UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
FORM N-CSR
CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES
Investment Company Act file number811-04367
Columbia Funds Series Trust I
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
290 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
Daniel J. Beckman
c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC
290 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
Ryan C. Larrenaga, Esq.
c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC
290 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
(Name and address of agent for service)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (800) 345-6611
Date of fiscal year end: July 31
Date of reporting period: July 31, 2022
Form N-CSR is to be used by management investment companies to file reports with the Commission not later than 10 days after the transmission to stockholders of any report that is required to be transmitted to stockholders under Rule 30e-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30e-1). The Commission may use the information provided on Form N-CSR in its regulatory, disclosure review, inspection, and policymaking roles.
A registrant is required to disclose the information specified by Form N-CSR, and the Commission will make this information public. A registrant is not required to respond to the collection of information contained in Form N-CSR unless the Form displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget ("OMB") control number. Please direct comments concerning the accuracy of the information collection burden estimate and any suggestions for reducing the burden to Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. The OMB has reviewed this collection of information under the clearance requirements of 44 U.S.C. § 3507.
Item 1. Reports to Stockholders.
Columbia Large Cap
Growth Fund
Not FDIC or NCUA Insured •
No Financial Institution Guarantee • May Lose Value
Table of Contents
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If you elect to receive the
shareholder report for Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund (the Fund) in paper, mailed to you, the Fund mails one shareholder report to each shareholder address, unless such shareholder elects to receive shareholder
reports from the Fund electronically via e-mail or by having a paper notice mailed to you (Postcard Notice) that your Fund’s shareholder report is available at the Columbia funds’ website
(columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/). If you would like more than one report in paper to be mailed to you, or would like to elect to receive reports via e-mail or access them through Postcard Notice, please call
shareholder services at 800.345.6611 and additional reports will be sent to you.
Proxy voting policies and
procedures
The policy of the Board of Trustees
is to vote the proxies of the companies in which the Fund holds investments consistent with the procedures as stated in the Statement of Additional Information (SAI). You may obtain a copy of the SAI without charge by
calling 800.345.6611; contacting your financial intermediary; visiting columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/; or searching the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) at sec.gov. Information regarding
how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities is filed with the SEC by August 31st for the most recent 12-month period ending June 30th of that year, and is available without charge by visiting
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/, or searching the website of the SEC at sec.gov.
Quarterly schedule of
investments
The Fund files a complete schedule
of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-PORT. The Fund’s Form N-PORT filings are available on the SEC’s website at sec.gov. The Fund’s
complete schedule of portfolio holdings, as filed on Form N-PORT, is available on columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or can also be obtained without charge, upon request, by calling 800.345.6611.
Additional Fund information
For more information about the
Fund, please visit columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or call 800.345.6611. Customer Service Representatives are available to answer your questions Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Fund investment manager
Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (the
Investment Manager)
290 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
Fund distributor
Columbia Management Investment Distributors,
Inc.
290 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
Fund transfer agent
Columbia Management Investment Services Corp.
P.O. Box 219104
Kansas City, MO 64121-9104
Columbia Large Cap Growth
Fund | Annual Report 2022
Fund at a Glance
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
Investment objective
The Fund
seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Portfolio management
Melda Mergen, CFA, CAIA
Co-Portfolio Manager
Managed Fund since 2019
Tiffany Wade
Co-Portfolio Manager
Managed Fund since 2021
Morningstar style boxTM
The Morningstar Style Box is based on a fund’s portfolio holdings. For equity funds, the vertical axis shows the market capitalization of the stocks owned, and the horizontal axis shows
investment style (value, blend, or growth). Information shown is based on the most recent data provided by Morningstar.
© 2022 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved. The Morningstar information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or
distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information.
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 3 |
Fund at a Glance (continued)
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
Performance of a hypothetical $10,000 investment (July 31, 2012 — July 31, 2022)
The chart above shows the change in
value of a hypothetical $10,000 investment in Class A shares of Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund during the stated time period, and does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder may pay on Fund
distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares.
| 4 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Manager Discussion of Fund Performance
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
For the 12-month period that ended
July 31, 2022, Class A shares of Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund returned -17.35% excluding sales charges. The Fund underperformed its benchmark, the Russell 1000 Growth Index, which returned -11.93% for the same time
period.
Market overview
U.S. equities fell in 2022 from
record highs, ending three consecutive years of robust gains. Lingering Omicron-related worries were a headwind, as were fears around inflation, durability of growth and the end of more than a decade of easy monetary
policy coming from the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) and other global central banks. Volatility and risk-off sentiment spiked as investor concerns expanded to include ramifications of a prolonged Russia-Ukraine
conflict. Commodity prices surged, particularly for oil and wheat, as the conflict in eastern Europe escalated into war and further complicated global supply chains. Oil prices, which were already elevated on
supply-demand imbalances, shot through a decade-high of more than $120 per barrel before retreating somewhat.
Despite mostly resilient corporate
earnings reports, equities continued a choppy decline. The Fed raised interest rates by 25 basis points (bps) at its March 2022 meeting, 50 bps in May 2022, 75 bps in June 2022 and 75 bps in July 2022, ending at a
target rate of 2.25-2.50% by July 31, 2022. (A basis point is 1/100 of a percent.) Investor sentiment was dominated by an increasing focus on persistent inflation, the ongoing war in Ukraine, slowing economic growth
leading to a possible recession and continued supply-chain snarls.
The energy sector was the
strongest-performing sector in the benchmark during the period, delivering gains in excess of 68%. Consumer staples and utilities also ended the period with positive gains, though far smaller than that of the energy
sector. The communication services sector was the bottom-performing sector during the period, down more than 33%. The materials, consumer discretionary, health care, financials, information technology and industrials
sectors also ended the period in negative territory.
The Fund’s notable
detractors during the period
| · | The Fund’s underperformance relative to the benchmark during the period was driven by stock selection as well as sector allocation. |
| · | The largest area of relative outperformance came from the Fund’s selections within information technology. Notable individual detractors included PayPal Holdings, Inc., Apple, Inc. and Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. |
| ○ | Payments firm PayPal sold off in the first quarter of 2022, along with other high-growth names, as interest rates rose higher. Management provided more than one disappointing earnings outlook as the company struggled with execution issues and slowing e-commerce demand. We sold the shares during the year. |
| ○ | The Fund maintained a sizable weighting in technology giant Apple during the period, which delivered a strong gain for the Fund. The Fund’s position, however, was less than that of the benchmark, which maintained more than a 10% weighting in the stock, detracting from the Fund’s results relative to the benchmark. |
| ○ | An out-of-benchmark position in Fidelity National Information Services, detracted from relative results as the global payments provider reported disappointing results and increasing competition from new payments companies has led to a sentiment overhang on incumbent payment merchant acquiring companies. |
| · | The consumer discretionary space was another area in which stock selection drove relative underperformance. An underweighting in the strong performing stock of electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Motors, Inc. hurt from a relative perspective. Tesla has managed supply chain constraints better than most auto manufacturers and reported gross margins that were well above expectations. |
| ○ | Target Corp. also detracted from results. After several years of impressive execution the company is now dealing with changing consumer spending preferences and an excess of inventory which led the company to significantly reduce its margin and earnings outlook for the year. |
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 5 |
Manager Discussion of Fund Performance (continued)
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
| · | Within the communication services sector, online dating services company Match Group, Inc. was among the Fund’s top relative detractors during the period. Match suffered along with other high-growth stocks in the face of rising rates. The company also struggled with delayed reopening activity globally dampening demand for dating services and lower-than-expected revenue from its acquisition of Korea-based Hyperconnect due to product launch delays. |
| · | The Fund’s underweighted allocation to the consumer staples sector, which delivered positively for the benchmark during the period also hindered relative results. |
The Fund’s notable
contributors during the period
| · | Stock selection within the health care and financials sector contributed to Fund performance versus the benchmark during the period. |
| · | Within health care, the Fund generated strong gains from its holdings in Eli Lily & Co., Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Johnson & Johnson. |
| ○ | Pharmaceutical company Eli Lily was a leading contributor as the company’s diabetes drug Tirzepatide has shown positive indications as a weight loss drug. |
| ○ | Biotechnology company Vertex Pharmaceuticals outperformed. The company’s core cystic fibrosis drug continued to perform well and the company reported positive data points for several promising drugs in its pipeline. |
| ○ | An out-of-benchmark position in pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson fared well in the first quarter of 2022 as the market largely sold-off. The company is viewed as a relatively defensive name. |
| · | Within the financials sector, information technology industry-focused lender SVB Financial Group was a stand-out performer early in the reporting period for the Fund. The company benefited from the tailwind of rising interest rates. We sold the Fund’s position in the first half of the period. |
| · | Semiconductor manufacturer Broadcom Inc. within the information technology sector was a top contributor to Fund performance versus the benchmark, though most of its gains were early in the period. Shares of the chip maker have performed well on the strength of its networking and server storage segments. The company has also benefited from its announcement of its planned acquisition of VMware in one of the biggest tech deals on record. |
| · | Though overall the communications sector detracted slightly from relative results, within the sector, Electronic Arts Inc was a positive contributor. The company is viewed as relatively more defensive in negative economic environments. Further, the company continued to make good progress growing its live services offerings. |
| · | Not owning shares in streaming giant Netflix also benefited relative results. The company saw its stock plummet following its announcement of a sizable decrease in subscribers in the first quarter of 2022 to be followed by another decline in the second quarter of 2022. |
Market risk may affect a single issuer, sector of the economy, industry or the market as a whole. Growth securities, at times, may not perform as well as value securities or the stock market in general and may be out of favor with investors. Foreign investments subject the Fund to risks, including political, economic, market, social and others within a particular country, as well as to currency instabilities and less
stringent financial and accounting standards generally applicable to U.S. issuers. The Fund may invest significantly in issuers within a particular sector, which may be negatively affected by market, economic or other conditions, making the Fund more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in the sector. See the Fund’s
prospectus for more information on these and other risks.
The views expressed in this report
reflect the current views of the respective parties who contributed to this report. These views are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to
predict, so actual outcomes and results may differ significantly from the views expressed. These views are subject to change at any time based upon economic, market or other conditions and the respective parties
disclaim any responsibility to update such views. These views may not be relied on as investment advice and, because investment decisions for a Columbia fund are based on numerous factors, may not be relied on as an
indication of trading intent on behalf of any particular Columbia fund. References to specific securities should not be construed as a recommendation or investment advice.
| 6 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Understanding Your Fund’s
Expenses
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
As an investor, you incur two types
of costs. There are shareholder transaction costs, which generally include sales charges on purchases and may include redemption fees. There are also ongoing fund costs, which generally include management fees,
distribution and/or service fees, and other fund expenses. The following information is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to help you compare these costs with
the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.
Analyzing your Fund’s
expenses
To illustrate these ongoing
costs, we have provided examples and calculated the expenses paid by investors in each share class of the Fund during the period. The actual and hypothetical information in the table is based on an initial investment
of $1,000 at the beginning of the period indicated and held for the entire period. Expense information is calculated two ways and each method provides you with different information. The amount listed in the
“Actual” column is calculated using the Fund’s actual operating expenses and total return for the period. You may use the Actual information, together with the amount invested, to estimate the
expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the results by the expenses paid during the period under
the “Actual” column. The amount listed in the “Hypothetical” column assumes a 5% annual rate of return before expenses (which is not the Fund’s actual return) and then applies the
Fund’s actual expense ratio for the period to the hypothetical return. You should not use the hypothetical account values and expenses to estimate either your actual account balance at the end of the period or
the expenses you paid during the period. See “Compare with other funds” below for details on how to use the hypothetical data.
