As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 15, 2014
Securities Act Registration No. 333-
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Investment Company Act Registration No. 811-
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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM N-2
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Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933
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Pre-Effective Amendment No.
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Post-Effective Amendment No.
and/or
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Registration Statement Under the Investment Company Act of 1940
¨
Amendment No.
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BlackRock Science and Technology Trust
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Declaration of Trust)
100 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware 19809
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(800) 882-0052
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
John Perlowski, President
BlackRock Science and Technology Trust
55 East 52
nd
Street
New York, New York 10055
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
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Copies to:
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Thomas A. DeCapo, Esq.
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Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
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500 Boylston Street
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Boston, Massachusetts 02116
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Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:
As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
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CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
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Title of Securities Being Registered
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Amount Being Registered
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Proposed
Maximum Offering
Price per Unit
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Proposed Maximum Aggregate
Offering Price
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Amount of Registration Fee
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Common Shares, $0.001 par value
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N/A
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N/A
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$1,000,000(1)
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$128.80
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(1)
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Estimated solely
for
purposes of calculating the registration fee.
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_________________
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 WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(a) OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATES AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(a), MAY DETERMINE.
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 is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED AUGUST 15, 2014
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
Shares
BlackRock Science and Technology Trust
Common Shares
$ per share
_________________________
Investment Objectives.
BlackRock Science and Technology Trust (the “Trust”) is a newly-organized, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company with no operating history. The Trust’s investment objectives are to provide income and total return through a combination of current income, current gains and long-term capital appreciation. There can be no assurance that the Trust’s investment objectives will be achieved or that the Trust’s investment program will be successful.
Investment Advisor
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The Trust’s investment adviser is BlackRock Advisors, LLC (the “Advisor”).
Investment Strategy.
Under normal market conditions, the Trust will invest at least 80% of its total assets in equity securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. science and technology companies in all market capitalization ranges, selected for their rapid and sustainable growth potential from the development, advancement and use of science and/or use of technology and/or potential to generate current income from advantageous dividend yields.
As part of its investment strategy, the Trust may employ a strategy of writing (selling) covered call options on a portion of the common stocks in its portfolio, writing (selling) covered put options on a portion of the common stocks in its portfolio and, to a lesser extent, writing (selling) covered call and put options on indices of securities and sectors of securities. This option strategy is intended to generate current gains from option premiums as a means to enhance distributions payable to the Trust’s shareholders.
(
continued on inside front cover
)
The Trust’s common shares are expected to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to notice of issuance, under the symbol “ .”
No Prior History.
Because the Trust is newly organized, its common shares have no history of public trading. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount from their net asset value. The risk of loss due to this discount may be greater for investors expecting to sell their shares in a relatively short period after completion of the public offering.
Investing in the Trust’s common shares involves certain risks that are described in the “Risks” section beginning on page 41 of this Prospectus.
Certain of these risks are summarized in “Prospectus Summary—Special Risk Considerations” beginning on page 6.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities 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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Per Share
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Total
(1)
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Public Offering Price
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$
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$
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Sales Load
(2)
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$
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$
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Estimated Offering Expenses
(3)
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$
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$
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Proceeds, After Expenses, to the Trust
(4)
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$
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$
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(
notes on inside front cover
)
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The underwriters expect to deliver the common shares to purchasers on or about
, 2014.
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The date of this Prospectus is , 2014.
(
notes from previous page
)
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(1)
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The Trust has granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to additional common shares at the public offering price, less the sales load, within 45 days of the date of this Prospectus solely to cover over-allotments, if any. If such option is exercised in full, the public offering price, sales load, estimated offering expenses and proceeds, after expenses, to the Trust will be $ , $ , $ and $ , respectively. See “Underwriting.”
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(2)
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The Advisor (and not the Trust) has agreed to pay from its own assets upfront structuring and syndication fees to and upfront structuring fees to , , and , and may pay certain other qualifying underwriters a structuring fee, sales incentive fee or additional compensation in connection with the offering. Because these fees are paid by the Advisor, they are not reflected under sales load in the table above. The Advisor and certain of its affiliates (and not the Trust) expect to pay compensation to certain registered representatives of BlackRock Investments, LLC (an affiliate of the Advisor) that participate in the marketing of the Trust’s common shares. See “Underwriting—Additional Compensation to be Paid by the Advisor.”
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(3)
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The Advisor has agreed to pay offering expenses of the Trust (other than the sales load) to the extent that offering expenses (other than the sales load), when added to organizational costs paid by the Trust, exceed $ per common share. The Trust will pay offering expenses of the Trust (other than the sales load), when added to organizational costs paid by the Trust, of up to $ per common share, which may include a reimbursement of the Advisor’s expenses incurred in connection with this offering. Any offering expenses paid by the Trust will be deducted from the proceeds of the offering received by the Trust. The aggregate organizational and offering expenses (other than the sales load) are estimated to be $ (or $ per common share). The aggregate organizational and offering expenses (other than the sales load) to be incurred by the Trust are estimated to be $ (or $ per common share). The aggregate offering expenses (other than the sales load) to be incurred by the Advisor on behalf of the Trust are estimated to be $ (or $ per common share). If the underwriters exercise the over-allotment option in full, the aggregate organizational and offering expenses (other than the sales load) to be borne by the Trust are estimated to be $ (or $ per common share).
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(4)
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The Trust will pay its organizational costs in full out of its seed capital prior to completion of this offering.
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(continued from previous page)
Investment Strategy (continued).
Science and technology companies are those companies which the Advisor expects will generate a majority of their revenues from the development, advancement, use or sale of science, technology or science- or technology-related products or services. Science, technology and science- or technology-related companies may include companies operating in any industry, including, but not limited to software, internet software & services, IT services, hardware, communications equipment, semiconductors and semiconductor equipment, media, internet retail, consumer finance, life science tools & services, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, energy, diversified telecom services and wireless telecom services.
The Trust may invest in companies of any market capitalization located anywhere in the world, including companies located in emerging markets. Equity securities in which the Trust may invest include common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities, warrants, depositary receipts, exchange-traded funds, equity interests in real estate investment trusts and master limited partnerships. From time to time, the Trust may invest in shares of companies through initial public offerings. The Trust may also invest, without limit, in privately placed or restricted securities (including in Rule 144A securities, which are privately placed securities purchased by qualified institutional buyers), illiquid securities and securities in which no secondary market is readily available. Foreign securities in which the Trust may invest may be U.S. dollar-denominated or non-U.S. dollar-denominated.
The Trust may invest up to 20% of its total assets in equity securities issued by companies that are not science or technology companies and in debt securities issued by any issuer, including non-investment grade debt securities, which are commonly known as “junk bonds.”
Leverage
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The Trust does not intend to borrow money or issue preferred shares during its first full year of operations. The Trust is, however, permitted to borrow money in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its Managed Assets (50% of its net assets), and issue preferred shares in an amount up to 50% of its Managed Assets (100% of its net assets). “Managed Assets” means the total assets of the Trust (including any assets attributable to money borrowed for investment purposes) minus the sum of the Trust’s accrued liabilities (other than money borrowed for investment purposes). The Trust may determine to borrow money from banks or other financial institutions, or issue preferred shares, in the future if it believes that market conditions would be conducive to the successful implementation of a leveraging strategy through borrowing money or issuing preferred shares. See “Leverage.”
The use of leverage, if employed, is subject to numerous risks. When leverage is employed, the Trust’s net asset value and market price of the Trust’s common shares and the yield to holders of common shares will be more volatile than if leverage was not used. For example, a rise in short-term interest rates, which currently are near historically low levels, will cause the Trust’s net asset value to decline more than if the Trust had not used leverage. A reduction in the Trust’s net asset value may cause a reduction in the market price of its common shares. The Trust cannot assure you that the use of leverage will result in a higher yield on the common shares. Any leveraging strategy the Trust may employ may not be successful. See “Risks—Leverage Risk.”
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You should read this Prospectus, which concisely sets forth information about the Trust, before deciding whether to invest in the common shares and retain it for future reference. A Statement of Additional Information, dated , 2014 containing additional information about the Trust (the “SAI”), has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and, as amended from time to time, is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this Prospectus. You can review the table of contents for the SAI on page 86 of this Prospectus. You may request a free copy of the SAI by calling (800) 882-0052 or by writing to the Trust, or obtain a copy (and other information regarding the Trust) from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Call (202) 551-8090 for information. The Securities and Exchange Commission charges a fee for copies. You can get the same information free from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website (http://www.sec.gov). You may also e-mail requests for these documents to publicinfo@sec.gov or make a request in writing to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Public Reference Section, 100 F Street N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549-0102. The Trust does not post a copy of the SAI on its website because the Trust’s common shares are not continuously offered, which means the SAI will not be updated after completion of this offering and the information contained in the SAI will become outdated. In addition, you may request copies of the Trust’s semi-annual and annual reports or other information about the Trust or make shareholder inquiries by calling (800) 882-0052. The Trust’s annual and semi-annual reports, when produced, will be available at the Trust’s website (http://www.blackrock.com) free of charge. Information contained in, or that can be accessed through, the Trust’s website is not part of this Prospectus.
You should not construe the contents of this Prospectus as legal, tax or financial advice. You should consult with your own professional advisors as to the legal, tax, financial or other matters relevant to the suitability of an investment in the Trust.
The Trust’s common shares do not represent a deposit or an 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.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Prospectus Summary
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1
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Summary of Trust Expenses
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23
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The Trust
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25
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Use of Proceeds
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25
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The Trust’s Investments
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25
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Leverage
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38
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Risks
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41
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How the Trust Manages Risk
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68
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Management of the Trust
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69
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Net Asset Value
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70
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Distributions
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72
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Dividend Reinvestment Plan
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73
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Description of Shares
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74
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Certain Provisions in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Bylaws
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75
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Closed-End Fund Structure
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77
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Repurchase of Common Shares
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77
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Tax Matters
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78
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Underwriting
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81
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Custodian and Transfer Agent
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85
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Administration and Accounting Services
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85
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Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
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85
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Legal Opinions
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85
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Privacy Principles of the Trust
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85
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Table of Contents for the Statement of Additional Information
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86
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You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus. The Trust has not, and the underwriters have not, authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. The Trust is not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information in this Prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this Prospectus. The Trust’s business, financial condition and prospects may have changed since that date.
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
This is only a summary of certain information contained in this Prospectus relating to BlackRock Science and Technology Trust. This summary may not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in our common shares. You should review the more detailed information contained in this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”).
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Investment Policies
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Under normal market conditions, the Trust will invest at least 80% of its total assets in equity securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. science and technology companies in all market capitalization ranges, selected for their rapid and sustainable growth potential from the development, advancement and use of science and/or use of technology and/or potential to generate current income from advantageous dividend yields.
Science and technology companies are those companies which the Advisor expects will generate a majority of their revenues from the development, advancement, use or sale of science, technology or science- or technology-related products or services. Science, technology and science- or technology-related companies may include companies operating in any industry, including, but not limited to software, internet software & services, IT services, hardware, communications equipment, semiconductors and semiconductor equipment, media, internet retail, consumer finance, life science tools & services, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, energy, diversified telecom services and wireless telecom services.
The Trust may invest in companies of any market capitalization located anywhere in the world, including companies located in emerging markets. Equity securities in which the Trust may invest include common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities, warrants, depositary receipts, exchange-traded funds, equity interests in real estate investment trusts and master limited partnerships. From time to time, the Trust may invest in shares of companies through initial public offerings (“IPOs”). The Trust may also invest, without limit, in privately placed or restricted securities (including in Rule 144A securities, which are privately placed securities purchased by qualified institutional buyers), illiquid securities and securities in which no secondary market is readily available. Foreign securities in which the Trust may invest may be U.S. dollar-denominated or non-U.S. dollar-denominated.
The Trust may also invest in securities of other open- or closed-end investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and business development companies (“BDCs”), subject to applicable regulatory limits, that invest primarily in securities of the types in which the Trust may invest directly. The Trust classifies its investments in such investment companies, ETFs and BDCs as “equity securities” for purposes of its investment policies based upon such investment companies’, ETFs’ or BDCs’ stated investment objectives, policies and restrictions.
The Trust may invest up to 20% of its total assets in equity securities issued by companies that are not science or technology companies and in debt securities issued by any issuer, including non-investment grade debt securities, which are commonly known as “junk bonds.”
Option Writing Strategy.
As part of its investment strategy, the Trust may employ a strategy of writing (selling) covered (as described herein) call options on a portion of the common stocks in its portfolio, writing (selling) covered (as described herein) put options on a portion of the common stocks in its portfolio and, to a lesser extent, writing (selling) covered call and put options on indices of securities and sectors of securities. This option strategy is intended to generate current gains from option premiums as a means to enhance distributions payable to the Trust’s shareholders.
As the Trust writes covered calls over more of its portfolio, its ability to benefit from capital appreciation becomes more limited.
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A substantial portion of the options written by the Trust may be over-the-counter options (“OTC options”).
A call option written by the Trust on a security is “covered” if the Trust owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, cash or other assets determined to be liquid by the Advisor (in accordance with procedures established by the Board in such amount are segregated by the Trust’s custodian or earmarked on the Trust’s books and records) upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by the Trust. A call option is also covered if the Trust holds a call on the same security as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written, provided the difference is maintained by the Trust in segregated or earmarked assets determined to be liquid by the Advisor as described above.
A put option written by the Trust on a security is “covered” if the Trust segregates or earmarks assets determined to be liquid by the Advisor (in accordance with procedures established by the Board) equal to the exercise price. A put option is also “covered” if the Trust holds a put on the same security as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is (i) equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written, provided the difference is maintained by the Trust in segregated or earmarked assets determined to be liquid by the Advisor as described above.
An index or sector option is considered “covered” if the Trust maintains with its custodian segregated or earmarked assets determined to be liquid by the Advisor (in accordance with procedures established by the Board) in an amount equal to the contract value of the applicable basket of securities. An index or sector put option also is “covered” if the Trust holds a put on the same basket of securities as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is (i) equal to or more than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written, provided the difference is maintained by the Trust in segregated or earmarked assets determined to be liquid by the Advisor as described above. An index or sector call option also is “covered” if the Trust holds a call on the same basket of securities as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written, provided the difference is maintained by the Trust in segregated or earmarked assets determined to be liquid by the Advisor as described above. Because index and sector options both refer to options on baskets of securities and generally have similar characteristics, we refer to these types of options collectively as “index” options.
The Trust may initially write covered put and call options, the notional amount of which would be approximately % to % of the Trust’s total assets, although this percentage may vary from time to time with market conditions. As the Trust writes covered calls over more of its portfolio, its ability to benefit from capital appreciation becomes more limited. The number of covered put and call options on securities the Trust can write is limited by the total assets the Trust holds, and further limited by the fact that all options represent 100 share lots of the underlying common stock.
In connection with its option writing strategy, the Trust will not write “naked” or uncovered put and call options, other than those that are “covered” by the
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segregation or earmarking of liquid assets as described above. Furthermore, the Trust’s exchange-listed option transactions will be subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities on which such options are traded. These limitations govern the maximum number of options in each class that may be written or purchased by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert, regardless of whether the options are written or purchased on the same or different exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities or are held or written in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. Thus, the number of options which the Trust may write or purchase may be affected by options written or purchased by other investment advisory clients of the Advisor. An exchange, board of trade or other trading facility may order the liquidation of positions found to be in excess of these limits, and it may impose certain other sanctions.
Other Strategies.
During temporary defensive periods, including the period during which the net proceeds of this offering are being invested, and in order to keep the Trust’s cash fully invested, the Trust may invest up to 100% of its total assets in liquid, short-term investments, including high quality, short-term securities. The Trust may not achieve its investment objectives under these circumstances.
The Trust may invest in structured instruments (such as equity-linked notes) for investment purposes, as an alternative or complement to its options writing strategy or for risk management or leveraging purposes.
The Trust may engage in Strategic Transactions (as defined in this Prospectus) for duration management and other risk management purposes, including to attempt to protect against possible changes in the market value of the Trust’s portfolio resulting from trends in the securities markets and changes in interest rates or to protect the Trust’s unrealized gains in the value of its portfolio securities, to facilitate the sale of portfolio securities for investment purposes, to establish a position in the securities markets as a temporary substitute for purchasing particular securities or to enhance income or gain. See “The Trust’s Investments—Portfolio Contents and Techniques—Strategic Transactions and Other Management Techniques.”
The Trust may lend securities with a value of up to 33 1/3% of its total assets (including such loans) to financial institutions that provide cash or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government as collateral.
The Trust may also engage in short sales of securities. See “The Trust’s Investments—Investment Objectives and Policies—Investment Policies” in this Prospectus for information about the limitations applicable to the Trust’s short sale activities.
The Trust may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its investment objectives.
Unless otherwise stated herein or in the SAI, the Trust’s investment policies are non-fundamental policies and may be changed by the Board without prior shareholder approval.
For a discussion of risk factors that may affect the Trust’s ability to achieve its investment objectives, see “Risks.”
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Leverage
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The Trust does not intend to borrow money or issue preferred shares during its first full year of operations. The Trust is, however, permitted to borrow money in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its Managed Assets (50% of its net assets), and issue preferred shares in an amount up to 50% of its Managed Assets (100% of its net assets). “Managed Assets” means the total assets of the Trust (including any assets attributable to money borrowed for investment purposes) minus the sum of
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| the Trust’s accrued liabilities (other than money borrowed for investment purposes). The Trust may determine to borrow money from banks or other financial institutions, or issue preferred shares, in the future if it believes that market conditions would be conducive to the successful implementation of a leveraging strategy through borrowing money or issuing preferred shares. See “Leverage.” | ||
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The use of leverage, if employed, is subject to numerous risks. When leverage is employed, the net asset value and market price of the common shares and the yield to holders of common shares will be more volatile than if leverage were not used. For example, a rise in short-term interest rates, which currently are near historically low levels, will cause the Trust’s net asset value to decline more than if the Trust had not used leverage. A reduction in the Trust’s net asset value may cause a reduction in the market price of its common shares. The Trust cannot assure you that the use of leverage will result in a higher yield on the common shares. When the Trust uses leverage, the management fee payable to the Advisor will be higher than if the Trust did not use leverage because this fee is calculated on the basis of the Trust’s Managed Assets, which include the proceeds of leverage. Any leveraging strategy the Trust employs may not be successful. See “Risks—Leverage Risk.”
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Investment Advisor
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BlackRock Advisors, LLC will be the Trust’s investment adviser. The Advisor will receive an annual fee, payable monthly, in an amount equal to % of the average daily value of the Trust’s Managed Assets. See “Management of the Trust—Investment Advisor.”
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Distributions
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Commencing with the Trust’s initial dividend, the Trust intends to distribute monthly all or a portion of its net investment income to holders of common shares. We expect to declare the initial monthly dividend on the Trust’s common shares approximately 45 days after completion of this offering and to pay that initial monthly dividend approximately 60 to 90 days after completion of this offering, depending on market conditions. The Trust intends to pay any capital gains distributions at least annually.
The Trust will, pursuant to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (
“
SEC
”
) exemptive order granted to certain of BlackRock’s closed-end funds, adopt a plan to support a level distribution of income, capital gains and/or return of capital (the “Level Distribution Plan”). The Level Distribution Plan will be approved by the Board and be consistent with the Trust’s investment objectives and policies. Under the Level Distribution Plan, the Trust will distribute all available investment income to its shareholders, consistent with its investment objectives and as required by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). If sufficient investment income is not available on a monthly basis, the Trust will distribute long-term capital gains and/or return of capital to shareholders in order to maintain a level distribution. Each monthly distribution to shareholders is expected to be at the fixed amount established by the Board, except for extraordinary distributions and potential distribution rate increases or decreases to enable the Trust to comply with the distribution requirements imposed by the Code. Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Trust’s investment performance from the amount of these distributions or from the terms of the Level Distribution Plan.
Various factors will affect the level of the Trust’s income, including the asset mix and the Trust’s use of options and hedging. To permit the Trust to maintain a
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financial data on which potential investors may evaluate the Trust and its performance. See “Risks—No Operating History.”
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Non-Diversified Status
.
The Trust is a non-diversified fund. As defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), a non-diversified fund may have a significant part of its investments in a smaller number of issuers than can a diversified fund. Having a larger percentage of assets in a smaller number of issuers makes a non-diversified fund, like the Trust, more susceptible to the risk that one single event or occurrence can have a significant adverse impact upon the Trust.
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Investment and Market Discount Risk
.
An investment in the Trust’s common shares is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire amount that you invest. As with any stock, the price of the Trust’s common shares will fluctuate with market conditions and other factors. If shares are sold, the price received may be more or less than the original investment. The value of your investment in the Trust will be reduced immediately following the initial offering by the amount of the sales load and the amount of the organizational and offering expenses paid by the Trust. Common shares are designed for long-term investors and the Trust should not be treated as a trading vehicle. Shares of closed-end management investment companies frequently trade at a discount from their net asset value. This risk is separate and distinct from the risk that the Trust’s net asset value could decrease as a result of its investment activities. At any point in time an investment in the Trust’s common shares may be worth less than the original amount invested, even after taking into account distributions paid by the Trust. This risk may be greater for investors who sell their common shares in a relatively short period of time after completion of the initial offering. During the period in which the Trust may use leverage, the Trust’s investment, market discount and certain other risks will be magnified.
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Concentration Risk.
The Trust’s investments will be concentrated in issuers in the science and technology sector. Because the Trust will be concentrated in the industries comprising that sector, it may be subject to more risks than if it were broadly diversified over numerous industries and sectors of the economy. General changes in market sentiment towards science and technology companies may adversely affect the Trust, and the performance of science and technology issuers may lag behind the broader market as a whole. Also, the Trust’s concentration in the science and technology sector may subject the Trust to a variety of risks associated with companies in the industries comprising the science and technology sector.
See “Risks—Concentration Risk—Technology Company Risk,” “—Telecommunications Company Risk,” “—Healthcare and Life Sciences Company Risk,” “—Industrial Products, Services and Equipment Company Risk,” “—Media Company Risk,” “—Consumer Finance Company Risk” and
“
—
Energy Company Risk.
”
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| Equity Securities Risk. Stock markets are volatile, and the price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company’s financial condition and overall market and economic conditions. Although common stocks have historically generated higher average total returns than fixed income securities over the long-term, common stocks also have experienced significantly more volatility in those returns and, in certain periods, have significantly under-performed relative to fixed income securities. An adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of a particular common stock held by the Trust. A common stock may also decline due to factors which affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. The value of a particular |
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common stock held by the Trust may decline for a number of other reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage, the issuer’s historical and prospective earnings, the value of its assets and reduced demand for its goods and services. Also, the price of common stocks is sensitive to general movements in the stock market and a drop in the stock market may depress the price of common stocks to which the Trust has exposure. Common stock prices fluctuate for several 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 issuers occur. In addition, common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase. Common equity securities in which the Trust may invest are structurally subordinated to preferred stock, bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital structure in terms of priority to corporate income and are therefore inherently more risky than preferred stock or debt instruments of such issuers.
Investments in American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) and other similar global instruments are generally subject to risks associated with equity securities and investments in non-U.S. securities. Unsponsored ADR, EDR and GDR programs are organized independently and without the cooperation of the issuer of the underlying securities. As a result, available information concerning the issuer may not be as current as for sponsored ADRs, EDRs and GDRs, and the prices of unsponsored ADRs, EDRs and GDRs may be more volatile than if such instruments were sponsored by the issuer.
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Dividend Paying Equity Securities Risk.
Dividends on common equity securities which the Trust may hold are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of an issuer’s board of directors. Companies that have historically paid dividends on their securities are not required to continue to pay dividends on such securities. There is no guarantee that the issuers of the common equity securities in which the Trust invests will declare dividends in the future or that, if declared, they will remain at current levels or increase over time. Therefore, there is the possibility that such companies could reduce or eliminate the payment of dividends in the future. Dividend producing equity securities, in particular those whose market price is closely related to their yield, may exhibit greater sensitivity to interest rate changes. The Trust’s investments in dividend producing equity securities may also limit its potential for appreciation during a broad market advance.
The prices of dividend producing equity securities can be highly volatile. Investors should not assume that the Trust’s investments in these securities will necessarily reduce the volatility of the Trust’s net asset value or provide “protection,” compared to other types of equity securities, when markets perform poorly.
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Smaller Capitalization Company Risk.
Smaller capitalization companies may have limited product lines or markets. They may be less financially secure than larger, more established companies. They may depend on a small number of key personnel. If a product fails or there are other adverse developments, or if management changes, the Trust’s investment in a smaller capitalization company may lose substantial value. In addition, it is more difficult to get information on smaller companies, which tend to be less well known, have shorter operating histories, do not have significant ownership by large investors and are followed by relatively few securities analysts.
The securities of smaller capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than
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| larger capitalization securities or the market as a whole. In addition, smaller capitalization securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, borrowing costs and earnings. Investing in smaller capitalization securities requires a longer term view. See “Risks—Smaller Capitalization Company Risk.” | ||
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New Issues Risk.
“New Issues” are initial public offerings of U.S. equity securities. Investments in companies that have recently gone public have the potential to produce substantial gains for the Trust. However, there is no assurance that the Trust will have access to profitable IPOs and therefore investors should not rely on these past gains as an indication of future performances. The investment performance of the Trust during periods when it is unable to invest significantly or at all in IPOs may be lower than during periods when the Trust is able to do so. Securities issued in IPOs are subject to many of the same risks as investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile or may decline shortly after the initial public offering. When an initial public offering is brought to the market, availability may be limited and the Trust may not be able to buy any shares at the offering price, or, if it is able to buy shares, it may not be able to buy as many shares at the offering price as it would like.
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Growth Stock Risk.
Securities of growth companies may be more volatile since such companies usually invest a high portion of earnings in their business, and they may lack the dividends of value stocks that can cushion stock prices in a falling market. Stocks of companies the Advisor believes are fast-growing may trade at a higher multiple of current earnings than other stocks. The values of these stocks may be more sensitive to changes in current or expected earnings than the values of other stocks. Earnings disappointments often lead to sharply falling prices because investors buy growth stocks in anticipation of superior earnings growth. If the Advisor’s assessment of the prospects for a company’s earnings growth is wrong, or if the Advisor’s judgment of how other investors will value the company’s earnings growth is wrong, then the price of the company’s stock may fall or may not approach the value that the Advisor has placed on it.
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Value Stock Risk.
The Advisor may be wrong in its assessment of a company’s value and the stocks the Trust owns may not reach what the Advisor believes are their full values. A particular risk of the Trust’s value strategies is that some holdings may not recover and provide the capital growth anticipated or a stock judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced. Further, because the prices of value-oriented securities tend to correlate more closely with economic cycles than growth-oriented securities, they generally are more sensitive to changing economic conditions, such as changes in interest rates, corporate earnings, and industrial production. The market may not favor value-oriented stocks and may not favor equities at all. During those periods, the Trust’s relative performance may suffer.
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Risks Associated with the Trust’s Options Strategy.
The ability of the Trust to achieve current gains is partially dependent on the successful implementation of its option strategy. There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.
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Risks of Writing Options
. As the writer of a covered call option, the Trust forgoes, during the option’s life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the strike price of the call, but has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline. In other words, as the Trust writes covered calls over more of its portfolio, the Trust’s ability to benefit from capital appreciation becomes more limited.
When the Trust writes covered put options, it bears the risk of loss if the value of the underlying stock declines below the exercise price minus the put premium. If the option is exercised, the Trust could incur a loss if it is required to purchase the stock underlying the put option at a price greater than the market price of the stock at the time of exercise plus the put premium the Trust received when it wrote the option. While the Trust’s potential gain in writing a covered put option is limited to distributions earned on the liquid assets securing the put option plus the premium received from the purchaser of the put option, the Trust risks a loss equal to the entire exercise price of the option minus the put premium.
See “Risks—Risks Associated with the Trust’s Options Strategy—Risks of Writing Options.”
Exchange-Listed Options Risks
. There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Trust seeks to close out an exchange-listed option position. Reasons for the absence of a liquid secondary market on an exchange include the following: (i) there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; (ii) restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; (iii) trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options; (iv) unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; (v) the facilities of an exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading volume; or (vi) one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options). See “Risks—Risks Associated with the Trust’s Options Strategy—Exchange-Listed Options Risks.”
Over-the-Counter Option Risk
. The Trust may write (sell) unlisted OTC options to a significant extent. OTC options differ from exchange-listed options in that they are two-party contracts, with exercise price, premium and other terms negotiated between buyer and seller, and generally do not have as much market liquidity as exchange-listed options. The OTC options written by the Trust will not be issued, guaranteed or cleared by the Options Clearing Corporation. In addition, the Trust’s ability to terminate the OTC options may be more limited than with exchange-traded options. Banks, broker-dealers or other financial institutions participating in such transactions may fail to settle a transaction in accordance with the terms of the option as written. In the event of default or insolvency of the counterparty, the Trust may be unable to liquidate an OTC option position. See “Risks—Risks Associated with the Trust’s Options Strategy—Over-the-Counter Option Risk.”
Index Option Risk
. The Trust may sell index put and call options from time to time. The purchaser of an index put option has the right to any depreciation in the value of the index below the exercise price of the option on or before the expiration date. The purchaser of an index call option has the right to any appreciation in the value of the index over the exercise price of the option on or before the expiration date. Because the exercise of index options is settled in
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cash, sellers of index call options, such as the Trust, cannot provide in advance for their potential settlement obligations by acquiring and holding the underlying securities. The Trust will lose money if it is required to pay the purchaser of an index option the difference between the cash value of the index on which the option was written and the exercise price and such difference is greater than the premium received by the Trust for writing the option. See “Risks—Risks Associated with the Trust’s Options Strategy—Index Option Risk.”
Limitation on Option Writing Risk.
The number of call options the Trust can write is limited by the total assets the Trust holds and is further limited by the fact that all options represent 100 share lots of the underlying common stock. Furthermore, the Trust’s options transactions will be subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities on which such options are traded. See “Risks—Risks Associated with the Trust’s Options Strategy—Limitation on Option Writing Risk.”
Tax Risk.
Income on options on individual stocks will generally not be recognized by the Trust for tax purposes until an option is exercised, lapses or is subject to a “closing transaction” (as defined by applicable regulations) pursuant to which the Trust’s obligations with respect to the option are otherwise terminated. If the option lapses without exercise or is otherwise subject to a closing transaction, the premiums received by the Trust from the writing of such options will generally be characterized as short-term capital gain. If an option written by the Trust is exercised, the Trust may recognize taxable gain depending on the exercise price of the option, the option premium, and the tax basis of the security underlying the option. The character of any gain on the sale of the underlying security as short-term or long-term capital gain will depend on the holding period of the Trust in the underlying security. In general, distributions received by shareholders of the Trust that are attributable to short-term capital gains recognized by the Trust from its option writing activities will be taxed to such shareholders as ordinary income and will not be eligible for the reduced tax rate applicable to qualified dividend income.
Options on indices of securities and sectors of securities will generally be “marked-to-market” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Trust will generally recognize gain or loss on the last day of each taxable year equal to the difference between the value of the option on that date and the adjusted basis of the option. The adjusted basis of the option will consequently be increased by such gain or decreased by such loss. Any gain or loss with respect to options on indices and sectors will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss to the extent of 40% of such gain or loss and long-term capital gain or loss to the extent of 60% of such gain or loss. Because the mark-to-market rules may cause the Trust to recognize gain in advance of the receipt of cash, the Trust may be required to dispose of investments in order to meet its distribution requirements.
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Preferred Securities Risk
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There are special risks associated with investing in preferred securities, including deferral, subordination, limited voting rights, special redemption rights, risks associated with trust preferred securities and risks associated with new types of securities. See “Risks—Preferred Securities Risk.”
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| Convertible Securities Risk . Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible securities of similar quality. As with all fixed income securities, the market values of convertible securities tend to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, to increase as interest rates decline. However, when the market price of the common stock underlying a convertible security exceeds the conversion price, the convertible security tends to reflect the market price of the underlying common stock. As the market price of the |
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underlying common stock declines, the convertible security tends to trade increasingly on a yield basis and thus may not decline in price to the same extent as the underlying common stock. Synthetic convertible securities are subject to additional risks, including risks associated with derivatives. See “Risks—Convertible Securities Risk.”
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Warrants Risk.
If the price of the underlying stock does not rise above the exercise price before the warrant expires, the warrant generally expires without any value and the Trust loses any amount it paid for the warrant. Thus, investments in warrants may involve substantially more risk than investments in common stock. Warrants may trade in the same markets as their underlying stock; however, the price of the warrant does not necessarily move with the price of the underlying stock.
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REITs Risk.
To the extent that the Trust invests in real estate related investments, including real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), it will be subject to the risks associated with owning real estate and with the real estate industry generally. These include difficulties in valuing and disposing of real estate, the possibility of declines in the value of real estate, risks related to general and local economic conditions, the possibility of adverse changes in the climate for real estate, environmental liability risks, the risk of increases in property taxes and operating expenses, possible adverse changes in zoning laws, the risk of casualty or condemnation losses, limitations on rents, the possibility of adverse changes in interest rates and in the credit markets and the possibility of borrowers paying off mortgages sooner than expected, which may lead to reinvestment of assets at lower prevailing interest rates. See “Risks—REITs Risk.”
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Master Limited Partnerships Risk
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Investments in publicly traded master limited partnerships (“MLPs”), which are limited partnerships or limited liability companies taxable as partnerships, involve some risks that differ from an investment in the common stock of a corporation. MLPs may derive income and gains from the exploration, development, mining or production, processing, refining, transportation (including pipelines transporting gas, oil, or products thereof), or the marketing of any mineral or natural resources. MLPs generally have two classes of owners, the general partner and limited partners. When investing in an MLP, the Trust generally purchases publicly traded common units issued to limited partners of the MLP. The general partner is typically owned by a major energy company, an investment fund, the direct management of the MLP or is an entity owned by one or more of such parties. The general partner may be structured as a private or publicly traded corporation or other entity. The general partner typically controls the operations and management of the MLP through an up to 2% equity interest in the MLP plus, in many cases, ownership of common units and subordinated units. Limited partners own the remainder of the partnership, through ownership of common units, and have a limited role in the partnership’s operations and management. As compared to common stockholders of a corporation, holders of MLP common units have more limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the partnership. See “Risks—Master Limited Partnerships Risk.”
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| Restricted and Illiquid Securities Risk. The Trust may invest without limitation in illiquid or less liquid securities or securities in which no secondary market is readily available or which are otherwise illiquid, including private placement securities. The Trust may not be able to readily dispose of such securities at prices that approximate those at which the Trust could sell such securities if they were more widely-traded and, as a result of such illiquidity, the Trust may have to sell other investments or engage in borrowing transactions if necessary to raise cash to meet its obligations. Limited liquidity can also affect the market price of |
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securities, thereby adversely affecting the Trust’s net asset value and ability to make dividend distributions. The financial markets in general, and certain segments of the mortgage related securities markets in particular, have in recent years experienced periods of extreme secondary market supply and demand imbalance, resulting in a loss of liquidity during which market prices were suddenly and substantially below traditional measures of intrinsic value. During such periods, some securities could be sold only at arbitrary prices and with substantial losses. Periods of such market dislocation may occur again at any time. Privately issued debt securities are often of below investment grade quality, frequently are unrated and present many of the same risks as investing in below investment grade public debt securities. See “Risks—Restricted and Illiquid Securities Risk.”
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Investment Companies and ETFs Risk.
Subject to the limitations set forth in the Investment Company Act and the Trust’s governing documents or as otherwise permitted by the SEC, the Trust may acquire shares in other investment companies, including ETFs or BDCs. The market value of the shares of other investment companies, ETFs and BDCs may differ from their net asset value. As an investor in investment companies, ETFs and BDCs, the Trust would bear its ratable share of that entity’s expenses, including its investment advisory and administration fees, while continuing to pay its own advisory and administration fees and other expenses. As a result, shareholders will be absorbing duplicate levels of fees with respect to investments in other investment companies, ETFs and BDCs.
The securities of other investment companies, ETFs and BDCs in which the Trust may invest may be leveraged. As a result, the Trust may be indirectly exposed to leverage through an investment in such securities. An investment in securities of other investment companies, ETFs and BDCs that use leverage may expose the Trust to higher volatility in the market value of such securities and the possibility that the Trust’s long-term returns on such securities (and, indirectly, the long-term returns of the Trust’s common shares) will be diminished. See “Risks—Investment Companies and ETFs Risk.”
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Fixed Income Securities Risks
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Fixed income securities in which the Trust may invest are generally subject to the following risks:
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| Interest Rate Risk . The market value of bonds and other fixed-income securities changes in response to interest rate changes and other factors. Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. The Trust may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to the current period of historically low interest rates. The magnitude of these fluctuations in the market price of bonds and other fixed-income securities is generally greater for those securities with longer maturities. Fluctuations in the market price of the Trust’s investments will not affect interest income derived from instruments already owned by the Trust, but will be reflected in the Trust’s NAV. The Trust may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply in a manner not anticipated by Trust management. To the extent the Trust invests in debt securities that may be prepaid at the option of the obligor (such as mortgage-related securities), the sensitivity of such securities to changes in interest rates may increase (to the detriment of the Trust) when interest rates rise. 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 Trust to the extent that it invests in floating rate debt securities. These basic principles of bond prices also apply to U.S. Government securities. A security backed by the “full faith and |
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credit” of the U.S. Government is guaranteed only as to its stated interest rate and face value at maturity, not its current market price. Just like other fixed-income securities, government-guaranteed securities will fluctuate in value when interest rates change.
During periods in which the Trust may use leverage, such use of leverage will tend to increase the Trust’s interest rate risk. The Trust may utilize certain strategies, including taking positions in futures or interest rate swaps, for the purpose of reducing the interest rate sensitivity of fixed income securities held by the Trust and decreasing the Trust’s exposure to interest rate risk. The Trust is not required to hedge its exposure to interest rate risk and may choose not to do so. In addition, there is no assurance that any attempts by the Trust to reduce interest rate risk will be successful or that any hedges that the Trust may establish will perfectly correlate with movements in interest rates.
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Issuer Risk
. The value of fixed income securities may decline for a number of reasons which 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.
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Credit Risk
. Credit risk is the risk that one or more fixed income securities in the Trust’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. To the extent the Trust invests in below investment grade securities, it will be exposed to a greater amount of credit risk than a fund which only invests in investment grade securities. See “Risks—Below Investment Grade Securities Risk.” In addition, to the extent the Trust uses credit derivatives, such use will expose it to additional risk in the event that the bonds underlying the derivatives default. The degree of credit risk depends on the issuer’s financial condition and on the terms of the securities.
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Prepayment Risk
. During periods of declining interest rates, borrowers may exercise their option to prepay principal earlier than scheduled. For fixed rate securities, such payments often occur during periods of declining interest rates, forcing the Trust to reinvest in lower yielding securities, resulting in a possible decline in the Trust’s income and distributions to shareholders. This is known as prepayment or “call” risk. Below investment grade securities frequently have call features that allow the issuer to redeem the security at dates prior to its stated maturity at a specified price (typically greater than par) only if certain prescribed conditions are met (“call protection”). For premium bonds (bonds acquired at prices that exceed their par or principal value) purchased by the Trust, prepayment risk may be enhanced.
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Reinvestment Risk
. Reinvestment risk is the risk that income from the Trust’s portfolio will decline if the Trust invests the proceeds from matured, traded or called fixed income securities at market interest rates that are below the Trust portfolio’s current earnings rate.
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Duration and Maturity Risk
. The Trust has no set policy regarding portfolio maturity or duration. The Advisor may seek to adjust the portfolio’s duration or maturity based on its assessment of current and projected market conditions and all other factors that the Advisor deems relevant. Any decisions as to the targeted duration or maturity of any particular category of investments or of the Trust’s portfolio generally will be made based on all pertinent market factors at any given time. The Trust may incur costs in seeking to adjust the portfolio average duration or maturity. There can be no assurance that the Advisor’s assessment of current and projected market
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| conditions will be correct or that any strategy to adjust the portfolio’s duration or maturity will be successful at any given time. Generally speaking, the longer the duration of the Trust’s portfolio, the more exposure the Trust will have to the interest rate risks described above. | ||
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Corporate Bonds Risk
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The market value of a corporate bond generally may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates. The market value of intermediate and longer term corporate bonds is generally more sensitive to changes in interest rates than is the market value of shorter term corporate bonds. The market value of a corporate bond also may be affected by factors directly related to the issuer, such as investors’ perceptions of the creditworthiness of the issuer, the issuer’s financial performance, perceptions of the issuer in the market place, performance of management of the issuer, the issuer’s capital structure and use of financial leverage and demand for the issuer’s goods and services. Certain risks associated with investments in corporate bonds are described elsewhere in this Prospectus in further detail, including under “Risks—Fixed Income Securities Risks—Credit Risk,” “Risks—Fixed Income Securities Risks—Interest Rate Risk,” “Risks—Fixed Income Securities Risks—Prepayment Risk,” “Risks—Inflation Risk” and “Risks—Deflation Risk.” There is a risk that the issuers of corporate bonds may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument. Corporate bonds of below investment grade quality are often high risk and have speculative characteristics and may be particularly susceptible to adverse issuer-specific developments. Corporate bonds of below investment grade quality are subject to the risks described herein under “Risks—Below Investment Grade Securities Risk.”
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Below Investment Grade Securities Risk
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The Trust may invest in securities that are rated, at the time of investment, below investment grade quality (rated Ba/BB or below, or unrated but judged to be of comparable quality by the Advisor), which are commonly referred to as “high yield” or “junk” bonds and are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal. The value of high yield, lower quality bonds is affected by the creditworthiness of the issuers of the securities and by general economic and specific industry conditions. Issuers of high yield bonds are not perceived to be as strong financially as those with higher credit ratings. These issuers are more vulnerable to financial setbacks and recession than more creditworthy issuers, which may impair their ability to make interest and principal payments. Lower grade securities may be particularly susceptible to economic downturns. It is likely that an economic recession could severely disrupt the market for such securities and may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities. In addition, it is likely that any such economic downturn could adversely affect the ability of the issuers of such securities to repay principal and pay interest thereon and increase the incidence of default for such securities. The secondary market for lower grade securities may be less liquid than that for higher rated securities. Adverse conditions could make it difficult at times for the Trust to sell certain securities or could result in lower prices than those used in calculating the Trust’s net asset value. Because of the substantial risks associated with investments in lower grade securities, you could lose money on your investment in common shares of the Trust, both in the short-term and the long-term. To the extent that the Trust invests in lower grade securities that have not been rated by a rating agency, the Trust’s ability to achieve its investment objectives will be more dependent on the Advisor’s credit analysis than would be the case when the Trust invests in rated securities. See “Risks—Below Investment Grade Securities Risk.”
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Distressed and Defaulted Securities Risk
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Investments in the securities of financially distressed issuers are speculative and involve substantial risks. These securities may present a substantial risk of default or may be in default at the time of investment. The Trust 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. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a portfolio company, the Trust may lose its entire investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than its original investment. Among the risks inherent in investments in a troubled entity is the fact that it frequently may be difficult to obtain information as to the true financial condition of such issuer. The Advisor’s judgment about the credit quality of the issuer and the relative value and liquidity of its securities may prove to be wrong. Distressed securities and any securities received in an exchange for such securities may be subject to restrictions on resale.
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Unrated Securities Risk
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Because the Trust may purchase securities that are not rated by any rating organization, the Advisor may, after assessing their credit quality, internally assign ratings to certain of those securities in categories similar to those of rating organizations. Some unrated securities may not have an active trading market or may be difficult to value, which means the Trust might have difficulty selling them promptly at an acceptable price. To the extent that the Trust invests in unrated securities, the Trust’s ability to achieve its investment objectives will be more dependent on the Advisor’s credit analysis than would be the case when the Trust invests in rated securities.
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U.S. Government Securities Risk.
U.S. Government debt securities generally involve lower levels of credit risk than other types of fixed income securities of similar maturities, although, as a result, the yields available from U.S. Government debt securities are generally lower than the yields available from such other securities. Like other fixed income securities, the values of U.S. Government securities change as interest rates fluctuate. On August 5, 2011, S&P lowered its long-term sovereign credit rating on U.S. Government debt to AA+ from AAA. The downgrade by S&P and any future downgrades by other rating agencies could increase volatility in both stock and bond markets, result in higher interest rates and higher Treasury yields and increase borrowing costs generally. These events could have significant adverse effects on the economy generally and could result in significant adverse impacts on securities issuers and the Trust. The Advisor cannot predict the effects of these or similar events in the future on the U.S. economy and securities markets or on the Trust’s portfolio.
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Non-U.S. Securities Risk.
The Trust may invest in securities of non-U.S. issuers (“Non-U.S. Securities”). Such investments involve certain risks not involved in domestic investments. Securities markets in foreign countries often are not as developed, efficient or liquid as securities markets in the United States, and therefore, the prices of Non-U.S. Securities can be more volatile. Certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of Non-U.S. Securities to make payments of principal and interest to investors located outside the country. In addition, the Trust will be subject to risks associated with adverse political and economic developments in foreign countries, which could cause the Trust to lose money on its investments in Non-U.S. Securities. The Trust will be subject to additional risks if it invests in Non-U.S. Securities, which include seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits. Non-U.S. Securities may trade on days when the Trust’s common shares are not priced or traded. See “Risks—Non-U.S. Securities Risk.”
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| Emerging Markets Risk. The Trust may invest in Non-U.S. Securities of issuers in so-called “emerging markets” (or lesser developed countries). Such investments are particularly speculative and entail all of the risks of investing in |
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Non-U.S. Securities but to a heightened degree. “Emerging market” countries generally include every nation in the world except developed countries, that is, the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and most countries located in Western Europe. Investments in the securities of issuers domiciled in countries with emerging capital markets involve certain additional risks that do not generally apply to investments in securities of issuers in more developed capital markets, such as (i) low or non-existent trading volume, resulting in a lack of liquidity and increased volatility in prices for such securities, as compared to securities of comparable issuers in more developed capital markets; (ii) uncertain national policies and social, political and economic instability, increasing the potential for expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, high rates of inflation or unfavorable diplomatic developments; (iii) possible fluctuations in exchange rates, differing legal systems and the existence or possible imposition of exchange controls, custodial restrictions or other foreign or U.S. governmental laws or restrictions applicable to such investments; (iv) national policies that may limit the Trust’s investment opportunities such as restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests; and (v) the lack or relatively early development of legal structures governing private and foreign investments and private property. See “Risks—Emerging Markets Risk.”
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Foreign Currency Risk
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Because the Trust may invest in securities denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, changes in foreign currency exchange rates may affect the value of securities in the Trust and the unrealized appreciation or depreciation of investments. Currencies of certain countries may be volatile and therefore may affect the value of securities denominated in such currencies, which means that the Trust’s net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. The Advisor may, but is not required to, elect for the Trust to seek to protect itself from changes in currency exchange rates through hedging transactions depending on market conditions. In addition, certain countries, particularly emerging market countries, may impose foreign currency exchange controls or other restrictions on the transferability, repatriation or convertibility of currency.
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Leverage Risk.
The use of leverage creates an opportunity for increased common share net investment income dividends, but also creates risks for the holders of common shares. The Trust cannot assure you that the use of leverage, if employed, will result in a higher yield on the common shares. Any leveraging strategy the Trust employs may not be successful.
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Leverage involves risks and special considerations for common shareholders, including:
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the likelihood of greater volatility of net asset value, market price and dividend rate of the common shares than a comparable portfolio without leverage;
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the risk that fluctuations in interest rates on borrowings and short-term debt or in the interest or dividend rates on any leverage that the Trust must pay will reduce the return to the common shareholders;
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the effect of leverage in a declining market, which is likely to cause a greater decline in the net asset value of the common shares than if the Trust were not leveraged, which may result in a greater decline in the market price of the common shares;
·
when the Trust uses financial leverage, the management fee payable to the Advisor will be higher than if the Trust did not use leverage; and
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·
leverage may increase operating costs, which may reduce total return.
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The Trust does not intend to borrow money or issue preferred shares during its first full year of operations, but may in the future borrow funds from banks or other financial institutions, or issue preferred shares, as described in this Prospectus. Certain types of leverage the Trust may use may result in the Trust being subject to covenants relating to asset coverage and portfolio composition requirements. The Trust may be subject to certain restrictions on investments imposed by guidelines of one or more rating agencies, which may issue ratings for any debt securities or preferred shares issued by the Trust. The terms of any borrowings or these rating agency guidelines may impose asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed by the Investment Company Act. The Advisor does not believe that these covenants or guidelines will impede it from managing the Trust’s portfolio in accordance with the Trust’s investment objectives and policies. See “Risks—Leverage Risk.”
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Structured Investments Risks.
The Trust may invest in structured products, including structured notes, equity-linked notes (“ELNs”) and other types of structured products. Holders of structured products bear risks of the underlying investments, index or reference obligation and are subject to counterparty risk. The Trust 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) will be 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 Trust.
ELNs are hybrid securities with characteristics of both fixed income and equity securities. An equity-linked note is a debt instrument, usually a bond, that pays interest based upon the performance of an underlying equity, which can be a single stock, basket of stocks or an equity index. The interest payment on an equity-linked note may in some cases be leveraged so that, in percentage terms, it exceeds the relative performance of the market. Equity-linked notes generally are subject to the risks associated with the securities of equity issuers, default risk and counterparty risk. Additionally, because the Trust may use ELNs as an alternative or complement to its options strategy, the use of ELNs in this manner would expose the Trust to the risk that such ELNs will not perform as anticipated, and the risk that the use of ELNs will expose the Trust to different or additional default and counterparty risk as compared to a similar investment executed in an options strategy.
See “Risks—Structured Investments Risks—Structured Notes Risk,” “—Credit-Linked Notes Risk” and “—Event-Linked Securities Risk.”
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Strategic Transactions and Derivatives Risk.
The Trust may engage in various Strategic Transactions for duration management and other risk management purposes, including to attempt to protect against possible changes in the market value of the Trust’s portfolio resulting from trends in the securities markets and changes in interest rates or to protect the Trust’s unrealized gains in the value of its portfolio securities, to facilitate the sale of portfolio securities for investment purposes or to establish a position in the securities markets as a temporary substitute for purchasing particular securities or to enhance income or gain. Derivatives are financial contracts or instruments whose value depends on, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index (or relationship between two indices). The Trust also may use derivatives to add leverage to the portfolio and/or to hedge against increases in the Trust’s costs associated with any leverage strategy that it may employ. The use of Strategic Transactions to enhance current income may be particularly speculative.
Strategic Transactions involve risks. The risks associated with Strategic Transactions include (i) the imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets, (ii) the possible default of the counterparty to the transaction, (iii) illiquidity of the derivative instruments, and (iv) high volatility losses caused by unanticipated market movements, which are potentially unlimited. Although both over-the-counter and exchange-traded derivatives markets may experience the lack of liquidity, over-the-counter non-standardized derivative transactions are generally less liquid than exchange-traded instruments. Furthermore, the Trust’s ability to successfully use Strategic Transactions depends on the Advisor’s ability to predict pertinent securities prices, interest rates, currency exchange rates and other economic factors, which cannot be assured. The use of Strategic Transactions may result in losses greater than if they had not been used, may require the Trust to sell or purchase portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices other than current market values, may limit the amount of appreciation the Trust can realize on an investment or may cause the Trust to hold a security that it might otherwise sell. Additionally, segregated or earmarked liquid assets, amounts paid by the Trust as premiums and cash or other assets held in margin accounts with respect to Strategic Transactions are not otherwise available to the Trust for investment purposes.
See “Risks—Strategic Transactions and Derivatives Risk.”
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Counterparty Risk.
The Trust will be subject to credit risk with respect to the counterparties to the derivative contracts purchased by the Trust. Because derivative transactions in which the Trust may engage may involve instruments
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| that are not traded on an exchange but are instead traded between counterparties based on contractual relationships, the Trust is subject to the risk that a counterparty will not perform its obligations under the related contracts. If a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations due to financial difficulties, the Trust may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery in bankruptcy or other reorganization proceedings. The Trust may obtain only a limited recovery, or may obtain no recovery, in such circumstances. Although the Trust intends to enter into transactions only with counterparties that the Advisor believes to be creditworthy, there can be no assurance that, as a result, a counterparty will not default and that the Trust will not sustain a loss on a transaction. In the event of the counterparty’s bankruptcy or insolvency, the Trust’s collateral may be subject to the conflicting claims of the counterparty’s creditors, and the Trust may be exposed to the risk of a court treating the Trust as a general unsecured creditor of the counterparty, rather than as the owner of the collateral. See “Risks—Counterparty Risk.” | ||
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Swaps Risk.
Swaps are types of derivatives. Swap agreements involve the risk that the party with which the Trust has entered into the swap will default on its obligation to pay the Trust and the risk that the Trust will not be able to meet its obligations to pay the other party to the agreement. In order to seek to hedge the value of the Trust’s portfolio, to hedge against increases in the Trust’s cost associated with interest payments on any outstanding borrowings or to seek to increase the Trust’s return, the Trust may enter into swaps, including interest rate swap, total return swap or credit default swap transactions. In interest rate swap transactions, there is a risk that yields will move in the direction opposite of the direction anticipated by the Trust, which would cause the Trust to make payments to its counterparty in the transaction that could adversely affect Trust performance. In addition to the risks applicable to swaps generally (including counterparty risk, liquidity risk and credit risk), credit default swap transactions involve special risks because they are difficult to value, are highly susceptible to liquidity and credit risk, and generally pay a return to the party that has paid the premium only in the event of an actual default by the issuer of the underlying obligation (as opposed to a credit downgrade or other indication of financial difficulty). Total return swap agreements may effectively add leverage to the Trust’s portfolio because, in addition to its Managed Assets, the Trust would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap. Total return swap agreements are subject to the risk that a counterparty will default on its payment obligations to the Trust thereunder. The Trust is not required to enter into swap transactions for hedging purposes or to enhance income or gain and may choose not to do so. In addition, the swaps market is subject to a changing regulatory environment. It is possible that regulatory or other developments in the swaps market could adversely affect the Trust’s ability to successfully use swaps.
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| Risk Associated with Recent Market Events. In the recent past, the debt and equity capital markets in the United States were negatively impacted by significant write-offs in the financial services sector relating to sub-prime mortgages and the repricing of credit risk in the broadly syndicated market, among other things. These events, along with the downgrade to the United States credit rating, deterioration of the housing market, the failure of major financial institutions and the resulting United States federal government actions led in the recent past, and may lead in the future, to worsening general economic conditions, which did, and could, materially and adversely impact the broader financial and credit markets and reduce the availability of debt and equity capital for the market as a whole and financial firms in particular. These |
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events may increase the volatility of the value of securities owned by the Trust and/or result in sudden and significant valuation increases or decreases in its portfolio. These events also may make it more difficult for the Trust to accurately value its securities or to sell its securities on a timely basis. In addition, illiquidity and volatility in the credit markets may directly and adversely affect the setting of dividend rates on the common shares.
While the extreme volatility and disruption that U.S. and global markets experienced for an extended period of time beginning in 2007 and 2008 has generally subsided, uncertainty and periods of volatility remain, and risks to a robust resumption of growth persist. Federal Reserve policy, including with respect to certain interest rates and the decision to begin tapering its quantitative easing policy, may adversely affect the value, volatility and liquidity of dividend and interest paying securities. Market volatility, rising interest rates and/or a return to unfavorable economic conditions could impair the Trust’s ability to achieve its investment objectives.
General market uncertainty and consequent repricing of risk have led to market imbalances of sellers and buyers, which in turn have resulted in significant valuation uncertainties in a variety of securities and significant and rapid value decline in certain instances. Additionally, periods of market volatility remain, and may continue to occur in the future, in response to various political, social and economic events both within and outside of the United States. These conditions resulted in, and in many cases continue to result in, greater price volatility, less liquidity, widening credit spreads and a lack of price transparency, with many securities remaining illiquid and of uncertain value. Such market conditions may make valuation of some of the Trust’s securities uncertain and/or result in sudden and significant valuation increases or declines in its holdings. If there is a significant decline in the value of the Trust’s portfolio, this may impact the asset coverage levels for any outstanding leverage the Trust may have.
See “Risks—Risk Associated with Recent Market Events.”
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Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk
.
The aftermath of the war in Iraq, instability in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Russia, Ukraine and the Middle East, possible terrorist attacks in the United States and around the world, growing social and political discord in the United States, the European debt crisis, the response of the international community — through economic sanctions and otherwise — to Russia’s recent annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine and posture vis-a-vis Ukraine, further downgrade of U.S. Government securities and other similar events, may have long-term effects on the U.S. and worldwide financial markets and may cause further economic uncertainties in the United States and worldwide. The Trust does not know how long the securities markets may be affected by these events and cannot predict the effects of these and similar events in the future on the U.S. economy and securities markets. The Trust may be adversely affected by abrogation of international agreements and national laws which have created the market instruments in which the Trust may invest, failure of the designated national and international authorities to enforce compliance with the same laws and agreements, failure of local, national and international organization to carry out their duties prescribed to them under the relevant agreements, revisions of these laws and agreements which dilute their effectiveness or conflicting interpretation of provisions of the same laws and agreements. The Trust may be adversely affected by uncertainties such as terrorism, international political developments, and changes in government policies, taxation, restrictions on foreign investment and currency repatriation, currency fluctuations and other developments in the laws and regulations of the countries in which it is invested.
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Regulation and Government Intervention Risk
.
The recent instability in the financial markets discussed above has led the U.S. Government and certain foreign governments to take a number of unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial institutions and segments of the financial markets that have experienced extreme volatility, and in some cases a lack of liquidity, including through direct purchases of equity and debt securities. Federal, state, and other governments, their regulatory agencies or self-regulatory organizations may take actions that affect the regulation of the issuers in which the Trust invests in ways that are unforeseeable. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which the Trust is regulated. Such legislation or regulation could limit or preclude the Trust’s ability to achieve its investment objectives. See “Risks—Regulation and Government Intervention Risk.”
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Legal, Tax and Regulatory Risks.
Legal, tax and regulatory changes could occur that may materially adversely affect the Trust. For example, the regulatory and tax environment for derivative instruments in which the Trust may participate is evolving, and changes in the regulation or taxation of derivative instruments may materially adversely affect the value of derivative instruments held by the Trust and the ability of the Trust to pursue its investment strategies.
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To qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally accorded to regulated investment companies (
“
RICs
”)
, the Trust must, among other things, derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from certain prescribed sources and distribute for each taxable year at least 90% of its “investment company taxable income” (generally, ordinary income plus the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss). If for any taxable year the Trust does not qualify as a RIC, all of its taxable income for that year (including its net capital gain) would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and such distributions would be taxable as ordinary dividends to the extent of the Trust’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.
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Potential Conflicts of Interest of the Advisor and Others.
BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”), the ultimate parent company of the Advisor, and BlackRock’s affiliates (“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 Trust. BlackRock and its Affiliates may provide investment management services to other funds and discretionary managed accounts that follow an investment program similar to that of the Trust. Subject to the requirements of the Investment Company Act, BlackRock and its Affiliates intend to engage in such activities and may receive compensation from third parties for their services. Neither BlackRock nor its Affiliates are under any obligation to share any investment opportunity, idea or strategy with the Trust. As a result, BlackRock and its Affiliates may compete with the Trust for appropriate investment opportunities. The results of the Trust’s investment activities, therefore, may differ from those of an Affiliate or another account managed by an Affiliate, and it is possible that the Trust could sustain losses during periods in which one or more Affiliates and other accounts achieve profits on their trading for proprietary or other accounts. The Investment Company Act imposes limitations on certain transactions between a registered investment company and affiliated persons of the investment company, as well as affiliated persons of such affiliated persons. Among others, affiliated persons of an investment company include its investment adviser; officers; directors/trustees; any person who directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such investment company; any person directly or indirectly owning, controlling or holding with power to vote, five percent or more of the outstanding voting securities of such investment company; and any person five percent or more of whose outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly owned, controlled or
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| held with power to vote, by such investment company. BlackRock has adopted policies and procedures designed to address potential conflicts of interests. For additional information about potential conflicts of interest and the way in which BlackRock addresses such conflicts, please see “Conflicts of Interest” and “Management of the Trust— Portfolio Management —Potential Material Conflicts of Interest” in the SAI. | ||
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Anti-Takeover Provisions Risk.
The Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Bylaws include provisions that could limit the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Trust or convert the Trust to open-end status or to change the composition of the Board. Such provisions could limit the ability of shareholders to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging a third party from seeking to obtain control of the Trust. See “Certain Provisions in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Bylaws.”
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Additional Risks.
For additional risks relating to investments in the Trust, including “Yield and Ratings Risk,” “Insolvency Considerations with Respect to Issuers of Indebtedness,” “LIBOR Risk,” “Repurchase Agreements Risk,” “Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk,” “Dollar Roll Transactions Risk,” “When-Issued, forward Commitment and Delayed Delivery Transactions Risk,” “Event Risk,” “Defensive Investing Risk,” “Securities Lending Risk,” “Short Sales Risk,” “Inflation Risk,” “Deflation Risk,” “EMU and Redenomination Risk,” “Investment Company Act Regulations,” “Legislation Risk,” “Decision Making Authority Risk,” “Management Risk,” “Market and Selection Risk,” “Reliance on the Advisor,” “Reliance on Service Providers,” “Information Technology Systems,” “Misconduct of Employees and of Service Providers” and “Portfolio Turnover Risk,” please see “Risks” beginning on page 41 of this Prospectus.
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SUMMARY OF TRUST EXPENSES
The following table shows estimated Trust 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 all fees and expenses that you, as a holder of common shares, would bear directly or indirectly. The expenses shown in the table under “Estimated Annual Expenses” are based on estimated amounts for the Trust’s first full year of operations and assume that the Trust issues common shares (representing an aggregate public offering price of $ ). The Trust does not intend to borrow money or issue preferred shares during its first full year of its operations. If the Trust issues fewer common shares, all other things being equal, these expenses would increase as a percentage of net assets attributable to the common shares. See “Management of the Trust” and “Dividend Reinvestment Plan.” The following table should not be considered a representation of our future expenses. Actual expenses may be greater or less than shown. Except where the context suggests otherwise, whenever this Prospectus contains a reference to fees or expenses paid by “you” or “us” or that “we” will pay fees or expenses, shareholders will indirectly bear such fees or expenses as investors in the Trust.
Shareholder Transaction Expenses
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Sales load paid by you (as a percentage of offering price)
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%
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Offering expenses borne by the Trust (as a percentage of offering price)
(1)(2)
|
%
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Dividend reinvestment plan fees
|
$0.02 per share for open-market purchases of common shares
(3)
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Percentage of net assets
attributable to common shares
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Estimated Annual Expenses
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Management fees
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%
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Other expenses
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%
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Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses
(4)
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%
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Total annual expenses
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%
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(1)
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The Trust will pay its organizational costs in full out of its seed capital prior to completion of this offering. The Trust will pay offering expenses of the Trust (other than the sales load), when added to organizational costs paid by the Trust, of up to $ per common share, which may include a reimbursement of the Advisor’s expenses incurred in connection with this offering. The Advisor has agreed to pay offering expenses of the Trust (other than the sales load) to the extent that offering expenses (other than the sales load), when added to organizational costs paid by the Trust, exceed $ per common share. Any offering expenses paid by the Trust will be deducted from the proceeds of the offering received by the Trust. The aggregate organizational and offering expenses (other than the sales load) are estimated to be $ (or $ per common share). The aggregate organizational and offering expenses (other than the sales load) to be incurred by the Trust are estimated to be $ (or $ per common share). The aggregate offering expenses (other than the sales load) to be incurred by the Advisor on behalf of the Trust are estimated to be $ (or $ per common share). If the Underwriters exercise the over-allotment option in full, the aggregate organizational and offering expenses (other than the sales load) to be borne by the Trust are estimated to be $ (or $ per common share).
