaining securities to charity. The Fund cannot predict the amount, if any, of securities that will be required to be placed in a liquidating trust or how long it will take to sell or otherwise dispose of such securities.

The Fund may continue in existence after the Dissolution Date to pay, satisfy and discharge any existing debts or obligations, collect and distribute any remaining net assets to Common Shareholders and do all other acts required to liquidate and wind up its business and affairs. If the Fund determines to liquidate, the Fund will complete the liquidation of its portfolio (to the extent possible and not already liquidated), retire or redeem its leverage facilities (to the extent not already retired or redeemed), distribute all of its liquidated net assets to its Common Shareholders (to the extent not already distributed), and the Fund will terminate its existence under Massachusetts law.

The Fund is not a so-called “target date” or “life cycle” fund whose asset allocation becomes more conservative over time as its target date, often associated with retirement, approaches. In addition, the Fund is not a “target term” fund whose investment objective is to return its original NAV on the Dissolution Date or in an Eligible Tender Offer. The Fund’s investment objectives and policies are not designed to seek to return investors’ original investment upon termination of the Fund or in an Eligible Tender Offer, and investors may receive more or less than their original investment upon termination of the Fund or in an Eligible Tender Offer.

The Board may, to the extent it deems appropriate and without shareholder approval, adopt a plan of liquidation at any time preceding the anticipated Dissolution Date, which plan of liquidation may set forth the terms and conditions for implementing the termination of the existence of the Fund, including the commencement of the winding down of its investment operations and the making of one or more liquidating distributions to Common Shareholders prior to the Dissolution Date.

See “Principal Risks of the Fund—Limited Term Risk.”

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Tax Matters

This section summarizes some of the U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. persons of investing in the Fund; the consequences under other tax laws and to non-U.S. shareholders may differ. This summary is based on the Code, U.S. Treasury regulations, and other applicable authority, all as of the date of this prospectus. These authorities are subject to change by legislative or administrative action, possibly with retroactive effect. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors as to the possible application of federal, state, local or non-U.S. income tax laws. Please see the Statement of Additional Information for additional information regarding the tax aspects of investing in the Fund.

Taxation of the Fund

The Fund intends to elect to be treated, and intends each year to qualify and be eligible to be treated, as a “regulated investment company” under Subchapter M of the Code. A RIC is not subject to U.S. federal income tax at the corporate level on income and gains from investments that are distributed in a timely manner to shareholders in the form of dividends. The Fund’s failure to qualify as a RIC would result in corporate-level taxation, thereby reducing the return on your investment.

As described under “Use of Leverage” above, if at any time when preferred shares or other senior securities are outstanding the Fund does not meet applicable asset coverage requirements, it will be required to suspend distributions to Common Shareholders until the requisite asset coverage is restored. Any such suspension may cause the Fund to pay a U.S. federal income and excise tax on undistributed income or gains and may, in certain circumstances, prevent the Fund from qualifying for treatment as a RIC. The Fund may repurchase or otherwise retire preferred shares or other senior securities, as applicable, in an effort to comply with the distribution requirement applicable to RICs.

Distributions

The Fund intends to make monthly distributions of net investment income. A shareholder subject to U.S. federal income tax will generally be subject to tax on Fund distributions. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, Fund distributions will generally be taxable to a shareholder as either ordinary income or capital gains. Fund dividends consisting of distributions of investment income generally are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Federal taxes on Fund distributions of capital gains are determined by how long the Fund owned or is deemed to have owned the investments that generated the capital gains, rather than how long a shareholder has owned its shares of the Fund. Distributions of net capital gains (that is, the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses, in each case determined with reference to any loss carryforwards) that are properly reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends generally will be treated as long-term capital gains includible in a shareholder’s net capital gains and taxed to individuals at reduced rates. The Fund does not expect a significant portion of its distributions to be treated as long-term capital gains. Distributions of net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses generally will be taxable to you as ordinary income.

Section 1411 of the Code generally imposes a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on the “net investment income” of certain individuals, trusts and estates to the extent their adjusted gross income exceeds certain threshold amounts. Net investment income generally includes for this purpose dividends paid by the Fund, including any capital gain dividends, and net capital gains recognized on the sale, redemption or exchange of shares of the Fund. Shareholders are advised to consult their tax advisors regarding the possible implications of this additional tax on their investment in the Fund.

Distributions by the Fund to its shareholders that the Fund properly reports as “section 199A dividends,” as defined and subject to certain conditions described in the Statement of Additional Information, are treated as qualified REIT dividends in the hands of non-corporate shareholders, for which a deduction may be available. See “Fund Distributions” in the Statement of Additional Information for further details.

The ultimate tax characterization of the Fund’s distributions made in a taxable year cannot be determined finally until after the end of that taxable year. As a result, there is a possibility that the Fund may make total distributions during a taxable year in an amount that exceeds the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. In that case, the excess generally would be treated as return of capital and would reduce the shareholders’ tax basis in the applicable shares, with any amounts exceeding such basis treated as gain from the sale of such shares. A return of capital is not taxable, but it reduces a shareholder’s tax basis in the shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of the shares.

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Fund distributions are taxable to shareholders as described above even if they are paid from income or gains earned by the Fund before a shareholder’s investment (and thus were included in the price the shareholder paid).

A shareholder whose distributions are reinvested in Common Shares of the Fund under the Plan will be treated as having received a dividend equal to either (i) if newly issued Common Shares are issued under the Plan, generally the fair market value of the newly issued Common Shares issued to the Common Shareholder or (ii) if reinvestment is made through open-market purchases under the Plan, the amount of cash allocated to the Common Shareholder for the purchase of Common Shares on its behalf in the open market. See “Dividend Reinvestment Plan” above.

Distributions of net short-term capital gain (as reduced by any net long-term capital loss for the taxable year) will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. A RIC may report certain dividends as derived from “qualified dividend income,” which, when received by a non-corporate shareholder, will be taxed at the rates applicable to net capital gain, provided holding period and other requirements are met at both the shareholder and fund levels. The Fund does not expect a significant portion of distributions to be derived from qualified dividend income.

The IRS currently requires a RIC that the IRS recognizes as having two or more “classes” of stock for U.S. federal income tax purposes to allocate to each such class proportionate amounts of each type of its income (such as ordinary income and capital gains) based upon the percentage of total dividends distributed to each class for the tax year. Accordingly, as and when applicable, the Fund intends each tax year to allocate capital gain dividends between and among its Common Shares and each series of its preferred shares in proportion to the total dividends paid to each class with respect to such tax year. Dividends qualifying and not qualifying for the dividends received deduction or as qualified dividend income will similarly be allocated between and among Common Shares and each series of preferred shares, as and when issued.

Taxes When You Dispose of Your Shares

Any gain resulting from the sale or other disposition of Fund shares that is treated as a sale or exchange for U.S. federal income tax purposes generally will be taxable to shareholders as capital gains for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

If, as described in the section “Limited Term and Eligible Tender Offer” above, the Fund conducts a tender offer for its shares, shareholders who offer, and are able to sell, all of the shares they hold or are deemed to hold in response to such tender offer generally will be treated as having sold their shares and generally will recognize a capital gain or loss. In the case of shareholders who tender or are able to sell fewer than all of their shares, it is possible that any amounts that the shareholder receives in such repurchase will be taxable as a dividend to such shareholder. Shares actually owned, as well as shares constructively owned under Section 318 of the Code, will generally be taken into account for purposes of the foregoing rules. In addition, there is a risk that shareholders who do not tender any of their shares for repurchase, or whose percentage interest in the Fund otherwise increases as a result of the tender offer, will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as having received a taxable dividend distribution as a result of their proportionate increase in the ownership of the Fund. The Fund’s use of cash to repurchase shares could adversely affect its ability to satisfy the distribution requirements for treatment as a regulated investment company. The Fund could also recognize income in connection with its liquidation of portfolio securities to fund share repurchases. Any such income would be taken into account in determining whether such distribution requirements are satisfied.

If the Fund liquidates, shareholders generally will realize capital gain or loss upon such liquidation in an amount equal to the difference between the amount of cash or other property received by the shareholder (including any property deemed received by reason of its being placed in a liquidating trust) and the shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in its Common Shares. Any such gain or loss will be long-term if the shareholder is treated as having a holding period in Fund shares of greater than one year, and otherwise will be short-term.

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Subsidiaries

The Fund may invest in one or more Subsidiaries that are treated as disregarded entities or as transparent for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In the case of a Subsidiary that is so treated, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, (i) the Fund is treated as owning the Subsidiary’s assets directly; (ii) any income, gain, loss, deduction or other tax items arising in respect of the Subsidiary’s assets will be treated as if they are realized or incurred, as applicable, directly by the Fund; and (iii) distributions, if any, the Fund receives from the Subsidiary will have no effect on the Fund’s U.S. federal income tax liability.

Foreign (Non-U.S.) Taxes

Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries, which will reduce the return on those investments. If, at the close of its taxable year, more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets consists of securities of foreign corporations, including for this purpose foreign governments, the Fund will be permitted to make an election under the Code that will allow shareholders to claim a credit or deduction on their income tax returns for their pro rata portions of qualified taxes paid by the Fund to foreign countries in respect of foreign securities that the Fund has held for at least the minimum period specified in the Code. If the Fund does not qualify for or chooses not to make such an election, shareholders will not be entitled separately to claim a credit or deduction for U.S. federal income tax purposes with respect to foreign taxes paid by the Fund; in that case the foreign tax will nonetheless reduce the Fund’s taxable income. Even if the Fund elects to pass through to its shareholders foreign tax credits or deductions, shareholders who are not subject to U.S. federal income tax, and those who invest in the Fund through tax-advantaged accounts (including those who invest through individual retirement accounts or other tax-advantaged retirement plans), generally will receive no benefit from any such tax credit or deduction.

Certain Fund Investments

The Fund’s transactions in foreign currencies, foreign-currency denominated debt obligations, derivatives, short sales, or similar or related transactions could affect the amount, timing, or character of distributions from the Fund, and could increase the amount and accelerate the timing for payment of taxes payable by shareholders. The Fund’s investments in certain debt instruments could cause the Fund to recognize taxable income in excess of the cash generated by such investments (which may require the Fund to sell other investments in order to make required distributions, including when it is not advantageous to do so). The Fund does not expect to qualify to pass through tax-exempt dividends to shareholders.

Backup Withholding

The Fund is generally required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and tender offer/liquidation proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish the Fund with a correct taxpayer identification number, who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify to the Fund that he, she or it is not subject to such withholding.

Shares Purchased Through Tax-Advantaged Plans

Special tax rules apply to investments though defined contribution plans and other tax-advantaged plans. Common Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the suitability of the Fund’s Common Shares as an investment through such plans and the precise effect of an investment on their particular tax situation.

General

The foregoing discussion relates solely to U.S. federal income tax laws. Dividends and distributions also may be subject to state and local taxes. Common Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding specific questions as to federal, state, local, and, where applicable, foreign taxes. Foreign investors should consult their tax advisors concerning the tax consequences of ownership of Common Shares of the Fund.

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The foregoing is a general and abbreviated summary of the applicable provisions of the Code and related regulations currently in effect. For the complete provisions, reference should be made to the pertinent Code sections and regulations. The Code and regulations are subject to change by legislative or administrative actions.

Please see “Taxation” in the Statement of Additional Information for additional information regarding the tax aspects of investing in Common Shares of the Fund.

Underwriters

Under the terms and subject to the conditions in an underwriting agreement, dated [•], 2021, the Underwriters named below, for whom [•] are acting as the representatives (the “Representatives”), have severally agreed to purchase, and the Fund has agreed to sell to them, the number of Common Shares indicated below.

The Underwriters are offering the Common Shares subject to their acceptance of the Common Shares from the Fund and subject to prior sale. The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the several Underwriters to pay for and accept delivery of the Common Shares offered by this prospectus are subject to the approval of certain legal matters by their counsel and to certain other conditions. The Underwriters are obligated to take and pay for all of the Common Shares offered by this prospectus if any such shares are taken. However, the Underwriters are not required to exercise the Underwriters’ over-allotment option described below, in which case the Underwriters will not take or pay for the Common Shares covered by the Underwriters’ over-allotment option.