Compare with other funds
Since all mutual funds are
required to include the same hypothetical calculations about expenses in shareholder reports, you can use this information to compare the ongoing cost of investing in the Fund with other funds. To do so, compare the
hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds. As you compare hypothetical examples of other funds, it is important to note that hypothetical examples are
meant to highlight the ongoing costs of investing in a fund only and do not reflect any transaction costs, such as sales charges, or redemption or exchange fees. Therefore, the hypothetical calculations are useful in
comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. If transaction costs were included in these calculations, your costs would be higher.
Expenses paid during the period
are equal to the annualized expense ratio for each class as indicated above, multiplied by the average account value over the period and then multiplied by the number of days in the Fund’s most recent fiscal
half year and divided by 365.
Expenses do not include fees and
expenses incurred indirectly by the Fund from its investment in underlying funds, including affiliated and non-affiliated pooled investment vehicles, such as mutual funds and exchange-traded funds.
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 7 |
Portfolio of Investments
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
(Percentages represent value of
investments compared to net assets)
Investments in securities
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 8 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
At July 31, 2022,
securities and/or cash totaling $814,146 were pledged as collateral.
| Long futures contracts | ||||||
| Description | Number of contracts | Expiration date | Trading currency | Notional amount | Value/Unrealized appreciation ($) | Value/Unrealized depreciation ($) |
| S&P 500 Index E-mini | 41 | 09/2022 | USD | 8,473,675 | 477,343 | — |
Notes to Portfolio of
Investments
| (a) | Non-income producing investment. |
| (b) | This security or a portion of this security has been pledged as collateral in connection with derivative contracts. |
| (c) | The rate shown is the seven-day current annualized yield at July 31, 2022. |
| (d) | As defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, an affiliated company is one in which the Fund owns 5% or more of the company’s outstanding voting securities, or a company which is under common ownership or control with the Fund. The value of the holdings and transactions in these affiliated companies during the year ended July 31, 2022 are as follows: |
| Affiliated issuers | Beginning of period($) | Purchases($) | Sales($) | Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)($) | End of period($) | Realized gain (loss)($) | Dividends($) | End of period shares |
| Columbia Short-Term Cash Fund, 1.712% | ||||||||
| 53,826,343 | 668,405,189 | (579,993,438) | 4,443 | 142,242,537 | (19,265) | 256,676 | 142,313,694 | |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 9 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Currency Legend
| USD | US Dollar |
Fair value measurements
The Fund categorizes its fair
value measurements according to a three-level hierarchy that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by prioritizing that the most observable input be used when available.
Observable inputs are those that market participants would use in pricing an investment based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs are those that reflect the
Fund’s assumptions about the information market participants would use in pricing an investment. An investment’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is
deemed significant to the asset’s or liability’s fair value measurement. The input levels are not necessarily an indication of the risk or liquidity associated with investments at that level. For example,
certain U.S. government securities are generally high quality and liquid, however, they are reflected as Level 2 because the inputs used to determine fair value may not always be quoted prices in an active market.
Fair value inputs are summarized in
the three broad levels listed below:
| ■ | Level 1 — Valuations based on quoted prices for investments in active markets that the Fund has the ability to access at the measurement date. Valuation adjustments are not applied to Level 1 investments. |
| ■ | Level 2 — Valuations based on other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risks, etc.). |
| ■ | Level 3 — Valuations based on significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions and judgment in determining the fair value of investments). |
Inputs that are used in determining
fair value of an investment may include price information, credit data, volatility statistics, and other factors. These inputs can be either observable or unobservable. The availability of observable inputs can vary
between investments, and is affected by various factors such as the type of investment, and the volume and level of activity for that investment or similar investments in the marketplace. The inputs will be considered
by the Investment Manager, along with any other relevant factors in the calculation of an investment’s fair value. The Fund uses prices and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, which may include
periods of market dislocations. During these periods, the availability of prices and inputs may be reduced for many investments. This condition could cause an investment to be reclassified between the various levels
within the hierarchy.
Investments falling into the Level 3
category are primarily supported by quoted prices from brokers and dealers participating in the market for those investments. However, these may be classified as Level 3 investments due to lack of market transparency
and corroboration to support these quoted prices. Additionally, valuation models may be used as the pricing source for any remaining investments classified as Level 3. These models may rely on one or more significant
unobservable inputs and/or significant assumptions by the Investment Manager. Inputs used in valuations may include, but are not limited to, financial statement analysis, capital account balances, discount rates and
estimated cash flows, and comparable company data.
Under the direction of the
Fund’s Board of Trustees (the Board), the Investment Manager’s Valuation Committee (the Committee) is responsible for overseeing the valuation procedures approved by the Board. The Committee consists of
voting and non-voting members from various groups within the Investment Manager’s organization, including operations and accounting, trading and investments, compliance, risk management and legal.
The Committee meets at least monthly
to review and approve valuation matters, which may include a description of specific valuation determinations, data regarding pricing information received from approved pricing vendors and brokers and the results of
Board-approved valuation control policies and procedures (the Policies). The Policies address, among other things, instances when market quotations are or are not readily available, including recommendations of third
party pricing vendors and a determination of appropriate pricing methodologies; events that require specific valuation determinations and assessment of fair value techniques; securities with a potential for stale
pricing, including those that are illiquid, restricted, or in default; and the effectiveness of third party pricing vendors, including periodic reviews of vendors. The Committee meets more frequently, as needed, to
discuss additional valuation matters, which may include the need to review back-testing results, review time-sensitive information or approve related valuation actions. The Committee reports to the Board, with members
of the Committee meeting with the Board at each of its regularly scheduled meetings to discuss valuation matters and actions during the period, similar to those described earlier.
The following table is a summary of
the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments at July 31, 2022:
| Level 1 ($) | Level 2 ($) | Level 3 ($) | Total ($) | |
| Investments in Securities | ||||
| Common Stocks | ||||
| Communication Services | 425,529,512 | — | — | 425,529,512 |
| Consumer Discretionary | 726,494,257 | — | — | 726,494,257 |
| Consumer Staples | 169,694,245 | — | — | 169,694,245 |
| Energy | 55,836,794 | — | — | 55,836,794 |
| Financials | 73,384,879 | — | — | 73,384,879 |
| Health Care | 553,674,460 | — | — | 553,674,460 |
| Industrials | 357,484,558 | — | — | 357,484,558 |
| Information Technology | 1,824,865,245 | — | — | 1,824,865,245 |
| Real Estate | 54,438,283 | — | — | 54,438,283 |
| Total Common Stocks | 4,241,402,233 | — | — | 4,241,402,233 |
| Money Market Funds | 142,242,537 | — | — | 142,242,537 |
| Total Investments in Securities | 4,383,644,770 | — | — | 4,383,644,770 |
| Investments in Derivatives | ||||
| Asset | ||||
| Futures Contracts | 477,343 | — | — | 477,343 |
| Total | 4,384,122,113 | — | — | 4,384,122,113 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| 10 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Fair value measurements (continued)
See the Portfolio of Investments for all investment classifications not indicated in the table.
See the Portfolio of Investments for all investment classifications not indicated in the table.
Derivative instruments are valued at
unrealized appreciation (depreciation).
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 11 |
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
| Assets | |
| Investments in securities, at value | |
| Unaffiliated issuers (cost $2,147,695,563) | $4,241,402,233 |
| Affiliated issuers (cost $142,239,058) | 142,242,537 |
| Receivable for: | |
| Capital shares sold | 1,179,409 |
| Dividends | 629,048 |
| Interfund lending | 900,000 |
| Variation margin for futures contracts | 123,000 |
| Prepaid expenses | 50,222 |
| Trustees’ deferred compensation plan | 382,321 |
| Total assets | 4,386,908,770 |
| Liabilities | |
| Payable for: | |
| Capital shares purchased | 2,708,584 |
| Management services fees | 76,544 |
| Distribution and/or service fees | 17,923 |
| Transfer agent fees | 203,740 |
| Compensation of board members | 41,787 |
| Other expenses | 92,188 |
| Trustees’ deferred compensation plan | 382,321 |
| Total liabilities | 3,523,087 |
| Net assets applicable to outstanding capital stock | $4,383,385,683 |
| Represented by | |
| Paid in capital | 2,351,628,543 |
| Total distributable earnings (loss) | 2,031,757,140 |
| Total - representing net assets applicable to outstanding capital stock | $4,383,385,683 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| 12 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Statement of Assets and Liabilities (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
| Class A | |
| Net assets | $2,203,136,691 |
| Shares outstanding | 46,292,390 |
| Net asset value per share | $47.59 |
| Maximum sales charge | 5.75% |
| Maximum offering price per share (calculated by dividing the net asset value per share by 1.0 minus the maximum sales charge for Class A shares) | $50.49 |
| Advisor Class | |
| Net assets | $17,602,579 |
| Shares outstanding | 337,228 |
| Net asset value per share | $52.20 |
| Class C | |
| Net assets | $44,314,468 |
| Shares outstanding | 1,254,463 |
| Net asset value per share | $35.33 |
| Class E | |
| Net assets | $15,022,236 |
| Shares outstanding | 319,555 |
| Net asset value per share | $47.01 |
| Maximum sales charge | 4.50% |
| Maximum offering price per share (calculated by dividing the net asset value per share by 1.0 minus the maximum sales charge for Class E shares) | $49.23 |
| Institutional Class | |
| Net assets | $1,066,893,655 |
| Shares outstanding | 21,068,281 |
| Net asset value per share | $50.64 |
| Institutional 2 Class | |
| Net assets | $83,838,022 |
| Shares outstanding | 1,651,958 |
| Net asset value per share | $50.75 |
| Institutional 3 Class | |
| Net assets | $704,376,824 |
| Shares outstanding | 13,808,889 |
| Net asset value per share | $51.01 |
| Class R | |
| Net assets | $8,043,074 |
| Shares outstanding | 172,534 |
| Net asset value per share | $46.62 |
| Class V | |
| Net assets | $240,158,134 |
| Shares outstanding | 5,111,825 |
| Net asset value per share | $46.98 |
| Maximum sales charge | 5.75% |
| Maximum offering price per share (calculated by dividing the net asset value per share by 1.0 minus the maximum sales charge for Class V shares) | $49.85 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 13 |
Statement of Operations
Year Ended July 31, 2022
Year Ended July 31, 2022
| Net investment income | |
| Income: | |
| Dividends — unaffiliated issuers | $38,332,261 |
| Dividends — affiliated issuers | 256,676 |
| Interfund lending | 519 |
| Foreign taxes withheld | (26,240) |
| Total income | 38,563,216 |
| Expenses: | |
| Management services fees | 32,952,655 |
| Distribution and/or service fees | |
| Class A | 6,534,287 |
| Class C | 658,348 |
| Class E | 63,370 |
| Class R | 46,578 |
| Class V | 700,906 |
| Transfer agent fees | |
| Class A | 2,029,055 |
| Advisor Class | 20,030 |
| Class C | 50,765 |
| Class E | 50,812 |
| Institutional Class | 968,541 |
| Institutional 2 Class | 54,883 |
| Institutional 3 Class | 42,334 |
| Class R | 7,232 |
| Class V | 217,761 |
| Compensation of board members | 73,653 |
| Custodian fees | 28,923 |
| Printing and postage fees | 170,799 |