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(2)
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The Advisor (and not the Trust) has agreed to pay from its own assets upfront structuring and syndication fees to and structuring fees to , , and , and may pay certain other qualifying underwriters a structuring fee, sales incentive fee or additional compensation in connection with the offering. Because these fees are paid by the Advisor, they are not reflected under sales load paid by you in the table above. The Advisor and certain of its affiliates (and not the Trust) expect to pay compensation to certain registered representatives of BlackRock Investments, LLC (an affiliate of the Advisor) that participate in the marketing of the Trust’s common shares. See “Underwriting—Additional Compensation to be Paid by the Advisor.”
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(3)
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The Reinvestment Plan Agent’s (as defined below under “Dividend Reinvestment Plan”) fees for the handling of the reinvestment of dividends will be paid by the Trust. However, you will pay a $0.02 per share fee incurred in connection with open-market purchases, which will be deducted from the value of the dividend. You will also be charged a $2.50 sales fee and pay a $0.15 per share fee if you direct the Reinvestment Plan Agent to sell your common shares held in a dividend reinvestment account. Per share fees include any applicable brokerage commissions the Reinvestment Plan Agent is required to pay.
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(4)
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“Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” represent fees and expenses incurred indirectly by the Trust as a result of investment in other investment companies, including ETFs and BDCs. The amount of Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses in the table above is based on estimated amounts for the Trust’s first fiscal year.
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The following example illustrates the expenses (including the sales load of $ and offering costs of $ that you would pay on a $1,000 investment in common shares, assuming (i) total net annual expenses of % of net assets attributable to common shares in years 1 through 10, and (ii) a 5% annual return:
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1 Year
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3 Years
|
5 Years
|
10 Years
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||||
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Total expenses incurred
|
$
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$
|
$
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$
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The example should not be considered a representation of future expenses. The example assumes that the estimated “Other expenses” set forth in the Estimated Annual Expenses table are accurate and that all dividends and distributions are reinvested at net asset value. Actual expenses may be greater or less than those assumed. Moreover, the Trust’s actual rate of return may be greater or less than the hypothetical 5% return shown in the example.
Had Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses not been included in the above example, the estimated total expenses incurred for the 1, 3, 5 and 10 year periods would have been $ , $ , $ and $ , respectively.
THE TRUST
The Trust is a newly organized, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act. The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 13, 2014, pursuant to a Certificate of Trust, governed by the laws of the State of Delaware. The Trust has no operating history. The Trust’s principal office is located at 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809, and its telephone number is (800) 882-0052.
USE OF PROCEEDS
The net proceeds of the offering of common shares will be approximately $ ($ if the Underwriters exercise the over-allotment option in full) after payment of the estimated organizational costs and offering expenses payable by the Trust (including sales load). The Trust will invest the net proceeds of the offering in accordance with the Trust’s investment objectives and policies as stated below. We currently anticipate that we will be able to invest all of the net proceeds in accordance with our investment objectives and policies within approximately three months after the completion of this offering. Pending such investment,
it is anticipated that the proceeds will be invested in short-term investment grade securities
.
THE TRUST’S INVESTMENTS
Investment Objectives and Policies
Investment Objectives
.
The Trust’s investment objectives are to provide income and total return through a combination of current income, current gains and long-term capital appreciation. The Trust is not intended as, and you should not construe it to be, a complete investment program. There can be no assurance that the Trust’s investment objectives will be achieved or that the Trust’s investment program will be successful. The Trust’s investment objectives may be changed by the Board without prior shareholder approval.
Investment Strategy
.
The Advisor may consider a variety of factors when choosing investments for the Trust, such as:
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·
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selecting companies with the potential for rapid and sustainable growth from the development, advancement and use of science and/or technology; and
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·
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identifying companies that have above-average return potential based on factors such as revenue and earnings growth, profitability, valuation and dividend yield.
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In addition, a variety of countries, including emerging market countries, and industries are likely to be represented.
The Trust generally will sell a stock when, in the Advisor’s opinion, the stock is fully valued, there is a need to rebalance the portfolio or there is a better opportunity elsewhere.
The Trust may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its investment objectives.
Investment Policies
.
Under normal market conditions, the Trust will invest at least 80% of its total assets in equity securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. science and technology companies in all market capitalization ranges, selected for their rapid and sustainable growth potential from the development, advancement and use of science and/or use of technology and/or potential to generate current income from advantageous dividend yields.
Science and technology companies are those companies which the Advisor expects will generate a majority of their revenues from the development, advancement, use or sale of science, technology or science- or technology-related products or services. Science, technology and science- or technology-related companies may include companies operating in any industry, including, but not limited to software, internet software & services, IT services, hardware, communications equipment, semiconductors and semiconductor equipment, media, internet retail, consumer finance, life science tools & services, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, energy, diversified telecom services and wireless telecom services.
The Trust may invest in companies of any market capitalization located anywhere in the world, including companies located in emerging markets. Equity securities in which the Trust may invest include common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities, warrants, depositary receipts, exchange-traded funds, equity interests in real estate investment trusts and master limited partnerships. From time to time, the Trust may invest in shares of companies through IPOs. The Trust may also invest, without limit, in privately placed or restricted securities (including in Rule 144A securities, which are privately placed securities purchased by qualified institutional buyers), illiquid securities and securities in which no
secondary market is readily available. Foreign securities in which the Trust may invest may be U.S. dollar-denominated or non-U.S. dollar-denominated.
The Trust may also invest in securities of other open- or closed-end investment companies, including ETFs and BDCs, subject to applicable regulatory limits, that invest primarily in securities of the types in which the Trust may invest directly. The Trust classifies its investments in such investment companies, ETFs and BDCs as “equity securities” for purposes of its investment policies based upon such investment companies’, ETFs’ or BDCs’ stated investment objectives, policies and restrictions.
The Trust may invest up to 20% of its total assets in equity securities issued by companies that are not science or technology companies and in debt securities issued by any issuer, including non-investment grade debt securities, which are commonly known as “junk bonds.”
As part of its investment strategy, the Trust may employ a strategy of writing (selling) covered (as described herein) call options on a portion of the common stocks in its portfolio, writing (selling) covered (as described herein) put options on a portion of the common stocks in its portfolio and, to a lesser extent, writing (selling) covered call and put options on indices of securities and sectors of securities. This option strategy is intended to generate current gains from option premiums as a means to enhance distributions payable to the Trust’s shareholders.
During temporary defensive periods, including the period during which the net proceeds of this offering are being invested, and in order to keep the Trust’s cash fully invested, the Trust may invest up to 100% of its total assets in liquid, short-term investments, including high quality, short-term securities. The Trust may not achieve its investment objectives under these circumstances.
The Trust may invest in structured instruments (such as equity-linked notes) for investment purposes, as an alternative or complement to its options writing strategy or for risk management or leveraging purposes.
The Trust may engage in Strategic Transactions for duration management and other risk management purposes, including to attempt to protect against possible changes in the market value of the Trust’s portfolio resulting from trends in the securities markets and changes in interest rates or to protect the Trust’s unrealized gains in the value of its portfolio securities, to facilitate the sale of portfolio securities for investment purposes, to establish a position in the securities markets as a temporary substitute for purchasing particular securities or to enhance income or gain. See “—Portfolio Contents and Techniques—Strategic Transactions and Other Management Techniques.”
The Trust may lend securities with a value of up to 33 1/3% of its total assets (including such loans) to financial institutions that provide cash or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government as collateral.
The Trust may also engage in short sales of securities. The Trust will not make a short sale if, after giving effect to such sale, the market value of all securities sold short exceeds 25% of the value of its Managed Assets or the Trust’s aggregate short sales of a particular class of securities exceeds 25% of the outstanding securities of that class. The Trust may make short sales “against the box” without respect to such limitations. In this type of short sale, at the time of the sale the Trust owns or has the immediate and unconditional right to acquire at no additional cost the identical security.
Unless otherwise stated herein or in the SAI, the Trust’s investment policies are non-fundamental policies and may be changed by the Board without prior shareholder approval. The percentage limitations applicable to the Trust’s portfolio described in this Prospectus apply only at the time of initial investment and the Trust will not be required to sell investments due to subsequent changes in the value of investments that it owns.
Portfolio Contents and Techniques
The Trust’s portfolio will be composed principally of the following investments. Additional information with respect to the Trust’s investment policies and restrictions and certain of the Trust’s portfolio investments is contained in the SAI. There is no guarantee the Trust will buy all of the types of securities or use all of the investment techniques that are described herein.
Equity Securities.
The Trust invests in equity securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities, warrants, depositary receipts, ETFs, equity interests in REITs and MLPs. Common stock represents an equity ownership interest in a company. The Trust may hold or have exposure to common stocks of issuers of any size, including small and medium capitalization stocks. Because the Trust will ordinarily have exposure to common stocks, historical trends would indicate that the Trust’s portfolio and investment returns will be subject at times, and over time, to higher levels of volatility and market and issuer-specific risk than if it invested exclusively in debt securities. The Trust may also employ a strategy, as described below, of writing covered call options on common stocks.
Options.
An option on a security is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for a premium, the right to buy from (in the case of a call) or sell to (in the case of a put) the writer of the option the security underlying the option at a specified exercise or “strike” price. The writer of an option on a security has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security. Certain options, known as “American style” options may be exercised at any time during the term of the option. Other options, known as “European style” options, may be exercised only on the expiration date of the option.
If an option written by the Trust expires unexercised, the Trust realizes on the expiration date a capital gain equal to the premium received by the Trust at the time the option was written. If an option purchased by the Trust expires unexercised, the Trust realizes a capital loss equal to the premium paid. Prior to the earlier of exercise or expiration, an exchange-traded option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series (type, underlying security, exercise price and expiration). There can be no assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Trust desires. The Trust may sell call or put options it has previously purchased, which could result in a net gain or loss depending on whether the amount realized on the sale is more or less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on the call or put option when purchased. The Trust will realize a capital gain from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the closing transaction is less than the premium received from writing the option, or, if it is more, the Trust will realize a capital loss. If the premium received from a closing sale transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, the Trust will realize a capital gain or, if it is less, the Trust will realize a capital loss. Net gains from the Trust’s option strategy will be short-term capital gains which, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, will constitute net investment company taxable income.
Call Options and Covered Call Writing
. The Trust will follow a strategy known as “covered call option writing,” which is a strategy designed to generate current gains from option premiums as a means to enhance distributions payable to the Trust’s shareholders. As the Trust writes covered calls over more of its portfolio, its ability to benefit from capital appreciation becomes more limited.
A call option written by the Trust on a security is “covered” if the Trust owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, cash or other assets determined to be liquid by the Advisor (in accordance with procedures established by the Board) in such amount are segregated by the Trust’s custodian or earmarked on the Trust’s books and records) upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by the Trust. A call option is also covered if the Trust holds a call on the same security as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written, provided the difference is maintained by the Trust in segregated or earmarked assets determined to be liquid by the Advisor as described above.
The standard contract size for a single option is 100 shares of the common stock. There are four items needed to identify any option: (1) the underlying security, (2) the expiration month, (3) the strike price and (4) the type (call or put). For example, ten XYZ Co. October 40 call options provide the right to purchase 1,000 shares of XYZ Co. on or before October at $40.00 per share. A call option whose strike price is above the current price of the underlying stock is called “out-of-the-money.” Most of the options that will be sold by the Trust are expected to be out-of-the-money, allowing for potential appreciation in addition to the proceeds from the sale of the option. An option whose strike price is below the current price of the underlying stock is called “in-the-money” and may be sold by the Trust as a defensive measure to protect against a possible decline in the underlying stock.
The following is a conceptual example of a covered call transaction, making the following assumptions: (1) a common stock currently trading at $37.15 per share; (2) a six-month call option is written with a strike price of $40.00 (i.e., 7.7% higher than the current market price); and (3) the writer receives $2.45 (or 6.6%) of the common stock’s value as premium income. This example is not meant to represent the performance of any actual common stock, option contract or the Trust itself and does not reflect any transaction costs of entering into or closing out the option position. Under this scenario, before giving effect to any change in the price of the stock, the covered-call writer receives the premium, representing 6.6% of the common stock’s value, regardless of the stock’s performance over the six-month period until option expiration. If the stock remains unchanged, the option will expire and there would be a 6.6% return for the 6-month period. If the stock were to decline in price by 6.6%, the strategy would “break-even” thus offering no gain or loss. If the stock were to climb to a price of $40.00 or above, the option would be exercised and the stock would return 7.7% coupled with the option premium of 6.6% for a total return of 14.3%. Under this scenario, the investor would not benefit from any appreciation of the stock above $40.00, and thus be limited to a 14.3% total return. The premium income from writing the call option serves to offset some of the unrealized loss on the stock in the event that the price of the stock declines, but if the stock were to decline more than 6.6% under this scenario, the investor’s downside protection is eliminated and the stock could eventually become worthless.
For conventional listed call options, the option’s expiration date can be up to nine months from the date the call options are first listed for trading. Longer-term call options can have expiration dates up to three years from the date of listing. It is anticipated that, under certain circumstances when deemed at the Advisor’s discretion to be in the best interest of the Trust, options that are written against Trust stock holdings will be repurchased prior to the option’s expiration date, generating a gain or loss in the options. If the options were not to be repurchased, the option holder would exercise their rights and buy the stock from the Trust at the strike price if the stock traded at a higher price than the strike price. In general, when deemed at the Advisor’s discretion to be in the best interests of the Trust, the Trust may continue to hold its common stocks rather than allowing them to be called away by the option holders.
Put Options
. Put options are contracts that give the holder of the option, in return for a premium, the right to sell to the writer of the option the security underlying the option at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. Put option strategies may produce a higher return than covered call writing, but may involve a higher degree of risk and potential volatility.
The Trust will write (sell) put options on individual securities only if the put option is “covered.” A put option written by the Trust on a security is “covered” if the Trust segregates or earmarks assets determined to be liquid by the Advisor, as described above, equal to the exercise price. A put option is also covered if the Trust holds a put on the same security as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is (i) equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written, provided the difference is maintained by the Trust in segregated or earmarked assets determined to be liquid by the Advisor, as described above.
The following is a conceptual example of a put transaction, making the following assumptions: (1) a common stock currently trading at $37.15 per share; (2) a six-month put option written with a strike price of $35.00 (i.e., 94.21% of the current market price); and (3) the writer receives $1.10 or 2.96% of the common stock’s value as premium income. This example is not meant to represent the performance of any actual common stock, option contract or the Trust itself and does not reflect any transaction costs of entering into or closing out the option position. Under this scenario, before giving effect to any change in the price of the stock, the put writer receives the premium, representing 2.96% of the common stock’s value, regardless of the stock’s performance over the six-month period until the option expires. If the stock remains unchanged, appreciates in value or declines less than 5.79% in value, the option will expire and there would be a 2.96% return for the six-month period. If the stock were to decline by 5.79% or more, the Trust would lose an amount equal to the amount by which the stock’s price declined minus the premium paid to the Trust. The stock’s price could lose its entire value, in which case the Trust would lose $33.90 ($35.00 minus $1.10).
Options on Indices
. The Trust may sell call and put options on stock indices or sectors. Because index and sector options both refer to options on baskets of securities and generally have similar characteristics, we refer to these types of options collectively as “index” options. Options on an index differ from options on individual securities because (i) the exercise of an index option requires cash payments and does not involve the actual purchase or sale of securities, (ii) the holder of an index option has the right to receive cash upon exercise of the option if the level of the index upon which the option is based is greater, in the case of a call, or less, in the case of a put, than the exercise price of the option and (iii) index options reflect price-fluctuations in a group of securities or segments of the securities market rather than price fluctuations in a single security.
As the seller of an index call or put option, the Trust receives cash (the premium) from the purchaser. The purchaser of an index call option has the right to any appreciation in the value of the index over a fixed price (the exercise price) on or before a certain date in the future (the expiration date). The purchaser of an index put option has the right to any depreciation in the value of the index below a fixed price (the exercise price) on or before a certain date in the future (the expiration date). The Trust, in effect, agrees to sell the potential appreciation (in the case of a call) or accept the potential depreciation (in the case of a put) in the value of the relevant index in exchange for the premium. If, at or before expiration, the purchaser exercises the call or put option sold by the Trust, the Trust will pay the purchaser the difference between the cash value of the index and the exercise price of the index option. The premium, the exercise price and the market value of the index determine the gain or loss realized by the Trust as the seller of the index call or put option.
The Trust may execute a closing purchase transaction with respect to an index option it has sold and sell another option (with either a different exercise price or expiration date or both). The Trust’s objective in entering into such a closing transaction will be to optimize net index option premiums. The cost of a closing transaction may reduce the net index option premiums realized from the sale of the index option.
The Trust will cover its obligations when it sells index options. An index option is considered “covered” if the Trust maintains with its custodian or designates on its books and records assets determined to be liquid by the Advisor (in
accordance with procedures established by the Board) in an amount equal to the contract value of the applicable basket of securities. An index or sector put option also is “covered” if the Trust holds a put on the same basket of securities as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is (i) equal to or more than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written, provided the difference is maintained by the Trust in segregated or earmarked assets determined to be liquid by the Advisor as described above. An index or sector call option also is “covered” if the Trust holds a call on the same basket of securities as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written, provided the difference is maintained by the Trust in segregated or earmarked assets determined to be liquid by the Advisor as described above.
Limitation on Option Writing Strategy
. The Trust may initially write covered put and call options, the notional amount of which would be approximately % to % of the Trust’s total assets, although this percentage may vary from time to time with market conditions. As the Trust writes covered calls over more of its portfolio, its ability to benefit from capital appreciation becomes more limited.
The number of covered call and put options on securities the Trust can write is limited by the total assets the Trust holds, and further limited by the fact that all options represent 100 share lots of the underlying common stock. The Trust will not write “naked” or uncovered call or put options, other than those that are “covered” by the segregation or earmarking of liquid assets as described above. Furthermore, the Trust’s exchange-listed option transactions will be subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities on which such options are traded. These limitations govern the maximum number of options in each class which may be written or purchased by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert, regardless of whether the options are written or purchased on the same or different exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities or are held or written in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. Thus, the number of options which the Trust may write or purchase may be affected by options written or purchased by other investment advisory clients of the Advisor. An exchange, board of trade or other trading facility may order the liquidation of positions found to be in excess of these limits, and it may impose certain other sanctions.
Preferred Securities
. The Trust may invest in preferred securities. There are two basic types of preferred securities. The first type, sometimes referred to as traditional preferred securities, consists of preferred stock issued by an entity taxable as a corporation. The second type, sometimes referred to as trust preferred securities, are usually issued by a trust or limited partnership and represent preferred interests in deeply subordinated debt instruments issued by the corporation for whose benefit the trust or partnership was established.
Traditional Preferred Securities
. Traditional preferred securities generally pay fixed or adjustable rate dividends to investors and generally have a “preference” over common stock in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of a company’s assets. This means that a company must pay dividends on preferred stock before paying any dividends on its common stock. In order to be payable, distributions on such preferred securities must be declared by the issuer’s board of directors. Income payments on typical preferred securities currently outstanding are cumulative, causing dividends and distributions to accumulate even if not declared by the board of directors or otherwise made payable. In such a case all accumulated dividends must be paid before any dividend on the common stock can be paid. However, some traditional preferred stocks are non-cumulative, in which case dividends do not accumulate and need not ever be paid. A portion of the portfolio may include investments in non-cumulative preferred securities, whereby the issuer does not have an obligation to make up any arrearages to its shareholders. Should an issuer of a non-cumulative preferred stock held by the Trust determine not to pay dividends on such stock, the amount of dividends the Trust pays may be adversely affected. There is no assurance that dividends or distributions on the preferred securities in which the Trust invests will be declared or otherwise made payable.
Preferred stockholders usually have no right to vote for corporate directors or on other matters. Shares of preferred stock have a liquidation value that generally equals the original purchase price at the date of issuance. The market value of preferred securities may be affected by favorable and unfavorable changes impacting companies in the utilities and financial services sectors, which are prominent issuers of preferred securities, and by actual and anticipated changes in tax laws, such as changes in corporate income tax rates or the “Dividends Received Deduction.” Because the claim on an issuer’s earnings represented by preferred securities may become onerous when interest rates fall below the rate payable on such securities, the issuer may redeem the securities. Thus, in declining interest rate environments in particular, the Trust’s holdings of higher rate-paying fixed rate preferred securities may be reduced and the Trust may be unable to acquire securities of comparable credit quality paying comparable rates with the redemption proceeds.
Trust Preferred Securities
. Trust preferred securities are a comparatively new asset class. Trust preferred securities are typically issued by corporations, generally in the form of interest-bearing notes with preferred security characteristics, or by an affiliated business trust of a corporation, generally in the form of beneficial interests in subordinated debentures or
similarly structured securities. The trust preferred securities market consists of both fixed and adjustable coupon rate securities that are either perpetual in nature or have stated maturity dates.
Trust preferred securities are typically junior and fully subordinated liabilities of an issuer or the beneficiary of a guarantee that is junior and fully subordinated to the other liabilities of the guarantor. In addition, trust preferred securities typically permit an issuer to defer the payment of income for eighteen months or more without triggering an event of default. Generally, the deferral period is five years or more. Because of their subordinated position in the capital structure of an issuer, the ability to defer payments for extended periods of time without default consequences to the issuer, and certain other features (such as restrictions on common dividend payments by the issuer or ultimate guarantor when full cumulative payments on the trust preferred securities have not been made), these trust preferred securities are often treated as close substitutes for traditional preferred securities, both by issuers and investors. Trust 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.
Convertible Securities
. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible security entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt or the dividend paid on preferred stock until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to nonconvertible income securities in that they ordinarily provide a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than those of common stocks of the same or similar issuers, but lower yields than comparable nonconvertible securities. The value of a convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors also may have an effect on the convertible security’s investment value. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation’s capital structure but are usually subordinated to comparable nonconvertible securities. Convertible securities may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible security’s governing instrument.
A “synthetic” or “manufactured” convertible security may be created by the Trust or by a third party by combining separate securities that possess the two principal characteristics of a traditional convertible security: an income producing component and a convertible component. The income-producing component is achieved by investing in non-convertible, income-producing securities such as bonds, preferred stocks and money market instruments. The convertible component is achieved by investing in securities or instruments such as warrants or options to buy common stock at a certain exercise price, or options on a stock index. Unlike a traditional convertible security, which is a single security having a single market value, a synthetic convertible comprises two or more separate securities, each with its own market value. Because the “market value” of a synthetic convertible security is the sum of the values of its income-producing component and its convertible component, the value of a synthetic convertible security may respond differently to market fluctuations than a traditional convertible security. The Trust also may purchase synthetic convertible securities created by other parties, including convertible structured notes. Convertible structured notes are income-producing debentures linked to equity. Convertible structured notes have the attributes of a convertible security; however, the issuer of the convertible note (typically an investment bank), rather than the issuer of the underlying common stock into which the note is convertible, assumes credit risk associated with the underlying investment and the Trust in turn assumes credit risk associated with the issuer of the convertible note.
Warrants.
Warrants are privileges issued by corporations enabling the owners to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time. Subscription rights normally have a short life span to expiration. The purchase of warrants involves the risk that the Trust could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the warrants’ expiration. Also, the purchase of warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security’s market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security.
Depositary Receipts.
The Trust may invest in sponsored and unsponsored American Depositary Receipts, European Depositary Receipts, Global Depositary Receipts and other similar global instruments. ADRs typically are issued by a U.S. bank or trust company and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a non-U.S. corporation. EDRs, which are sometimes referred to as Continental Depositary Receipts, are receipts issued in Europe, typically by non-U.S. banks and trust companies, that evidence ownership of either non-U.S. or domestic underlying securities. GDRs are depositary receipts structured like global debt issues to facilitate trading on an international basis.
Non-U.S. Securities
.
The Trust may invest without limit in Non-U.S. Securities. These securities may be U.S. dollar-denominated or non-U.S. dollar-denominated. Some Non-U.S. Securities may be less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. issuers. Similarly, there is less volume and liquidity in most foreign securities markets than in the United States and, at times, greater price volatility than in the United States. Because evidence of ownership of such securities usually is held outside the United States, the Trust will be subject to additional risks if it invests in Non-U.S. Securities, which include adverse political and economic developments, seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits and adoption of governmental restrictions which might adversely affect or restrict the payment of principal and interest on the foreign securities to investors located outside the country of the issuer, whether from currency blockage or otherwise. Non-U.S. Securities may trade on days when the common shares are not priced or traded.
Emerging Markets Investments
. The Trust may invest without limitation in securities of issuers located in emerging market countries, including securities denominated in currencies of emerging market countries. Emerging market countries generally include every nation in the world except the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and most countries located in Western Europe. These issuers may be subject to risks that do not apply to issuers in larger, more developed countries. These risks are more pronounced to the extent the Trust invests significantly in one country. Less information about non-U.S. issuers or markets may be available due to less rigorous disclosure and accounting standards or regulatory practices. Many non-U.S. markets are smaller, less liquid and more volatile than U.S. markets. In a changing market, the Advisor may not be able to sell the Trust’s portfolio securities in amounts and at prices it considers reasonable. The U.S. dollar may appreciate against non-U.S. currencies or an emerging market government may impose restrictions on currency conversion or trading. The economies of non-U.S. countries may grow at a slower rate than expected or may experience a downturn or recession. Economic, political and social developments may adversely affect non-U.S. securities markets.
Restricted and Illiquid Securities
. The Trust may invest without limitation in restricted, illiquid or less liquid securities or securities in which no secondary market is readily available or which are otherwise illiquid, including private placement securities. “Illiquid securities” are securities which cannot be sold within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the value used by the Trust in determining its net asset value. Illiquid securities are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on disposition or lack an established secondary trading market. The sale of restricted and illiquid securities often requires more time and results in higher brokerage charges or dealer discounts and other selling expenses than does the sale of securities eligible for trading on national securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter markets. Restricted securities may sell at a price lower than similar securities that are not subject to restrictions on resale.
Other Investment Companies.
The Trust may invest in securities of other investment companies (including ETFs and BDCs), subject to applicable regulatory limits, that invest primarily in securities of the types in which the Trust may invest directly. As a shareholder in an investment company, the Trust will bear its ratable share of that investment company’s expenses and will remain subject to payment of the Trust’s advisory and other fees and expenses with respect to assets so invested. Holders of common shares will therefore be subject to duplicative expenses to the extent the Trust invests in other investment companies. The Advisor will take expenses into account when evaluating the investment merits of an investment in an investment company relative to available equity and/or fixed income securities investments. In addition, the securities of other investment companies may be leveraged and will therefore be subject to the same leverage risks to which the Trust may be subject to the extent it employs a leverage strategy. As described in this Prospectus in the sections entitled “Risks” and “Leverage,” the net asset value and market value of leveraged shares will be more volatile and the yield to shareholders will tend to fluctuate more than the yield generated by unleveraged shares. Investment companies may have investment policies that differ from those of the Trust. In addition, to the extent the Trust invests in other investment companies, the Trust will be dependent upon the investment and research abilities of persons other than the Advisor.
The Trust may invest in ETFs, which are investment companies that typically aim to track or replicate a desired index, such as a sector, market or global segment. ETFs are typically passively managed and their shares are traded on a national exchange or The NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc. ETFs do not sell individual shares directly to investors and only issue their shares in large blocks known as “creation units.” The investor purchasing a creation unit may sell the individual shares on a secondary market. Therefore, the liquidity of ETFs depends on the adequacy of the secondary market. There can be no assurance that an ETF’s investment objective will be achieved, as ETFs based on an index may not replicate and maintain exactly the composition and relative weightings of securities in the index. ETFs are subject to the risks of investing in the underlying securities. The Trust, as a holder of the securities of the ETF, will bear its pro rata portion of the ETF’s expenses, including advisory fees. These expenses are in addition to the direct expenses of the Trust’s own operations.
The Trust classifies its investments in other investment companies as “equity securities” for purposes of its investment policies based upon such other investment companies’ stated investment objectives, policies and restrictions.
REITs.
REITs possess certain risks which differ from an investment in common stocks. REITs are financial vehicles that pool investor’s capital to purchase or finance real estate. REITs may concentrate their investments in specific geographic areas or in specific property types (i.e., hotels, shopping malls, residential complexes and office buildings). The market value of REIT shares and the ability of REITs to distribute income may be adversely affected by several factors, including rising interest rates, changes in the national, state and local economic climate and real estate conditions, perceptions of prospective tenants of the safety, convenience and attractiveness of the properties, the ability of the owners to provide adequate management, maintenance and insurance, the cost of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act, increased competition from new properties, the impact of present or future environmental legislation and compliance with environmental laws, changes in real estate taxes and other operating expenses, adverse changes in governmental rules and fiscal policies, adverse changes in zoning laws and other factors beyond the control of the REIT issuers. In addition, distributions received by the Trust from REITs may consist of dividends, capital gains and/or return of capital. As REITs generally pay a higher rate of dividends (on a pre-tax basis) than operating companies, to the extent application of the Trust’s investment strategy results in the Trust investing in REIT shares, the percentage of the Trust’s dividend income received from REIT shares will likely exceed the percentage of the Trust’s portfolio which is comprised of REIT shares. 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.
MLPs
. MLPs are limited partnerships or limited liability companies taxable as partnerships. MLPs may derive income and gains from the exploration, development, mining or production, processing, refining, transportation (including pipelines transporting gas, oil, or products thereof), or the marketing of any mineral or natural resources. The Trust may, however, invest in MLP entities in any sector of the economy. MLPs generally have two classes of owners, the general partner and limited partners. When investing in an MLP, the Trust generally purchases publicly traded common units issued to limited partners of the MLP. The general partner is typically owned by a major energy company, an investment fund, the direct management of the MLP or is an entity owned by one or more of such parties. The general partner may be structured as a private or publicly traded corporation or other entity. The general partner typically controls the operations and management of the MLP through an up to 2% equity interest in the MLP plus, in many cases, ownership of common units and subordinated units. Limited partners own the remainder of the partnership, through ownership of common units, and have a limited role in the partnership’s operations and management. The limited partners also receive cash distributions.
Corporate Bonds
. Corporate bonds are debt obligations issued by corporations. Corporate bonds may be either secured or unsecured. Collateral used for secured debt includes real property, machinery, equipment, accounts receivable, stocks, bonds or notes. If a bond is unsecured, it is known as a debenture. Bondholders, as creditors, have a prior legal claim over common and preferred stockholders as to both income and assets of the corporation for the principal and interest due them and may have a prior claim over other creditors if liens or mortgages are involved. Interest on corporate bonds may be fixed or floating, or the bonds may be zero coupons. Interest on corporate bonds is typically paid semi-annually and is fully taxable to the bondholder. Corporate bonds contain elements of both interest rate risk and credit risk. The market value of a corporate bond generally may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates and may also be affected by the credit rating of the corporation, the corporation’s performance and perceptions of the corporation in the marketplace. Corporate bonds usually yield more than government or agency bonds due to the presence of credit risk.
High Yield Securities
. The Trust may invest without limit in securities rated, at the time of investment, below investment grade quality such as those rated Ba or below by Moody’s Investor’s Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), BB or below by Standard & Poor’s Corporation Ratings Group, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (“S&P”), or Fitch Ratings (“Fitch”), or securities comparably rated by other rating agencies or in unrated securities determined by the Advisor to be of comparable quality. Such securities, sometimes referred to as “high yield” or “junk” bonds, are predominantly speculative with respect to the capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the security and generally involve greater price volatility than securities in higher rating categories. Often the protection of interest and principal payments with respect to such securities may be very moderate and issuers of such securities face major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial or economic conditions which could lead to inadequate capacity to meet timely interest and principal payments. For securities with split ratings (i.e., a security receiving two different ratings from two different rating agencies), the Trust will apply the higher of the applicable ratings.
Lower grade securities, though high yielding, are characterized by high risk. They may be subject to certain risks with respect to the issuing entity and to greater market fluctuations than certain lower yielding, higher rated securities. The secondary market for lower grade securities may be less liquid than that of higher rated securities. Adverse conditions could
make it difficult at times for the Trust to sell certain securities or could result in lower prices than those used in calculating the Trust’s net asset value.
The prices of fixed income securities generally are inversely related to interest rate changes; however, the price volatility caused by fluctuating interest rates of securities also is inversely related to the coupons of such securities. Accordingly, below investment grade securities may be relatively less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher quality securities of comparable maturity because of their higher coupon. The investor receives this higher coupon in return for bearing greater credit risk. The higher credit risk associated with below investment grade securities potentially can have a greater effect on the value of such securities than may be the case with higher quality issues of comparable maturity.
Lower grade securities may be particularly susceptible to economic downturns. It is likely that an economic recession could severely disrupt the market for such securities and may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities. In addition, it is likely that any such economic downturn could adversely affect the ability of the issuers of such securities to repay principal and pay interest thereon and increase the incidence of default for such securities.
The ratings of Moody’s, S&P, Fitch and other rating agencies represent their opinions as to the quality of the obligations which they undertake to rate. Ratings are relative and subjective and, although ratings may be useful in evaluating the safety of interest and principal payments, they do not evaluate the market value risk of such obligations. Although these ratings may be an initial criterion for selection of portfolio investments, the Advisor also will independently evaluate these securities and the ability of the issuers of such securities to pay interest and principal. To the extent that the Trust invests in lower grade securities that have not been rated by a rating agency, the Trust’s ability to achieve its investment objectives will be more dependent on the Advisor’s credit analysis than would be the case when the Trust invests in rated securities.
Distressed and Defaulted Securities
. The Trust may invest in the securities of financially distressed and bankrupt issuers, including debt obligations that are in covenant or payment default. Such investments generally trade significantly below par and are considered speculative. The repayment of defaulted obligations is subject to significant uncertainties. Defaulted obligations might be repaid only after lengthy workout or bankruptcy proceedings, during which the issuer might not make any interest or other payments. Typically such workout or bankruptcy proceedings result in only partial recovery of cash payments or an exchange of the defaulted obligation for other debt or equity securities of the issuer or its affiliates, which may in turn be illiquid or speculative.
U.S. Government Debt Securities
. The Trust may invest in debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, including U.S. Treasury obligations, which differ in their interest rates, maturities and times of issuance. Such obligations include U.S. Treasury bills (maturity of one year or less), U.S. Treasury notes (maturity of one to ten years) and U.S. Treasury bonds (generally maturities of greater than ten years), including the principal components or the interest components issued by the U.S. Government under the separate trading of registered interest and principal securities program (i.e., “STRIPS”), all of which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.
Structured Instruments
. The Trust may use structured instruments for investment purposes, for risk management purposes, such as to reduce the duration and interest rate sensitivity of the Trust’s portfolio, for leveraging purposes and, with respect to certain structured instruments, as an alternative or complement to its options writing strategy. 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 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 Trust’s use of structured instruments may not work as intended.
Structured Notes
. The Trust 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. 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.
Equity-Linked Notes
. ELNs are hybrid securities with characteristics of both fixed income and equity securities. An ELN is a debt instrument, usually a bond, that pays interest based upon the performance of an underlying equity, which can be a single stock, basket of stocks or an equity index. Instead of paying a predetermined coupon, ELNs link the interest payment to the performance of a particular equity market index or basket of stocks or commodities. The interest payment is typically based on the percentage increase in an index from a predetermined level, but alternatively may be based on a decrease in the index. The interest payment may in some cases be leveraged so that, in percentage terms, it exceeds the relative performance of the market. ELNs generally are subject to the risks associated with the securities of equity issuers, default risk and counterparty risk.
In particular, the Trust may invest in ELNs as an alternative or complement to its options writing strategy. The features of ELNs described above closely replicate the income and return stream associated with single stock covered call options, and permit the Trust to receive interest income instead of the capital gains treatment that results from the implementation of its options strategy, which the Trust believes may be advantageous in certain circumstances.
Credit Linked Notes
. A credit-linked note (“CLN”) is a derivative instrument. It is a synthetic obligation between two or more parties where the payment of principal and/or interest is based on the performance of some obligation (a reference obligation). In addition to the credit risk of the reference obligations and interest rate risk, the buyer/seller of the CLN is subject to counterparty risk.
Event-Linked Securities
. The Trust 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 Trust may lose a portion of or its entire principal invested in the bond or the entire notional amount of 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 Trust 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.
Strategic Transactions and Other Management Techniques
. In addition to the options strategy discussed above, the Trust may use a variety of other investment management techniques and instruments. The Trust may purchase and sell futures contracts, enter into various interest rate transactions such as swaps, caps, floors or collars, currency transactions such as currency forward contracts, currency futures contracts, currency swaps or options on currency or currency futures and swap contracts (including, but not limited to, credit default swaps) and may purchase and sell exchange-listed and over-the-counter put and call options on securities and swap contracts, financial indices and futures contracts and use other derivative instruments or management techniques (collectively, “Strategic Transactions”). These Strategic Transactions may be used for duration management and other risk management purposes, including to attempt to protect against possible changes in the market value of the Trust’s portfolio resulting from trends in the securities markets and changes in interest rates or to protect the Trust’s unrealized gains in the value of its portfolio securities, to facilitate the sale of portfolio securities for investment purposes, to establish a position in the securities markets as a temporary substitute for purchasing particular securities or to enhance income or gain. There is no particular strategy that requires use of one technique rather than another as the decision to use any particular strategy or instrument is a function of market conditions and the composition of the portfolio. The use of Strategic Transactions to enhance current income may be particularly speculative. The ability of the Trust to use Strategic Transactions successfully will depend on the Advisor’s ability to predict pertinent market movements as well as sufficient correlation among the instruments, which cannot be assured. The use of Strategic Transactions may result in losses greater than if they had not been used, may require the Trust to sell or purchase portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices other than current market values, may limit the amount of appreciation the Trust can realize on an investment or may cause the Trust to hold a security that it might otherwise sell. Inasmuch as any obligations of the Trust that arise from the use of Strategic Transactions will be covered by segregated or earmarked liquid assets or offsetting transactions, the Trust and the
Advisor believe such obligations do not constitute senior securities and, accordingly, will not treat such transactions as being subject to its borrowing restrictions or policies regarding economic leverage. Additionally, segregated or earmarked liquid assets, amounts paid by the Trust as premiums and cash or other assets held in margin accounts with respect to Strategic Transactions are not otherwise available to the Trust for investment purposes. The SAI contains further information about the characteristics, risks and possible benefits of Strategic Transactions and the Trust’s other policies and limitations (which are not fundamental policies) relating to Strategic Transactions. Certain provisions of the Code may restrict or affect the ability of the Trust to engage in Strategic Transactions. In addition, the use of certain Strategic Transactions may give rise to taxable income and have certain other consequences. See “Risks—Strategic Transactions and Derivatives Risk.”
Foreign Currency Transactions
. The Trust’s common shares are priced in U.S. dollars and the distributions paid by the Trust to common shareholders are paid in U.S. dollars. However, a portion of the Trust’s assets may be denominated in non-U.S. currencies and the income received by the Trust from such securities will be paid in non-U.S. currencies. The Trust also may invest in or gain exposure to non-U.S. currencies for investment or hedging purposes. The Trust’s investments in securities that trade in, or receive revenues in, non-U.S. 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. The Trust may (but is not required to) hedge some or all of its exposure to non-U.S. currencies through the use of derivative strategies, including forward foreign currency exchange contracts, foreign currency futures contracts and options on foreign currencies and foreign currency futures. Suitable hedging transactions may not be available in all circumstances and there can be no assurance that the Trust will engage in such transactions at any given time or from time to time when they would be beneficial. Although the Trust has the flexibility to engage in such transactions, the Advisor may determine not to do so or to do so only in unusual circumstances or market conditions. These transactions may not be successful and may eliminate any chance for the Trust to benefit from favorable fluctuations in relevant foreign currencies. The Trust 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.
Interest Rate Transactions
. The Trust may enter into interest rate swaps and purchase or sell interest rate caps and floors. The Trust expects to enter into these transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its portfolio, as a duration management technique, to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Trust anticipates purchasing at a later date and/or to hedge against increases in the Trust’s costs associated with its leverage strategy. The Trust will ordinarily use these transactions as a hedge or for duration and risk management although it is permitted to enter into them to enhance income or gain. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Trust with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest (e.g., an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments with respect to a notional amount of principal). The purchase of an interest rate cap entitles the purchaser, to the extent that the level of a specified interest rate exceeds a predetermined interest rate (i.e., the strike price), to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling such interest rate cap. The purchase of an interest rate floor entitles the purchaser, to the extent that the level of a specified interest rate falls below a predetermined interest rate (i.e., the strike price), to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling such interest rate floor.
For example, if the Trust holds a debt instrument with an interest rate that is reset only once each year, it may swap the right to receive interest at this fixed rate for the right to receive interest at a rate that is reset every week. This would enable the Trust to offset a decline in the value of the debt instrument due to rising interest rates but would also limit its ability to benefit from falling interest rates. Conversely, if the Trust holds a debt instrument with an interest rate that is reset every week and it would like to lock in what it believes to be a high interest rate for one year, it may swap the right to receive interest at this variable weekly rate for the right to receive interest at a rate that is fixed for one year. Such a swap would protect the Trust from a reduction in yield due to falling interest rates and may permit the Trust to enhance its income through the positive differential between one week and one year interest rates, but would preclude it from taking full advantage of rising interest rates.
The Trust may hedge both its assets and liabilities through interest rate swaps, caps and floors. Usually, payments with respect to interest rate swaps will be made on a net basis (i.e., the two payment streams are netted out) with the Trust receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments on the payment dates. The Trust will accrue the net amount of the excess, if any, of the Trust’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each interest rate swap on a daily basis and will segregate with a custodian or designate on its books and records an amount of cash or liquid assets having an aggregate net asset value at all times at least equal to the accrued excess. If there is a default by the other party to an uncleared interest rate swap transaction, generally the Trust will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. With respect to interest rate swap transactions cleared through a central clearing counterparty, a clearing organization will be substituted for each party and will guaranty the parties’ performance under the swap agreement.
However, there can be no assurance that the clearing organization will satisfy its obligation to the Trust. Certain U.S. federal income tax requirements may limit the Trust’s ability to engage in interest rate swaps. Distributions attributable to transactions in interest rate swaps generally will be taxable as ordinary income to shareholders.
Credit Default Swaps
. The Trust may enter into credit default swap agreements. The credit default swap agreement may have as reference obligations one or more securities that are not currently held by the Trust. The protection “buyer” in a credit default contract may be 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 on the reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the “par value” (full notional amount) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or if the swap is cash settled the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount (the difference between the market value of the reference obligation and its par value). The Trust may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Trust is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Trust will generally receive no payments from its counterparty under the swap 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 amount of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity, the value of which may have significantly decreased. As a seller, the Trust generally receives an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap, which typically is between six months and three years, provided that there is no credit event. If a credit event occurs, generally the seller must pay the buyer the full notional amount of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity, the value of which may have significantly decreased. As the seller, the Trust would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its Managed Assets, the Trust would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.
Credit default swap agreements involve greater risks than if the Trust had taken a position in the reference obligation directly (either by purchasing or selling) since, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk and credit risks. A buyer generally will also lose its upfront payment or any periodic payments it makes to the seller counterparty and receive no payments from its counterparty 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 amount it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the seller. A seller of a credit default swap or similar instrument is exposed to many of the same risks of leverage since, if a credit event occurs, the seller generally will be required to pay the buyer the full notional amount of the contract net of any amounts owed by the buyer related to its delivery of deliverable obligations. The Trust’s obligations under a credit default swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Trust). The Trust will at all times segregate or designate on its books and records in connection with each such transaction liquid assets or cash with a value at least equal to the Trust’s exposure (any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed by the Trust to any counterparty) on a marked-to-market basis (as calculated pursuant to requirements of the SEC). If the Trust is a seller of protection in a credit default swap transaction, it will designate on its books and records in connection with such transaction liquid assets or cash with a value at least equal to the full notional amount of the contract. Such designation will ensure that the Trust has assets available to satisfy its obligations with respect to the transaction and will avoid any potential leveraging of the Trust’s portfolio. Such designation will not limit the Trust’s exposure to loss.
In addition, the credit derivatives market is subject to a changing regulatory environment. It is possible that regulatory or other developments in the credit derivatives market could adversely affect the Trust’s ability to successfully use credit derivatives.
Indexed and Inverse Securities.
The Trust may invest in securities the potential return of which is based on the change in a specified interest rate or equity index (an “indexed security”). For example, the Trust may invest in a security that pays a variable amount of interest or principal based on the current level of the French or Korean stock markets. The Trust may also invest in securities whose return is inversely related to changes in an interest rate or index (“inverse securities”). In general, the return on inverse securities will decrease when the underlying index or interest rate goes up and increase when that index or interest rate goes down.
Short-Term Debt Securities; Temporary Defensive Positions; Invest-Up Period.
During temporary defensive periods (e.g., times when, in the Advisor’s opinion, temporary imbalances of supply and demand or other temporary dislocations in the market adversely affect the price at which securities are available, or in connection with the termination of the Trust) and in order to keep cash on hand fully invested, including the period during which the net proceeds of this offering of common shares (or preferred shares, should the Trust determine to issue preferred shares in the future) are being invested, the Trust may invest any percentage of its assets in liquid, short-term investments including high quality, short-term securities and securities of other open- or closed-end investment companies that invest primarily in securities of the type in which the Trust may invest directly. See “Investment Policies and Techniques—Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Debt
Securities” in the SAI. The Advisor’s determination that it is temporarily unable to follow the Trust’s investment strategy or that it is impractical to do so will generally occur only in situations in which a market disruption event has occurred and where trading in the securities selected through application of the Trust’s investment strategy is extremely limited or absent or in connection with the termination of the Trust.
Repurchase Agreements and Purchase and Sale Contracts.
The Trust may invest in repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a contractual agreement whereby the seller of securities agrees to repurchase the same security at a specified price on a future date agreed upon by the parties. The agreed upon repurchase price determines the yield during the Trust’s holding period. Repurchase agreements are considered to be loans collateralized by the underlying security that is the subject of the repurchase contract. Income generated from transactions in repurchase agreements will be taxable. The risk to the Trust is limited to the ability of the issuer to pay the agreed upon repurchase price on the delivery date; however, although the value of the underlying collateral at the time the transaction is entered into always equals or exceeds the agreed upon repurchase price, if the value of the collateral declines there is a risk of loss of both principal and interest. In the event of default, the collateral may be sold but the Trust might incur a loss if the value of the collateral declines, and might incur disposition costs or experience delays in connection with liquidating the collateral. In addition, if bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller of the security, realization upon the collateral by the Trust may be delayed or limited. The Advisor will monitor the value of the collateral at the time the transaction is entered into and at all times subsequent during the term of the repurchase agreement in an effort to determine that such value always equals or exceeds the agreed upon repurchase price. In the event the value of the collateral declines below the repurchase price, the Advisor will demand additional collateral from the issuer to increase the value of the collateral to at least that of the repurchase price, including interest.
A purchase and sale contract is similar to a repurchase agreement, but differs from a repurchase agreement in that the contract arrangements stipulate that the securities are owned by the Trust. In the event of a default under such a repurchase agreement or a purchase and sale contract, instead of the contractual fixed rate of return, the rate of return to the Trust shall be dependent upon intervening fluctuations of the market value of such security and the accrued interest on the security. In such event, the Trust would have rights against the seller for breach of contract with respect to any losses arising from market fluctuations following the failure of the seller to perform.
Securities Lending
. The Trust may lend portfolio securities to certain borrowers determined to be creditworthy by the Advisor, including to borrowers affiliated with the Advisor. The borrowers provide collateral that is maintained in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned. No securities loan shall be made on behalf of the Trust if, as a result, the aggregate value of all securities loans of the Trust exceeds one-third of the value of the Trust’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received). The Trust may terminate a loan at any time and obtain the return of the securities loaned. The Trust receives the value of any interest or cash or non-cash distributions paid on the loaned securities.
With respect to loans that are collateralized by cash, the borrower may be entitled to receive a fee based on the amount of cash collateral. The Trust is compensated by the difference between the amount earned on the reinvestment of cash collateral and the fee paid to the borrower. In the case of collateral other than cash, the Trust is compensated by a fee paid by the borrower equal to a percentage of the market value of the loaned securities. Any cash collateral received by the Trust for such loans, and uninvested cash, may be invested, among other things, in a private investment company managed by an affiliate of the Advisor
or in registered money market funds advised by the Advisor or its affiliates; such investments are subject to investment risk.
The Trust conducts its securities lending pursuant to an exemptive order from the SEC permitting it to lend portfolio securities to borrowers affiliated with the Trust and to retain an affiliate of the Trust as lending agent. To the extent that the Trust engages in securities lending, BlackRock Investment Management, LLC (“BIM”), an affiliate of the Advisor, acts as securities lending agent for the Trust, subject to the overall supervision of the Advisor. BIM administers the lending program in accordance with guidelines approved by the Board. Pursuant to the current securities lending agreement, BIM may lend securities only when the difference between the borrower rebate rate and the risk free rate exceeds a certain level (such securities, the “specials only securities”).
To the extent that the Trust engages in securities lending, the Trust retains a portion of securities lending income and remits a remaining portion to BIM as compensation for its services as securities lending agent. Securities lending income is equal to the total of income earned from the reinvestment of cash collateral (and excludes collateral investment expenses as defined below), and any fees or other payments to and from borrowers of securities. As securities lending agent, BIM bears all operational costs directly related to securities lending. The Trust is responsible for expenses in connection with the investment of cash collateral received for securities on loan in a private investment company managed by an affiliate of the Advisor, however, BIM has agreed to cap the collateral investment expenses the Trust bears to an annual rate of 0.04% of the
daily net assets of such private investment company (the “collateral investment expenses”). In addition, in accordance with the exemptive order, the investment adviser to the private investment company will not charge any advisory fees with respect to shares purchased by the Trust. Such shares also will not be subject to a sales load, redemption fee, distribution fee or service fee.
Pursuant to the current securities lending agreement, the Trust retains 80% of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment expenses).
In addition, commencing the business day following the date that the aggregate securities lending income earned across the BlackRock Closed-End Fund Complex in a calendar year exceeds the breakpoint dollar threshold applicable in the given year, the Trust, pursuant to the current securities lending agreement, will receive for the remainder of that calendar year securities lending income in an amount equal to 85% of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment expenses).
Short Sales.
The Trust may make short sales of securities. A short sale is a transaction in which the Trust sells a security it does not own in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline. The Trust may make short sales to hedge positions, for duration and risk management, in order to maintain portfolio flexibility or to enhance income or gain. When the Trust makes a short sale, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale as collateral for its obligation to deliver the security upon conclusion of the sale. The Trust may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to pay over to the securities lender any income, distributions or dividends received on such borrowed securities until it returns the security to the securities lender. The Trust’s obligation to replace the borrowed security will be secured by collateral deposited with the securities lender, usually cash, U.S. Government securities or other liquid assets. The Trust will also be required to segregate or earmark similar collateral with its custodian to the extent, if any, necessary so that the aggregate collateral value is at all times at least equal to the current market value of the security sold short. Depending on arrangements made with the securities lender regarding payment over of any income, distributions or dividends received by the Trust on such security, the Trust may not receive any payments (including interest) on its collateral deposited with such securities lender. If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time the Trust replaces the borrowed security, the Trust will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Trust will realize a gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. Although the Trust’s gain is limited to the price at which it sold the security short, its potential loss is theoretically unlimited.
When-Issued,
Delayed Delivery Securities
and Forward Commitment Securities
.
The Trust may purchase securities on a “when-issued” basis and may purchase or sell securities on a “forward commitment” basis (including on a “TBA” (to be announced) basis) or on a “delayed delivery” basis. When such transactions are negotiated, the price, which is generally expressed in yield terms, is fixed at the time the commitment is made, but delivery and payment for the securities take place at a later date. When-issued securities and forward commitments may be sold prior to the settlement date. If the Trust disposes of the right to acquire a when-issued security prior to its acquisition or disposes of its right to deliver or receive against a forward commitment, it might incur a gain or loss. At the time the Trust enters into a transaction on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, it will designate on its books and records cash or liquid assets with a value not less than the value of the when-issued or forward commitment securities. The value of these assets will be monitored daily to ensure that their marked to market value will at all times equal or exceed the corresponding obligations of the Trust. Pursuant to recommendations of the Treasury Market Practices Group, which is sponsored by the Federal Reserve Board of New York, the Trust or its counterparty generally is required to post collateral when entering into certain forward-settling transactions, including without limitation TBA transactions. Any collateral posted by the Trust will be held on a segregated basis in the name of the Trust by its qualified custodian.
There is always a risk that the securities may not be delivered and that the Trust may incur a loss. Settlements in the ordinary course are not treated by the Trust as when-issued or forward commitment transactions and accordingly are not subject to the foregoing restrictions.
Counterparty Credit Standards.
To the extent that the Trust engages in principal transactions, including, but not limited to, OTC options, forward currency transactions, swap transactions, repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements and the purchase and sale of bonds and other fixed income securities, it must rely on the creditworthiness of its counterparties under such transactions. In certain instances, the credit risk of a counterparty is increased by the lack of a central clearing house for certain transactions, including certain swap contracts. In the event of the insolvency of a counterparty, the Trust may not be able to recover its assets, in full or at all, during the insolvency process. Counterparties to investments may have no obligation to make markets in such investments and may have the ability to apply essentially discretionary margin and credit requirements. Similarly, the Trust will be subject to the risk of bankruptcy of, or the inability or refusal to perform with
respect to such investments by, the counterparties with which it deals. The Advisor will seek to minimize the Trust’s exposure to counterparty risk by entering into such transactions with counterparties the Advisor believes to be creditworthy at the time it enters into the transaction. Certain option transactions and Strategic Transactions may require the Trust to provide collateral to secure its performance obligations under a contract, which would also entail counterparty credit risk.
LEVERAGE
The Trust does not intend to borrow money or issue preferred shares during its first full year of operations. The Trust is, however, permitted to borrow money in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its Managed Assets (50% of its net assets), and issue preferred shares in an amount up to 50% of its Managed Assets (100% of its net assets). “Managed Assets” means the total assets of the Trust (including any assets attributable to money borrowed for investment purposes) minus the sum of the Trust’s accrued liabilities (other than money borrowed for investment purposes). The Trust may determine to borrow money from banks or other financial institutions, or issue preferred shares, in the future if it believes that market conditions would be conducive to the successful implementation of a leveraging strategy through borrowing money or issuing preferred shares.
The use of leverage, if employed, can create risks. When leverage is employed, the net asset value and market price of the common shares and the yield to holders of common shares will be more volatile than if leverage were not used. Changes in the value of the Trust’s portfolio, including securities bought with the proceeds of leverage, will be borne entirely by the holders of common shares. If there is a net decrease or increase in the value of the Trust’s investment portfolio, leverage will decrease or increase, as the case may be, the net asset value per common share to a greater extent than if the Trust did not utilize leverage. A reduction in the Trust’s net asset value may cause a reduction in the market price of its shares. During periods in which the Trust is using leverage, the fee paid to the Advisor for advisory services will be higher than if the Trust did not use leverage, because the fees paid will be calculated on the basis of the Trust’s Managed Assets, which includes the proceeds from leverage. Any leveraging strategy the Trust employs may not be successful. See “Risks—Leverage Risk.”
Certain types of leverage the Trust may use may result in the Trust being subject to covenants relating to asset coverage and portfolio composition requirements. The Trust may be subject to certain restrictions on investments imposed by one or more lenders or by guidelines of one or more rating agencies, which may issue ratings for any short-term debt securities or preferred shares issued by the Trust. The terms of any borrowings or rating agency guidelines may impose asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed by the Investment Company Act. The Advisor does not believe that these covenants or guidelines will impede it from managing the Trust’s portfolio in accordance with its investment objectives and policies if the Trust were to utilize leverage.
Under the Investment Company Act, the Trust is not permitted to issue senior securities if, immediately after the issuance of such senior securities, the Trust would have an asset coverage ratio (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of less than 300% with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness (i.e., for every dollar of indebtedness outstanding, the Trust is required to have at least three dollars of assets) or less than 200% with respect to senior securities representing preferred stock (i.e., for every dollar of preferred stock outstanding, the Trust is required to have at least two dollars of assets). The Investment Company Act also provides that the Trust may not declare distributions or purchase its stock (including through tender offers) if, immediately after doing so, it will have an asset coverage ratio of less than 300% or 200%, as applicable. Under the Investment Company Act, certain short-term borrowings (such as for cash management purposes) are not subject to these limitations if (i) repaid within 60 days, (ii) not extended or renewed and (iii) not in excess of 5% of the total assets of the Trust.
Unless and until leverage is utilized or issued, the common shares will not be leveraged and the risks and special considerations related to leverage described in this Prospectus will not apply. Such leveraging will not be fully achieved until the proceeds resulting from the use of leverage have been invested in accordance with the Trust’s investment objectives and policies.
Credit Facility
The Trust is permitted to leverage its portfolio by entering into one or more credit facilities. If the Trust enters into a credit facility, the Trust may be required to prepay outstanding amounts or incur a penalty rate of interest upon the occurrence of certain events of default. The Trust would also likely have to indemnify the lenders under the credit facility against liabilities they may incur in connection therewith. In addition, the Trust expects that any credit facility would contain covenants that, among other things, likely would limit the Trust’s ability to pay distributions in certain circumstances, incur additional debt, change certain of its investment policies and engage in certain transactions, including mergers and consolidations, and require asset coverage ratios in addition to those required by the Investment Company Act. The Trust
may be required to pledge its assets and to maintain a portion of its assets in cash or high-grade securities as a reserve against interest or principal payments and expenses. The Trust expects that any credit facility would have customary covenant, negative covenant and default provisions. There can be no assurance that the Trust will enter into an agreement for a credit facility, or one on terms and conditions representative of the foregoing, or that additional material terms will not apply. In addition, if entered into, a credit facility may in the future be replaced or refinanced by one or more credit facilities having substantially different terms or by the issuance of preferred shares.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements
The Trust may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with respect to its portfolio investments subject to the investment restrictions set forth herein. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the Trust with an agreement by the Trust to repurchase the securities at an agreed upon price, date and interest payment. At the time the Trust enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it may establish and maintain a segregated account with the custodian containing, or designate on its books and records, cash and/or liquid assets having a value not less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest). If the Trust establishes and maintains such a segregated account, or earmarks such assets as described, a reverse repurchase agreement will not be considered a senior security under the Investment Company Act and therefore will not be considered a borrowing by the Trust; however, under certain circumstances in which the Trust does not establish and maintain such a segregated account, or earmark such assets on its books and records, such reverse repurchase agreement will be considered a borrowing for the purpose of the Trust’s limitation on borrowings. The use by the Trust of reverse repurchase agreements involves many of the same risks of leverage since the proceeds derived from such reverse repurchase agreements may be invested in additional securities. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities acquired in connection with the reverse repurchase agreement may decline below the price of the securities the Trust has sold but is obligated to repurchase. Also, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities retained in lieu of sale by the Trust in connection with the reverse repurchase agreement may decline in price.
If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, such buyer or its trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the Trust’s obligation to repurchase the securities and the Trust’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision. Also, the Trust would bear the risk of loss to the extent that the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement are less than the value of the securities subject to such agreement.
The Trust also may effect simultaneous purchase and sale transactions that are known as “sale-buybacks.” A sale-buyback is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement, except that in a sale-buyback, the counterparty that purchases the security is entitled to receive any principal or interest payments made on the underlying security pending settlement of the Trust’s repurchase of the underlying security.
Dollar Roll Transactions
The Trust may enter into “dollar roll” transactions. In a dollar roll transaction, the Trust sells a mortgage related or other security to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a pre-determined price. A dollar roll transaction can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement, as a collateralized borrowing in which the Trust pledges a mortgage related security to a dealer to obtain cash. However, unlike reverse repurchase agreements, the dealer with which the Trust enters into a dollar roll transaction is not obligated to return the same securities as those originally sold by the Trust, but rather only securities which are “substantially identical,” which generally means that the securities repurchased will bear the same interest rate and a similar maturity as those sold, but the pools of mortgages collateralizing those securities may have different prepayment histories than those sold.
During the period between the sale and repurchase, the Trust will not be entitled to receive interest and principal payments on the securities sold. Proceeds of the sale will be invested in additional instruments for the Trust and the income from these investments will generate income for the Trust. If such income does not exceed the income, capital appreciation and gain that would have been realized on the securities sold as part of the dollar roll, the use of this technique will diminish the investment performance of the Trust compared with what the performance would have been without the use of dollar rolls.
At the time the Trust enters into a dollar roll transaction, it may establish and maintain a segregated account with the custodian containing, or designate on its books and records, cash and/or liquid assets having a value not less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest). If the Trust establishes and maintains such a segregated account, or earmarks such assets as described, a dollar roll transaction will not be considered a senior security under the Investment Company Act and therefore will not be considered a borrowing by the Trust; however, under certain circumstances in which the Trust does
not establish and maintain such a segregated account, or earmark such assets on its books and records, such dollar roll transaction will be considered a borrowing for the purpose of the Trust’s limitation on borrowings.
Dollar roll transactions involve the risk that the market value of the securities the Trust is required to purchase may decline below the agreed upon repurchase price of those securities. The Trust’s right to purchase or repurchase securities may be restricted. Successful use of mortgage 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.
Preferred Shares
The Trust is permitted to leverage its portfolio by issuing preferred shares. Under the Investment Company Act, the Trust is not permitted to issue preferred shares if, immediately after such issuance, the liquidation value of the Trust’s outstanding preferred shares exceeds 50% of its assets (including the proceeds from the issuance) less liabilities other than borrowings (i.e., the value of the Trust’s assets must be at least 200% of the liquidation value of its outstanding preferred shares). In addition, the Trust would 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 Trust’s assets less liabilities other than borrowings is at least 200% of such liquidation value.
The Trust expects that preferred shares, if issued, will pay adjustable rate dividends based on shorter-term interest rates, which would be redetermined periodically by a fixed spread or remarketing process, subject to a maximum rate which would increase over time in the event of an extended period of unsuccessful remarketing. The adjustment period for preferred share dividends could be as short as one day or as long as a year or more. Preferred shares, if issued, could include a liquidity feature that allows holders of preferred shares to have their shares purchased by a liquidity provider in the event that sell orders have not been matched with purchase orders and successfully settled in a remarketing. The Trust expects that it would pay a fee to the provider of this liquidity feature, which would be borne by common shareholders of the Trust. The terms of such liquidity feature could require the Trust to redeem preferred shares still owned by the liquidity provider following a certain period of continuous, unsuccessful remarketing, which may adversely impact the Trust.