Investors purchasing Common Shares in this offering will not be charged a sales load. PIMCO (and not the Fund) has agreed to pay, from its own assets, compensation of up to $[•] per Common Share to the Underwriters and certain dealers in connection with the offering, which aggregate amount will not exceed [•]% of the total public offering price of the shares sold in this offering. See “Compensation Paid by the Investment Manager,” below. The Underwriters initially propose to offer part of the Common Shares directly to the public at the public offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus and part to certain dealers at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $[•] per Common Share under the public offering price. Investors must pay for any Common Shares purchased in this offering on or before [•].

At the Fund’s request, a dealer has agreed to allocate approximately [•]% of the Common Shares offered by this prospectus for sale to Trustees, officers and employees (and immediate family members of employees for whom the employee must pre-clear trades pursuant to PIMCO’s internal policies) of the Fund and/or PIMCO at the initial public offering price. Such dealer will not receive any compensation directly from PIMCO and/or the Fund, or from the compensation paid by PIMCO to the Underwriters, on such sales.

The Fund has granted to the Underwriters an option, exercisable for 45 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to additional Common Shares at the public offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus. The Underwriters may exercise this option solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, if any, made in connection with the offering of the Common Shares offered by this prospectus. To the extent the option is exercised, each Underwriter will become obligated, subject to certain conditions, to purchase approximately the same percentage of the additional Common Shares as the number listed next to the Underwriter’s name in the preceding table bears to the total number of Common Shares listed next to the names of all Underwriters in the preceding table.

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The following table shows the per share and total public offering price, underwriting discounts and commissions (sales load) and proceeds to the Fund. These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the Underwriters’ option to purchase up to an additional Common Shares.

The compensation and fees paid to the Underwriters described below under “Compensation Paid by the Investment Manager” are not reimbursable to the Investment Manager by the Fund and are therefore not reflected in the table above.

The Investment Manager (and not the Fund) will pay all organizational expenses of the Fund and all offering costs associated with this offering. The Fund is not obligated to repay any such organizational expenses or offering costs paid by the Investment Manager.

The Underwriters have informed the Fund that they do not intend sales to discretionary accounts to exceed five percent of the total number of Common Shares offered by them.

In order to meet requirements for listing the Common Shares on the NYSE, the Underwriters have undertaken to sell lots of 100 or more shares to a minimum of 400 beneficial owners in the United States. The minimum investment requirement is 100 common shares ($2,000).

The Fund’s Common Shares are expected to be approved for listing on the NYSE, subject to notice of issuance, under the symbol “PAXS”.

The Fund has agreed that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period ending 180 days after the date of this prospectus:

whether any such transaction described above is to be settled by delivery of Common Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.

The restrictions described in the immediately preceding paragraph do not apply to:

Certain Trustees and officers of the Fund who have indicated an interest in purchasing Common Shares in this offering have agreed that for a period of 180 days from the date of this prospectus, such party will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of or agree to sell or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, or hedge any Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, provided, however, that such party may sell or otherwise dispose of Common Shares pursuant to certain limited exception. The Representatives in their sole discretion may release any of the securities subject to these lock-up arrangements at any time.

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PIMCO will institute, and use its commercially reasonable best efforts to enforce, trading restrictions through its personal securities trading preclearance system to restrict the Fund’s Trustees and PIMCO’s officers and employees (and immediate family members of employees for whom the employee must pre-clear trades pursuant to PIMCO’s internal policies) who have indicated an interest in purchasing Common Shares in this offering from selling or otherwise disposing of Common Shares during the period ending 180 days after the date of this prospectus unless the Representatives provide their prior written consent on behalf of the Underwriters.

In order to facilitate the offering of the Common Shares, the Underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the Common Shares. Specifically, the Underwriters may sell more Common Shares than they are obligated to purchase under the underwriting agreement, creating a short position. A short sale is covered if the short position is no greater than the number of Common Shares available for purchase by the Underwriters under the over-allotment option. The Underwriters can close out a covered short sale by exercising the over-allotment option or purchasing Common Shares in the open market. In determining the source of Common Shares to close out a covered short sale, the Underwriters will consider, among other things, the open market price of the Common Shares compared to the price available under the over-allotment option. The Underwriters may also sell Common Shares in excess of the over-allotment option, creating a naked short position. The Underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing Common Shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the Underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the Common Shares in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. As an additional means of facilitating the offering, the Underwriters may bid for, and purchase, Common Shares in the open market to stabilize the price of the Common Shares. Finally, the underwriting syndicate may also reclaim selling concessions allowed to an Underwriter or a dealer for distributing the Common Shares in the offering. Any of these activities may raise or maintain the market price of the Common Shares above independent market levels or prevent or retard a decline in the market price of the Common Shares. The Underwriters are not required to engage in these activities, and may end any of these activities at any time.

The Fund, the Investment Manager and the Underwriters have agreed to indemnify each other against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on websites maintained by one or more Underwriters, or selling group members, if any, participating in this offering. The Representatives may agree to allocate a number of Common Shares to Underwriters for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the Representatives to Underwriters that may make Internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations.

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for the Common Shares. The initial public offering price for the Common Shares was determined by negotiation among the Fund, the Investment Manager and the Representatives. There can be no assurance, however, that the price at which the Common Shares trade after this offering will not be lower than the price at which they are sold by the Underwriters or that an active trading market in the Common Shares will develop and continue after this offering.

Prior to the public offering of the Common Shares, Allianz Fund Investments, Inc. purchased Common Shares from the Fund in an amount satisfying the net worth requirements of Section 14(a) of the 1940 Act, which requires the Fund to have a net worth of at least $100,000 prior to making a public offering. As of the date of this prospectus, Allianz Fund Investments, Inc. owned 100% of the Fund’s outstanding Common Shares and therefore may be deemed to control the Fund until such time as it owns less than 25% of the Fund’s outstanding Common Shares, which is expected to occur upon the closing of this offering.

The Fund anticipates that the Representatives and certain other Underwriters may from time to time act as brokers and dealers in connection with the execution of its portfolio transactions after they have ceased to be Underwriters and, subject to certain restrictions, may act as such brokers while they are Underwriters.

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The Underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial lending, investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, principal investment, hedging, derivatives, financing and brokerage activities. Certain of the Underwriters or their respective affiliates from time to time have provided in the past, and may provide in the future, securities trading, commercial lending, investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, principal investment, hedging, derivatives, financing and brokerage services to the Fund, certain of its executive officers and affiliates and the Investment Manager and its affiliates in the ordinary course of business, for which they have received, and may receive, customary fees and expenses.

No action has been taken in any jurisdiction (except in the United States) that would permit a public offering of the Common Shares, or the possession, circulation or distribution of this prospectus or any other material relating to the Fund or the Common Shares where action for that purpose is required. Accordingly, the Common Shares may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, and neither this prospectus nor any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the Common Shares may be distributed or published, in or from any country or jurisdiction except in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of any such country or jurisdiction.

The principal business address of [PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER] is [•].

Compensation Paid by the Investment Manager

[TO BE UPDATED BY AMENDMENT.]

Custodian and Transfer Agent

The custodian of the assets of the Fund is [•], [•]. The custodian performs custodial and fund accounting services as well as sub-administrative services on behalf of the Fund.

[•], [•], serves as the Fund’s transfer agent, registrar, dividend disbursement agent and shareholder servicing agent, as well as agent for the Fund’s Dividend Reinvestment Plan.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

[•], [•], serves as independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund. [•] provides audit services, tax and other audit related services to the Fund.

Legal Matters

Certain legal matters will be passed on for the Fund by Ropes & Gray LLP, 800 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02199, and for the Underwriters by [•].

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Appendix A

Description of Securities Ratings

The Fund’s investments may range in quality from securities rated in the lowest category in which the Fund is permitted to invest to securities rated in the highest category (as rated by Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s or Fitch, or, if unrated, determined by PIMCO to be of comparable quality). The percentage of the Fund’s assets invested in securities in a particular rating category will vary. The following terms are generally used to describe the credit quality of fixed income securities:

High Quality Debt Securities are those rated in one of the two highest rating categories (the highest category for commercial paper) or, if unrated, deemed comparable by PIMCO.

Investment Grade Debt Securities are those rated in one of the four highest rating categories, or if unrated deemed comparable by PIMCO.

Below Investment Grade High Yield Securities (“Junk Bonds”), are those rated lower than Baa by Moody’s, BBB by Standard & Poor’s or Fitch, and comparable securities. They are deemed predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s ability to repay principal and interest.

The following is a description of Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch’s rating categories applicable to fixed income securities.

Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

Global Long-Term Rating Scale

Ratings assigned on Moody’s global long-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of one year or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.

Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category. Additionally, a “(hyb)” indicator is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms.*

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Medium-Term Note Program Ratings

Moody’s assigns provisional ratings to medium-term note (MTN) programs and definitive ratings to the individual debt securities issued from them (referred to as drawdowns or notes).

MTN program ratings are intended to reflect the ratings likely to be assigned to drawdowns issued from the program with the specified priority of claim (e.g., senior or subordinated). To capture the contingent nature of a program rating, Moody’s assigns provisional ratings to MTN programs. A provisional rating is denoted by a (P) in front of the rating.

The rating assigned to a drawdown from a rated MTN or bank/deposit note program is definitive in nature, and may differ from the program rating if the drawdown is exposed to additional credit risks besides the issuer’s default, such as links to the defaults of other issuers, or has other structural features that warrant a different rating. In some circumstances, no rating may be assigned to a drawdown.

Moody’s encourages market participants to contact Moody’s Ratings Desks or visit moodys.com directly if they have questions regarding ratings for specific notes issued under a medium-term note program. Unrated notes issued under an MTN program may be assigned an NR (not rated) symbol.

Global Short-Term Rating Scale

Ratings assigned on Moody’s global short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Short-term ratings are assigned for obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.

National Scale Long-Term Ratings

Moody’s long-term National Scale Ratings (NSRs) are opinions of the relative creditworthiness of issuers and financial obligations within a particular country. NSRs are not designed to be compared among countries; rather, they address relative credit risk within a given country. Moody’s assigns national scale ratings in certain local capital markets in which investors have found the global rating scale provides inadequate differentiation among credits or is inconsistent with a rating scale already in common use in the country.

In each specific country, the last two characters of the rating indicate the country in which the issuer is located or the financial obligation was issued (e.g., Aaa.ke for Kenya).

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Aaa.n: Issuers or issues rated Aaa.n demonstrate the strongest creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

Aa.n: Issuers or issues rated Aa.n demonstrate very strong creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

A.n: Issuers or issues rated A.n present above-average creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

Baa.n: Issuers or issues rated Baa.n represent average creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

Ba.n: Issuers or issues rated Ba.n demonstrate below-average creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

B.n: Issuers or issues rated B.n demonstrate weak creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

Caa.n: Issuers or issues rated Caa.n demonstrate very weak creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

Ca.n: Issuers or issues rated Ca.n demonstrate extremely weak creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

C.n: Issuers or issues rated C.n demonstrate the weakest creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

National Scale Short-Term Ratings

Moody’s short-term NSRs are opinions of the ability of issuers or issuances in a given country, relative to other domestic issuers or issuances, to repay debt obligations that have an original maturity not exceeding thirteen months. Short-term NSRs in one country should not be compared with short-term NSRs in another country, or with Moody’s global ratings.

There are four categories of short-term national scale ratings, generically denoted N-1 through N-4 as defined below.

In each specific country, the first two letters indicate the country in which the issuer is located (e.g., KE-1 through KE-4 for Kenya).

N-1: N-1 issuers or issuances represent the strongest likelihood of repayment of short-term senior unsecured debt obligations relative to other domestic issuers or issuances.

N-2: N-2 issuers or issuances represent an above average likelihood of repayment of short-term senior unsecured debt obligations relative to other domestic issuers or issuances.

N-3: N-3 issuers or issuances represent an average likelihood of repayment of short-term senior unsecured debt obligations relative to other domestic issuers or issuances.

N-4: N-4 issuers or issuances represent a below average likelihood of repayment of short-term senior unsecured debt obligations relative to other domestic issuers or issuances.

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Note: The short-term rating symbols P-1.za, P-2.za, P-3.za and NP.za are used in South Africa.

Short-Term Obligation Ratings

The Municipal Investment Grade (MIG) scale is used for US municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less. Under certain circumstances, the MIG scale is used for bond anticipation notes with maturities of up to five years.