| Registration fees | 189,668 |
| Audit fees | 32,760 |
| Legal fees | 63,192 |
| Interest on collateral | 1,061 |
| Compensation of chief compliance officer | 1,482 |
| Other | 79,939 |
| Total expenses | 45,039,034 |
| Expense reduction | (9,062) |
| Total net expenses | 45,029,972 |
| Net investment loss | (6,466,756) |
| Realized and unrealized gain (loss) — net | |
| Net realized gain (loss) on: | |
| Investments — unaffiliated issuers | 114,779,920 |
| Investments — affiliated issuers | (19,265) |
| Foreign currency translations | (61) |
| Futures contracts | (7,044,891) |
| Net realized gain | 107,715,703 |
| Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on: | |
| Investments — unaffiliated issuers | (1,031,455,213) |
| Investments — affiliated issuers | 4,443 |
| Futures contracts | (620,161) |
| Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) | (1,032,070,931) |
| Net realized and unrealized loss | (924,355,228) |
| Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations | $(930,821,984) |
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 14 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
| Year Ended July 31, 2022 | Year Ended July 31, 2021 | |
| Operations | ||
| Net investment loss | $(6,466,756) | $(5,476,420) |
| Net realized gain | 107,715,703 | 566,809,565 |
| Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) | (1,032,070,931) | 1,069,452,837 |
| Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | (930,821,984) | 1,630,785,982 |
| Distributions to shareholders | ||
| Net investment income and net realized gains | ||
| Class A | (244,133,175) | (286,697,027) |
| Advisor Class | (2,720,087) | (1,594,971) |
| Class C | (7,868,155) | (13,498,493) |
| Class E | (1,646,962) | (2,128,937) |
| Institutional Class | (112,671,169) | (131,489,967) |
| Institutional 2 Class | (8,905,905) | (2,328,003) |
| Institutional 3 Class | (69,227,245) | (63,006,305) |
| Class R | (875,965) | (1,425,169) |
| Class V | (26,358,603) | (30,981,331) |
| Total distributions to shareholders | (474,407,266) | (533,150,203) |
| Increase in net assets from capital stock activity | 99,431,405 | 365,711,826 |
| Total increase (decrease) in net assets | (1,305,797,845) | 1,463,347,605 |
| Net assets at beginning of year | 5,689,183,528 | 4,225,835,923 |
| Net assets at end of year | $4,383,385,683 | $5,689,183,528 |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 15 |
Statement of Changes in Net Assets (continued)
| Year Ended | Year Ended | |||
| July 31, 2022 | July 31, 2021 | |||
| Shares | Dollars ($) | Shares | Dollars ($) | |
| Capital stock activity | ||||
| Class A | ||||
| Subscriptions | 1,281,703 | 71,064,106 | 1,692,261 | 92,180,209 |
| Distributions reinvested | 3,855,701 | 235,930,336 | 5,459,391 | 276,791,144 |
| Redemptions | (5,133,783) | (283,380,156) | (5,058,719) | (274,713,720) |
| Net increase | 3,621 | 23,614,286 | 2,092,933 | 94,257,633 |
| Advisor Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 275,762 | 18,054,519 | 119,324 | 7,179,335 |
| Distributions reinvested | 37,295 | 2,498,765 | 24,561 | 1,353,575 |
| Redemptions | (280,142) | (16,225,069) | (57,075) | (3,289,468) |
| Net increase | 32,915 | 4,328,215 | 86,810 | 5,243,442 |
| Class C | ||||
| Subscriptions | 183,635 | 7,860,947 | 232,886 | 9,800,732 |
| Distributions reinvested | 168,255 | 7,677,476 | 339,260 | 13,163,270 |
| Redemptions | (805,442) | (33,037,725) | (1,003,644) | (42,194,435) |
| Net decrease | (453,552) | (17,499,302) | (431,498) | (19,230,433) |
| Class E | ||||
| Subscriptions | 2,538 | 138,782 | 230 | 10,962 |
| Distributions reinvested | 27,191 | 1,646,962 | 42,367 | 2,128,937 |
| Redemptions | (38,887) | (2,152,800) | (54,829) | (2,953,716) |
| Net decrease | (9,158) | (367,056) | (12,232) | (813,817) |
| Institutional Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 1,424,087 | 84,807,393 | 1,241,974 | 71,615,653 |
| Distributions reinvested | 1,613,140 | 104,854,093 | 2,277,626 | 122,057,961 |
| Redemptions | (2,479,529) | (144,313,236) | (2,869,901) | (163,390,306) |
| Net increase | 557,698 | 45,348,250 | 649,699 | 30,283,308 |
| Institutional 2 Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 248,736 | 15,191,996 | 1,359,264 | 87,695,216 |
| Distributions reinvested | 136,672 | 8,901,412 | 43,360 | 2,328,003 |
| Redemptions | (359,667) | (21,334,730) | (110,786) | (6,394,925) |
| Net increase | 25,741 | 2,758,678 | 1,291,838 | 83,628,294 |
| Institutional 3 Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 1,793,471 | 99,804,051 | 6,124,493 | 331,787,174 |
| Distributions reinvested | 754,572 | 49,379,219 | 679,477 | 36,637,408 |
| Redemptions | (1,880,381) | (116,684,279) | (3,441,935) | (200,663,745) |
| Net increase | 667,662 | 32,498,991 | 3,362,035 | 167,760,837 |
| Class R | ||||
| Subscriptions | 36,034 | 2,024,734 | 71,838 | 3,791,386 |
| Distributions reinvested | 13,640 | 818,807 | 21,288 | 1,060,751 |
| Redemptions | (43,786) | (2,446,653) | (163,052) | (8,872,547) |
| Net increase (decrease) | 5,888 | 396,888 | (69,926) | (4,020,410) |
| Class V | ||||
| Subscriptions | 112,136 | 6,547,297 | 144,581 | 7,309,544 |
| Distributions reinvested | 325,429 | 19,655,902 | 457,788 | 22,935,181 |
| Redemptions | (320,901) | (17,850,744) | (404,125) | (21,641,753) |
| Net increase | 116,664 | 8,352,455 | 198,244 | 8,602,972 |
| Total net increase | 947,479 | 99,431,405 | 7,167,903 | 365,711,826 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| 16 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Financial Highlights
The following table is intended to
help you understand the Fund’s financial performance. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share of a class held for the periods shown. Per share net investment income (loss) amounts are
calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period. Total return assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions, if any. Total return does not reflect payment of sales charges, if any. Total
return and portfolio turnover are not annualized for periods of less than one year. The portfolio turnover rate is calculated without regard to purchase and sales transactions of short-term instruments and certain
derivatives, if any. If such transactions were included, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate may be higher.
| Net asset value, beginning of period | Net investment income (loss) | Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | Total from investment operations | Distributions from net investment income | Distributions from net realized gains | Total distributions to shareholders | |
| Class A | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $62.66 | (0.13) | (9.54) | (9.67) | — | (5.40) | (5.40) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $50.90 | (0.11) | 18.52 | 18.41 | (0.07) | (6.58) | (6.65) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $43.43 | (0.01) | 11.15 | 11.14 | — | (3.67) | (3.67) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $43.86 | (0.04) | 2.98 | 2.94 | — | (3.37) | (3.37) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $39.81 | (0.05) | 6.62 | 6.57 | — | (2.52) | (2.52) |
| Advisor Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $68.22 | 0.03 | (10.50) | (10.47) | — | (5.55) | (5.55) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $54.87 | 0.02 | 20.10 | 20.12 | (0.19) | (6.58) | (6.77) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $46.43 | 0.10 | 12.01 | 12.11 | — | (3.67) | (3.67) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $46.53 | 0.07 | 3.20 | 3.27 | — | (3.37) | (3.37) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $42.06 | 0.05 | 7.00 | 7.05 | (0.06) | (2.52) | (2.58) |
| Class C | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $47.73 | (0.41) | (7.05) | (7.46) | — | (4.94) | (4.94) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $40.39 | (0.39) | 14.31 | 13.92 | — | (6.58) | (6.58) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $35.43 | (0.27) | 8.90 | 8.63 | — | (3.67) | (3.67) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $36.70 | (0.29) | 2.39 | 2.10 | — | (3.37) | (3.37) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $33.95 | (0.30) | 5.57 | 5.27 | — | (2.52) | (2.52) |
| Class E | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $61.99 | (0.29) | (9.46) | (9.75) | — | (5.23) | (5.23) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $50.50 | (0.26) | 18.35 | 18.09 | (0.02) | (6.58) | (6.60) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $43.15 | (0.06) | 11.08 | 11.02 | — | (3.67) | (3.67) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $43.65 | (0.08) | 2.95 | 2.87 | — | (3.37) | (3.37) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $39.67 | (0.10) | 6.60 | 6.50 | — | (2.52) | (2.52) |
| Institutional Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $66.34 | 0.01 | (10.16) | (10.15) | — | (5.55) | (5.55) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $53.52 | 0.03 | 19.56 | 19.59 | (0.19) | (6.58) | (6.77) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $45.38 | 0.10 | 11.71 | 11.81 | — | (3.67) | (3.67) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $45.56 | 0.06 | 3.13 | 3.19 | — | (3.37) | (3.37) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $41.23 | 0.06 | 6.86 | 6.92 | (0.07) | (2.52) | (2.59) |
| Institutional 2 Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $66.47 | 0.02 | (10.18) | (10.16) | — | (5.56) | (5.56) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $53.62 | (0.00)(e) | 19.64 | 19.64 | (0.21) | (6.58) | (6.79) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $45.44 | 0.12 | 11.73 | 11.85 | — | (3.67) | (3.67) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $45.59 | 0.09 | 3.13 | 3.22 | — | (3.37) | (3.37) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $41.25 | 0.08 | 6.87 | 6.95 | (0.09) | (2.52) | (2.61) |
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 18 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Financial Highlights (continued)
| Net asset value, end of period | Total return | Total gross expense ratio to average net assets(a) | Total net expense ratio to average net assets(a),(b) | Net investment income (loss) ratio to average net assets | Portfolio turnover | Net assets, end of period (000’s) | |
| Class A | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $47.59 | (17.35%) | 0.98%(c) | 0.98%(c) | (0.23%) | 46% | $2,203,137 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $62.66 | 39.24% | 0.99%(c) | 0.99%(c),(d) | (0.21%) | 52% | $2,900,684 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $50.90 | 27.48% | 1.02% | 1.02%(d) | (0.03%) | 46% | $2,249,478 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $43.43 | 7.84% | 1.04% | 1.04% | (0.10%) | 35% | $1,932,367 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $43.86 | 17.26% | 1.05% | 1.05%(d) | (0.13%) | 32% | $1,976,097 |
| Advisor Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $52.20 | (17.15%) | 0.73%(c) | 0.73%(c) | 0.05% | 46% | $17,603 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $68.22 | 39.60% | 0.74%(c) | 0.74%(c),(d) | 0.03% | 52% | $20,760 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $54.87 | 27.81% | 0.77% | 0.77%(d) | 0.21% | 46% | $11,934 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $46.43 | 8.11% | 0.79% | 0.79% | 0.15% | 35% | $12,088 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $46.53 | 17.52% | 0.80% | 0.80%(d) | 0.12% | 32% | $14,629 |
| Class C | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $35.33 | (17.96%) | 1.73%(c) | 1.73%(c) | (0.96%) | 46% | $44,314 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $47.73 | 38.22% | 1.74%(c) | 1.74%(c),(d) | (0.93%) | 52% | $81,519 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $40.39 | 26.54% | 1.77% | 1.77%(d) | (0.78%) | 46% | $86,411 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $35.43 | 7.03% | 1.79% | 1.79% | (0.86%) | 35% | $78,293 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $36.70 | 16.37% | 1.80% | 1.80%(d) | (0.87%) | 32% | $75,872 |
| Class E | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $47.01 | (17.61%) | 1.28%(c) | 1.28%(c) | (0.53%) | 46% | $15,022 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $61.99 | 38.87% | 1.27%(c) | 1.26%(c),(d) | (0.48%) | 52% | $20,376 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $50.50 | 27.37% | 1.12% | 1.12%(d) | (0.13%) | 46% | $17,216 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $43.15 | 7.71% | 1.14% | 1.14% | (0.20%) | 35% | $15,875 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $43.65 | 17.14% | 1.15% | 1.15%(d) | (0.23%) | 32% | $16,877 |
| Institutional Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $50.64 | (17.15%) | 0.73%(c) | 0.73%(c) | 0.02% | 46% | $1,066,894 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $66.34 | 39.61% | 0.74%(c) | 0.74%(c),(d) | 0.04% | 52% | $1,360,640 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $53.52 | 27.79% | 0.77% | 0.77%(d) | 0.22% | 46% | $1,062,936 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $45.38 | 8.11% | 0.79% | 0.79% | 0.15% | 35% | $975,664 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $45.56 | 17.54% | 0.80% | 0.80%(d) | 0.13% | 32% | $996,845 |
| Institutional 2 Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $50.75 | (17.13%) | 0.71%(c) | 0.71%(c) | 0.04% | 46% | $83,838 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $66.47 | 39.63% | 0.72%(c) | 0.72%(c) | (0.00%)(e) | 52% | $108,093 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $53.62 | 27.84% | 0.73% | 0.73% | 0.26% | 46% | $17,929 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $45.44 | 8.17% | 0.74% | 0.74% | 0.20% | 35% | $13,783 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $45.59 | 17.63% | 0.73% | 0.73% | 0.19% | 32% | $12,715 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 19 |