If preferred shares are issued, the Trust may, to the extent possible, purchase or redeem preferred shares from time to time to the extent necessary in order to maintain asset coverage of any preferred shares of at least 200%. In addition, as a condition to obtaining ratings on the preferred shares, the terms of any preferred shares issued are expected to include asset coverage maintenance provisions which will require the redemption of the preferred shares in the event of non-compliance by the Trust and may also prohibit dividends and other distributions on the common shares in such circumstances. In order to meet redemption requirements, the Trust may have to liquidate portfolio securities. Such liquidations and redemptions would cause the Trust to incur related transaction costs and could result in capital losses to the Trust. Prohibitions on dividends and other distributions on the common shares could impair the Trust’s ability to qualify as a RIC under the Code. If the Trust has preferred shares outstanding, two of the members of the Board (“Trustees”) will be elected by the holders of preferred shares voting separately as a class. The remaining Trustees will be elected by holders of common shares and preferred shares voting together as a single class. In the event the Trust failed to pay dividends on preferred shares for two years, holders of preferred shares would be entitled to elect a majority of the Trustees.
If the Trust issues preferred shares, the Trust expects that it will be subject to certain restrictions imposed by guidelines of one or more rating agencies that may issue ratings for preferred shares issued by the Trust. These guidelines are expected to impose asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed on the Trust by the Investment Company Act. It is not anticipated that these covenants or guidelines would impede the Advisor from managing the Trust’s portfolio in accordance with the Trust’s investment objectives and policies.
Derivatives
The Trust may enter into derivative securities transactions that have economic leverage embedded in them. Derivative transactions (i.e., “Strategic Transactions”) that the Trust may enter into and the risks associated with them are described elsewhere in this Prospectus. The Trust cannot assure you that investments in derivative securities that have economic leverage embedded in them will result in a higher return on its common shares.
To the extent the terms of such transactions obligate the Trust to make payments, the Trust may earmark or segregate cash or liquid assets in an amount at least equal to the current value of the amount then payable by the Trust under the terms of such transactions or otherwise cover such transactions in accordance with applicable interpretations of the staff of the SEC. If the current value of the amount then payable by the Trust under the terms of such transactions is represented by the notional amounts of such investments, the Trust would segregate or earmark cash or liquid assets having a market
value at least equal to such notional amounts, and if the current value of the amount then payable by the Trust under the terms of such transactions is represented by the market value of the Trust’s current obligations, the Trust would segregate or earmark cash or liquid assets having a market value at least equal to such current obligations. To the extent the terms of such transactions obligate the Trust to deliver particular securities to extinguish the Trust’s obligations under such transactions the Trust may “cover” its obligations under such transactions by either (i) owning the securities or collateral underlying such transactions or (ii) having an absolute and immediate right to acquire such securities or collateral without additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, having earmarked or segregated an appropriate amount of cash or liquid assets). Such earmarking, segregation or cover is intended to provide the Trust with available assets to satisfy its obligations under such transactions. As a result of such earmarking, segregation or cover, the Trust’s obligations under such transactions will not be considered senior securities representing indebtedness for purposes of the Investment Company Act, or considered borrowings subject to the Trust’s limitations on borrowings. To the extent that the Trust’s obligations under such transactions are not so earmarked, segregated or covered, such obligations may be considered “senior securities representing indebtedness” under the Investment Company Act and therefore subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement.
These earmarking, segregation or cover requirements can result in the Trust maintaining securities positions it would otherwise liquidate, segregating or earmarking assets at a time when it might be disadvantageous to do so or otherwise restrict portfolio management.
Temporary Borrowings
The Trust may also borrow money as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes, including the payment of dividends and the settlement of securities transactions which otherwise might require untimely dispositions of Trust securities.
The net asset value of, and dividends paid on, the common shares will fluctuate with and be affected by, among other things, the risks more fully described below.
No Operating History
The Trust is a newly organized, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company with no operating history. The Trust does not have any historical financial statements or other meaningful operating or financial data on which potential investors may evaluate the Trust and its performance. An investment in the Trust is therefore subject to all of the risks and uncertainties associated with a new business, including the risk that the Trust will not achieve its investment objectives and that the value of any potential investment in our common shares could decline substantially as a consequence.
Non-Diversified Status
The Trust is a non-diversified fund. As defined in the Investment Company Act, a non-diversified fund may have a significant part of its investments in a smaller number of issuers than can a diversified fund. Having a larger percentage of assets in a smaller number of issuers makes a non-diversified fund, like the Trust, more susceptible to the risk that one single event or occurrence can have a significant adverse impact upon the Trust.
Investment and Market Discount Risk
An investment in the Trust’s common shares is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire amount that you invest. As with any stock, the price of the Trust’s common shares will fluctuate with market conditions and other factors. If shares are sold, the price received may be more or less than the original investment. The value of your investment in the Trust will be reduced immediately following the initial offering by the amount of the sales load and the amount of the organizational and offering expenses paid by the Trust. Common shares are designed for long-term investors and the Trust should not be treated as a trading vehicle. Shares of closed-end management investment companies frequently trade at a discount from their net asset value. This risk is separate and distinct from the risk that the Trust’s net asset value could decrease as a result of its investment activities. At any point in time an investment in the Trust’s common shares may be worth less than the original amount invested, even after taking into account distributions paid by the Trust. This risk may be greater for investors who sell their common shares in a relatively short period of time after completion of the initial offering. During periods in which the Trust may use leverage, the Trust’s investment, market discount and certain other risks will be magnified.
Concentration Risk
The Trust’s investments will be concentrated in issuers in the science and technology sector. Because the Trust will be concentrated in the industries comprising that sector, it may be subject to more risks than if it were broadly diversified over numerous industries and sectors of the economy. General changes in market sentiment towards science and technology companies may adversely affect the Trust, and the performance of science and technology issuers may lag behind the broader market as a whole. Also, the Trust’s concentration in the science and technology sector may subject the Trust to a variety of risks associated with companies in the industries comprising the science and technology sector, including the following:
Technology Company Risk
. The market prices of technology and technology-related stocks tend to exhibit a greater degree of market risk and price volatility than other types of investments. These stocks may fall in and out of favor with investors rapidly, which may cause sudden selling and dramatically lower market prices. These stocks also may be affected adversely by changes in technology, consumer and business purchasing patterns, short product cycles, falling prices and profits, government regulation, lack of standardization or compatibility with existing technologies, intense competition, aggressive pricing, dependence on copyright and/or patent protection and/or obsolete products or services. Certain technology-related companies may face special risks that their products or services may not prove to be commercially successful. Technology-related companies are also strongly affected by worldwide scientific or technological developments. As a result, their products may rapidly become obsolete. Such companies are also often subject to governmental regulation and may, therefore, be adversely affected by governmental policies. In addition, a rising interest rate environment tends to negatively affect technology and technology-related companies. In such an environment, those companies with high market valuations may appear less attractive to investors, which may cause sharp decreases in the companies’ market prices. Further, those technology or technology-related companies seeking to finance their expansion would have increased borrowing costs, which may negatively impact their earnings. As a result, these factors may negatively affect the performance of the Trust. Finally, the Trust may be susceptible to factors affecting the technology and technology-related industries, and the Trust’s net asset value may fluctuate more than a fund that invests in a wider range of industries. Technology and technology-related companies are often smaller and less experienced companies and may be subject to greater risks than larger companies, such as limited product lines, markets and financial and managerial resources. These risks may be heightened for technology companies in foreign markets.
Telecommunications Company Risk
. The telecommunications industry today includes both traditional telephone companies, with a history of broad market coverage and highly regulated businesses, and cable companies, which began as small, lightly regulated businesses focused on limited markets. Today these two historically different businesses are converging in an industry that is trending toward larger, competitive national and international markets with an emphasis on deregulation. Companies that distribute telephone services and provide access to the telephone networks still comprise the greatest portion of this segment, but non-regulated activities such as wireless telephone services, paging, data transmission and processing, equipment retailing, computer software and hardware and internet services are becoming increasingly significant components as well. In particular, wireless and internet telephone services continue to gain market share at the expense of traditional telephone companies. The presence of unregulated companies in this industry and the entry of traditional telephone companies into unregulated or less regulated businesses provide significant investment opportunities with companies that may increase their earnings at faster rates than had been allowed in traditional regulated businesses. Still, increasing competition, technological innovations and other structural changes could adversely affect the profitability of such companies and the growth rate of their dividends. Given mergers and proposed legislation and enforcement changes, it is likely that both traditional telephone companies and cable companies will continue to provide an expanding range of services to both residential, corporate and governmental customers.
Additionally, telecommunications companies can be adversely affected by, among other things, changes in government regulation, intense competition, dependency on patent protection, significant capital expenditures, heavy debt burdens and rapid obsolescence of products and services due to product compatibility or changing consumer preferences, among other things.
Healthcare and Life Sciences Company Risk
. Investment in the securities of life sciences companies entails special considerations and risks. Certain parts of the life sciences industry and certain life sciences companies are characterized by limited product focus, markets and financial resources. The life sciences industry can be significantly affected by the supply of and demand for specific products and services, government regulations and legislative actions. These actions and regulations can affect the approval process for patents, medical devices and drugs, the funding of research and medical care programs, and the operation and licensing of facilities and personnel. Obtaining government approvals may be a lengthy, expensive process with an uncertain outcome. Regulatory and research developments may render existing products and technologies obsolete and may result in abrupt fluctuations in securities values of life science companies. The possibility of lawsuits related to technological and medical patents could cause delays and expense in product development and
implementation, regulatory changes and/or government actions may prevent a company from marketing. Intellectual property rights are very important to many life science companies and the expiration of intellectual property rights or other events that adversely affect a life science company’s intellectual property rights may materially and adversely affect the value of its securities. As a result of these and other factors, smaller developing life sciences companies in particular may require additional capital investments, which may dilute the interests of existing investors, such as the Trust.
Intense competition exists within and among certain sectors of the life sciences industry, including competition to obtain and sustain proprietary technology protection. Life sciences companies may be highly dependent on the strength of a patent for maintenance of revenues and market share. The complex nature of the technologies involved can lead to patent disputes, including litigation that could result in a company losing an exclusive right to a patent.
Certain life sciences companies and related companies in which the Trust may invest will be exposed to potential liability risks that are inherent in the testing, manufacturing, marketing and sale of human therapeutic and diagnostic products. Such liability risks may have a material adverse effect on the value of the Trust’s investment in such life sciences companies.
In March 2010, President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and an associated reconciliation bill (the “Health Care Reform Law”). The Health Care Reform Law is a sweeping law with a stated intention to broaden access to health insurance through, among other things, an individual mandate to obtain health insurance, reducing or constraining the growth of healthcare spending, enhancing remedies against fraud and abuse, adding new transparency requirements for the healthcare and health insurance industries, imposing new taxes and fees on the life sciences industry and imposing additional health policy reforms. The impact on the life sciences industry of the Health Care Reform Law is extensive and includes, among other things, having the U.S. federal government assume a larger role in the healthcare system, expanding healthcare coverage of United States citizens, mandating basic healthcare benefits and changing the way healthcare is paid for by both private and governmental insurers. Many of the changes in the rate setting mechanisms for the Medicare and Medicaid programs that specifically direct reductions in reimbursements for specific procedures are coupled with requirements prohibiting reductions in the quality and quantity of the care provided; it can be expected that as these changes are implemented, the reimbursements for certain companies who offer for sale products or services that are used in treating Medicare and Medicaid program beneficiaries will drop, affecting their financial condition, the value of their securities and their ability to meet their obligations to creditors and other third parties. Additionally, substantial new provisions affecting compliance have also been enacted, which may require healthcare companies to modify their business practices in various manners. Elements of this legislation, such as comparative effectiveness research, an independent payment advisory board, payment system reforms, including shared savings pilot programs, episode of care reimbursement mechanisms, and bundled payment mechanisms and other provisions, could meaningfully change the way healthcare is developed and delivered, and may materially impact numerous aspects of the life sciences industry, which may in turn materially impact the returns available to those who invest in or provide financing to the life sciences industry.
As Congress and the President continue to debate the role of government in delivering and regulating the delivery of and payment for healthcare services, in the context of ongoing budget negotiations and otherwise, additional legislation may be enacted that may materially impact the returns available to those who invest in or provide financing to the life sciences industry. In particular, Congress and the President continue to debate the manner in which the Health Care Reform Law is to be implemented and whether to modify or replace the Health Care Reform Law. The scope, substance and viability of any such proposed modifications or replacements are uncertain, but could have a material impact on the returns available to those who invest in or provide financing to the life sciences industry. Moreover, the President and the executive branch agencies responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the Health Care Reform Law have granted waivers/extensions of certain aspects and/or requirements of the Health Care Reform Law. The impact of these waivers/extensions on the life sciences industry and on the stated objectives of the Health Care Reform Law are unclear and the element of uncertainty in the application, implementation and enforcement of the Health Care Reform Law introduced by these waivers/extensions could have a material impact on the returns available to those who invest in or provide financing to the life sciences industry.
Industrial Products, Services and Equipment Company Risk
. Industrial products, services and equipment companies may include manufacturers of civil or military aerospace and defense equipment, building components and home improvement products and equipment, civil engineering firms and large-scale contractors, companies producing electrical components or equipment, manufacturers of industrial machinery and industrial components and products, providers of commercial printing services, and companies providing transportation services. Industrial products, services and equipment companies can be significantly affected by general economic trends, changes in consumer sentiment and spending, commodity prices, technological obsolescence, labor relations, legislation, government regulations and spending, import controls, and worldwide competition, and can be subject to liability for environmental damage, depletion of resources, and mandated expenditures for safety and pollution control.
Media Company Risk
. Companies engaged in the design, production or distribution of goods or services for the media industry may become obsolete quickly. Media companies are subject to risks that include cyclicality of revenues and earnings, a decrease in the discretionary income of targeted individuals, changing consumer tastes and interests, fierce competition in the industry and the potential for increased government regulation. Media company revenues largely are dependent on advertising spending. A weakening general economy or a shift from online to other forms of advertising may lead to a reduction in discretionary spending on online advertising. Competitive pressures and government regulation can significantly affect media companies. Additionally, intellectual property rights are very important to many media companies and the expiration of intellectual property rights or other events that adversely affect a media company’s intellectual property rights may materially and adversely affect the value of its securities.
Consumer Finance Company Risk
. Consumer finance companies can be significantly affected by changing economic conditions, demand for consumer loans, refinancing activity and intense competition. Profitability can be largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital and the rate of consumer debt defaults, and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change. Profitability can in particular be adversely impacted during periods of rising interest rates. Financial difficulties of borrowers can negatively affect consumer finance companies. Consumer finance companies are subject to extensive government regulation, which can change frequently and may adversely affect the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain, or may affect them in other ways that are unforeseeable. In the recent past, financial services companies in general experienced considerable financial distress, which led to the implementation of government programs designed to ease that distress.
Energy Company Risk
. Energy and natural resources companies are especially affected by variations in the commodities markets and these companies may lack the resources and the broad business lines to weather hard times. Fluctuations in commodity prices can result from changes in general economic conditions or political circumstances (especially of key energy-consuming countries); market conditions; weather patterns; domestic production levels; volume of imports; energy conservation; domestic and foreign governmental regulation; international politics; policies of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (“OPEC”); taxation; tariffs; and the availability and costs of local, intrastate and interstate transportation methods, among other factors that the Trust cannot control. Energy companies can be significantly affected by the supply of and demand for specific products and services, the supply of and demand for oil and gas, the price of oil and gas, exploration and production spending, research and development costs related to new technologies, the success or failure of efforts to develop or implement new or existing technologies, government regulation (including environmental regulation), world events and economic conditions, the cyclical nature of the energy sector, weather patterns and extreme weather conditions, intense competition, events relating to domestic and international political developments, energy conservation, environmental costs and liabilities, the success of exploration projects, catastrophes and terrorism, commodity prices, and tax and government regulations.
Equity Securities Risk
Stock markets are volatile, and the price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company’s financial condition and overall market and economic conditions. Although common stocks have historically generated higher average total returns than fixed income securities over the long-term, common stocks also have experienced significantly more volatility in those returns and, in certain periods, have significantly under-performed relative to fixed income securities. An adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of a particular common stock held by the Trust. A common stock may also decline due to factors which affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. The value of a particular common stock held by the Trust may decline for a number of other reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage, the issuer’s historical and prospective earnings, the value of its assets and reduced demand for its goods and services. Also, the price of common stocks is sensitive to general movements in the stock market and a drop in the stock market may depress the price of common stocks to which the Trust has exposure. Common stock prices fluctuate for several 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 issuers occur. In addition, common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase. Common equity securities in which the Trust may invest are structurally subordinated to preferred stock, bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital structure in terms of priority to corporate income and are therefore inherently more risky than preferred stock or debt instruments of such issuers.
Investments in ADRs, EDRs, GDRs and other similar global instruments are generally subject to risks associated with equity securities and investments in Non-U.S. Securities. Unsponsored ADR, EDR and GDR programs are organized independently and without the cooperation of the issuer of the underlying securities. As a result, available information
concerning the issuer may not be as current as for sponsored ADRs, EDRs and GDRs, and the prices of unsponsored ADRs, EDRs and GDRs may be more volatile than if such instruments were sponsored by the issuer.
Dividend Paying Equity Securities Risk
Dividends on common equity securities which the Trust may hold are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of an issuer’s board of directors. Companies that have historically paid dividends on their securities are not required to continue to pay dividends on such securities. There is no guarantee that the issuers of the common equity securities in which the Trust invests will declare dividends in the future or that, if declared, they will remain at current levels or increase over time. Therefore, there is the possibility that such companies could reduce or eliminate the payment of dividends in the future. Dividend producing equity securities, in particular those whose market price is closely related to their yield, may exhibit greater sensitivity to interest rate changes. The Trust’s investments in dividend producing equity securities may also limit its potential for appreciation during a broad market advance.
The prices of dividend producing equity securities can be highly volatile. Investors should not assume that the Trust’s investments in these securities will necessarily reduce the volatility of the Trust’s net asset value or provide “protection,” compared to other types of equity securities, when markets perform poorly.
Smaller Capitalization Company Risk
Smaller capitalization companies may have limited product lines or markets. They may be less financially secure than larger, more established companies. They may depend on a small number of key personnel. If a product fails or there are other adverse developments, or if management changes, the Trust’s investment in a smaller capitalization company may lose substantial value. In addition, it is more difficult to get information on smaller companies, which tend to be less well known, have shorter operating histories, do not have significant ownership by large investors and are followed by relatively few securities analysts.
The securities of smaller capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization securities or the market as a whole. In addition, smaller capitalization securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, borrowing costs and earnings. Investing in smaller capitalization securities requires a longer term view.
Small and Mid-Cap Stock Risk
. The Trust may invest in companies with small or medium capitalizations. Smaller and medium company stocks can be more volatile than, and perform differently from, larger company stocks. There may be less trading in a smaller or medium company’s stock, which means that buy and sell transactions in that stock could have a larger impact on the stock’s price than is the case with larger company stocks. Smaller and medium company stocks may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, borrowing costs and earnings. Smaller and medium companies may have fewer business lines; changes in any one line of business, therefore, may have a greater impact on a smaller and medium company’s stock price than is the case for a larger company. As a result, the purchase or sale of more than a limited number of shares of a small and medium company may affect its market price. The Trust may need a considerable amount of time to purchase or sell its positions in these securities. In addition, smaller or medium company stocks may not be well known to the investing public.
Investments in Unseasoned Companies Risk
. The Trust may invest in the securities of smaller, less seasoned companies. These investments may present greater opportunities for growth but also involve greater risks than customarily are associated with investments in securities of more established companies. Some of the companies in which the Trust may invest will be start-up companies which may have insubstantial operational or earnings history or may have limited products, markets, financial resources or management depth. Some may also be emerging companies at the research and development stage with no products or technologies to market or approved for marketing. In addition, it is more difficult to get information on smaller companies, which tend to be less well known, have shorter operating histories, do not have significant ownership by large investors and are followed by relatively few securities analysts. Securities of emerging companies may lack an active secondary market and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than securities of larger, more established companies or stock market averages in general. Competitors of certain companies, which may or may not be industry, may have substantially greater financial resources than many of the companies in which the Trust may invest.
Securities of Smaller and Emerging Growth Companies
. Investment in smaller or emerging growth companies involves greater risk than is customarily associated with investments in more established companies. The securities of smaller or emerging growth companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than larger, more established
companies or the market average in general. These companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, or they may be dependent on a limited management group.
While smaller or emerging growth company issuers may offer greater opportunities for capital appreciation than large cap issuers, investments in smaller or emerging growth companies may involve greater risks and thus may be considered speculative. Trust management believes that properly selected companies of this type have the potential to increase their earnings or market valuation at a rate substantially in excess of the general growth of the economy. Full development of these companies and trends frequently takes time.
Small cap and emerging growth securities will often be traded only in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market or on a regional securities exchange and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. As a result, the disposition by the Trust of portfolio securities to meet redemptions or otherwise may require the Trust to make many small sales over a lengthy period of time, or to sell these securities at a discount from market prices or during periods when, in Trust management’s judgment, such disposition is not desirable.
The process of selection and continuous supervision by Trust management does not, of course, guarantee successful investment results; however, it does provide access to an asset class not available to the average individual due to the time and cost involved. Careful initial selection is particularly important in this area as many new enterprises have promise but lack certain of the fundamental factors necessary to prosper. Investing in small cap and emerging growth companies requires specialized research and analysis. In addition, many investors cannot invest sufficient assets in such companies to provide wide diversification.
Small companies are generally little known to most individual investors although some may be dominant in their respective industries. Trust management believes that relatively small companies will continue to have the opportunity to develop into significant business enterprises. The Trust may invest in securities of small issuers in the relatively early stages of business development that have a new technology, a unique or proprietary product or service, or a favorable market position. Such companies may not be counted upon to develop into major industrial companies, but Trust management believes that eventual recognition of their special value characteristics by the investment community can provide above-average long-term growth to the portfolio.
Equity securities of specific small cap issuers may present different opportunities for long-term capital appreciation during varying portions of economic or securities market cycles, as well as during varying stages of their business development. The market valuation of small cap issuers tends to fluctuate during economic or market cycles, presenting attractive investment opportunities at various points during these cycles.
Smaller companies, due to the size and kinds of markets that they serve, may be less susceptible than large companies to intervention from the U.S. federal government by means of price controls, regulations or litigation.
New Issues Risk
“New Issues” are initial public offerings of U.S. equity securities. Investments in companies that have recently gone public have the potential to produce substantial gains for the Trust. However, there is no assurance that the Trust will have access to profitable IPOs and therefore investors should not rely on these past gains as an indication of future performances. The investment performance of the Trust during periods when it is unable to invest significantly or at all in IPOs may be lower than during periods when the Trust is able to do so. Securities issued in IPOs are subject to many of the same risks as investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile or may decline shortly after the initial public offering. When an initial public offering is brought to the market, availability may be limited and the Trust may not be able to buy any shares at the offering price, or, if it is able to buy shares, it may not be able to buy as many shares at the offering price as it would like.
Growth Stock Risk
Securities of growth companies may be more volatile since such companies usually invest a high portion of earnings in their business, and they may lack the dividends of value stocks that can cushion stock prices in a falling market. Stocks of companies the Advisor believes are fast-growing may trade at a higher multiple of current earnings than other stocks. The values of these stocks may be more sensitive to changes in current or expected earnings than the values of other stocks. Earnings disappointments often lead to sharply falling prices because investors buy growth stocks in anticipation of superior earnings growth. If the Advisor’s assessment of the prospects for a company’s earnings growth is wrong, or if the Advisor’s
judgment of how other investors will value the company’s earnings growth is wrong, then the price of the company’s stock may fall or may not approach the value that the Advisor has placed on it.
Value Stock Risk
The Advisor may be wrong in its assessment of a company’s value and the stocks the Trust owns may not reach what the Advisor believes are their full values. A particular risk of the Trust’s value strategies is that some holdings may not recover and provide the capital growth anticipated or a stock judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced. Further, because the prices of value-oriented securities tend to correlate more closely with economic cycles than growth-oriented securities, they generally are more sensitive to changing economic conditions, such as changes in interest rates, corporate earnings, and industrial production. The market may not favor value-oriented stocks and may not favor equities at all. During those periods, the Trust’s relative performance may suffer.
Risks Associated with the Trust’s Options Strategy
The ability of the Trust to achieve current gains is partially dependent on the successful implementation of its option strategy. Risks that may adversely affect the ability of the Trust to successfully implement its option strategy include the following:
Risks Associated with Options on Securities Generally.
There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.
Risks of Writing Options.
As the writer of a covered call option, the Trust forgoes, during the option’s life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the strike price of the call, but has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline. In other words, as the Trust writes covered calls over more of its portfolio, the Trust’s ability to benefit from capital appreciation becomes more limited. The writer of an option has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation as a writer of the option. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying security at the exercise price.
When the Trust writes covered put options, it bears the risk of loss if the value of the underlying stock declines below the exercise price minus the put premium. If the option is exercised, the Trust could incur a loss if it is required to purchase the stock underlying the put option at a price greater than the market price of the stock at the time of exercise plus the put premium the Trust received when it wrote the option. While the Trust’s potential gain in writing a covered put option is limited to distributions earned on the liquid assets securing the put option plus the premium received from the purchaser of the put option, the Trust risks a loss equal to the entire exercise price of the option minus the put premium.
Exchange-Listed Options Risks.
There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Trust seeks to close out an option position. Reasons for the absence of a liquid secondary market on an exchange include the following: (i) there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; (ii) restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; (iii) trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options; (iv) unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; (v) the facilities of an exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading volume; or (vi) one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options). If trading were discontinued, the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist. However, outstanding options on that exchange that had been issued by the Options Clearing Corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms. The Trust’s ability to terminate over-the-counter options is more limited than with exchange-traded options and may involve the risk that broker-dealers participating in such transactions will not fulfill their obligations. If the Trust were unable to close out a covered call option that it had written on a security, it would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise.
The hours of trading for options may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the options markets. Call options are marked to market daily and their value will be affected by changes in the value of and dividend rates of the underlying common
stocks, an increase in interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the stock market and the underlying common stocks and the remaining time to the options’ expiration. Additionally, the exercise price of an option may be adjusted downward before the option’s expiration as a result of the occurrence of certain corporate events affecting the underlying equity security, such as extraordinary dividends, stock splits, merger or other extraordinary distributions or events. A reduction in the exercise price of an option would reduce the Trust’s capital appreciation potential on the underlying security.
Over-the-Counter Option Risk.
The Trust may write (sell) unlisted OTC options to a significant extent. Options written by the Trust with respect to non-U.S. securities, indices or sectors generally will be OTC options. OTC options differ from exchange-listed options in that they are two-party contracts, with exercise price, premium and other terms negotiated between buyer and seller, and generally do not have as much market liquidity as exchange-listed options. The counterparties to these transactions typically will be major international banks, broker-dealers and financial institutions. The Trust may be required to treat as illiquid securities being used to cover certain written OTC options. The OTC options written by the Trust will not be issued, guaranteed or cleared by the Options Clearing Corporation. In addition, the Trust’s ability to terminate the OTC options may be more limited than with exchange-traded options. Banks, broker-dealers or other financial institutions participating in such transactions may fail to settle a transaction in accordance with the terms of the option as written. In the event of default or insolvency of the counterparty, the Trust may be unable to liquidate an OTC option position.
Index Option Risk.
The Trust may sell index put and call options from time to time. The purchaser of an index put option has the right to any depreciation in the value of the index below the exercise price of the option on or before the expiration date. The purchaser of an index call option has the right to any appreciation in the value of the index over the exercise price of the option on or before the expiration date. Because the exercise of index options is settled in cash, sellers of index call options, such as the Trust, cannot provide in advance for their potential settlement obligations by acquiring and holding the underlying securities. The Trust will lose money if it is required to pay the purchaser of an index option the difference between the cash value of the index on which the option was written and the exercise price and such difference is greater than the premium received by the Trust for writing the option. The value of index options written by the Trust, which will be priced daily, will be affected by changes in the value of and dividend rates of the underlying common stocks in the respective index, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the stock market and the remaining time to the options’ expiration. The value of the index options also may be adversely affected if the market for the index options becomes less liquid or smaller. Distributions paid by the Trust on its common shares may be derived in part from the net index option premiums it receives from selling index put and call options, less the cost of paying settlement amounts to purchasers of the options that exercise their options. Net index option premiums can vary widely over the short-term and long-term.
Limitation on Option Writing Risk.
The number of call options the Trust can write is limited by the total assets the Trust holds and is further limited by the fact that all options represent 100 share lots of the underlying common stock. Furthermore, the Trust’s options transactions will be subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities on which such options are traded. These limitations govern the maximum number of options in each class which may be written or purchased by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert, regardless of whether the options are written or purchased on the same or different exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities or are held or written in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. Thus, the number of options which the Trust may write or purchase may be affected by options written or purchased by other investment advisory clients of the Advisor. An exchange, board of trade or other trading facility may order the liquidation of positions found to be in excess of these limits, and it may impose certain other sanctions.
Tax Risk.
Income on options on individual stocks will generally not be recognized by the Trust for tax purposes until an option is exercised, lapses or is subject to a “closing transaction” (as defined by applicable regulations) pursuant to which the Trust’s obligations with respect to the option are otherwise terminated. If the option lapses without exercise or is otherwise subject to a closing transaction, the premiums received by the Trust from the writing of such options will generally be characterized as short-term capital gain. If an option written by the Trust is exercised, the Trust may recognize taxable gain depending on the exercise price of the option, the option premium, and the tax basis of the security underlying the option. The character of any gain on the sale of the underlying security as short-term or long-term capital gain will depend on the holding period of the Trust in the underlying security. In general, distributions received by shareholders of the Trust that are attributable to short-term capital gains recognized by the Trust from its option writing activities will be taxed to such shareholders as ordinary income and will not be eligible for the reduced tax rate applicable to qualified dividend income.
Options on indices of securities and sectors of securities will generally be “marked-to-market” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Trust will generally recognize gain or loss on the last day of each taxable year equal to the difference between the value of the option on that date and the adjusted basis of the option. The adjusted basis of the option will consequently be increased by such gain or decreased by such loss. Any gain or loss with respect to options on
indices and sectors will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss to the extent of 40% of such gain or loss and long-term capital gain or loss to the extent of 60% of such gain or loss. Because the mark-to-market rules may cause the Trust to recognize gain in advance of the receipt of cash, the Trust may be required to dispose of investments in order to meet its distribution requirements.
Preferred Securities Risk
There are special risks associated with investing in preferred securities, including:
Deferral
. Preferred securities may include provisions that permit the issuer, at its discretion, to defer distributions for a stated period without any adverse consequences to the issuer. If the Trust owns a preferred security that is deferring its distributions, the Trust may be required to report income for tax purposes although it has not yet received such income.
Subordination
. Preferred securities are subordinated to bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital structure in terms of having priority to corporate income and liquidation payments, and therefore will be subject to greater credit risk than debt instruments.
Limited Voting Rights
. Generally, preferred security holders (such as the Trust) have no voting rights with respect to the issuing company unless preferred dividends have been in arrears for a specified number of periods, at which time the preferred security holders may elect a number of directors to the issuer’s board. Generally, once all the arrearages have been paid, the preferred security holders no longer have voting rights. In the case of trust preferred securities, holders generally have no voting rights, except if (i) the issuer fails to pay dividends for a specified period of time or (ii) a declaration of default occurs and is continuing.
Special Redemption Rights
. In certain varying circumstances, an issuer of preferred securities may redeem the securities prior to a specified date. For instance, for certain types of preferred securities, a redemption may be triggered by certain changes in U.S. federal income tax or securities laws. As with call provisions, a special redemption by the issuer may negatively impact the return of the security held by the Trust.
Trust Preferred Securities
. Trust preferred securities are typically issued by corporations, generally in the form of interest bearing notes with preferred securities characteristics, or by an affiliated business trust of a corporation, generally in the form of beneficial interests in subordinated debentures or similarly structured securities. The trust preferred securities market consists of both fixed and adjustable coupon rate securities that are either perpetual in nature or have stated maturity dates.
Trust preferred securities are typically junior and fully subordinated liabilities of an issuer and benefit from a guarantee that is junior and fully subordinated to the other liabilities of the guarantor. In addition, trust preferred securities typically permit an issuer to defer the payment of income for five years or more without triggering an event of default. Because of their subordinated position in the capital structure of an issuer, the ability to defer payments for extended periods of time without default consequences to the issuer, and certain other features (such as restrictions on common dividend payments by the issuer or ultimate guarantor when full cumulative payments on the trust preferred securities have not been made), these trust preferred securities are often treated as close substitutes for traditional preferred securities, both by issuers and investors.
Trust preferred securities include but are not limited to trust originated preferred securities ("TOPRS
®
"); monthly income preferred securities ("MIPS
®
"); quarterly income bond securities ("QUIBS
®
" ); quarterly income debt securities ("QUIDS
®
"); quarterly income preferred securities ("QUIPS
SM
"); corporate trust securities ("CORTS
®
"); public income notes ("PINES
®
"); and other trust preferred securities.
Trust preferred securities are typically issued with a final maturity date, although some are perpetual in nature. In certain instances, a final maturity date may be extended and/or the final payment of principal may be deferred at the issuer's option for a specified time without default. No redemption can typically take place unless all cumulative payment obligations have been met, although issuers may be able to engage in open-market repurchases without regard to whether all payments have been paid.
Many trust preferred securities are issued by trusts or other special purpose entities established by operating companies and are not a direct obligation of an operating company. At the time the trust or special purpose entity sells such preferred securities to investors, it purchases debt of the operating company (with terms comparable to those of the trust or special purpose entity securities), which enables the operating company to deduct for tax purposes the interest paid on the
debt held by the trust or special purpose entity. The trust or special purpose entity is generally required to be treated as transparent for U.S. federal income tax purposes such that the holders of the trust preferred securities are treated as owning beneficial interests in the underlying debt of the operating company. Accordingly, payments on the trust preferred securities are treated as interest rather than dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The trust or special purpose entity in turn would be a holder of the operating company's debt and would have priority with respect to the operating company's earnings and profits over the operating company's common shareholders, but would typically be subordinated to other classes of the operating company's debt. Typically a preferred share has a rating that is slightly below that of its corresponding operating company's senior debt securities.
New Types of Securities
. From time to time, preferred securities, including trust preferred securities, have been, and may in the future be, offered having features other than those described herein. The Trust reserves the right to invest in these securities if the Advisor believes that doing so would be consistent with the Trust’s investment objectives and policies. Since the market for these instruments would be new, the Trust may have difficulty disposing of them at a suitable price and time. In addition to limited liquidity, these instruments may present other risks, such as high price volatility.
Convertible Securities Risk
Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible securities of similar quality. As with all fixed income securities, the market values of convertible securities tend to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, to increase as interest rates decline. However, when the market price of the common stock underlying a convertible security exceeds the conversion price, the convertible security tends to reflect the market price of the underlying common stock. As the market price of the underlying common stock declines, the convertible security tends to trade increasingly on a yield basis and thus may not decline in price to the same extent as the underlying common stock. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in an issuer’s capital structure and consequently entail less risk than the issuer’s common stock.
The Trust 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. A holder of a synthetic convertible security faces the risk of a decline in the price of the security or the level of the index involved in the convertible component, causing a decline in the value of the security or instrument, such as a call option or warrant, purchased to create the synthetic convertible security. Should the price of the stock fall below the exercise price and remain there throughout the exercise period, the entire amount paid for the call option or warrant would be lost. Because a synthetic convertible security includes the income-producing component as well, the holder of a synthetic convertible security also faces the risk that interest rates will rise, causing a decline in the value of the income-producing instrument. Synthetic convertible securities are also subject to the risks associated with derivatives.
Warrants Risk
If the price of the underlying stock does not rise above the exercise price before the warrant expires, the warrant generally expires without any value and the Trust loses any amount it paid for the warrant. Thus, investments in warrants may involve substantially more risk than investments in common stock. Warrants may trade in the same markets as their underlying stock; however, the price of the warrant does not necessarily move with the price of the underlying stock.
REITs Risk
To the extent that the Trust invests in real estate related investments, including REITs, it will be subject to the risks associated with owning real estate and with the real estate industry generally. These include difficulties in valuing and disposing of real estate, the possibility of declines in the value of real estate, risks related to general and local economic conditions, the possibility of adverse changes in the climate for real estate, environmental liability risks, the risk of increases in property taxes and operating expenses, possible adverse changes in zoning laws, the risk of casualty or condemnation losses, limitations on rents, the possibility of adverse changes in interest rates and in the credit markets and the possibility of borrowers paying off mortgages sooner than expected, which may lead to reinvestment of assets at lower prevailing interest rates. To the extent that the Trust invests in REITs, it will also be subject to the risk that a REIT may default on its obligations or go bankrupt. REITs are generally not taxed on income timely distributed to shareholders, provided they comply with the applicable requirements of the Code. By investing in REITs indirectly through the Trust, a shareholder will bear not only his or her proportionate share of the expenses of the Trust, but also, indirectly, similar expenses of the REITs. Mortgage REITs are pooled investment vehicles that invest the majority of their assets in real property mortgages and which generally derive income primarily from interest payments thereon. Investing in mortgage REITs involves certain risks related to investing in real property mortgages. In addition, mortgage REITs must satisfy highly technical and complex requirements
in order to qualify for the favorable tax treatment accorded to REITs under the Code. No assurances can be given that a mortgage REIT in which the Trust invests will be able to continue to qualify as a REIT or that complying with the REIT requirements under the Code will not adversely affect such REIT’s ability to execute its business plan.
Many REITs focus on particular types of properties or properties which are especially suited for certain uses, and those REITs are affected by the risks which impact the users of their properties. For REITs that own healthcare facilities, for example, the physical characteristics of these properties and their operations are highly regulated, and those regulations often require capital expenditures or restrict the profits realizable from these properties. Some of these properties are also highly dependent upon Medicare and Medicaid payments, which are subject to changes in governmental budgets and policies. These properties may experience losses if their tenants receive lower Medicare or Medicaid rates.
Master Limited Partnerships Risk
Investments in publicly traded MLPs, which are limited partnerships or limited liability companies taxable as partnerships, involve some risks that differ from an investment in the common stock of a corporation. MLPs may derive income and gains from the exploration, development, mining or production, processing, refining, transportation (including pipelines transporting gas, oil, or products thereof), or the marketing of any mineral or natural resources. MLPs generally have two classes of owners, the general partner and limited partners. When investing in an MLP, the Trust generally purchases publicly traded common units issued to limited partners of the MLP. The general partner is typically owned by a major energy company, an investment fund, the direct management of the MLP or is an entity owned by one or more of such parties. The general partner may be structured as a private or publicly traded corporation or other entity. The general partner typically controls the operations and management of the MLP through an up to 2% equity interest in the MLP plus, in many cases, ownership of common units and subordinated units. Limited partners own the remainder of the partnership, through ownership of common units, and have a limited role in the partnership’s operations and management. As compared to common stockholders of a corporation, holders of MLP common units have more limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the partnership.
MLPs are typically structured such that common units and general partner interests have first priority to receive quarterly cash distributions up to an established minimum amount (“minimum quarterly distributions” or “MQD”). Common and general partner interests also accrue arrearages in distributions to the extent the MQD is not paid. Once common and general partner interests have been paid, subordinated units receive distributions of up to the MQD; however, subordinated units do not accrue arrearages. Distributable cash in excess of the MQD paid to both common and subordinated units is distributed to both common and subordinated units generally on a pro rata basis. The general partner is also eligible to receive incentive distributions if the general partner operates the business in a manner which results in distributions paid per common unit surpassing specified target levels. As the general partner increases cash distributions to the limited partners, the general partner receives an increasingly higher percentage of the incremental cash distributions. A common arrangement provides that the general partner can reach a tier where it receives 50% of every incremental dollar paid to common and subordinated unit holders. These incentive distributions encourage the general partner to streamline costs, increase capital expenditures and acquire assets in order to increase the partnership’s cash flow and raise the quarterly cash distribution in order to reach higher tiers. Such results benefit all security holders of the MLP.
MLP common units represent a limited partnership interest in the MLP. Common units are listed and traded on U.S. securities exchanges, with their value fluctuating predominantly based on prevailing market conditions and the success of the MLP. The Trust will generally purchase common units in market transactions. Unlike owners of common stock of a corporation, owners of common units have limited voting rights and have no ability annually to elect directors. In the event of liquidation, common units have preference over subordinated units, but not over debt or preferred units, to the remaining assets of the MLP.
Restricted and Illiquid Securities Risk
The Trust may invest without limitation in illiquid or less liquid securities or securities in which no secondary market is readily available or which are otherwise illiquid, including private placement securities. The Trust may not be able to readily dispose of such securities at prices that approximate those at which the Trust could sell such securities if they were more widely-traded and, as a result of such illiquidity, the Trust may have to sell other investments or engage in borrowing transactions if necessary to raise cash to meet its obligations. Limited liquidity can also affect the market price of securities, thereby adversely affecting the Trust’s net asset value and ability to make dividend distributions. The financial markets in general, and certain segments of the mortgage related securities markets in particular, have in recent years experienced periods of extreme secondary market supply and demand imbalance, resulting in a loss of liquidity during which market prices were suddenly and substantially below traditional measures of intrinsic value. During such periods, some securities
could be sold only at arbitrary prices and with substantial losses. Periods of such market dislocation may occur again at any time. Privately issued debt securities are often of below investment grade quality, frequently are unrated and present many of the same risks as investing in below investment grade public debt securities.
Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”), or that may be sold only in a privately negotiated transaction or pursuant to an exemption from registration. When registration is required to sell a security, the Trust may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses and considerable time may pass before the Trust is permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If adverse market conditions develop during this period, the Trust might obtain a less favorable price than the price that prevailed when the Trust decided to sell. The Trust may be unable to sell restricted and other illiquid securities at opportune times or prices.
Investment Companies and ETFs Risk
Subject to the limitations set forth in the Investment Company Act and the Trust’s governing documents or as otherwise permitted by the SEC, the Trust may acquire shares in other investment companies, including ETFs or BDCs. The market value of the shares of other investment companies, ETFs and BDCs may differ from their net asset value. As an investor in investment companies, ETFs and BDCs, the Trust would bear its ratable share of that entity’s expenses, including its investment advisory and administration fees, while continuing to pay its own advisory and administration fees and other expenses. As a result, shareholders will be absorbing duplicate levels of fees with respect to investments in other investment companies, ETFs and BDCs.
The securities of other investment companies, ETFs and BDCs in which the Trust may invest may be leveraged. As a result, the Trust may be indirectly exposed to leverage through an investment in such securities. An investment in securities of other investment companies, ETFs and BDCs that use leverage may expose the Trust to higher volatility in the market value of such securities and the possibility that the Trust’s long-term returns on such securities (and, indirectly, the long-term returns of the Trust’s common shares) will be diminished.
ETFs are generally not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments relating to its index. An ETF typically invests in securities included in, or representative of, its index regardless of their investment merits and does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets.
Fixed Income Securities Risks
Fixed income securities in which the Trust may invest are generally subject to the following risks:
Interest Rate Risk.
The market value of bonds and other fixed-income securities changes in response to interest rate changes and other factors. Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. The Trust may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to the current period of historically low interest rates. The magnitude of these fluctuations in the market price of bonds and other fixed-income securities is generally greater for those securities with longer maturities. Fluctuations in the market price of the Trust’s investments will not affect interest income derived from instruments already owned by the Trust, but will be reflected in the Trust’s NAV. The Trust may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply in a manner not anticipated by Trust management. To the extent the Trust invests in debt securities that may be prepaid at the option of the obligor (such as mortgage-related securities), the sensitivity of such securities to changes in interest rates may increase (to the detriment of the Trust) when interest rates rise. 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 Trust to the extent that it invests in floating rate debt securities. These basic principles of bond prices also apply to U.S. Government securities. A security backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government is guaranteed only as to its stated interest rate and face value at maturity, not its current market price. Just like other fixed-income securities, government-guaranteed securities will fluctuate in value when interest rates change.
During periods in which the Trust may use leverage, such use of leverage will tend to increase the Trust’s interest rate risk. The Trust may utilize certain strategies, including taking positions in futures or interest rate swaps, for the purpose of reducing the interest rate sensitivity of fixed income securities held by the Trust and decreasing the Trust’s exposure to interest rate risk. The Trust is not required to hedge its exposure to interest rate risk and may choose not to do so. In addition, there is no assurance that any attempts by the Trust to reduce interest rate risk will be successful or that any hedges that the Trust may establish will perfectly correlate with movements in interest rates.
The Trust may invest in variable and floating rate debt instruments, which generally are less sensitive to interest rate changes than longer duration fixed rate instruments, but may decline in value in response to rising interest rates if, for example, the rates at which they pay interest do not rise as much, or as quickly, as market interest rates in general. Conversely, variable and floating rate instruments generally will not increase in value if interest rates decline. The Trust also may invest in inverse floating rate debt securities, which may decrease in value if interest rates increase, and which also may exhibit greater price volatility than fixed rate debt obligations with similar credit quality. To the extent the Trust holds variable or floating rate instruments, 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, which may adversely affect the NAV of the Trust’s common shares.
Issuer Risk
. The value of fixed income securities may decline for a number of reasons which 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.
Credit Risk
. Credit risk is the risk that one or more fixed income securities in the Trust’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. To the extent the Trust invests in below investment grade securities, it will be exposed to a greater amount of credit risk than a fund which only invests in investment grade securities. See “—Below Investment Grade Securities Risk.” In addition, to the extent the Trust uses credit derivatives, such use will expose it to additional risk in the event that the bonds underlying the derivatives default. The degree of credit risk depends on the issuer’s financial condition and on the terms of the securities.
Prepayment Risk
. During periods of declining interest rates, borrowers may exercise their option to prepay principal earlier than scheduled. For fixed rate securities, such payments often occur during periods of declining interest rates, forcing the Trust to reinvest in lower yielding securities, resulting in a possible decline in the Trust’s income and distributions to shareholders. This is known as prepayment or “call” risk. Below investment grade securities frequently have call features that allow the issuer to redeem the security at dates prior to its stated maturity at a specified price (typically greater than par) only if certain prescribed conditions are met (“call protection”). For premium bonds (bonds acquired at prices that exceed their par or principal value) purchased by the Trust, prepayment risk may be enhanced.
Reinvestment Risk
. Reinvestment risk is the risk that income from the Trust’s portfolio will decline if the Trust invests the proceeds from matured, traded or called fixed income securities at market interest rates that are below the Trust portfolio’s current earnings rate.
Duration and Maturity Risk
. The Trust has no set policy regarding portfolio maturity or duration. The Advisor may seek to adjust the portfolio’s duration or maturity based on their assessment of current and projected market conditions and all factors that the Advisor deems relevant. Any decisions as to the targeted duration or maturity of any particular category of investments or of the Trust’s portfolio generally will be made based on all pertinent market factors at any given time. The Trust may incur costs in seeking to adjust the portfolio average duration or maturity. There can be no assurance that the Advisor’s assessment of current and projected market conditions will be correct or that any strategy to adjust the portfolio’s duration or maturity will be successful at any given time. Generally speaking, the longer the duration of the Trust’s portfolio, the more exposure the Trust will have to the interest rate risks described above.
Corporate Bonds Risk
The market value of a corporate bond generally may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates. The market value of intermediate and longer term corporate bonds is generally more sensitive to changes in interest rates than is the market value of shorter term corporate bonds. The market value of a corporate bond also may be affected by factors directly related to the issuer, such as investors’ perceptions of the creditworthiness of the issuer, the issuer’s financial performance, perceptions of the issuer in the market place, performance of management of the issuer, the issuer’s capital structure and use of financial leverage and demand for the issuer’s goods and services. Certain risks associated with investments in corporate bonds are described elsewhere in this Prospectus in further detail, including under “—Fixed Income Securities Risks—Credit Risk,” “—Fixed Income Securities Risks—Interest Rate Risk,” “—Fixed Income Securities Risks—Prepayment Risk,” “—Inflation Risk” and “—Deflation Risk.” There is a risk that the issuers of corporate bonds may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument. Corporate bonds of below investment grade quality are often high risk and have speculative characteristics and may be particularly susceptible to adverse issuer-specific developments. Corporate bonds of below investment grade quality are subject to the risks described herein under “—Below Investment Grade Securities Risk.”
Below Investment Grade Securities Risk
The Trust may invest in securities that are rated, at the time of investment, below investment grade quality (rated Ba/BB or below, or unrated but judged to be of comparable quality by the Advisor), which are commonly referred to as “high yield” or “junk” bonds and are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal. The value of high yield, lower quality bonds is affected by the creditworthiness of the issuers of the securities and by general economic and specific industry conditions. Issuers of high yield bonds are not perceived to be as strong financially as those with higher credit ratings. These issuers are more vulnerable to financial setbacks and recession than more creditworthy issuers, which may impair their ability to make interest and principal payments. Lower grade securities may be particularly susceptible to economic downturns. It is likely that an economic recession could severely disrupt the market for such securities and may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities. In addition, it is likely that any such economic downturn could adversely affect the ability of the issuers of such securities to repay principal and pay interest thereon and increase the incidence of default for such securities. See “—Risk Associated with Recent Market Events.”
Lower grade securities, though high yielding, are characterized by high risk. They may be subject to certain risks with respect to the issuing entity and to greater market fluctuations than certain lower yielding, higher rated securities. The secondary market for lower grade securities may be less liquid than that for higher rated securities. Adverse conditions could make it difficult at times for the Trust to sell certain securities or could result in lower prices than those used in calculating the Trust’s net asset value. Because of the substantial risks associated with investments in lower grade securities, you could lose money on your investment in common shares of the Trust, both in the short-term and the long-term.
The prices of fixed income securities generally are inversely related to interest rate changes; however, below investment grade securities historically have been somewhat less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher quality securities of comparable maturity because credit quality is also a significant factor in the valuation of lower grade securities. On the other hand, an increased rate environment results in increased borrowing costs generally, which may impair the credit quality of low-grade issuers and thus have a more significant effect on the value of some lower grade securities. In addition, the current extraordinary low rate environment has expanded the historic universe of buyers of lower grade securities as traditional investment grade oriented investors have been forced to accept more risk in order to maintain income. As rates rise, these recent entrants to the low-grade securities market may exit the market and reduce demand for lower grade securities, potentially resulting in greater price volatility.
The ratings of Moody’s, S&P, Fitch and other rating agencies represent their opinions as to the quality of the obligations which they undertake to rate. Ratings are relative and subjective and, although ratings may be useful in evaluating the safety of interest and principal payments, they do not evaluate the market value risk of such obligations. Although these ratings may be an initial criterion for selection of portfolio investments, the Advisor also will independently evaluate these securities and the ability of the issuers of such securities to pay interest and principal. To the extent that the Trust invests in lower grade securities that have not been rated by a rating agency, the Trust’s ability to achieve its investment objectives will be more dependent on the Advisor’s credit analysis than would be the case when the Trust invests in rated securities.
The Trust may invest in securities rated in the lower rating categories (rated as low as D, or unrated but judged to be of comparable quality by the Advisor). For these securities, the risks associated with below investment grade instruments are more pronounced. The Trust may purchase stressed or distressed securities, including securities that are in default or the issuers of which are in bankruptcy, which involve heightened risks. See “—Distressed and Defaulted Securities Risk.”
Distressed and Defaulted Securities Risk
Investments in the securities of financially distressed issuers are speculative and involve substantial risks. These securities may present a substantial risk of default or may be in default at the time of investment. The Trust 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. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a portfolio company, the Trust may lose its entire investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than its original investment. Among the risks inherent in investments in a troubled entity is the fact that it frequently may be difficult to obtain information as to the true financial condition of such issuer. The Advisor’s judgment about the credit quality of the issuer and the relative value and liquidity of its securities may prove to be wrong. Distressed securities and any securities received in an exchange for such securities may be subject to restrictions on resale.
Yield and Ratings Risk
The yields on certain obligations are dependent on a variety of factors, including general market conditions, conditions in the particular market for the obligation, the financial condition of the issuer, the size of the offering, the maturity of the obligation and the ratings of the issue. The ratings of Moody’s, S&P and Fitch, which are described in Appendix A, represent their respective opinions as to the quality of the obligations they undertake to rate. Ratings, however, are general and are not absolute standards of quality. Consequently, obligations with the same rating, maturity and interest rate may have different market prices. Subsequent to its purchase by the Trust, a rated security may cease to be rated. The Advisor will consider such an event in determining whether the Trust should continue to hold the security.
Unrated Securities Risk
Because the Trust may purchase securities that are not rated by any rating organization, the Advisor may, after assessing their credit quality, internally assign ratings to certain of those securities in categories similar to those of rating organizations. Some unrated securities may not have an active trading market or may be difficult to value, which means the Trust might have difficulty selling them promptly at an acceptable price. To the extent that the Trust invests in unrated securities, the Trust’s ability to achieve its investment objectives will be more dependent on the Advisor’s credit analysis than would be the case when the Trust invests in rated securities.
U.S. Government Securities Risk
U.S. Government debt securities generally involve lower levels of credit risk than other types of fixed income securities of similar maturities, although, as a result, the yields available from U.S. Government debt securities are generally lower than the yields available from such other securities. Like other fixed income securities, the values of U.S. Government securities change as interest rates fluctuate. On August 5, 2011, S&P lowered its long-term sovereign credit rating on U.S. Government debt to AA+ from AAA. The downgrade by S&P and any future downgrades by other rating agencies could increase volatility in both stock and bond markets, result in higher interest rates and higher Treasury yields and increase borrowing costs generally. These events could have significant adverse effects on the economy generally and could result in significant adverse impacts on securities issuers and the Trust. The Advisor cannot predict the effects of these or similar events in the future on the U.S. economy and securities markets or on the Trust’s portfolio.
Insolvency Considerations with Respect to Issuers of Indebtedness
Various laws enacted for the protection of creditors may apply to indebtedness in which the Trust invests. The information in this and the following paragraph is applicable with respect to U.S. issuers subject to U.S. federal bankruptcy law. Insolvency considerations may differ with respect to other issuers. If, in a lawsuit brought by an unpaid creditor or representative of creditors of an issuer of indebtedness, a court were to find that the issuer did not receive fair consideration or reasonably equivalent value for incurring the indebtedness and that, after giving effect to such indebtedness, the issuer (i) was insolvent, (ii) was engaged in a business for which the remaining assets of such issuer constituted unreasonably small capital or (iii) intended to incur, or believed that it would incur, debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature, such court could determine to invalidate, in whole or in part, such indebtedness as a fraudulent conveyance, to subordinate such indebtedness to existing or future creditors of such issuer, or to recover amounts previously paid by such issuer in satisfaction of such indebtedness. The measure of insolvency for purposes of the foregoing will vary. Generally, an issuer would be considered insolvent at a particular time if the sum of its debts was then greater than all of its property at a fair valuation, or if the present fair saleable value of its assets was then less than the amount that would be required to pay its probable liabilities on its existing debts as they became absolute and matured. There can be no assurance as to what standard a court would apply in order to determine whether the issuer was “insolvent” after giving effect to the incurrence of the indebtedness in which the Trust invested or that, regardless of the method of valuation, a court would not determine that the issuer was “insolvent” upon giving effect to such incurrence. In addition, in the event of the insolvency of an issuer of indebtedness in which the Trust invests, payments made on such indebtedness could be subject to avoidance as a “preference” if made within a certain period of time (which may be as long as one year) before insolvency.
The Trust does not anticipate that it will engage in conduct that would form the basis for a successful cause of action based upon fraudulent conveyance, preference or equitable subordination. There can be no assurance, however, as to whether any lending institution or other party from which the Trust may acquire such indebtedness engaged in any such conduct (or any other conduct that would subject such indebtedness and the Trust to insolvency laws) and, if it did, as to whether such creditor claims could be asserted in a U.S. court (or in the courts of any other country) against the Trust.
Indebtedness consisting of obligations of non-U.S. issuers may be subject to various laws enacted in the countries of their issuance for the protection of creditors. These insolvency considerations will differ depending on the country in which each issuer is located or domiciled and may differ depending on whether the issuer is a non-sovereign or a sovereign entity.
Non-U.S. Securities Risk
The Trust may invest in Non-U.S. Securities. Such investments involve certain risks not involved in domestic investments. Securities markets in foreign countries often are not as developed, efficient or liquid as securities markets in the United States and, therefore, the prices of Non-U.S. Securities can be more volatile. Certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of Non-U.S. Securities to make payments of principal and interest to investors located outside the country. In addition, the Trust will be subject to risks associated with adverse political and economic developments in foreign countries, which could cause the Trust to lose money on its investments in Non-U.S. Securities. The Trust will be subject to additional risks if it invests in Non-U.S. Securities, which include seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits. Non-U.S. Securities may trade on days when the Trust’s common shares are not priced or traded.
Rules adopted under the Investment Company Act permit the Trust to maintain its Non-U.S. Securities and foreign currency in the custody of certain eligible non-U.S. banks and securities depositories, and the Trust generally holds its Non-U.S. Securities and foreign currency in foreign banks and securities depositories. Some foreign banks and securities depositories may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In addition, there may be limited or no regulatory oversight of their operations. Also, the laws of certain countries limit the Trust’s ability to recover its assets if a foreign bank, depository or issuer of a security, or any of their agents, goes bankrupt. In addition, it is often more expensive for the Trust to buy, sell and hold securities in certain foreign markets than in the United States. The increased expense of investing in foreign markets reduces the amount the Trust can earn on its investments and typically results in a higher operating expense ratio for the Trust than for investment companies invested only in the United States.
Certain banks in foreign countries may not be eligible sub-custodians for the Trust, in which event the Trust may be precluded from purchasing securities in certain foreign countries in which it otherwise would invest or the Trust may incur additional costs and delays in providing transportation and custody services for such securities outside of such countries. The Trust may encounter difficulties in effecting portfolio transactions on a timely basis with respect to any securities of issuers held outside their countries.
The economies of certain foreign markets may not compare favorably with the economy of the United States with respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources and balance of payments position. Certain foreign economies may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of capital controls, nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets or the imposition of punitive taxes. In addition, the governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investments in their capital markets or in certain industries. Any of these actions could severely affect securities prices or impair the Trust’s ability to purchase or sell Non-U.S. Securities or transfer the Trust’s assets or income back into the United States, or otherwise adversely affect the Trust’s operations. In addition, the U.S. Government has from time to time in the past imposed restrictions, through penalties and otherwise, on foreign investments by U.S. investors such as the Trust. If such restrictions should be reinstituted, it might become necessary for the Trust to invest all or substantially all of its assets in U.S. securities.
Other potential foreign market risks include foreign exchange controls, difficulties in pricing securities, defaults on foreign government securities, difficulties in enforcing legal judgments in foreign courts and political and social instability. Diplomatic and political developments, including rapid and adverse political changes, social instability, regional conflicts, terrorism and war, could affect the economies, industries and securities and currency markets, and the value of the Trust’s investments, in non-U.S. countries. These factors are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to predict and take into account with respect to the Trust’s investments.
In general, less information is publicly available with respect to foreign issuers than is available with respect to U.S. companies. Accounting standards in other countries are not necessarily the same as in the United States. If the accounting standards in another country do not require as much detail as U.S. accounting standards, it may be harder for the Advisor to completely and accurately determine a company’s financial condition.
Many foreign governments do not supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities to the same extent as such regulations exist in the United States. They also may not have laws to protect investors that are comparable to U.S. securities laws. For example, some foreign countries may have no laws or rules against insider trading. Insider trading occurs when a person buys or sells a company’s securities based on material non-public information about that company. In addition, some countries may have legal systems that may make it difficult for the Trust to vote proxies, exercise shareholder rights, and pursue legal remedies with respect to its Non-U.S. Securities.
Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the United States. Foreign settlement and clearance procedures and trade regulations also may involve certain risks (such as delays in payment for or delivery of securities) not typically associated with the settlement of U.S. investments. Communications between the United States and foreign countries may be unreliable, increasing the risk of delayed settlements or losses of security certificates in markets that still rely on physical settlement. At times, settlements in certain foreign countries have not kept pace with the number of securities transactions. These problems may make it difficult for the Trust to carry out transactions. If the Trust cannot settle or is delayed in settling a purchase of securities, it may miss attractive investment opportunities and certain of its assets may be uninvested with no return earned thereon for some period. If the Trust cannot settle or is delayed in settling a sale of securities, it may lose money if the value of the security then declines or, if it has contracted to sell the security to another party, the Trust could be liable for any losses incurred.
While the volume of transactions effected on foreign stock exchanges has increased in recent years, it remains appreciably below that of the NYSE. Accordingly, the Trust’s Non-U.S. Securities may be less liquid and their prices may be more volatile than comparable investments in securities in U.S. companies.
A number of countries have authorized the formation of closed-end investment companies to facilitate indirect foreign investment in their capital markets. In accordance with the Investment Company Act, the Trust may invest up to 10% of its total assets in securities of closed-end investment companies, not more than 5% of which may be invested in any one such company. This restriction on investments in securities of closed-end investment companies may limit opportunities for the Trust to invest indirectly in certain smaller capital markets. Shares of certain closed-end investment companies may at times be acquired only at market prices representing premiums to their NAVs. If the Trust acquires shares in closed-end investment companies, shareholders would bear both their proportionate share of the Trust’s expenses (including investment advisory fees) and, indirectly, the expenses of such closed-end investment companies. The Trust also may seek, at its own cost, to create its own investment entities under the laws of certain countries.
Emerging Markets Risk
The Trust may invest in Non-U.S. Securities of issuers in so-called “emerging markets” (or lesser developed countries). Such investments are particularly speculative and entail all of the risks of investing in Non-U.S. Securities but to a heightened degree. “Emerging market” countries generally include every nation in the world except developed countries, that is, the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and most countries located in Western Europe. Investments in the securities of issuers domiciled in countries with emerging capital markets involve certain additional risks that do not generally apply to investments in securities of issuers in more developed capital markets, such as (i) low or non-existent trading volume, resulting in a lack of liquidity and increased volatility in prices for such securities, as compared to securities of comparable issuers in more developed capital markets; (ii) uncertain national policies and social, political and economic instability, increasing the potential for expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, high rates of inflation or unfavorable diplomatic developments; (iii) possible fluctuations in exchange rates, differing legal systems and the existence or possible imposition of exchange controls, custodial restrictions or other foreign or U.S. governmental laws or restrictions applicable to such investments; (iv) national policies that may limit the Trust’s investment opportunities such as restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests; and (v) the lack or relatively early development of legal structures governing private and foreign investments and private property.
Foreign investment in certain emerging market countries may be restricted or controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions or controls may at times limit or preclude foreign investment in certain emerging market issuers and increase the costs and expenses of the Trust. Certain emerging market countries require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons in a particular issuer, 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.
Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations, which adversely affect returns to U.S. investors. In addition, many emerging markets have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than developed markets. Since these markets are often small, they may be more likely to suffer sharp and frequent price changes or long-term price depression because of adverse publicity, investor perceptions or the actions of a few large investors. In addition, traditional measures of investment value used in the United States, such as price to earnings ratios, may not apply to certain small markets. Also, there may be less publicly available information about issuers in emerging markets than would be available about issuers in more developed capital markets, and such issuers may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to those to which U.S. companies are subject. In certain countries with emerging capital markets, reporting standards vary widely.