Demand Obligation Ratings

In the case of variable rate demand obligations (VRDOs), a two-component rating is assigned. The components are a long-term rating and a short-term demand obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer’s ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term demand obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to make payments associated with the purchase-price-upon-demand feature (“demand feature”) of the VRDO. The short-term demand obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. VMIG ratings with liquidity support use as an input the short-term Counterparty Risk Assessment of the support provider, or the long-term rating of the underlying obligor in the absence of third party liquidity support. Transitions of VMIG ratings of demand obligations with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions on the Prime scale to reflect the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer’s long-term rating drops below investment grade. Moody’s typically assigns the VMIG short-term demand obligation rating if the frequency of the demand feature is less than every three years. If the frequency of the demand feature is less than three years but the purchase price is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the short-term demand obligation rating is “NR”.

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Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services

Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings*

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P Global Ratings’ (“S&P”) analysis of the following considerations:

An issue rating is an assessment of default risk but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

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Dual Ratings: Dual ratings may be assigned to debt issues that have a put option or demand feature. The first component of the rating addresses the likelihood of repayment of principal and interest as due, and the second component of the rating addresses only the demand feature. The first component of the rating can relate to either a short-term or long-term transaction and accordingly use either short-term or long-term rating symbols. The second component of the rating relates to the put option and is assigned a short-term rating symbol (for example, ‘AAA/A-1+’ or ‘A-1+/A-1’). With U.S. municipal short-term demand debt, the U.S. municipal short-term note rating symbols are used for the first component of the rating (for example, ‘SP-1+/A-1+’).

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Active Qualifiers

S&P uses the following qualifiers that limit the scope of a rating. The structure of the transaction can require the use of a qualifier such as a ‘p’ qualifier, which indicates the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only. A qualifier appears as a suffix and is part of the rating.

Federal deposit insurance limit: ‘L’ qualifier

Ratings qualified with ‘L’ apply only to amounts invested up to federal deposit insurance limits.

Principal ‘p’ qualifier

This suffix is used for issues in which the credit factors, the terms, or both, that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of principal are different from the credit factors, terms, or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of interest on the obligation. The ‘p’ suffix indicates that the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only and that the interest is not rated.

Preliminary ratings: ‘prelim’ qualifier

Preliminary ratings, with the ‘prelim’ suffix, may be assigned to obligors or obligations, including financial programs, in the circumstances described below. Assignment of a final rating is conditional on the receipt by S&P of appropriate documentation. S&P reserves the right not to issue a final rating. Moreover, if a final rating is issued, it may differ from the preliminary rating.

Termination structure: ‘t’ qualifier

This symbol indicates termination structures that are designed to honor their contracts to full maturity or, should certain events occur, to terminate and cash settle all their contracts before their final maturity date.

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Counterparty instrument rating: ‘cir’ qualifer

This symbol indicates a counterparty instrument rating (CIR), which is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an issuer in a securitization structure with respect to a specific financial obligation to a counterparty (including interest rate swaps, currency swaps, and liquidity facilities). The CIR is determined on an ultimate payment basis; these opinions do not take into account timeliness of payment.

Inactive Qualifiers (no longer applied or outstanding)

Contingent upon final documentation: ‘*’ in active qualifier

This symbol indicated that the rating was contingent upon S&P receipt of an executed copy of the escrow agreement or closing documentation confirming investments and cash flows. Discontinued use in August 1998.

Termination of obligation to tender: ‘c’ inactive qualifier

This qualifier was used to provide additional information to investors that the bank may terminate its obligation to purchase tendered bonds if the long-term credit rating of the issuer was lowered to below an investment-grade level and/or the issuer’s bonds were deemed taxable. Discontinued use in January 2001.

U.S. direct government securities: ‘G’ inactive qualifier

The letter ‘G’ followed the rating symbol when a fund’s portfolio consisted primarily of direct U.S. government securities.

Public information ratings: ‘pi’ inactive qualifer

This qualifier was used to indicate ratings that were based on an analysis of an issuer’s published financial information, as well as additional information in the public domain. Such ratings did not, however, reflect in-depth meetings with an issuer’s management and therefore could have been based on less comprehensive information than ratings without a ‘pi’ suffix. Discontinued use as of December 2014 and as of August 2015 for Lloyd’s Syndicate Assessments.

Provisional ratings: ‘pr’ inactive qualifier

The letters ‘pr’ indicate that the rating was provisional. A provisional rating assumed the successful completion of a project financed by the debt being rated and indicates that payment of debt service requirements was largely or entirely dependent upon the successful, timely completion of the project. This rating, however, while addressing credit quality subsequent to completion of the project, made no comment on the likelihood of or the risk of default upon failure of such completion.

Quantitative analysis of public information: ‘q’ inactive qualifier

A ‘q’ subscript indicates that the rating is based solely on quantitative analysis of publicly available information. Discontinued use in April 2001.

Extraordinary risks: ‘r’ inactive qualifier

The ‘r’ modifier was assigned to securities containing extraordinary risks, particularly market risks, that are not covered in the credit rating. The absence of an ‘r’ modifier should not be taken as an indication that an obligation would not exhibit extraordinary noncredit-related risks. S&P discontinued the use of the ‘r’ modifier for most obligations in June 2000 and for the balance of obligations (mainly structured finance transactions) in November 2002.

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Fitch Ratings

Long-Term Credit Ratings

Rated entities in a number of sectors, including financial and non-financial corporations, sovereigns, insurance companies and certain sectors within public finance, are generally assigned Issuer Default Ratings (“IDRs”). IDRs are also assigned to certain entities or enterprises in global infrastructure, project finance and public finance. IDRs opine on an entity’s relative vulnerability to default (including by way of a distressed debt exchange) on financial obligations. The threshold default risk addressed by the IDR is generally that of the financial obligations whose non-payment would best reflect the uncured failure of that entity. As such, IDRs also address relative vulnerability to bankruptcy, administrative receivership or similar concepts.

In aggregate, IDRs provide an ordinal ranking of issuers based on the agency’s view of their relative vulnerability to default, rather than a prediction of a specific percentage likelihood of default.

a. the issuer has entered into a grace or cure period following non-payment of a material financial obligation;

b. the issuer has entered into a temporary negotiated waiver or standstill agreement following a payment default on a material financial obligation;

c. the formal announcement by the issuer or their agent of a distressed debt exchange;

d. a closed financing vehicle where payment capacity is irrevocably impaired such that it is not expected to pay interest and/or principal in full during the life of the transaction, but where no payment default is imminent

RD:    Restricted default. ‘RD’ ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch Ratings’ opinion has experienced:

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Default ratings are not assigned prospectively to entities or their obligations; within this context, non-payment on an instrument that contains a deferral feature or grace period will generally not be considered a default until after the expiration of the deferral or grace period, unless a default is otherwise driven by bankruptcy or other similar circumstance, or by a distressed debt exchange.

In all cases, the assignment of a default rating reflects the agency’s opinion as to the most appropriate rating category consistent with the rest of its universe of ratings and may differ from the definition of default under the terms of an issuer’s financial obligations or local commercial practice.

“Imminent” default, categorized under ‘C’, typically refers to the occasion where a payment default has been intimated by the issuer and is all but inevitable. This may, for example, be where an issuer has missed a scheduled payment but (as is typical) has a grace period during which it may cure the payment default. Another alternative would be where an issuer has formally announced a distressed debt exchange, but the date of the exchange still lies several days or weeks in the immediate future.

The modifiers “+” or “-” may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. For example, the rating category ‘AA’ has three notch-specific rating levels (‘AA+’; ‘AA’; ‘AA-’; each a rating level). Such suffixes are not added to ‘AAA’ ratings and ratings below the ‘CCC’ category.

Recovery Ratings

Recovery Ratings are assigned to selected individual securities and obligations, most frequently for individual obligations of corporate finance issuers with IDRs in speculative grade categories.

Among the factors that affect recovery rates for securities are the collateral, the seniority relative to other obligations in the capital structure (where appropriate), and the expected value of the company or underlying collateral in distress.

The Recovery Rating scale is based on the expected relative recovery characteristics of an obligation upon the curing of a default, emergence from insolvency or following the liquidation or termination of the obligor or its associated collateral.

Recovery Ratings are an ordinal scale and do not attempt to precisely predict a given level of recovery. As a guideline in developing the rating assessments, the agency employs broad theoretical recovery bands in its ratings approach based on historical averages and analytical judgement, but actual recoveries for a given security may deviate materially from historical averages.

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Short-Term Ratings Assigned to Issuers and Obligations

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as “short term” based on market convention. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

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Until [•], 2021 (25 days after the commencement of this offering), all dealers that buy, sell or trade the Common Shares, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This delivery requirement is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

Shares

PIMCO ACCESS INCOME FUND

Common Shares

$20.00 per Share

PROSPECTUS

[LIST UNDERWRITER NAMES]

[•], 2022

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The information in this Statement of Additional Information is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Statement of Additional Information, which is not a prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state or jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

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Statement of Additional Information, subject to completion dated October 8, 2021

PIMCO ACCESS INCOME FUND

Statement of Additional Information

[•], 2022

PIMCO Access Income Fund (the “Fund”) is a newly organized, non-diversified, limited term, closed-end management investment company with no operating history.

Pacific Investment Management Company LLC (“PIMCO” or the “Investment Manager”), 650 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, California 92660, is the investment manager to the Fund.

This Statement of Additional Information relating to the common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.00001 per share, of the Fund (the “Common Shares”) is not a prospectus, and should be read in conjunction with the Fund’s prospectus relating thereto dated [•], 2022 (the “Prospectus”). This Statement of Additional Information does not include all information that a prospective investor should consider before purchasing Common Shares, and investors should obtain and read the Prospectus prior to purchasing such shares.

A copy of the Prospectus and annual or semi-annual reports for the Fund may be obtained, when available, without charge by calling 844-337-4626. You may also obtain a copy of the Prospectus on the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) at http://www.sec.gov.

Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Statement of Additional Information have the meanings ascribed to them in the Prospectus.

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THE FUND

The Fund is a non-diversified, limited term, closed-end management investment company with no operating history. The Fund was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on October  1, 2021.

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES

The investment objectives and general investment policies of the Fund are described in the Prospectus. Additional information concerning the characteristics of certain of the Fund’s investments, strategies and risks is set forth below. Unless a strategy or policy described below is specifically prohibited by the investment restrictions listed in the Prospectus, by the investment restrictions under “Investment Restrictions” in this Statement of Additional Information, or by applicable law, the Fund may engage in each of the practices described below. However, the Fund is not required to engage in any particular transaction or purchase any particular type of securities or investment even if to do so might benefit the Fund. Unless otherwise stated herein, all investment policies of the Fund may be changed by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) without shareholder approval. In addition, the Fund may be subject to restrictions on its ability to utilize certain investments or investment techniques. Unless otherwise stated herein, these additional restrictions may be changed with the consent of the Board but without approval by or notice to shareholders.

When used in this Statement of Additional Information, the term “invest” includes both direct investing and indirect investing and the term “investments” includes both direct investments and indirect investments. For example, the Fund may invest indirectly by investing in derivatives or through one or more wholly-owned and/or controlled subsidiaries (each, a “Subsidiary,” and collectively, “Subsidiaries”), real estate investment trust (“REIT”) subsidiaries, and/or joint ventures. References herein to the Fund include references to the Fund’s Subsidiaries, REIT subsidiaries and joint ventures in respect of the Fund’s investment exposure. The Fund may be exposed to the different types of investments described in the Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information through its investments in its Subsidiaries, REIT subsidiaries and/or joint ventures.

High Yield Securities (“Junk Bonds”) and Securities of Distressed Companies

The Fund may invest without limitation in debt instruments that are, at the time of purchase, rated below investment grade (below Baa3 by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody”) or below BBB- by either S&P Global Ratings (S&P), or Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”)), or unrated but determined by PIMCO to be of comparable quality. However, the Fund will not normally invest more than 20% of its total assets in debt instruments, other than mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities (“ABS”), that are, at the time of purchase, rated CCC+ or lower by S&P and Fitch and Caa1 or lower by Moody’s, or that are unrated but determined by PIMCO to be of comparable quality to securities so rated. The Fund may invest without limitation in mortgage-related and other ABS regardless of rating—i.e., of any credit quality. For purposes of applying the foregoing policies, in the case of securities with split ratings (i.e., a security receiving two different ratings from two different rating agencies), the Fund will apply the higher of the applicable ratings. Subject to the aforementioned investment restrictions, the Fund may invest in securities of stressed, distressed or defaulted issuers, which include securities in default or at risk of being in default as to the repayment of principal and/or interest at the time of acquisition by the Fund or that are rated in the lower rating categories by one or more NRSROs (for example, Ca or lower by Moody’s or CC or lower by S&P or Fitch) or, if unrated, are determined by PIMCO to be of comparable quality. Debt instruments of below investment grade quality are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay interest and to repay principal, and are commonly referred to as “high yield” securities or “junk bonds.” Debt instruments in the lowest investment grade category also may be considered to possess some speculative characteristics. A description of the ratings categories used is set forth in Appendix A to the Prospectus.