Financial Highlights (continued)
| Net asset value, beginning of period | Net investment income (loss) | Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | Total from investment operations | Distributions from net investment income | Distributions from net realized gains | Total distributions to shareholders | |
| Institutional 3 Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $66.78 | 0.05 | (10.23) | (10.18) | — | (5.59) | (5.59) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $53.84 | 0.05 | 19.70 | 19.75 | (0.23) | (6.58) | (6.81) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $45.59 | 0.14 | 11.78 | 11.92 | — | (3.67) | (3.67) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $45.70 | 0.11 | 3.15 | 3.26 | — | (3.37) | (3.37) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $41.35 | 0.09 | 6.88 | 6.97 | (0.10) | (2.52) | (2.62) |
| Class R | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $61.49 | (0.26) | (9.36) | (9.62) | — | (5.25) | (5.25) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $50.11 | (0.23) | 18.19 | 17.96 | — | (6.58) | (6.58) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $42.92 | (0.12) | 10.98 | 10.86 | — | (3.67) | (3.67) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $43.49 | (0.14) | 2.94 | 2.80 | — | (3.37) | (3.37) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $39.59 | (0.14) | 6.56 | 6.42 | — | (2.52) | (2.52) |
| Class V | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $61.93 | (0.13) | (9.42) | (9.55) | — | (5.40) | (5.40) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $50.37 | (0.11) | 18.32 | 18.21 | (0.07) | (6.58) | (6.65) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $43.01 | (0.01) | 11.04 | 11.03 | — | (3.67) | (3.67) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $43.47 | (0.04) | 2.95 | 2.91 | — | (3.37) | (3.37) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $39.48 | (0.05) | 6.56 | 6.51 | — | (2.52) | (2.52) |
| Notes to Financial Highlights | |
| (a) | In addition to the fees and expenses that the Fund bears directly, the Fund indirectly bears a pro rata share of the fees and expenses of any other funds in which it invests. Such indirect expenses are not included in the Fund’s reported expense ratios. |
| (b) | Total net expenses include the impact of certain fee waivers/expense reimbursements made by the Investment Manager and certain of its affiliates, if applicable. |
| (c) | Ratios include interest on collateral expense which is less than 0.01%. |
| (d) | The benefits derived from expense reductions had an impact of less than 0.01%. |
| (e) | Rounds to zero. |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 20 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Financial Highlights (continued)
| Net asset value, end of period | Total return | Total gross expense ratio to average net assets(a) | Total net expense ratio to average net assets(a),(b) | Net investment income (loss) ratio to average net assets | Portfolio turnover | Net assets, end of period (000’s) | |
| Institutional 3 Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $51.01 | (17.09%) | 0.66%(c) | 0.66%(c) | 0.09% | 46% | $704,377 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $66.78 | 39.70% | 0.66%(c) | 0.66%(c) | 0.09% | 52% | $877,535 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $53.84 | 27.91% | 0.68% | 0.68% | 0.31% | 46% | $526,471 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $45.59 | 8.24% | 0.69% | 0.69% | 0.26% | 35% | $394,049 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $45.70 | 17.65% | 0.69% | 0.69% | 0.20% | 32% | $428,819 |
| Class R | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $46.62 | (17.56%) | 1.23%(c) | 1.23%(c) | (0.48%) | 46% | $8,043 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $61.49 | 38.92% | 1.24%(c) | 1.24%(c),(d) | (0.44%) | 52% | $10,247 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $50.11 | 27.14% | 1.27% | 1.27%(d) | (0.28%) | 46% | $11,856 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $42.92 | 7.57% | 1.29% | 1.29% | (0.35%) | 35% | $13,233 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $43.49 | 16.96% | 1.30% | 1.30%(d) | (0.35%) | 32% | $15,911 |
| Class V | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $46.98 | (17.36%) | 0.98%(c) | 0.98%(c) | (0.23%) | 46% | $240,158 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $61.93 | 39.26% | 0.99%(c) | 0.99%(c),(d) | (0.21%) | 52% | $309,330 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $50.37 | 27.49% | 1.02% | 1.02%(d) | (0.03%) | 46% | $241,606 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $43.01 | 7.84% | 1.04% | 1.04% | (0.11%) | 35% | $205,528 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $43.47 | 17.25% | 1.05% | 1.05%(d) | (0.13%) | 32% | $208,329 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 21 |
Notes to Financial Statements
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Note 1. Organization
Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund
(the Fund), a series of Columbia Funds Series Trust I (the Trust), is a diversified fund. The Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), as an open-end management
investment company organized as a Massachusetts business trust.
Fund shares
The Trust may issue an unlimited
number of shares (without par value). The Fund offers each of the share classes listed in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Although all share classes generally have identical voting, dividend and liquidation
rights, each share class votes separately when required by the Trust’s organizational documents or by law. Each share class has its own expense and sales charge structure. Different share classes may have
different minimum initial investment amounts and pay different net investment income distribution amounts to the extent the expenses of distributing such share classes vary. Distributions to shareholders in a
liquidation will be proportional to the net asset value of each share class.
As described in the Fund’s
prospectus, Class A and Class C shares are offered to the general public for investment. Class C shares automatically convert to Class A shares after 8 years. Advisor Class, Institutional Class, Institutional 2 Class,
Institutional 3 Class and Class R shares are available for purchase through authorized investment professionals to omnibus retirement plans or to institutional investors and to certain other investors as also
described in the Fund’s prospectus. Class E shares are trust shares which are held in an irrevocable trust until the specified trust termination date and are closed to new investors and new accounts. Class V
shares are available only to investors who received (and who continuously held) Class V shares in connection with previous fund reorganizations.
Note 2. Summary of
significant accounting policies
Basis of preparation
The Fund is an investment company
that applies the accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946, Financial Services - Investment Companies (ASC 946). The financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), which requires
management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the
reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
The following is a summary of
significant accounting policies followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements.
Security valuation
Equity securities listed on an
exchange are valued at the closing price or last trade price on their primary exchange at the close of business of the New York Stock Exchange. Securities with a closing price not readily available or not listed on
any exchange are valued at the mean between the closing bid and ask prices. Listed preferred stocks convertible into common stocks are valued using an evaluated price from a pricing service.
Foreign equity securities are
valued based on the closing price or last trade price on their primary exchange at the close of business of the New York Stock Exchange. If any foreign equity security closing prices are not readily available,
the securities are valued at the mean of the latest quoted bid and ask prices on such exchanges or markets. Foreign currency exchange rates are determined at the scheduled closing time of the New York Stock Exchange.
Many securities markets and exchanges outside the U.S. close prior to the close of the New York Stock Exchange; therefore, the closing prices for securities in such markets or on such exchanges may not fully reflect
events that occur after such close but before the close of the New York Stock Exchange. In those situations, foreign securities will be fair valued pursuant to a policy adopted by the Board of Trustees. Under the
policy, the Fund may utilize a third-party pricing service to determine these fair values. The third-party pricing service takes into account multiple factors, including, but not limited to, movements in the U.S.
securities markets, certain depositary receipts, futures contracts and foreign exchange rates that have occurred subsequent to the
| 22 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
close of the foreign exchange or market, to
determine a good faith estimate that reasonably reflects the current market conditions as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange. The fair value of a security is likely to be different from the quoted or
published price, if available.
Investments in open-end investment
companies (other than exchange-traded funds (ETFs)), are valued at the latest net asset value reported by those companies as of the valuation time.
Futures and options on futures
contracts are valued based upon the settlement price at the close of regular trading on their principal exchanges or, in the absence of a settlement price, at the mean of the latest quoted bid and ask prices.
Investments for which market
quotations are not readily available, or that have quotations which management believes are not reflective of market value or reliable, are valued at fair value as determined in good faith under procedures approved by
and under the general supervision of the Board of Trustees. If a security or class of securities (such as foreign securities) is valued at fair value, such value is likely to be different from the quoted or published
price for the security, if available.
The determination of fair value
often requires significant judgment. To determine fair value, management may use assumptions including but not limited to future cash flows and estimated risk premiums. Multiple inputs from various sources may be used
to determine fair value.
GAAP requires disclosure regarding
the inputs and valuation techniques used to measure fair value and any changes in valuation inputs or techniques. In addition, investments shall be disclosed by major category. This information is disclosed following
the Fund’s Portfolio of Investments.
Foreign currency transactions and
translations
The values of all assets and
liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are generally translated into U.S. dollars at exchange rates determined at the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Net realized and unrealized gains
(losses) on foreign currency transactions and translations include gains (losses) arising from the fluctuation in exchange rates between trade and settlement dates on securities transactions, gains (losses) arising
from the disposition of foreign currency and currency gains (losses) between the accrual and payment dates on dividends, interest income and foreign withholding taxes.
For financial statement purposes,
the Fund does not distinguish that portion of gains (losses) on investments which is due to changes in foreign exchange rates from that which is due to changes in market prices of the investments. Such fluctuations
are included with the net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments in the Statement of Operations.
Derivative instruments
The Fund invests in certain
derivative instruments, as detailed below, in seeking to meet its investment objectives. Derivatives are instruments whose values depend on, or are derived from, in whole or in part, the value of one or more
securities, currencies, commodities, indices, or other assets or instruments. Derivatives may be used to increase investment flexibility (including to maintain cash reserves while maintaining desired exposure to
certain assets), for risk management (hedging) purposes, to facilitate trading, to reduce transaction costs and to pursue higher investment returns. The Fund may also use derivative instruments to mitigate certain
investment risks, such as foreign currency exchange rate risk, interest rate risk and credit risk. Derivatives may involve various risks, including the potential inability of the counterparty to fulfill its
obligations under the terms of the contract, the potential for an illiquid secondary market (making it difficult for the Fund to sell or terminate, including at favorable prices) and the potential for market movements
which may expose the Fund to gains or losses in excess of the amount shown in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The notional amounts of derivative instruments, if applicable, are not recorded in the financial
statements.