Many emerging markets have histories of political instability and abrupt changes in policies and these countries may lack the social, political and economic stability characteristic of more developed countries. As a result, their governments are more likely to take actions that are hostile or detrimental to private enterprise or foreign investment than those of more developed countries, including expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, high rates of inflation or unfavorable diplomatic developments. In the past, governments of such nations have expropriated substantial amounts of private property, and most claims of the property owners have never been fully settled. There is no assurance that such expropriations will not reoccur. In such an event, it is possible that the Trust could lose the entire value of its investments in the affected market. Some countries have pervasiveness of corruption and crime that may hinder investments. Certain emerging markets may also face other significant internal or external risks, including the risk of war, and ethnic, religious and racial conflicts. In addition, governments in many emerging market countries participate to a significant degree in their economies and securities markets, which may impair investment and economic growth. National policies that may limit the Trust’s investment opportunities include restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests. In such a dynamic environment, there can be no assurance that any or all of these capital markets will continue to present viable investment opportunities for the Trust.
Emerging markets may also have differing legal systems and the existence or possible imposition of exchange controls, custodial restrictions or other foreign or U.S. governmental laws or restrictions applicable to such investments. Sometimes, they may lack or be in the relatively early development of legal structures governing private and foreign investments and private property. In addition to withholding taxes on investment income, some countries with emerging markets may impose differential capital gains taxes on foreign investors.
Practices in relation to settlement of securities transactions in emerging markets involve higher risks than those in developed markets, in part because the Trust will need to use brokers and counterparties that are less well capitalized, and custody and registration of assets in some countries may be unreliable. The possibility of fraud, negligence, undue influence being exerted by the issuer or refusal to recognize ownership exists in some emerging markets, and, along with other factors, could result in ownership registration being completely lost. The Trust would absorb any loss resulting from such registration problems and may have no successful claim for compensation. In addition, communications between the United States and emerging market countries may be unreliable, increasing the risk of delayed settlements or losses of security certificates.
Foreign Currency Risk
Because the Trust may invest in securities denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, changes in foreign currency exchange rates may affect the value of securities in the Trust and the unrealized appreciation or depreciation of investments. Currencies of certain countries may be volatile and therefore may affect the value of securities denominated in such currencies, which means that the Trust’s net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. The Advisor may, but is not required to, elect for the Trust to seek to protect itself from changes in currency exchange rates through hedging transactions depending on market conditions. In addition, certain countries, particularly emerging market countries, may impose foreign currency exchange controls or other restrictions on the transferability, repatriation or convertibility of currency.
LIBOR Risk
According to various reports, certain financial institutions, commencing as early as 2005 and throughout the global financial crisis, routinely made artificially low submissions in the LIBOR rate setting process. Since the LIBOR scandal came to light, several financial institutions have been fined significant amounts by various financial regulators in connection with allegations of manipulation of LIBOR rates. Other financial institutions in various countries are being investigated for similar actions. These developments may have adversely affected the interest rates on securities whose interest payments were determined by reference to LIBOR. Any future similar developments could, in turn, reduce the value of such securities owned by the Trust.
Leverage Risk
The use of leverage creates an opportunity for increased common share net investment income dividends, but also creates risks for the holders of common shares. The Trust cannot assure you that the use of leverage, if employed, will result in a higher yield on the common shares. Any leveraging strategy the Trust employs may not be successful.
Leverage involves risks and special considerations for common shareholders, including:
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the likelihood of greater volatility of net asset value, market price and dividend rate of the common shares than a comparable portfolio without leverage;
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the risk that fluctuations in interest rates on borrowings and short-term debt or in the interest or dividend rates on any leverage that the Trust must pay will reduce the return to the common shareholders;
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the effect of leverage in a declining market, which is likely to cause a greater decline in the net asset value of the common shares than if the Trust were not leveraged, which may result in a greater decline in the market price of the common shares;
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when the Trust uses financial leverage, the management fee payable to the Advisor will be higher than if the Trust did not use leverage; and
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leverage may increase operating costs, which may reduce total return.
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Any decline in the net asset value of the Trust’s investments will be borne entirely by the holders of common shares. Therefore, if the market value of the Trust’s portfolio declines, leverage will result in a greater decrease in net asset value to the holders of common shares than if the Trust were not leveraged. This greater net asset value decrease will also tend to cause a greater decline in the market price for the common shares. While the Trust may from time to time consider reducing any outstanding leverage in response to actual or anticipated changes in interest rates in an effort to mitigate the increased volatility of current income and net asset value associated with leverage, there can be no assurance that the Trust will actually reduce any outstanding leverage in the future or that any reduction, if undertaken, will benefit the holders of common shares. Changes in the future direction of interest rates are very difficult to predict accurately. If the Trust were to reduce any outstanding leverage based on a prediction about future changes to interest rates, and that prediction turned out to be incorrect, the reduction in any outstanding leverage would likely operate to reduce the income and/or total returns to holders of common shares relative to the circumstance where the Trust had not reduced any of its outstanding leverage. The Trust may decide that this risk outweighs the likelihood of achieving the desired reduction to volatility in income and share price if the prediction were to turn out to be correct, and determine not to reduce any of its outstanding leverage as described above.
The Trust does not intend to borrow money or issue preferred shares during its first full year of operations, but may in the future borrow funds from banks or other financial institutions, or issue preferred shares, as described in this Prospectus.
Certain types of leverage the Trust may use may result in the Trust being subject to covenants relating to asset coverage and portfolio composition requirements. The Trust may be subject to certain restrictions on investments imposed by guidelines of one or more rating agencies, which may issue ratings for any debt securities or preferred shares issued by the Trust. The terms of any borrowings or these rating agency guidelines may impose asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed by the Investment Company Act. The Advisor does not believe that these covenants or guidelines will impede it from managing the Trust’s portfolio in accordance with the Trust’s investment objectives and policies.
The Trust may invest in the securities of other investment companies. Such investment companies may also be leveraged, and will therefore be subject to the leverage risks described above. This additional leverage may in certain market conditions reduce the net asset value of the Trust’s common shares and the returns to the holders of common shares.
Repurchase Agreements Risk
Subject to its investment objectives and policies, the Trust may invest in repurchase agreements for leverage or investment purposes. Repurchase agreements typically involve the acquisition by the Trust of fixed income securities from a selling financial institution such as a bank, savings and loan association or broker-dealer. The agreement provides that the Trust will sell the securities back to the institution at a fixed time in the future. The Trust does not bear the risk of a decline in the value of the underlying security unless the seller defaults under its repurchase obligation. In the event of the bankruptcy or other default of a seller of a repurchase agreement, the Trust could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying securities and losses, including possible decline in the value of the underlying security during the period in which the Trust seeks to enforce its rights thereto; possible lack of access to income on the underlying security during this period; and expenses of enforcing its rights. While repurchase agreements involve certain risks not associated with direct investments in fixed income securities, the Trust follows procedures approved by the Board that are designed to minimize such risks. In addition, the value of the collateral underlying the repurchase agreement will be at least equal to the repurchase price, including any accrued interest earned on the repurchase agreement. In the event of a default or bankruptcy by a selling financial institution, the Trust generally will seek to liquidate such collateral. However, the exercise of the Trust’s right to
liquidate such collateral could involve certain costs or delays and, to the extent that proceeds from any sale upon a default of the obligation to repurchase were less than the repurchase price, the Trust could suffer a loss.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk
Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risks that the interest income earned on the investment of the proceeds will be less than the interest expense of the Trust, that the market value of the securities sold by the Trust may decline below the price at which the Trust is obligated to repurchase the securities and that the securities may not be returned to the Trust. There is no assurance that reverse repurchase agreements can be successfully employed.
Dollar Roll Transactions Risk
Dollar roll transactions involve the risk that the market value of the securities the Trust is required to purchase may decline below the agreed upon repurchase price of those securities. If the broker/dealer to whom the Trust sells securities becomes insolvent, the Trust’s right to purchase or repurchase securities may be restricted. Successful use of dollar rolls may depend upon the Advisor’s ability to predict correctly interest rates and prepayments. There is no assurance that dollar rolls can be successfully employed. These transactions may involve leverage.
When-Issued, Forward Commitment and Delayed Delivery Transactions Risk
The Trust may purchase securities on a when-issued basis (including on a forward commitment or “TBA” (to be announced) basis) and may purchase or sell securities for delayed delivery. When-issued and delayed delivery transactions occur when securities are purchased or sold by the Trust with payment and delivery taking place in the future to secure an advantageous yield or price. Securities purchased on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis may expose the Trust to counterparty risk of default as well as the risk that securities may experience fluctuations in value prior to their actual delivery. The Trust will not accrue income with respect to a when-issued or delayed delivery security prior to its stated delivery date. Purchasing securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis can involve the additional risk that the price or yield available in the market when the delivery takes place may not be as favorable as that obtained in the transaction itself.
Event Risk
Event risk is the risk that corporate issuers may undergo restructurings, such as mergers, leveraged buyouts, takeovers, or similar events financed by increased debt. As a result of the added debt, the credit quality and market value of a company’s securities may decline significantly.
Defensive Investing Risk
For defensive purposes, the Trust may allocate assets into cash or short-term fixed income securities without limitation. In doing so, the Trust may succeed in avoiding losses but may otherwise fail to achieve its investment objectives. Further, the value of short-term fixed income securities may be affected by changing interest rates and by changes in credit ratings of the investments. If the Trust holds cash uninvested it will be subject to the credit risk of the depository institution holding the cash.
Structured Investments Risks
The Trust may invest in structured products, including structured notes, ELNs and other types of structured products. Holders of structured products bear risks of the underlying investments, index or reference obligation and are subject to counterparty risk. The Trust 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) will be 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 Trust.
Structured Notes Risk
. Investments in structured notes involve risks, including credit risk and market risk. Where the Trust’s investments in structured notes are based upon the movement of one or more factors, including currency exchange rates, interest rates, referenced bonds and stock indices, depending on the factor used and the use of multipliers or deflators, changes in interest rates and movement of the factor may cause significant price fluctuations. Additionally, changes in the reference instrument or security may cause the interest rate on the structured note to be reduced to zero and any further changes in the reference instrument may then reduce the principal amount payable on maturity. Structured notes may be less liquid than other types of securities and more volatile than the reference instrument or security underlying the note.
Equity-Linked Notes Risk
. ELNs are hybrid securities with characteristics of both fixed income and equity securities. An equity-linked note is a debt instrument, usually a bond, that pays interest based upon the performance of an underlying equity, which can be a single stock, basket of stocks or an equity index. The interest payment on an equity-linked note may in some cases be leveraged so that, in percentage terms, it exceeds the relative performance of the market. Equity-linked notes generally are subject to the risks associated with the securities of equity issuers, default risk and counterparty risk. Additionally, because the Trust may use ELNs as an alternative or complement to its options strategy, the use of ELNs in this manner would expose the Trust to the risk that such ELNs will not perform as anticipated, and the risk that the use of ELNs will expose the Trust to different or additional default and counterparty risk as compared to a similar investment executed in an options strategy.
Credit-Linked Notes Risk
. A CLN is a derivative instrument. It is a synthetic obligation between two or more parties where the payment of principal and/or interest is based on the performance of some obligation (a reference obligation). In addition to the credit risk of the reference obligations and interest rate risk, the buyer/seller of the CLN is subject to counterparty risk.
Event-Linked Securities Risk
. Event-linked securities are a form of derivative issued by insurance companies and insurance-related special purpose vehicles that apply securitization techniques to catastrophic property and casualty damages. Unlike other insurable low-severity, high-probability events, the insurance risk of which can be diversified by writing large numbers of similar policies, the holders of a typical event-linked securities are exposed to the risks from high-severity, low-probability events such as that posed by major earthquakes or hurricanes. If a catastrophe occurs that “triggers” the event-linked security, investors in such security may lose some or all of the capital invested. In the case of an event, the funds are paid to the bond sponsor—an insurer, reinsurer or corporation—to cover losses. In return, the bond sponsors pay interest to investors for this catastrophe protection. Event-linked securities can be structured to pay-off on three types of variables—insurance-industry catastrophe loss indices, insure-specific catastrophe losses and parametric indices based on the physical characteristics of catastrophic events. Such variables are difficult to predict or model, and the risk and potential return profiles of event-linked securities may be difficult to assess. Catastrophe-related event-linked securities have been in use since the 1990s, and the securitization and risk-transfer aspects of such event-linked securities are beginning to be employed in other insurance and risk-related areas. No active trading market may exist for certain event-linked securities, which may impair the ability of the Trust to realize full value in the event of the need to liquidate such assets.
Strategic Transactions and Derivatives Risk
The Trust may engage in various Strategic Transactions
for duration management and other risk management purposes, including to attempt to protect against possible changes in the market value of the Trust’s portfolio resulting from trends in the securities markets and changes in interest rates or to protect the Trust’s unrealized gains in the value of its portfolio securities, to facilitate the sale of portfolio securities for investment purposes or to establish a position in the securities markets as a temporary substitute for purchasing particular securities or to enhance income or gain.
Derivatives are financial contracts or instruments whose value depends on, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index (or relationship between two indices). The Trust also may use derivatives to add leverage to the portfolio and/or to hedge against increases in the Trust’s costs associated with any leverage strategy that it may employ. The use of Strategic Transactions to enhance current income may be particularly speculative.
Strategic Transactions involve risks. The risks associated with Strategic Transactions include (i) the imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets, (ii) the possible default of the counterparty to the transaction, (iii) illiquidity of the derivative instruments, and (iv) high volatility losses caused by unanticipated market movements, which are potentially unlimited. Although both over-the-counter and exchange-traded derivatives markets may experience the lack of liquidity, over-the-counter non-standardized derivative transactions are generally less liquid than
exchange-traded instruments. Furthermore, the Trust’s ability to successfully use Strategic Transactions depends on the Advisor’s ability to predict pertinent securities prices, interest rates, currency exchange rates and other economic factors, which cannot be assured. The use of Strategic Transactions may result in losses greater than if they had not been used, may require the Trust to sell or purchase portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices other than current market values, may limit the amount of appreciation the Trust can realize on an investment or may cause the Trust to hold a security that it might otherwise sell. Additionally, segregated or earmarked liquid assets, amounts paid by the Trust as premiums and cash or other assets held in margin accounts with respect to Strategic Transactions are not otherwise available to the Trust for investment purposes. Please see the Trust’s SAI for a more detailed description of Strategic Transactions and the various derivative instruments the Trust may use and the various risks associated with them.
While 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 security, and there can be no assurance that the Trust’s hedging transactions will be effective.
Derivatives may give rise to a form of leverage and may expose the Trust to greater risk and increase its costs. Recent legislation calls for new regulation of the derivatives markets. The extent and impact of the regulation is not yet known and may not be known for some time. New regulation may make derivatives more costly, may limit the availability of derivatives, or may otherwise adversely affect the value or performance of derivatives.
Counterparty Risk
The Trust will be subject to credit risk with respect to the counterparties to the derivative contracts purchased by the Trust. Because derivative transactions in which the Trust may engage may involve instruments that are not traded on an exchange but are instead traded between counterparties based on contractual relationships, the Trust is subject to the risk that a counterparty will not perform its obligations under the related contracts. If a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations due to financial difficulties, the Trust may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery in bankruptcy or other reorganization proceedings. The Trust may obtain only a limited recovery, or may obtain no recovery, in such circumstances. Although the Trust intends to enter into transactions only with counterparties that the Advisor believes to be creditworthy, there can be no assurance that, as a result, a counterparty will not default and that the Trust will not sustain a loss on a transaction. In the event of the counterparty’s bankruptcy or insolvency, the Trust’s collateral may be subject to the conflicting claims of the counterparty’s creditors, and the Trust may be exposed to the risk of a court treating the Trust as a general unsecured creditor of the counterparty, rather than as the owner of the collateral.
The counterparty risk for cleared derivatives is generally lower than for uncleared over-the-counter derivative transactions since generally a clearing organization becomes substituted for each counterparty to a cleared derivative contract and, in effect, guarantees the parties’ performance under the contract as each party to a trade looks only to the clearing organization for performance of financial obligations under the derivative contract. However, there can be no assurance that a clearing organization, or its members, will satisfy its obligations to the Trust.
In addition, the Trust is subject to the risk that issuers of the instruments in which it invests and trades may default on their obligations under those instruments, and that certain events may occur that have an immediate and significant adverse effect on the value of those instruments. There can be no assurance that an issuer of an instrument in which the Trust invests will not default, or that an event that has an immediate and significant adverse effect on the value of an instrument will not occur, and that the Trust will not sustain a loss on a transaction as a result.
Swaps Risk
Swaps are types of derivatives. Swap agreements involve the risk that the party with which the Trust has entered into the swap will default on its obligation to pay the Trust and the risk that the Trust will not be able to meet its obligations to pay the other party to the agreement. In order to seek to hedge the value of the Trust’s portfolio, to hedge against increases in the Trust’s cost associated with interest payments on any outstanding borrowings or to seek to increase the Trust’s return, the Trust may enter into swaps, including interest rate swap, total return swap or credit default swap transactions. In interest rate swap transactions, there is a risk that yields will move in the direction opposite of the direction anticipated by the Trust, which would cause the Trust to make payments to its counterparty in the transaction that could adversely affect Trust performance. In addition to the risks applicable to swaps generally (including counterparty risk, liquidity risk and credit risk), credit default swap transactions involve special risks because they are difficult to value, are highly susceptible to liquidity and credit risk, and generally pay a return to the party that has paid the premium only in the event of an actual default by the issuer of the underlying obligation (as opposed to a credit downgrade or other indication of financial difficulty). Total return swap agreements may effectively add leverage to the Trust’s portfolio because, in addition to its Managed Assets, the Trust
would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap. Total return swap agreements are subject to the risk that a counterparty will default on its payment obligations to the Trust thereunder. The Trust is not required to enter into swap transactions for hedging purposes or to enhance income or gain and may choose not to do so. In addition, the swaps market is subject to a changing regulatory environment. It is possible that regulatory or other developments in the swaps market could adversely affect the Trust’s ability to successfully use swaps.
Securities Lending Risk
The Trust may lend securities to financial institutions. Securities lending involves exposure to certain risks, including operational risk (i.e., the risk of losses resulting from problems in the settlement and accounting process), “gap” risk (i.e., the risk of a mismatch between the return on cash collateral reinvestments and the fees the Trust has agreed to pay a borrower), and credit, legal, counterparty and market risk. If a securities lending counterparty were to default, the Trust would be subject to the risk of a possible delay in receiving collateral or in recovering the loaned securities, or to a possible loss of rights in the collateral. In the event a borrower does not return the Trust’s securities as agreed, the Trust may experience losses if the proceeds received from liquidating the collateral do not at least equal the value of the loaned security at the time the collateral is liquidated, plus the transaction costs incurred in purchasing replacement securities. This event could trigger adverse tax consequences for the Trust. The Trust could lose money if its short-term investment of the collateral declines in value over the period of the loan. Substitute payments for dividends received by the Trust for securities loaned out by the Trust will generally not be considered qualified dividend income. The securities lending agent will take the tax effects on shareholders of this difference into account in connection with the Trust’s securities lending program. Substitute payments received on tax-exempt securities loaned out will generally not be tax-exempt income.
Short Sales Risk
Short-selling involves selling securities which may or may not be owned and borrowing the same securities for delivery to the purchaser, with an obligation to replace the borrowed securities at a later date. If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time the Trust replaces the borrowed security, the Trust will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Trust will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss will be increased, by the transaction costs incurred by the Trust, including the costs associated with providing collateral to the broker-dealer (usually cash and liquid securities) and the maintenance of collateral with its custodian. Although the Trust’s gain is limited to the price at which it sold the security short, its potential loss is theoretically unlimited.
Short-selling necessarily involves certain additional risks. However, if the short seller does not own the securities sold short (an uncovered short sale), the borrowed securities must be replaced by securities purchased at market prices in order to close out the short position, and any appreciation in the price of the borrowed securities would result in a loss. Uncovered short sales expose the Trust to the risk of uncapped losses until a position can be closed out due to the lack of an upper limit on the price to which a security may rise. Purchasing securities to close out the short position can itself cause the price of the securities to rise further, thereby exacerbating the loss. There is the risk that the securities borrowed by the Trust in connection with a short-sale must be returned to the securities lender on short notice. If a request for return of borrowed securities occurs at a time when other short-sellers of the security are receiving similar requests, a “short squeeze” can occur, and the Trust may be compelled to replace borrowed securities previously sold short with purchases on the open market at the most disadvantageous time, possibly at prices significantly in excess of the proceeds received at the time the securities were originally sold short.
In September 2008, in response to spreading turmoil in the financial markets, the SEC temporarily banned short selling in the stocks of numerous financial services companies, and also promulgated new disclosure requirements with respect to short positions held by investment managers. The SEC’s temporary ban on short selling of such stocks has since expired, but should similar restrictions and/or additional disclosure requirements be promulgated, especially if market turmoil occurs, the Trust may be forced to cover short positions more quickly than otherwise intended and may suffer losses as a result. Such restrictions may also adversely affect the ability of the Trust to execute its investment strategies generally. Similar emergency orders have also recently been instituted in non-U.S. markets in response to increased volatility. The SEC recently adopted amendments to Regulation SHO under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) that restrict the ability to engage in a short sale at a price that is less than or equal to the current best bid if the price of the covered security has decreased by 10% or more from the covered security’s closing price as of the end of the prior day.
Inflation Risk
Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investment will be worth less in the future, as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the real value of the common shares and distributions on those
shares can decline. In addition, during any periods of rising inflation, interest rates on any borrowings by the Trust would likely increase, which would tend to further reduce returns to the holders of common shares.
Deflation Risk
Deflation risk is the risk that prices throughout the economy decline over time, which may have an adverse effect on the market valuation of companies, their assets and their revenues. In addition, 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 Trust’s portfolio.
Risk Associated with Recent Market Events
In the recent past, the debt and equity capital markets in the United States were negatively impacted by significant write-offs in the financial services sector relating to sub-prime mortgages and the repricing of credit risk in the broadly syndicated market, among other things. These events, along with the downgrade to the United States credit rating, deterioration of the housing market, the failure of major financial institutions and the resulting United States federal government actions led in the recent past, and may lead in the future, to worsening general economic conditions, which did, and could, materially and adversely impact the broader financial and credit markets and reduce the availability of debt and equity capital for the market as a whole and financial firms in particular. These events adversely affected (and could adversely affect in the future) the willingness of some lenders to extend credit in general, which may have made it (and could make it in the future) more difficult for issuers of fixed income securities to obtain financings or refinancings for their investment or lending activities or operations. There is a risk that such issuers would be unable to successfully complete such financings or refinancings. In particular, because of the current conditions in the credit markets, issuers of fixed income securities may be subject to increased cost for debt, tightening underwriting standards and reduced liquidity for loans they make, securities they purchase and securities they issue. These events may increase the volatility of the value of securities owned by the Trust and/or result in sudden and significant valuation increases or decreases in its portfolio. These events also may make it more difficult for the Trust to accurately value its securities or to sell its securities on a timely basis. In addition, illiquidity and volatility in the credit markets may directly and adversely affect the setting of dividend rates on the common shares. These events adversely affected the broader economy, and may continue to do so, which may adversely affect the ability of issuers of securities owned by the Trust to make payments of principal and interest when due, lead to lower credit ratings and increase defaults. There is also a risk that developments in sectors of the credit markets in which the Trust does not invest may adversely affect the liquidity and the value of securities in sectors of the credit markets in which the Trust does invest, including securities owned by Trust.
While the extreme volatility and disruption that U.S. and global markets experienced for an extended period of time beginning in 2007 and 2008 has generally subsided, uncertainty and periods of volatility remain, and risks to a robust resumption of growth persist. In 2010, several European Union (“EU”) countries, including Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Portugal, began to face budget issues, some of which may have negative long-term effects for the economies of those countries and other EU countries. There is continued concern about national-level support for the Euro and the accompanying coordination of fiscal and wage policy among European Monetary Union (“EMU”) member countries. Recent downgrades to the credit ratings of major banks could result in increased borrowing costs for such banks and negatively affect the broader economy. Moreover, Federal Reserve policy, including with respect to certain interest rates and the decision to begin tapering its quantitative easing policy, may adversely affect the value, volatility and liquidity of dividend and interest paying securities. Market volatility, rising interest rates and/or a return to unfavorable economic conditions could impair the Trust’s ability to achieve its investment objectives.
General market uncertainty and consequent repricing of risk have led to market imbalances of sellers and buyers, which in turn have resulted in significant valuation uncertainties in a variety of securities and significant and rapid value decline in certain instances. Additionally, periods of market volatility remain, and may continue to occur in the future, in response to various political, social and economic events both within and outside of the United States. These conditions resulted in, and in many cases continue to result in, greater price volatility, less liquidity, widening credit spreads and a lack of price transparency, with many securities remaining illiquid and of uncertain value. Such market conditions may make valuation of some of the Trust’s securities uncertain and/or result in sudden and significant valuation increases or declines in its holdings. If there is a significant decline in the value of the Trust’s portfolio, this may impact the asset coverage levels for any outstanding leverage the Trust may have.
EMU and Redenomination Risk
As the European debt crisis progressed, the possibility of one or more Eurozone countries exiting the EMU, or even the collapse of the Euro as a common currency, arose, creating significant volatility at times in currency and financial markets generally. The effects of the collapse of the Euro, or of the exit of one or more countries from the EMU, on the U.S. and global economy and securities markets are impossible to predict and any such events could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Trust’s portfolio. Any partial or complete dissolution of the EMU could have significant adverse effects on currency and financial markets, and on the values of the Trust’s portfolio investments. If one or more EMU countries were to stop using the Euro as its primary currency, the Trust’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 Trust may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek judicial or other clarification of the denomination or value of such securities.
Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk
The aftermath of the war in Iraq, instability in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Russia, Ukraine and the Middle East, possible terrorist attacks in the United States and around the world, growing social and political discord in the United States, the European debt crisis, the response of the international community — through economic sanctions and otherwise — to Russia’s recent annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine and posture vis-a-vis Ukraine, further downgrade of U.S. Government securities and other similar events, may have long-term effects on the U.S. and worldwide financial markets and may cause further economic uncertainties in the United States and worldwide. The Trust does not know how long the securities markets may be affected by these events and cannot predict the effects of these and similar events in the future on the U.S. economy and securities markets. The Trust may be adversely affected by abrogation of international agreements and national laws which have created the market instruments in which the Trust may invest, failure of the designated national and international authorities to enforce compliance with the same laws and agreements, failure of local, national and international organization to carry out their duties prescribed to them under the relevant agreements, revisions of these laws and agreements which dilute their effectiveness or conflicting interpretation of provisions of the same laws and agreements. The Trust may be adversely affected by uncertainties such as terrorism, international political developments, and changes in government policies, taxation, restrictions on foreign investment and currency repatriation, currency fluctuations and other developments in the laws and regulations of the countries in which it is invested.
Regulation and Government Intervention Risk
The recent instability in the financial markets discussed above has led the U.S. Government and certain foreign governments to take a number of unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial institutions and segments of the financial markets that have experienced extreme volatility, and in some cases a lack of liquidity, including through direct purchases of equity and debt securities. Federal, state, and other governments, their regulatory agencies or self-regulatory organizations may take actions that affect the regulation of the issuers in which the Trust invests in ways that are unforeseeable. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which the Trust is regulated. Such legislation or regulation could limit or preclude the Trust’s ability to achieve its investment objectives.
Congress has enacted sweeping financial legislation, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), signed into law by President Obama on July 21, 2010, regarding the operation of banks, private fund managers and other financial institutions, which includes provisions regarding the regulation of derivatives. Many provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act will be implemented through regulatory rulemakings and similar processes over a period of time. The impact of the Dodd-Frank Act, and of follow-on regulation, on trading strategies and operations is impossible to predict, and may be adverse. Practices and areas of operation subject to significant change based on the impact, direct or indirect, of the Dodd-Frank Act and follow-on regulation, may change in manners that are unforeseeable, with uncertain effects. By way of example and not limitation, direct and indirect changes from the Dodd-Frank Act and follow-on regulation may occur to a significant degree with regard to, among other areas, financial consumer protection, bank ownership of and involvement with private funds, proprietary trading, registration of investment advisers, and the trading and use of many derivative instruments, including swaps. There can be no assurance that such legislation or regulation will not have a material adverse effect on the Trust. In addition, Congress may address tax policy, which also could have uncertain direct and indirect impact on trading and operations, as well as, potentially, operations and structure of the Trust.
Further, the Dodd-Frank Act created the Financial Stability Oversight Council (“FSOC”), an interagency body charged with identifying and monitoring systemic risks to financial markets. The FSOC has the authority to require that non-bank financial companies that are “predominantly engaged in financial activities,” such as the Trust, the Advisor and BlackRock, Inc., whose failure it determines would pose systemic risk, be placed under the supervision of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“Federal Reserve”). The FSOC has the authority to recommend that the Federal Reserve adopt more stringent prudential standards and reporting and disclosure requirements for non-bank financial companies supervised by the Federal Reserve. The FSOC also has the authority to make recommendations to the Federal Reserve on various other matters that may affect the Trust, including requiring financial firms to submit resolution plans, mandating credit exposure reports, establishing concentration limits and limiting short-term debt. The FSOC may also recommend that other federal financial regulators impose more stringent regulation upon, or ban altogether, financial activities of any financial firm that poses what it determines are significant risks to the financial system. In the event that the FSOC designates the Trust, the Advisor or BlackRock, Inc. as a systemic risk to be placed under the Federal Reserve’s supervision, the Trust, the Advisor or BlackRock, Inc. could face stricter prudential standards, including risk-based capital requirements, leverage limits, liquidity requirements, concentration requirements and overall risk management requirements, among other restrictions. Such requirements could hinder the Trust’s ability to meet its investment objectives and may place the Trust at a disadvantage with respect to its competitors.
Additionally, BlackRock is, for purposes of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time, currently considered a subsidiary of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (“PNC”), which is subject to regulation and supervision as a “financial holding company” by the Federal Reserve. The “Volcker Rule” contained in Section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Act will limit the ability of banking entities, which would include BlackRock by virtue of its relationship with PNC, to sponsor, invest in or serve as investment manager of certain private investment funds. On December 10, 2013, U.S. financial regulators adopted final regulations (the “Final Regulations”) to implement the statutory mandate of the Volcker Rule. Pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, the Volcker Rule’s effective date was July 21, 2012 and the Final Regulations become effective on April 14, 2014; however, concurrent with the adoption of the Final Regulations the Federal Reserve granted a statutorily permitted conformance period, essentially making the effective date of the Volcker Rule and the Final Regulations July 21, 2015. The Volcker Rule and the Final Regulations could have a significant negative impact on BlackRock, Inc. and the Advisor. BlackRock, Inc. may attempt to take certain actions to lessen the impact of the Volcker Rule, although no assurance can be given that such actions would be successful and no assurance can be given that such actions would not have a significant negative impact on the Trust. Upon the end of the applicable conformance period, BlackRock, Inc.’s relationship with PNC may require BlackRock, Inc. to curtail some or all of the Trust’s activities with respect to PNC (if any).
The continuing implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act could also adversely affect the Advisor and the Trust by increasing transaction and/or regulatory compliance costs. In addition, greater regulatory scrutiny and the implementation of enhanced and new regulatory requirements may increase the Advisor’s and the Trust’s exposure to potential liabilities, and in particular liabilities arising from violating any such enhanced and/or new regulatory requirements. Increased regulatory oversight could also impose administrative burdens on the Advisor and the Trust, including, without limitation, responding to investigations and implementing new policies and procedures. The ultimate impact of the Dodd-Frank Act, and any resulting regulation, is not yet certain and the Advisor and the Trust may be affected by the new legislation and regulation in ways that are currently unforeseeable.
In connection with an ongoing review by the SEC and its staff of the regulation of investment companies’ use of derivatives, on August 31, 2011, the SEC issued a concept release to seek public comment on a wide range of issues raised by the use of derivatives by investment companies. The SEC noted that it intends to consider the comments to help determine whether regulatory initiatives or guidance are needed to improve the current regulatory regime for investment companies and, if so, the nature of any such initiatives or guidance. While the nature of any such regulations is uncertain at this time, it is possible that such regulations could limit the implementation of the Trust’s use of derivatives, which could have an adverse impact on the Trust. The Advisor cannot predict the effects of these regulations on the Trust’s portfolio. The Advisor intends to monitor developments and seek to manage the Trust’s portfolio in a manner consistent with achieving the Trust’s investment objectives, but there can be no assurance that it will be successful in doing so.
Certain lawmakers support an increase in federal revenue as a component of a plan to address the federal budget deficit. Also, comprehensive federal tax reform is the subject of political attention.
In the aftermath of the recent financial crisis, there appears to be a renewed popular, political and judicial focus on finance related consumer protection. Financial institution practices are also subject to greater scrutiny and criticism generally. In the case of transactions between financial institutions and the general public, there may be a greater tendency toward strict interpretation of terms and legal rights in favor of the consuming public, particularly where there is a real or perceived
disparity in risk allocation and/or where consumers are perceived as not having had an opportunity to exercise informed consent to the transaction. In the event of conflicting interests between retail investors holding common shares of a closed-end investment company such as the Trust and a large financial institution, a court may similarly seek to strictly interpret terms and legal rights in favor of retail investors.
Legal, Tax and Regulatory Risks
Legal, tax and regulatory changes could occur that may materially adversely affect the Trust. For example, the regulatory and tax environment for derivative instruments in which the Trust may participate is evolving, and changes in the regulation or taxation of derivative instruments may materially adversely affect the value of derivative instruments held by the Trust and the ability of the Trust to pursue its investment strategies.
To qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally accorded to RICs, the Trust must, among other things, derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from certain prescribed sources and distribute for each taxable year at least 90% of its “investment company taxable income” (generally, ordinary income plus the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss). If for any taxable year the Trust does not qualify as a RIC, all of its taxable income for that year (including its net capital gain) would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and such distributions would be taxable as ordinary dividends to the extent of the Trust’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.
Investment Company Act Regulations
The Trust is a registered closed-end investment company and as such is subject to regulations under the Investment Company Act. Generally speaking, any contract or provision thereof that is made, or where performance involves a violation of the Investment Company Act or any rule or regulation thereunder is unenforceable by either party unless a court finds otherwise.
Legislation Risk
At any time after the date of this Prospectus, legislation may be enacted that could negatively affect the assets of the Trust. Legislation or regulation may change the way in which the Trust itself is regulated. The Advisor cannot predict the effects of any new governmental regulation that may be implemented and there can be no assurance that any new governmental regulation will not adversely affect the Trust’s ability to achieve its investment objectives.
Potential Conflicts of Interest of the Advisor and Others
BlackRock, the ultimate parent company of the Advisor, 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 Trust. BlackRock and its Affiliates may provide investment management services to other funds and discretionary managed accounts that follow an investment program similar to that of the Trust. Subject to the requirements of the Investment Company Act, BlackRock and its Affiliates intend to engage in such activities and may receive compensation from third parties for their services. Neither BlackRock nor its Affiliates are under any obligation to share any investment opportunity, idea or strategy with the Trust. As a result, BlackRock and its Affiliates may compete with the Trust for appropriate investment opportunities. The results of the Trust’s investment activities, therefore, may differ from those of an Affiliate or another account managed by an Affiliate and it is possible that the Trust could sustain losses during periods in which one or more Affiliates and other accounts achieve profits on their trading for proprietary or other accounts.
The Investment Company Act imposes limitations on certain transactions between a registered investment company and affiliated persons of the investment company, as well as affiliated persons of such affiliated persons. Among others, affiliated persons of an investment company include its investment adviser; officers; directors/trustees; any person who directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such investment company; any person directly or indirectly owning, controlling or holding with power to vote, five percent or more of the outstanding voting securities of such investment company; and any person five percent or more of whose outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly owned, controlled or held with power to vote by such investment company.
BlackRock has adopted policies and procedures designed to address potential conflicts of interests. For additional information about potential conflicts of interest and the way in which BlackRock addresses such conflicts, please see “Conflicts of Interest” and “Management of the Trust—
Portfolio Management
—Potential Material Conflicts of Interest” in the SAI.
Decision-Making Authority Risk
Investors have no authority to make decisions or to exercise business discretion on behalf of the Trust, except as set forth in the Trust’s governing documents. The authority for all such decisions is generally delegated to the Board, who in turn, has delegated the day-to-day management of the Trust’s investment activities to the Advisor, subject to oversight by the Board.
Management Risk
The Trust is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Advisor and the individual portfolio managers will apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Trust, but there can be no guarantee that these will produce the desired results. The Trust may be subject to a relatively high level of management risk because the Trust may invest in derivative instruments, which may be highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with equities and bonds.
Market and Selection Risk
Market risk is the possibility that the market values of securities owned by the Trust will decline. There is a risk that equity and/or bond markets will go down in value, including the possibility that such markets will go down sharply and unpredictably.
Stock markets are volatile, and the price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company’s financial condition and overall market and economic conditions. An adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of a particular common stock held by the Trust. Also, the price of common stocks is sensitive to general movements in the stock market and a drop in the stock market may depress the price of common stocks to which the Trust has exposure. Common stock prices fluctuate for several 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 issuers occur.
The prices of fixed income securities tend to fall as interest rates rise, and such declines tend to be greater among fixed income securities with longer maturities. Market risk is often greater among certain types of fixed income securities, such as zero coupon bonds that do not make regular interest payments but are instead bought at a discount to their face values and paid in full upon maturity. As interest rates change, these securities often fluctuate more in price than securities that make regular interest payments and therefore subject the Trust to greater market risk than a fund that does not own these types of securities.
When-issued and delayed delivery transactions are subject to changes in market conditions from the time of the commitment until settlement, which may adversely affect the prices or yields of the securities being purchased. The greater the Trust’s outstanding commitments for these securities, the greater the Trust’s exposure to market price fluctuations.
Selection risk is the risk that the securities that the Trust’s management selects will underperform the equity and/or bond market, the market relevant indices or other funds with a similar investment objective and investment strategies.
Reliance on the Advisor
The Trust is dependent upon services and resources provided by the Advisor, and therefore the Advisor’s parent, BlackRock. The Advisor is not required to devote its full time to the business of the Trust and there is no guarantee or requirement that any investment professional or other employee of the Advisor will allocate a substantial portion of his or her time to the Trust. The loss of one or more individuals involved with the Advisor could have a material adverse effect on the performance or the continued operation of the Trust. For additional information on the Advisor and BlackRock, see “Management of the Trust—Investment Advisor.”
Reliance on Service Providers
The Trust must rely upon the performance of service providers to perform certain functions, which may include functions that are integral to the Trust’s operations and financial performance. Failure by any service provider to carry out its obligations to the Trust in accordance with the terms of its appointment, to exercise due care and skill or to perform its obligations to the Trust at all as a result of insolvency, bankruptcy or other causes could have a material adverse effect on the Trust’s performance and returns to shareholders. The termination of the Trust’s relationship with any service provider, or any delay in appointing a replacement for such service provider, could materially disrupt the business of the Trust and could have a material adverse effect on the Trust’s performance and returns to shareholders.
Information Technology Systems
The Trust is dependent on the Advisor for certain management services as well as back-office functions. The Advisor depends on information technology systems in order to assess investment opportunities, strategies and markets and to monitor and control risks for the Trust. It is possible that a failure of some kind which causes disruptions to these information technology systems could materially limit the Advisor’s ability to adequately assess and adjust investments, formulate strategies and provide adequate risk control. Any such information technology-related difficulty could harm the performance of the Trust. Further, failure of the back-office functions of the Advisor to process trades in a timely fashion could prejudice the investment performance of the Trust.
Misconduct of Employees and of Service Providers
Misconduct or misrepresentations by employees of the Advisor or the Trust’s service providers could cause significant losses to the Trust. Employee misconduct may include binding the Trust to transactions that exceed authorized limits or present unacceptable risks and unauthorized trading activities, concealing unsuccessful trading activities (which, in any case, may result in unknown and unmanaged risks or losses) or making misrepresentations regarding any of the foregoing. Losses could also result from actions by the Trust’s service providers, including, without limitation, failing to recognize trades and misappropriating assets. In addition, employees and service providers may improperly use or disclose confidential information, which could result in litigation or serious financial harm, including limiting the Trust’s business prospects or future marketing activities. Despite the Advisor’s due diligence efforts, misconduct and intentional misrepresentations may be undetected or not fully comprehended, thereby potentially undermining the Advisor’s due diligence efforts. As a result, no assurances can be given that the due diligence performed by the Advisor will identify or prevent any such misconduct.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
The Trust’s annual portfolio turnover rate may vary greatly from year to year, as well as within a given year. Portfolio turnover rate is not considered a limiting factor in the execution of investment decisions for the Trust. A higher portfolio turnover rate results in correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transactional expenses that are borne by the Trust. High portfolio turnover may result in an increased realization of net short-term capital gains by the Trust which, when distributed to common shareholders, will be taxable as ordinary income. Additionally, in a declining market, portfolio turnover may create realized capital losses.
Anti-Takeover Provisions Risk
The Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Bylaws include provisions that could limit the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Trust or convert the Trust to open-end status or to change the composition of the Board. Such provisions could limit the ability of shareholders to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging a third party from seeking to obtain control of the Trust. See “Certain Provisions in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Bylaws.”
HOW THE TRUST MANAGES RISK
Investment Limitations
The Trust has adopted certain investment limitations designed to limit investment risk. Some of these limitations are fundamental and thus may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding common shares. See “Investment Objectives and Policies—Investment Restrictions” in the SAI.
The restrictions and other limitations set forth throughout this Prospectus and in the SAI apply only at the time of purchase of securities and will not be considered violated unless an excess or deficiency occurs or exists immediately after and as a result of the acquisition of securities.
Management of Investment Portfolio and Capital Structure to Limit Leverage Risk
The Trust may take certain actions if short-term interest rates increase or market conditions otherwise change (or the Trust anticipates such an increase or change) and any leverage the Trust may have outstanding begins (or is expected) to adversely affect common shareholders. In order to attempt to offset such a negative impact of any outstanding leverage on common shareholders, the Trust may shorten the average maturity of its investment portfolio (by investing in short-term securities) or may reduce any indebtedness that it may have incurred. As explained above under “Risks—Leverage Risk,” the
success of any such attempt to limit leverage risk depends on the Advisor’s ability to accurately predict interest rate or other market changes. Because of the difficulty of making such predictions, the Trust may never attempt to manage its capital structure in the manner described in this paragraph.
If market conditions suggest that employing leverage, or employing additional leverage if the Trust already has outstanding leverage, would be beneficial, the Trust may enter into one or more credit facilities, increase any existing credit facilities, sell preferred shares or engage in additional leverage transactions, subject to the restrictions of the Investment Company Act.
Strategic Transactions
The Trust may use certain Strategic Transactions designed to limit the risk of price fluctuations of securities and to preserve capital. These Strategic Transactions include using swaps, financial futures contracts, options on financial futures or options based on either an index of long-term securities, or on securities whose prices, in the opinion of the Advisor, correlate with the prices of the Trust’s investments. There can be no assurance that Strategic Transactions will be used or used effectively to limit risk, and Strategic Transactions may be subject to their own risks.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
Trustees and Officers
The Board is responsible for the overall management of the Trust, including supervision of the duties performed by the Advisor. There are Trustees. A majority of the Trustees are not “interested persons” (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of the Trust (“Independent Trustees”). The name and business address of the Trustees and officers of the Trust and their principal occupations and other affiliations during the past five years are set forth under “Management of the Trust” in the SAI
.
Investment Advisor
BlackRock Advisors, LLC acts as the Trust’s investment adviser. The Advisor is responsible for the management of the Trust’s portfolio and provides the necessary personnel, facilities, equipment and certain other services necessary to the operation of the Trust. The Advisor, located at 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809, is a wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc.
BlackRock is one of the world’s largest publicly-traded investment management firms. As of June 30, 2014, BlackRock’s assets under management were approximately $4.594 trillion. BlackRock has over 20 years of experience managing closed-end products and, as of June 30, 2014, advised a registered closed-end family of 82 exchange-listed active funds with approximately $33.92 billion in assets.
BlackRock offers products that span the risk spectrum to meet clients’ needs, including active, enhanced and index strategies across markets and asset classes. Products are offered in a variety of structures including separate accounts, mutual funds,
iShares
® (ETFs), and other pooled investment vehicles. BlackRock also offers risk management, advisory and enterprise investment system services to a broad base of institutional investors through
BlackRock Solutions
®. Headquartered in New York City, as of June 30, 2014, the firm has over 11,600 employees in 30 countries and a major presence in key global markets, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East and Africa.
Investment Philosophy
[To come by Pre-Effective Amendment]
Portfolio Managers
The members of the portfolio management team who are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Trust’s portfolio are as follows:
[To come by Pre-Effective Amendment]
BlackRock’s Investment Process
[To come by Pre-Effective Amendment]
Investment Management Agreement
Pursuant to an investment management agreement between the Advisor and the Trust (the “Investment Management Agreement”), the Trust has agreed to pay the Advisor a monthly management fee at an annual rate equal to % of the average daily value of the Trust’s Managed Assets. “Managed Assets” means the total assets of the Trust, (including any assets attributable to money borrowed for investment purposes) minus the sum of the Trust’s accrued liabilities (other than money borrowed for investment purposes). This means that during periods in which the Trust is using leverage, the fee paid to the Advisor will be higher than if the Trust did not use leverage because the fee is calculated as a percentage of the Trust’s Managed Assets, which include those assets purchased with leverage.
A discussion regarding the basis for the approval of the Investment Management Agreement by the Board will be available in the Trust’s first report to shareholders.
In addition to the fees paid to the Advisor, the Trust pays all other costs and expenses of its operations, including compensation of its Trustees (other than those affiliated with the Advisor), custodian, leveraging expenses, transfer and dividend disbursing agent expenses, legal fees, rating agency fees, listing fees and expenses, expenses of independent auditors, expenses of repurchasing shares, expenses of preparing, printing and distributing shareholder reports, notices, proxy statements and reports to governmental agencies and taxes, if any.
NET ASSET VALUE
The NAV of the Trust’s common shares will be computed based upon the value of the Trust’s portfolio securities and other assets. NAV per common share will be determined as of the close of the regular trading session on the NYSE on each business day on which the NYSE is open for trading. The Trust calculates NAV per common share by subtracting the Trust’s liabilities (including accrued expenses, dividends payable and any borrowings of the Trust), and the liquidation value of any outstanding Trust preferred shares from the Trust’s total assets (the value of the securities the Trust holds plus cash or other assets, including interest accrued but not yet received) and dividing the result by the total number of common shares of the Trust outstanding.
Valuation of securities held by the Trust is as follows:
Equity Investments
. Equity securities traded on a recognized securities exchange (e.g., NYSE), separate trading boards of a securities exchange or through a market system that provides contemporaneous transaction pricing information (an “Exchange”) are valued via independent pricing services generally at the Exchange closing price or if an Exchange closing price is not available, the last traded price on that Exchange prior to the time as of which the assets or liabilities are valued; however, under certain circumstances other means of determining current market value may be used. If an equity security is traded on more than one Exchange, the current market value of the security where it is primarily traded generally will be used. In the event that there are no sales involving an equity security held by the Trust on a day on which the Trust values such security, the last bid (long positions) or ask (short positions) price, if available, will be used as the value of such security. If the Trust holds both long and short positions in the same security, the last bid price will be applied to securities held long and the last ask price will be applied to securities sold short. If no bid or ask price is available on a day on which the Trust values such security, the prior day’s price will be used, unless the Advisor determines that such prior day’s price no longer reflects the fair value of the security, in which case such asset would be treated as a fair value asset.
Fixed Income Investments
. Fixed income securities for which market quotations are readily available are generally valued using such securities’ most recent bid prices provided directly from one or more broker-dealers, market makers, or independent third-party pricing services which may use matrix pricing and valuation models to derive values, each in accordance with valuation procedures approved by the Board. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used with respect to debt obligations with sixty days or less remaining to maturity unless the Advisor determines such method does not represent fair value. Loan participation notes are generally valued at the mean of the last available bid prices from one or more brokers or dealers as obtained from independent third-party pricing services. Certain fixed income investments including asset-backed and mortgage-related securities may be valued based on valuation models that consider the estimated cash flows of each tranche of the entity, establish a benchmark yield and develop an estimated tranche specific spread to the benchmark yield based on the unique attributes of the tranche. Fixed income securities for which market quotations are not readily available may be valued by third-party pricing services that make a valuation determination by securing transaction data (e.g., recent representative bids), credit quality information, perceived market movements, news, and other relevant information and by other methods, which may include consideration of: yields or prices of securities of comparable quality, coupon, maturity and type; indications as to values from dealers; and general market conditions.
Options, Futures, Swaps and Other Derivatives
. Exchange-traded equity options for which market quotations are readily available are valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices as quoted on the Exchange or the board of trade on which such options are traded. In the event that there is no mean price available for an exchange traded equity option held by the Trust on a day on which the Trust values such option, the last bid (long positions) or ask (short positions) price, if available, will be used as the value of such option. If no bid or ask price is available on a day on which the Trust values such option, the prior day’s price will be used, unless the Advisor determines that such prior day’s price no longer reflects the fair value of the option in which case such option will be treated as a fair value asset. OTC derivatives may be valued using a mathematical model which may incorporate a number of market data factors. Financial futures contracts and options thereon, which are traded on exchanges, are valued at their last sale price or settle price as of the close of such exchanges. Swap agreements and other derivatives are generally valued daily based upon quotations from market makers or by a pricing service in accordance with the valuation procedures approved by the Board.
Underlying Funds
. Shares of underlying open-end funds are valued at NAV. Shares of underlying exchange-traded closed-end funds or other exchange-traded funds will be valued at their most recent closing price.
General Valuation Information
. In determining the market value of portfolio investments, the Trust may employ independent third party pricing services, which may use, without limitation, a matrix or formula method that takes into consideration market indexes, matrices, yield curves and other specific adjustments. This may result in the securities being valued at a price different from the price that would have been determined had the matrix or formula method not been used. All cash, receivables and current payables are carried on the Trust’s books at their face value.
Prices obtained from independent third party pricing services, broker-dealers or market makers to value the Trust’s securities and other assets and liabilities are based on information available at the time the Trust values its assets and liabilities. In the event that a pricing service quotation is revised or updated subsequent to the day on which the Trust valued such security, the revised pricing service quotation generally will be applied prospectively. Such determination shall be made considering pertinent facts and circumstances surrounding such revision.
In the event that application of the methods of valuation discussed above result in a price for a security which is deemed not to be representative of the fair market value of such security, the security will be valued by, under the direction of or in accordance with a method specified by the Board as reflecting fair value. All other assets and liabilities (including securities for which market quotations are not readily available) held by the Trust (including restricted securities) are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board or by the Advisor (its delegate). Any assets and liabilities which are denominated in a foreign currency are translated into U.S. dollars at the prevailing rates of exchange.
Certain of the securities acquired by the Trust may be traded on foreign exchanges or over-the-counter markets on days on which the Trust’s NAV is not calculated. In such cases, the NAV of the Trust’s shares may be significantly affected on days when investors can neither purchase nor redeem shares of the Trust.
Fair Value
. When market quotations are not readily available or are believed by the Advisor to be unreliable, the Trust’s investments are valued at fair value (“Fair Value Assets”). Fair Value Assets are valued by the Advisor in accordance with procedures approved by the Board. The Advisor may conclude that a market quotation is not readily available or is unreliable if a security or other asset or liability does not have a price source due to its complete lack of trading, if the Advisor believes a market quotation from a broker-dealer or other source is unreliable (e.g., where it varies significantly from a recent trade, or no longer reflects the fair value of the security or other asset or liability subsequent to the most recent market quotation), where the security or other asset or liability is only thinly traded or due to the occurrence of a significant event subsequent to the most recent market quotation. For this purpose, a “significant event” is deemed to occur if the Advisor determines, in its business judgment prior to or at the time of pricing the Trust’s assets or liabilities, that it is likely that the event will cause a material change to the last exchange closing price or closing market price of one or more assets or liabilities held by the Trust. On any date the NYSE is open and the primary exchange on which a foreign asset or liability is traded is closed, such asset or liability will be valued using the prior day’s price, provided that the Advisor is not aware of any significant event or other information that would cause such price to no longer reflect the fair value of the asset or liability, in which case such asset or liability would be treated as a Fair Value Asset. For certain foreign securities, a third-party vendor supplies evaluated, systematic fair value pricing based upon the movement of a proprietary multi-factor model after the relevant foreign markets have closed. This systematic fair value pricing methodology is designed to correlate the prices of foreign securities following the close of the local markets to the price that might have prevailed as of the Trust’s pricing time.
The Advisor, with input from the BlackRock Portfolio Management Group, will submit its recommendations regarding the valuation and/or valuation methodologies for Fair Value Assets to BlackRock’s Valuation Committee. The
Valuation Committee may accept, modify or reject any recommendations. In addition, the Trust’s accounting agent periodically endeavors to confirm the prices it receives from all third party pricing services, index providers and broker-dealers, and, with the assistance of the Advisor, to regularly evaluate the values assigned to the securities and other assets and liabilities held by the Trust. The pricing of all Fair Value Assets is subsequently reported to and ratified by the Board or a Committee thereof.
When determining the price for a Fair Value Asset, the BlackRock Valuation Committee (or the Pricing Group) shall seek to determine the price that the Trust might reasonably expect to receive from the current sale of that asset or liability in an arm’s-length transaction. The price generally may not be determined based on what the Trust might reasonably expect to receive for selling an asset or liability at a later time or if it holds the asset or liability to maturity. Fair value determinations shall be based upon all available factors that the Valuation Committee (or Pricing Group) deems relevant at the time of the determination, and may be based on analytical values determined by the Advisor using proprietary or third party valuation models.
Fair value represents a good faith approximation of the value of an asset or liability. The fair value of one or more assets or liabilities may not, in retrospect, be the price at which those assets or liabilities could have been sold during the period in which the particular fair values were used in determining the Trust’s NAV. As a result, the Trust’s sale or repurchase of its shares at NAV, at a time when a holding or holdings are valued at fair value, may have the effect of diluting or increasing the economic interest of existing shareholders.
The Trust’s annual audited financial statements, which are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”), follow the requirements for valuation set forth in Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” (“ASC 820”), which defines and establishes a framework for measuring fair value under US GAAP and expands financial statement disclosure requirements relating to fair value measurements.
Generally, ASC 820 and other accounting rules applicable to investment companies and various assets in which they invest are evolving. Such changes may adversely affect the Trust. For example, the evolution of rules governing the determination of the fair market value of assets or liabilities to the extent such rules become more stringent would tend to increase the cost and/or reduce the availability of third-party determinations of fair market value. This may in turn increase the costs associated with selling assets or affect their liquidity due to the Trust’s inability to obtain a third-party determination of fair market value.
DISTRIBUTIONS
Commencing with the Trust’s initial distribution, the Trust intends to make regular monthly cash distributions of all or a portion of its net investment income to common shareholders. We expect to declare the initial monthly dividend on the Trust’s common shares within approximately 45 days after completion of this offering and to pay that initial monthly dividend approximately 60 to 90 days after completion of this offering, depending on market conditions. The Trust will pay common shareholders at least annually all or substantially all of its investment company taxable income. The Trust intends to pay any capital gains distributions at least annually. The Investment Company Act generally limits the Trust to one capital gain distribution per year, subject to certain exceptions, including as discussed below in connection with the Level Distribution Plan.
The Trust will, pursuant to an SEC exemptive order granted to certain of BlackRock’s closed-end funds, adopt a plan to support a level distribution of income, capital gains and/or return of capital. The Level Distribution Plan will be approved by the Board and be consistent with the Trust’s investment objectives and policies. Under the Level Distribution Plan, the Trust will distribute all available investment income to its shareholders, consistent with its investment objectives and as required by the Code. If sufficient investment income is not available on a monthly basis, the Trust will distribute long-term capital gains and/or return of capital to shareholders in order to maintain a level distribution. Each monthly distribution to shareholders is expected to be at the fixed amount established by the Board, except for extraordinary distributions and potential distribution rate increases or decreases to enable the Trust to comply with the distribution requirements imposed by the Code. Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Trust’s investment performance from the amount of these distributions or from the terms of the Level Distribution Plan. The Trust’s total return performance on NAV will be presented in its financial highlights table, which will be available in the Trust’s shareholder reports, every six-months. The Board may amend, suspend or terminate the Level Distribution Plan without prior notice if it deems such actions to be in the best interests of the Trust or its shareholders. The suspension or termination of the Level Distribution Plan could have the effect of creating a trading discount (if the Trust’s stock is trading at or above NAV)
or widening an existing trading discount. The Trust is subject to risks that could have an adverse impact on its ability to maintain level distributions. Examples of potential risks include, but are not limited to, economic downturns impacting the markets, decreased market volatility, companies suspending or decreasing corporate dividend distributions and changes in the Code. Please see “Risks” for a more complete description of the Trust’s risks.
The tax treatment and characterization of the Trust’s distributions may vary significantly from time to time because of the varied nature of the Trust’s investments. The ultimate tax characterization of the Trust’s distributions made in a fiscal year cannot finally be determined until after the end of that fiscal year. As a result, there is a possibility that the Trust may make total distributions during a fiscal year in an amount that exceeds the Trust’s earnings and profits for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In such situations, the amount by which the Trust’s total distributions exceed earnings and profits would generally be treated as a return of capital reducing the amount of a shareholder’s tax basis in such shareholder’s shares, with any amounts exceeding such basis treated as gain from the sale of shares.
Various factors will affect the level of the Trust’s income, including the asset mix and the Trust’s use of hedging. To permit the Trust to maintain a more stable monthly distribution, the Trust may from time to time distribute less than the entire amount of income earned in a particular period. The undistributed income would be available to supplement future distributions. As a result, the distributions paid by the Trust for any particular monthly period may be more or less than the amount of income actually earned by the Trust during that period. Undistributed income will add to the Trust’s net asset value and, correspondingly, distributions from undistributed income will deduct from the Trust’s net asset value.
Under normal market conditions, the Advisor will seek to manage the Trust in a manner such that the Trust’s distributions are reflective of the Trust’s current and projected earnings levels. The distribution level of the Trust is subject to change based upon a number of factors, including the current and projected level of the Trust’s earnings, and may fluctuate over time.
The Trust reserves the right to change its distribution policy and the basis for establishing the rate of its monthly distributions at any time and may do so without prior notice to common shareholders.
Shareholders will automatically have all dividends and distributions reinvested in common shares of the Trust issued by the Trust or purchased in the open market in accordance with the Trust’s dividend reinvestment plan unless an election is made to receive cash. See “Dividend Reinvestment Plan.”
DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN
Unless the registered owner of common shares elects to receive cash by contacting
(the “Reinvestment Plan Agent”), all dividends or other distributions (together, a “dividend”) declared for your common shares of the Trust will be automatically reinvested by the Reinvestment Plan Agent, as agent for shareholders in administering the Trust’s dividend reinvestment plan (the “Reinvestment Plan”), in additional common shares of the Trust. Shareholders who elect not to participate in the Reinvestment Plan will receive all dividends in cash paid by check mailed directly to the shareholder of record (or, if the common shares are held in street or other nominee name, then to such nominee) by
, as dividend disbursing agent. You may elect not to participate in the Reinvestment Plan and to receive all dividends in cash by contacting
, as Reinvestment Plan Agent, at the address set forth below. Participation in the Reinvestment Plan is completely voluntary and may be terminated or resumed at any time without penalty by written notice if received and processed by the Reinvestment Plan Agent prior to the dividend record date. Additionally, the Reinvestment Plan Agent seeks to process notices received after the record date but prior to the payable date and such notices often will become effective by the payable date. Where late notices are not processed by the applicable payable date, such termination or resumption will be effective with respect to any subsequently declared dividend.
Some brokers may automatically elect to receive cash on your behalf and may re-invest that cash in additional common shares of the Trust for you. If you wish for all dividends declared on your common shares of the Trust to be automatically reinvested pursuant to the Reinvestment Plan, please contact your broker.
The Reinvestment Plan Agent will open an account for each common shareholder under the Reinvestment Plan in the same name in which such common shareholder’s common shares are registered. Whenever the Trust declares a dividend payable in cash, non-participants in the Reinvestment Plan will receive cash and participants in the Reinvestment Plan will receive the equivalent in common shares. The common shares will be acquired by the Reinvestment Plan Agent for the participants’ accounts, depending upon the circumstances described below, either (i) through receipt of additional unissued but authorized common shares from the Trust (“newly issued common shares”) or (ii) by purchase of outstanding common shares on the open market (“open-market purchases”). If, on the dividend payment date, the NAV is equal to or less than the
market price per share plus estimated brokerage commissions (such condition often referred to as a “market premium”), the Reinvestment Plan Agent will invest the dividend amount in newly issued common shares on behalf of the participants. The number of newly issued common shares to be credited to each participant’s account will be determined by dividing the dollar amount of the dividend by the NAV on the dividend payment date. However, if the NAV is less than 95% of the market price on the dividend payment date, the dollar amount of the dividend will be divided by 95% of the market price on the dividend payment date. If, on the dividend payment date, the NAV is greater than the market price per share plus estimated brokerage commissions (such condition often referred to as a “market discount”), the Reinvestment Plan Agent will invest the dividend amount in common shares acquired on behalf of the participants in open-market purchases. In the event of a market discount on the dividend payment date, the Reinvestment Plan Agent will have until the last business day before the next date on which the common shares trade on an “ex-dividend” basis or 30 days after the dividend payment date, whichever is sooner, to invest the dividend amount in common shares acquired in open-market purchases. It is contemplated that the Trust will pay monthly income dividends. If, before the Reinvestment Plan Agent has completed its open-market purchases, the market price per common share exceeds the NAV per common share, the average per common share purchase price paid by the Reinvestment Plan Agent may exceed the NAV of the common shares, resulting in the acquisition of fewer common shares than if the dividend had been paid in newly issued common shares on the dividend payment date. Because of the foregoing difficulty with respect to open-market purchases, the Reinvestment Plan provides that if the Reinvestment Plan Agent is unable to invest the full dividend amount in open-market purchases, or if the market discount shifts to a market premium during the purchase period, the Reinvestment Plan Agent may cease making open-market purchases and may invest any uninvested portion in newly issued shares. Investments in newly issued shares made in this manner would be made pursuant to the same process described above and the date of issue for such newly issued shares will substitute for the dividend payment date.
The Reinvestment Plan Agent maintains all shareholders’ accounts in the Reinvestment Plan and furnishes written confirmation of all transactions in the accounts, including information needed by shareholders for tax records. Common shares in the account of each Reinvestment Plan participant will be held by the Reinvestment Plan Agent on behalf of the Reinvestment Plan participant, and each shareholder proxy will include those shares purchased or received pursuant to the Reinvestment Plan. The Reinvestment Plan Agent will forward all proxy solicitation materials to participants and vote proxies for shares held under the Reinvestment Plan in accordance with the instructions of the participants.
In the case of shareholders such as banks, brokers or nominees, which hold shares for others who are the beneficial owners, the Reinvestment Plan Agent will administer the Reinvestment Plan on the basis of the number of common shares certified from time to time by the record shareholder’s name and held for the account of beneficial owners who participate in the Reinvestment Plan.