A security is considered to be below “investment grade” quality if it is either (1) not rated in one of the four highest rating categories by one of the nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (“NRSROs”) (i.e., rated Ba or below by Moody’s, BB or below by S&P or BB or below by Fitch) or (2) if unrated, determined by PIMCO to be of comparable quality. Investments in securities rated below investment grade are described as “speculative” by Moody’s, S&P and Fitch, and are commonly referred to as “high yield” securities or “junk bonds.” Additional information about Moody’s, S&P’s and Fitch’s securities ratings is included in Appendix A to the Prospectus.

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Investment in lower rated corporate debt securities (“high yield” securities or “junk bonds”) and securities of distressed companies generally provides greater income and increased opportunity for capital appreciation than investments in higher quality securities, but it also typically entails greater price volatility and principal and income risk. Securities of distressed companies include both debt and equity securities. High yield securities and debt securities of distressed companies are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s continuing ability to make timely principal and interest payments. Issuers of high yield and distressed company securities may be involved in restructurings or bankruptcy proceedings that may not be successful. Analysis of the creditworthiness of issuers of debt securities that are high yield or debt securities of distressed companies may be more complex than for issuers of higher quality debt.

High yield securities and debt securities of distressed companies may be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than investment grade securities. The prices of these securities have been found to be more sensitive to adverse economic downturns or individual corporate developments.

A projection of an economic downturn, for example, could cause a decline in prices of high yield securities and debt securities of distressed companies because the advent of a recession could lessen the ability of a highly leveraged company to make principal and interest payments on its debt securities, and a high yield security may lose significant market value before a default occurs. If an issuer defaults, in addition to risking payment of all or a portion of interest and principal, the Fund, by investing in such securities, may incur additional expenses to seek recovery of their respective investments. In the case of securities structured as zero-coupon or pay-in-kind securities, their market prices are affected to a greater extent by interest rate changes, and therefore tend to be more volatile than securities which pay interest periodically and in cash.

High yield and distressed company securities and securities of distressed companies may have the right to “call” or redeem the issue prior to maturity, which may result in the Fund having to reinvest the proceeds in other high yield securities that may pay lower interest rates. The Fund may also be subject to greater levels of liquidity risk than funds that do not invest in these securities. In addition, the high yield securities and securities of distressed companies in which the Fund invests may not be listed on any exchange and a secondary market for such securities may be comparatively less liquid relative to markets for other more liquid fixed-income securities. Consequently, transactions in high yield and distressed company securities may involve greater costs than transactions in more actively traded securities, which could adversely affect the price at which the Fund could sell a high yield or distressed company security, and could adversely affect the daily net asset value of the shares. A lack of publicly-available information, irregular trading activity and wide bid/ask spreads among other factors, may, in certain circumstances, make high yield and distressed company debt more difficult to sell at an advantageous time or price than other types of securities or instruments. These factors may result in the Fund being unable to realize full value for these securities and/or may result in the Fund not receiving the proceeds from a sale of a high yield or distressed company security for an extended period after such sale, each of which could result in losses to the Fund. Because of the risks involved in investing in high yield securities and securities of distressed companies, an investment in the Fund should be considered speculative.

Analysis of the creditworthiness of issuers of high yield securities and distressed company securities may be more complex than for issuers of higher quality debt securities, and achievement of the Fund’s investment objectives may, to the extent of its investments in high yield and distressed company securities, depend more heavily on PIMCO’s creditworthiness analysis than would be the case if the Fund were investing in higher quality securities.

High yield securities structured as “zero-coupon” bonds or “payment-in-kind” securities (“PIKs”) tend to be especially volatile as they are particularly sensitive to downward pricing pressures from rising interest rates or widening spreads and may require the Fund to make taxable distributions of income greater than the total amount of cash interest the Fund has actually received. Even though such securities do not pay current interest in cash, the Fund nonetheless is required to accrue interest income on these investments and to distribute the interest income on a current basis. Thus, the Fund could be required at times to sell other investments in order to satisfy its distribution requirements (including when it is not advantageous to do so).

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The secondary market on which high yield securities are traded may be less liquid than the market for higher grade securities. Less liquidity in the secondary trading market could adversely affect the price at which the Fund could sell a high yield security, and could adversely affect the daily net asset value of the shares. Lower liquidity in secondary markets could adversely affect the value of high yield/high risk securities held by the Fund. While lower rated securities typically are less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher rated securities, the market prices of high yield/high risk securities structured as zero coupon bonds or PIKs may be affected to a greater extent by interest rate changes. In addition, adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of high yield securities, especially in a thinly traded market. When secondary markets for high yield and distressed company securities are less liquid than the market for other types of securities, it may be more difficult to value the securities because such valuation may require more research, and elements of judgment may play a greater role in the valuation because there is less reliable, objective data available.

The use of credit ratings as the sole method of evaluating high yield securities and debt securities of distressed companies can involve certain risks. For example, credit ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments of a debt security, not the market value risk of a security. Also, credit rating agencies may fail to change credit ratings in a timely fashion to reflect events since the security was last rated. PIMCO does not rely solely on credit ratings when selecting debt securities for the Fund. If a credit rating agency changes the rating of a debt security held by the Fund, the Fund may retain the security.

Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities

Mortgage-related instruments are interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Such mortgage loans may include reperforming loans (“RPLs”), which are loans that have previously been delinquent but are current at the time securitized. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. The Fund may invest in a variety of mortgage-related and other ABS issued by government agencies or other governmental entities or by private originators or issuers.

As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund will normally invest at least 25% of its total assets (i.e., concentrate) in real estate investments and mortgage-related assets issued by government agencies or other governmental entities or by private originators or issuers.

The mortgage-related assets in which the Fund may invest include, without limitation, mortgage pass-through securities, collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), commercial or residential mortgage-backed securities, mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals, adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities (“ARMBS”), stripped mortgage-backed securities (“SMBS”) and other securities that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property. The Fund may also invest in other types of ABS, including collateralized debt obligations (“CDOs”), which include collateralized bond obligations (“CBOs”), collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”) and other similarly structured securities. The mortgage-related securities in which the Fund may invest may pay variable or fixed rates of interest.

Through investments in mortgage-related securities, including those that are issued by private issuers, the Fund may have some exposure to subprime loans as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. Private issuers include commercial banks, savings associations, mortgage companies, investment banking firms, finance companies and special purpose finance entities (called special purpose vehicles (“SPVs”)) and other entities that acquire and package mortgage loans for resale as mortgage-related securities.

Mortgage Pass-Through Securities. Mortgage pass-through securities are securities representing interests in “pools” of mortgage loans secured by residential or commercial real property. Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed or variable amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment that consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a “pass-through” of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs that may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae” or “GNMA”)) are described as “modified pass-through.” These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

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The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. Early repayment of principal on some mortgage-related securities (arising from prepayments of principal due to the sale of the underlying property, refinancing, or foreclosure, net of fees and costs that may be incurred) may expose the Fund to a lower rate of return upon reinvestment of principal. Also, if a security subject to prepayment has been purchased at a premium, the value of the premium would be lost in the event of prepayment. Like other fixed-income securities, when interest rates rise, the value of a mortgage-related security generally will decline; however, when interest rates are declining, the value of mortgage-related securities with prepayment features may not increase as much as other fixed-income securities. Adjustable rate mortgage-related and other ABS are also subject to some interest rate risk. For example, because interest rates on most adjustable rate mortgage- and other ABS only reset periodically (e.g., monthly or quarterly), changes in prevailing interest rates (and particularly sudden and significant changes) can be expected to cause some fluctuations in the market value of these securities, including declines in value as interest rates rise. In addition, to the extent that unanticipated rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase.

The residential mortgage market in the United States has experienced in the past, and could experience in the future, difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of the Fund’s mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies, defaults and losses on residential mortgage loans may increase substantially over a shorter period of time. A decline in or flattening of housing values may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses on residential mortgages. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. As a result of the 2008 financial crisis, a number of residential mortgage loan originators experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Owing largely to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain mortgage-related securities, which adversely affected the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could recur or worsen in the future.

Agency Mortgage-Related Securities. Payment of principal and interest on some mortgage pass-through securities (but not the market value of the securities themselves) may be guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government (in the case of securities guaranteed by GNMA) or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government (in the case of securities guaranteed by the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”) or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”)). The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly-owned U.S. Government corporation within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (the “Department of Housing and Urban Development” or “HUD”). GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the “FHA”), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the “VA”).

Government-related guarantors (i.e., not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government) include FNMA and FHLMC. FNMA is a government-sponsored corporation. FNMA primarily purchases conventional (i.e., not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages from a list of approved seller/servicers, which includes state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks, credit unions and mortgage bankers. Pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA, but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. Instead, they are supported only by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency’s obligations. FHLMC was created by Congress in 1970 for the purpose of increasing the availability of mortgage credit for residential housing. It is a government-sponsored corporation that issues participation certificates (“PCs”), which are pass-through securities, each representing an undivided interest in a pool of residential mortgages. FHLMC guarantees the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal, but PCs are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. Instead, they are supported only by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency’s obligations.

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FNMA and FHLMC also securitize RPLs. For example, in FNMA’s case, the RPLs are single-family, fixed rate reperforming loans that generally were previously placed in an MBS trust guaranteed by FNMA, purchased from the trust by FNMA and held as a distressed asset after four or more months of delinquency, and subsequently became current (i.e., performing) again. Such RPLs may have exited delinquency through efforts at reducing defaults (e.g., loan modification). In selecting RPLs for securitization, FNMA follows certain criteria related to length of time the loan has been performing, the type of loan (single-family, fixed rate), and the status of the loan as first lien, among other things. FNMA may include different loan structures and modification programs in the future.

On September 6, 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”) placed FNMA and FHLMC into conservatorship. As the conservator, the FHFA succeeded to all rights, titles, powers and privileges of FNMA and FHLMC and of any stockholder, officer or director of FNMA and FHLMC with respect to FNMA and FHLMC and the assets of FNMA and FHLMC. FHFA selected a new chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors for each of FNMA and FHLMC.

In connection with the conservatorship, the U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “U.S. Treasury”) entered into a Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement with each of FNMA and FHLMC pursuant to which the U.S. Treasury will purchase up to an aggregate of $100 billion of each of FNMA and FHLMC to maintain a positive net worth in each enterprise. This agreement contains various covenants that severely limit each enterprise’s operations. In exchange for entering into these agreements, the U.S. Treasury received $1 billion of each enterprise’s senior preferred securities and warrants to purchase 79.9% of each enterprise’s common stock. In 2009, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was doubling the size of its commitment to each enterprise under the Senior Preferred Stock Program to $200 billion. The U.S. Treasury’s obligations under the Senior Preferred Stock Program are for an indefinite period of time for a maximum amount of $200 billion per enterprise. In 2009, the U.S. Treasury further amended the Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement to allow the cap on the U.S. Treasury’s funding commitment to increase as necessary to accommodate any cumulative reduction in FNMA’s and FHLMC’s net worth through the end of 2012. In August 2012, the Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement was further amended to, among other things, accelerate the wind down of the retained portfolio, terminate the requirement that FNMA and FHLMC each pay a 10% dividend annually on all amounts received under the funding commitment, and require the submission of an annual risk management plan to the U.S. Treasury.

FNMA and FHLMC are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remains liable for all of its obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. The Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement is intended to enhance each of FNMA’s and FHLMC’s ability to meet its obligations. The FHFA has indicated that the conservatorship of each enterprise will end when the director of FHFA determines that FHFA’s plan to restore the enterprise to a safe and solvent condition has been completed.