A derivative instrument may suffer
a marked-to-market loss if the value of the contract decreases due to an unfavorable change in the market rates or values of the underlying instrument. Losses can also occur if the counterparty does not perform its
obligations under the contract. The Fund’s risk of loss from counterparty credit risk on over-the-counter derivatives is generally limited to the aggregate unrealized gain netted against any collateral held by
the Fund and the amount of any variation margin held by the counterparty, plus any replacement costs or related amounts. With exchange-traded or centrally cleared derivatives, there is reduced counterparty credit risk
to the Fund since the clearinghouse or central counterparty
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 23 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
(CCP) provides some protection in the case of
clearing member default. The clearinghouse or CCP stands between the buyer and the seller of the contract; therefore, failure of the clearinghouse or CCP may pose additional counterparty credit risk. However, credit
risk still exists in exchange-traded or centrally cleared derivatives with respect to initial and variation margin that is held in a broker’s customer account. While clearing brokers are required to segregate
customer margin from their own assets, in the event that a clearing broker becomes insolvent or goes into bankruptcy and at that time there is a shortfall in the aggregate amount of margin held by the clearing broker
for all its clients and such shortfall is remedied by the CCP or otherwise, U.S. bankruptcy laws will typically allocate that shortfall on a pro-rata basis across all the clearing broker’s customers (including
the Fund), potentially resulting in losses to the Fund.
In order to better define its
contractual rights and to secure rights that will help the Fund mitigate its counterparty risk, the Fund may enter into an International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. Master Agreement (ISDA Master Agreement)
or similar agreement with its derivatives counterparties. An ISDA Master Agreement is an agreement between the Fund and a counterparty that governs over-the-counter derivatives and foreign exchange forward contracts
and contains, among other things, collateral posting terms and netting provisions in the event of a default and/or termination event. Under an ISDA Master Agreement, the Fund may, under certain circumstances, offset
with the counterparty certain derivative instruments’ payables and/or receivables with collateral held and/or posted and create one single net payment. The provisions of the ISDA Master Agreement typically
permit a single net payment in the event of default (close-out netting), including the bankruptcy or insolvency of the counterparty. Note, however, that bankruptcy or insolvency laws of a particular jurisdiction may
impose restrictions on or prohibitions against the right of offset or netting in bankruptcy, insolvency or other events.
Collateral (margin) requirements
differ by type of derivative. Margin requirements are established by the clearinghouse or CCP for exchange-traded and centrally cleared derivatives. Brokers can ask for margin in excess of the minimum in certain
circumstances. Collateral terms for most over-the-counter derivatives are subject to regulatory requirements to exchange variation margin with trading counterparties and may have contract specific margin terms as
well. For over-the-counter derivatives traded under an ISDA Master Agreement, the collateral requirements are typically calculated by netting the marked-to-market amount for each transaction under such agreement and
comparing that amount to the value of any variation margin currently pledged by the Fund and/or the counterparty. Generally, the amount of collateral due from or to a party has to exceed a minimum transfer amount
threshold (e.g., $250,000) before a transfer has to be made. To the extent amounts due to the Fund from its counterparties are not fully collateralized, contractually or otherwise, the Fund bears the risk of loss from
counterparty nonperformance. The Fund may also pay interest expense on cash collateral received from the broker. Any interest expense paid by the Fund is shown in the Statement of Operations. The Fund attempts to
mitigate counterparty risk by only entering into agreements with counterparties that it believes have the financial resources to honor their obligations and by monitoring the financial stability of those
counterparties.
Certain ISDA Master Agreements
allow counterparties of over-the-counter derivatives transactions to terminate derivatives contracts prior to maturity in the event the Fund’s net asset value declines by a stated percentage over a specified
time period or if the Fund fails to meet certain terms of the ISDA Master Agreement, which would cause the Fund to accelerate payment of any net liability owed to the counterparty. The Fund also has termination
rights if the counterparty fails to meet certain terms of the ISDA Master Agreement. In determining whether to exercise such termination rights, the Fund would consider, in addition to counterparty credit risk,
whether termination would result in a net liability owed from the counterparty.
For financial reporting purposes,
the Fund does not offset derivative assets and derivative liabilities that are subject to netting arrangements in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Futures contracts
Futures contracts are
exchange-traded and represent commitments for the future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a specified date. The Fund bought and sold futures contracts to maintain appropriate equity market exposure
while keeping sufficient cash to accommodate daily redemptions. These instruments may be used for other purposes in future periods. Upon entering into futures contracts, the Fund bears risks that it may not achieve
the anticipated benefits of the futures contracts and may realize a loss. Additional risks include counterparty credit risk, the possibility of an illiquid market, and that a change in the value of the contract or
option may not correlate with changes in the value of the underlying asset.
| 24 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Upon entering into a futures
contract, the Fund deposits cash or securities with the broker, known as a futures commission merchant (FCM), in an amount sufficient to meet the initial margin requirement. The initial margin deposit must be
maintained at an established level over the life of the contract. Cash deposited as initial margin is recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as margin deposits. Securities deposited as initial margin are
designated in the Portfolio of Investments. Subsequent payments (variation margin) are made or received by the Fund each day. The variation margin payments are equal to the daily change in the contract value and are
recorded as variation margin receivable or payable and are offset in unrealized gains or losses. The Fund generally expects to earn interest income on its margin deposits. The Fund recognizes a realized gain or loss
when the contract is closed or expires. Futures contracts involve, to varying degrees, risk of loss in excess of the variation margin disclosed in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Effects of derivative transactions in
the financial statements
The following tables are intended
to provide additional information about the effect of derivatives on the financial statements of the Fund, including: the fair value of derivatives by risk category and the location of those fair values in the
Statement of Assets and Liabilities; and the impact of derivative transactions over the period in the Statement of Operations, including realized and unrealized gains (losses). The derivative instrument schedules
following the Portfolio of Investments present additional information regarding derivative instruments outstanding at the end of the period, if any.
The following table is a summary of
the fair value of derivative instruments (not considered to be hedging instruments for accounting disclosure purposes) at July 31, 2022:
| Asset derivatives | ||
| Risk exposure category | Statement of assets and liabilities location | Fair value ($) |
| Equity risk | Component of total distributable earnings (loss) — unrealized appreciation on futures contracts | 477,343* |
| * | Includes cumulative appreciation (depreciation) as reported in the tables following the Portfolio of Investments. Only the current day’s variation margin is reported in receivables or payables in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. |
The following table indicates the
effect of derivative instruments (not considered to be hedging instruments for accounting disclosure purposes) in the Statement of Operations for the year ended July 31, 2022:
The following table is a summary
of the average outstanding volume by derivative instrument for the year ended July 31, 2022:
| Derivative instrument | Average notional amounts ($)* |
| Futures contracts — long | 57,601,363 |
| * | Based on the ending quarterly outstanding amounts for the year ended July 31, 2022. |
Security transactions
Security transactions are accounted
for on the trade date. Cost is determined and gains (losses) are based upon the specific identification method for both financial statement and federal income tax purposes.
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 25 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Income recognition
Corporate actions and dividend
income are generally recorded net of any non-reclaimable tax withholdings, on the ex-dividend date or upon receipt of an ex-dividend notification in the case of certain foreign securities.
The Fund may receive distributions
from holdings in equity securities, business development companies (BDCs), exchange-traded funds (ETFs), limited partnerships (LPs), other regulated investment companies (RICs), and real estate investment trusts
(REITs), which report information as to the tax character of their distributions annually. These distributions are allocated to dividend income, capital gain and return of capital based on actual information reported.
Return of capital is recorded as a reduction of the cost basis of securities held. If the Fund no longer owns the applicable securities, return of capital is recorded as a realized gain. With respect to REITs, to the
extent actual information has not yet been reported, estimates for return of capital are made by Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (the Investment Manager), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise
Financial, Inc. (Ameriprise Financial). The Investment Manager’s estimates are subsequently adjusted when the actual character of the distributions is disclosed by the REITs, which could result in a
proportionate change in return of capital to shareholders.
Awards from class action litigation
are recorded as a reduction of cost basis if the Fund still owns the applicable securities on the payment date. If the Fund no longer owns the applicable securities on the payment date, the proceeds are recorded as
realized gains.
Expenses
General expenses of the Trust are
allocated to the Fund and other funds of the Trust based upon relative net assets or other expense allocation methodologies determined by the nature of the expense. Expenses directly attributable to the Fund are
charged to the Fund. Expenses directly attributable to a specific class of shares are charged to that share class.
Determination of class net asset
value
All income, expenses (other than
class-specific expenses, which are charged to that share class, as shown in the Statement of Operations) and realized and unrealized gains (losses) are allocated to each class of the Fund on a daily basis, based on
the relative net assets of each class, for purposes of determining the net asset value of each class.
Federal income tax status
The Fund intends to qualify each
year as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended, and will distribute substantially all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain, if any, for its
tax year, and as such will not be subject to federal income taxes. In addition, the Fund intends to distribute in each calendar year substantially all of its ordinary income, capital gain net income and certain other
amounts, if any, such that the Fund should not be subject to federal excise tax. Therefore, no federal income or excise tax provision is recorded.
Foreign taxes
The Fund may be subject to foreign
taxes on income, gains on investments or currency repatriation, a portion of which may be recoverable. The Fund will accrue such taxes and recoveries, as applicable, based upon its current interpretation of tax rules
and regulations that exist in the markets in which it invests.
Realized gains in certain countries
may be subject to foreign taxes at the Fund level, based on statutory rates. The Fund accrues for such foreign taxes on realized and unrealized gains at the appropriate rate for each jurisdiction, as applicable. The
amount, if any, is disclosed as a liability in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Distributions to shareholders
Distributions from net investment
income, if any, are declared and paid annually. Net realized capital gains, if any, are distributed at least annually. Income distributions and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with federal
income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP.
| 26 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Guarantees and indemnifications
Under the Trust’s
organizational documents and, in some cases, by contract, its officers and trustees are indemnified against certain liabilities arising out of the performance of their duties to the Trust or its funds. In addition,
certain of the Fund’s contracts with its service providers contain general indemnification clauses. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown since the amount of any future claims
that may be made against the Fund cannot be determined, and the Fund has no historical basis for predicting the likelihood of any such claims.
Note 3. Fees and other
transactions with affiliates
Management services fees
The Fund has entered into a
Management Agreement with Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (the Investment Manager), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (Ameriprise Financial). Under the Management Agreement, the
Investment Manager provides the Fund with investment research and advice, as well as administrative and accounting services. The management services fee is an annual fee that is equal to a percentage of the
Fund’s daily net assets that declines from 0.77% to 0.57% as the Fund’s net assets increase. The effective management services fee rate for the year ended July 31, 2022 was 0.64% of the Fund’s
average daily net assets.
Compensation of board members
Members of the Board of Trustees
who are not officers or employees of the Investment Manager or Ameriprise Financial are compensated for their services to the Fund as disclosed in the Statement of Operations. Under a Deferred Compensation Plan (the
Deferred Plan), these members of the Board of Trustees may elect to defer payment of up to 100% of their compensation. Deferred amounts are treated as though equivalent dollar amounts had been invested in shares of
certain funds managed by the Investment Manager. The Fund’s liability for these amounts is adjusted for market value changes and remains in the Fund until distributed in accordance with the Deferred Plan. All
amounts payable under the Deferred Plan constitute a general unsecured obligation of the Fund. The expense for the Deferred Plan, which includes Trustees’ fees deferred during the current period as well as any
gains or losses on the Trustees’ deferred compensation balances as a result of market fluctuations, is included in "Compensation of board members" in the Statement of Operations.
Compensation of Chief Compliance
Officer
The Board of Trustees has appointed
a Chief Compliance Officer for the Fund in accordance with federal securities regulations. As disclosed in the Statement of Operations, a portion of the Chief Compliance Officer’s total compensation is allocated
to the Fund, along with other allocations to affiliated registered investment companies managed by the Investment Manager and its affiliates, based on relative net assets.