The Reinvestment Plan Agent’s fees for the handling of the reinvestment of dividends will be paid by the Trust. However, each participant will pay a $0.02 per share fee incurred in connection with open-market purchases, which will be deducted from the value of the dividend. The automatic reinvestment of dividends will not relieve participants of any U.S. federal, state or local income tax that may be payable (or required to be withheld) on such dividends. See “Tax Matters.”
Participants that request a sale of shares through the Reinvestment Plan Agent are subject to a $2.50 sales fee and a $0.15 per share fee. Per share fees include any applicable brokerage commissions the Reinvestment Plan Agent is required to pay.
The Trust reserves the right to amend or terminate the Reinvestment Plan. There is no direct service charge to participants with regard to purchases in the Reinvestment Plan; however, the Trust reserves the right to amend the Reinvestment Plan to include a service charge payable by the participants. Notice of amendments to the Reinvestment Plan will be sent to participants.
All correspondence concerning the Reinvestment Plan should be directed to the Reinvestment Plan Agent, through the internet at
, by calling
or in writing to .
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
Common Shares
The Trust is a statutory trust organized under the laws of Delaware pursuant to a Certificate of Trust, dated as of August 13, 2014, and an Agreement and Declaration of Trust, dated as of August 13, 2014 and as amended from time to time (the “Agreement and Declaration of Trust”). The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per share. Each common share has one vote and, when issued and paid for in accordance
with the terms of this offering, will be fully paid and non-assessable, except that the Trustees shall have the power to cause shareholders to pay certain expenses of the Trust by setting off charges due from shareholders from declared but unpaid dividends or distributions owed the shareholders and/or by reducing the number of common shares owned by each respective shareholder. If and whenever preferred shares are outstanding, the holders of common shares will not be entitled to receive any distributions from the Trust unless all accrued dividends on preferred shares have been paid, unless asset coverage (as defined in the Investment Company Act) with respect to preferred shares would be at least 200% after giving effect to the distributions and unless certain other requirements imposed by any rating agencies rating the preferred shares have been met. See “Description of Shares—Preferred Shares” in the SAI. All common shares are equal as to dividends, assets and voting privileges and have no conversion, preemptive or other subscription rights. The Trust will send annual and semi-annual reports, including financial statements, to all holders of its shares.
The Trust has no present intention of offering any additional shares, including preferred shares. Any additional offerings of shares, including preferred shares, will require approval by the Board. Any additional offering of common shares will be subject to the requirements of the Investment Company Act, which provides that shares may not be issued at a price below the then current net asset value, exclusive of sales load, except in connection with an offering to existing holders of common shares or with the consent of a majority of the Trust’s outstanding voting securities.
The Trust’s common shares are expected to be listed on the NYSE, subject to notice of issuance, under the symbol “ .” Net asset value will be reduced immediately following the offering of common shares by the amount of the sales load and the amount of the offering expenses paid by the Trust. See “Summary of Trust Expenses.”
Unlike open-end funds, closed-end funds like the Trust 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 through a broker on the NYSE or otherwise. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade on an exchange at prices lower than net asset value.
Shares of closed-end investment companies like the Trust have during some periods traded at prices higher than net asset value and during other periods have traded at prices lower than net asset value.
Because the market value of the common shares may be influenced by such factors as dividend levels (which are in turn affected by expenses), call protection on its portfolio securities, dividend stability, portfolio credit quality, the Trust’s net asset value, relative demand for and supply of such shares in the market, general market and economic conditions and other factors beyond the control of the Trust, the Trust cannot assure you that common shares will trade at a price equal to or higher than net asset value in the future. The common shares are designed primarily for long-term investors and you should not purchase the common shares if you intend to sell them soon after purchase. See “Repurchase of Common Shares” below and “Repurchase of Common Shares” in the SAI.
Preferred Shares
The Agreement and Declaration of Trust provides that the Board may authorize and issue preferred shares, with rights as determined by the Board, by action of the Board without the approval of the holders of the common shares. Holders of common shares have no preemptive right to purchase any preferred shares that might be issued. The Trust does not intend to issue preferred shares during its first full year of operations.
Under the Investment Company Act, the Trust is not permitted to issue preferred shares unless immediately after such issuance the value of the Trust’s total assets is at least 200% of the liquidation value of the outstanding preferred shares (i.e., the liquidation value may not exceed 50% of the Trust’s total assets). In addition, the Trust is not permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on its common shares unless, at the time of such declaration, the value of the Trust’s total assets is at least 200% of such liquidation value. If the Trust issues preferred shares, it may be subject to restrictions imposed by guidelines of one or more rating agencies that may issue ratings for preferred shares issued by the Trust. These guidelines may impose asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed on the Trust by the Investment Company Act. It is not anticipated that these covenants or guidelines would impede the Advisor from managing the Trust’s portfolio in accordance with the Trust’s investment objectives and policies. Please see “Description of Shares” in the SAI for more information.
CERTAIN PROVISIONS IN THE AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST AND BYLAWS
The Agreement and Declaration of Trust includes provisions that could have the effect of limiting the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Trust or to change the composition of the Board. This could have the effect of depriving shareholders of an opportunity to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging a third party from seeking to obtain control over the Trust. Such attempts could have the effect of increasing the expenses of the Trust and disrupting the normal operation of the Trust.
The Board is divided into three classes. At each annual meeting of
shareholders the term of only one class of Trustees expires and only the Trustees in that one class stand for reelection. Trustees standing for election at an annual meeting of shareholders are elected to a three-year term.
This provision could delay for up to two years the replacement of a majority of the Board. A Trustee may be removed from office for cause only, and only by the action of a majority of the remaining Trustees followed by a vote of the holders of at least 75% of the shares then entitled to vote for the election of the respective Trustee.
In addition, the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust requires the favorable vote of a majority of the Board followed by the favorable vote of the holders of at least 75% of the outstanding shares of each affected class or series of the Trust, voting separately as a class or series, to approve, adopt or authorize certain transactions with 5% or greater holders of a class or series of shares and their associates, unless the transaction has been approved by at least 80% of the Trustees, in which case “a majority of the outstanding voting securities” (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of the Trust shall be required. These voting requirements are in addition to any regulatory relief required from the SEC with respect to such transaction. For purposes of these provisions, a 5% or greater holder of a class or series of shares (a “Principal Shareholder”) refers to any person who, whether directly or indirectly and whether alone or together with its affiliates and associates, beneficially owns 5% or more of the outstanding shares of all outstanding classes or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust. The 5% holder transactions subject to these special approval requirements are:
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the merger or consolidation of the Trust or any subsidiary of the Trust with or into any Principal Shareholder;
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the issuance of any securities of the Trust to any Principal Shareholder for cash (other than pursuant to any automatic dividend reinvestment plan);
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the sale, lease or exchange of all or any substantial part of the assets of the Trust to any Principal Shareholder, except assets having an aggregate fair market value of less than 2% of the total assets of the Trust, aggregating for the purpose of such computation all assets sold, leased or exchanged in any series of similar transactions within a twelve-month period; or
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the sale, lease or exchange to the Trust or any subsidiary of the Trust, in exchange for securities of the Trust, of any assets of any Principal Shareholder, except assets having an aggregate fair market value of less than 2% of the total assets of the Trust, aggregating for purposes of such computation all assets sold, leased or exchanged in any series of similar transactions within a twelve-month period.
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To convert the Trust to an open-end investment company, the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust requires the favorable vote of a majority of the Board followed by the favorable vote of the holders of at least 75% of the outstanding shares of each affected class or series of shares of the Trust, voting separately as a class or series, unless such conversion has been approved by at least 80% of the Trustees, in which case “a majority of the outstanding voting securities” (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of the Trust shall be required. The foregoing vote would satisfy a separate requirement in the Investment Company Act that any conversion of the Trust to an open-end investment company be approved by the shareholders. If approved in the foregoing manner, we anticipate conversion of the Trust to an open-end investment company might not occur until 90 days after the shareholders’ meeting at which such conversion was approved and would also require at least 10 days’ prior notice to all shareholders. Conversion of the Trust to an open-end investment company would require the redemption of any outstanding
preferred shares
, which could eliminate or alter the leveraged capital structure of the Trust with respect to the common shares. Following any such conversion, it is also possible that certain of the Trust’s investment policies and strategies would have to be modified to assure sufficient portfolio liquidity. In the event of conversion, the common shares would cease to be listed on the NYSE or other national securities exchanges or market systems. 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 Investment Company Act, at their net asset value, less such redemption charge, if any, as might be in effect at the time of a redemption. The Trust expects to pay all such redemption requests in cash, but reserves the right to pay redemption requests in a combination of cash or securities. If such partial payment in securities were made, investors may incur brokerage costs in converting such securities to cash. If the Trust were converted to an open-end fund, it is likely that new shares would be sold at net asset value plus a sales load. The Board believes, however, that the closed-end structure is desirable in light of the Trust’s investment objectives and policies. Therefore, you should assume that it is not likely that the Board would vote to convert the Trust to an open-end fund.
For the purposes of calculating “a majority of the outstanding voting securities” under the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, each class and series of the Trust shall vote together as a single class, except to the extent required by the Investment Company Act or the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust with respect to any class or series of shares.
If a separate vote is required, the applicable proportion of shares of the class or series, voting as a separate class or series, also will be required.
The Board has determined that provisions with respect to the Board and the shareholder voting requirements described above, which voting requirements are greater than the minimum requirements under Delaware law or the Investment Company Act, are in the best interests of shareholders generally. Reference should be made to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust on file with the SEC for the full text of these provisions.
The Trust’s Bylaws generally require that advance notice be given to the Trust in the event a shareholder desires to nominate a person for election to the Board or to transact any other business at an annual meeting of shareholders. Notice of any such nomination or business must be delivered to or received at the principal executive offices of the Trust not less than 120 calendar days nor more than 150 calendar days prior to the anniversary date of the prior year’s annual meeting (subject to certain exceptions). Any notice by a shareholder must be accompanied by certain information as provided in the Bylaws.
Reference should be made to the
Bylaws
on file with the SEC for the full text of these provisions.
CLOSED-END FUND STRUCTURE
The Trust is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company with no operating history (commonly referred to as a closed-end fund). Closed-end funds differ from open-end funds (which are generally referred to as mutual funds) in that closed-end funds generally list their shares for trading on a stock exchange and do not redeem their shares at the request of the shareholder. This means that if you wish to sell your shares of a closed-end fund you must trade them on the stock exchange like any other stock at the prevailing market price at that time. In a mutual fund, if the shareholder wishes to sell shares of the fund, the mutual fund will redeem or buy back the shares at “net asset value.” Also, mutual funds generally offer new shares on a continuous basis to new investors and closed-end funds generally do not. The continuous inflows and outflows of assets in a mutual fund can make it difficult to manage the fund’s investments. By comparison, closed-end funds are generally able to stay more fully invested in securities that are consistent with their investment objectives and also have greater flexibility to make certain types of investments and to use certain investment strategies, such as financial leverage and investments in illiquid securities.
Shares of closed-end funds frequently trade at a discount to their net asset value. Because of this possibility and the recognition that any such discount may not be in the interest of shareholders, the Board might consider from time to time engaging in open-market repurchases, tender offers for shares or other programs intended to reduce the discount. We cannot guarantee or assure, however, that the Board will decide to engage in any of these actions. Nor is there any guarantee or assurance that such actions, if undertaken, would result in the shares trading at a price equal or close to the NAV. See “Repurchase of Common Shares” below and “Repurchase of Common Shares” in the SAI. The Board might also consider converting the Trust to an open-end mutual fund, which would also require a vote of the shareholders of the Trust.
REPURCHASE OF COMMON SHARES
Shares of closed-end investment companies often trade at a discount to their net asset values and the Trust’s common shares may also trade at a discount to their net asset value, although it is possible that they may trade at a premium above net asset value. The market price of the Trust’s common shares will be determined by such factors as relative demand for and supply of such common shares in the market, the Trust’s net asset value, general market and economic conditions and other factors beyond the control of the Trust. See “Net Asset Value” and “Description of Shares—Common Shares.” Although the Trust’s common shareholders will not have the right to redeem their common shares, the Trust may take action to repurchase common shares in the open market or make tender offers for its common shares. This may have the effect of reducing any market discount from net asset value.
There is no assurance that, if action is undertaken to repurchase or tender for common shares, such action will result in the common shares’ trading at a price which approximates their net asset value. Although share repurchases and tender offers could have a favorable effect on the market price of the Trust’s common shares, you should be aware that the acquisition of common shares by the Trust will decrease the capital of the Trust and, therefore, may have the effect of increasing the Trust’s expense ratio and decreasing the asset coverage with respect to any borrowings or
preferred shares
outstanding. Any share repurchases or tender offers will be made in accordance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, the Investment Company Act and the principal stock exchange on which the common shares are traded. For additional information, see “Repurchase of Common Shares” in the SAI.
TAX MATTERS
The following discussion is a brief summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Trust and the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Trust’s common shares. A more detailed discussion of the tax rules applicable to the Trust and its common shareholders can be found in the SAI that is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. Except as otherwise noted, this discussion assumes you are a taxable U.S. person (as defined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) and that you hold your common shares as capital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes (generally, assets held for investment). This discussion is based upon current provisions of the Code, the regulations promulgated thereunder and judicial and administrative authorities, all of which are subject to change or differing interpretations by the courts or the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), possibly with retroactive effect. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of all U.S. federal tax concerns affecting the Trust and its common shareholders (including common shareholders subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax law).
The discussion set forth herein does not constitute tax advice and potential investors are urged to consult their own tax advisers to determine the specific U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences to them of investing in the Trust.
Taxation of the Trust
The Trust intends to elect to be treated and to qualify annually as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. Accordingly, the Trust must, among other things, meet certain income, asset diversification and distribution requirements:
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(i)
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The Trust must derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from the following sources: (a) dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including gain from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or foreign currencies; and (b) net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (as defined in the Code). Generally, a qualified publicly traded partnership includes a partnership the interests of which are traded on an established securities market or readily tradable on a secondary market (or the substantial equivalent thereof) and that derives less than 90% of its gross income from the items described in (a) above.
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(ii)
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The Trust must diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of each taxable year, (a) at least 50% of the market value of the Trust’s total assets consists of cash and cash items, including receivables, U.S. Government securities, the securities of other RICs and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Trust’s total assets and not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (b) not more than 25% of the market value of the Trust’s total assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. Government securities and the securities of other RICs) of (I) any one issuer, (II) any two or more issuers that the Trust controls and that are determined to be engaged in the same business or similar or related trades or businesses or (III) any one or more “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (as defined in the Code).
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As long as the Trust qualifies as a RIC, the Trust generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on income and gains that the Trust distributes to its common shareholders, provided that it distributes each taxable year at least 90% of the Trust’s investment company taxable income (which includes, among other items, dividends, interest, the excess of any net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss, and other taxable income, other than any net capital gain (defined below), reduced by deductible expenses) determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid. The Trust intends to distribute substantially all of such income each year. The Trust will be subject to income tax at regular corporate rates on any taxable income or gains that it does not distribute to its common shareholders.
The Trust may either distribute or retain for reinvestment all or part of its net capital gain (which consists of the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). If any such gain is retained, the Trust will be subject to a corporate income tax on such retained amount. In that event, the Trust expects to report the retained amount as undistributed capital gain in a notice to its common shareholders, each of whom, if subject to U.S. federal income tax on long-term capital gains, (i) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes as long-term capital gain its share of such undistributed amounts, (ii) will be entitled to credit its proportionate share of the tax paid by the Trust against its U.S. federal income tax liability and to claim refunds to the extent that the credit exceeds such liability and (iii) will increase its basis in its common shares by the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder’s income less the tax deemed paid by the shareholder under clause (ii).
The Code imposes a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the Trust to the extent the Trust does not distribute by the end of any calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income (not taking into account any capital gain or loss) for
the calendar year and (ii) 98.2% of its capital gain in excess of its capital loss (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for a one-year period generally ending on October 31 of the calendar year (unless an election is made to use the Trust’s fiscal year). In addition, the minimum amounts that must be distributed in any year to avoid the excise tax will be increased or decreased to reflect any under-distribution or over-distribution, as the case may be, from the previous year. For purposes of the excise tax, the Trust will be deemed to have distributed any income on which it paid U.S. federal income tax. While the Trust intends to distribute any income and capital gain in the manner necessary to minimize imposition of the 4% nondeductible excise tax, there can be no assurance that sufficient amounts of the Trust’s taxable income and capital gain will be distributed to entirely avoid the imposition of the excise tax. In that event, the Trust will be liable for the excise tax only on the amount by which it does not meet the foregoing distribution requirement.
Certain of the Trust’s investment practices are subject to special and complex U.S. federal income tax provisions that may, among other things, (i) disallow, suspend or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions, (ii) convert lower taxed long-term capital gains or qualified dividend income into higher taxed short-term capital gains or ordinary income, (iii) convert an ordinary loss or a deduction into a capital loss (the deductibility of which is more limited), (iv) cause the Trust to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, (v) adversely affect the time as to when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur, (vi) adversely alter the characterization of certain complex financial transactions and (vii) produce income that will not be “qualified” income for purposes of the 90% gross income requirement described above. These U.S. federal income tax provisions could therefore affect the amount, timing and character of distributions to common shareholders. The Trust intends to structure and monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections and may be required to dispose of securities to mitigate the effect of these provisions and prevent disqualification of the Trust as a RIC (which may adversely affect the net after-tax return to the Trust).
If for any taxable year the Trust were to fail to qualify as a RIC, all of its taxable income (including its net capital gain) would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to common shareholders, and such distributions would be taxable to the common shareholders as ordinary dividends to the extent of the Trust’s current or accumulated earnings and profits. In addition, the Trust could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay taxes and make distributions (which could be subject to interest charges) before requalifying for taxation as a RIC.
Taxation of Common Shareholders
Distributions.
Distributions paid to you by the Trust from its net capital gain, which is the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss, if any, that the Trust properly reports as capital gain dividends (“capital gain dividends”) are taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long you have held your common shares. All other dividends paid to you by the Trust (including dividends from short-term capital gains) from its current or accumulated earnings and profits (“ordinary income dividends”) are generally subject to tax as ordinary income. Provided that certain holding period and other requirements are met, ordinary income dividends (if properly reported by the Trust) may qualify (i) for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders to the extent that the Trust’s income consists of dividend income from U.S. corporations, and (ii) in the case of individual shareholders, as “qualified dividend income” eligible to be taxed at long-term capital gains rates to the extent that the Trust receives qualified dividend income. Qualified dividend income is, in general, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations (e.g., generally, foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a qualifying comprehensive tax treaty with the United States, or whose stock with respect to which such dividend is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States). There can be no assurance as to what portion, if any, of the Trust’s distributions will constitute qualified dividend income.
Any distributions you receive that are in excess of the Trust’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of your adjusted tax basis in your common shares, and thereafter as capital gain from the sale of common shares. The amount of any Trust distribution that is treated as a return of capital will reduce your adjusted tax basis in your common shares, thereby increasing your potential gain, or reducing your potential loss, on any subsequent sale or other disposition of your common shares.
Dividends and other taxable distributions are taxable to you even if they are reinvested in additional common shares of the Trust. Dividends and other distributions paid by the Trust are generally treated as received by you at the time the dividend or distribution is made. If, however, the Trust pays you a dividend in January that was declared in the previous October, November or December to common shareholders of record on a specified date in one of such months, then such dividend will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being paid by the Trust and received by you on December 31 of the year in which the dividend was declared.
The Trust will send you information after the end of each year setting forth the amount and tax status of any distributions paid to you by the Trust.
Sale of Common Shares.
The sale or other disposition of common shares of the Trust will generally result in capital gain or loss to you and will be long-term capital gain or loss if you have held such common shares for more than one year. Any loss upon the sale or other disposition of common shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividends received (including amounts credited as an undistributed capital gain) by you with respect to such common shares. Any loss you recognize on a sale or other disposition of common shares will be disallowed if you acquire other common shares (whether through the automatic reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after your sale or exchange of the common shares. In such case, your tax basis in the common shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.
Current U.S. federal income tax law taxes both long-term and short-term capital gain of corporations at the rates applicable to ordinary income. For non-corporate taxpayers, short-term capital gain is currently taxed at rates applicable to ordinary income while long-term capital gain generally is taxed at a reduced maximum rate. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations under the Code.
Backup Withholding.
U.S. federal backup withholding may be required on dividends, distributions and sale proceeds payable to common shareholders who fail to supply their correct taxpayer identification number (in the case of individuals, generally, their social security number) or to make required certifications, or who are otherwise subject to backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amount withheld may be refunded or credited against your U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, provided that you timely furnish the required information to the IRS.
The foregoing is a general and abbreviated summary of certain provisions of the Code and the Treasury regulations currently in effect as they directly govern the taxation of the Trust and its common shareholders. These provisions are subject to change by legislative or administrative action, and any such change may be retroactive. A more detailed discussion of the tax rules applicable to the Trust and its common shareholders can be found in the SAI that is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. Common shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers regarding specific questions as to U.S. federal, state, local and foreign income or other taxes.
Please refer to the SAI for more detailed information. You are urged to consult your tax adviser.
UNDERWRITING
Under the terms and subject to the conditions in an underwriting agreement, dated the date of this Prospectus, the Underwriters named below, for whom , and are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), have severally agreed to purchase, and the Trust has agreed to sell to them, the number of the Trust’s common shares indicated below.
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Underwriter
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Number of Shares
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Total
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The Underwriters are offering the common shares subject to their acceptance of the shares from the Trust 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 take or pay for the common shares covered by the Underwriters’ over-allotment option described 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. The underwriting discounts and commissions (sales load) of $ per common share are equal to % of the public offering price. Investors must pay for any common shares purchased on or before , 2014.
The Trust has granted to the Underwriters an option, exercisable for 45 days from the date of this Prospectus, to purchase up to common shares at the public offering price listed on the cover page of this Prospectus, less underwriting discounts and commissions. 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.
The following table shows the per share and total public offering price, underwriting discounts and commissions (sales load) and proceeds, before expenses, to the Trust. These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the Underwriters’ option to purchase up to an additional common shares.
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Total
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Per Share
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No Exercise
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Full Exercise
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Public offering price
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$ | $ | $ | |||||||||
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Sales load
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$ | $ | $ | |||||||||
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Proceeds, after expenses, to the Trust
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$ | $ | $ | |||||||||
Organizational and offering expenses paid by the Trust (other than sales load) will not exceed $ per common share sold by the Trust in this offering. If the organizational and offering expenses referred to in the preceding sentence exceed this amount, the Advisor will pay the excess. The aggregate offering expenses (excluding sales load) are estimated to be $ in total, $ of which will be borne by the Trust (or $ if the Underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full). See “Summary of Trust Expenses.”
The fees to certain Underwriters described below under “— Additional Compensation to be Paid by the Advisor” are not reimbursable to the Advisor by the Trust, and are therefore not reflected in expenses payable by the Trust.
The Underwriters have informed the Trust 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 ($ ).
The Trust’s common shares are expected to be listed on the NYSE, subject to notice of issuance, under the symbol “ .”
The Trust 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 (the “restricted period”):
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offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any common shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common shares;
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·
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file any registration statement with the SEC relating to the offering of any common shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common shares; or
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enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the common shares;
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whether any such transaction described above in the first or third bullet 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:
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·
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the sale of common shares to the Underwriters; or
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any common shares issued pursuant to the Reinvestment Plan.
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The restricted period described in the preceding paragraph will be extended if:
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during the last 17 days of the restricted period, the Trust issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Trust occurs, or
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prior to the expiration of the restricted period, the Trust announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the restricted period or provides notification to the Representatives of any earnings release or material news or material event that may give rise to an extension of the initial restricted period,
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in which case the restrictions described in the preceding paragraph will continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event.
The Representatives, in their sole discretion, may release the common shares and other securities subject to the lock-up agreements described above in whole or in part at any time with or without notice.
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. 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 Trust, the Advisor and the Underwriters have agreed to indemnify each other against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the 1933 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 Trust, the Advisor 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, , an affiliate of the Advisor, purchased common shares from the Trust in an amount satisfying the net worth requirements of Section 14(a) of the Investment Company Act, which requires the Trust to have a net worth of at least $100,000 prior to making a public offering. As of the date of this Prospectus, owned 100% of the Trust’s outstanding common shares and therefore may be deemed to control the Trust until such time as it owns less than 25% of the Trust’s outstanding common shares, which is expected to occur upon the closing of this offering.
The Trust 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 act as underwriters and, subject to certain restrictions, may act as such brokers while they act as underwriters.
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 activities to the Trust, certain of its executive officers and affiliates and the Advisor 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 Trust or
the common shares in any jurisdiction 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 is . The principal business address of is . The principal business address of is .
Additional Compensation to be Paid by the Advisor
The Advisor (and not the Trust) has agreed to pay from its own assets, upfront structuring and syndication fees in the amount of $ for services relating to the structure and design of the Trust, including without limitation, views from an investor market, distribution and syndication perspective on (i) marketing issues with respect to the Trust’s investment policies and proposed investments, (ii) the overall marketing and positioning thesis for the offering of the Trust’s common shares, (iii) securing participants in the Trust’s initial public offering, (iv) preparation of marketing and diligence materials for Underwriters, (v) conveying information and market updates to the Underwriters, and (vi) coordinating syndicate orders in this offering. If the over-allotment option is not exercised, the upfront structuring and syndication fees paid to will not exceed % of the total public offering price of the common shares. These services provided by to the Advisor are unrelated to the Advisor’s function of advising the Trust as to its investments in securities or use of investment strategies and investment techniques.
The Advisor (and not the Trust) has agreed to pay from its own assets, an upfront structuring fee in the amount of $ for advice relating to the structure, design and organization of the Trust, as well as services related to the distribution of its common shares. If the over-allotment option is not exercised, the upfront structuring fee paid to will not exceed % of the total public offering price of the Trust’s common shares. These services provided by to the Advisor are unrelated to the Advisor’s function of advising the Trust as to its investments in securities or use of investment strategies and investment techniques.
The amount of these structuring and syndication fees are calculated based on the total respective sales of common shares by these Underwriters, including those common shares included in the Underwriters’ over-allotment option, and will be paid regardless of whether some or all of the over allotment option is exercised.
The Advisor (and not the Trust) may pay certain other qualifying Underwriters a structuring fee, a sales incentive fee or additional compensation in connection with this offering.
The Advisor and certain of its affiliates (and not the Trust) expect to pay compensation to certain registered representatives of BlackRock Investments, LLC (an affiliate of the Advisor) that participate in the marketing of the Trust’s common shares in an aggregate amount up to $ . If the over-allotment option is not exercised, the compensation paid to these certain registered representatives of BlackRock Investments, LLC will not exceed % of the total price to the public of the common shares sold in this offering. The Advisor and certain of its affiliates (and not the Trust) pay this compensation in consideration of marketing activities conducted as part of these certain registered representatives’ regular duties, which activities may include providing information and education to partner firms about the Trust, discussing economic trends and market movements and providing assistance with marketing materials.
Total underwriting compensation determined in accordance with Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) rules is summarized as follows. The sales load the Trust will pay of $ per share is equal to % of the total public offering price of the common shares. The Trust has agreed to reimburse the Underwriters for the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the common shares in an amount not to exceed $ in the aggregate, which amount will not exceed % of the total public offering price of the common shares if the over-allotment option is not exercised. The sum total of all compensation to the Underwriters and registered representatives of BlackRock Investments, LLC in connection with this public offering of the common shares, including sales load, expense reimbursement and all forms of syndication and structuring fee payments to the Underwriters, will not exceed 9.0% of the total public offering price of the common shares.
CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT
The custodian of the assets of the Trust is , whose principal business address is . The custodian will be responsible for, among other things, receipt of and disbursement of funds from the Trust’s accounts, establishment of segregated accounts as necessary, and transfer, exchange and delivery of Trust portfolio securities.
, whose principal business address is , will serve as the Trust’s transfer agent with respect to the common shares.
ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES
will provide certain administration and accounting services to the Trust pursuant to an Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (the “Administration Agreement”). Pursuant to the Administration Agreement, will provide the Trust with, among other things, customary fund accounting services, including computing the Trust’s net asset value and maintaining books, records and other documents relating to the Trust’s financial and portfolio transactions, and customary fund administration services, including assisting the Trust with regulatory filings, tax compliance and other oversight activities. is paid a monthly fee at an annual rate ranging from % to % of the Trust’s Managed Assets, along with an annual fixed fee ranging from $ to $ for these and other services it provides to the Trust.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
, whose principal business address is , is the independent registered public accounting firm of the Trust and is expected to render an opinion annually on the financial statements of the Trust.
LEGAL OPINIONS
Certain legal matters in connection with the common shares will be passed upon for the Trust by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, Boston, Massachusetts. , advised the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the common shares. may rely as to certain matters of Delaware law on the opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.
PRIVACY PRINCIPLES OF THE TRUST
The Trust is committed to maintaining the privacy of its current and former shareholders and to safeguarding their non-public personal information. The following information is provided to help you understand what personal information the Trust collects, how the Trust protects that information and why, in certain cases, the Trust may share such information with select parties.
The Trust obtains or verifies personal non-public information from and about you from different sources, including the following: (i) information the Trust receives from you or, if applicable, your financial intermediary, on applications, forms or other documents; (ii) information about your transactions with the Trust, its affiliates or others; (iii) information the Trust receives from a consumer reporting agency; and (iv) from visits to the Trust’s or its affiliates’ websites.
The Trust does not sell or disclose to non-affiliated third parties any non-public personal information about its current and former shareholders, except as permitted by law or as is necessary to respond to regulatory requests or to service shareholder accounts. These non-affiliated third parties are required to protect the confidentiality and security of this information and to use it only for its intended purpose.
The Trust may share information with its affiliates to service your account or to provide you with information about other BlackRock products or services that may be of interest to you. In addition, the Trust restricts access to non-public personal information about its current and former shareholders to those BlackRock employees with a legitimate business need for the information. The Trust maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that are designed to protect the non-public personal information of its current and former shareholders, including procedures relating to the proper storage and disposal of such information.
If you are located in a jurisdiction where specific laws, rules or regulations require the Trust to provide you with additional or different privacy-related rights beyond what is set forth above, then the Trust will comply with those specific laws, rules or regulations.
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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Use of Proceeds
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S-2
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Investment Objectives and Policies
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S-2
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Investment Policies and Techniques
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S-3
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Additional Risk Factors
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S-18
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Management of the Trust
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S-35
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Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage
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S-37
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Conflicts of Interest
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S-41
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Description of Shares
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S-46
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Repurchase of Common Shares
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S-48
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Tax Matters
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S-49
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
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F-1
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Financial Statements
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F-2
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Appendix A: Ratings of Investments
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A-1
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Appendix B: Proxy Voting Policies—BlackRock U.S. Registered Funds
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B-1
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Shares
BlackRock Science and Technology Trust
Common Shares
$ per share
______________
PROSPECTUS
, 2014
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Until , 2014 (25 days after the date of this Prospectus), 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’ obligations to deliver a Prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.
The information in this preliminary 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 preliminary statement of additional information is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED AUGUST 15, 2014
BlackRock Science and Technology Trust
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
BlackRock Science and Technology Trust (the “Trust”) is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company with no operating history.
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) relating to common shares does not constitute a prospectus, but should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus relating thereto dated , 2014. This SAI, which is not a prospectus, 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 may be obtained without charge by calling (800) 882-0052. You may also obtain a copy of the Prospectus on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) website (http://www.sec.gov). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this SAI have the meanings ascribed to them in the Prospectus
.
References to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), or other applicable law, will include any rules promulgated thereunder and any guidance, interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, including court interpretations, and exemptive, no-action or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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Use of Proceeds
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S-2
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Investment Objectives and Policies
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S-2
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Investment Policies and Techniques
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S-3
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Additional Risk Factors
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S-18
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Management of the Trust
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S-35
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Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage
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S-37
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Conflicts of Interest
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S-41
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Description of Shares
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S-46
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Repurchase of Common Shares
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S-48
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|
Tax Matters
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S-49
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|
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
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F-1
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|
Financial Statements
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F-2
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Appendix A: Ratings of Investments
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A-1
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Appendix B: Proxy Voting Policies—BlackRock U.S. Registered Funds
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B-1
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This Statement of Additional Information is dated , 2014.
Pending investment in securities that meet the Trust’s investment objectives and policies, the net proceeds of this offering will be invested in short-term debt securities of the type described below under “Investment Policies and Techniques—Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Debt Securities.” If necessary to invest fully the net proceeds of this offering immediately, the Trust may also purchase, as temporary investments, securities of other open- or closed-end investment companies that invest primarily in securities of the type in which the Trust may invest directly. We currently anticipate that the Trust will be able to invest all of the net proceeds in accordance with the Trust’s investment objectives and policies within approximately three months after the completion of this offering.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
Investment Restrictions
The Trust has adopted restrictions and policies relating to the investment of the Trust’s assets and its activities. Certain of the restrictions are fundamental policies of the Trust and may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Trust’s outstanding voting securities (which for this purpose and under the Investment Company Act means the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding shares are represented or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares), including class approval by a majority of the Trust’s outstanding preferred shares, if any (which for this purpose and under the Investment Company Act means the lesser of (i) 67% of the preferred shares, as a single class, represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the Trust’s outstanding preferred shares are represented or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding preferred shares).
Fundamental Investment Restrictions
. Under these fundamental investment restrictions, the Trust may not:
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Concentrate its investments in a particular industry, as that term is used in the Investment Company Act, except that the Trust will concentrate its investments in companies operating in the industry or group of related industries that comprise the science and technology sectors as described in the Prospectus.
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Borrow money, except as permitted under the Investment Company Act.
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Issue senior securities to the extent such issuance would violate the Investment Company Act.
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Purchase or hold real estate, except the Trust may purchase and hold securities or other instruments that are secured by, or linked to, real estate or interests therein, securities of real estate investment trusts, mortgage related securities and securities of issuers engaged in the real estate business, and the Trust may purchase and hold real estate as a result of the ownership of securities or other instruments.
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Underwrite securities issued by others, except to the extent that the sale of portfolio securities by the Trust may be deemed to be an underwriting or as otherwise permitted by applicable law.
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Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except as permitted by the Investment Company Act.
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Make loans to the extent prohibited by the Investment Company Act.
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Notations Regarding the Trust’s Fundamental Investment Restrictions
. The following notations are not considered to be part of the Trust’s fundamental investment restrictions and are subject to change without shareholder approval.
With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth in (1) above, the Investment Company Act does not define what constitutes “concentration” in an industry. The SEC staff has taken the position that investment of 25% or more of a fund’s total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. The policy in (1) above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from time to time. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the U.S. Government and its agencies or instrumentalities; tax exempt securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry. There also will be no limit on investment in issuers domiciled in a single jurisdiction or country. Finance companies will be considered to be in the industries of their parents if their activities are primarily related to financing the activities of the parents. Each foreign government will be considered to be a member of a separate industry. With respect to the Trust’s industry classifications, the
Trust currently utilizes any one or more of the industry sub-classifications used by one or more widely recognized market indexes or rating group indexes, and/or as defined by Trust management. The policy also will be interpreted to give broad authority to the Trust as to how to classify issuers within or among industries.
With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (2) above, the Investment Company Act permits the Trust to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the Trust’s total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to 5% of the Trust’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. The Trust’s total assets include the amounts being borrowed. To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the Investment Company Act requires the Trust to maintain at all times an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the Trust’s total assets (including amounts borrowed), minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Borrowing money to increase portfolio holdings is known as “leveraging.” Certain trading practices and investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements, may be considered to be borrowings or involve leverage and thus are subject to the Investment Company Act restrictions. In accordance with SEC staff guidance and interpretations, when the Trust engages in such transactions, the Trust, instead of maintaining asset coverage of at least 300%, may segregate or earmark liquid assets, or enter into an offsetting position, in an amount at least equal to the Trust’s exposure, on a mark-to-market basis, to the transaction (as calculated pursuant to requirements of the SEC). The policy in (2) above will be interpreted to permit the Trust to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing or to involve leverage to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act and to permit the Trust to segregate or earmark liquid assets or enter into offsetting positions in accordance with the Investment Company Act. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy.
With respect to the fundamental policy relating to underwriting set forth in (5) above, the Investment Company Act does not prohibit the Trust from engaging in the underwriting business or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in fact, in the case of diversified funds, the Investment Company Act permits the Trust to have underwriting commitments of up to 25% of its assets under certain circumstances. Those circumstances currently are that the amount of the Trust’s underwriting commitments, when added to the value of the Trust’s investments in issuers where the Trust owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25% cap. A fund engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Although it is not believed that the application of the Securities Act provisions described above would cause the Trust to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy in (5) above will be interpreted not to prevent the Trust from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities, regardless of whether the Trust may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act or is otherwise engaged in the underwriting business to the extent permitted by applicable law.
With respect to the fundamental policy relating to lending set forth in (7) above, the Investment Company Act does not prohibit the Trust from making loans (including lending its securities); however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets (including lending its securities), except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to options, forward currency and futures transactions and other derivative instruments (as applicable), as well as delays in the settlement of securities transactions, will not be considered loans.
Non-Fundamental Investment Restrictions
. Under its non-fundamental investment restrictions, which may be changed by the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) without shareholder approval, the Trust may not make short sales of securities or maintain a short position, except to the extent permitted by the Trust’s Prospectus and SAI, as amended from time to time, and applicable law.
Unless otherwise indicated, all limitations under the Trust’s fundamental or non-fundamental investment restrictions apply only at the time that a transaction is undertaken. Any change in the percentage of the Trust’s assets invested in certain securities or other instruments resulting from market fluctuations or other changes in the Trust’s total assets will not require the Trust to dispose of an investment until BlackRock Advisors, LLC, the Trust’s investment adviser (the “Advisor”), determines that it is practicable to sell or close out the investment without undue market or tax consequences.
INVESTMENT POLICIES AND TECHNIQUES
The following information supplements the discussion of the Trust’s investment objectives, policies and techniques that are described in the Prospectus.
Restricted and Illiquid Securities
The Trust may invest in securities that lack an established secondary trading market or otherwise are considered illiquid. Liquidity of a security relates to the ability to dispose easily of the security and the price to be obtained upon disposition of the security, which may be less than would be obtained for a comparable more liquid security. Illiquid securities may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments. Investment of the Trust’s assets in illiquid securities may restrict the ability of the Trust to dispose of its investments in a timely fashion and for a fair price as well as its ability to take advantage of market opportunities. The risks associated with illiquidity will be particularly acute where a Trust’s operations require cash, such as when the Trust pays dividends, and could result in the Trust borrowing to meet short-term cash requirements or incurring capital losses on the sale of illiquid investments.
The Trust may invest in securities that are not registered under the Securities Act (“restricted securities”). Restricted securities may be sold in private placement transactions between issuers and their purchasers and may be neither listed on an exchange nor traded in other established markets. In many cases, privately placed securities may not be freely transferable under the laws of the applicable jurisdiction or due to contractual restrictions on resale. As a result of the absence of a public trading market, privately placed securities may be less liquid and more difficult to value than publicly traded securities. To the extent that privately placed securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the prices realized from the sales, due to illiquidity, could be less than those originally paid by the Trust or less than their fair market value. In addition, issuers whose securities are not publicly traded may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements that may be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. If any privately placed securities held by the Trust are required to be registered under the securities laws of one or more jurisdictions before being resold, the Trust may be required to bear the expenses of registration. Certain of the Trust’s investments in private placements may consist of direct investments and may include investments in smaller, less seasoned issuers, which may involve greater risks. These issuers may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, or they may be dependent on a limited management group. In making investments in such securities, the Trust may obtain access to material nonpublic information, which may restrict the Trust’s ability to conduct portfolio transactions in such securities.
Some of these securities are new and complex, and trade only among institutions; the markets for these securities are still developing, and may not function as efficiently as established markets. Also, because there may not be an established market price for these securities, the Trust may have to estimate their value, which means that their valuation (and, to a much smaller extent, the valuation of the Trust) may have a subjective element. Transactions in restricted or illiquid securities may entail registration expense and other transaction costs that are higher than those for transactions in unrestricted or liquid securities. Where registration is required for restricted or illiquid securities a considerable time period may elapse between the time the Trust decides to sell the security and the time it is actually permitted to sell the security under an effective registration statement. If during such period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Trust might obtain less favorable pricing terms that when it decided to sell the security.
Rights Offerings and Warrants to Purchase
The Trust may participate in rights offerings and may purchase warrants, which are privileges issued by corporations enabling the owners to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time. Subscription rights normally have a short life span to expiration. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Trust could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the rights’ and warrants’ expiration. Also, the purchase of rights and/or warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the right and/or warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security’s market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security. Buying a warrant does not make the Trust a shareholder of the underlying stock.
Master Limited Partnerships
Master limited partnerships (“MLPs”) are typically structured such that common units and general partner interests have first priority to receive quarterly cash distributions up to an established minimum amount (“minimum quarterly distributions” or “MQD”). Common and general partner interests also accrue arrearages in distributions to the extent the MQD is not paid. Once common and general partner interests have been paid, subordinated units receive distributions of up to the MQD; however, subordinated units do not accrue arrearages. Distributable cash in excess of the MQD paid to both common and subordinated units is distributed to both common and subordinated units generally on a pro rata basis.
The general partner is also eligible to receive incentive distributions if the general partner operates the business in a manner that results in distributions paid per common unit surpassing specified target levels. As the general partner increases
cash distributions to the limited partners, the general partner receives an increasingly higher percentage of the incremental cash distributions. A common arrangement provides that the general partner can reach a tier where it receives 50% of every incremental dollar paid to common and subordinated unit holders. These incentive distributions encourage the general partner to streamline costs, increase capital expenditures and acquire assets in order to increase the partnership’s cash flow and raise the quarterly cash distribution in order to reach higher tiers. Such results benefit all security holders of the MLP.
To qualify as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, an MLP must receive at least 90% of its income from qualifying sources such as interest, dividends, real estate rents, gain from the sale or disposition of real property, income and gain from mineral or natural resources activities, income and gain from the transportation or storage of certain fuels, gain from the sale or disposition of a capital asset held for the production of income described in the foregoing and, in certain circumstances, income and gain from commodities or futures, forwards and options with respect to commodities. Mineral or natural resources activities include exploration, development, production, mining, refining, marketing and transportation (including pipelines), of oil and gas, minerals, geothermal energy, fertilizer, timber or industrial source carbon dioxide. Currently, most MLPs operate in the energy, natural resources or real estate sectors. Due to their partnership structure, MLPs generally do not pay income taxes. Thus, unlike investors in corporate securities, direct MLP investors are generally not subject to double taxation (i.e. corporate level tax and tax on corporate dividends).
Equity securities issued by MLPs currently consist of common units, subordinated units and preferred units.
MLP Common Units.
MLP common units represent a limited partnership interest in the MLP. Common units are listed and traded on U.S. securities exchanges or over-the-counter, with their value fluctuating predominantly based on prevailing market conditions and the success of the MLP. We may purchase common units in market transactions as well as directly from the MLP or other parties. Unlike owners of common stock of a corporation, owners of common units have limited voting rights and have no ability annually to elect directors. MLPs generally distribute all available cash flow (cash flow from operations less maintenance capital expenditures) in the form of quarterly distributions. Common units along with general partner units, have first priority to receive quarterly cash distributions up to the MQD and have arrearage rights. In the event of liquidation, common units have preference over subordinated units, but not debt or preferred units, to the remaining assets of the MLP.
MLP Subordinated Units.
MLP subordinated units are typically not listed on an exchange or publicly traded. The Trust will typically purchase MLP subordinated units through negotiated transactions directly with affiliates of MLPs and institutional holders of such units or will purchase newly issued subordinated units directly from MLPs. Holders of MLP subordinated units are entitled to receive minimum quarterly distributions after payments to holders of common units have been satisfied and prior to incentive distributions to the general partner. MLP subordinated units do not provide arrearage rights. Subordinated units typically have limited voting rights similar to common units. Most MLP subordinated units are convertible into common units after the passage of a specified period of time or upon the achievement by the MLP of specified financial goals.
MLP Preferred Units.
MLP preferred units are typically not listed on an exchange or publicly traded. The Trust will typically purchase MLP preferred units through negotiated transactions directly with MLPs, affiliates of MLPs and institutional holders of such units. Holders of MLP preferred units can be entitled to a wide range of voting and other rights, depending on the structure of each separate security.
I-Shares.
I-Shares represent an ownership interest issued by an affiliated party of an MLP. The MLP affiliate uses the proceeds from the sale of I-Shares to purchase limited partnership interests in the MLP in the form of i-units. I-units have similar features as MLP common units in terms of voting rights, liquidation preference and distributions. However, rather than receiving cash, the MLP affiliate receives additional i-units in an amount equal to the cash distributions received by MLP common units. Similarly, holders of I-Shares will receive additional I-Shares, in the same proportion as the MLP affiliates receipt of i-units, rather than cash distributions. I-Shares themselves have limited voting rights which are similar to those applicable to MLP common units. The MLP affiliate issuing the I-Shares is structured as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. I-Shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”).
Precious Metal-Related Securities
The Trust may invest in the equity securities of companies that explore for, extract, process or deal in precious metals (e.g., gold, silver and platinum), and in asset-based securities indexed to the value of such metals. Such securities may be purchased when they are believed to be attractively priced in relation to the value of a company’s precious metal-related assets or when the values of precious metals are expected to benefit from inflationary pressure or other economic, political or financial uncertainty or instability. Based on historical experience, during periods of economic or financial instability the
securities of companies involved in precious metals may be subject to extreme price fluctuations, reflecting the high volatility of precious metal prices during such periods. In addition, the instability of precious metal prices may result in volatile earnings of precious metal-related companies, which may, in turn, adversely affect the financial condition of such companies.
The major producers of gold include the Republic of South Africa, Russia, Canada, the United States, Brazil and Australia. Sales of gold by Russia are largely unpredictable and often relate to political and economic considerations rather than to market forces. Economic, financial, social and political factors within South Africa may significantly affect South African gold production.
Mortgage Related Securities
MBS
. Mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) include structured debt obligations collateralized by pools of commercial (“CMBS”) or residential (“RMBS”) mortgages. Pools of mortgage loans and mortgage-backed loans, such as mezzanine loans, are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. MBS include complex instruments such as collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), stripped MBS, mortgage pass-through securities and interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”). The MBS in which the Trust may invest include those with fixed, floating or variable interest rates, those with interest rates that change based on multiples of changes in a specified reference interest rate or index of interest rates and those with interest rates that change inversely to changes in interest rates, as well as those that do not bear interest. The Trust may invest in RMBS and CMBS issued by governmental entities and private issuers, including subordinated MBS and residual interests. The Trust may invest in sub-prime mortgages or MBS that are backed by sub-prime mortgages.
In general, losses on a mortgaged property securing a mortgage loan included in a securitization will be borne first by the equity holder of the property, then by a cash reserve fund or letter of credit, if any, then by the holder of a mezzanine loan or B-Note, if any, then by the “first loss” subordinated security holder (generally, the “B-Piece” buyer) and then by the holder of a higher rated security. The Trust may invest in any class of security included in a securitization. In the event of default and the exhaustion of any equity support, reserve fund, letter of credit, mezzanine loans or B-Notes, and any classes of securities junior to those in which the Trust invests, the Trust will not be able to recover all of its investment in the MBS it purchases. MBS in which the Trust invests may not contain reserve funds, letters of credit, mezzanine loans and/or junior classes of securities. The prices of lower credit quality securities are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than more highly rated investments, but more sensitive to adverse economic downturns or individual issuer developments.
Mortgage Pass-Through Securities
. Mortgage pass-through securities differ from other forms of fixed income 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 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 (“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.
RMBS
. RMBS are securities the payments on which depend primarily on the cash flow from residential mortgage loans made to borrowers that are secured on a first priority basis or second priority basis, subject to permitted liens, easements and other encumbrances by residential real estate (one- to four-family properties), the proceeds of which are used to purchase real estate and purchase or construct dwellings thereon or to refinance indebtedness previously used for such purposes. Non-agency residential mortgage loans are obligations of the borrowers thereunder only and are not typically insured or guaranteed by any other person or entity. The ability of a borrower to repay a loan secured by residential property is dependent upon the income or assets of the borrower. A number of factors, including a general economic downturn, acts of God, terrorism, social unrest and civil disturbances, may impair a borrower’s ability to repay its loans.
Agency RMBS
. The principal U.S. Governmental guarantor of mortgage related securities is GNMA, which is a wholly owned U.S. Government corporation. 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 (“FHA”), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”). MBS issued by GNMA include GNMA Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (also known as “Ginnie Maes”) which are guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest by GNMA and such guarantees are backed by the full faith and credit of the United
States. GNMA certificates also are supported by the authority of GNMA to borrow funds from the U.S. Treasury to make payments under its guarantee.
Government-related guarantors (i.e., not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government) include the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“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 (also known as “Fannie Maes”) 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 FHLMC Guaranteed Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (also known as “Freddie Macs” or “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.
In 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”) placed FNMA and FHLMC into conservatorship. 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 MBS.
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. 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 would 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 doubled 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 December 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 Federal Home Loan Banks (“FHLBs”), FNMA and FHLMC. It is difficult, if not impossible, to predict the future political, regulatory or economic changes that could impact FNMA, FHLMC and the FHLBs, and the values of their related securities or obligations. 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.
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 MBS would be reduced if payments on the mortgage loans represented in the mortgage loan groups related to such MBS 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 MBS 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 MBS 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 MBS 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 MBS have the right to replace FNMA or FHLMC as trustee if the requisite percentage of MBS 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.
A 2011 report to Congress from the Treasury Department and the Department of Housing and Urban Development set forth a plan to reform America’s housing finance market, which would reduce the role of and eventually eliminate FNMA and FHLMC. Notably, the plan did not propose similar significant changes to GNMA, which guarantees payments on mortgage related securities backed by federally insured or guaranteed loans. The report also identified three proposals for Congress and the administration to consider for the long-term structure of the housing finance markets after the elimination of FNMA and FHLMC, including implementing: (i) a privatized system of housing finance that limits government insurance to very limited groups of creditworthy low- and moderate-income borrowers; (ii) a privatized system with a government backstop mechanism that would allow the government to insure a larger share of the housing finance market during a future housing crisis; and (iii) a privatized system where the government would offer reinsurance to holders of certain highly rated mortgage related securities insured by private insurers and would pay out under the reinsurance arrangements only if the private mortgage insurers were insolvent.
Non-Agency RMBS
. Non-agency RMBS are issued by commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, private mortgage insurance companies and other non-governmental issuers. Timely payment of principal and interest on RMBS backed by pools created by non-governmental issuers often is supported partially by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance. The insurance and guarantees are issued by government entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or mortgage poolers can meet their obligations under the policies, so that if the issuers default on their obligations, the holders of the security could sustain a loss. No insurance or guarantee covers the Trust or the price of the Trust’s shares. RMBS issued by non-governmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government agency and government-related securities because there are no direct or indirect government guarantees of payment.
CMBS
. CMBS generally are multi-class debt or pass-through certificates secured or backed by mortgage loans on commercial properties. CMBS generally are structured to provide protection to the senior class investors against potential losses on the underlying mortgage loans. This protection generally is provided by having the holders of subordinated classes of securities (“Subordinated CMBS”) take the first loss if there are defaults on the underlying commercial mortgage loans. Other protection, which may benefit all of the classes or particular classes, may include issuer guarantees, reserve funds, additional Subordinated CMBS, cross-collateralization and over-collateralization.
The Trust may invest in Subordinated CMBS, which are subordinated in some manner as to the payment of principal and/or interest to the holders of more senior CMBS arising out of the same pool of mortgages and which are often referred to as “B-Pieces.” The holders of Subordinated CMBS typically are compensated with a higher stated yield than are the holders of more senior CMBS. On the other hand, Subordinated CMBS typically subject the holder to greater risk than senior CMBS and tend to be rated in a lower rating category (frequently a substantially lower rating category) than the senior CMBS issued in respect of the same mortgage pool. Subordinated CMBS generally are likely to be more sensitive to changes in prepayment and interest rates and the market for such securities may be less liquid than is the case for traditional income securities and senior CMBS.
CMOs
. A CMO is a multi-class bond backed by a pool of mortgage pass-through certificates or mortgage loans. CMOs may be collateralized by (i) GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC pass-through certificates, (ii) unsecuritized mortgage loans insured by the FHA or guaranteed by the VA, (iii) unsecuritized conventional mortgages, (iv) other MBS or (v) any combination thereof. Each class of a CMO, often referred to as a “tranche,” is issued at a specific coupon rate and has a stated maturity or final distribution date. Principal prepayments on collateral underlying a CMO may cause it to be retired substantially earlier than its stated maturity or final distribution date. The principal and interest on the underlying mortgages may be allocated among the several classes of a series of a CMO in many ways. One or more tranches of a CMO may have coupon rates which reset periodically at a specified increment over an index, such as the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) (or sometimes more than one index). These floating rate CMOs typically are issued with lifetime caps on the coupon rate thereon. The Trust will generally not invest in CMO residuals, which represent the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the payments of interest and principal on the tranches issued by the CMO and the payment of administrative expenses and management fees.
The Trust may invest in inverse floating rate CMOs. Inverse floating rate CMOs constitute a tranche of a CMO with a coupon rate that moves in the reverse direction relative to an applicable index such as LIBOR. Accordingly, the coupon rate
thereon will increase as interest rates decrease. Inverse floating rate CMOs are typically more volatile than fixed or floating rate tranches of CMOs. Many inverse floating rate CMOs have coupons that move inversely to a multiple of an index. The effect of the coupon varying inversely to a multiple of an applicable index creates a leverage factor. Inverse floating rate debt instruments (“inverse floaters”) based on multiples of a stated index are designed to be highly sensitive to changes in interest rates and can subject the holders thereof to extreme reductions of yield and loss of principal. The market for inverse floating rate CMOs with highly leveraged characteristics at times may be very thin. The Trust’s ability to dispose of its positions in such securities will depend on the degree of liquidity in the markets for such securities. It is impossible to predict the amount of trading interest that may exist in such securities, and therefore the future degree of liquidity.
Sub-Prime Mortgages
. Sub-prime mortgages are mortgages rated below A by Moody’s Investor’s Service, Inc., Standard & Poor’s Corporation Ratings Group, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. or Fitch Ratings. Historically, sub-prime mortgage loans have been made to borrowers with blemished (or non-existent) credit records, and the borrower is charged a higher interest rate to compensate for the greater risk of delinquency and the higher costs of loan servicing and collection. Sub-prime mortgages are subject to both state and federal anti-predatory lending statutes that carry potential liability to secondary market purchasers such as the Trust. Sub-prime mortgages have certain characteristics and associated risks similar to below investment grade securities, including a higher degree of credit risk, and certain characteristics and associated risks similar to MBS, including prepayment risk.
Mortgage Related ABS
. Asset-backed securities ("ABS") are bonds backed by pools of loans or other receivables. ABS are created from many types of assets, including in some cases mortgage related asset classes, such as home equity loan ABS. Home equity loan ABS are subject to many of the same risks as RMBS, including interest rate risk and prepayment risk.
Mortgage REITs.
A real estate investment trust (“REIT”) is a corporation, or a business trust that would otherwise be taxed as a corporation, that meets the definitional requirements applicable to REITs under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The Code permits a qualifying REIT to deduct dividends paid, thereby generally eliminating corporate level U.S. federal income tax and effectively making the REIT a pass-through vehicle for U.S. federal income tax purposes. To meet the definitional requirements of the Code, a REIT must, among other things, invest substantially all of its assets in interests in real estate (including mortgages and other REITs) or cash and government securities, derive most of its income from rents from real property or interest on loans secured by mortgages on real property, and distribute to shareholders annually substantially all of its otherwise taxable income. 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. The value of securities issued by REITs is affected by tax and regulatory requirements and by perceptions of management skill. They also are subject to heavy cash flow dependency and the possibility of failing to qualify for REIT status under the Code or to maintain exemption from the Investment Company Act.
Mortgage Related Derivative Instruments.
The Trust may invest in MBS credit default swaps. MBS credit default swaps include swaps the reference obligation for which is an MBS or related index, such as the CMBX Index (a tradeable index referencing a basket of CMBS), the TRX Index (a tradeable index referencing total return swaps based on CMBS) or the ABX Index (a tradeable index referencing a basket of sub-prime MBS). The Trust may engage in other derivative transactions related to MBS, including purchasing and selling exchange-listed and over-the-counter put and call options, futures and forwards on mortgages and MBS. The Trust may invest in newly developed mortgage related derivatives that may hereafter become available.
Net Interest Margin (NIM) Securities
. The Trust 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.
TBA Commitments.
The Trust may inter into “to be announced” or “TBA” commitments. TBA commitments are forward agreements for the purchase or sale of securities, including mortgage-backed securities, for a fixed price, with payment and delivery on an agreed upon future settlement date. The specific securities to be delivered are not identified at the trade date. However, delivered securities must meet specified terms, including issuer, rate and mortgage terms. See “The Trust’s Investments—Portfolio Contents and Techniques—When-Issued, Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitment Securities” in the Prospectus.
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. 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.
Asset-Backed Securities
ABS are a form of structured debt obligation. The securitization techniques used for ABS are similar to those used for MBS. ABS are bonds backed by pools of loans or other receivables. The collateral for these securities may include home equity loans, automobile and credit card receivables, boat loans, computer leases, airplane leases, mobile home loans, recreational vehicle loans and hospital account receivables. The Trust may invest in these and other types of ABS that may be developed in the future. ABS present certain risks that are not presented by mortgage related securities. Primarily, these securities may provide the Trust with a less effective security interest in the related collateral than do mortgage related securities. Therefore, there is the possibility that recoveries on the underlying collateral may not, in some cases, be available to support payments on these securities.
Collateralized Debt Obligations
The Trust may invest in collateralized debt obligations (“CDOs”), which include collateralized bond obligations (“CBOs”), collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”) and other similarly structured securities. CDOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is ordinarily issued by a trust or other special purpose entity (“SPE”) and is typically backed by a diversified pool of fixed income securities (which may include high risk, below investment grade securities) held by such issuer. A CLO is ordinarily issued by a trust or other SPE and is typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and non-U.S. senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans, held by such issuer. Although certain CDOs may benefit from credit enhancement in the form of a senior-subordinate structure, over-collateralization or bond insurance, such enhancement may not always be present, and may fail to protect the Trust against the risk of loss on default of the collateral. Certain CDO issuers may use derivatives contracts to create “synthetic” exposure to assets rather than holding such assets directly, which entails the risks of derivative instruments described elsewhere in the Prospectus and this SAI. CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses, which are in addition to those of the Trust.
For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the SPE are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the “equity” tranche, which bears the first loss from defaults from the bonds or loans in the SPE and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default (though such protection is not complete). Since it is partially protected from defaults, a senior tranche from a CBO or CLO typically has higher ratings and lower yields than its underlying securities, and may be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO 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 investor aversion to CBO or CLO 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.
In addition to the general risks associated with fixed income securities discussed in the Prospectus and this SAI, CDOs carry additional risks, including: (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 possibility that the CDO securities 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.
The credit quality of CDOs depends primarily upon the quality of the underlying assets and the level of credit support and/or enhancement provided. The underlying assets (e.g., securities or loans) of CDOs may be subject to prepayments, which would shorten the weighted average maturity and may lower the return of the CDO. If a 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 transaction documents relating to the issuance of CDOs may impose eligibility criteria on the assets of the issuing SPE, restrict the ability of the investment manager to trade investments and impose certain portfolio-wide asset quality requirements. These criteria, restrictions and requirements may limit the ability of the SPE’s investment manager to maximize returns on the CDOs. In addition, other parties involved in structured products, such as third party credit enhancers
and investors in the rated tranches, may impose requirements that have an adverse effect on the returns of the various tranches of CDOs. Furthermore, CDO transaction documents generally contain provisions that, in the event that certain tests are not met (generally interest coverage and over-collateralization tests at varying levels in the capital structure), require that proceeds that would otherwise be distributed to holders of a junior tranche must be diverted to pay down the senior tranches until such tests are satisfied. Failure (or increased likelihood of failure) of a CDO to make timely payments on a particular tranche will have an adverse effect on the liquidity and market value of such tranche.
Payments to holders of CDOs may be subject to deferral. If cash flows generated by the underlying assets are insufficient to make all current and, if applicable, deferred payments on the CDOs, no other assets will be available for payment of the deficiency and, following realization of the underlying assets, the obligations of the issuer to pay such deficiency will be extinguished. The value of CDO 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 fund providing the credit support or enhancement. Furthermore, the leveraged nature of each subordinated class may magnify the adverse impact on such class of changes in the value of the assets, changes in the distributions on the assets, defaults and recoveries on the assets, capital gains and losses on the assets, prepayment on the assets and availability, price and interest rates of the assets. CDOs are limited recourse, may not be paid in full and may be subject to up to 100% loss.
CDOs are typically privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized as illiquid securities; however, an active dealer market may exist which would allow such securities to be considered liquid in some circumstances.
Stripped Securities
Stripped securities are created when the issuer separates the interest and principal components of an instrument and sells them as separate securities. In general, one security is entitled to receive the interest payments on the underlying assets (the interest only or “IO” security) and the other to receive the principal payments (the principal only or “PO” security). Some stripped securities may receive a combination of interest and principal payments. The yields to maturity on IOs and POs are sensitive to the expected or anticipated rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying assets, and principal payments may have a material effect on yield to maturity. If the underlying assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Trust may not fully recoup its initial investment in IOs. Conversely, if the underlying assets experience less than anticipated prepayments of principal, the yield on POs could be adversely affected. Stripped securities may be highly sensitive to changes in interest rates and rates of prepayment.
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. Payment-in-kind securities (“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 Trust would be required to distribute the income on these instruments as it accrues, even though the Trust will not receive the income on a current basis or in cash. Thus, the Trust may have to sell other investments, including when it may not be advisable to do so, to make income distributions to its shareholders.
Sovereign Government and Supranational Debt
The Trust may invest in all types of debt securities of governmental issuers in all countries, including emerging market countries. These sovereign debt securities may include: debt securities issued or guaranteed by governments, governmental agencies or instrumentalities and political subdivisions located in emerging market countries; debt securities issued by government owned, controlled or sponsored entities located in emerging market countries; interests in entities organized and operated for the purpose of restructuring the investment characteristics of instruments issued by any of the above issuers; or debt securities issued by supranational entities such as the World Bank. A supranational entity is a bank, commission or company established or financially supported by the national governments of one or more countries to promote reconstruction or development. Sovereign government and supranational debt involve all the risks described in the Prospectus and this SAI regarding foreign and emerging markets investments as well as the risk of debt moratorium, repudiation or renegotiation.
Bank Obligations
Bank obligations may include certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and fixed time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning 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 no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits.
Obligations of foreign banks involve somewhat different investment risks than those affecting obligations of U.S. banks, including the possibilities that their liquidity could be impaired because of future political and economic developments, that their obligations may be less marketable than comparable obligations of U.S. banks, that a foreign jurisdiction might impose withholding taxes on interest income payable on those obligations, that foreign deposits may be seized or nationalized, that foreign governmental restrictions such as exchange controls may be adopted which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on those obligations and that the selection of those obligations may be more difficult because there may be less publicly available information concerning foreign banks or the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to foreign banks may differ from those applicable to U.S. banks. Foreign banks are not generally subject to examination by any U.S. Government agency or instrumentality.
Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Debt Securities
For temporary defensive purposes or to keep cash on hand, the Trust may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash equivalents and short-term debt securities. Short-term debt securities are defined to include, without limitation, the following:
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U.S. Government securities, including bills, notes and bonds differing as to maturity and rates of interest that are either issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities. U.S. Government securities include securities issued by (a) the FHA, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration and GNMA, whose securities are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; (b) the FHLBs, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, and Tennessee Valley Authority, whose securities are supported by the right of the agency to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (c) FNMA, whose securities are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; and (d) the Student Loan Marketing Association, whose securities are supported only by its credit. While the U.S. Government provides financial support to such U.S. Government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given that it always will do so since it is not so obligated by law. The U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities do not guarantee the market value of their securities. Consequently, the value of such securities may fluctuate.
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Certificates of deposit issued against funds deposited in a bank or a savings and loan association. Such certificates are for a definite period of time, earn a specified rate of return, and are normally negotiable. The issuer of a certificate of deposit agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the certificate on the date specified thereon. Certificates of deposit purchased by the Trust may not be fully insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
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Repurchase agreements, which involve purchases of debt securities.
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Commercial paper, which consists of short-term unsecured promissory notes, including variable rate master demand notes issued by corporations to finance their current operations. Master demand notes are direct lending arrangements between the Trust and a corporation. There is no secondary market for such notes. However, they are redeemable by the Trust at any time. The Advisor will consider the financial condition of the corporation (e.g., earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios) and will continuously monitor the corporation’s ability to meet all of its financial obligations, because the Trust’s liquidity might be impaired if the corporation were unable to pay principal and interest on demand.
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Strategic Transactions and Other Management Techniques
As described in the Prospectus, the Trust may use Strategic Transactions (as defined in the Prospectus). This section contains various additional information about the type of Strategic Transactions in which the Trust may engage.
Swaps and Swaptions.
The Trust may enter into swap agreements, including interest rate and index swap agreements. Swap agreements are two party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are calculated with respect to a “notional amount,”
i.e.
, the dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a “basket” of securities representing a particular index. The “notional amount” of the swap agreement is only a fictive basis on which to calculate the obligations that the parties to a swap agreement have agreed to exchange. The Trust’s obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the “net amount”). The Trust’s obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Trust) and the Trust will segregate with a custodian or earmark on its books and records an amount of cash or liquid assets having an aggregate net asset value at all times at least equal to any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed to a swap counterparty.
Whether the Trust’s use of swap agreements will be successful in furthering its investment objectives will depend on the Advisor’s ability to correctly predict whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Moreover, the Trust bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. Swap agreements also bear the risk that the Trust will not be able to meet its payment obligations to the counterparty. As noted, however, the Trust will deposit in a segregated account, or earmark on its books and records, liquid assets permitted to be so segregated or earmarked by the SEC in an amount equal to or greater than the market value of the Trust’s liabilities under the swap agreement or the amount it would cost the Trust initially to make an equivalent direct investment plus or minus any amount the Trust is obligated to pay or is to receive under the swap agreement. Restrictions imposed by the tax rules applicable to regulated investment companies may limit the Trust’s ability to use swap agreements. The regulation of the swap market is undergoing significant change as a result of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the “Dodd-Frank Act”). See “Additional Risk Factors—Risk Factors in Strategic Transactions and Derivatives—Dodd-Frank Act Risk.” It is possible that developments in the swap market, including government regulation, could adversely affect the Trust’s ability to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.
A swaption is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. The Trust may write (sell) and purchase put and call swaptions. Depending on the terms of the particular option agreement, the Trust will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swaption than it will incur when it purchases a swaption. When the Trust purchases a swaption, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when the Trust writes a swaption, upon exercise of the option the Trust will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.
Total Return Swaps
. Total return swap agreements are contracts in which one party agrees to make periodic payments to another party based on the change in market value of the assets underlying the contract, which may include a specified security, basket of securities or securities indices during the specified period, in return for periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate or the total return from other underlying assets. Total return swap agreements may be used to obtain exposure to a security or market without owning or taking physical custody of such security or investing directly in such market. Total return swap agreements may effectively add leverage to the Trust’s portfolio because, in addition to its Managed Assets (as defined in the Prospectus), the Trust would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.
Total return swap agreements are subject to the risk that a counterparty will default on its payment obligations to the Trust thereunder. Swap agreements also bear the risk that the Trust will not be able to meet its obligation to the counterparty. Generally, the Trust will enter into total return swaps on a net basis (i.e., the two payment streams are netted against one another with the Trust receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments). The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Trust’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each total return swap will be accrued on a daily basis, and an amount of liquid assets having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess will be segregated by the Trust or earmarked on its books and records. If the total return swap transaction is entered into on other than a net basis, the full amount of the Trust’s obligations will be accrued on a daily basis, and the full amount
of the Trust’s obligations will be segregated or earmarked by the Trust in an amount equal to or greater than the market value of the liabilities under the total return swap agreement or the amount it would have cost the Trust initially to make an equivalent direct investment, plus or minus any amount the Trust is obligated to pay or is to receive under the total return swap agreement.
Foreign Exchange Transactions.
The Trust may engage in spot and forward foreign exchange transactions and currency swaps, purchase and sell options on currencies and purchase and sell currency futures and related options thereon (collectively, “Currency Instruments”). Such transactions could be effected with respect to hedges on foreign dollar denominated securities owned by the Trust, sold by the Trust but not yet delivered, or committed or anticipated to be purchased by the Trust. As an illustration, the Trust may use such techniques to hedge the stated value in U.S. dollars of an investment in a yen-denominated security. In such circumstances, for example, the Trust may purchase a foreign currency put option enabling it to sell a specified amount of yen for dollars at a specified price by a future date. To the extent the hedge is successful, a loss in the value of the yen relative to the dollar will tend to be offset by an increase in the value of the put option. To offset, in whole or in part, the cost of acquiring such a put option, the Trust may also sell a call option which, if exercised, requires it to sell a specified amount of yen for dollars at a specified price by a future date (a technique called a “straddle”). By selling such a call option in this illustration, the Trust gives up the opportunity to profit without limit from increases in the relative value of the yen to the dollar. “Straddles” of the type that may be used by the Trust are considered to constitute hedging transactions. The Trust may not attempt to hedge any or all of its foreign portfolio positions.
Forward Foreign Currency Contracts
. The Trust may enter into forward currency contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars or another foreign currency. A forward currency contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days (term) from the date of the forward currency contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time the forward currency contract is entered into. Forward currency contracts are traded directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. The Trust may purchase a forward currency contract to lock in the U.S. dollar price of a security denominated in a foreign currency that the Trust intends to acquire. The Trust may sell a forward currency contract to lock in the U.S. dollar equivalent of the proceeds from the anticipated sale of a security or a dividend or interest payment denominated in a foreign currency. The Trust may also use forward currency contracts to shift the Trust’s exposure to foreign currency exchange rate changes from one currency to another. For example, if the Trust owns securities denominated in a foreign currency and the Advisor believes that currency will decline relative to another currency, the Trust might enter into a forward currency contract to sell the appropriate amount of the first foreign currency with payment to be made in the second currency. The Trust may also purchase forward currency contracts to enhance income when the Advisor anticipates that the foreign currency will appreciate in value but securities denominated in that currency do not present attractive investment opportunities. The Trust may also use forward currency contracts to hedge against a decline in the value of existing investments denominated in a foreign currency. Such a hedge would tend to offset both positive and negative currency fluctuations, but would not offset changes in security values caused by other factors. The Trust could also hedge the position by entering into a forward currency contract to sell another currency expected to perform similarly to the currency in which the Trust’s existing investments are denominated. This type of transaction could offer advantages in terms of cost, yield or efficiency, but may not hedge currency exposure as effectively as a simple forward currency transaction to sell U.S. dollars. This type of transaction may result in losses if the currency used to hedge does not perform similarly to the currency in which the hedged securities are denominated. The Trust may also use forward currency contracts in one currency or a basket of currencies to attempt to hedge against fluctuations in the value of securities denominated in a different currency if the Advisor anticipates that there will be a correlation between the two currencies.
The cost to the Trust of engaging in forward currency contracts varies with factors such as the currency involved, the length of the contract period and the market conditions then prevailing. Because forward currency contracts are usually entered into on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved. When the Trust enters into a forward currency contract, it relies on the counterparty to make or take delivery of the underlying currency at the maturity of the contract. Failure by the counterparty to do so would result in the loss of some or all of any expected benefit of the transaction. Secondary markets generally do not exist for forward currency contracts, with the result that closing transactions generally can be made for forward currency contracts only by negotiating directly with the counterparty. Thus, there can be no assurance that the Trust will in fact be able to close out a forward currency contract at a favorable price prior to maturity. In addition, in the event of insolvency of the counterparty, the Trust might be unable to close out a forward currency contract. In either event, the Trust would continue to be subject to market risk with respect to the position, and would continue to be required to maintain a position in securities denominated in the foreign currency or to maintain cash or liquid assets in a segregated account or earmark such cash or liquid assets on its books and records. The precise matching of forward currency contract amounts and the value of the securities involved generally will not be possible because the value of such securities, measured in the foreign currency, will change after the forward currency contract has been established. Thus, the Trust might need to
purchase or sell foreign currencies in the spot (cash) market to the extent such foreign currencies are not covered by forward currency contracts. The projection of short-term currency market movements is extremely difficult and the successful execution of a short-term hedging strategy is highly uncertain.
Use of Options for Strategic Transactions.
In addition to the options strategy described in the Prospectus as part of the Trust’s investment strategy, the Trust may also use options as Strategic Transactions.
Call Options as Strategic Transactions
. The Trust may purchase call options on any of the types of securities or instruments in which it may invest. A purchased call option gives the Trust the right to buy, and obligates the seller to sell, the underlying security at the exercise price at any time during the option period. The Trust also may purchase and sell call options on indices. Index options are similar to options on securities except that, rather than taking or making delivery of securities underlying the option at a specified price upon exercise, an index option gives the holder the right to receive cash upon exercise of the option if the level of the index upon which the option is based is greater than the exercise price of the option.
The Trust may write (i.e., sell) covered call options on the securities or instruments in which it may invest and to enter into closing purchase transactions with respect to certain of such options. A covered call option is an option in which the Trust, in return for a premium, gives another party a right to buy specified securities owned by the Trust at a specified future date and price set at the time of the contract. The principal reason for writing call options is the attempt to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a greater return than would be realized on the securities alone. By writing covered call options, the Trust gives up the opportunity, while the option is in effect, to profit from any price increase in the underlying security above the option exercise price. In addition, the Trust’s ability to sell the underlying security will be limited while the option is in effect unless the Trust enters into a closing purchase transaction. A closing purchase transaction cancels out the Trust’s position as the writer of an option by means of an offsetting purchase of an identical option prior to the expiration of the option it has written. Covered call options also serve as a partial hedge to the extent of the premium received against the price of the underlying security declining.
The Trust may write (i.e., sell) uncovered call options on securities or instruments in which it may invest but that are not currently held by the Trust. The principal reason for writing uncovered call options is to realize income without committing capital to the ownership of the underlying securities or instruments. When writing uncovered call options, the Trust must deposit and maintain sufficient margin with the broker dealer through which it made the uncovered call option as collateral to ensure that the securities can be purchased for delivery if and when the option is exercised. In addition, in connection with each such transaction the Trust will segregate, or designate on its books and records, liquid assets or cash with a value at least equal to the Trust’s exposure (the difference between the unpaid amounts owed by the Trust on such transaction minus any collateral deposited with the broker dealer), on a marked-to-market basis (as calculated pursuant to requirements of the SEC). Such segregation or earmarking will ensure that the Trust has assets available to satisfy its obligations with respect to the transaction and will avoid any potential leveraging of the Trust’s portfolio. Such designation will not limit the Trust’s exposure to loss. During periods of declining securities prices or when prices are stable, writing uncovered calls can be a profitable strategy to increase the Trust’s income with minimal capital risk. Uncovered calls are riskier than covered calls because there is no underlying security held by the Trust that can act as a partial hedge. Uncovered calls have speculative characteristics and the potential for loss is unlimited. When an uncovered call is exercised, the Trust must purchase the underlying security to meet its call obligation. There is also a risk, especially with less liquid preferred and debt securities, that the securities may not be available for purchase. If the purchase price exceeds the exercise price, the Trust will lose the difference.
Put Options as Strategic Transactions
. The Trust may purchase put options. By buying a put option, the Trust acquires a right to sell such underlying securities or instruments at the exercise price, thus limiting the Trust’s risk of loss through a decline in the market value of the securities or instruments until the put option expires. The amount of any appreciation in the value of the underlying securities or instruments will be partially offset by the amount of the premium paid for the put option and any related transaction costs. Prior to its expiration, a put option may be sold in a closing sale transaction and profit or loss from the sale will depend on whether the amount received is more or less than the premium paid for the put option plus the related transaction costs. A closing sale transaction cancels out the Trust’s position as the purchaser of an option by means of an offsetting sale of an identical option prior to the expiration of the option it has purchased.
The Trust also may write (i.e., sell) put options on the types of securities or instruments that may be held by the Trust, provided that such put options are covered, meaning that such options are secured by liquid assets segregated or earmarked on the Trust’s books and records. The Trust will receive a premium for writing a put option, which increases the Trust’s return.
The Trust also may write (i.e., sell) uncovered put options on securities or instruments in which it may invest but that the Trust does not currently have a corresponding short position or has not deposited cash equal to the exercise value of the put option with the broker dealer through which it made the uncovered put option as collateral. The principal reason for writing uncovered put options is to receive premium income and to acquire such securities or instruments at a net cost below the current market value. The Trust has the obligation to buy the securities or instruments at an agreed upon price if the securities or instruments decrease below the exercise price. If the securities or instruments price increases during the option period, the option will expire worthless and the Trust will retain the premium and will not have to purchase the securities or instruments at the exercise price. In connection with such transaction, the Trust will segregate or designate on its books and records liquid assets or cash with a value at least equal to the Trust’s exposure, on a marked-to-market basis (as calculated pursuant to requirements of the SEC). Such designation will ensure that the Trust has assets available to satisfy its obligations with respect to the transaction and will avoid any potential leveraging of the Trust’s portfolio. Such designation will not limit the Trust’s exposure to loss.
The Trust will not sell puts if, as a result, more than 50% of the Trust’s total assets would be required to cover its potential obligations under its hedging and other investment transactions. In selling puts, there is a risk that the Trust may be required to buy the underlying security at a price higher than the current market price.
Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts.
The Trust may engage in transactions in financial futures contracts (“futures contracts”) and related options on such futures contracts. A futures contract is an agreement between two parties which obligates the purchaser of the futures contract to buy and the seller of a futures contract to sell a security for a set price on a future date or, in the case of an index futures contract, to make and accept a cash settlement based upon the difference in value of the index between the time the contract was entered into and the time of its settlement. A majority of transactions in futures contracts, however, do not result in the actual delivery of the underlying instrument or cash settlement, but are settled through liquidation (i.e., by entering into an offsetting transaction). Futures contracts have been designed by boards of trade which have been designated “contract markets” by the Commodity Future Trading Commission (“CFTC”).
The Trust may sell financial futures contracts in anticipation of an increase in the general level of interest rates. Generally, as interest rates rise, the market values of securities that may be held by the Trust will fall, thus reducing the NAV of the Trust. However, as interest rates rise, the value of the Trust’s short position in the futures contract also will tend to increase, thus offsetting all or a portion of the depreciation in the market value of the Trust’s investments which are being hedged. While the Trust will incur commission expenses in selling and closing out futures positions, these commissions are generally less than the transaction expenses which the Trust would have incurred had the Trust sold portfolio securities in order to reduce its exposure to increases in interest rates. The Trust also may purchase financial futures contracts in anticipation of a decline in interest rates when it is not fully invested in a particular market in which it intends to make investments to gain market exposure that may in part or entirely offset an increase in the cost of securities it intends to purchase. It is anticipated that, in a substantial majority of these transactions, the Trust will purchase securities upon termination of the futures contract.
The Trust may purchase and write call and put options on futures contracts. Options on futures contracts are similar to options on securities except that an option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right in return for the premium paid to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put). Generally, these strategies are utilized under the same market and market sector conditions (i.e., conditions relating to specific types of investments) in which the Trust enters into futures transactions. The Trust may purchase put options or write call options on futures contracts rather than selling the underlying futures contract in anticipation of a decrease in the market value of securities or an increase in interest rates. Similarly, the Trust may purchase call options, or write put options on futures contracts, as a substitute for the purchase of such futures to hedge against the increased cost resulting from an increase in the market value or a decline in interest rates of securities which the Trust intends to purchase.
The Trust may engage in options and futures transactions on exchanges and options in the over-the-counter markets. In general, exchange-traded contracts are third-party contracts (i.e., performance of the parties’ obligation is guaranteed by an exchange or clearing corporation) with standardized strike prices and expiration dates. OTC options transactions are two-party contracts with price and terms negotiated by the buyer and seller. See “Additional Information About Options,” below.
At the time a futures contract is purchased or sold, the Trust must allocate cash or securities as a deposit payment (“initial margin”). It is expected that the initial margin that the Trust will pay may range from approximately 1% to approximately 5% of the value of the securities or commodities underlying the contract. In certain circumstances, however, such as periods of high volatility, the Trust may be required by an exchange to increase the level of its initial margin payment. Additionally, initial margin requirements may be increased generally in the future by regulatory action. An outstanding futures contract is valued daily and the payment in case of “variation margin” may be required, a process known as “marking
to the market.” Transactions in listed options and futures are usually settled by entering into an offsetting transaction, and are subject to the risk that the position may not be able to be closed if no offsetting transaction can be arranged.
When the Trust purchases a futures contract or writes a put option or purchases a call option thereon, an amount of cash or liquid assets will be segregated or designated on the Trust’s books and records so that the amount so designated, plus the amount of variation margin held in the account of its broker, equals the market value of the futures contract, thereby ensuring that the use of such futures is unleveraged.
The CFTC subjects advisers to registered investment companies to regulation by the CFTC if a fund invests more than a prescribed level of its liquidation value in CFTC-regulated futures, options and swaps, or if the fund markets itself as providing investment exposure to such instruments. To the extent the Trust uses CFTC-regulated futures, options and swaps, it intends to do so below such prescribed levels and will not market itself as a “commodity pool” or a vehicle for trading such instruments. Accordingly, the Advisor has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) pursuant to Rule 4.5 under the CEA. The Advisor is not, therefore, subject to registration or regulation as a “commodity pool operator” under the CEA in respect of the Trust.
Additional Information About Options.
In the case of either put or call options that it has purchased, if the option expires without being sold or exercised, the Trust will experience a loss in the amount of the option premium plus any commissions paid by the Trust. When the Trust sells put and call options, it receives a premium as the seller of the option. The premium that the Trust receives for selling the option will serve as a partial and limited (to the dollar amount of the premium) hedge, in the amount of the option premium, against changes in the value of the securities in its portfolio. During the term of the option, however, a covered call seller has, in return for the premium on the option, given up the opportunity for capital appreciation above the exercise price of the option if the value of the underlying security increases, but has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline. Conversely, a put seller retains the risk of loss should the market value of the underlying security decline below the exercise price of the option, less the premium received on the sale of the option. The Trust may purchase and sell exchange-listed options and over-the-counter options (“OTC Options”) which are privately negotiated with the counterparty. Listed options are issued by the Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC”) which guarantees the performance of the obligations of the parties to such options.
The Trust’s ability to close out its position as a purchaser or seller of an exchange-listed put or call option is dependent upon the existence of a liquid secondary market on option exchanges. Among the possible reasons for the absence of a liquid secondary market on an exchange are: (i) insufficient trading interest in certain options; (ii) restrictions on transactions imposed by an exchange; (iii) trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying securities; (iv) interruption of the normal operations on an exchange; (v) inadequacy of the facilities of an exchange or OCC to handle current trading volume; or (vi) a decision by one or more exchanges to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options on that exchange that had been listed by the OCC as a result of trades on that exchange would generally continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms. OTC Options are purchased from or sold to dealers, financial institutions or other counterparties which have entered into direct agreements with the Trust. With OTC Options, such variables as expiration date, exercise price and premium will be agreed upon between the Trust and the counterparty, without the intermediation of a third party such as the OCC. If the counterparty fails to make or take delivery of the securities underlying an option it has written, or otherwise settle the transaction in accordance with the terms of that option as written, the Trust would lose the premium paid for the option as well as any anticipated benefit of the transaction. OTC Options and assets used to cover OTC Options written by the Trust are considered by the staff of the SEC to be illiquid. The illiquidity of such options or assets may prevent a successful sale of such options or assets, result in a delay of sale, or reduce the amount of proceeds that might otherwise be realized.
The hours of trading for options on debt securities may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the option markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the option markets.
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 also exposes the Trust to the credit risk of the issuer of the hybrids. These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Trust’s common shares if the Trust invests in hybrid instruments.
New Products.
The financial markets continue to evolve and financial products continue to be developed. The Trust reserves the right to invest in new financial products as they are developed or become more widely accepted. As with any new financial product, these products will entail risks, including risks to which the Trust currently is not subject.
The principal risks relating to the use of futures contracts and other Strategic Transactions are: (i) less than perfect correlation between the prices of the instrument and the market value of the securities in the Trust’s portfolio; (ii) possible lack of a liquid secondary market for closing out a position in such instruments; (iii) losses resulting from interest rate or other market movements not anticipated by the Advisor; and (iv) the obligation to meet additional variation margin or other payment requirements, all of which could result in the Trust being in a worse position than if such transactions had not been used.
Certain provisions of the Code may restrict or affect the ability of the Trust to engage in Strategic Transactions. See “Tax Matters.”
ADDITIONAL RISK FACTORS
Convertible Securities
The value of convertible securities is influenced by both the yield on nonconvertible securities of comparable issuers and by the value of the underlying common stock. The value of a convertible security viewed without regard to its conversion feature (i.e., strictly on the basis of its yield) is sometimes referred to as its “investment value.” To the extent interest rates change, the investment value of the convertible security typically will fluctuate. At the same time, however, the value of the convertible security will be influenced by its “conversion value,” which is the market value of the underlying common stock that would be obtained if the convertible security were converted. Conversion value fluctuates directly with the price of the underlying common stock. If the conversion value of a convertible security is substantially below its investment value, the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. To the extent the conversion value of a convertible security increases to a point that approximates or exceeds its investment value, the price of the convertible security will be influenced principally by its conversion value. A convertible security will sell at a premium over the conversion value to the extent investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed income security. The yield and conversion premium of convertible securities issued in Japan and the Euromarket are frequently determined at levels that cause the conversion value to affect their market value more than the securities’ investment value.
Holders of convertible securities generally have a claim on the assets of the issuer prior to the common stockholders but may be subordinated to other debt securities of the same issuer. A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in a charter provision, indenture or other governing instrument pursuant to which the convertible security was issued. If a convertible security held by the Trust is called for redemption, the Trust will be required to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third party. Certain convertible debt securities may provide a put option to the holder, which entitles the holder to cause the security to be redeemed by the issuer at a premium over the stated principal amount of the debt security under certain circumstances.
The Trust may also invest in synthetic convertible securities. Synthetic convertible securities may include either Cash-Settled Convertibles or Manufactured Convertibles. “Cash-Settled Convertibles” are instruments that are created by the issuer and have the economic characteristics of traditional convertible securities but may not actually permit conversion into the underlying equity securities in all circumstances. As an example, a private company may issue a Cash-Settled Convertible that is convertible into common stock only if the company successfully completes a public offering of its common stock prior
to maturity and otherwise pays a cash amount to reflect any equity appreciation. “Manufactured Convertibles” are created by the Advisor or another party by combining separate securities that possess one of the two principal characteristics of a convertible security, i.e., fixed income (“fixed income component”) or a right to acquire equity securities (“convertibility component”). The fixed income component is achieved by investing in nonconvertible fixed income securities, such as nonconvertible bonds, preferred stocks and money market instruments. The convertibility component is achieved by investing in call options, warrants, or other securities with equity conversion features (“equity features”) granting the holder the right to purchase a specified quantity of the underlying stocks within a specified period of time at a specified price or, in the case of a stock index option, the right to receive a cash payment based on the value of the underlying stock index.
A Manufactured Convertible differs from traditional convertible securities in several respects. Unlike a traditional convertible security, which is a single security that has a unitary market value, a Manufactured Convertible is comprised of two or more separate securities, each with its own market value. Therefore, the total “market value” of such a Manufactured Convertible is the sum of the values of its fixed income component and its convertibility component.
More flexibility is possible in the creation of a Manufactured Convertible than in the purchase of a traditional convertible security. Because many corporations have not issued convertible securities, the Advisor may combine a fixed income instrument and an equity feature with respect to the stock of the issuer of the fixed income instrument to create a synthetic convertible security otherwise unavailable in the market. The Advisor may also combine a fixed income instrument of an issuer with an equity feature with respect to the stock of a different issuer when the Advisor believes such a Manufactured Convertible would better promote the Trust’s investment objectives than alternative investments. For example, the Advisor may combine an equity feature with respect to an issuer’s stock with a fixed income security of a different issuer in the same industry to diversify the Trust’s credit exposure, or with a U.S. Treasury instrument to create a Manufactured Convertible with a higher credit profile than a traditional convertible security issued by that issuer. A Manufactured Convertible also is a more flexible investment in that its two components may be purchased separately and, upon purchasing the separate securities, “combined” to create a Manufactured Convertible. For example, the Trust may purchase a warrant for eventual inclusion in a Manufactured Convertible while postponing the purchase of a suitable bond to pair with the warrant pending development of more favorable market conditions.
The value of a Manufactured Convertible may respond to certain market fluctuations differently from a traditional convertible security with similar characteristics. For example, in the event the Trust created a Manufactured Convertible by combining a short-term U.S. Treasury instrument and a call option on a stock, the Manufactured Convertible would be expected to outperform a traditional convertible of similar maturity that is convertible into that stock during periods when Treasury instruments outperform corporate fixed income securities and underperform during periods when corporate fixed income securities outperform Treasury instruments.
Rights Risk
The failure to exercise subscription rights to purchase common stock would result in the dilution of the Trust’s interest in the issuing company. The market for such rights is not well developed, and, accordingly, the Trust may not always realize full value on the sale of rights.
Master Limited Partnership Risk
An investment in MLP units involves some risks that differ from an investment in the common stock of a corporation. As compared to common stockholders of a corporation, holders of MLP units have more limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the partnership. In addition, there are certain tax risks associated with an investment in MLP units and conflicts of interest may exist between common unit holders and the general partner, including those arising from incentive distribution payments.
Much of the benefit the Trust derives from its investment in equity securities of MLPs is a result of MLPs generally being treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Partnerships do not pay U.S. federal income tax at the partnership level. Rather, each partner of a partnership, in computing its U.S. federal income tax liability, will include its allocable share of the partnership’s income, gains, losses, deductions and expenses. A change in current tax law, or a change in the business of a given MLP, could result in an MLP being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which would result in such MLP being required to pay U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income. The classification of an MLP as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP and causing any such distributions received by the Trust to be taxed as dividend income to the extent of the MLP’s current or accumulated earnings and profits. Thus, if any of the MLPs owned by the Trust were treated
as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the after-tax return to the Trust and its shareholders with respect to its investment in such MLPs would be materially reduced, which could cause a decline in the value of the common stock.
To the extent that the Trust invests in the equity securities of an MLP, the Trust will be a partner in such MLP. Accordingly, the Trust will be required to include in its taxable income the Trust’s allocable share of the income, gains, losses, deductions and expenses recognized by each such MLP, regardless of whether the MLP distributes cash to the Trust. Historically, MLPs have been able to offset a significant portion of their income with tax deductions. The Trust will recognize taxable income with respect to its allocable share of an MLP’s income and gains that is not offset by the MLP’s tax deductions, losses and credits, or its net operating loss carryforwards, if any. The portion, if any, of a distribution received by the Trust from an MLP that is offset by the MLP’s tax deductions, losses or credits is essentially treated as a return of capital. However, those distributions will reduce the Trust’s adjusted tax basis in the equity securities of the MLP, which will result in an increase in the amount of gain (or decrease in the amount of loss) that will be recognized by the Trust for tax purposes upon the sale of any such equity securities or upon subsequent distributions in respect of such equity securities. The percentage of an MLP’s income and gains that is offset by tax deductions, losses and credits will fluctuate over time for various reasons. A significant slowdown in acquisition activity or capital spending by MLPs held in the Trust’s portfolio could result in a reduction of accelerated depreciation generated by new acquisitions, which may result in an increased distribution requirement for the Trust.
Because of the Trust’s investments in equity securities of MLPs, the Trust’s earnings and profits may be calculated using accounting methods that are different from those used for calculating taxable income. Because of these differences, the Trust may make distributions out of its current or accumulated earnings and profits, which will be treated as dividends, in years in which the Trust’s distributions exceed its taxable income. See “Tax Matters.”
In addition, changes in tax laws or regulations, or future interpretations of such laws or regulations, could adversely affect the Trust or the MLP investments in which the Trust invests.
Mortgage Related Securities Risks
Investing in MBS entails various risks. MBS represent an interest in a pool of mortgages. The risks associated with MBS include: credit risk associated with the performance of the underlying mortgage properties and of the borrowers owning these properties; risks associated with their structure and execution (including the collateral, the process by which principal and interest payments are allocated and distributed to investors and how credit losses affect issuing vehicle and the return to investors in such MBS); whether the collateral represents a fixed set of specific assets or accounts, whether the underlying collateral assets are revolving or closed-end, under what terms (including maturity of the MBS) any remaining balance in the accounts may revert to the issuing entity and the extent to which the entity that is the actual source of the collateral assets is obligated to provide support to the issuing vehicle or to the investors in such MBS; risks associated with the servicer of the underlying mortgages; adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances, which are more likely to have an adverse impact on MBS secured by loans on certain types of commercial properties than on those secured by loans on residential properties; prepayment risk, which can lead to significant fluctuations in the value of the mortgage-backed security; loss of all or part of the premium, if any, paid; and decline in the market value of the security, whether resulting from changes in interest rates, prepayments on the underlying mortgage collateral or perceptions of the credit risk associated with the underlying mortgage collateral. In addition, the Trust’s level of investment in MBS of a particular type or in MBS issued or guaranteed by affiliated obligors, serviced by the same servicer or backed by underlying collateral located in a specific geographic region, may subject the Trust to additional risk.
When market interest rates decline, more mortgages are refinanced and the securities are paid off earlier than expected. Prepayments may also occur on a scheduled basis or due to foreclosure. During such periods, the reinvestment of prepayment proceeds by the Trust will generally be at lower rates than the rates that were carried by the obligations that have been prepaid. When market interest rates increase, the market values of MBS decline. At the same time, however, mortgage refinancings and prepayments slow, lengthening the effective maturities of these securities. As a result, the negative effect of the rate increase on the market value of MBS is usually more pronounced than it is for other types of fixed income securities. Moreover, the relationship between borrower prepayments and changes in interest rates may mean some high-yielding mortgage related and other asset-backed securities have less potential for increases in value if market interest rates were to fall than conventional bonds with comparable maturities.
In general, losses on a mortgaged property securing a mortgage loan included in a securitization will be borne first by the equity holder of the property, then by a cash reserve fund or letter of credit, if any, then by the holder of a mezzanine loan or B-Note, if any, then by the “first loss” subordinated security holder (generally, the “B-Piece” buyer) and then by the holder of a higher rated security. The Trust could invest in any class of security included in a securitization. In the event of
default and the exhaustion of any equity support, reserve fund, letter of credit, mezzanine loans or B-Notes, and any classes of securities junior to those in which the Trust invests, the Trust will not be able to recover all of its investment in the MBS it purchases. MBS in which the Trust invests may not contain reserve funds, letters of credit, mezzanine loans and/or junior classes of securities. The prices of lower credit quality securities are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than more highly rated investments, but more sensitive to adverse economic downturns or individual issuer developments.
MBS generally are classified as either RMBS or CMBS, each of which are subject to certain specific risks as further described below.
RMBS Risks
. RMBS are securities the payments on which depend primarily on the cash flow from residential mortgage loans made to borrowers that are secured by residential real estate. Non-agency residential mortgage loans are obligations of the borrowers thereunder only and are not typically insured or guaranteed by any other person or entity. The ability of a borrower to repay a loan secured by residential property is dependent upon the income or assets of the borrower. A number of factors, including a general economic downturn, acts of God, terrorism, social unrest and civil disturbances, may impair a borrower’s ability to repay its loans.
Agency RMBS Risks
. MBS issued by FNMA or FHLMC are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA or FHLMC, but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. In 2008, the FHFA placed FNMA and FHLMC into conservatorship. 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 MBS. 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. In connection with the conservatorship, the U.S. Treasury entered into an agreement with each of FNMA and FHLMC that contains various covenants that severely limit each enterprise’s operations. 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.
Under the Federal Housing Finance Regulatory Reform Act of 2008 (the “Reform Act”), 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. 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 MBS would be reduced if payments on the mortgage loans represented in the mortgage loan groups related to such MBS 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. If FHFA, as conservator or receiver, were to transfer any such guaranty obligation to another party, holders of FNMA or FHLMC MBS 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 MBS 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 MBS 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 MBS have the right to replace FNMA or FHLMC as trustee if the requisite percentage of MBS 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.
A 2011 report to Congress from the Treasury Department and the Department of Housing and Urban Development set forth a plan to reform America’s housing finance market, which would reduce the role of and eventually eliminate FNMA and FHLMC, and identified proposals for Congress and the administration to consider for the long-term structure of the housing finance markets after the elimination of FNMA and FHLMC. The impact of such reforms on the markets for MBS is currently unknown. It is difficult, if not impossible, to predict the future political, regulatory or economic changes that could impact FNMA, FHLMC and the Federal Home Loan Banks, and the values of their related securities or obligations.
Non-Agency RMBS Risks
. Non-agency RMBS are securities issued by non-governmental issuers. Non-agency RMBS have no direct or indirect government guarantees of payment and are subject to various risks as described herein.
Borrower Credit Risk
. Credit-related risk on RMBS arises from losses due to delinquencies and defaults by the borrowers in payments on the underlying mortgage loans and breaches by originators and servicers of their obligations under the underlying documentation pursuant to which the RMBS are issued. Non-agency residential mortgage loans are obligations of the borrowers thereunder only and are not typically insured or guaranteed by any other person or entity. The rate of delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgage loans and the aggregate amount of the resulting losses will be affected by a number of factors, including general economic conditions, particularly those in the area where the related mortgaged property is located, the level of the borrower’s equity in the mortgaged property and the individual financial circumstances of the borrower. If a residential mortgage loan is in default, foreclosure on the related residential property may be a lengthy and difficult process involving significant legal and other expenses. The net proceeds obtained by the holder on a residential mortgage loan following the foreclosure on the related property may be less than the total amount that remains due on the loan. The prospect of incurring a loss upon the foreclosure of the related property may lead the holder of the residential mortgage loan to restructure the residential mortgage loan or otherwise delay the foreclosure process.
Legal Risks
. Legal risks associated with RMBS can arise as a result of the procedures followed in connection with the origination of the mortgage loans or the servicing thereof, which may be subject to various federal and state laws (including, without limitation, predatory lending laws), public policies and principles of equity that regulate interest rates and other charges, require certain disclosures, require licensing of originators, prohibit discriminatory lending practices, regulate the use of consumer credit information and debt collection practices and may limit the servicer’s ability to collect all or part of the principal of or interest on a residential mortgage loan, entitle the borrower to a refund of amounts previously paid by it or subject the servicer to damages and sanctions. Specifically, provisions of federal predatory lending laws, such as the federal Truth-in-Lending Act (as supplemented by the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act of 1994) and Regulation Z, and various recently enacted state predatory lending laws provide that a purchaser or assignee of specified types of residential mortgage loans (including an issuer of RMBS) may be held liable for violations by the originator of such mortgage loans. Under such assignee liability provisions, a borrower is generally given the right to assert against a purchaser of its mortgage loan any affirmative claims and defenses to payment that such borrower could assert against the originator of the loan or, where applicable, the home improvement contractor that arranged the loan. Liability under such assignee liability provisions could, therefore, result in a disruption of cash flows allocated to the holders of RMBS where either the issuer of such RMBS is liable for damages or is unable to enforce payment by the borrower.
In most but not all cases, the amount recoverable against a purchaser or assignee under such assignee liability provisions is limited to amounts previously paid and still owed by the borrower. Moreover, sellers of residential mortgage loans to an issuer of RMBS typically represent that the loans have been originated in accordance with all applicable laws and in the event such representation is breached, the seller typically must repurchase the offending loan. Notwithstanding these protections, an issuer of RMBS may be exposed to an unquantifiable amount of potential assignee liability because, first, the amount of potential assignee liability under certain predatory lending laws is unclear and has yet to be litigated, and, second, in the event a predatory lending law does not prohibit class action lawsuits, it is possible that an issuer of RMBS could be liable for damages for more than the original principal amount of the offending loans held by it. In such circumstances the issuer of RMBS may be forced to seek contribution from other parties, who may no longer exist or have adequate funds available to fund such contribution.
In addition, structural and legal risks of RMBS include the possibility that, in a bankruptcy or similar proceeding involving the originator or the servicer (often the same entity or affiliates), the assets of the issuer could be treated as never having been truly sold by the originator to the issuer and could be substantively consolidated with those of the originator, or the transfer of such assets to the issuer could be voided as a fraudulent transfer. Challenges based on such doctrines could result also in cash flow delays and losses on the related issue of RMBS.
Mortgage Loan Market Risk
. In the recent past, the residential mortgage market in the United States experienced difficulties that adversely affected the performance and market value of certain mortgages and mortgage related securities. Delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans (especially sub-prime and second lien mortgage loans) generally increased during this period and declines in or flattening of housing values in many housing markets were generally viewed as exacerbating such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgages (“ARMs”) 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.
At any one time, a portfolio of RMBS may be backed by residential mortgage loans that are highly concentrated in only a few states or regions. As a result, the performance of such residential mortgage loans may be more susceptible to a downturn in the economy, including in particular industries that are highly represented in such states or regions, natural calamities and other adverse conditions affecting such areas. The economic downturn experienced in the recent past at the national level, and the more serious economic downturn experienced in the recent past in certain geographic areas of the
United States, including in particular areas of the United States where rates of delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgage loans were particularly high, is generally viewed as having contributed to the higher rates of delinquencies and defaults on the residential mortgage loans underlying RMBS during this period. There also can be no assurance that areas of the United States that mostly avoided higher rates of delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgage loans during this period would continue to do so if an economic downturn were to reoccur at the national level.
Another factor that may contribute to, and may in the future result in, higher delinquency and default rates is the increase in monthly payments on ARMs. Any increase in prevailing market interest rates, which are currently near historical lows, may result in increased payments for borrowers who have ARMs. Moreover, with respect to hybrid mortgage loans (which are mortgage loans combining fixed and adjustable rate features) after their initial fixed rate period or other adjustable-rate mortgage loans, interest-only products or products having a lower rate, and with respect to mortgage loans with a negative amortization feature which reach their negative amortization cap, borrowers may experience a substantial increase in their monthly payment even without an increase in prevailing market interest rates. Increases in payments for borrowers may result in increased rates of delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgage loans underlying the non-agency RMBS.
As a result of rising concerns about increases in delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgage loans (particularly on sub-prime and adjustable-rate mortgage loans) and as a result of increasing concerns about the financial strength of originators and servicers and their ability to perform their obligations with respect to non-agency RMBS, there may be an adverse change in the market sentiments of investors about the market values and volatility and the degree of risk of non-agency RMBS generally. Some or all of the underlying residential mortgage loans in an issue of non-agency RMBS may have balloon payments due on their respective maturity dates. Balloon residential mortgage loans involve a greater risk to a lender than fully amortizing loans, because the ability of a borrower to pay such amount will normally depend on its ability to obtain refinancing of the related mortgage loan or sell the related mortgaged property at a price sufficient to permit the borrower to make the balloon payment, which will depend on a number of factors prevailing at the time such refinancing or sale is required, including, without limitation, the strength of the local or national residential real estate markets, interest rates and general economic conditions and the financial condition of the borrower. If borrowers are unable to make such balloon payments, the related issue of non-agency RMBS may experience losses.
The Trust may acquire RMBS backed by collateral pools of mortgage loans that have been originated using underwriting standards that are less restrictive than those used in underwriting “prime mortgage loans” and “Alt-A mortgage loans.” These lower standards include mortgage loans made to borrowers having imperfect or impaired credit histories, mortgage loans where the amount of the loan at origination is 80% or more of the value of the mortgage property, mortgage loans made to borrowers with low credit scores, mortgage loans made to borrowers who have other debt that represents a large portion of their income and mortgage loans made to borrowers whose income is not required to be disclosed or verified and are commonly referred to as “sub-prime” mortgage loans. Sub-prime mortgage loans have in recent periods experienced increased rates of delinquency, foreclosure, bankruptcy and loss, and they are likely to continue to experience delinquency, foreclosure, bankruptcy and loss rates that are higher, and that may be substantially higher, than those experienced by mortgage loans underwritten in a more traditional manner. Certain categories of RMBS, such as option ARM RMBS and sub-prime RMBS, have been referred to by the financial media as “toxic assets.”
Although the United States economy has been slowly improving in recent years, if the economy of the United States begins to deteriorate again the incidence of mortgage foreclosures, especially sub-prime mortgages, could begin to increase again, which could adversely affect the value of any RMBS owned by the Trust.
Legislation and Regulation Risk
. The significance of the mortgage crisis and loan defaults in residential mortgage loan sectors led to the enactment in July 2008 of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, a wide-ranging housing rescue bill that offers up to $300 billion in assistance to troubled homeowners and emergency assistance to FNMA and FHLMC. This bill could potentially have a material adverse effect on the Trust’s investment program as the bill, among other things, (1) allows approximately 400,000 homeowners to refinance into affordable, government-backed loans through a program run by the FHA, and (2) provides approximately $180 million for “pre-foreclosure” housing counseling and legal services for distressed borrowers. In 2007, U.S. Treasury then-Secretary Henry Paulson and HUD then-Secretary Alphonso Jackson and the mortgage industry worked to develop HOPE NOW, an alliance of participants in the mortgage industry intended to work with borrowers with sub-prime mortgages facing interest rate increases and increasing payments. The Congressional Research Service reports that HOPE NOW has undertaken an initiative to provide homeowners with free telephone consultations with HUD-approved credit counselors, who can help homeowners contact their lenders and credit counselors to work out a plan to avoid foreclosure. Certain borrowers may also seek relief through the “FHA Secure” refinancing option that gives homeowners with non-FHA ARMs, current or delinquent and regardless of reset status, the ability to refinance into a FHA-insured mortgage. The Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009, which was enacted
on May 20, 2009, provides a safe harbor for servicers entering into “qualified loss mitigation plans” with respect to residential mortgages originated before the act was enacted. By protecting servicers from certain liabilities, this safe harbor may encourage loan modifications and reduce the likelihood that investors in securitizations will be paid on a timely basis or will be paid in full.
In addition, the mortgage crisis has led public advocacy groups to demand, and governmental officials and federal and state regulatory agencies to propose and consider, a variety of other “bailout” and “rescue” plans that could potentially have a material adverse effect on the investment program of the Trust. Some members of the U.S. Congress are concerned that the downturn in the housing market has played a role in the rise of late mortgage payments and foreclosures and expect that these conditions will lead to increased filings for bankruptcy. The terms of other proposed legislation or other plans may include, by way of example and not limitation, the following:
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moratoriums on interest rate increases for certain mortgage loans and on foreclosure proceedings;
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conversions of ARMs to fixed-rate mortgages (including in connection with government-backed refinancings of individual mortgage loans), with potential workouts to provide borrowers with equity stakes in their homes;
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increased scrutiny of mortgage originations (including mortgage loans in which the Trust may own an interest through non-agency RMBS) and foreclosure proceedings;
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additional registration and licensing requirements for mortgage brokers, lenders and others involved in the mortgage industry; and
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greater relief to homeowners under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or other federal or state laws, including relief to stay or delay the foreclosure of residential mortgage loans or to modify payment terms, including interest rates and repayment periods, of residential mortgage loans, over a lender’s objections, as the result of a “cramdown,” which decreases the debt’s value to as low as the collateral’s fair market value.
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A significant number of loan modifications could result in a significant reduction in cash flows to the holders of the mortgage securities on an ongoing basis. These loan modification programs, as well as future legislative or regulatory actions, including amendments to the bankruptcy laws, that result in the modification of outstanding mortgage loans may adversely affect the value of, and the returns on, the assets in which the Trust may invest.
New laws, legislation or other government regulations, including those promulgated in furtherance of a “bailout” or “rescue” plan to address the crisis and distress in the residential mortgage loan sector, may result in a reduction of available transactional opportunities for the Trust, or an increase in the cost associated with such transactions. Any such law, legislation or regulation may adversely affect the market value of RMBS.
CMBS Risks
. CMBS are, generally, securities backed by obligations (including certificates of participation in obligations) that are principally secured by mortgages on real property or interests therein having a multifamily or commercial use, such as regional malls, other retail space, office buildings, industrial or warehouse properties, hotels, nursing homes and senior living centers. The market for CMBS developed more recently and, in terms of total outstanding principal amount of issues, is relatively small compared to the market for single-family RMBS.
CMBS are subject to particular risks, including lack of standardized terms, shorter maturities than residential mortgage loans and payment of all or substantially all of the principal only at maturity rather than regular amortization of principal. Additional risks may be presented by the type and use of a particular commercial property. Special risks are presented by hospitals, nursing homes, hospitality properties and certain other property types. Commercial property values and net operating income are subject to volatility, which may result in net operating income becoming insufficient to cover debt service on the related mortgage loan. The repayment of loans secured by income-producing properties is typically dependent upon the successful operation of the related real estate project rather than upon the liquidation value of the underlying real estate. Furthermore, the net operating income from and value of any commercial property is subject to various risks, including changes in general or local economic conditions and/or specific industry segments; the solvency of the related tenants; declines in real estate values; declines in rental or occupancy rates; increases in interest rates, real estate tax rates and other operating expenses; changes in governmental rules, regulations and fiscal policies; acts of God; terrorist threats and attacks and social unrest and civil disturbances. Consequently, adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances are more likely to have an adverse impact on MBS secured by loans on commercial properties than on those secured by loans on residential properties. In addition, commercial lending generally is viewed as exposing the lender to a
greater risk of loss than one- to four- family residential lending. Commercial lending, for example, typically involves larger loans to single borrowers or groups of related borrowers than residential one- to four- family mortgage loans. In addition, the repayment of loans secured by income producing properties typically is dependent upon the successful operation of the related real estate project and the cash flow generated therefrom.
The exercise of remedies and successful realization of liquidation proceeds relating to CMBS is also highly dependent on the performance of the servicer or special servicer. In many cases, overall control over the special servicing of related underlying mortgage loans will be held by a “directing certificateholder” or a “controlling class representative,” which is appointed by the holders of the most subordinate class of CMBS in such series. The Trust may not have the right to appoint the directing certificateholder. In connection with the servicing of the specially serviced mortgage loans, the related special servicer may, at the direction of the directing certificateholder, take actions with respect to the specially serviced mortgage loans that could adversely affect the Trust’s interests. There may be a limited number of special servicers available, particularly those that do not have conflicts of interest.
The Trust may invest in subordinated CMBS issued or sponsored by commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, private mortgage insurance companies and other non-governmental issuers. Subordinated CMBS have no governmental guarantee and are subordinated in some manner as to the payment of principal and/or interest to the holders of more senior CMBS arising out of the same pool of mortgages. Subordinated CMBS are often referred to as “B-Pieces.” The holders of subordinated CMBS typically are compensated with a higher stated yield than are the holders of more senior CMBS. On the other hand, subordinated CMBS typically subject the holder to greater risk than senior CMBS and tend to be rated in a lower rating category (frequently a substantially lower rating category) than the senior CMBS issued in respect of the same mortgage pool. Subordinated CMBS generally are likely to be more sensitive to changes in prepayment and interest rates and the market for such securities may be less liquid than is the case for traditional income securities and senior CMBS.
CMO Risk
. There are certain risks associated specifically with CMOs. CMOs are debt obligations collateralized by mortgage loans or mortgage pass-through securities. The average life of a CMO is determined using mathematical models that incorporate prepayment assumptions and other factors that involve estimates of future economic and market conditions. Actual future results may vary from these estimates, particularly during periods of extreme market volatility. Further, under certain market conditions, such as those that occurred during the recent downturn in the mortgage markets, the weighted average life of certain CMOs may not accurately reflect the price volatility of such securities. For example, in periods of supply and demand imbalances in the market for such securities and/or in periods of sharp interest rate movements, the prices of CMOs may fluctuate to a greater extent than would be expected from interest rate movements alone. CMOs issued by private entities are not obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities and are not guaranteed by any government agency, although the securities underlying a CMO may be subject to a guarantee. Therefore, if the collateral securing the CMO, as well as any third party credit support or guarantees, is insufficient to make payments when due, the holder could sustain a loss.
Inverse floating rate CMOs are typically more volatile than fixed or floating rate tranches of CMOs. Many inverse floating rate CMOs have coupons that move inversely to a multiple of an index. The effect of the coupon varying inversely to a multiple of an applicable index creates a leverage factor. Inverse floaters based on multiples of a stated index are designed to be highly sensitive to changes in interest rates and can subject the holders thereof to extreme reductions of yield and loss of principal. The market for inverse floating rate CMOs with highly leveraged characteristics at times may be very thin. The Trust’s ability to dispose of its positions in such securities will depend on the degree of liquidity in the markets for such securities. It is impossible to predict the amount of trading interest that may exist in such securities, and therefore the future degree of liquidity.
The Trust may also invest in REMICs, which are CMOs that qualify for special tax treatment under the Code and invest in certain mortgages principally secured by interests in real property and other permitted investments.
Credit Risk Associated With Originators and Servicers of Mortgage Loans
. A number of originators and servicers of residential and commercial mortgage loans, including some of the largest originators and servicers in the residential and commercial mortgage loan market, have experienced serious financial difficulties, including some that are now or were subject to federal insolvency proceedings. These difficulties have resulted from many factors, including increased competition among originators for borrowers, decreased originations by such originators of mortgage loans and increased delinquencies and defaults on such mortgage loans, as well as from increases in claims for repurchases of mortgage loans previously sold by them under agreements that require repurchase in the event of breaches of representations regarding loan quality and characteristics. Such difficulties may affect the performance of MBS backed by mortgage loans. Furthermore, the inability of the originator to repurchase such mortgage loans in the event of loan representation breaches or the servicer to
repurchase such mortgage loans upon a breach of its servicing obligations also may affect the performance of related MBS. Delinquencies and losses on, and, in some cases, claims for repurchase by the originator of, mortgage loans originated by some mortgage lenders have recently increased as a result of inadequate underwriting procedures and policies, including inadequate due diligence, failure to comply with predatory and other lending laws and, particularly in the case of any “no documentation” or “limited documentation” mortgage loans that may support non-agency RMBS, inadequate verification of income and employment history. Delinquencies and losses on, and claims for repurchase of, mortgage loans originated by some mortgage lenders have also resulted from fraudulent activities of borrowers, lenders, appraisers, and other residential mortgage industry participants such as mortgage brokers, including misstatements of income and employment history, identity theft and overstatements of the appraised value of mortgaged properties. Many of these originators and servicers are very highly leveraged. These difficulties may also increase the chances that these entities may default on their warehousing or other credit lines or become insolvent or bankrupt and thereby increase the likelihood that repurchase obligations will not be fulfilled and the potential for loss to holders of non-agency MBS and subordinated security holders.
The servicers of non-agency MBS are often the same entities as, or affiliates of, the originators of these mortgage loans. Accordingly, the financial risks relating to originators of MBS described immediately above also may affect the servicing of MBS. In the case of such servicers, and other servicers, financial difficulties may have a negative effect on the ability of servicers to pursue collection on mortgage loans that are experiencing increased delinquencies and defaults and to maximize recoveries on sale of underlying properties following foreclosure. In recent years, a number of lenders specializing in residential mortgages have sought bankruptcy protection, shut down or been refused further financings from their lenders.
MBS typically provide that the servicer is required to make advances in respect of delinquent mortgage loans. However, servicers experiencing financial difficulties may not be able to perform these obligations or obligations that they may have to other parties of transactions involving these securities. Like originators, these entities are typically very highly leveraged. Such difficulties may cause servicers to default under their financing arrangements. In certain cases, such entities may be forced to seek bankruptcy protection. Due to the application of the provisions of bankruptcy law, servicers who have sought bankruptcy protection may not be required to advance such amounts. Even if a servicer were able to advance amounts in respect of delinquent mortgage loans, its obligation to make such advances may be limited to the extent that it does not expect to recover such advances due to the deteriorating credit of the delinquent mortgage loans or declining value of the related mortgaged properties. Moreover, servicers may overadvance against a particular mortgage loan or charge too many costs of resolution or foreclosure of a mortgage loan to a securitization, which could increase the potential losses to holders of MBS. In such transactions, a servicer’s obligation to make such advances may also be limited to the amount of its servicing fee. In addition, if an issue of MBS provides for interest on advances made by the servicer, in the event that foreclosure proceeds or payments by borrowers are not sufficient to cover such interest, such interest will be paid to the servicer from available collections or other mortgage income, thereby reducing distributions made on the MBS and, in the case of senior-subordinated MBS described below, first from distributions that would otherwise be made on the most subordinated MBS of such issue. Any such financial difficulties may increase the possibility of a servicer termination and the need for a transfer of servicing and any such liabilities or inability to assess such liabilities may increase the difficulties and costs in affecting such transfer and the potential loss, through the allocation of such increased cost of such transfer, to subordinated security holders.
There can be no assurance that originators and servicers of mortgage loans will not continue to experience serious financial difficulties or experience such difficulties in the future, including becoming subject to bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, or that underwriting procedures and policies and protections against fraud will be sufficient in the future to prevent such financial difficulties or significant levels of default or delinquency on mortgage loans. Because the recent financial difficulties experienced by such originators and servicers is unprecedented and unpredictable, the past performance of the residential and commercial mortgage loans originated and serviced by them (and the corresponding performance of the related MBS) is not a reliable indicator of the future performance of such residential mortgage loans (or the related MBS).
In some cases, servicers of MBS have been the subject of legal proceedings involving the origination and/or servicing practices of such servicers. Large groups of private litigants and states’ attorneys general have brought such proceedings. Because of the large volume of mortgage loans originated and serviced by such servicers, such litigation can cause heightened financial strain on servicers. In other cases, origination and servicing practices may cause or contribute to such strain, because of representation and warranty repurchase liability arising in MBS and mortgage loan sale transactions. Any such financial strain could cause servicers to service below required standards, causing delinquencies and losses in any related MBS transaction to rise, and in extreme cases could cause the servicer to seek the protection of any applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. In any such proceeding, it is unclear whether the fees that the servicer charges in such transactions would be sufficient to permit that servicer or a successor servicer to service the mortgage loans in such transaction adequately. If such fees had to be increased, it is likely that the most subordinated security holders in such
transactions would be effectively required to pay such increased fees. Finally, these entities may be the subject of future laws designed to protect consumers from defaulting on their mortgage loans. Such laws may have an adverse effect on the cash flows paid under such MBS.
In addition, certain lenders who service and/or issue MBS have recently announced that they are being investigated by or have received information requests from U.S. federal and/or state authorities, including the SEC. As a result of such investigations and other similar investigations and general concerns about the adequacy or accuracy of disclosure of risks to borrowers and their understanding of such risks, U.S. financial regulators have recently indicated that they may propose new guidelines for the mortgage industry. Guidelines, if introduced, together with the other factors described herein, may make it more difficult for borrowers with weaker credit to refinance, which may lead to further increases in delinquencies, extensions in duration and losses in mortgage related assets.
Additional Risks of Mortgage Related Securities
. Additional risks associated with investments in MBS include:
Interest Rate Risk
. In addition to the interest rate risks described above, certain MBS may be subject to additional risks as the rate of interest payable on certain MBS may be set or effectively capped at the weighted average net coupon of the underlying mortgage loans themselves, often referred to as an “available funds cap.” As a result of this cap, the return to the holder of such MBS is dependent on the relative timing and rate of delinquencies and prepayments of mortgage loans bearing a higher rate of interest. In general, early prepayments will have a greater negative impact on the yield to the holder of such MBS.
Structural Risk
. Because MBS generally are ownership or participation interests in pools of mortgage loans secured by a pool of properties underlying the mortgage loan pool, the MBS are entitled to payments provided for in the underlying agreement only when and if funds are generated by the underlying mortgage loan pool. This likelihood of the return of interest and principal may be assessed as a credit matter. However, the holders of MBS do not have the legal status of secured creditors, and cannot accelerate a claim for payment on their securities, or force a sale of the mortgage loan pool in the event that insufficient funds exist to pay such amounts on any date designated for such payment. The holders of MBS do not typically have any right to remove a servicer solely as a result of a failure of the mortgage pool to perform as expected.
Subordination Risk
. MBS may be subordinated to one or more other senior classes of securities of the same series for purposes of, among other things, offsetting losses and other shortfalls with respect to the related underlying mortgage loans. For example, in the case of certain MBS, no distributions of principal will generally be made with respect to any class until the aggregate principal balances of the corresponding senior classes of securities have been reduced to zero. As a result, MBS may be more sensitive to risk of loss, writedowns, the non-fulfillment of repurchase obligations, overadvancing on a pool of loans and the costs of transferring servicing than senior classes of securities.
Prepayment, Extension and Redemption Risks
. MBS may reflect an interest in monthly payments made by the borrowers who receive the underlying mortgage loans. Although the underlying mortgage loans are for specified periods of time, such as 20 or 30 years, the borrowers can, and historically have paid them off sooner. When a prepayment happens, a portion of the MBS which represents an interest in the underlying mortgage loan will be prepaid. A borrower is more likely to prepay a mortgage which bears a relatively high rate of interest. This means that in times of declining interest rates, a portion of the Trust’s higher yielding securities are likely to be redeemed and the Trust will probably be unable to replace them with securities having as great a yield. In addition to reductions in the level of market interest rates and the prepayment provisions of the mortgage loans, repayments on the residential mortgage loans underlying an issue of RMBS may also be affected by a variety of economic, geographic and other factors, including the size difference between the interest rates on the underlying residential mortgage loans (giving consideration to the cost of refinancing) and prevailing mortgage rates and the availability of refinancing. Prepayments can result in lower yields to shareholders. The increased likelihood of prepayment when interest rates decline also limits market price appreciation of MBS. This is known as prepayment risk.
Except in the case of certain types of RMBS, the mortgage loans underlying RMBS generally do not contain prepayment penalties and a reduction in market interest rates will increase the likelihood of prepayments on the related RMBS. In the case of certain home equity loan securities and certain types of RMBS, even though the underlying mortgage loans often contain prepayment premiums, such prepayment premiums may not be sufficient to discourage borrowers from prepaying their mortgage loans in the event of a reduction in market interest rates, resulting in a reduction in the yield to maturity for holders of the related RMBS. RMBS typically contain provisions that require repurchase of mortgage loans by the originator or other seller in the event of a breach of a representation or warranty regarding loan quality and characteristics of such loan. Any repurchase of a mortgage loan as a result of a breach has the same effect on the yield received on the related issue of RMBS as a prepayment of such mortgage loan. Any increase in breaches of representations and the
consequent repurchases of mortgage loans that result from inadequate underwriting procedures and policies and protections against fraud will have the same effect on the yield on the related RMBS as an increase in prepayment rates.
Risk of prepayment may be reduced for commercial real estate property loans containing significant prepayment penalties or prohibitions on principal payments for a period of time following origination.
MBS also are subject to extension risk. Extension risk is the possibility that rising interest rates may cause prepayments to occur at a slower than expected rate. This particular risk may effectively change a security which was considered short or intermediate term into a long-term security. The values of long-term securities generally fluctuate more widely in response to changes in interest rates than short or intermediate-term securities.
In addition, MBS may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer. If a MBS held by the Trust is called for redemption, the Trust will be required to permit the issuer to redeem or “pay-off” the security, which could have an adverse effect on the Trust’s ability to achieve its investment objectives.
Spread Widening Risk
. The prices of MBS may decline substantially, for reasons that may not be attributable to any of the other risks described in the Prospectus and this SAI. In particular, purchasing assets at what may appear to be “undervalued” levels is no guarantee that these assets will not be trading at even more “undervalued” levels at a time of valuation or at the time of sale. It may not be possible to predict, or to protect against, such “spread widening” risk.
Liquidity Risk
. The liquidity of MBS varies by type of security; at certain times the Trust may encounter difficulty in disposing of such investments. Because MBS have the potential to be less liquid than other securities, the Trust may be more susceptible to liquidity risks than funds that invest in other securities. In the past, in stressed markets, certain types of MBS suffered periods of illiquidity when disfavored by the market. Due to increased instability in the credit markets, the market for some MBS has experienced reduced liquidity and greater volatility with respect to the value of such securities, making it more difficult to value such securities.
Asset-Backed Securities Risk
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ABS involve certain risks in addition to those presented by MBS. There is the possibility that recoveries on the underlying collateral may not, in some cases, be available to support payments on these securities. Relative to MBS, ABS may provide the Trust with a less effective security interest in the underlying collateral and are more dependent on the borrower’s ability to pay. 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. 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 significant rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level or 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 collateral underlying ABS may constitute assets related to a wide range of industries and sectors, such as credit card and automobile receivables. Credit card receivables are generally unsecured and the debtors are entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal consumer credit laws, many of which give debtors the right to set off certain amounts owed on the credit cards, thereby reducing the balance due. The Credit CARD Act of 2009 imposes new regulations on the ability of credit card issuers to adjust the interest rates and exercise various other rights with respect to indebtedness extended through credit cards. The Trust and the Advisor cannot predict what effect, if any, such regulations might have on the market for ABS and such regulations may adversely affect the value of ABS owned by the Trust. Most issuers of automobile receivables permit the servicers to retain possession of the underlying obligations. If the servicer were to sell these obligations to another party, there is a risk that the purchaser would acquire an interest superior to that of the holders of the related automobile receivables. In addition, because of the large number of vehicles involved in a typical issuance and technical requirements under state laws, the trustee for the holders of the automobile receivables may not have an effective security interest in all of the obligations backing such receivables. If the economy of the United States deteriorates, defaults on securities backed by credit card, automobile and other receivables may increase, which may adversely affect the value of any ABS owned by Trust. There is the possibility that recoveries on the underlying collateral may not, in some cases, be available to support payments on these securities. In recent years, certain automobile manufacturers have been granted access to emergency loans from the U.S. Government and have experienced bankruptcy. As a result of these events, the value of securities backed by receivables from the sale or lease of automobiles may be adversely affected.
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.
Zero Coupon Securities
Zero coupon securities are securities that are sold at a discount to par value and do not pay interest during the life of the security. The discount approximates the total amount of interest the security will accrue and compound over the period until maturity at a rate of interest reflecting the market rate of the security at the time of issuance. Upon maturity, the holder of a zero coupon security is entitled to receive the par value of the security.