Under the Federal Housing Finance Regulatory Reform Act of 2008 (the “Reform Act”), which was included as part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, FHFA, as conservator or receiver, has the power to repudiate any contract entered into by FNMA or FHLMC prior to FHFA’s appointment as conservator or receiver, as applicable, if FHFA determines, in its sole discretion, that performance of the contract is burdensome and that repudiation of the contract promotes the orderly administration of FNMA’s or FHLMC’s affairs. The Reform Act requires FHFA to exercise its right to repudiate any contract within a reasonable period of time after its appointment as conservator or receiver.

FHFA, in its capacity as conservator, has indicated that it has no intention to repudiate the guaranty obligations of FNMA or FHLMC because FHFA views repudiation as incompatible with the goals of the conservatorship. However, in the event that FHFA, as conservator or if it is later appointed as receiver for FNMA or FHLMC, were to repudiate any such guaranty obligation, the conservatorship or receivership estate, as applicable, would be liable for actual direct compensatory damages in accordance with the provisions of the Reform Act. Any such liability could be satisfied only to the extent of FNMA’s or FHLMC’s assets available therefor.

In the event of repudiation, the payments of interest to holders of FNMA or FHLMC mortgage-backed securities would be reduced if payments on the mortgage loans represented in the mortgage loan groups related to such mortgage-backed securities are not made by the borrowers or advanced by the servicer. Any actual direct compensatory damages for repudiating these guaranty obligations may not be sufficient to offset any shortfalls experienced by such mortgage-backed security holders.

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Further, in its capacity as conservator or receiver, FHFA has the right to transfer or sell any asset or liability of FNMA or FHLMC without any approval, assignment or consent. Although FHFA has stated that it has no present intention to do so, if FHFA, as conservator or receiver, were to transfer any such guaranty obligation to another party, holders of FNMA or FHLMC mortgage-backed securities would have to rely on that party for satisfaction of the guaranty obligation and would be exposed to the credit risk of that party.

In addition, certain rights provided to holders of mortgage-backed securities issued by FNMA and FHLMC under the operative documents related to such securities may not be enforced against FHFA, or enforcement of such rights may be delayed, during the conservatorship or any future receivership. The operative documents for FNMA and FHLMC mortgage-backed securities may provide (or with respect to securities issued prior to the date of the appointment of the conservator may have provided) that upon the occurrence of an event of default on the part of FNMA or FHLMC, in its capacity as guarantor, which includes the appointment of a conservator or receiver, holders of such mortgage-backed securities have the right to replace FNMA or FHLMC as trustee if the requisite percentage of mortgage-backed securities holders consent. The Reform Act prevents mortgage-backed security holders from enforcing such rights if the event of default arises solely because a conservator or receiver has been appointed. The Reform Act also provides that no person may exercise any right or power to terminate, accelerate or declare an event of default under certain contracts to which FNMA or FHLMC is a party, or obtain possession of or exercise control over any property of FNMA or FHLMC, or affect any contractual rights of FNMA or FHLMC, without the approval of FHFA, as conservator or receiver, for a period of 45 or 90 days following the appointment of FHFA as conservator or receiver, respectively.

FHFA and the White House have made public statements regarding plans to consider ending the conservatorships of FNMA and FHLMC. In the event that FNMA and FHLMC are taken out of conservatorship, it is unclear how the capital structure of FNMA and FHLMC would be constructed and what effects, if any, there may be on FNMA’s and FHLMC’s creditworthiness and guarantees of certain mortgage-backed securities. It is also unclear whether the U.S. Treasury would continue to enforce its rights or perform its obligations under the Senior Preferred Stock Programs. Should FNMA’s and FHLMC’s conservatorship end, there could be an adverse impact on the value of their securities, which could cause losses to the Fund.

In June 2019, under the Single Security Initiative, FNMA and FHLMC started issuing a uniform mortgage-backed security (“UMBS”) in place of their current offerings of TBA-eligible securities. The Single Security Initiative seeks to support the overall liquidity of the TBA market and aligns the characteristics of FNMA and FHLMC certificates. The effects that the Single Security Initiative may have on the market for TBA and other mortgage backed securities are uncertain.

Government-Sponsored Enterprise (“GSE”) Credit Risk Transfer Securities and GSE Credit-Linked Notes. GSE credit risk transfer securities are notes issued directly by a GSE, such as FNMA or FHLMC, and GSE credit-linked notes are notes issued by a special purpose vehicle (“SPV”) sponsored by a GSE. Investors in these notes provide credit protection for the applicable GSE’s mortgage-related securities guarantee obligations. In this regard, a noteholder receives compensation for providing credit protection to the GSE and, when a specified level of losses on the relevant mortgage loans occurs, the principal balance and certain payments owed to the noteholder may be reduced. In addition, noteholders may receive a return of principal prior to the stated maturity date reflecting prepayment on the underlying mortgage loans and in any other circumstances that may be set forth in the applicable loan agreement. The notes may be issued in different tranches representing the issuance of different levels of credit risk protection to the GSE on the underlying mortgage loans and the notes are not secured by the reference mortgage loans.

GSE Credit Risk Transfer Securities Structure. In this structure, the GSE receives the note sale proceeds. The GSE pays noteholders monthly interest payments and a return of principal on the stated maturity date based on the initial investment amount, as reduced by any covered losses on the reference mortgage loans.

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GSE Credit-Linked Notes Structure. In this structure, the SPV receives the note sale proceeds and the SPV’s obligations to the noteholder are collateralized by the note sale proceeds. The SPV invests the proceeds in cash or other short-term assets. The SPV also enters into a credit protection agreement with the GSE pursuant to which the GSE pays the SPV monthly premium payments and the SPV compensates the GSE for covered losses on the reference mortgage loans. The SPV pays noteholders monthly interest payments based on the premium payments paid by the GSE and the performance on the invested note sale proceeds. The noteholders also receive a return of principal on a stated maturity date based on the initial investment amount, as reduced by any covered losses on the reference mortgage loans paid by the SPV or the GSE.

Risks Related to GSE Credit Risk Transfer Securities and GSE Credit-Linked Notes. GSE credit risk transfer securities are general obligations issued by a GSE and are unguaranteed and unsecured. GSE credit-linked notes are similar, except that the notes are issued by an SPV, rather than by a GSE, and the obligations of the SPV are collateralized by the note proceeds as invested by the SPV, which are invested in cash or short-term securities. Although both GSE credit risk transfer securities and GSE credit-linked notes are unguaranteed, obligations of an SPV are also not backstopped by the Department of Treasury or an obligation of a GSE.

The risks associated with these investments are different than the risks associated with an investment in mortgage-backed securities issued by GSEs or a private issuer. If a GSE fails to pay principal or interest on its credit risk transfers or goes through a bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceeding, holders of such credit risk transfers will have no direct recourse to the underlying mortgage loans. In addition, some or all of the mortgage default risk associated with the underlying mortgage loans is transferred to noteholders. As a result, there can be no assurance that losses will not occur on an investment in GSE credit risk transfer securities or GSE credit-linked notes and the Fund may be exposed to the risk of loss on their investment. In addition, these investments are subject to prepayment risk.

In the case of GSE credit-linked notes, if a GSE fails to make a premium or other required payment to the SPV, the SPV may be unable to pay a noteholder the entire amount of interest or principal payable to the noteholder. In the event of a default on the obligations to noteholders, the SPV’s principal and interest payment obligations to noteholders will be subordinated to the SPV’s credit protection payment obligations to the GSE. Payment of such amounts to noteholders depends on the cash available in the trust from the loan proceeds and the GSE’s premium payments.

Any income earned by the SPV on investments of loan proceeds is expected to be less than the interest payments amounts to be paid to noteholders of the GSE credit-linked notes and interest payments to noteholders will be reduced if the GSE fails to make premium payments to the SPV. An SPV’s investment of loan proceeds may also be in the securities of a small number of issuers. A noteholder bears any investment losses on the allocable portion of the loan proceeds.

An SPV that issues GSE credit-linked notes may fall within the definition of a “commodity pool” under the Commodity Exchange Act and the GSEs operating the SPV may be required to registered as “commodity pool operators” (“CPOs”). Certain GSEs are not required to register as CPOs in reliance on CFTC no-action relief, subject to certain conditions similar to those under CFTC Rule 4.13(a)(3), with respect to the operation of the SPV. If the GSE or SPV is ineligible for such no-action relief or fails to comply with such conditions, noteholders that are investment vehicles, such as the Fund, may become ineligible to claim an exclusion from CPO registration, to the extent they are currently eligible to claim the exclusion. The Fund may consider steps in order to continue to qualify for exemption from CPO registration, or may determine to register as a CPO, which could cause such the Fund to incur increased costs.

Privately Issued Mortgage-Related (Non-Agency) Securities. Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers may be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such non-governmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in the former pools. However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit, which may be issued by

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governmental entities, private insurers or the mortgage poolers. The insurance and guarantees are issued by governmental entities, private insurers or the mortgage poolers. Such insurance and guarantees, and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof, will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets the Fund’s investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees. Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related assets that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose and borrower characteristics. Mortgage pools underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value ratio mortgages and manufactured housing loans, in addition to commercial mortgages and other types of mortgages where a government or government sponsored entity guarantee is not available. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a privately issued mortgage-related securities pool may vary to a greater extent than those included in a government guaranteed pool, and the pool may include subprime mortgage loans. Subprime loans are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their loans. For these reasons, the loans underlying these securities have had in many cases higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements.

The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. Other types of privately issued mortgage-related securities, such as those classified as pay-option adjustable rate or Alt-A have also performed poorly. Even loans classified as prime have experienced higher levels of delinquencies and defaults. The substantial decline in real property values across the U.S. has exacerbated the level of losses that investors in privately issued mortgage-related securities have experienced. It is not certain when these trends may reverse. Market factors that may adversely affect mortgage loan repayment include adverse economic conditions, unemployment, a decline in the value of real property, or an increase in interest rates.

The Fund may purchase privately issued mortgage-related assets that are originated, packaged and serviced by third party entities. It is possible these third parties could have interests that are in conflict with the holders of mortgage-related assets, and such holders (such as the Fund) could have rights against the third parties or their affiliates. For example, if a loan originator, servicer or its affiliates engaged in negligence or willful misconduct in carrying out its duties, then a holder of the mortgage-related asset could seek recourse against the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable. Also, as a loan originator/servicer, the originator/servicer or its affiliates may make certain representations and warranties regarding the quality of the mortgages and properties underlying a mortgage-related asset. If one or more of those representations or warranties is false, then the holders of the mortgage-related securities (such as the Fund) could trigger an obligation of the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable, to repurchase the mortgages from the issuing trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, many of the third parties that are legally bound by trust and other documents have failed to perform their respective duties, as stipulated in such trust and other documents, and investors have had limited success in enforcing terms. To the extent third party entities involved with privately issued mortgage-related assets are involved in litigation relating to the securities, actions may be taken that are adverse to the interests of holders of the mortgage-related securities, including the Fund. For example, third parties may seek to withhold proceeds due to holders of the mortgage-related assets, including the Fund, to cover legal or related costs. Any such action could result in losses to the Fund.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related assets held in the Fund’s portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.

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The assets underlying mortgage-related securities may be represented by a portfolio of residential or commercial mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests that may be senior or junior in terms of priority of repayment) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the FHA or the VA. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. Government securities nor U.S. Government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.

In determining whether and how much to invest in privately issued mortgage-related securities, and how to allocate those assets, the Investment Manager will generally consider a number of factors. These may include, but are not limited to: (1) the nature of the borrowers (e.g., residential vs. commercial); (2) the collateral loan type (e.g., for residential: First Lien – Jumbo/Prime, First Lien – Alt-A, First Lien – Subprime, First Lien – Pay-Option or Second Lien; for commercial: Conduit, Large Loan or Single Asset/Single Borrower); and (3) in the case of residential loans, whether they are fixed rate or adjustable mortgages. Each of these criteria can cause privately issued mortgage-related securities to have differing primary economic characteristics and distinguishable risk factors and performance characteristics.

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (“CMOs”). A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, semi-annually or on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC or FNMA, and their income streams.

CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as “tranches,” with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including pre-payments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as “sequential pay” CMOs), payment of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including prepayments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.

In a typical CMO transaction, a corporation (“issuer”) issues multiple series (e.g., A, B, C, Z) of CMO bonds (“Bonds”). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates (“Collateral”). The Collateral is pledged to a third party trustee as security for the Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in the order A, B, C, Z. The Series A, B, and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on the Series Z Bond is accrued and added to principal and a like amount is paid as principal on the Series A, B, or C Bond currently being paid off. When the Series A, B, and C Bonds are paid in full, interest and principal on the Series Z Bond begins to be paid currently. With some CMOs, the issuer serves as a conduit to allow loan originations (primarily builders or savings and loan associations) to borrow against their loan portfolios. CMOs may be less liquid and may exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage or ABS.