Transfer agency fees
Under a Transfer and Dividend
Disbursing Agent Agreement, Columbia Management Investment Services Corp. (the Transfer Agent), an affiliate of the Investment Manager and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, is responsible for
providing transfer agency services to the Fund. The Transfer Agent has contracted with DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc. (DST) to serve as sub-transfer agent. The Transfer Agent pays the fees of DST for services as
sub-transfer agent and DST is not entitled to reimbursement for such fees from the Fund (with the exception of out-of-pocket fees).
The Fund pays the Transfer Agent a
monthly transfer agency fee based on the number or the average value of accounts, depending on the type of account. In addition, the Fund pays the Transfer Agent a fee for shareholder services based on the number of
accounts or on a percentage of the average aggregate value of the Fund’s shares maintained in omnibus accounts up to the lesser of the amount charged by the financial intermediary or a cap established by the
Board of Trustees from time to time.
The Transfer Agent also receives
compensation from the Fund for various shareholder services and reimbursements for certain out-of-pocket fees. Total transfer agency fees for Institutional 2 Class and Institutional 3 Class shares are subject to an
annual limitation of not more than 0.07% and 0.02%, respectively, of the average daily net assets attributable to each share class.
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 27 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
For the year ended July 31, 2022,
the Fund’s effective transfer agency fee rates as a percentage of average daily net assets of each class were as follows:
| Effective rate (%) | |
| Class A | 0.08 |
| Advisor Class | 0.08 |
| Class C | 0.08 |
| Class E | 0.28 |
| Institutional Class | 0.08 |
| Institutional 2 Class | 0.06 |
| Institutional 3 Class | 0.01 |
| Class R | 0.08 |
| Class V | 0.08 |
The Fund and certain other
affiliated investment companies had severally, but not jointly, guaranteed the performance and observance of all the terms and conditions of a lease entered into by Seligman Data Corp. (SDC), the former transfer
agent, including the payment of rent by SDC (the Guaranty). The lease and the Guaranty expired on January 31, 2019. Prior to being dissolved on March 17, 2022, SDC was owned by six associated investment companies,
including the Fund.
An annual minimum account balance
fee of $20 may apply to certain accounts with a value below the applicable share class’s initial minimum investment requirements to reduce the impact of small accounts on transfer agency fees. These minimum
account balance fees are remitted to the Fund and recorded as part of expense reductions in the Statement of Operations. For the year ended July 31, 2022, these minimum account balance fees reduced total expenses of
the Fund by $9,062.
Distribution and service fees
The Fund has entered into an
agreement with Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. (the Distributor), an affiliate of the Investment Manager and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, for distribution and shareholder
services. The Board of Trustees has approved, and the Fund has adopted, distribution and shareholder service plans (the Plans) applicable to certain share classes, which set the distribution and service fees for the
Fund. These fees are calculated daily and are intended to compensate the Distributor and/or eligible selling and/or servicing agents for selling shares of the Fund and providing services to investors.
Under the Plans, the Fund pays a
monthly service fee to the Distributor at the maximum annual rate of 0.25% of the average daily net assets attributable to Class A, Class C and Class E shares of the Fund. Also under the Plans, the Fund
pays a monthly distribution fee to the Distributor at the maximum annual rates of 0.10%, 0.75%, 0.10% and 0.50% of the average daily net assets attributable to Class A, Class C, Class E and Class R
shares of the Fund, respectively.
Although the Fund may pay
distribution and service fees up to a maximum annual rate of 0.35% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares (comprised of up to 0.10% for distribution services and up to 0.25% for
shareholder services), the Fund currently limits such fees to an aggregate fee of not more than 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares.
Shareholder services fees
The Fund has adopted a shareholder
services plan that permits it to pay for certain services provided to Class V shareholders by their selling and/or servicing agents. The Fund may pay shareholder servicing fees up to an aggregate annual rate of 0.50%
of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class V shares (comprised of up to 0.25% for shareholder services and up to 0.25% for administrative support services). These fees are currently limited to
an aggregate annual rate of not more than 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class V shares.
| 28 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Sales charges (unaudited)
Sales charges, including front-end
charges and contingent deferred sales charges (CDSCs), received by the Distributor for distributing Fund shares for the year ended July 31, 2022, if any, are listed below:
| Front End (%) | CDSC (%) | Amount ($) | |
| Class A | 5.75 | 0.50 - 1.00(a) | 858,604 |
| Class C | — | 1.00(b) | 4,543 |
| Class E | 4.50 | 1.00(b) | 315 |
| Class V | 5.75 | 0.50 - 1.00(a) | 4,925 |
| (a) | This charge is imposed on certain investments of between $1 million and $50 million redeemed within 18 months after purchase, as follows: 1.00% if redeemed within 12 months after purchase, and 0.50% if redeemed more than 12, but less than 18, months after purchase, with certain limited exceptions. |
| (b) | This charge applies to redemptions within 12 months after purchase, with certain limited exceptions. |
The Fund’s other share
classes are not subject to sales charges.
Expenses waived/reimbursed by the
Investment Manager and its affiliates
The Investment Manager and certain
of its affiliates have contractually agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses (excluding certain fees and expenses described below) for the period(s) disclosed below, unless sooner terminated at the sole
discretion of the Board of Trustees, so that the Fund’s net operating expenses, after giving effect to fees waived/expenses reimbursed and any balance credits and/or overdraft charges from the Fund’s
custodian, do not exceed the following annual rate(s) as a percentage of the classes’ average daily net assets:
Under the agreement governing
these fee waivers and/or expense reimbursement arrangements, the following fees and expenses are excluded from the waiver/reimbursement commitment, and therefore will be paid by the Fund, if applicable: taxes
(including foreign transaction taxes), expenses associated with investments in affiliated and non-affiliated pooled investment vehicles (including mutual funds and exchange-traded funds), transaction costs and
brokerage commissions, costs related to any securities lending program, dividend expenses associated with securities sold short, inverse floater program fees and expenses, transaction charges and interest on borrowed
money, interest, costs associated with shareholder meetings, infrequent and/or unusual expenses and any other expenses the exclusion of which is specifically approved by the Board of Trustees. This agreement may be
modified or amended only with approval from the Investment Manager, certain of its affiliates and the Fund. Any fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed under the expense reimbursement arrangements described above are
not recoverable by the Investment Manager or its affiliates in future periods.
Note 4. Federal tax
information
The timing and character of
income and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP because of temporary or permanent book to tax differences.
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 29 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
At July, 31, 2022, these
differences were primarily due to differing treatment for deferral/reversal of wash sale losses, derivative investments, late-year ordinary losses, post-October capital losses, trustees’ deferred compensation
and foreign currency transactions. To the extent these differences were permanent, reclassifications were made among the components of the Fund’s net assets. Temporary differences do not require
reclassifications.
The following reclassifications
were made:
| Excess of distributions over net investment income ($) | Accumulated net realized (loss) ($) | Paid in capital ($) |
| (62) | 62 | — |
Net investment income (loss) and
net realized gains (losses), as disclosed in the Statement of Operations, and net assets were not affected by this reclassification.
The tax character of distributions
paid during the years indicated was as follows:
| Year Ended July 31, 2022 | Year Ended July 31, 2021 | ||||
| Ordinary income ($) | Long-term capital gains ($) | Total ($) | Ordinary income ($) | Long-term capital gains ($) | Total ($) |
| 134,078,907 | 340,328,359 | 474,407,266 | 42,999,531 | 490,150,672 | 533,150,203 |
Short-term capital gain
distributions, if any, are considered ordinary income distributions for tax purposes.
At July 31, 2022, the components of
distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:
| Undistributed ordinary income ($) | Undistributed long-term capital gains ($) | Capital loss carryforwards ($) | Net unrealized appreciation ($) |
| — | — | — | 2,089,054,311 |
At July 31, 2022, the cost of all
investments for federal income tax purposes along with the aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation based on that cost was:
| Federal tax cost ($) | Gross unrealized appreciation ($) | Gross unrealized (depreciation) ($) | Net unrealized appreciation ($) |
| 2,295,067,802 | 2,156,880,074 | (67,825,763) | 2,089,054,311 |
Tax cost of investments and
unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) may also include timing differences that do not constitute adjustments to tax basis.
Under current tax rules, regulated
investment companies can elect to treat certain late-year ordinary losses incurred and post-October capital losses (capital losses realized after October 31) as arising on the first day of the following taxable year.
As of July 31, 2022, the Fund will elect to treat the following late-year ordinary losses and post-October capital losses as arising on August 1, 2022.
| Late year ordinary losses ($) | Post-October capital losses ($) |
| 6,548,768 | 50,324,805 |
Management of the Fund has
concluded that there are no significant uncertain tax positions in the Fund that would require recognition in the financial statements. However, management’s conclusion may be subject to review and adjustment at
a later date based on factors including, but not limited to, new tax laws, regulations, and administrative interpretations (including relevant court decisions). Generally, the Fund’s federal tax returns for the
prior three fiscal years remain subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service.
| 30 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Note 5. Portfolio
information
The cost of purchases and
proceeds from sales of securities, excluding short-term investments and derivatives, if any, aggregated to $2,334,056,554 and $2,804,425,799, respectively, for the year ended July 31, 2022. The amount of purchase and
sale activity impacts the portfolio turnover rate reported in the Financial Highlights.
Note 6. Affiliated money
market fund
The Fund invests in Columbia
Short-Term Cash Fund, an affiliated money market fund established for the exclusive use by the Fund and other affiliated funds (the Affiliated MMF). The income earned by the Fund from such investments is included as
Dividends - affiliated issuers in the Statement of Operations. As an investing fund, the Fund indirectly bears its proportionate share of the expenses of the Affiliated MMF. The Affiliated MMF prices its shares with a
floating net asset value. In addition, the Board of Trustees of the Affiliated MMF may impose a fee on redemptions (sometimes referred to as a liquidity fee) or temporarily suspend redemptions (sometimes
referred to as imposing a redemption gate) in the event its liquidity falls below regulatory limits.
Note 7. Interfund
lending
Pursuant to an exemptive order
granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Fund participates in a program (the Interfund Program) allowing each participating Columbia Fund (each, a Participating Fund) to lend money directly to and,
except for closed-end funds and money market funds, borrow money directly from other Participating Funds for temporary purposes. The amounts eligible for borrowing and lending under the Interfund Program are subject
to certain restrictions.
Interfund loans are subject to the
risk that the borrowing fund could be unable to repay the loan when due, and a delay in repayment to the lending fund could result in lost opportunities and/or additional lending costs. The exemptive order is subject
to conditions intended to mitigate conflicts of interest arising from the Investment Manager’s relationship with each Participating Fund.
The Fund’s activity in the
Interfund Program during the year ended July 31, 2022 was as follows:
| Borrower or lender | Average loan balance ($) | Weighted average interest rate (%) | Number of days with outstanding loans |
| Lender | 3,540,000 | 1.74 | 5 |
Interest income earned by the Fund
is recorded as Interfund lending in the Statement of Operations. The Fund had an outstanding interfund loan balance at July 31, 2022 as shown in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The loans are unsecured.
Note 8. Line of credit
The Fund has access to a
revolving credit facility with a syndicate of banks led by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Citibank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. whereby the Fund may borrow for the temporary funding of shareholder redemptions or for
other temporary or emergency purposes. Pursuant to an October 28, 2021 amendment and restatement, the credit facility, which is an agreement between the Fund and certain other funds managed by the Investment Manager
or an affiliated investment manager, severally and not jointly, permits aggregate borrowings up to $950 million. Interest is currently charged to each participating fund based on its borrowings at a rate equal to the
higher of (i) the federal funds effective rate, (ii) the secured overnight financing rate plus 0.11448% and (iii) the overnight bank funding rate, plus in each case, 1.00%. Each borrowing under the credit facility
matures no later than 60 days after the date of borrowing. The Fund also pays a commitment fee equal to its pro rata share of the unused amount of the credit facility at a rate of 0.15% per annum. The commitment fee
is included in other expenses in the Statement of Operations. This agreement expires annually in October unless extended or renewed. Prior to the October 28, 2021 amendment and restatement, the Fund had access to a
revolving credit facility with a syndicate of banks led by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Citibank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. which permitted collective borrowings up to $950 million. Interest was charged to each
participating fund based on its borrowings at a rate equal to the higher of (i) the federal funds effective rate, (ii) the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) rate and (iii) the overnight bank funding
rate, plus in each case, 1.25%.