The Trust accrues income with respect to these securities for U.S. federal income tax and accounting purposes prior to the receipt of cash payments. Zero coupon securities may be subject to greater fluctuation in value and less liquidity in the event of adverse market conditions than comparably rated securities that pay cash interest at regular intervals.
Further, to maintain its qualification for pass-through treatment under the U.S. federal income tax laws, the Trust is required to distribute income to its shareholders and, consequently, may have to dispose of other, more liquid portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances or may have to leverage itself by borrowing in order to generate the cash to satisfy these distributions. The required distributions may result in an increase in the Trust’s exposure to zero coupon securities.
In addition to the above-described risks, there are certain other risks related to investing in zero coupon securities. During a period of severe market conditions, the market for such securities may become even less liquid. In addition, as these securities do not pay cash interest, a Trust’s investment exposure to these securities and their risks, including credit risk, will increase during the time these securities are held in the Trust’s portfolio.
Pay-in-Kind Bonds
The Trust may invest in PIK bonds. PIK bonds are bonds which pay interest through the issuance of additional debt or equity securities. Similar to zero coupon obligations, pay-in-kind bonds also carry additional risk as holders of these types of securities realize no cash until the cash payment date unless a portion of such securities is sold and, if the issuer defaults, the Trust may obtain no return at all on its investment. The market price of pay-in-kind bonds is affected by interest rate changes to a greater extent, and therefore tends to be more volatile, than that of securities which pay interest in cash. Additionally, current U.S. federal income tax law requires the holder of certain pay-in-kind bonds to accrue income with respect to these securities prior to the receipt of cash payments. To maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid liability for U.S. federal income and excise taxes, the Trust may be required to distribute income accrued with respect to these securities and may have to dispose of portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances in order to generate cash to satisfy these distribution requirements.
Sovereign Government and Supranational Debt Risk
Investments in sovereign debt involve special risks. Foreign governmental issuers of debt or the governmental authorities that control the repayment of the debt may be unable or unwilling to repay principal or pay interest when due. In the event of default, there may be limited or no legal recourse in that, generally, remedies for defaults must be pursued in the courts of the defaulting party. Political conditions, especially a sovereign entity’s willingness to meet the terms of its debt obligations, are of considerable significance. The ability of a foreign sovereign issuer, especially an emerging market country, to make timely payments on its debt obligations will also be strongly influenced by the sovereign issuer’s balance of payments, including export performance, its access to international credit facilities and investments, fluctuations of interest rates and the extent of its foreign reserves. The cost of servicing external debt will also generally be adversely affected by rising international interest rates, as many external debt obligations bear interest at rates which are adjusted based upon international interest rates. Also, there can be no assurance that the holders of commercial bank loans to the same sovereign entity may not contest payments to the holders of sovereign debt in the event of default under commercial bank loan agreements. In addition, there is no bankruptcy proceeding with respect to sovereign debt on which a sovereign has defaulted and the Trust may be unable to collect all or any part of its investment in a particular issue. Foreign investment in certain sovereign debt is restricted or controlled to varying degrees, including requiring governmental approval for the repatriation of income, capital or proceeds of sales by foreign investors. These restrictions or controls may at times limit or preclude foreign investment in certain sovereign debt and increase the costs and expenses of the Trust.
Risk Factors in Strategic Transactions and Derivatives
The Trust’s 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 credit risk, leverage risk, liquidity risk, correlation risk and index risk as described below:
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Credit Risk
—the risk that the counterparty in a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation to the Trust, or the risk that the reference entity in a derivative will not be able to honor its financial obligations. In particular, derivatives traded in over-the-counter (“OTC”) markets often are not guaranteed by an exchange or clearing corporation and often do not require payment of margin, and to the extent that the Trust has unrealized gains in such instruments or has deposited collateral with its counterparties the Trust is at risk that its counterparties will become bankrupt or otherwise fail to honor its obligations.
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Currency Risk
—the risk that changes in the exchange rate between two currencies will adversely affect the value (in U.S. dollar terms) of an investment.
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Leverage Risk—
the risk associated with certain types of investments or trading strategies (such as, for example, borrowing money to increase the amount of investments) that relatively small market movements may result in large changes in the value of an investment. Certain transactions in derivatives (such as futures transactions or sales of put options) involve substantial leverage risk and may expose the Trust to potential losses that exceed the amount originally invested by the Trust. When the Trust engages in such a transaction, the Trust will deposit in a segregated account, or earmark on its books and records, liquid assets with a value at least equal to the Trust’s exposure, on a mark-to-market basis, to the transaction (as calculated pursuant to requirements of the SEC). Such segregation will ensure that the Trust has assets available to satisfy its obligations with respect to the transaction, but will not limit the Trust’s exposure to loss.
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Liquidity Risk—
the risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that the Trust would like or at the price that the Trust as seller believes the security is currently worth. There can be no assurance that, at any specific time, either a liquid secondary market will exist for a derivative or the Trust will otherwise be able to sell such instrument at an acceptable price. It may, therefore, not be possible to close a position in a derivative without incurring substantial losses, if at all. The absence of liquidity may also make it more difficult for the Trust to ascertain a market value for such instruments. Although both OTC and exchange-traded derivatives markets may experience a lack of liquidity, certain derivatives traded in OTC markets, including indexed securities, swaps and OTC options, involve substantial liquidity risk. The illiquidity of the derivatives markets may be due to various factors, including congestion, disorderly markets, limitations on deliverable supplies, the participation of speculators, government regulation and intervention, and technical and operational or system failures. In addition, the liquidity of a secondary market in an exchange-traded derivative contract may be adversely affected by “daily price fluctuation limits” established by the exchanges which limit the amount of fluctuation in an exchange-traded contract price during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in the contract, no trades may be entered into at a price beyond the limit, thus preventing the liquidation of open positions. Prices have in the past moved beyond the daily limit on a number of consecutive trading days. If it is not possible to close an open derivative position entered into by the Trust, the Trust would continue to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin in the event of adverse price movements. In such a situation, if the Trust has insufficient cash, it may have to sell portfolio securities to meet daily variation margin requirements at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so.
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Correlation Risk—
the risk that changes in the value of a derivative will not match the changes in the value of the portfolio holdings that are being hedged or of the particular market or security to which the Trust seeks exposure through the use of the derivative. There are a number of factors which may prevent a derivative instrument from achieving the desired correlation (or inverse correlation) with an underlying asset, rate or index, such as the impact of fees, expenses and transaction costs, the timing of pricing, and disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for such derivative instrument.
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Index Risk—
If the derivative is linked to the performance of an index, it will be subject to the risks associated with changes in that index. If the index changes, the Trust could receive lower interest payments or experience a reduction in the value of the derivative to below the price that the Trust paid for such derivative. Certain indexed securities, including inverse securities (which move in an opposite direction to the index), may create leverage, to the extent that they increase or decrease in value at a rate that is a multiple of the changes in the applicable index.
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Volatility Risk
—the risk that the Trust’s use of derivatives may reduce income or gain and/or increase volatility. Volatility is defined as the characteristic of a security, an index or a market to fluctuate significantly in price over a defined time period. The Trust could suffer losses related to its derivative positions as a result of unanticipated market movements, which losses are potentially unlimited.
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When a derivative is used as a hedge against a position that the Trust holds, any loss generated by the derivative generally should be substantially offset by gains on the hedged investment, and vice versa. While 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 security, and there can be no assurance that the Trust’s hedging transactions will be effective. The Trust could also suffer losses related to its derivative positions as a result of unanticipated market movements, which losses are potentially unlimited. The Advisor may not be able to predict correctly the direction of securities prices, interest rates and other economic factors, which could cause the Trust’s derivatives positions to lose value. In addition, some derivatives are more sensitive to interest rate changes and market price fluctuations than other securities. The possible lack of a liquid secondary market for derivatives and the resulting inability of the Trust to sell or otherwise close a derivatives position could expose the Trust to losses and could make derivatives more difficult for the Trust to value accurately.
When engaging in a hedging transaction, the Trust may determine not to seek to establish a perfect correlation between the hedging instruments utilized and the portfolio holdings being hedged. Such an imperfect correlation may prevent the Trust from achieving the intended hedge or expose the Trust to a risk of loss. The Trust may also determine not to hedge against a particular risk because they do not regard the probability of the risk occurring to be sufficiently high as to justify the cost of the hedge or because they do not foresee the occurrence of the risk. It may not be possible for the Trust to hedge against a change or event at attractive prices or at a price sufficient to protect the assets of the Trust from the decline in value of the portfolio positions anticipated as a result of such change. The Trust may also be restricted in its ability to effectively manage the portion of their assets that are segregated to cover their obligations. In addition, it may not be possible to hedge at all against certain risks.
If the Trust invests in a derivative instrument it could lose more than the principal amount invested. Moreover, derivatives raise certain tax, legal, regulatory and accounting issues that may not be presented by investments in securities, and there is some risk that certain issues could be resolved in a manner that could adversely impact the performance of the Trust.
The Trust is not required to use derivatives or other portfolio strategies to seek to increase return or to seek to hedge its portfolio and may choose not to do so. Also, suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances and there can be no assurance that the Trust will engage in these transactions to reduce exposure to other risks when that would be beneficial. Although the Advisor seeks to use derivatives to further the Trust’s investment objectives, there is no assurance that the use of derivatives will achieve this result.
Options Risk.
There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and indexes. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. In addition, a liquid secondary market for particular options, whether traded over-the-counter or on a national securities exchange (“Exchange”) may be absent for reasons which include the following: there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; restrictions may be imposed by an Exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying securities; unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an Exchange; the facilities of an Exchange or the OCC may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading volume; or one or more Exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that Exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options that had been issued by the OCC as a result of trades on that Exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
Futures Transactions and Options Risk.
The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts and options are (a) the imperfect correlation between the change in market value of the instruments held by the Trust and the price of the futures contract or option; (b) possible lack of a liquid secondary market for a futures contract and the resulting inability to close a futures contract when desired; (c) losses caused by unanticipated market movements, which are potentially unlimited; (d) the Advisor’s inability to predict correctly the direction of securities prices, interest rates, currency exchange rates and other economic factors; and (e) the possibility that the counterparty will default in the performance of its obligations.
Investment in futures contracts involves the risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the futures contract and the price of the security being hedged. The hedge will not be fully effective when there is imperfect correlation between the movements in the prices of two financial instruments. For example, if the price of the futures contract moves more or less than the price of the hedged security, the Trust will experience either a loss or gain on the futures contract which is not completely offset by movements in the price of the hedged securities. To compensate for imperfect correlations, the Trust may purchase or sell futures contracts in a greater dollar amount than the hedged securities if the volatility of the hedged securities is historically greater than the volatility of the futures contracts. Conversely, the Trust may purchase or sell fewer futures contracts if the volatility of the price of the hedged securities is historically lower than that of the futures contracts.
The particular securities comprising the index underlying a securities index financial futures contract may vary from the securities held by the Trust. As a result, the Trust’s ability to hedge effectively all or a portion of the value of its securities through the use of such financial futures contracts will depend in part on the degree to which price movements in the index underlying the financial futures contract correlate with the price movements of the securities held by the Trust. The correlation may be affected by disparities in the average maturity, ratings, geographical mix or structure of the Trust’s investments as compared to those comprising the securities index and general economic or political factors. In addition, the correlation between movements in the value of the securities index may be subject to change over time as additions to and deletions from the securities index alter its structure. The correlation between futures contracts on U.S. Government securities and the securities held by the Trust may be adversely affected by similar factors and the risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of such futures contracts and the prices of securities held by the Trust may be greater. The trading of futures contracts also is subject to certain market risks, such as inadequate trading activity, which could at times make it difficult or impossible to liquidate existing positions.
The Trust may liquidate futures contracts it enters into through offsetting transactions on the applicable contract market. There can be no assurance, however, that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular futures contract at any specific time. Thus, it may not be possible to close out a futures position. In the event of adverse price movements, the Trust would continue to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin. In such situations, if the Trust has insufficient cash, it may be required to sell portfolio securities to meet daily variation margin requirements at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. The inability to close out futures positions also could have an adverse impact on the Trust’s ability to hedge effectively its investments in securities. The liquidity of a secondary market in a futures contract may be adversely affected by “daily price fluctuation limits” established by commodity exchanges which limit the amount of fluctuation in a futures contract price during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in the contract, no trades may be entered into at a price beyond the limit, thus preventing the liquidation of open futures positions. Prices have in the past moved beyond the daily limit on a number of consecutive trading days.
The successful use of transactions in futures and related options also depends on the ability of the Advisor to forecast correctly the direction and extent of interest rate movements within a given time frame. To the extent interest rates remain stable during the period in which a futures contract or option is held by the Trust or such rates move in a direction opposite to that anticipated, the Trust may realize a loss on the strategic transaction which is not fully or partially offset by an increase in the value of portfolio securities. As a result, the Trust’s total return for such period may be less than if it had not engaged in the strategic transaction.
Because of low initial margin deposits made upon the opening of a futures position, futures transactions involve substantial leverage. As a result, relatively small movements in the price of the futures contracts can result in substantial unrealized gains or losses. There is also the risk of loss by the Trust of margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of a broker with which the Trust has an open position in a financial futures contract. Because the Trust will engage in the purchase and sale of futures contracts for hedging purposes or to seek to enhance the Trust’s return, any losses incurred in connection therewith may, if the strategy is successful, be offset in whole or in part by increases in the value of securities held by the Trust or decreases in the price of securities the Trust intends to acquire.
General Risk Factors in Hedging Foreign Currency
. Hedging transactions involving Currency Instruments involve substantial risks, including correlation risk. While the Trust’s use of Currency Instruments to effect hedging strategies is
intended to reduce the volatility of the net asset value of the Trust’s common shares, the net asset value of the Trust’s common shares will fluctuate. Moreover, although Currency Instruments may be used with the intention of hedging against adverse currency movements, transactions in Currency Instruments involve the risk that anticipated currency movements will not be accurately predicted and that the Trust’s hedging strategies will be ineffective. To the extent that the Trust hedges against anticipated currency movements that do not occur, the Trust may realize losses and decrease its total return as the result of its hedging transactions. Furthermore, the Trust will only engage in hedging activities from time to time and may not be engaging in hedging activities when movements in currency exchange rates occur.
It may not be possible for the Trust to hedge against currency exchange rate movements, even if correctly anticipated, in the event that (i) the currency exchange rate movement is so generally anticipated that the Trust is not able to enter into a hedging transaction at an effective price, or (ii) the currency exchange rate movement relates to a market with respect to which Currency Instruments are not available and it is not possible to engage in effective foreign currency hedging. The cost to the Trust of engaging in foreign currency transactions varies with such factors as the currencies involved, the length of the contract period and the market conditions then prevailing. Since transactions in foreign currency exchange usually are conducted on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved.
Foreign Currency Forwards Risk
. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts do not eliminate fluctuations in the value of Non-U.S. Securities (as defined in the Prospectus) but rather allow the Trust to establish a fixed rate of exchange for a future point in time. This strategy can have the effect of reducing returns and minimizing opportunities for gain.
In connection with its trading in forward foreign currency contracts, the Trust will contract with a foreign or domestic bank, or foreign or domestic securities dealer, to make or take future delivery of a specified amount of a particular currency. There are no limitations on daily price moves in such forward contracts, and banks and dealers are not required to continue to make markets in such contracts. There have been periods during which certain banks or dealers have refused to quote prices for such forward contracts or have quoted prices with an unusually wide spread between the price at which the bank or dealer is prepared to buy and that at which it is prepared to sell. Governmental imposition of credit controls might limit any such forward contract trading. With respect to its trading of forward contracts, if any, the Trust will be subject to the risk of bank or dealer failure and the inability of, or refusal by, a bank or dealer to perform with respect to such contracts. Any such default would deprive the Trust of any profit potential or force the Trust to cover its commitments for resale, if any, at the then market price and could result in a loss to the Trust.
The Trust may also engage in proxy hedging transactions to reduce the effect of currency fluctuations on the value of existing or anticipated holdings of portfolio securities. Proxy hedging is often used when the currency to which the Trust is exposed is difficult to hedge or to hedge against the dollar. Proxy hedging entails entering into a forward contract to sell a currency whose changes in value are generally considered to be linked to a currency or currencies in which some or all of the Trust’s securities are, or are expected to be, denominated, and to buy U.S. dollars. Proxy hedging involves some of the same risks and considerations as other transactions with similar instruments. Currency transactions can result in losses to the Trust if the currency being hedged fluctuates in value to a degree or in a direction that is not anticipated. In addition, there is the risk that the perceived linkage between various currencies may not be present or may not be present during the particular time that the Trust is engaging in proxy hedging. The Trust may also cross-hedge currencies by entering into forward contracts to sell one or more currencies that are expected to decline in value relative to other currencies to which the Trust has or in which the Trust expects to have portfolio exposure. For example, the Trust may hold both Canadian government bonds and Japanese government bonds, and the Advisor may believe that Canadian dollars will deteriorate against Japanese yen. The Trust would sell Canadian dollars to reduce its exposure to that currency and buy Japanese yen. This strategy would be a hedge against a decline in the value of Canadian dollars, although it would expose the Trust to declines in the value of the Japanese yen relative to the U.S. dollar.
Some of the forward non-U.S. currency contracts entered into by the Trust may be classified as non-deliverable forwards (“NDFs”). NDFs are cash-settled, short-term forward contracts that may be thinly traded or are denominated in non-convertible foreign currency, where the profit or loss at the time at the settlement date is calculated by taking the difference between the agreed upon exchange rate and the spot rate at the time of settlement, for an agreed upon notional amount of funds. All NDFs have a fixing date and a settlement date. The fixing date is the date at which the difference between the prevailing market exchange rate and the agreed upon exchange rate is calculated. The settlement date is the date by which the payment of the difference is due to the party receiving payment. NDFs are commonly quoted for time periods of one month up to two years, and are normally quoted and settled in U.S. dollars. They are often used to gain exposure to and/or hedge exposure to foreign currencies that are not internationally traded.
Currency Futures Risk.
The Trust may also seek to hedge against the decline in the value of a currency or to enhance returns through use of currency futures or options thereon. Currency futures are similar to forward foreign exchange
transactions except that futures are standardized, exchange-traded contracts while forward foreign exchange transactions are traded in the OTC market. Currency futures involve substantial currency risk, and also involve leverage risk.
Currency Options Risk.
The Trust may also seek to hedge against the decline in the value of a currency or to enhance returns through the use of currency options. Currency options are similar to options on securities. For example, in consideration for an option premium the writer of a currency option is obligated to sell (in the case of a call option) or purchase (in the case of a put option) a specified amount of a specified currency on or before the expiration date for a specified amount of another currency. The Trust may engage in transactions in options on currencies either on exchanges or OTC markets. Currency options involve substantial currency risk, and may also involve credit, leverage or liquidity risk.
Currency Swaps Risk.
The Trust may enter into currency swaps, which are transactions in which one currency is simultaneously bought for a second currency on a spot basis and sold for the second currency on a forward basis. Currency swaps involve the exchange of the rights of the Trust and another party to make or receive payments in specified currencies. Currency swaps usually involve the delivery of the entire principal value of one designated currency in exchange for the other designated currency. Because currency swaps usually involve the delivery of the entire principal value of one designated currency in exchange for the other designated currency, the entire principal value of a currency swap is subject to the risk that the other party to the swap will default on its contractual delivery obligations.
Over-the-Counter Trading Risk.
The derivative instruments that may be purchased or sold by the Trust may include instruments not traded on an exchange. The risk of nonperformance by the counterparty to an instrument may be greater than, and the ease with which the Trust can dispose of or enter into closing transactions with respect to an instrument may be less than, the risk associated with an exchange traded instrument. In addition, significant disparities may exist between “bid” and “asked” prices for derivative instruments that are not traded on an exchange. The absence of liquidity may make it difficult or impossible for the Trust to sell such instruments promptly at an acceptable price. Derivative instruments not traded on exchanges also are not subject to the same type of government regulation as exchange traded instruments, and many of the protections afforded to participants in a regulated environment may not be available in connection with the transactions. Because derivatives traded in OTC markets generally are not guaranteed by an exchange or clearing corporation and generally do not require payment of margin, to the extent that the Trust has unrealized gains in such instruments or has deposited collateral with its counterparties the Trust is at risk that its counterparties will become bankrupt or otherwise fail to honor its obligations.
Clearing Broker and Central Clearing Counterparty Risks
. The CEA requires swaps and futures clearing brokers registered as “futures commission merchants” to segregate all funds received from customers with respect to any orders for the purchase or sale of U.S. domestic futures contracts and cleared swaps from the brokers’ proprietary assets. Similarly, the CEA requires each futures commission merchant to hold in a separate secure account all funds received from customers with respect to any orders for the purchase or sale of foreign futures contracts and segregate any such funds from the funds received with respect to domestic futures contracts. However, all funds and other property received by a clearing broker from its customers are held by the clearing broker on a commingled basis in an omnibus account and may be freely accessed by the clearing broker, which may also invest any such funds in certain instruments permitted under the applicable regulations. There is a risk that assets deposited by the Trust with any swaps or futures clearing broker as margin for futures contracts or cleared swaps may, in certain circumstances, be used to satisfy losses of other clients of the Trust’s clearing broker. In addition, the assets of the Trust might not be fully protected in the event of the Trust’s clearing broker’s bankruptcy, as the Trust would be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds segregated on behalf of the clearing broker’s combined domestic customer accounts.
Similarly, the CEA requires a clearing organization approved by the CFTC as a derivatives clearing organization to segregate all funds and other property received from a clearing member’s clients in connection with domestic futures and options contracts from any funds held at the clearing organization to support the clearing member’s proprietary trading. Nevertheless, all customer funds held at a clearing organization in connection with any futures or options contracts are held in a commingled omnibus account and are not identified to the name of the clearing member’s individual customers. With respect to futures and options contracts, a clearing organization may use assets of a non-defaulting customer held in an omnibus account at the clearing organization to satisfy payment obligations of a defaulting customer of the clearing member to the clearing organization. As a result, in the event of a default of the clearing broker’s other clients or the clearing broker’s failure to extend its own funds in connection with any such default, the Trust would not be able to recover the full amount of assets deposited by the clearing broker on behalf of the Trust with the clearing organization.
Dodd-Frank Act Risk.
Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act (the “Derivatives Title”) imposes a new regulatory structure on derivatives markets, with particular emphasis on swaps and security-based swaps (collectively “swaps”). This new regulatory framework covers a broad range of swap market participants, including banks, non-banks, credit unions, insurance
companies, broker-dealers and investment advisers. The SEC, other U.S. regulators, and to a lesser extent the CFTC (the “Regulators”) still are in the process of adopting regulations to implement the Derivatives Title, though certain aspects of the new regulatory structure are substantially complete. Until the Regulators complete their rulemaking efforts, the full extent to which the Derivatives Title and the rules adopted thereunder will impact the Trust is unclear. It is possible that the continued development of this new regulatory structure for swaps may jeopardize certain trades and/or trading strategies that may be employed by the Advisor, or at least make them more costly.
Recently, new regulations have required the mandatory central clearing and mandatory exchange trading of particular types of interest rate swaps and index credit default swaps (together, “Covered Swaps”). Together, these new regulatory requirements change the Trust’s trading of Covered Swaps. With respect to mandatory central clearing, the Trust is now required to clear its Covered Swaps through a clearing broker, which requires, among other things, posting initial margin and variation margin to the Trust’s clearing broker in order to enter into and maintain positions in Covered Swaps. With respect to mandatory exchange trading, the Advisor may be required to become a participant of a new type of execution platform called a swap execution facility (“SEF”) or may be required to access the SEF through an intermediary (such as an executing broker) in order to be able to trade Covered Swaps for the Trust. In either scenario, the Advisor and/or the Trust may incur additional legal and compliance costs and transaction fees. Just as with the other regulatory changes imposed as a result of the implementation of the Derivatives Title, the increased costs and fees associated with trading Covered Swaps may jeopardize certain trades and/or trading strategies that may be employed by the Advisor, or at least make them more costly.
Additionally, the Regulators plan to finalize proposed regulations that would require swap dealers to collect from the Trust initial margin and variation margin for uncleared derivatives transactions and that would impose upon swap dealers new capital requirements. These requirements, when finalized, may make certain types of trades and/or trading strategies more costly or impermissible.
There may be market dislocations due to uncertainty during the implementation period of any new regulation and the Advisor cannot know how the derivatives market will adjust to new regulations. Until the Regulators complete the rulemaking process for the Derivatives Title, it is unknown the extent to which such risks may materialize.
Legal and Regulatory Risk
. At any time after the date hereof, legislation or additional regulations may be enacted that could negatively affect the assets of the Trust. Changing approaches to regulation may have a negative impact on the securities in which the Trust invests. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which the Trust itself is regulated. There can be no assurance that future legislation, regulation or deregulation will not have a material adverse effect on the Trust or will not impair the ability of the Trust to achieve its investment objectives. In addition, as new rules and regulations resulting from the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act are implemented and new international capital and liquidity requirements are introduced under the Basel III Accords, the market may not react the way the Advisor expects. Whether the Trust achieves its investment objectives may depend on, among other things, whether the Advisor correctly forecasts market reactions to this and other legislation. In the event the Advisor incorrectly forecasts market reaction, the Trust may not achieve its investment objectives.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
Investment Management Agreement
Although the Advisor intends to devote such time and effort to the business of the Trust as is reasonably necessary to perform its duties to the Trust, the services of the Advisor are not exclusive and the Advisor provides similar services to other investment companies and other clients and may engage in other activities.
The investment management agreement between the Advisor and the Trust (the “Investment Management Agreement”) also provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations thereunder, the Advisor is not liable to the Trust or any of the Trust’s shareholders for any act or omission by the Advisor in the supervision or management of its respective investment activities or for any loss sustained by the Trust or the Trust’s shareholders and provides for indemnification by the Trust of the Advisor, its directors, officers, employees, agents and control persons for liabilities incurred by them in connection with their services to the Trust, subject to certain limitations and conditions.
The Investment Management Agreement provides for the Trust to pay a monthly management fee at an annual rate equal to % of the average daily value of the Trust’s Managed Assets.
The Investment Management Agreement was approved by the sole common shareholder of the Trust as of , 2014. The Investment Management Agreement will continue in effect for a period of two years from its effective date, and if not sooner terminated, will continue in effect for successive periods of 12 months thereafter, provided that each continuance is specifically approved at least annually by both (1) the vote of a majority of the Board or the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act) and (2) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Investment Management Agreement or “interested persons” (as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act) of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Investment Management Agreement may be terminated as a whole at any time by the Trust, without the payment of any penalty, upon the vote of a majority of the Board or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust or by the Advisor, on 60 days’ written notice by either party to the other which can be waived by the non-terminating party. The Investment Management Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its “assignment” (as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act and the rules thereunder).
Biographical Information Pertaining to Trustees
[To come by Pre-Effective Amendment]
Experience, Qualifications and Skills of Trustees
[To come by Pre-Effective Amendment]
Board Leadership Structure and Oversight
[To come by Pre-Effective Amendment]
Trustee Share Ownership
[To come by Pre-Effective Amendment]
Compensation of Trustees
[To come by Pre-Effective Amendment]
Independent Trustee Ownership of Securities
[To come by Pre-Effective Amendment]
Information Pertaining to the Officers
[To come by Pre-Effective Amendment]
Principal Owners of Common Shares
Prior to the public offering of the common shares, , an affiliate of the Advisor, purchased common shares from the Trust in an amount satisfying the net worth requirements of Section 14(a) of the Investment Company Act, which requires the Trust to have a net worth of at least $100,000 prior to making a public offering. As of the date of this SAI, owned 100% of the Trust’s outstanding common shares and therefore may be deemed to control the Trust until such time as it owns less than 25% of the Trust’s outstanding common shares, which is expected to occur upon the closing of this offering. The address of is . is organized under the laws of and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock.
Portfolio Management
Portfolio Manager Assets Under Management.
[To come by Pre-Effective Amendment]
Portfolio Manager Compensation Overview.
[To come by Pre-Effective Amendment]
Securities Ownership of Portfolio Managers.
[To come by Pre-Effective Amendment]
Potential Material Conflicts of Interest.
[To come by Pre-Effective Amendment]
Proxy Voting Policies
The Board has delegated the voting of proxies for the Trust’s securities to the Advisor pursuant to the Advisor’s proxy voting guidelines. Under these guidelines, the Advisor will vote proxies related to Trust securities in the best interests of the Trust and its shareholders. From time to time, a vote may present a conflict between the interests of the Trust’s shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the Advisor, or any affiliated person of the Trust or the Advisor, on the other. In such event, provided that the Advisor’s Equity Investment Policy Oversight Committee, or a sub-committee thereof (the “Oversight Committee”) is aware of the real or potential conflict, if the matter to be voted on represents a material, non-routine matter and if the Oversight Committee does not reasonably believe it is able to follow its general voting guidelines (or if the particular proxy matter is not addressed in the guidelines) and vote impartially, the Oversight Committee may retain an independent fiduciary to advise the Oversight Committee on how to vote or to cast votes on behalf of the Advisor’s clients. If the Advisor determines not to retain an independent fiduciary, or does not desire to follow the advice of such independent fiduciary, the Oversight Committee shall determine how to vote the proxy after consulting with the Advisor’s Portfolio Management Group and/or the Advisor’s Legal and Compliance Department and concluding that the vote cast is in its client’s best interest notwithstanding the conflict. A copy of the Trust’s Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures is included as Appendix B to this SAI. Information regarding how the Trust voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the 12-month period ending June 30 will be available (i) without charge, upon request, by calling (800) 441-7762; and (ii) on the SEC’s website at
http://www.sec.gov
.
Codes of Ethics
The Trust and the Advisor have adopted codes of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act. These codes permit personnel subject to the codes to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Trust. These codes can be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090. These codes of ethics are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov), and copies of these codes may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.
Other Information
BlackRock is independent in ownership and governance, with no single majority stockholder and a majority of independent directors. PNC is BlackRock’s largest stockholder and is an affiliate of BlackRock for Investment Company Act purposes.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE
Subject to policies established by the Board, the Advisor is primarily responsible for the execution of the Trust’s portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage. The Advisor does not execute transactions through any particular broker or dealer, but seeks to obtain the best net results for the Trust, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer spread), size of order, difficulty of execution, operational facilities of the firm and the firm’s risk and skill in positioning blocks of securities. While the Advisor generally seeks reasonable trade execution costs, the Trust does not necessarily pay the lowest spread or commission available, and payment of the lowest commission or spread is not necessarily consistent with obtaining the best price and execution in particular transactions. Subject to applicable legal requirements, the Advisor may select a broker based partly upon brokerage or research services provided to the Advisor and its clients, including the Trust. In return for such services, the Advisor may cause the Trust to pay a higher commission than other brokers would charge if the Advisor determines in good faith that the commission is reasonable in relation to the services provided.
In selecting brokers or dealers to execute portfolio transactions, the Advisor seeks to obtain the best price and most favorable execution for the Trust, taking into account a variety of factors including: (i) the size, nature and character of the security or instrument being traded and the markets in which it is purchased or sold; (ii) the desired timing of the transaction; (iii) the Advisor’s knowledge of the expected commission rates and spreads currently available; (iv) the activity existing and expected in the market for the particular security or instrument, including any anticipated execution difficulties; (v) the full range of brokerage services provided; (vi) the broker’s or dealer’s capital; (vii) the quality of research and research services provided; (viii) the reasonableness of the commission, dealer spread or its equivalent for the specific transaction; and (ix) the Advisor’s knowledge of any actual or apparent operational problems of a broker or dealer.
Section 28(e) of the Exchange Act (“Section 28(e)”) permits an investment adviser, under certain circumstances, to cause an account to pay a broker or dealer a commission for effecting a transaction that exceeds the amount another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting the same transaction in recognition of the value of brokerage and research services provided by that broker or dealer. This includes commissions paid on riskless principal transactions under certain conditions. Brokerage and research services include: (1) furnishing advice as to the value of securities, including pricing and appraisal advice, credit analysis, risk measurement analysis, performance and other analysis, as well as the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities, and the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; (2) furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy, and the performance of accounts; and (3) effecting securities transactions and performing functions incidental to securities transactions (such as clearance, settlement, and custody). The Advisor believes that access to independent investment research is beneficial to its investment decision-making processes and, therefore, to the Trust.
The Advisor may participate in client commission arrangements under which the Advisor may execute transactions through a broker-dealer and request that the broker-dealer allocate a portion of the commissions or commission credits to another firm that provides research to the Advisor. The Advisor believes that research services obtained through soft dollar or commission sharing arrangements enhance its investment decision-making capabilities, thereby increasing the prospects for higher investment returns. The Advisor will engage only in soft dollar or commission sharing transactions that comply with the requirements of Section 28(e). The Advisor regularly evaluates the soft dollar products and services utilized, as well as the overall soft dollar and commission sharing arrangements to ensure that trades are executed by firms that are regarded as best able to execute trades for client accounts, while at the same time providing access to the research and other services the Advisor views as impactful to its trading results.
The Advisor may utilize soft dollars and related services, including research (whether prepared by the broker-dealer or prepared by a third-party and provided to the Advisor by the broker-dealer) and execution or brokerage services within applicable rules and the Advisor’s policies to the extent that such permitted services do not compromise the Advisor’s ability to seek to obtain best execution. In this regard, the portfolio management investment and/or trading teams may consider a variety of factors, including the degree to which the broker-dealer: (a) provides access to company management; (b) provides access to their analysts; (c) provides meaningful/insightful research notes on companies or other potential investments; (d) facilitates calls on which meaningful or insightful ideas about companies or potential investments are discussed; (e) facilitates conferences at which meaningful or insightful ideas about companies or potential investments are discussed; or (f) provides research tools such as market data, financial analysis, and other third party related research and brokerage tools that aid in the investment process.
Research-oriented services for which the Advisor might pay with Trust commissions may be in written form or through direct contact with individuals and may include information as to particular companies or industries and securities or groups of securities, as well as market, economic, or institutional advice and statistical information, political developments and technical market information that assists in the valuation of investments. Except as noted immediately below, research services furnished by brokers may be used in servicing some or all client accounts and not all services may be used in connection with the Trust or account that paid commissions to the broker providing such services. In some cases, research information received from brokers by investment company management personnel, or personnel principally responsible for the Advisor’s individually managed portfolios, is not necessarily shared by and between such personnel. Any investment advisory or other fees paid by the Trust to the Advisor are not reduced as a result of the Advisor’s receipt of research services. In some cases, the Advisor may receive a service from a broker that has both a “research” and a “non-research” use. When this occurs the Advisor makes a good faith allocation, under all the circumstances, between the research and non-research uses of the service. The percentage of the service that is used for research purposes may be paid for with client commissions, while the Advisor will use its own funds to pay for the percentage of the service that is used for non-research purposes. In making this good faith allocation, the Advisor faces a potential conflict of interest, but the Advisor believes that its allocation procedures are reasonably designed to ensure that it appropriately allocates the anticipated use of such services to their research and non-research uses.
Payments of commissions to brokers who are affiliated persons of the Trust will be made in accordance with Rule 17e-1 under the Investment Company Act.
From time to time, the Trust may purchase new issues of securities in a fixed price offering. In these situations, the broker may be a member of the selling group that will, in addition to selling securities, provide the Advisor with research services. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. has adopted rules expressly permitting these types of arrangements under certain circumstances. Generally, the broker will provide research “credits” in these situations at a rate that is higher than that available for typical secondary market transactions. These arrangements may not fall within the safe harbor of Section 28(e).
The Advisor does not consider sales of shares of the investment companies it advises as a factor in the selection of brokers or dealers to execute portfolio transactions for the Trust; however, whether or not a particular broker or dealer sells shares of the investment companies advised by the Advisor neither qualifies nor disqualifies such broker or dealer to execute transactions for those investment companies.
The Trust anticipates that its brokerage transactions involving foreign securities generally will be conducted primarily on the principal stock exchanges of the applicable country. Foreign equity securities may be held by the Trust in the form of depositary receipts, or other securities convertible into foreign equity securities. Depositary receipts may be listed on stock exchanges, or traded in over-the-counter markets in the United States or Europe, as the case may be. American Depositary Receipts, like other securities traded in the United States, will be subject to negotiated commission rates.
The Trust may invest in certain securities traded in the OTC market and intends to deal directly with the dealers who make a market in the particular securities, except in those circumstances in which better prices and execution are available elsewhere. Under the Investment Company Act, persons affiliated with the Trust and persons who are affiliated with such affiliated persons are prohibited from dealing with the Trust as principal in the purchase and sale of securities unless a permissive order allowing such transactions is obtained from the SEC. Since transactions in the OTC market usually involve transactions with the dealers acting as principal for their own accounts, the Trust will not deal with affiliated persons, including PNC and its affiliates, in connection with such transactions. However, an affiliated person of the Trust may serve as its broker in OTC transactions conducted on an agency basis provided that, among other things, the fee or commission received by such affiliated broker is reasonable and fair compared to the fee or commission received by non-affiliated brokers in connection with comparable transactions. In addition, the Trust may not purchase securities during the existence of any underwriting syndicate for such securities of which PNC is a member or in a private placement in which PNC serves as placement agent except pursuant to procedures approved by the Board that either comply with rules adopted by the SEC or with interpretations of the SEC staff.
Over-the-counter issues, including most fixed income securities such as corporate debt and U.S. Government securities, are normally traded on a “net” basis without a stated commission, through dealers acting for their own account and not as brokers. The Trust will primarily engage in transactions with these dealers or deal directly with the issuer unless a better price or execution could be obtained by using a broker. Prices paid to a dealer with respect to both foreign and domestic securities will generally include a “spread,” which is the difference between the prices at which the dealer is willing to purchase and sell the specific security at the time, and includes the dealer’s normal profit.
Purchases of money market instruments by the Trust are made from dealers, underwriters and issuers. The Trust does not currently expect to incur any brokerage commission expense on such transactions because money market instruments are generally traded on a “net” basis with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission. The price of the security, however, usually includes a profit to the dealer.
Securities purchased in underwritten offerings include a fixed amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter’s concession or discount. When securities are purchased or sold directly from or to an issuer, no commissions or discounts are paid.
The Advisor may seek to obtain an undertaking from issuers of commercial paper or dealers selling commercial paper to consider the repurchase of such securities from the Trust prior to maturity at their original cost plus interest (sometimes adjusted to reflect the actual maturity of the securities), if they believe that the Trust’s anticipated need for liquidity makes such action desirable. Any such repurchase prior to maturity reduces the possibility that the Trust would incur a capital loss in liquidating commercial paper, especially if interest rates have risen since acquisition of such commercial paper.
Investment decisions for the Trust and for other investment accounts managed by the Advisor are made independently of each other in light of differing conditions. The Advisor allocates investments among client accounts in a fair and equitable manner. A variety of factors will be considered in making such allocations. These factors include: (i) investment objectives or strategies for particular accounts, including sector, industry, country or region and capitalization weightings, (ii) tax considerations of an account, (iii) risk or investment concentration parameters for an account, (iv) supply or demand for a security at a given price level, (v) size of available investment, (vi) cash availability and liquidity requirements for accounts, (vii) regulatory restrictions, (viii) minimum investment size of an account, (ix) relative size of account, and (x) such other factors as may be approved by the Advisor’s general counsel. Moreover, investments may not be allocated to one client account over another based on any of the following considerations: (i) to favor one client account at the expense of another, (ii) to generate higher fees paid by one client account over another or to produce greater performance compensation to the Advisor, (iii) to develop or enhance a relationship with a client or prospective client, (iv) to compensate a client for past services or benefits rendered to the Advisor or to induce future services or benefits to be rendered to the Advisor, or (v) to manage or equalize investment performance among different client accounts.
Equity securities will generally be allocated among client accounts within the same investment mandate on a pro rata basis. This pro-rata allocation may result in the Trust receiving less of a particular security than if pro-ration had not occurred. All allocations of equity securities will be subject, where relevant, to share minimums established for accounts and compliance constraints.
Initial public offerings of securities may be over-subscribed and subsequently trade at a premium in the secondary market. When the Advisor is given an opportunity to invest in such an initial offering or “new” or “hot” issue, the supply of securities available for client accounts is often less than the amount of securities the accounts would otherwise take. In order to allocate these investments fairly and equitably among client accounts over time, each portfolio manager or a member of his or her respective investment team will indicate to the Advisor’s trading desk their level of interest in a particular offering with respect to eligible clients’ accounts for which that team is responsible. Initial public offerings of U.S. equity securities will be identified as eligible for particular client accounts that are managed by portfolio teams who have indicated interest in the offering based on market capitalization of the issuer of the security and the investment mandate of the client account and in the case of international equity securities, the country where the offering is taking place and the investment mandate of the client account. Generally, shares received during the initial public offering will be allocated among participating client accounts within each investment mandate on a pro rata basis. In situations where supply is too limited to be allocated among all accounts for which the investment is eligible, portfolio managers may rotate such investment opportunities among one or more accounts so long as the rotation system provides for fair access for all client accounts over time. Other allocation methodologies that are considered by the Advisor to be fair and equitable to clients may be used as well.
Because different accounts may have differing investment objectives and policies, the Advisor may buy and sell the same securities at the same time for different clients based on the particular investment objective, guidelines and strategies of those accounts. For example, the Advisor may decide that it may be entirely appropriate for a growth fund to sell a security at the same time a value fund is buying that security. To the extent that transactions on behalf of more than one client of the Advisor or its affiliates during the same period may increase the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, there may be an adverse effect on price. For example, sales of a security by the Advisor on behalf of one or more of its clients may decrease the market price of such security, adversely impacting other of the Advisor’s clients that still hold the security. If purchases or sales of securities arise for consideration at or about the same time that would involve the Trust or other clients or funds for which the Advisor or an affiliate act as investment manager, transactions in such securities will be made, insofar as feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed equitable to all.
In certain instances, the Advisor may find it efficient for purposes of seeking to obtain best execution, to aggregate or “bunch” certain contemporaneous purchases or sale orders of its advisory accounts. In general, all contemporaneous trades for client accounts under management by the same portfolio manager or investment team will be bunched in a single order if the trader believes the bunched trade would provide each client with an opportunity to achieve a more favorable execution at a potentially lower execution cost. The costs associated with a bunched order will be shared pro rata among the clients in the bunched order. Generally, if an order for a particular portfolio manager or management team is filled at several different prices through multiple trades, all accounts participating in the order will receive the average price except in the case of certain international markets where average pricing is not permitted. While in some cases this practice could have a detrimental effect upon the price or value of the security as far as the Trust is concerned, in other cases it could be beneficial to the Trust. Transactions effected by the Advisor on behalf of more than one of its clients during the same period may increase the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, causing an adverse effect on price. The trader will give the bunched order to the broker dealer that the trader has identified as being able to provide the best
execution of the order. Orders for purchase or sale of securities will be placed within a reasonable amount of time of the order receipt and bunched orders will be kept bunched only long enough to execute the order.
The Trust will not purchase securities during the existence of any underwriting or selling group relating to such securities of which the Advisor, PNC or any affiliated person (as defined in the Investment Company Act) thereof is a member except pursuant to procedures adopted by the Board in accordance with Rule 10f-3 under the Investment Company Act. In no instance will portfolio securities be purchased from or sold to the Advisor, PNC or any affiliated person of the foregoing entities except as permitted by SEC exemptive order or by applicable law.
It is not the Trust’s policy to engage in transactions with the objective of seeking profits from short-term trading. However, the annual portfolio turnover rate of the Trust may be greater than 100%. Because it is difficult to predict accurately portfolio turnover rates, actual turnover may be higher or lower. Higher portfolio turnover results in increased Trust costs, including brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and on the reinvestment in other securities.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (“PNC”) has a significant economic interest in BlackRock, Inc., the parent of the Advisor. PNC is considered to be an affiliate of BlackRock, Inc., under the Investment Company Act. Certain activities of the Advisor, BlackRock, Inc. and their affiliates (collectively, “BlackRock”) and PNC and its affiliates (collectively, “PNC” and together with BlackRock, “Affiliates”) with respect to the Trust and/or other accounts managed by BlackRock or PNC may give rise to actual or perceived conflicts of interest such as those described below.
BlackRock is one of the world’s largest asset management firms. PNC is a diversified financial services organization spanning the retail, business and corporate markets. BlackRock, PNC and their respective affiliates (including, for these purposes, their directors, partners, trustees, managing members, officers and employees), including the entities and personnel who may be involved in the investment activities and business operations of the Trust, are engaged worldwide in businesses, including equity, fixed income, cash management and alternative investments, and have interests other than that of managing the Trust. These are considerations of which investors in the Trust should be aware, and which may cause conflicts of interest that could disadvantage the Trust and its shareholders. These activities and interests include potential multiple advisory, transactional, financial and other interests in securities and other instruments, and companies that may be purchased or sold by the Trust.
BlackRock and its Affiliates have proprietary interests in, and may manage or advise with respect to, accounts or funds (including separate accounts and other funds and collective investment vehicles) that have investment objectives similar to those of the Trust and/or that engage in transactions in the same types of securities, currencies and instruments as the Trust. One or more Affiliates are also major participants in the global currency, equities, swap and fixed income markets, in each case both on a proprietary basis and for the accounts of customers. As such, one or more Affiliates are or may be actively engaged in transactions in the same securities, currencies, and instruments in which the Trust invests. Such activities could affect the prices and availability of the securities, currencies, and instruments in which the Trust invests, which could have an adverse impact on the Trust’s performance. Such transactions, particularly in respect of most proprietary accounts or customer accounts, will be executed independently of the Trust’s transactions and thus at prices or rates that may be more or less favorable than those obtained by the Trust.
When BlackRock and its Affiliates seek to purchase or sell the same assets for their managed accounts, including the Trust, the assets actually purchased or sold may be allocated among the accounts on a basis determined in their good faith discretion to be equitable. In some cases, this system may adversely affect the size or price of the assets purchased or sold for the Trust. In addition, transactions in investments by one or more other accounts managed by BlackRock or its Affiliates may have the effect of diluting or otherwise disadvantaging the values, prices or investment strategies of the Trust, particularly, but not limited to, with respect to small capitalization, emerging market or less liquid strategies. This may occur when investment decisions regarding the Trust are based on research or other information that is also used to support decisions for other accounts. When BlackRock or its Affiliates implements a portfolio decision or strategy on behalf of another account ahead of, or contemporaneously with, similar decisions or strategies for the Trust, market impact, liquidity constraints, or other factors could result in the Trust receiving less favorable trading results and the costs of implementing such decisions or strategies could be increased or the Trust could otherwise be disadvantaged. BlackRock or its Affiliates may, in certain cases, elect to implement internal policies and procedures designed to limit such consequences, which may cause the Trust to be unable to engage in certain activities, including purchasing or disposing of securities, when it might otherwise be desirable for it to do so.
Conflicts may also arise because portfolio decisions regarding the Trust may benefit other accounts managed by BlackRock or its Affiliates. For example, the sale of a long position or establishment of a short position by the Trust may impair the price of the same security sold short by (and therefore benefit) one or more Affiliates or their other accounts, and the purchase of a security or covering of a short position in a security by the Trust may increase the price of the same security held by (and therefore benefit) one or more Affiliates or their other accounts.
BlackRock and its Affiliates and their clients may pursue or enforce rights with respect to an issuer in which the Trust has invested, and those activities may have an adverse effect on the Trust. As a result, prices, availability, liquidity and terms of the Trust’s investments may be negatively impacted by the activities of BlackRock or its Affiliates or their clients, and transactions for the Trust may be impaired or effected at prices or terms that may be less favorable than would otherwise have been the case.
The results of the Trust’s investment activities may differ significantly from the results achieved by BlackRock and its Affiliates for their proprietary accounts or other accounts (including investment companies or collective investment vehicles) managed or advised by them. It is possible that one or more Affiliate-managed accounts and such other accounts will achieve investment results that are substantially more or less favorable than the results achieved by the Trust. Moreover, it is possible that the Trust will sustain losses during periods in which one or more Affiliates or Affiliate-managed accounts achieve significant profits on their trading for proprietary or other accounts. The opposite result is also possible. The investment activities of one or more Affiliates for their proprietary accounts and accounts under their management may also limit the investment opportunities for the Trust in certain emerging and other markets in which limitations are imposed upon the amount of investment, in the aggregate or in individual issuers, by affiliated foreign investors.
From time to time, the Trust’s activities may also be restricted because of regulatory restrictions applicable to one or more Affiliates and/or their internal policies designed to comply with such restrictions. As a result, there may be periods, for example, when BlackRock, and/or one or more Affiliates, will not initiate or recommend certain types of transactions in certain securities or instruments with respect to which BlackRock and/or one or more Affiliates are performing services or when position limits have been reached.
In connection with its management of the Trust, BlackRock may have access to certain fundamental analysis and proprietary technical models developed by one or more Affiliates. BlackRock will not be under any obligation, however, to effect transactions on behalf of the Trust in accordance with such analysis and models. In addition, neither BlackRock nor any of its Affiliates will have any obligation to make available any information regarding their proprietary activities or strategies, or the activities or strategies used for other accounts managed by them, for the benefit of the management of the Trust and it is not anticipated that BlackRock will have access to such information for the purpose of managing the Trust. The proprietary activities or portfolio strategies of BlackRock and its Affiliates, or the activities or strategies used for accounts managed by them or other customer accounts could conflict with the transactions and strategies employed by BlackRock in managing the Trust.
In addition, certain principals and certain employees of BlackRock are also principals or employees of BlackRock or another Affiliate. As a result, the performance by these principals and employees of their obligations to such other entities may be a consideration of which investors in the Trust should be aware.
BlackRock may enter into transactions and invest in securities, instruments and currencies on behalf of the Trust in which customers of BlackRock or its Affiliates, or, to the extent permitted by the SEC, BlackRock or another Affiliate, serves as the counterparty, principal or issuer. In such cases, such party’s interests in the transaction will be adverse to the interests of the Trust, and such party may have no incentive to assure that the Trust obtains the best possible prices or terms in connection with the transactions. In addition, the purchase, holding and sale of such investments by the Trust may enhance the profitability of BlackRock or its Affiliates. One or more Affiliates may also create, write or issue derivatives for their customers, the underlying securities, currencies or instruments of which may be those in which the Trust invests or which may be based on the performance of the Trust. The Trust may, subject to applicable law, purchase investments that are the subject of an underwriting or other distribution by one or more Affiliates and may also enter into transactions with other clients of an Affiliate where such other clients have interests adverse to those of the Trust.
At times, these activities may cause departments of BlackRock or its Affiliates to give advice to clients that may cause these clients to take actions adverse to the interests of the Trust. To the extent affiliated transactions are permitted, the Trust will deal with BlackRock and its Affiliates on an arms-length basis. BlackRock or its Affiliates may also have an ownership interest in certain trading or information systems used by the Trust. The Trust’s use of such trading or information systems may enhance the profitability of BlackRock and its Affiliates.
One or more Affiliates may act as broker, dealer, agent, lender or adviser or in other commercial capacities for the Trust. It is anticipated that the commissions, mark-ups, mark-downs, financial advisory fees, underwriting and placement fees, sales fees, financing and commitment fees, brokerage fees, other fees, compensation or profits, rates, terms and conditions charged by an Affiliate will be in its view commercially reasonable, although each Affiliate, including its sales personnel, will have an interest in obtaining fees and other amounts that are favorable to the Affiliate and such sales personnel.
Subject to applicable law, the Affiliates (and their personnel and other distributors) will be entitled to retain fees and other amounts that they receive in connection with their service to the Trust as broker, dealer, agent, lender, adviser or in other commercial capacities and no accounting to the Trust or its shareholders will be required, and no fees or other compensation payable by the Trust or its shareholders will be reduced by reason of receipt by an Affiliate of any such fees or other amounts.
When an Affiliate acts as broker, dealer, agent, adviser or in other commercial capacities in relation to the Trust, the Affiliate may take commercial steps in its own interests, which may have an adverse effect on the Trust. The Trust will be required to establish business relationships with its counterparties based on the Trust’s own credit standing. Neither BlackRock nor any of the Affiliates will have any obligation to allow their credit to be used in connection with the Trust’s establishment of its business relationships, nor is it expected that the Trust’s counterparties will rely on the credit of BlackRock or any of the Affiliates in evaluating the Trust’s creditworthiness.
Purchases and sales of securities for the Trust may be bunched or aggregated with orders for other BlackRock client accounts. BlackRock and its Affiliates, however, are not required to bunch or aggregate orders if portfolio management decisions for different accounts are made separately, or if they determine that bunching or aggregating is not practicable, required or with cases involving client direction.
Prevailing trading activity frequently may make impossible the receipt of the same price or execution on the entire volume of securities purchased or sold. When this occurs, the various prices may be averaged, and the Trust will be charged or credited with the average price. Thus, the effect of the aggregation may operate on some occasions to the disadvantage of the Trust. In addition, under certain circumstances, the Trust will not be charged the same commission or commission equivalent rates in connection with a bunched or aggregated order.
BlackRock may select brokers (including, without limitation, Affiliates) that furnish BlackRock, the Trust, other BlackRock client accounts or other Affiliates or personnel, directly or through correspondent relationships, with research or other appropriate services which provide, in BlackRock’s view, appropriate assistance to BlackRock in the investment decision-making process (including with respect to futures, fixed price offerings and over-the-counter transactions). Such research or other services may include, to the extent permitted by law, research reports on companies, industries and securities; economic and financial data; financial publications; proxy analysis; trade industry seminars; computer data bases; research-oriented software and other services and products.
Research or other services obtained in this manner may be used in servicing the Trust and other BlackRock client accounts, including in connection with BlackRock client accounts other than those that pay commissions to the broker relating to the research or other service arrangements. Such products and services may disproportionately benefit other BlackRock client accounts relative to the Trust based on the amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Trust and such other BlackRock client accounts. For example, research or other services that are paid for through one client’s commissions may not be used in managing that client’s account. In addition, other BlackRock client accounts may receive the benefit, including disproportionate benefits, of economies of scale or price discounts in connection with products and services that may be provided to the Trust and to such other BlackRock client accounts. To the extent that BlackRock uses soft dollars, it will not have to pay for those products and services itself.
BlackRock may receive research that is bundled with the trade execution, clearing, and/or settlement services provided by a particular broker-dealer. To the extent that BlackRock receives research on this basis, many of the same conflicts related to traditional soft dollars may exist. For example, the research effectively will be paid by client commissions that also will be used to pay for the execution, clearing, and settlement services provided by the broker-dealer and will not be paid by BlackRock.
BlackRock may endeavor to execute trades through brokers who, pursuant to such arrangements, provide research or other services in order to ensure the continued receipt of research or other services BlackRock believes are useful in its investment decision-making process. BlackRock may from time to time choose not to engage in the above described arrangements to varying degrees. BlackRock may also enter into commission sharing arrangements under which BlackRock may execute transactions through a broker-dealer, including, where permitted, an Affiliate, and request that the broker-dealer
allocate a portion of the commissions or commission credits to another firm that provides research to BlackRock. To the extent that BlackRock engages in commission sharing arrangements, many of the same conflicts related to traditional soft dollars may exist.
BlackRock may utilize certain electronic crossing networks (“ECNs”) in executing client securities transactions for certain types of securities. These ECNs may charge fees for their services, including access fees and transaction fees. The transaction fees, which are similar to commissions or markups/markdowns, will generally be charged to clients and, like commissions and markups/markdowns, would generally be included in the cost of the securities purchased. Access fees may be paid by BlackRock even though incurred in connection with executing transactions on behalf of clients, including the Trust. In certain circumstances, ECNs may offer volume discounts that will reduce the access fees typically paid by BlackRock. This would have the effect of reducing the access fees paid by BlackRock. BlackRock will only utilize ECNs consistent with its obligation to seek to obtain best execution in client transactions.
BlackRock has adopted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing proxy voting decisions that it makes on behalf of advisory clients, including the Trust, and to help ensure that such decisions are made in accordance with BlackRock’s fiduciary obligations to its clients. Nevertheless, notwithstanding such proxy voting policies and procedures, actual proxy voting decisions of BlackRock may have the effect of favoring the interests of other clients or businesses of other divisions or units of BlackRock and/or its Affiliates, provided that BlackRock believes such voting decisions to be in accordance with its fiduciary obligations. For a more detailed discussion of these policies and procedures, see “Management of the Trust—Proxy Voting Policies.”
It is also possible that, from time to time, BlackRock or its Affiliates may, although they are not required to, purchase and hold shares of the Trust. Increasing the Trust’s assets may enhance investment flexibility and diversification and may contribute to economies of scale that tend to reduce the Trust’s expense ratio.
It is possible that the Trust may invest in securities of companies with which an Affiliate has or is trying to develop investment banking relationships as well as securities of entities in which BlackRock or its Affiliates has significant debt or equity investments or in which an Affiliate makes a market. The Trust also may invest in securities of companies to which an Affiliate provides or may someday provide research coverage. Such investments could cause conflicts between the interests of the Trust and the interests of other clients of BlackRock or its Affiliates. In making investment decisions for the Trust, BlackRock is not permitted to obtain or use material non-public information acquired by any division, department or Affiliate of BlackRock in the course of these activities. In addition, from time to time, the activities of an Affiliate may limit the Trust’s flexibility in purchases and sales of securities. When an Affiliate is engaged in an underwriting or other distribution of securities of an entity, BlackRock may be prohibited from purchasing or recommending the purchase of certain securities of that entity for the Trust.
BlackRock and its Affiliates, their personnel and other financial service providers have interests in promoting sales of the Trust. With respect to BlackRock and its Affiliates and their personnel, the remuneration and profitability relating to services to and sales of the Trust or other products may be greater than remuneration and profitability relating to services to and sales of certain funds or other products that might be provided or offered. BlackRock and its Affiliates and their sales personnel may directly or indirectly receive a portion of the fees and commissions charged to the Trust or its shareholders. BlackRock and its advisory or other personnel may also benefit from increased amounts of assets under management. Fees and commissions may also be higher than for other products or services, and the remuneration and profitability to BlackRock or its Affiliates and such personnel resulting from transactions on behalf of or management of the Trust may be greater than the remuneration and profitability resulting from other funds or products.
BlackRock and its Affiliates and their personnel may receive greater compensation or greater profit in connection with an account for which BlackRock serves as an adviser than with an account advised by an unaffiliated investment adviser. Differentials in compensation may be related to the fact that BlackRock may pay a portion of its advisory fee to its Affiliate, or relate to compensation arrangements, including for portfolio management, brokerage transactions or account servicing. Any differential in compensation may create a financial incentive on the part of BlackRock or its Affiliates and their personnel to recommend BlackRock over unaffiliated investment advisers or to effect transactions differently in one account over another.
BlackRock and its Affiliates may provide valuation assistance to certain clients with respect to certain securities or other investments and the valuation recommendations made for their clients’ accounts may differ from the valuations for the same securities or investments assigned by the Trust’s pricing vendors, especially if such valuations are based on broker-dealer quotes or other data sources unavailable to the Trust’s pricing vendors. While BlackRock will generally communicate its valuation information or determinations to the Trust’s pricing vendors and/or fund accountants, there may be instances
where the Trust’s pricing vendors or fund accountants assign a different valuation to a security or other investment than the valuation for such security or investment determined or recommended by BlackRock.
As disclosed in more detail in “Net Asset Value” in the Prospectus, when market quotations of direct investments are not readily available or are believed by BlackRock to be unreliable, the Trust’s investments may be valued at fair value by BlackRock, pursuant to procedures adopted by the Board. When determining an asset’s “fair value,” BlackRock seeks to determine the price that the Trust might reasonably expect to receive from the current sale of that asset in an arm’s-length transaction. The price generally may not be determined based on what the Trust might reasonably expect to receive for selling an asset at a later time or if it holds the asset to maturity. While fair value determinations will be based upon all available factors that BlackRock deems relevant at the time of the determination, and may be based on analytical values determined by BlackRock using proprietary or third party valuation models, fair value represents only a good faith approximation of the value of a security. The fair value of one or more securities may not, in retrospect, be the price at which those assets could have been sold during the period in which the particular fair values were used in determining the Trust’s NAV. As a result, the Trust’s sale or repurchase of its shares at NAV, at a time when a holding or holdings are valued by BlackRock (pursuant to Board-adopted procedures) at fair value, may have the effect of diluting or increasing the economic interest of existing shareholders.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Trust may invest all or some of its short term cash investments in any money market fund or similarly-managed private fund advised or managed by BlackRock. In connection with any such investments, the Trust, to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act, may pay its share of expenses of a money market fund in which it invests, which may result in the Trust bearing some additional expenses.
BlackRock and its Affiliates and their directors, officers and employees, may buy and sell securities or other investments for their own accounts, and may have conflicts of interest with respect to investments made on behalf of the Trust. As a result of differing trading and investment strategies or constraints, positions may be taken by directors, officers, employees and Affiliates of BlackRock that are the same, different from or made at different times than positions taken for the Trust. To lessen the possibility that the Trust will be adversely affected by this personal trading, the Trust and BlackRock each have adopted a Code of Ethics in compliance with Section 17(j) of the Investment Company Act that restricts securities trading in the personal accounts of investment professionals and others who normally come into possession of information regarding the Trust’s portfolio transactions.
BlackRock and its Affiliates will not purchase securities or other property from, or sell securities or other property to, the Trust, except that the Trust may in accordance with rules adopted under the Investment Company Act engage in transactions with accounts that are affiliated with the Trust as a result of common officers, directors, or investment advisers or pursuant to exemptive orders granted to the Trust and/or BlackRock by the SEC. These transactions would be affected in circumstances in which BlackRock determined that it would be appropriate for the Trust to purchase and another client of BlackRock to sell, or the Trust to sell and another client of BlackRock to purchase, the same security or instrument on the same day. From time to time, the activities of the Trust may be restricted because of regulatory requirements applicable to BlackRock or its Affiliates and/or BlackRock’s internal policies designed to comply with, limit the applicability of, or otherwise relate to such requirements. A client not advised by BlackRock would not be subject to some of those considerations. There may be periods when BlackRock may not initiate or recommend certain types of transactions, or may otherwise restrict or limit their advice in certain securities or instruments issued by or related to companies for which an Affiliate is performing investment banking, market making, advisory or other services or has proprietary positions. For example, when an Affiliate is engaged in an underwriting or other distribution of securities of, or advisory services for, a company, the Trust may be prohibited from or limited in purchasing or selling securities of that company. In addition, when BlackRock is engaged to provide advisory or risk management services for a company, BlackRock may be prohibited from or limited in purchasing or selling securities of that company on behalf of the Trust, particularly where such services result in BlackRock obtaining material non-public information about the company. Similar situations could arise if personnel of BlackRock or its Affiliates serve as directors of companies the securities of which the Trust wishes to purchase or sell. However, if permitted by applicable law, and where consistent with BlackRock’s policies and procedures (including the necessary implementation of appropriate information barriers), the Trust may purchase securities or instruments that are issued by such companies, are the subject of an underwriting, distribution, or advisory assignment by an Affiliate, or are the subject of an advisory or risk management assignment by BlackRock, or where personnel of BlackRock or its Affiliates are directors or officers of the issuer.