As CMOs have evolved, some classes of CMO bonds have become more common. For example, the Fund may invest in parallel-pay and planned amortization class (“PAC”) CMOs and multi-class pass-through certificates. Parallel-pay CMOs and multi-class pass-through certificates are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO and multi-class pass-through structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier. PACs generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date. PACs are parallel-pay CMOs with the required principal amount on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes. Any CMO or multi-class pass-through structure that includes PAC securities must also have support tranches—known as support bonds, companion bonds or non-PAC bonds—which lend or absorb principal cash flows to allow the PAC securities to maintain their stated maturities and final distribution dates within a range of actual prepayment experience. These support tranches are subject to a higher level of maturity risk compared to other mortgage-related securities, and usually provide a higher yield to compensate investors. If principal cash flows are received in amounts outside a pre-determined range such that the support bonds cannot lend or absorb sufficient cash flows to the PAC securities as intended, the PAC securities are subject to heightened maturity risk. Consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies, PIMCO may invest in various tranches of CMO bonds, including support bonds.

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FHLMC Collateralized Mortgage Obligations. FHLMC CMOs are debt obligations of FHLMC issued in multiple classes having different maturity dates which are secured by the pledge of a pool of conventional mortgage loans purchased by FHLMC. Payments of principal and interest on the CMOs are made semi-annually, as opposed to monthly. The amount of principal payable on each semi-annual payment date is determined in accordance with FHLMC’s mandatory sinking fund schedule, which in turn, is equal to approximately 100% of FHA prepayment experience applied to the mortgage collateral pool. All sinking fund payments in the CMOs are allocated to the retirement of the individual classes of bonds in the order of their stated maturities. Payment of principal on the mortgage loans in the collateral pool in excess of the amount of FHLMC’s minimum sinking fund obligation for any payment date are paid to the holders of the CMOs as additional sinking fund payments.

Because of the “pass-through” nature of all principal payments received on the collateral pool in excess of FHLMC’s minimum sinking fund requirement, the rate at which principal of the CMOs is actually repaid is likely to be such that each class of bonds will be retired in advance of its scheduled maturity date.

If collection of principal (including prepayments) on the mortgage loans during any semi-annual payment period is not sufficient to meet FHLMC’s minimum sinking fund obligation on the next sinking fund payment date, FHLMC agrees to make up the deficiency from its general funds.

Criteria for the mortgage loans in the pool backing the FHLMC CMOs are identical to those of FHLMC PCs. FHLMC has the right to substitute collateral in the event of delinquencies and/or defaults.

Commercial or Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities. CMBS and RMBS include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial or residential real property. Many of the risks of investing in CMBS or RMBS reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. CMBS or RMBS may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or ABS.

CMO Residuals. CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the pre-payment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to pre-payments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only (“IO”) class of SMBS. See “Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities” below. In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based. As described below with respect to SMBS, in certain circumstances the Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual.

CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. CMO residuals may, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, may not, have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the Securities Act, may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability.

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Adjustable Rate Mortgage Backed Securities. ARMBS have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARMBS permits the Fund to participate in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARMBS are based. Such ARMBS generally have higher current yield and lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional fixed-income debt securities of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, the Fund can reinvest the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARMBS, however, have limits on the allowable annual or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, the Fund, when holding an ARMBS, does not benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (i.e., the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages, ARMBS behave more like fixed-income securities and less like adjustable rate securities and are subject to the risks associated with fixed-income securities. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.

Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities. SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the “IO” class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the “PO” class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories. SMBS may be deemed “illiquid.”

Other Mortgage-Related Securities. Other mortgage-related securities include securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property, including mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals or SMBS. Other mortgage-related securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

Mortgage-related securities include, among other things, securities that reflect an interest in reverse mortgages. In a reverse mortgage, a lender makes a loan to a homeowner based on the homeowner’s equity in his or her home. While a homeowner must be age 62 or older to qualify for a reverse mortgage, reverse mortgages may have no income restrictions. Repayment of the interest or principal for the loan is generally not required until the homeowner dies, sells the home, or ceases to use the home as his or her primary residence.

There are three general types of reverse mortgages: (1) single-purpose reverse mortgages, which are offered by certain state and local government agencies and nonprofit organizations; (2) federally-insured reverse mortgages, which are backed by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and (3) proprietary reverse mortgages, which are privately offered loans. A mortgage-related security may be backed by a single type of reverse mortgage. Reverse mortgage-related securities include agency and privately issued mortgage-related securities. The principal government guarantor of reverse mortgage-related securities is GNMA.

Reverse mortgage-related securities may be subject to risks different than other types of mortgage-related securities due to the unique nature of the underlying loans. The date of repayment for such loans is uncertain and may occur sooner or later than anticipated. The timing of payments for the corresponding mortgage-related security may be uncertain. Because reverse mortgages are offered only to persons 62 and older and there may be no income restrictions, the loans may react differently than traditional home loans to market events. Additionally, there can be

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no assurance that service providers to reverse mortgage trusts (“RMTs”) will diligently and appropriately execute their duties with respect to servicing such trusts. As a result, investors (which may include the Fund) in notes issued by RMTs may be deprived of payments to which they are entitled. This could result in losses to the Fund. Investors, including the Fund, may determine to pursue negotiations or legal claims or otherwise seek compensation from RMT service providers in certain instances. This may involve the Fund incurring costs and expenses associated with such actions.

Mortgage-Related Derivative Instruments. The Fund may engage in derivative transactions related to mortgage-backed securities, including purchasing and selling exchange-listed and over-the-counter (“OTC”) put and call options, futures and forwards on mortgages and mortgage-backed securities. The Fund may also invest in mortgage-backed securities credit default swaps, which include swaps the reference obligation for which is a mortgage-backed security or related index, such as the CMBX Index (a tradeable index referencing a basket of commercial mortgage-backed securities), the TRX Index (a tradeable index referencing total return swaps based on commercial mortgage-backed securities) or the ABX (a tradeable index referencing a basket of sub-prime mortgage-backed securities). The Fund may invest in newly developed mortgage related derivatives that may hereafter become available.

Net Interest Margin (NIM) Securities. The Fund may invest in net interest margin (“NIM”) securities. These securities are derivative interest-only mortgage securities structured off home equity loan transactions. NIM securities receive any “excess” interest computed after paying coupon costs, servicing costs and fees and any credit losses associated with the underlying pool of home equity loans. Like traditional stripped mortgage-backed securities, the yield to maturity on a NIM security is sensitive not only to changes in prevailing interest rates but also to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the underlying home equity loans. NIM securities are highly sensitive to credit losses on the underlying collateral and the timing in which those losses are taken.

Asset-Backed Securities. The Fund may invest in, or have exposure to, ABS, which are securities that represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, a stream of payments generated by particular assets, most often a pool or pools of similar assets (e.g., trade receivables). ABS are created from many types of assets, including, but not limited to, auto loans, accounts receivable such as credit card receivables and hospital account receivables, home equity loans, student loans, boat loans, mobile home loans, recreational vehicle loans, manufactured housing loans, aircraft leases, computer leases and syndicated bank loans. The credit quality of these securities depends primarily upon the quality of the underlying assets and the level of credit support and/or enhancement provided. To protect ABS investors from the possibility that some borrowers could miss payments or even default on their loans, ABS include various forms of credit enhancement.

The underlying assets (e.g., loans) are subject to prepayments that shorten the securities’ weighted average maturity and may lower their return. If the credit support or enhancement is exhausted, losses or delays in payment may result if the required payments of principal and interest are not made. The value of these securities also may change because of changes in the market’s perception of the creditworthiness of the servicing agent for the pool, the originator of the pool, or the financial institution or trust providing the credit support or enhancement. Typically, there is no perfected security interest in the collateral that relates to the financial assets that support ABS. ABS have many of the same characteristics and risks as the mortgage backed securities described above.

The Fund may purchase or have exposure to commercial paper, including asset-backed commercial paper (“ABCP”), that is issued by structured investment vehicles or other conduits. These conduits may be sponsored by mortgage companies, investment banking firms, finance companies, hedge funds, private equity firms and special purpose finance entities. ABCP typically refers to a short-term debt security, the payment of which is supported by cash flows from underlying assets, or one or more liquidity or credit support providers, or both. Assets backing ABCP include credit card, car loan and other consumer receivables and home or commercial mortgages, including subprime mortgages. The repayment of ABCP issued by a conduit depends primarily on the cash collections received from the conduit’s underlying asset portfolio and the conduit’s ability to issue new ABCP. Therefore, there could be losses to the Fund if investing in ABCP in the event of credit or market value deterioration in the conduit’s underlying portfolio, mismatches in the timing of the cash flows of the underlying asset interests and the repayment obligations of maturing ABCP, or the conduit’s inability to issue new ABCP. To protect investors from these risks, ABCP programs may be structured with various protections, such as credit enhancement, liquidity support, and commercial paper stop-issuance and wind-down triggers. However, there can be no guarantee that these protections will be sufficient to prevent losses to investors in ABCP. Some ABCP programs provide for an extension of the

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maturity date of the ABCP if, on the related maturity date, the conduit is unable to access sufficient liquidity through the issue of additional ABCP. This may delay the sale of the underlying collateral and the Fund may incur a loss if the value of the collateral deteriorates during the extension period. Alternatively, if collateral for ABCP deteriorates in value, the collateral may be required to be sold at inopportune times or at prices insufficient to repay the principal and interest on the ABCP. ABCP programs may provide for the issuance of subordinated notes as an additional form of credit enhancement. The subordinated notes are typically of a lower credit quality and have a higher risk of default. To the extent the Fund purchases these subordinated notes, it will have a higher likelihood of loss than investors in the senior notes.

Some ABS, particularly home equity loan transactions, are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which in turn, affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. Additionally, the value of ABS is subject to risks associated with the servicers’ performance. In some circumstances, a servicer’s or originator’s mishandling of documentation related to the underlying collateral (e.g., failure to properly document a security interest in the underlying collateral) may affect the rights of the security holders in and to the underlying collateral. Finally, ABS have structure risk due to a unique characteristic known as early amortization, or early payout, risk. Built into the structure of most ABS are triggers for early payout, designed to protect investors from losses. These triggers are unique to each transaction and can include: a big rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level, or even the bankruptcy of the originator. Once early amortization begins, all incoming loan payments (after expenses are paid) are used to pay investors as quickly as possible based upon a predetermined priority of payment.

Collateralized Bond Obligations, Collateralized Loan Obligations and Other Collateralized Debt Obligations. The Fund may invest in each of CBOs, CLOs, other CDOs and other similarly structured securities. CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are types of ABS. A CBO is a trust that is often backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed-income securities. The collateral can be from many different types of fixed-income securities such as high-yield debt, residential privately issued mortgage-related securities, commercial or residential privately issued mortgage-related securities, trust preferred securities and emerging market debt. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. Other CDOs are trusts backed by other types of assets representing obligations of various parties. CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses.

For CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the “equity” tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since it is partially protected from defaults, a senior tranche from a CBO trust, CLO trust or trust of another CDO typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO, CLO or other CDO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, downgrades of the underlying collateral by rating agencies, forced liquidation of the collateral pool due to a failure of coverage tests, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CBO, CLO or other CDO securities as a class. Interest on certain tranches of a CDO may be paid in kind or deferred and capitalized (paid in the form of obligations of the same type rather than cash), which involves continued exposure to default risk with respect to such payments.

The risks of an investment in a CBO, CLO or other CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the instrument in which the Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid investments. However, an active dealer market may exist for CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs allowing them to qualify for transactions under Rule 144A of the Securities Act. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed-income securities discussed elsewhere in this Statement of Additional Information and the Prospectus (e.g., prepayment risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, market risk, structural risk, legal risk and interest rate risk (which may be exacerbated if the interest rate payable on a structured financing changes based on multiples of changes in interest rates or inversely to changes in interest rates) and default risk),

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CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs carry additional risks that include, but are not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the risk that the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the risk that the Fund may invest in CBOs, CLOs or other CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results; (v) the investment return achieved by the Fund could be significantly different than those predicted by financial models; (vi) the lack of a readily available secondary market for CDOs; (vii) risk of forced “fire sale” liquidation due to technical defaults such as coverage test failures; and (viii) the CDO’s manager may perform poorly.