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 31 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The Fund had no borrowings during
the year ended July 31, 2022.
Note 9. Significant
risks
Information technology sector
risk
The Fund is more susceptible to the
particular risks that may affect companies in the information technology sector than if it were invested in a wider variety of companies in unrelated sectors. Companies in the information technology sector are subject
to certain risks, including the risk that new services, equipment or technologies will not be accepted by consumers and businesses or will become rapidly obsolete. Performance of such companies may be affected by
factors including obtaining and protecting patents (or the failure to do so) and significant competitive pressures, including aggressive pricing of their products or services, new market entrants, competition for
market share and short product cycles due to an accelerated rate of technological developments. Such competitive pressures may lead to limited earnings and/or falling profit margins. As a result, the value of their
securities may fall or fail to rise. In addition, many information technology sector companies have limited operating histories and prices of these companies’ securities historically have been more volatile than
other securities, especially over the short term. Some companies in the information technology sector are facing increased government and regulatory scrutiny and may be subject to adverse government or regulatory
action, which could negatively impact the value of their securities.
Market risk
The Fund may incur losses due to
declines in the value of one or more securities in which it invests. These declines may be due to factors affecting a particular issuer, or the result of, among other things, political, regulatory, market, economic or
social developments affecting the relevant market(s) more generally. In addition, turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed income markets may negatively affect many issuers,
which could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to price or value hard-to-value assets in thinly traded and closed markets and could cause significant redemptions and operational challenges. Global economies and
financial markets are increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. These risks may
be magnified if certain events or developments adversely interrupt the global supply chain; in these and other circumstances, such risks might affect companies worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events
such as terrorism, war, natural disasters, disease/virus outbreaks and epidemics or other public health issues, recessions, depressions or other events – or the potential for such events – could have a
significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions.
The large-scale invasion of Ukraine
by Russia in February 2022 has resulted in sanctions and market disruptions, including declines in regional and global stock markets, unusual volatility in global commodity markets and significant devaluations of
Russian currency. The extent and duration of the military action are impossible to predict but could be significant. Market disruption caused by the Russian military action, and any counter-measures or responses
thereto (including international sanctions, a downgrade in the country’s credit rating, purchasing and financing restrictions, boycotts, tariffs, changes in consumer or purchaser preferences, cyberattacks and
espionage) could have severe adverse impacts on regional and/or global securities and commodities markets, including markets for oil and natural gas. These impacts may include reduced market liquidity, distress in
credit markets, further disruption of global supply chains, increased risk of inflation, and limited access to investments in certain international markets and/or issuers. These developments and other related events
could negatively impact Fund performance.
The pandemic caused by coronavirus
disease 2019 and its variants (COVID-19) has resulted in, and may continue to result in, significant global economic and societal disruption and market volatility due to disruptions in market access, resource
availability, facilities operations, imposition of tariffs, export controls and supply chain disruption, among others. Such disruptions may be caused, or exacerbated by, quarantines and travel restrictions, workforce
displacement and loss in human and other resources. The uncertainty surrounding the magnitude, duration, reach, costs and effects of the global pandemic, as well as actions that have been or could be taken by
governmental authorities or other third parties, present unknowns that are yet to unfold. The impacts, as well as the uncertainty over impacts to come, of COVID-19 – and any other infectious illness outbreaks,
epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future – could negatively affect global economies and markets in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. In addition, the impact of infectious illness outbreaks
and epidemics in emerging market countries may be greater due to generally less established healthcare systems,
| 32 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
governments and financial markets. Public health
crises caused by the COVID-19 outbreak may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in certain countries or globally. The disruptions caused by COVID-19 could prevent the Fund from executing
advantageous investment decisions in a timely manner and negatively impact the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. Any such events could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk
profile of the Fund.
Shareholder concentration risk
At July 31, 2022, affiliated
shareholders of record owned 45.0% of the outstanding shares of the Fund in one or more accounts. Subscription and redemption activity by concentrated accounts may have a significant effect on the operations of the
Fund. In the case of a large redemption, the Fund may be forced to sell investments at inopportune times, including its liquid positions, which may result in Fund losses and the Fund holding a higher percentage of
less liquid positions. Large redemptions could result in decreased economies of scale and increased operating expenses for non-redeeming Fund shareholders.
Note 10. Subsequent
events
Management has evaluated the
events and transactions that have occurred through the date the financial statements were issued and noted no items requiring adjustment of the financial statements or additional disclosure.
Note 11. Information
regarding pending and settled legal proceedings
Ameriprise Financial and certain
of its affiliates are involved in the normal course of business in legal proceedings which include regulatory inquiries, arbitration and litigation, including class actions concerning matters arising in connection
with the conduct of its activities as a diversified financial services firm. Ameriprise Financial believes that the Fund is not currently the subject of, and that neither Ameriprise Financial nor any of its affiliates
are the subject of, any pending legal, arbitration or regulatory proceedings that are likely to have a material adverse effect on the Fund or the ability of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates to perform under
their contracts with the Fund. Ameriprise Financial is required to make quarterly (10-Q), annual (10-K) and, as necessary, 8-K filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on legal and regulatory matters
that relate to Ameriprise Financial and its affiliates. Copies of these filings may be obtained by accessing the SEC website at www.sec.gov.
There can be no assurance that
these matters, or the adverse publicity associated with them, will not result in increased Fund redemptions, reduced sale of Fund shares or other adverse consequences to the Fund. Further, although we believe
proceedings are not likely to have a material adverse effect on the Fund or the ability of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates to perform under their contracts with the Fund, these proceedings are subject to
uncertainties and, as such, we are unable to estimate the possible loss or range of loss that may result. An adverse outcome in one or more of these proceedings could result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines,
penalties or other relief that could have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial condition or results of operations of Ameriprise Financial or one or more of its affiliates that provides services to
the Fund.
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 33 |
Report of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm
To the Board of Trustees of Columbia
Funds Series Trust I and Shareholders of Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund
Opinion on the Financial
Statements
We have audited the accompanying
statement of assets and liabilities, including the portfolio of investments, of Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund (one of the funds constituting Columbia Funds Series Trust I, referred to hereafter as the "Fund") as of
July 31, 2022, the related statement of operations for the year ended July 31, 2022, the statement of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended July 31, 2022, including the related notes, and
the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended July 31, 2022 (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material
respects, the financial position of the Fund as of July 31, 2022, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period ended July 31, 2022 and
the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended July 31, 2022 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the
responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of
the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits of these
financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.
Our audits included performing
procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test
basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating
the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of July 31, 2022 by correspondence with the custodian, transfer agent and broker. We believe that our
audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
September 22, 2022
We have served as the auditor of
one or more investment companies within the Columbia Funds Complex since 1977.
| 34 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Federal Income Tax
Information
(Unaudited)
The Fund hereby designates the
following tax attributes for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2022. Shareholders will be notified in early 2023 of the amounts for use in preparing 2022 income tax returns.
| Qualified dividend income | Dividends received deduction | Capital gain dividend |
| 21.62% | 20.30% | $165,737,588 |
Qualified dividend income. For
taxable, non-corporate shareholders, the percentage of ordinary income distributed during the fiscal year that represents qualified dividend income subject to reduced tax rates.
Dividends received deduction. The
percentage of ordinary income distributed during the fiscal year that qualifies for the corporate dividends received deduction.
Capital gain dividend. The Fund
designates as a capital gain dividend the amount reflected above, or if subsequently determined to be different, the net capital gain of such fiscal period.
TRUSTEES AND
OFFICERS
(Unaudited)
The Board oversees the
Fund’s operations and appoints officers who are responsible for day-to-day business decisions based on policies set by the Board. The following table provides basic biographical information about the
Fund’s Trustees as of the printing of this report, including their principal occupations during the past five years, although specific titles for individuals may have varied over the period. The year set forth
beneath Length of Service in the table below is the year in which the Trustee was first appointed or elected as Trustee to any Fund currently in the Columbia Funds Complex or a predecessor thereof. Under current Board
policy, each Trustee generally serves until December 31 of the year such Trustee turns seventy-five (75).