In certain circumstances where the Trust invests in securities issued by companies that operate in certain regulated industries, in certain emerging or international markets, or are subject to corporate or regulatory ownership definitions, there may be limits on the aggregate amount invested by Affiliates (including BlackRock) for their proprietary accounts and for client accounts (including the Trust) that may not be exceeded without the grant of a license or other regulatory or corporate
consent, or, if exceeded, may cause BlackRock, the Trust or other client accounts to suffer disadvantages or business restrictions. As a result, BlackRock on behalf of its clients (including the Trust) may limit purchases, sell existing investments, or otherwise restrict or limit the exercise of rights (including voting rights) when BlackRock, in its sole discretion, deems it appropriate in light of potential regulatory or other restrictions on ownership or other consequences resulting from reaching investment thresholds.
In those circumstances where ownership thresholds or limitations must be observed, BlackRock seeks to allocate limited investment opportunities equitably among clients (including the Trust), taking into consideration benchmark weight and investment strategy. When ownership in certain securities nears an applicable threshold, BlackRock may limit purchases in such securities to the issuer’s weighting in the applicable benchmark used by BlackRock to manage the Trust. If client (including Trust) holdings of an issuer exceed an applicable threshold and BlackRock is unable to obtain relief to enable the continued holding of such investments, it may be necessary to sell down these positions to meet the applicable limitations. In these cases, benchmark overweight positions will be sold prior to benchmark positions being reduced to meet applicable limitations.
In addition to the foregoing, other ownership thresholds may trigger reporting requirements to governmental and regulatory authorities, and such reports may entail the disclosure of the identity of a client or BlackRock’s intended strategy with respect to such security or asset.
BlackRock and its Affiliates may maintain securities indices as part of their product offerings. Index based funds seek to track the performance of securities indices and may use the name of the index in the fund name. Index providers, including BlackRock and its Affiliates may be paid licensing fees for use of their index or index name. BlackRock and its Affiliates will not be obligated to license their indices to BlackRock, and BlackRock cannot be assured that the terms of any index licensing agreement with BlackRock and its Affiliates will be as favorable as those terms offered to other index licensees.
BlackRock and its Affiliates may serve as Authorized Participants in the creation and redemption of exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), including funds advised by affiliates of BlackRock. BlackRock and its Affiliates may therefore be deemed to be participants in a distribution of such ETFs, which could render them statutory underwriters.
Custody arrangements may lead to potential conflicts of interest with BlackRock where BlackRock has agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse ordinary operating expenses in order to cap expenses of the Trust. This is because the custody arrangements with the Trust’s custodian may have the effect of reducing custody fees when the Trust leaves cash balances uninvested. When the Trust’s actual operating expense ratio exceeds a stated cap, a reduction in custody fees reduces the amount of waivers and/or reimbursements BlackRock would be required to make to the Trust. This could be viewed as having the potential to provide BlackRock an incentive to keep high positive cash balances for a fund with an expense cap in order to offset fund custody fees that BlackRock might otherwise reimburse. However, BlackRock’s portfolio managers do not intentionally keep uninvested balances high, but rather make investment decisions that they anticipate will be beneficial to fund performance.
Present and future activities of BlackRock and its Affiliates, including the Advisor, in addition to those described in this section, may give rise to additional conflicts of interest.
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
Common Shares
The Trust intends to hold annual meetings of shareholders so long as the common shares are listed on a national securities exchange and such meetings are required as a condition to such listing.
Preferred Shares
The Trust does not intend to issue preferred shares during its first full year of operations. Although the terms of any preferred shares that the Trust might issue in the future, including dividend rate, liquidation preference and redemption provisions, will be determined by the Board, subject to applicable law and the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, it is likely that any such preferred shares issued would be structured to carry a relatively short-term dividend rate reflecting interest rates on short-term debt securities, by providing for the periodic redetermination of the dividend rate at relatively short intervals through a fixed spread or remarketing procedure, subject to a maximum rate which would increase over time
in the event of an extended period of unsuccessful remarketing. The Trust also believes that it is likely that the liquidation preference, voting rights and redemption provisions of any such preferred shares would be similar to those stated below.
Liquidation Preference.
In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, the holders of preferred shares will be entitled to receive a preferential liquidating distribution, which would be expected to equal the original purchase price per preferred share plus accrued and unpaid dividends, whether or not declared, before any distribution of assets is made to holders of common shares. After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distribution to which they are entitled, the holders of preferred shares would not be entitled to any further participation in any distribution of assets by the Trust.
Voting Rights
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The Investment Company Act requires that the holders of any preferred shares, voting separately as a single class, have the right to elect at least two Trustees at all times. The remaining Trustees will be elected by holders of common shares and preferred shares, voting together as a single class. In addition, subject to the prior rights, if any, of the holders of any other class of senior securities outstanding, the holders of any preferred shares have the right to elect a majority of the Trustees at any time two years’ dividends on any preferred shares are unpaid. The Investment Company Act also requires that, in addition to any approval by shareholders that might otherwise be required, the approval of the holders of a majority of any outstanding preferred shares, voting separately as a class, would be required to (1) adopt any plan of reorganization that would adversely affect the preferred shares, and (2) take any action requiring a vote of security holders under Section 13(a) of the Investment Company Act, including, among other things, changes in the Trust’s sub-classification as a closed-end investment company or changes in its fundamental investment restrictions. See “Certain Provisions in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Bylaws” in the Prospectus. As a result of these voting rights, the Trust’s ability to take any such actions may be impeded to the extent that there are any preferred shares outstanding. The Board presently intends that, except as otherwise indicated in the Prospectus or this SAI and except as otherwise required by applicable law, holders of any preferred shares will have equal voting rights with holders of common shares (one vote per share, unless otherwise required by the Investment Company Act) and will vote together with holders of common shares as a single class.
The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of any outstanding preferred shares, voting as a separate class, would be required to amend, alter or repeal any of the preferences, rights or powers of holders of preferred shares so as to affect materially and adversely such preferences, rights or powers, or to increase or decrease the authorized number of preferred shares. The class vote of holders of preferred shares described above would in each case be in addition to any other vote required to authorize the action in question.
Redemption, Purchase and Sale of Preferred Shares by the Trust
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The terms of any preferred shares are expected to provide that (1) they are redeemable by the Trust in whole or in part at the original purchase price per share plus accrued dividends per share, (2) the Trust may tender for or purchase preferred shares and (3) the Trust may subsequently resell any shares so tendered for or purchased. Any redemption or purchase of preferred shares by the Trust would reduce the leverage applicable to the common shares, while any resale of shares by the Trust would increase that leverage.
Liquidity Feature
. Preferred shares may include a liquidity feature that allows holders of preferred shares to have their shares purchased by a liquidity provider in the event that sell orders have not been matched with purchase orders and successfully settled in a remarketing. The Trust will pay a fee to the provider of this liquidity feature, which would be borne by common shareholders of the Trust. The terms of such liquidity feature may require the Trust to redeem preferred shares still owned by the liquidity provider following a certain period of continuous, unsuccessful remarketing, which may adversely impact the Trust.
The discussion above describes the possible offering of preferred shares by the Trust. If the Board determines to proceed with such an offering, the terms of the preferred shares may be the same as, or different from, the terms described above, subject to applicable law and the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust. The Board, without the approval of the holders of common shares, may authorize an offering of preferred shares or may determine not to authorize such an offering, and may fix the terms of the preferred shares to be offered.
Other Shares
The Board (subject to applicable law and the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust) may authorize an offering, without the approval of the holders of common shares and, depending on their terms, any
preferred shares
outstanding at that time, of other classes of shares, or other classes or series of shares, as they determine to be necessary, desirable or appropriate, having such terms, rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and restrictions as the Board sees fit. The Trust currently does not expect to issue any other classes of shares, or series of shares, except for the common shares.
REPURCHASE OF COMMON SHARES
The Trust is a closed-end management investment company and as such its shareholders will not have the right to cause the Trust to redeem their shares. Instead, the Trust’s common shares will trade in the open market at a price that will be a function of several factors, including dividend levels (which are in turn affected by expenses), net asset value, call protection for portfolio securities, dividend stability, liquidity, relative demand for and supply of the common shares in the market, general market and economic conditions and other factors. Because shares of a closed-end investment company may frequently trade at prices lower than net asset value, the Board may consider action that might be taken to reduce or eliminate any material discount from net asset value in respect of common shares, which may include the repurchase of such shares in the open market or in private transactions, the making of a tender offer for such shares, or the conversion of the Trust to an open-end investment company. The Board may decide not to take any of these actions. In addition, there can be no assurance that share repurchases or tender offers, if undertaken, will reduce market discount.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time when the Trust has preferred shares outstanding, the Trust may not purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any of its common shares unless (1) all accrued preferred share dividends have been paid and (2) at the time of such purchase, redemption or acquisition, the net asset value of the Trust’s portfolio (determined after deducting the acquisition price of the common shares) is at least 200% of the liquidation value of any outstanding preferred shares (expected to equal the original purchase price per share plus any accrued and unpaid dividends thereon). Any service fees incurred in connection with any tender offer made by the Trust will be borne by the Trust and will not reduce the stated consideration to be paid to tendering shareholders.
Subject to its investment restrictions, the Trust may borrow to finance the repurchase of shares or to make a tender offer. Interest on any borrowings to finance share repurchase transactions or the accumulation of cash by the Trust in anticipation of share repurchases or tender offers will reduce the Trust’s net income. Any share repurchase, tender offer or borrowing that might be approved by the Board would have to comply with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
Although the decision to take action in response to a discount from net asset value will be made by the Board at the time it considers such issue, it is the Board’s present policy, which may be changed by the Board, not to authorize repurchases of common shares or a tender offer for such shares if: (i) such transactions, if consummated, would (a) result in the delisting of the common shares from the NYSE, or (b) impair the Trust’s status as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under the Code, (which would make the Trust a taxable entity, causing the Trust’s income to be taxed at the corporate level in addition to the taxation of shareholders who receive dividends from the Trust) or as a registered closed-end investment company under the Investment Company Act; (ii) the Trust would not be able to liquidate portfolio securities in an orderly manner and consistent with the Trust’s investment objectives and policies in order to repurchase shares; or (iii) there is, in the Board’s judgment, any (a) material legal action or proceeding instituted or threatened challenging such transactions or otherwise materially adversely affecting the Trust, (b) general suspension of or limitation on prices for trading securities on the NYSE, (c) declaration of a banking moratorium by federal or state authorities or any suspension of payment by United States or New York banks, (d) material limitation affecting the Trust or the issuers of its portfolio securities by federal or state authorities on the extension of credit by lending institutions or on the exchange of foreign currency, (e) commencement of war, armed hostilities or other international or national calamity directly or indirectly involving the United States, or (f) other event or condition which would have a material adverse effect (including any adverse tax effect) on the Trust or its shareholders if shares were repurchased. The Board may in the future modify these conditions in light of experience.
The repurchase by the Trust of its shares at prices below net asset value will result in an increase in the net asset value of those shares that remain outstanding. However, there can be no assurance that share repurchases or tender offers at or below net asset value will result in the Trust’s shares trading at a price equal to their net asset value. Nevertheless, the fact that the Trust’s shares may be the subject of repurchases or tender offers from time to time, or that the Trust may be converted to an open-end investment company, may reduce any spread between market price and net asset value that might otherwise exist.
In addition, a purchase by the Trust of its common shares will decrease the Trust’s net assets which would likely have the effect of increasing the Trust’s expense ratio. Any purchase by the Trust of its common shares at a time when preferred shares are outstanding will increase the leverage applicable to the outstanding common shares then remaining.
Before deciding whether to take any action if the common shares trade below net asset value, the Board would likely consider all relevant factors, including the extent and duration of the discount, the liquidity of the Trust’s portfolio, the impact of any action that might be taken on the Trust or its shareholders and market considerations. Based on these
considerations, even if the Trust’s shares should trade at a discount, the Board may determine that, in the interest of the Trust and its shareholders, no action should be taken.
TAX MATTERS
The following is a description of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences to a shareholder of acquiring, holding and disposing of common shares of the Trust. This discussion is based upon current provisions of the Code, the regulations promulgated thereunder and judicial and administrative authorities, all of which are subject to change or differing interpretations by the courts or the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), possibly with retroactive effect. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of all U.S. federal income tax concerns affecting the Trust and its shareholders (including shareholders subject to special provisions of the Code), and the discussions set forth here do not constitute tax advice. This discussion assumes that investors hold common shares of the Trust as capital assets (generally, for investment). The Trust has not sought and will not seek any ruling from the IRS regarding any matters discussed herein. No assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain, a position contrary to those set forth below. This summary does not discuss any aspects of foreign, state or local tax. Prospective investors must consult their own tax advisers as to the U.S. federal income tax consequences (including the alternative minimum tax consequences) of acquiring, holding and disposing of the Trust’s shares, as well as the effects of state, local and non-U.S. tax laws.
Taxation of the Trust
The Trust intends to elect to be treated and to qualify to be taxed as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. In order to qualify as a RIC, the Trust must, among other things, satisfy certain requirements relating to the sources of its income, diversification of its assets, and distribution of its income to its shareholders. First, the Trust must derive at least 90% of its annual gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, or net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (as defined in the Code) (the “90% gross income test”). Second, the Trust must diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the value of its total assets consists of cash, cash items, U.S. Government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with such other securities limited in respect of any one issuer to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the value of the Trust’s total assets and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the total assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. Government securities and securities of other RICs) of any one issuer, any two or more issuers controlled by the Trust and engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or any one or more “qualified publicly traded partnerships.”
As long as the Trust qualifies as a RIC, the Trust will generally not be subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income tax on income and gains that it distributes each taxable year to its shareholders, provided that in such taxable year it distributes at least 90% of the sum of (i) its net tax-exempt interest income, if any, and (ii) its “investment company taxable income” (which includes, among other items, dividends, taxable interest, taxable original issue discount and market discount income, income from securities lending, net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital loss, and any other taxable income other than “net capital gain” (as defined below) and is reduced by deductible expenses) determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid. The Trust may retain for investment its net capital gain (which consists of the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). However, if the Trust retains any net capital gain or any investment company taxable income, it will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained.
The Code imposes a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the Trust to the extent the Trust does not distribute by the end of any calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income (not taking into account any capital gain or loss) for the calendar year and (ii) 98.2% of its capital gain in excess of its capital loss (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for a one-year period generally ending on October 31 of the calendar year (unless an election is made to use the Trust’s fiscal year). In addition, the minimum amounts that must be distributed in any year to avoid the excise tax will be increased or decreased to reflect any under-distribution or over-distribution, as the case may be, from the previous year. For purposes of the excise tax, the Trust will be deemed to have distributed any income on which it paid U.S. federal income tax. While the Trust intends to distribute any income and capital gain in the manner necessary to minimize imposition of the 4% nondeductible excise tax, there can be no assurance that sufficient amounts of the Trust’s taxable income and capital gain will be distributed to entirely avoid the imposition of the excise tax. In that event, the Trust will be liable for the excise tax only on the amount by which it does not meet the foregoing distribution requirement.
If in any taxable year the Trust should fail to qualify under Subchapter M of the Code for tax treatment as a RIC, the Trust would incur a regular corporate U.S. federal income tax upon all of its taxable income for that year, and all distributions
to its shareholders (including distributions of net capital gain) would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary dividend income for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent of the Trust’s earnings and profits. In addition, to qualify again to be taxed as a RIC in a subsequent year, the Trust would be required to distribute to shareholders its earnings and profits attributable to non-RIC years. In addition, if the Trust failed to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, then, in order to qualify as a RIC in a subsequent year, the Trust would be required to elect to recognize and pay tax on any net built-in gain (the excess of aggregate gain, including items of income, over aggregate loss that would have been realized if the Trust had been liquidated) or, alternatively, be subject to taxation on such built-in gain recognized for a period of ten years.
The remainder of this discussion assumes that the Trust qualifies for taxation as a RIC.
The Trust’s Investments
Certain of the Trust’s investment practices are subject to special and complex U.S. federal income tax provisions (including mark-to-market, constructive sale, straddle, wash sale, short sale and other rules) that may, among other things, (i) disallow, suspend or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions, including the dividends received deduction, (ii) convert lower taxed long-term capital gains or qualified dividend income into higher taxed short-term capital gains or ordinary income, (iii) convert ordinary loss or a deduction into capital loss (the deductibility of which is more limited), (iv) cause the Trust to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, (v) adversely affect the time as to when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur, (vi) adversely alter the characterization of certain complex financial transactions and (vii) produce income that will not be “qualified” income for purposes of the 90% annual gross income requirement described above. These U.S. federal income tax provisions could therefore affect the amount, timing and character of distributions to common shareholders. The Trust intends to monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections and may be required to dispose of securities to mitigate the effect of these provisions and prevent disqualification of the Trust as a RIC. Additionally, the Trust may be required to limit its activities in derivative instruments in order to enable it to maintain its RIC status.
The Trust may invest a portion of its net assets in below investment grade securities, commonly known as “junk” securities. Investments in these types of securities may present special tax issues for the Trust. U.S. federal income tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when the Trust may cease to accrue interest, original issue discount or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless securities, how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and income and whether modifications or exchanges of debt obligations in a bankruptcy or workout context are taxable. These and other issues could affect the Trust’s ability to distribute sufficient income to preserve its status as a RIC or to avoid the imposition of U.S. federal income or excise tax.
Certain debt securities acquired by the Trust may be treated as debt securities that were originally issued at a discount. Generally, the amount of the original issue discount is treated as interest income and is included in taxable income (and required to be distributed by the Trust in order to qualify as a RIC and avoid U.S. federal income tax or the 4% excise tax on undistributed income) over the term of the security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures.
If the Trust purchases a debt security on a secondary market at a price lower than its adjusted issue price, the excess of the adjusted issue price over the purchase price is “market discount.” Unless the Trust makes an election to accrue market discount on a current basis, generally, any gain realized on the disposition of, and any partial payment of principal on, a debt security having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the “accrued market discount” on the debt security. Market discount generally accrues in equal daily installments. If the Trust ultimately collects less on the debt instrument than its purchase price plus the market discount previously included in income, the Trust may not be able to benefit from any offsetting loss deductions.
The Trust may invest in preferred securities or other securities the U.S. federal income tax treatment of which may not be clear or may be subject to recharacterization by the IRS. To the extent the tax treatment of such securities or the income from such securities differs from the tax treatment expected by the Trust, it could affect the timing or character of income recognized by the Trust, potentially requiring the Trust to purchase or sell securities, or otherwise change its portfolio, in order to comply with the tax rules applicable to RICs under the Code.
Gain or loss on the sale of securities by the Trust will generally be long-term capital gain or loss if the securities have been held by the Trust for more than one year. Gain or loss on the sale of securities held for one year or less will be short-term capital gain or loss.
Because the Trust may invest in foreign securities, its income from such securities may be subject to non-U.S. taxes. The Trust does not expect that it will be eligible to elect to “pass through” to common shareholders of the Trust the ability to use the foreign tax deduction or foreign tax credit for foreign taxes paid by the Trust with respect to qualifying taxes.
Income from options on individual securities written by the Trust will generally not be recognized by the Trust for tax purposes until an option is exercised, lapses or is subject to a “closing transaction” (as defined by applicable regulations) pursuant to which the Trust’s obligations with respect to the option are otherwise terminated. If the option lapses without exercise, the premiums received by the Trust from the writing of such options will generally be characterized as short-term capital gain. If the Trust enters into a closing transaction, the difference between the premiums received and the amount paid by the Trust to close out its position will generally be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. If an option written by the Trust is exercised, thereby requiring the Trust to sell the underlying security, the premium will increase the amount realized upon the sale of the security, and the character of any gain on such sale of the underlying security as short-term or long-term capital gain will depend on the holding period of the Trust in the underlying security. Because the Trust will not have control over the exercise of the options it writes, such exercises or other required sales of the underlying securities may cause the Trust to realize gains or losses at inopportune times.
Options on indices of securities and sectors of securities that qualify as “section 1256 contracts” will generally be “marked-to-market” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Trust will generally recognize gain or loss on the last day of each taxable year equal to the difference between the value of the option on that date and the adjusted basis of the option. The adjusted basis of the option will consequently be increased by such gain or decreased by such loss. Any gain or loss with respect to options on indices and sectors that qualify as “section 1256 contracts” will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss to the extent of 40% of such gain or loss and long-term capital gain or loss to the extent of 60% of such gain or loss. Because the mark-to-market rules may cause the Trust to recognize gain in advance of the receipt of cash, the Trust may be required to dispose of investments in order to meet its distribution requirements. “Mark-to-market” losses may be suspended or otherwise limited if such losses are part of a straddle or similar transaction.
Taxation of Common Shareholders
The Trust will either distribute or retain for reinvestment all or part of its net capital gain. If any such gain is retained, the Trust will be subject to a corporate income tax on such retained amount. In that event, the Trust expects to report the retained amount as undistributed capital gain in a notice to its common shareholders, each of whom, if subject to U.S. federal income tax on long-term capital gains, (i) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes as long-term capital gain its share of such undistributed amounts, (ii) will be entitled to credit its proportionate share of the tax paid by the Trust against its U.S. federal income tax liability and to claim refunds to the extent that the credit exceeds such liability and (iii) will increase its basis in its common shares by the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder’s income less the tax deemed paid by the shareholder under clause (ii).
Distributions paid to you by the Trust from its net capital gain, if any, that the Trust properly reports as capital gain dividends (“capital gain dividends”) are taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long you have held your common shares. All other dividends paid to you by the Trust (including dividends from net short-term capital gains) from its current or accumulated earnings and profits (“ordinary income dividends”) are generally subject to tax as ordinary income. Provided that certain holding period and other requirements are met, ordinary income dividends (if properly reported by the Trust) may qualify (i) for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders to the extent that the Trust’s income consists of dividend income from U.S. corporations, and (ii) in the case of individual shareholders, as “qualified dividend income” eligible to be taxed at long-term capital gains rates to the extent that the Trust receives qualified dividend income. Qualified dividend income is, in general, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations (e.g., generally, foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a qualifying comprehensive tax treaty with the United States, or whose stock with respect to which such dividend is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States). There can be no assurance as to what portion, if any, of the Trust’s distributions will constitute qualified dividend income.
Any distributions you receive that are in excess of the Trust’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of your adjusted tax basis in your common shares, and thereafter as capital gain from the sale of common shares. The amount of any Trust distribution that is treated as a return of capital will reduce your adjusted tax basis in your common shares, thereby increasing your potential gain or reducing your potential loss on any subsequent sale or other disposition of your common shares.
Common shareholders may be entitled to offset their capital gain dividends with capital losses. The Code contains a number of statutory provisions affecting when capital losses may be offset against capital gain, and limiting the use of losses
from certain investments and activities. Accordingly, common shareholders that have capital losses are urged to consult their tax advisers.
Dividends and other taxable distributions are taxable to you even though they are reinvested in additional common shares of the Trust. Dividends and other distributions paid by the Trust are generally treated under the Code as received by you at the time the dividend or distribution is made. If, however, the Trust pays you a dividend in January that was declared in the previous October, November or December to common shareholders of record on a specified date in one of such months, then such dividend will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being paid by the Trust and received by you on December 31 of the year in which the dividend was declared. In addition, certain other distributions made after the close of the Trust’s taxable year may be “spilled back” and treated as paid by the Trust (except for purposes of the 4% nondeductible excise tax) during such taxable year. In such case, you will be treated as having received such dividends in the taxable year in which the distributions were actually made.
The price of common shares purchased at any time may reflect the amount of a forthcoming distribution. Those purchasing common shares just prior to the record date for a distribution will receive a distribution which will be taxable to them even though it represents, economically, a return of invested capital.
The Trust will send you information after the end of each year setting forth the amount and tax status of any distributions paid to you by the Trust.
The sale or other disposition of common shares will generally result in capital gain or loss to you and will be long-term capital gain or loss if you have held such common shares for more than one year at the time of sale. Any loss upon the sale or other disposition of common shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividends received (including amounts credited as an undistributed capital gain dividend) by you with respect to such common shares. Any loss you recognize on a sale or other disposition of common shares will be disallowed if you acquire other common shares (whether through the automatic reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after your sale or exchange of the common shares. In such case, your tax basis in the common shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.
Current U.S. federal income tax law taxes both long-term and short-term capital gain of corporations at the rates applicable to ordinary income. For non-corporate taxpayers, short-term capital gain is currently taxed at rates applicable to ordinary income while long-term capital gain generally is taxed at a reduced maximum rate. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations under the Code.
Certain U.S. holders who are individuals, estates or trusts and whose income exceeds certain thresholds will be required to pay a 3.8% Medicare tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes dividends received from the Trust and capital gains from the sale or other disposition of the Trust’s stock.
A common shareholder that is a nonresident alien individual or a foreign corporation (a “foreign investor”) generally will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or possibly a lower rate provided by an applicable tax treaty) on ordinary income dividends (except as discussed below). In general, U.S. federal withholding tax and U.S. federal income tax will not apply to any gain or income realized by a foreign investor in respect of any distribution of net capital gain (including amounts credited as an undistributed capital gain dividend) or upon the sale or other disposition of common shares of the Trust. Different tax consequences may result if the foreign investor is engaged in a trade or business in the United States or, in the case of an individual, is present in the United States for 183 days or more during a taxable year and certain other conditions are met. Foreign investors should consult their tax advisers regarding the tax consequences of investing in the Trust’s common shares.
For taxable years of a RIC beginning before January 1, 2014 (and, if extended as has happened in the past, for taxable years covered by such extension), ordinary income dividends properly reported by the RIC are generally exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax where they (i) are paid in respect of the RIC’s “qualified net interest income” (generally, its U.S.-source interest income, other than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which the RIC is at least a 10% shareholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income) or (ii) are paid in respect of the RIC’s “qualified short-term capital gains” (generally, the excess of the RIC’s net short-term capital gain over its long-term capital loss for such taxable year). There can be no assurance as to whether this provision will be extended. In addition, even if this provision were extended, depending on its circumstances, the Trust may report all, some or none of its potentially eligible dividends as such qualified net interest income or as qualified short-term capital gains, and/or treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for this exemption from withholding. In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a foreign investor needs to comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status
(including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, or substitute Form). In the case of common shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may have withheld even if the Trust reported the payment as qualified net interest income or qualified short-term capital gain. Foreign investors should contact their intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their accounts. There can be no assurance as to what portion of the Trust’s distributions would qualify for favorable treatment as qualified net interest income or qualified short-term capital gains if the provision is extended.
In addition, l
egislation enacted in 2010 and existing guidance issued thereunder require withholding at a rate of 30% on dividends in respect of, and, after December 31, 2016, gross proceeds from the sale of, common stock of the Trust held by or through certain foreign financial institutions (including investment funds), unless such institution enters into an agreement with the Treasury to report, on an annual basis, information with respect to shares in, and accounts maintained by, the institution to the extent such shares or accounts are held by certain U.S. persons and by certain non-U.S. entities that are wholly or partially owned by U.S. persons and to withhold on certain payments. Accordingly, the entity through which common stock of the Trust is held will affect the determination of whether such withholding is required. Similarly, dividends in respect of, and gross proceeds from the sale of, common stock of the Trust held by an investor that is a non-financial foreign entity that does not qualify under certain exemptions will be subject to withholding at a rate of 30%, unless such entity either (i) certifies that such entity does not have any “substantial United States owners” or (ii) provides certain information regarding the entity’s “substantial United States owners,” which the applicable withholding agent will in turn provide to the Secretary of the Treasury. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country, or future Treasury regulations or other guidance, may modify these requirements. The Trust will not pay any additional amounts to stockholders in respect of any amounts withheld.
Foreign investors are encouraged to consult with their tax advisers regarding the possible implications of these rules on their investment in the Trust’s common shares.
U.S. federal backup withholding tax may be required on dividends, distributions and sale proceeds payable to certain non-exempt common shareholders who fail to supply their correct taxpayer identification number (in the case of individuals, generally, their social security number) or to make required certifications, or who are otherwise subject to backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amount withheld may be refunded or credited against your U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, provided that you timely furnish the required information to the IRS.
Ordinary income dividends, capital gain dividends, and gain from the sale or other disposition of common shares of the Trust also may be subject to state, local, and/or foreign taxes. Common shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers regarding specific questions about U.S. federal, state, local or foreign tax consequences to them of investing in the Trust.
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The foregoing is a general and abbreviated summary of certain provisions of the Code and the Treasury Regulations presently in effect as they directly govern the taxation of the Trust and its shareholders. For complete provisions, reference should be made to the pertinent Code sections and Treasury Regulations. The Code and the Treasury Regulations are subject to change by legislative or administrative action, and any such change may be retroactive with respect to Trust transactions. Holders of common shares are advised to consult their own tax advisers for more detailed information concerning the U.S. federal income taxation of the Trust and the income tax consequences to its holders of common shares.
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
[To come by Pre-Effective Amendment]
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
[To come by Pre-Effective Amendment]
APPENDIX A
RATINGS OF INVESTMENTS
Standard & Poor’s Corporation
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A brief description of the applicable Standard & Poor’s Corporation (“S&P”) rating symbols and their meanings (as published by S&P) follows:
A S&P issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P’s view of the obligor’s capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.
Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. In the U.S., for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than 365 days – including commercial paper. Short-term ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. The result is a dual rating, in which the short-term rating addresses the put feature, in addition to the usual long-term rating. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.
Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings
Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P’s analysis of the following considerations:
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likelihood of payment – capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;
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nature of and provisions of the obligation; and
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protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors’ rights.
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Issue ratings are 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 the 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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AAA
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An obligation rated “AAA” has the highest rating assigned by S&P. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.
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AA
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An obligation rated “AA” differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.
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A
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An obligation rated “A” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.
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BBB
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An obligation rated “BBB” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
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Obligations rated “BB,” “B,” “CCC,” “CC” and “C” are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. “BB” indicates the least degree of speculation and “C” the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.
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BB
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An obligation rated “BB” is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
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B
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An obligation rated “B” is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated “BB,” but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
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CCC
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An obligation rated “CCC” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
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CC
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An obligation rated “CC” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.
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C
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A “C” rating is assigned to obligations that are currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, obligations that have payment arrearages allowed by the terms of the documents or obligations of an issuer that is the subject of a bankruptcy petition or similar action which have not experienced a payment default. Among others, the “C” rating may be assigned to subordinated debt, preferred stock or other obligations on which cash payments have been suspended in accordance with the instrument’s terms or when preferred stock is the subject of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.
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D
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An obligation rated “D” is in payment default. The “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation, including a regulatory capital instrument, are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized. An obligation’s rating is lowered to “D” upon completion of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.
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NR
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This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating or that S&P does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.
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The ratings from “AA” to “CCC” may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings
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A-1
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A short-term obligation rated “A-1” is rated in the highest category by S&P. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.
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A-2
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A short-term obligation rated “A-2” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.
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A-3
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A short-term obligation rated “A-3” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
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B
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A short-term obligation rated “B” is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. Ratings of “B-1,” “B-2” and “B-3” may be assigned to indicate finer distinctions within the “B” category. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the
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obligation; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
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B-1
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A short-term obligation rated “B-1” is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, but the obligor has a relatively stronger capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.
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B-2
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A short-term obligation rated “B-2” is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics and the obligor has an average speculative-grade capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.
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B-3
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A short-term obligation rated “B-3” is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics and the obligor has a relatively weaker capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.
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C
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A short-term obligation rated “C” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
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D
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A short-term obligation rated “D” is in payment default. The “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation, including a regulatory capital instrument, are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.
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Active Qualifiers (Currently applied and/or outstanding)
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i
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This subscript is used for issues in which the credit factors, terms, or both, that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of interest are different from the credit factors, terms or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of principal on the obligation. The “i” subscript indicates that the rating addresses the interest portion of the obligation only. The “i” subscript will always be used in conjunction with the “p” subscript, which addresses likelihood of receipt of principal. For example, a rated obligation could be assigned ratings of “AAAp NRi” indicating that the principal portion is rated “AAA” and the interest portion of the obligation is not rated.
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L
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Ratings qualified with “L” apply only to amounts invested up to federal deposit insurance limits.
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p
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This subscript 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” subscript indicates that the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only. The “p” subscript will always be used in conjunction with the “i” subscript, which addresses likelihood of receipt of interest. For example, a rated obligation could be assigned ratings of “AAAp NRi” indicating that the principal portion is rated “AAA” and the interest portion of the obligation is not rated.
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pi
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Ratings with a “pi” subscript are based on an analysis of an issuer’s published financial information, as well as additional information in the public domain. They do not, however, reflect in-depth meetings with an issuer’s management and therefore may be based on less comprehensive information than ratings without a “pi” subscript. Ratings with a “pi” subscript are reviewed annually based on a new year’s financial statements, but may be reviewed on an interim basis if a major event occurs that may affect the issuer’s credit quality.
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prelim
|
Preliminary ratings, with the “prelim” qualifier, 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.
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•
|
Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations, most commonly structured and project finance issues, pending receipt of final documentation and legal opinions.
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•
|
Preliminary ratings are assigned to Rule 415 Shelf Registrations. As specific issues, with defined terms, are offered from the master registration, a final rating may be assigned to them in accordance with S&P policies.
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•
|
Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations that will likely be issued upon the obligor’s emergence from bankruptcy or similar reorganization, based on late-stage reorganization plans, documentation and discussions with the obligor. Preliminary ratings may also be assigned to the obligors. These ratings consider the anticipated general credit quality of the reorganized or post-bankruptcy issuer as well as attributes of the anticipated obligation(s).
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•
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Preliminary ratings may be assigned to entities that are being formed or that are in the process of being independently established when, in S&P’s opinion, documentation is close to final. Preliminary ratings may also be assigned to these entities’ obligations.
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•
|
Preliminary ratings may be assigned when a previously unrated entity is undergoing a well-formulated restructuring, recapitalization, significant financing or other transformative event, generally at the point that investor or lender commitments are invited. The preliminary rating may be assigned to the entity and to its proposed obligation(s). These preliminary ratings consider the anticipated general credit quality of the obligor, as well as attributes of the anticipated obligation(s), assuming successful completion of the transformative event. Should the transformative event not occur, S&P would likely withdraw these preliminary ratings.
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•
|
A preliminary recovery rating may be assigned to an obligation that has a preliminary issue credit rating.
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t
|
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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uns(…)
|
Unsolicited ratings are those credit ratings assigned at the initiative of S&P and not at the request of the issuer or its agents.
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Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings Definitions
A S&P U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P’s opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P’s analysis will review the following considerations:
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•
|
Amortization schedule – the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and
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•
|
Source of payment – the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.
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Note rating symbols are as follows:
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SP-1
|
Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.
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SP-2
|
Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.
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SP-3
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Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.
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Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.
—
A brief description of the applicable Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) rating symbols and their meanings (as published by Moody’s) follows:
Long-Term Obligation Ratings
Moody’s long-term ratings are opinions of the relative credit risk of financial obligations with an original maturity of one year or more. They address the possibility that a financial obligation will not be honored as promised. Such ratings use Moody’s Global Scale and reflect both the likelihood of default and any financial loss suffered in the event of default.
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Aaa
|
Obligations rated “Aaa” are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit risk.
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Aa
|
Obligations rated “Aa” are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.
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A
|
Obligations rated “A” are considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.
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Baa
|
Obligations rated “Baa” are subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.
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Ba
|
Obligations rated “Ba” are judged to have speculative elements and are subject to substantial credit risk.
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B
|
Obligations rated “B” are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.
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Caa
|
Obligations rated “Caa” are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.
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Ca
|
Obligations rated “Ca” are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.
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C
|
Obligations rated “C” are the lowest rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.
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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.
Short-Term Obligation Ratings
Moody’s short-term ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to honor short-term financial obligations. Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term programs or to individual short-term debt instruments. Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding thirteen months, unless explicitly noted. Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:
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P-1
|
Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
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P-2
|
Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
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P-3
|
Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.
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NP
|
Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
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US Municipal Short-Term Obligation Ratings
There are three rating categories for short-term municipal obligations that are considered investment grade. These ratings are designated as Municipal Investment Grade (MIG) and are divided into three levels—MIG 1 through MIG 3. In
addition, those short-term obligations that are of speculative quality are designated SG, or speculative grade. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation.
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MIG1
|
This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
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MIG2
|
This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.
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MIG3
|
This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.
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SG
|
This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.
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Other Ratings Symbols
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e
|
Expected ratings. To address market demand for timely information on particular types of credit ratings, Moody’s has licensed to certain third parties the right to generate “Expected Ratings.” Expected Ratings are designated by an “e” after the rating code, and are intended to anticipate Moody’s forthcoming rating assignments based on reliable information from third-party sources (such as the issuer or underwriter associated with the particular securities) or established Moody’s rating practices (i.e., medium term notes are typically, but not always, assigned the same rating as the note’s program rating). Expected Ratings will exist only until Moody’s confirms the Expected Rating, or issues a different rating for the relevant instrument. Moody’s encourages market participants to contact Moody’s Ratings Desk or visit www.moodys.com if they have questions regarding Expected Ratings, or wish Moody’s to confirm an Expected Rating.
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(P)
|
Provisional Ratings. As a service to the market and at the request of an issuer, Moody’s will often assign a provisional rating when the assignment of a final rating is subject to the fulfillment of contingencies but it is highly likely that the rating will become definitive after all documents are received or an obligation is issued into the market. A provisional rating is denoted by placing a (P) in front of the rating. Such ratings are typically assigned to shelf registrations under SEC rule 415 or transaction-based structures that require investor education. When a transaction uses a well-established structure and the transaction’s structure and terms are not expected to change prior to sale in a manner that would affect the rating, a definitive rating may be assigned directly.
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#
|
Refundeds. Issues that are secured by escrowed funds held in trust, reinvested in direct, non-callable US government obligations or non-callable obligations unconditionally guaranteed by the US Government or Resolution Funding Corporation are identified with a # (hatch mark) symbol, (e.g. #Aaa).
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WR
|
Withdrawn. When Moody’s no longer rates an obligation on which it previously maintained a rating, the symbol WR is employed. Please see Moody’s Guidelines for the Withdrawal of Ratings, available on www.moodys.com.
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NR
|
Not Rated. NR is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.
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NAV
|
Not Available. An issue that Moody’s has not yet rated is denoted by the NAV symbol.
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TWR
|
Terminated Without Rating. The symbol TWR applies primarily to issues that mature or are redeemed without having been rated.
|
Fitch Ratings, Inc.
—A brief description of the applicable Fitch Ratings, Inc. (“Fitch”) ratings symbols and meanings (as published by Fitch) follows:
Rated entities in a number of sectors, including financial and non-financial corporations, sovereigns and insurance companies, are generally assigned Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs). IDRs opine on an entity’s relative vulnerability to default
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, although the agency recognizes that issuers may also make pre-emptive and therefore voluntary use of such mechanisms.
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. For historical information on the default experience of Fitch rated issuers, please consult the transition and default performance studies available from the Fitch Ratings website.
Long-Term Credit Ratings Scales
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|
AAA
|
Highest Credit Quality. “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of default risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.
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AA
|
Very High Credit Quality. “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low default risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
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A
|
High Credit Quality. “A” ratings denote expectations of low default risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.
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BBB
|
Good Credit Quality. “BBB” ratings indicate that expectations of default risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.
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BB
|
Speculative. “BB” ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists which supports the servicing of financial commitments.
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B
|
Highly speculative. “B” ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.
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CCC
|
Substantial credit risk. Default is a real possibility.
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CC
|
Very high levels of credit risk. Default of some kind appears probable.
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|
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C
|
Exceptionally high levels of credit risk. Default is imminent or inevitable, or the issuer is in standstill. Conditions that are indicative of a “C” category rating for an issuer include:
|
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; or
c. Fitch Ratings otherwise believes a condition of “RD” or “D” to be imminent or inevitable, including through the formal announcement of a coercive debt exchange.
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|
RD
|
Restricted default. “RD” ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch Ratings’ opinion has experienced an uncured payment default on a bond, loan or other material financial obligation but which has not entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other formal winding-up procedure, and which has not otherwise ceased business. This would include:
|
a. the selective payment default on a specific class or currency of debt;
b. the uncured expiry of any applicable grace period, cure period or default forbearance period following a payment default on a bank loan, capital markets security or other material financial obligation;
c. the extension of multiple waivers or forbearance periods upon a payment default on one or more material financial obligations, either in series or in parallel; or
d. execution of a coercive debt exchange on one or more material financial obligations.
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D
|
Default. “D” ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch Ratings’ opinion has entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other formal winding-up procedure, or which has otherwise ceased business.
|
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 coercive debt exchange.
“Imminent” default 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 coercive debt exchange, but the date of the exchange still lies several days or weeks in the immediate future.
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.
Note: The modifiers “+” or “-” may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the ‘AAA’ Long-Term IDR category, or to Long-Term IDR categories below ‘B’.
Specific limitations relevant to the structured, project and public finance obligation rating scale include:
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|
·
|
The ratings do not predict a specific percentage of default likelihood over any given time period.
|
|
|
·
|
The ratings do not opine on the market value of any issuer’s securities or stock, or the likelihood that this value may change.
|
|
|
·
|
The ratings do not opine on the liquidity of the issuer’s securities or stock.
|
|
|
·
|
The ratings do not opine on the possible loss severity on an obligation should an obligation default
|
|
|
·
|
The ratings do not opine on any quality related to a transaction’s profile other than the agency’s opinion on the relative vulnerability to default of each rated tranche or security.
|
Ratings assigned by Fitch Ratings articulate an opinion on discrete and specific areas of risk. The above list is not exhaustive and is provided for the reader’s convenience.
Short-Term Ratings Assigned to Obligations in Corporate, Public and Structured Finance
A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity or security stream and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. 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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|
F1
|
Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.
|
|
|
F2
|
Good short-term credit quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.
|
|
|
F3
|
Fair short-term credit quality. The intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.
|
|
|
B
|
Speculative short-term credit quality. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
|
|
|
C
|
High short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.
|
|
|
RD
|
Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.
|
|
|
D
|
Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity or the default of a specific short-term obligation.
|
Specific limitations relevant to the Short-Term Ratings scale include:
|
|
·
|
The ratings do not predict a specific percentage of default likelihood over any given time period.
|
|
|
·
|
The ratings do not opine on the market value of any issuer’s securities or stock, or the likelihood that this value may change.
|
|
|
·
|
The ratings do not opine on the liquidity of the issuer’s securities or stock.
|
|
|
·
|
The ratings do not opine on the possible loss severity on an obligation should an obligation default.
|
|
|
·
|
The ratings do not opine on any quality related to an issuer or transaction’s profile other than the agency’s opinion on the relative vulnerability to default of the rated issuer or obligation.
|
|
|
·
|
Ratings assigned by Fitch Ratings articulate an opinion on discrete and specific areas of risk. The above list is not exhaustive, and is provided for the reader’s convenience.
|
|
|
·
|
Ratings assigned by Fitch Ratings articulate an opinion on discrete and specific areas of risk. The above list is not exhaustive, and is provided for the reader’s convenience.
|
APPENDIX B
PROXY VOTING POLICIES – BLACKROCK U.S. REGISTERED FUNDS
I. INTRODUCTION
The Trustees/Directors (“Directors”) of the BlackRock-Advised Funds (the “Funds”) have the responsibility for voting proxies relating to portfolio securities of the Funds, and have determined that it is in the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders to delegate that responsibility to BlackRock Advisors, LLC and its affiliated U.S. registered investment advisers (“BlackRock”), the investment adviser to the Funds, as part of BlackRock’s authority to manage, acquire and dispose of account assets. The Directors hereby direct BlackRock to vote such proxies in accordance with this Policy, and any proxy voting guidelines that the Adviser determines are appropriate and in the best interests of the Funds’ shareholders and which are consistent with the principles outlined in this Policy. Individual series of the Funds may be specifically excluded from this Policy by the Directors by virtue of the adoption of alternative proxy voting policy for such series. The Directors have authorized BlackRock to utilize unaffiliated third-parties as its agents to vote portfolio proxies in accordance with this Policy and to maintain records of such portfolio proxy voting.
Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 requires, among other things, that an investment adviser that exercises voting authority over clients’ proxy voting adopt policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the adviser votes proxies in the best interests of clients, discloses to its clients information about those policies and procedures and also discloses to clients how they may obtain information on how the adviser has voted their proxies.
BlackRock has adopted guidelines and procedures that are consistent with the principles of this Policy. BlackRock’s corporate governance committee structure (the “Committee”), oversees the proxy voting function on behalf of BlackRock and its clients, including the Funds. The Committee is comprised of senior members of BlackRock’s Portfolio Management and Administration Groups and is advised by BlackRock’s Legal and Compliance Department.
BlackRock votes (or refrains from voting) proxies for each Fund in a manner that BlackRock, in the exercise of its independent business judgment, concludes is in the best economic interests of such Fund. In some cases, BlackRock may determine that it is in the best economic interests of a Fund to refrain from exercising the Fund’s proxy voting rights (such as, for example, proxies on certain non-U.S. securities that might impose costly or time-consuming in-person voting requirements). With regard to the relationship between securities lending and proxy voting, BlackRock’s approach is also driven by our clients’ economic interests. The evaluation of the economic desirability of recalling loans involves balancing the revenue producing value of loans against the likely economic value of casting votes. Based on our evaluation of this relationship, BlackRock believes that the likely economic value of casting a vote generally is less than the securities lending income, either because the votes will not have significant economic consequences or because the outcome of the vote would not be affected by BlackRock recalling loaned securities in order to ensure they are voted. Periodically, BlackRock analyzes the process and benefits of voting proxies for securities on loan, and will consider whether any modification of its proxy voting policies or procedures are necessary in light of any regulatory changes.
BlackRock will normally vote on specific proxy issues in accordance with BlackRock’s proxy voting guidelines. BlackRock’s proxy voting guidelines provide detailed guidance as to how to vote proxies on certain important or commonly raised issues. BlackRock may, in the exercise of its business judgment, conclude that the proxy voting guidelines do not cover the specific matter upon which a proxy vote is requested, or that an exception to the proxy voting guidelines would be in the best economic interests of a Fund. BlackRock votes (or refrains from voting) proxies without regard to the relationship of the issuer of the proxy (or any shareholder of such issuer) to the Fund, the Fund’s affiliates (if any), BlackRock or BlackRock’s affiliates. When voting proxies, BlackRock attempts to encourage companies to follow
practices that enhance shareholder value and increase transparency and allow the market to place a proper value on their assets.
II. PROXY VOTING POLICIES
A. Boards of Directors
The Funds generally support the board’s nominees in the election of directors and generally support proposals that strengthen the independence of boards of directors. As a general matter, the Funds believe that a company’s board of directors (rather than shareholders) is most likely to have access to important, nonpublic information regarding a company’s business and prospects, and is therefore best-positioned to set corporate policy and oversee management. The Funds therefore believe that the foundation of good corporate governance is the election of responsible, qualified, independent corporate directors who are likely to diligently represent the interests of shareholders and oversee management of the corporation in a manner that will seek to maximize shareholder value over time. In individual cases, consideration may be given to a director nominee’s history of representing shareholder interests as a director of the company issuing the proxy or other companies, or other factors to the extent deemed relevant by the Committee.
B. Auditors
These proposals concern those issues submitted to shareholders related to the selection of auditors. As a general matter, the Funds believe that corporate auditors have a responsibility to represent the interests of shareholders and provide an independent view on the propriety of financial reporting decisions of corporate management. While the Funds anticipate that BlackRock will generally defer to a corporation’s choice of auditor, in individual cases, consideration may be given to an auditors’ history of representing shareholder interests as auditor of the company issuing the proxy or other companies, to the extent deemed relevant.
C. Compensation and Benefits
These proposals concern those issues submitted to shareholders related to management compensation and employee benefits. As a general matter, the Funds favor disclosure of a company’s compensation and benefit policies and oppose excessive compensation, but believe that compensation matters are normally best determined by a corporation’s board of directors, rather than shareholders. Proposals to “micro-manage” a company’s compensation practices or to set arbitrary restrictions on compensation or benefits should therefore generally not be supported.
D. Capital Structure
These proposals relate to various requests, principally from management, for approval of amendments that would alter the capital structure of a company, such as an increase in authorized shares. As a general matter, the Funds expect that BlackRock will support requests that it believes enhance the rights of common shareholders and oppose requests that appear to be unreasonably dilutive.
E. Corporate Charter and By-Laws
These proposals relate to various requests for approval of amendments to a corporation’s charter or by-laws. As a general matter, the Funds generally vote against anti-takeover proposals and proposals that would create additional barriers or costs to corporate transactions that are likely to deliver a premium to shareholders.
F. Environmental and Social Issues
These are shareholder proposals addressing either corporate social and environmental policies or requesting specific reporting on these issues. The Funds generally do not support proposals on social issues that lack a demonstrable economic benefit to the issuer and the Fund investing in such issuer. BlackRock seeks to make proxy voting decisions in the manner most likely to protect and promote the long-term economic value of the securities held in client accounts. We intend to support economically advantageous corporate practices while leaving direct oversight of company management and strategy to boards of directors. We
seek to avoid micromanagement of companies, as we believe that a company’s board of directors is best positioned to represent shareholders and oversee management on shareholders behalf. Issues of corporate social and environmental responsibility are evaluated on a case-by-case basis within this framework.
III. CONFLICTS MANAGEMENT
BlackRock maintains policies and procedures that are designed to prevent any relationship between the issuer of the proxy (or any shareholder of the issuer) and a Fund, a Fund’s affiliates (if any), BlackRock or BlackRock’s affiliates, from having undue influence on BlackRock’s proxy voting activity. In certain instances, BlackRock may determine to engage an independent fiduciary to vote proxies as a further safeguard against potential conflicts of interest or as otherwise required by applicable law. The independent fiduciary may either vote such proxies or provide BlackRock with instructions as to how to vote such proxies. In the latter case, BlackRock votes the proxy in accordance with the independent fiduciary’s determination.
IV. REPORTS TO THE BOARD
BlackRock will report to the Directors on proxy votes it has made on behalf of the Funds at least annually.
PART C
Other Information
Item 25. Financial Statements And Exhibits
The agreements included or incorporated by reference as exhibits to this registration statement contain representations and warranties by each of the parties to the applicable agreement. These representations and warranties were made solely for the benefit of the other parties to the applicable agreement and (i) were not intended to be treated as categorical statements of fact, but rather as a way of allocating the risk to one of the parties if those statements prove to be inaccurate; (ii) may have been qualified in such agreement by disclosures that were made to the other party in connection with the negotiation of the applicable agreement; (iii) may apply contract standards of “materiality” that are different from “materiality” under the applicable securities laws; and (iv) were made only as of the date of the applicable agreement or such other date or dates as may be specified in the agreement.
The Registrant acknowledges that, notwithstanding the inclusion of the foregoing cautionary statements, it is responsible for considering whether additional specific disclosures of material information regarding material contractual provisions are required to make the statements in this registration statement not misleading.
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(1)
|
Financial Statements
|
|
|
Part A: None
|
||
|
Part B:
|
||
|
Audited Financial Statements – to be included in SAI
|
||
|
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm – to be included in SAI
|
||
|
(2)
|
Exhibits
|
|
|
(a)
|
Agreement and Declaration of Trust – filed herewith
|
|
|
(b)
|
Bylaws – filed herewith
|
|
|
(c)
|
Inapplicable
|
|
|
(d)
|
Inapplicable
|
|
|
(e)
|
Form of Automatic Dividend Reinvestment Plan (1)
|
|
|
(f)
|
Inapplicable
|
|
|
(g)
|
Form of Investment Management Agreement (1)
|
|
|
(h)(1)
|
Form of Underwriting Agreement (1)
|
|
|
(2)
|
Form of Master Agreement Among Underwriters (1)
|
|
|
(3)
|
Form of Master Selected Dealers Agreement (1)
|
|
|
(4)
|
Form of Structuring Fee Agreement (1)
|
|
|
(5)
|
Form of Syndication Fee Agreement (1)
|
|
|
(i)
|
BlackRock Closed-End Funds Amended and Restated Deferred Compensation Plan (1)
|
|
|
(j)
|
Form of Custody Agreement (1)
|
|
|
(k)(1)
|
Form of Transfer Agency and Service Agreement (1)
|
|
|
(2)
|
Form of Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (1)
|
|
|
(3)
|
Form of Name Licensing Agreement (1)
|
|
|
(4)
|
Form of Securities Lending Agreement (1)
|
|
|
(l)
|
Opinion and Consent of Counsel to the Registrant (1)
|
|
|
(m)
|
Inapplicable
|
|
|
(n)
|
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm Consent (1)
|
|
|
(o)
|
Inapplicable
|
|
|
(p)
|
Form of Initial Subscription Agreement (1)
|
|
|
(q)
|
Inapplicable
|
|
|
(r)(1)
|
Code of Ethics of the Registrant (1)
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|
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(2)
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Code of Ethics of the Advisor (1)
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(s)
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Power of Attorney (1)
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_______________
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(1)
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To be filed by pre-effective amendment.
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Item 26. Marketing Arrangements
See the Form of Underwriting Agreement, the Form of Master Agreement Among Underwriters, the Form of Master Selected Dealers Agreement, the Form of Structuring Fee Agreement and the Form of Syndication Fee Agreement to be filed by pre-effective amendment as Exhibit (h)(1), Exhibit (h)(2), Exhibit (h)(3), Exhibit (h)(4) and Exhibit (h)(5), respectively, to this Registration Statement.
Item 27. Other Expenses Of Issuance And Distribution
The following table sets forth the estimated expenses to be incurred in connection with the offering described in this registration statement:
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Registration fee
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$
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NYSE listing fee
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Printing (other than certificates)
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Engraving and printing certificates
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Accounting fees and expenses
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Legal fees and expenses
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FINRA fee
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Miscellaneous
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Total
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$
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Item 28. Persons Controlled By Or Under Common Control With The Registrant
None.
Item 29. Number Of Holders Of Shares
As of , 2014:
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Title Of Class
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Number Of Record Holders
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Shares of Beneficial Interest
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Item 30. Indemnification
Article V of the Registrant’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust provides as follows:
5.1
No Personal Liability of Shareholders, Trustees, etc
.
No Shareholder of the Trust shall be subject in such capacity to any personal liability whatsoever to any Person in connection with Trust Property or the acts, obligations or affairs of the Trust. Shareholders shall have the same limitation of personal liability as is extended to stockholders of a private corporation for profit incorporated under the Delaware General Corporation Law. No Trustee or officer of the Trust shall be subject in such capacity to any personal liability whatsoever to any Person, save only liability to the Trust or its Shareholders arising from bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard for his duty to such Person; and, subject to the foregoing exception, all such Persons shall look solely to the Trust Property for satisfaction of claims of any nature arising in connection with the affairs of the Trust. If any Shareholder, Trustee or officer, as such, of the Trust, is made a party to any suit or proceeding to enforce any such liability, subject to the foregoing exception, he shall not, on account thereof, be held to any personal liability. Any repeal or modification of this Section 5.1 shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a Trustee or officer of the Trust existing at the time of such repeal or modification with respect to acts or omissions occurring prior to such repeal or modification.
5.2
Mandatory Indemnification
.
(a)
The Trust hereby agrees to indemnify each person who at any time serves as a Trustee or officer of the Trust (each such person being an “indemnitee”) against any liabilities and expenses, including amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines and penalties, and reasonable counsel fees reasonably incurred by such indemnitee in connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court or administrative or investigative body in which he may be or may have been involved as a party or otherwise or with which he may be or may have been threatened, while acting in any capacity set forth in this Article V by reason of his having acted in any such capacity, except with respect to any matter as to which he shall not have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the Trust or, in the case of any criminal proceeding, as to which he shall have had reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful, provided, however, that no indemnitee shall be indemnified hereunder against any liability to any person or any expense of such indemnitee arising by reason of (i) willful misfeasance, (ii) bad faith, (iii) gross negligence, or (iv) reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his position (the conduct referred to in such clauses (i) through (iv) being sometimes referred to herein as
“disabling conduct”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any action, suit or other proceeding voluntarily prosecuted by any indemnitee as plaintiff, indemnification shall be mandatory only if the prosecution of such action, suit or other proceeding by such indemnitee (1) was authorized by a majority of the Trustees or (2) was instituted by the indemnitee to enforce his or her rights to indemnification hereunder in a case in which the indemnitee is found to be entitled to such indemnification. The rights to indemnification set forth in this Declaration shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a Trustee or officer of the Trust and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives. No amendment or restatement of this Declaration or repeal of any of its provisions shall limit or eliminate any of the benefits provided to any person who at any time is or was a Trustee or officer of the Trust or otherwise entitled to indemnification hereunder in respect of any act or omission that occurred prior to such amendment, restatement or repeal.
(b)
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no indemnification shall be made hereunder unless there has been a determination (i) by a final decision on the merits by a court or other body of competent jurisdiction before whom the issue of entitlement to indemnification hereunder was brought that such indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder or, (ii) in the absence of such a decision, by (1) a majority vote of a quorum of those Trustees who are neither ‘‘interested persons’’ of the Trust (as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act) nor parties to the proceeding (‘‘Disinterested Non-Party Trustees’’), that the indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder, or (2) if such quorum is not obtainable or even if obtainable, if such majority so directs, independent legal counsel in a written opinion concludes that the indemnitee should be entitled to indemnification hereunder. All determinations to make advance payments in connection with the expense of defending any proceeding shall be authorized and made in accordance with the immediately succeeding paragraph (c) below.
(c)
The Trust shall make advance payments in connection with the expenses of defending any action with respect to which indemnification might be sought hereunder if the Trust receives a written affirmation by the indemnitee of the indemnitee’s good faith belief that the standards of conduct necessary for indemnification have been met and a written undertaking to reimburse the Trust unless it is subsequently determined that the indemnitee is entitled to such indemnification and if a majority of the Trustees determine that the applicable standards of conduct necessary for indemnification appear to have been met. In addition, at least one of the following conditions must be met: (i) the indemnitee shall provide adequate security for his undertaking, (ii) the Trust shall be insured against losses arising by reason of any lawful advances, or (iii) a majority of a quorum of the Disinterested Non-Party Trustees, or if a majority vote of such quorum so direct, independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall conclude, based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that there is substantial reason to believe that the indemnitee ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.
(d)
The rights accruing to any indemnitee under these provisions shall not exclude any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under this Declaration, the By-Laws of the Trust, any statute, agreement, vote of stockholders or Trustees who are ‘‘disinterested persons’’ (as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act) or any other right to which he or she may be lawfully entitled.
(e)
Subject to any limitations provided by the 1940 Act and this Declaration, the Trust shall have the power and authority to indemnify and provide for the advance payment of expenses to employees, agents and other Persons providing services to the Trust or serving in any capacity at the request of the Trust to the full extent corporations organized under the Delaware General Corporation Law may indemnify or provide for the advance payment of expenses for such Persons, provided that such indemnification has been approved by a majority of the Trustees.
5.3
No Bond Required of Trustees
.
No Trustee shall, as such, be obligated to give any bond or other security for the performance of any of his duties hereunder.
5.4
No Duty of Investigation; No Notice in Trust Instruments, etc
.
No purchaser, lender, transfer agent or other person dealing with the Trustees or with any officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction purporting to be made by the Trustees or by said officer, employee or agent or be liable for the application of money or property paid, loaned, or delivered to or on the order of the Trustees or of said officer, employee or agent. Every obligation, contract, undertaking, instrument, certificate, Share, other security of the Trust, and every other act or thing whatsoever executed in connection with the Trust shall be conclusively taken to have been executed or done by the executors thereof only in their capacity as Trustees under this Declaration or in their capacity as officers, employees or agents of the Trust. The Trustees may maintain
insurance for the protection of the Trust Property, the Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees and agents in such amount as the Trustees shall deem adequate to cover possible tort liability, and such other insurance as the Trustees in their sole judgment shall deem advisable or is required by the 1940 Act.
5.5
Reliance on Experts, etc
.
Each Trustee and officer or employee of the Trust shall, in the performance of its duties, be fully and completely justified and protected with regard to any act or any failure to act resulting from reliance in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Trust, upon an opinion of counsel, or upon reports made to the Trust by any of the Trust’s officers or employees or by any advisor, administrator, manager, distributor, selected dealer, accountant, appraiser or other expert or consultant selected with reasonable care by the Trustees, officers or employees of the Trust, regardless of whether such counsel or expert may also be a Trustee.
Registrant has also entered into an agreement with Trustees and officers of the Registrant entitled to indemnification under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust pursuant to which the Registrant has agreed to advance expenses and costs incurred by the indemnitee in connection with any matter in respect of which indemnification might be sought pursuant to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust to the maximum extent permitted by law.
Reference is also made to:
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·
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Sections and of the Registrant’s Investment Management Agreement, a form of which will be filed by pre-effective amendment as Exhibit (g)(1) to this Registration Statement
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·
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Section of the Underwriting Agreement, a form of which will be filed by pre-effective amendment as Exhibit (h)(1) to this Registration Statement.
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Additionally, the Registrant and the other funds in the BlackRock Closed-End Fund Complex jointly maintain, at their own expense, E&O/D&O insurance policies for the benefit of its Trustees, officers and certain affiliated persons. The Registrant pays a pro rata portion of the premium on such insurance policies.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to Directors, officers and controlling persons of the Trust, pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the Trust has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a Director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such Director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Item 31. Business And Other Connections Of Investment Advisor
BlackRock Advisors, LLC, a limited liability company organized under the laws of Delaware (the “Advisor”), acts as investment adviser to the Registrant. The Registrant is fulfilling the requirement of this Item 31 to provide a list of the officers and directors of the Advisor, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by the Advisor or those officers and directors during the past two years, by incorporating by reference the information contained in the Form ADV of the Advisor filed with the commission pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (Commission File No. 801-47710).
Item 32. Location Of Accounts And Records
The Registrant’s accounts, books and other documents are currently located at the offices of the Registrant, c/o BlackRock Advisors, LLC, 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19809 and at the offices of , the Registrant’s Custodian, at , and , the Registrant’s Transfer Agent, at , and , the Registrant’s administrator, at .
Item 33. Management Services
Not Applicable
Item 34. Undertakings
(1)
The Registrant hereby undertakes to suspend the offering of its units until it amends its prospectus if (a) subsequent to the effective date of its registration statement, the net asset value declines more than 10 percent from its net asset value as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or (b) the net asset value increases to an amount greater than its net proceeds as stated in the prospectus.
(2) Not applicable
(3) Not applicable
(4) Not applicable
(5) (a)
For the purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of a registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the form of prospectus filed by the Registrant under Rule 497(h) under the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of the Registration Statement as of the time it was declared effective.
(b)
For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of the securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(6)
The Registrant undertakes to send by first class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery within two business days of receipt of a written or oral request, any Statement of Additional Information constituting Part B of this Registration Statement.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, and State of New York, on the 15th day of August, 2014.
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BLACKROCK SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TRUST
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By:
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/s/ John Perlowski | ||
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John Perlowski
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Sole Initial Trustee, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated and on the 15th day of August, 2014.
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Signature
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Title
|
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| /s/ John Perlowski | ||
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John Perlowski
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Sole Initial Trustee
President
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Financial Officer
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EXHIBIT INDEX
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(a)
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Agreement and Declaration of Trust
|
|
(b)
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Bylaws
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