Other Asset-Backed Securities. Similarly, PIMCO expects that other ABS (unrelated to mortgage loans) will be offered to investors in the future and may be purchased by the Fund. Several types of ABS have already been offered to investors, including Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (“EETCs”) and Certificates for Automobile Receivables^SM (“CARS^SM”).

EETCs are typically issued by specially-created trusts established by airlines, railroads, or other transportation corporations. The proceeds of EETCs are used to purchase equipment, such as airplanes, railroad cars, or other equipment, which in turn serve as collateral for the related issue of the EETCs. The equipment generally is leased by the airline, railroad or other corporation, which makes rental payments to provide the projected cash flow for payments to EETC holders. Holders of EETCs must look to the collateral securing the certificates, typically together with a guarantee provided by the lessee corporation or its parent company for the payment of lease obligations, in the case of default in the payment of principal and interest on the EETCs. However, because principal and interest payments on EETCs are funded in the ordinary course by the lessee corporation, the Fund treats EETCs as corporate bonds/obligations for purposes of compliance testing and related classifications.

CARS^SM represent undivided fractional interests in a trust whose assets consist of a pool of motor vehicle retail installment sales contracts and security interests in the vehicles securing the contracts. Payments of principal and interest on CARS^SM are passed through monthly to certificate holders, and are guaranteed up to certain amounts and for a certain time period by a letter of credit issued by a financial institution unaffiliated with the trustee or originator of the trust. An investor’s return on CARS^SM may be affected by early prepayment of principal on the underlying vehicle sales contracts. If the letter of credit is exhausted, the trust may be prevented from realizing the full amount due on a sales contract because of state law requirements and restrictions relating to foreclosure sales of vehicles and the obtaining of deficiency judgments following such sales or because of depreciation, damage or loss of a vehicle, the application of federal and state bankruptcy and insolvency laws, or other factors. As a result, certificate holders may experience delays in payments or losses if the letter of credit is exhausted.

Consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies, PIMCO also may invest in other types of asset-backed and related securities (such as credit card receivables or student loans). Other ABS may be collateralized by the fees earned by service providers. The value of ABS may be substantially dependent on the servicing of the underlying asset pools and is therefore subject to risks associated with the negligence by, or defalcation of, their servicers. In certain circumstances, the mishandling of related documentation may also affect the rights of the security holders in and to the underlying collateral. The insolvency of entities that generate receivables or that utilize the assets may result in added costs and delays in addition to losses associated with a decline in the value of the underlying assets.

Investors should note that Congress from time to time may consider actions that would limit or remove the explicit or implicit guarantee of the payment of principal and/or interest on many types of ABS. Any such action would likely adversely impact the value of such securities.

Real Estate Assets and Related Derivatives

The Fund may generally gain exposure to the real estate sector by investing in real-estate linked derivatives, REITs and common, preferred and convertible securities of issuers in real estate-related industries. The Fund may also invest in loans or other investments secured by real estate (other than mortgage-backed securities) and may, as a result of default, foreclosure or otherwise, take possession of and hold real estate as a direct owner (see “Loans and Other Indebtedness; Loan Participations and Assignments” below). Each of these types of investments are subject, directly or indirectly, to risks associated with ownership of real estate, including changes in the general economic

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climate or local conditions (such as an oversupply of space or a reduction in demand for space), loss to casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, zoning law amendments, changes in interest rates, overbuilding and increased competition, including competition based on rental rates, variations in market value, changes in the financial condition of tenants, changes in operating costs, attractiveness and location of the properties, adverse changes in the real estate markets generally or in specific sectors of the real estate industry and possible environmental liabilities. Real estate-related investments may entail leverage and may be highly volatile.

REITs are pooled investment vehicles that own, and typically operate, income-producing real estate. If a REIT meets certain requirements, including distributing to shareholders substantially all of its taxable income (other than net capital gains), then it is not generally taxed on the income distributed to shareholders. REITs are subject to management fees and other expenses, and so the Fund would bear its proportionate share of the costs of the REITs’ operations if it invests in REITs. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income. REITs may not provide complete tax information to the Fund until after the calendar year-end. Consequently, because of the delay, it may be necessary for the Fund to request permission from the IRS to extend the deadline for issuance of Forms 1099-DIV.

There are three general categories of REITs: Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in direct fee ownership or leasehold ownership of real property; they derive most of their income from rents. Mortgage REITs invest mostly in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development or long-term loans, and the main source of their income is mortgage interest payments. Hybrid REITs hold both ownership and mortgage interests in real estate.

Along with the risks common to different types of real estate-related securities, REITs, no matter the type, involve additional risk factors. These include poor performance by the REIT’s manager, changes to the tax laws, and failure by the REIT to qualify for tax-free distribution of income or exemption under the 1940 Act. Furthermore, REITs are not typically diversified and are heavily dependent on cash flow. Investments in REIT equity securities could require the Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received by the Fund. On the other hand, investments in REIT equity securities can also result in the Fund’s receipt of cash in excess of the REIT’s earnings; if the Fund distributes such amounts, such distribution could constitute a return of capital to Fund shareholders for federal income tax purposes. In addition, some REITs have limited diversification because they invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property. Also, the organizational documents of a REIT may contain provisions that make changes in control of the REIT difficult and time-consuming. Finally, private REITs are not traded on a national securities exchange. This reduces the ability of the Fund to redeem its investment early. Private REITs are also generally harder to value and may bear higher fees than public REITs.

Some of the REITs in which the Fund may invest may be permitted to hold senior or residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”) or debt or equity interests in taxable mortgage pools (“TMPs”). The Fund may also hold interests in “Re-REMICs”, which are interests in securitizations formed by the contribution of asset backed or other similar securities into a trust which then issues securities in various tranches. The Fund may participate in the creation of a Re-REMIC by contributing assets to the trust and receiving junior and/or senior securities in return. An interest in a Re-REMIC security may be riskier than the securities originally held by and contributed to the trust, and the holders of the Re-REMIC securities will bear the costs associated with the securitization.

Real Estate Companies

The Fund may invest in the securities of real estate companies and may be susceptible to adverse economic or regulatory occurrences affecting that sector. Real property investments are subject to varying degrees of risk. The yields available from investments in real estate depend on the amount of income and capital appreciation generated by the related properties. Income and real estate values may also be adversely affected by such factors as applicable laws (e.g., Americans with Disabilities Act and tax laws), interest rate levels and the availability of financing. If the properties do not generate sufficient income to meet operating expenses, including, where applicable, debt service, ground lease payments, tenant improvements, third-party leasing commissions and other capital expenditures, the income and ability of the real estate company to make payments of any interest and principal on its debt securities will be adversely affected. In addition, real property may be subject to the quality of credit extended and defaults by borrowers and tenants. The performance of the economy in each of the regions and countries in which the real estate owned by a portfolio company is located affects occupancy, market rental rates and expenses and, consequently, has an impact on the income from such properties and their underlying values.

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REITs are sometimes informally characterized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. An equity REIT invests primarily in the fee ownership or leasehold ownership of land and buildings and derives its income primarily from rental income. An equity REIT may also realize capital gains (or losses) by selling real estate properties in its portfolio that have appreciated (or depreciated) in value. A mortgage REIT invests primarily in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development or long-term loans. A mortgage REIT generally derives its income primarily from interest payments on the credit it has extended. A hybrid REIT combines the characteristics of equity REITs and mortgage REITs, generally by holding both ownership interests and mortgage interests in real estate. It is anticipated, although not required, that under normal circumstances a majority of the Fund’s investments in REITs will consist of securities issued by equity REITs. In addition to the risks of securities linked to the real estate industry, equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the trusts, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. Further, REITs are dependent upon management skills and generally may not be diversified. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation.

In addition, U.S. REITs could possibly fail to qualify for pass-through of income under the Code, or to maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. The above factors may also adversely affect a borrower’s or a lessee’s ability to meet its obligations to the REIT. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may experience delays in enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur substantial costs associated with protecting its investments.

Private Real Estate

The Fund may invest in private real estate investments directly or indirectly through a REIT subsidiary and/or joint ventures. The Fund expects that many of its private real estate investments through real estate joint ventures, if any, will be made alongside real estate operators. The Fund may also make investments in partnerships or other co-ownership arrangements or participations arrangements with other investors, including affiliates, to acquire properties. Private real estate investments will generally consist of fee simple interests for the properties (in which the joint venture owns both the land and the building improvements), but may consider leased fee and leasehold interests if PIMCO believes the investment is consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives and strategies.

Private real estate investments include debt or equity investments in private real estate operating companies that own or manage real estate, privately offered REITs, mortgages secured by commercial or residential real estate, securities issued by real estate companies prior to an IPO, PIPEs and joint ventures which invest in residential, commercial or industrial real estate. These investments may include retail, office, hotel, healthcare, multifamily residential, industrial and other properties. Restrictions under the Code applicable to regulated investment companies, such as the Fund, can limit investments in private real estate, or cause such investments to be structured in a less tax-advantaged manner.

Private real estate investments are generally less liquid than public real estate investments and may involve complex investment structures. In addition, private real estate investments may have higher capital requirements and transactions involving this asset class may be more complex than those of public real estate investments. Making private real estate investments involves a high degree of sophistication, and returns are subject to the skill and decision-making process of PIMCO, as well as local, regional, and national market conditions.

Foreign (Non-U.S.) Securities

Subject to the limit described in the Prospectus on investments in securities and instruments that are economically tied to “emerging market” countries, the Fund may invest without limitation in instruments of corporate and other foreign (non-U.S.) issuers, and in instruments traded principally outside of the United States. The Fund may invest in sovereign and other debt securities issued by foreign governments and their respective sub-divisions, agencies or instrumentalities, government sponsored enterprises and supranational government entities. The Fund may also invest directly in foreign currencies, including currencies of emerging market countries.

The foreign securities in which the Fund may invest include without limitation Eurodollar obligations and “Yankee Dollar” obligations. Eurodollar obligations are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit and time deposits issued outside the U.S. capital markets by foreign branches of U.S. banks and by foreign banks. Yankee Dollar obligations are U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued in the U.S. capital markets by foreign banks. Eurodollar and Yankee Dollar obligations are generally subject to the same risks that apply to domestic debt issues, notably credit risk, interest rate risk, market risk and liquidity risk. Additionally, Eurodollar (and to a limited extent, Yankee Dollar) obligations are subject to certain sovereign risks. One such risk is the possibility that a sovereign country might prevent capital, in the form of U.S. dollars, from flowing across its borders. Other risks include adverse political and economic developments; the extent and quality of government regulation of financial markets and institutions; the imposition of foreign withholding or other taxes; and the expropriation or nationalization of foreign issuers.

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The Fund may also invest in American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) or Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”). ADRs are U.S. dollar-denominated receipts issued generally by domestic banks and represent the deposit with the bank of a security of a non-U.S. issuer. EDRs are foreign currency-denominated receipts similar to ADRs and are issued and traded in Europe, and are publicly traded on exchanges or OTC in the United States. GDRs may be offered privately in the United States and also trade in public or private markets in other countries. ADRs, EDRs and GDRs may be issued as sponsored or unsponsored programs. In sponsored programs, an issuer has made arrangements to have its securities trade in the form of ADRs, EDRs or GDRs. In unsponsored programs, the issuer may not be directly involved in the creation of the program. Although regulatory requirements with respect to sponsored and unsponsored programs are generally similar, in some cases it may be easier to obtain financial information from an issuer that has participated in the creation of a sponsored program.

Investing in non-U.S. securities involves special risks and considerations not typically associated with investing in U.S. securities. These include: differences in accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, generally higher commission rates on non-U.S. portfolio transactions, the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations (which may include suspension of the ability to transfer currency from a country), market disruption, the possibility of security suspensions, political instability which can affect U.S. investments in non-U.S. countries and potential restrictions on the flow of international capital. In addition, foreign securities and the Fund’s income in respect of those securities may be subject to foreign taxes, including taxes withheld from payments on those securities, which would reduce the Fund’s return on such securities. Non-U.S. securities often trade with less frequency and volume than domestic securities and therefore may exhibit greater price volatility. Changes in foreign exchange rates will affect the value of those securities that are denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. The currencies of non-U.S. countries may experience significant declines against the U.S. dollar, and devaluation may occur subsequent to investments in these currencies by the Fund.

Investment in sovereign debt can involve a high degree of risk. The governmental entity that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be able or willing to repay the principal and/or interest when due in accordance with the terms of the debt. A governmental entity’s willingness or ability to repay principal and interest due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the governmental entity’s policy toward the International Monetary Fund, and the political constraints to which a governmental entity may be subject. Governmental entities also may depend on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. The commitment on the part of these governments, agencies and others to make such disbursements may be conditioned on a governmental entity’s implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such debtor’s obligations. Failure to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties’ commitments to lend funds to the governmental entity, which may further impair such debtor’s ability or willingness to service its debts in a timely manner. Consequently, governmental entities may default on their sovereign debt. Holders of sovereign debt (including the Fund) may be requested to participate in the rescheduling of such debt and to extend further loans to governmental entities. There is no bankruptcy proceeding by which sovereign debt on which governmental entities have defaulted may be collected in whole or in part. Quasi-sovereign obligations are typically less liquid and less standardized than direct sovereign obligations.

The investments in foreign currency denominated debt obligations and hedging activities by the Fund will likely produce a difference between the Fund’s book income and its taxable income. This difference may cause a portion of the Fund’s income distributions to constitute returns of capital for tax purposes or require the Fund to make distributions exceeding book income to qualify as a regulated investment company for U.S. federal tax purposes. The Fund’s investments in non-U.S. securities may increase or accelerate the amount of ordinary income recognized by shareholders. See “Taxation.”

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Euro- and European Union-related risks. The global economic crisis brought several small economies in Europe to the brink of bankruptcy and many other economies into recession and weakened the banking and financial sectors of many European countries. For example, the governments of Greece, Spain, Portugal, and the Republic of Ireland have all experienced large public budget deficits, the effects of which are still yet unknown and may slow the overall recovery of the European economies from the global economic crisis. In addition, due to large public deficits, some European countries may be dependent on assistance from other European governments and institutions or other central banks or supranational agencies such as the International Monetary Fund. Assistance may be dependent on a country’s implementation of reforms or reaching a certain level of performance. Failure to reach those objectives or an insufficient level of assistance could result in a deep economic downturn which could significantly affect the value of the Fund’s European investments.

The Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union (“EMU”) is comprised of the European Union (“EU”) members that have adopted the euro currency. By adopting the euro as its currency, a member state relinquishes control of its own monetary policies. As a result, European countries are significantly affected by fiscal and monetary policies implemented by the EMU and European Central Bank. The euro currency may not fully reflect the strengths and weaknesses of the various economies that comprise the EMU and Europe generally.

It is possible that one or more EMU member countries could abandon the euro and return to a national currency and/or that the euro will cease to exist as a single currency in its current form. The effects of such an abandonment or a country’s forced expulsion from the euro on that country, the rest of the EMU, and global markets are impossible to predict, but are likely to be negative. The exit of any country out of the euro may have an extremely destabilizing effect on other Eurozone countries and their economies and a negative effect on the global economy as a whole. Such an exit by one country may also increase the possibility that additional countries may exit the euro should they face similar financial difficulties. In addition, in the event of one or more countries’ exit from the euro, it may be difficult to value investments denominated in euros or in a replacement currency.

On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom officially withdrew from the EU (commonly known as “Brexit”). Upon the United Kingdom’s withdrawal, the EU and the United Kingdom entered into a transition phase, which was scheduled to conclude on December 31, 2020. On December 24, 2020, the United Kingdom and EU announced a preliminary trade agreement and security deal, which was ratified by the United Kingdom Parliament and approved by European Union governments. The agreement took effect on January 1, 2021 and replaces the existing arrangements during the transition period. The United Kingdom and the EU will continue to negotiate and finalize rules and agreements regarding the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU. Following the transition period and afterwards, the UK, EU and broader global economy may experience substantial volatility in foreign exchange markets and a sustained weakness in the British pound’s exchange rate against the United States dollar, the euro and other currencies, which may impact Fund returns. Brexit may also destabilize some or all of the other EU member countries and/or the Eurozone. These developments could result in losses to the Fund, as there may be negative effects on the value of the Fund’s investments and/or on the Fund’s ability to enter into certain transactions or value certain investments, and these developments may make it more difficult for the Fund to exit certain investments at an advantageous time or price. Such events could result from, among other things, increased uncertainty and volatility in the United Kingdom, the EU and other financial markets; fluctuations in asset values; fluctuations in exchange rates; decreased liquidity of investments located, traded or listed within the United Kingdom, the EU or elsewhere; changes in the willingness or ability of financial and other counterparties to enter into transactions or the price and terms on which other counterparties are willing to transact; and/or changes in legal and regulatory regimes to which Fund investments are or become subject. Any of these events, as well as an exit or expulsion of an EU member state other than the United Kingdom from the EU, could negatively impact Fund returns.

Redenomination Risk. Continuing uncertainty as to the status of the euro and the EMU has created significant volatility in currency and financial markets generally. Any partial or complete dissolution of the EMU could have significant adverse effects on currency and financial markets, and on the values of the Fund’s portfolio investments. If one or more EMU countries were to stop using the euro as its primary currency, the Fund’s investments in such countries may be redenominated into a different or newly adopted currency. As a result, the value of those investments could decline significantly and unpredictably. In addition, securities or other investments that are redenominated may be subject to foreign currency risk, liquidity risk and valuation risk to a greater extent than similar investments currently denominated in euros. To the extent a currency used for redenomination purposes is not specified in respect of certain EMU-related investments, or should the euro cease to be used entirely, the

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currency in which such investments are denominated may be unclear, making such investments particularly difficult to value or dispose of. The Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek judicial or other clarification of the denomination or value of such securities. There can be no assurance that if the Fund earns income or capital gains in a non-U.S. country or PIMCO otherwise seeks to withdraw the Fund’s investments from a given country, capital controls imposed by such country will not prevent, or cause significant expense in, doing so.

Political Risks/Risks of Conflicts. Recently, various countries have seen significant internal conflicts and in some cases, civil wars may have had an adverse impact on the securities markets of the countries concerned. In addition, the occurrence of new disturbances due to acts of war or other political developments cannot be excluded. Apparently stable systems may experience periods of disruption or improbable reversals of policy. Nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, political changes, government regulation, political, regulatory or social instability or uncertainty or diplomatic developments could adversely affect the Fund’s investments. The transformation from a centrally planned, socialist economy to a more market oriented economy has also resulted in many economic and social disruptions and distortions. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the economic, regulatory and political initiatives necessary to achieve and sustain such a transformation will continue or, if such initiatives continue and are sustained, that they will be successful or that such initiatives will continue to benefit foreign (or non-national) investors. Certain instruments, such as inflation index instruments, may depend upon measures compiled by governments (or entities under their influence) which are also the obligors.

Investments in Russia. The Fund may invest in securities and instruments that are economically tied to Russia. In addition to the risks listed above under “Foreign (Non-U.S.) Securities,” investing in Russia presents additional risks. In particular, investments in Russia are subject to the risk that the United States and/or other countries may impose economic sanctions. Such sanctions—which may impact companies in many sectors, including energy, financial services and defense, among others—may negatively impact the Fund’s performance and/or ability to achieve its investment objectives. For example, certain investments in Russian companies or instruments tied to Russian companies may be prohibited and/or existing investments may become illiquid (e.g., in the event that the Fund is prohibited from transacting in certain existing investments tied to Russia), which could cause the Fund to sell other portfolio holdings at a disadvantageous time or price in order to meet shareholder redemptions. It is also possible that such sanctions may prevent U.S.-based entities that provide services to the Fund from transacting with Russian entities. Under such circumstances, the Fund may not receive payments due with respect to certain investments, such as the payments due in connection with the Fund’s holding of a fixed-income security. More generally, investing in Russian securities is highly speculative and involves significant risks and special considerations not typically associated with investing in the securities markets of the U.S. and most other developed countries. Over the past century, Russia has experienced political, social and economic turbulence and has endured decades of communist rule under which tens of millions of its citizens were collectivized into state agricultural and industrial enterprises. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia’s government has been faced with the daunting task of stabilizing its domestic economy, while transforming it into a modern and efficient structure able to compete in international markets and respond to the needs of its citizens. However, to date, many of the country’s economic reform initiatives have floundered. In this environment, there is always the risk that the nation’s government will abandon the current program of economic reform and replace it with radically different political and economic policies that would be detrimental to the interests of foreign investors. This could entail a return to a centrally planned economy and nationalization of private enterprises similar to what existed under the old Soviet Union.

Poor accounting standards, inept management, pervasive corruption, insider trading and crime, and inadequate regulatory protection for the rights of investors all pose a significant risk, particularly to foreign investors. In addition, there is the risk that the Russian tax system will not be reformed to prevent inconsistent, retroactive, and/or exorbitant taxation, or, in the alternative, the risk that a reformed tax system may result in the inconsistent and unpredictable enforcement of the new tax laws. Investments in Russia may be subject to the risk of nationalization or expropriation of assets. Regional armed conflict and its collateral economic and market effects may also pose risks for investments in Russia.

Compared to most national securities markets, the Russian securities market suffers from a variety of problems not encountered in more developed markets. There is little long-term historical data on the Russian securities market because it is relatively new and a substantial proportion of securities transactions in Russia are privately negotiated outside of stock exchanges. The inexperience of the Russian securities market and the limited volume of trading in securities in the market may make obtaining accurate prices on portfolio securities from independent sources more

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difficult than in more developed markets. Additionally, because of less stringent auditing and financial reporting standards than apply to U.S. companies, there may be little reliable corporate information available to investors. As a result, it may be difficult to assess the value or prospects of an investment in Russian companies. Securities of Russian companies also may experience greater price volatility than securities of U.S. companies.

Because of the recent formation of the Russian securities market as well as the underdeveloped state of the banking and telecommunications systems, settlement, clearing and registration of securities transactions are subject to significant risks. Prior to the implementation of the National Settlement Depository (“NSD”), a recognized central securities depository, there was no central registration system for equity share registration in Russia and registration was carried out by either the issuers themselves or by registrars located throughout Russia. Title to Russian equities held through the NSD is now based on the records of the NSD and not the registrars. Although the implementation of the NSD has enhanced the efficiency and transparency of the Russian securities market, issues resulting in loss still can occur.

Ownership of securities issued by Russian companies that are not held through depositories such as the NSD may be defined according to entries in the company’s share register and normally evidenced by extracts from the register or by formal share certificates. In such cases, the risk is increased that the Fund could lose ownership rights through fraud, negligence, or even mere oversight. While the Fund will endeavor to ensure that its interest continues to be appropriately

recorded either itself or through a custodian or other agent by inspecting the share register and by obtaining extracts of share registers through regular confirmations, these extracts have no legal enforceability and it is possible that subsequent illegal amendment or other fraudulent act may deprive the Fund of its ownership rights or improperly dilute its interests. In addition, while applicable Russian regulations impose liability on registrars for losses resulting from their errors, it may be difficult for the Fund to enforce any rights it may have against the registrar or issuer of the securities in the event of loss of share registration. Furthermore, significant delays or problems may occur in registering the transfer of securities, which could cause the Fund to incur losses due to a counterparty’s failure to pay for securities the Fund has delivered or the Fund’s inability to complete its contractual obligations because of theft or other reasons.

In addition, issuers and registrars are still prominent in the validation and approval of documentation requirements for corporate action processing in Russia. Because the documentation requirements and approval criteria vary between registrars and issuers, there remain unclear and inconsistent market standards in the Russian market with respect to the completion and submission of corporate action elections. To the extent that the Fund suffers a loss relating to title or corporate actions relating to its portfolio securities, it may be difficult for the Fund to enforce its rights or otherwise remedy the loss. Russian securities laws may not recognize foreign nominee accounts held with a custodian bank, and therefore the custodian may be considered the ultimate owner of securities they hold for their clients. The Fund also may experience difficulty in obtaining and/or enforcing judgments in Russia.

Russia has attempted, and may attempt in the future, to assert its influence in the region through economic or military measures. Such measures may have an adverse effect on the Russian economy, which may, in turn, negatively impact the Fund.

The Russian economy is heavily dependent upon the export of a range of commodities including most industrial metals, forestry products, oil, and gas. Accordingly, it is strongly affected by international commodity prices and is particularly vulnerable to any weakening in global demand for these products.