Independent trustees
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| George S. Batejan c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1953 | Trustee since 2017 | Executive Vice President, Global Head of Technology and Operations, Janus Capital Group, Inc., 2010-2016 | 176 | Former Chairman of the Board, NICSA (National Investment Company Services Association) (Executive Committee, Nominating Committee and Governance Committee), 2014-2016; former Director, Intech Investment Management, 2011-2016; former Board Member, Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, 2015-2016; former Advisory Board Member, University of Colorado Business School, 2015-2018 |
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 35 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Kathleen Blatz c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1954 | Trustee since 2006 | Attorney, specializing in arbitration and mediation; Chief Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court, 1998-2006; Associate Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court, 1996-1998; Fourth Judicial District Court Judge, Hennepin County, 1994-1996; Attorney in private practice and public service, 1984-1993; State Representative, Minnesota House of Representatives, 1979-1993, which included service on the Tax and Financial Institutions and Insurance Committees; Member and Interim Chair, Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, January 2017-July 2017; Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (health care insurance), February-July 2018, April-October 2021 | 176 | Former Trustee, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, 2009-2021 (Chair of the Business Development Committee, 2014-2017; Chair of the Governance Committee, 2017-2019); former Member and Chair of the Board, Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, January 2017-July 2017; former Director, Robina Foundation, 2009-2020 (Chair, 2014-2020); Director, Schulze Family Foundation, since 2021 |
| Pamela G. Carlton c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1954 | Trustee since 2007 | President, Springboard — Partners in Cross Cultural Leadership (consulting company) since 2003; Managing Director of US Equity Research, JP Morgan Chase, 1999-2003; Director of US Equity Research, Chase Asset Management, 1996-1999; Co-Director Latin America Research, 1993-1996, COO Global Research, 1992-1996, Co-Director of US Research, 1991-1992, Investment Banker, 1982-1991, Morgan Stanley; Attorney, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, 1980-1982 | 176 | Trustee, New York Presbyterian Hospital Board (Executive Committee and Chair of People Committee) since 1996; Director, DR Bank (Audit Committee) since 2017; Director, Evercore Inc. (Audit Committee) since 2019; Director, Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. since 2021; the Governing Council of the Independent Directors Council (IDC), since 2021 |
| Janet Langford Carrig c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1957 | Trustee since 1996 | Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, ConocoPhillips (independent energy company), September 2007-October 2018 | 174 | Director, EQT Corporation (natural gas producer) since 2019; former Director, Whiting Petroleum Corporation (independent oil and gas company), 2020-2022 |
| J. Kevin Connaughton c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1964 | Trustee since 2020 | Member, FINRA National Adjudicatory Council since January 2020; Adjunct Professor of Finance, Bentley University since January 2018; Consultant to Independent Trustees of CFVIT and CFST I from March 2016 to June 2020 with respect to CFVIT and to December 2020 with respect to CFST I; Managing Director and General Manager of Mutual Fund Products, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC, May 2010-February 2015; President, Columbia Funds, 2008-2015; and senior officer of Columbia Funds and affiliated funds, 2003-2015 | 174 | Former Director, The Autism Project, March 2015-December 2021; former Member of the Investment Committee, St. Michael’s College, November 2015-February 2020; former Trustee, St. Michael’s College, June 2017-September 2019; former Trustee, New Century Portfolios, January 2015-December 2017 |
| 36 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Olive M. Darragh c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1962 | Trustee since 2020 | Managing Director of Darragh Inc. (strategy and talent management consulting firm) since 2010; Founder and CEO, Zolio, Inc. (investment management talent identification platform) since 2004; Consultant to Independent Trustees of CFVIT and CFST I from June 2019 to June 2020 with respect to CFVIT and to December 2020 with respect to CFST I; Partner, Tudor Investments, 2004-2010; Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company (consulting), 1990-2004; Touche Ross CPA, 1985-1988 | 174 | Former Director, University of Edinburgh Business School (Member of US Board); former Director, Boston Public Library Foundation |
| Patricia M. Flynn c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1950 | Trustee since 2004 | Trustee Professor of Economics and Management, Bentley University since 1976 (also teaches and conducts research on corporate governance); Dean, McCallum Graduate School of Business, Bentley University, 1992-2002 | 176 | Trustee, MA Taxpayers Foundation since 1997; former Board of Governors, Innovation Institute, MA Technology Collaborative, 2010-2020; former Board of Directors, The MA Business Roundtable, 2003-2019 |
| Brian J. Gallagher c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1954 | Trustee since 2017 | Retired; Partner with Deloitte & Touche LLP and its predecessors, 1977-2016 | 176 | Trustee, Catholic Schools Foundation since 2004 |
| Douglas A. Hacker c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1955 | Co-Chair since 2021; Chair of CFST I and CFVIT since 2014; Trustee of CFST I and CFVIT since 1996 and CFST, CFST II, CFVST II, CET I and CET II since 2021 | Independent business executive since May 2006; Executive Vice President – Strategy of United Airlines, December 2002 - May 2006; President of UAL Loyalty Services (airline marketing company), September 2001-December 2002; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of United Airlines, July 1999-September 2001 | 176 | Director, Spartan Nash Company (food distributor); Director, Aircastle Limited (Chair of Audit Committee) (aircraft leasing); former Director, Nash Finch Company (food distributor), 2005-2013; former Director, SeaCube Container Leasing Ltd. (container leasing), 2010-2013; and former Director, Travelport Worldwide Limited (travel information technology), 2014-2019 |
| Nancy T. Lukitsh c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1956 | Trustee since 2011 | Senior Vice President, Partner and Director of Marketing, Wellington Management Company, LLP (investment adviser), 1997-2010; Chair, Wellington Management Portfolios (commingled non-U.S. investment pools), 2007 -2010; Director, Wellington Trust Company, NA and other Wellington affiliates, 1997-2010 | 174 | None |
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 37 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| David M. Moffett c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1952 | Trustee since 2011 | Retired; Consultant to Bridgewater and Associates | 174 | Director, CSX Corporation (transportation suppliers); Director, Genworth Financial, Inc. (financial and insurance products and services); Director, PayPal Holdings Inc. (payment and data processing services); Trustee, University of Oklahoma Foundation; former Director, eBay Inc. (online trading community), 2007-2015; and former Director, CIT Bank, CIT Group Inc. (commercial and consumer finance), 2010-2016 |
| Catherine James Paglia c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1952 | Co-Chair since 2021; Chair of CFST, CFST II, CFVST II, CET I and CET II since 2020; Trustee of CFST, CFST II and CFVST II since 2004 and CFST I and CFVIT since 2021 | Director, Enterprise Asset Management, Inc. (private real estate and asset management company) since September 1998; Managing Director and Partner, Interlaken Capital, Inc., 1989-1997; Vice President, 1982-1985, Principal, 1985-1987, Managing Director, 1987-1989, Morgan Stanley; Vice President, Investment Banking, 1980-1982, Associate, Investment Banking, 1976-1980, Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc. | 176 | Director, Valmont Industries, Inc. (irrigation systems manufacturer) since 2012; Trustee, Carleton College (on the Investment Committee); Trustee, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (on the Investment Committee) |
| Minor M. Shaw c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1947 | Trustee since 2003 | President, Micco LLC (private investments) since 2011; President, Micco Corp. (family investment business), 1998-2011 | 176 | Director, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina (Chair of Compensation Committee) since April 2008; Trustee, Hollingsworth Funds (on the Investment Committee) since 2016 (previously Board Chair from 2016-2019); Former Advisory Board member, Duke Energy Corp., 2016-2020; Chair of the Duke Endowment; Chair of Greenville – Spartanburg Airport Commission; former Trustee, BofA Funds Series Trust (11 funds), 2003-2011; former Director, Piedmont Natural Gas, 2004-2016; former Director, National Association of Corporate Directors, Carolinas Chapter, 2013-2018; Chair, Daniel-Mickel Foundation since 1998 |
| 38 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Natalie A. Trunow c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1967 | Trustee since 2020 | Chief Executive Officer, Millennial Portfolio Solutions LLC (asset management and consulting services), January 2016-January 2021; Non-executive Member of the Investment Committee and Valuation Committee, Sarona Asset Management Inc. (private equity firm) since September 2019; Advisor, Horizon Investments (asset management and consulting services), August 2018-January 2021; Advisor, Paradigm Asset Management, November 2016-December 2021; Consultant to Independent Trustees of CFVIT and CFST I from September 2016 to June 2020 with respect to CFVIT and to December 2020 with respect to CFST I; Director of Investments/Consultant, Casey Family Programs, April 2016-November 2016; Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, Calvert Investments, August 2008-January 2016; Section Head and Portfolio Manager, General Motors Asset Management, June 1997-August 2008 | 174 | Former Director, Investment Committee, Health Services for Children with Special Needs, Inc., 2012-2019; Director, Chair of Audit Committee, Consumer Credit Counseling Services (formerly Guidewell Financial Solutions), since 2019; Independent Director, Investment Committee and Valuation Committee, Sarona Asset Management, since 2019 |
| Sandra L. Yeager c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1964 | Trustee since 2017 | Retired; President and founder, Hanoverian Capital, LLC (SEC registered investment advisor firm), 2008-2016; Managing Director, DuPont Capital, 2006-2008; Managing Director, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, 2004-2006; Senior Vice President, Alliance Bernstein, 1990-2004 | 176 | Former Director, NAPE Education Foundation, October 2016-October 2020 |
| * | The term “Columbia Funds Complex” as used herein includes Columbia Seligman Premium Technology Growth Fund, Tri-Continental Corporation and each series of Columbia Fund Series Trust (CFST), Columbia Funds Series Trust I (CFST I), Columbia Funds Series Trust II (CFST II), Columbia ETF Trust I (CET I), Columbia ETF Trust II (CET II), Columbia Funds Variable Insurance Trust (CFVIT) and Columbia Funds Variable Series Trust II (CFVST II). Messrs. Batejan, Beckman, Gallagher and Hacker and Mses. Blatz, Carlton, Flynn, Paglia, Shaw and Yeager serve as Directors of Columbia Seligman Premium Technology Growth Fund and Tri-Continental Corporation. |
Interested trustee affiliated with
Investment Manager*
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Daniel J. Beckman c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1962 | Trustee since November 2021 and President since June 2021 | Vice President – Head of North America Product, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC since April 2015; President and Principal Executive Officer of the Columbia Funds since June 2021; officer of Columbia Funds and affiliated funds, 2020-2021 | 176 | Director, Ameriprise Trust Company, since October 2016; Director, Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. since November 2018; Board of Governors, Columbia Wanger Asset Management, LLC since January 2022 |
| * | Interested person (as defined under the 1940 Act) by reason of being an officer, director, security holder and/or employee of the Investment Manager or Ameriprise Financial. |
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 39 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
The Statement of Additional Information has additional information about the Fund’s Board members and is available, without charge, upon request by calling 800.345.6611, visiting columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or contacting your financial intermediary.
(Unaudited)
The Statement of Additional Information has additional information about the Fund’s Board members and is available, without charge, upon request by calling 800.345.6611, visiting columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or contacting your financial intermediary.
The Board has appointed officers
who are responsible for day-to-day business decisions based on policies it has established. The officers serve at the pleasure of the Board. The following table provides basic information about the Officers of the
Fund as of the printing of this report, including principal occupations during the past five years, although their specific titles may have varied over the period. In addition to Mr. Beckman, who is President and
Principal Executive Officer, the Fund’s other officers are:
Fund officers
| 40 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Fund officers (continued)
(Unaudited)
Fund officers (continued)
| Name, address and year of birth | Position and year first appointed to position for any Fund in the Columbia Funds Complex or a predecessor thereof | Principal occupation(s) during past five years |
| Ryan C. Larrenaga 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1970 | Senior Vice President (2017), Chief Legal Officer (2017), and Secretary (2015) | Vice President and Chief Counsel, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since August 2018 (previously Vice President and Group Counsel, August 2011 - August 2018); Chief Legal Officer, Columbia Acorn/Wanger Funds, since September 2020; officer of Columbia Funds and affiliated funds since 2005. |
| Michael E. DeFao 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1968 | Vice President (2011) and Assistant Secretary (2010) | Vice President and Chief Counsel, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since May 2010; Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Assistant Secretary, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC since October 2021 (previously Vice President and Assistant Secretary, May 2010 – September 2021). |
| Lyn Kephart-Strong 5228 Ameriprise Financial Center Minneapolis, MN 55474 1960 | Vice President (2015) | President, Columbia Management Investment Services Corp. since October 2014; Vice President & Resolution Officer, Ameriprise Trust Company since August 2009. |
Liquidity Risk
Management Program
(Unaudited)
Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under the
1940 Act, the Fund has adopted a liquidity risk management program (Program). The Program’s principal objectives include assessing, managing and periodically reviewing the Fund’s liquidity risk. Liquidity
risk is defined as the risk that the Fund could not meet redemption requests without significant dilution of remaining investors’ interests in the Fund.
The Board has appointed the
Investment Manager as the program administrator for the Fund’s Program. The Investment Manager has delegated oversight of the Program to its Liquidity Risk Management Committee (the Committee). At a board
meeting during the fiscal period, the Committee provided the Board with a report addressing the operations of the program and assessing its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation for the period January 1, 2021,
through December 31, 2021, including:
| • | the Fund had sufficient liquidity to both meet redemptions and operate effectively on behalf of shareholders; |
| • | there were no material changes to the Program during the period; |
| • | the implementation of the Program was effective to manage the Fund’s liquidity risk; and |
| • | the Program operated adequately during the period. |
There can be no assurance that the
Program will achieve its objectives in the future. Please refer to the Fund’s prospectus for more information regarding the Fund’s exposure to liquidity risk and other principal risks to which an
investment in the Fund may be subject.
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 41 |
Approval of Management
Agreement
(Unaudited)
Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC (the Investment Manager, and together with its domestic and global affiliates, Columbia Threadneedle Investments), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (Ameriprise Financial), serves
as the investment manager to Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund (the Fund). Under a management agreement (the Management Agreement), the Investment Manager provides investment advice and other services to the Fund and
other funds distributed by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. (collectively, the Funds).
On an annual basis, the
Fund’s Board of Trustees (the Board), including the independent Board members (the Independent Trustees), considers renewal of the Management Agreement. The Investment Manager prepared detailed reports for the
Board and its Contracts Committee (including its Contracts Subcommittee) in November 2021 and March, April and June 2022, including reports providing the results of analyses performed by an independent third-party
data provider, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (Broadridge), and comprehensive responses to written requests for information by independent legal counsels to the Independent Trustees (Independent Legal Counsel)
to the Investment Manager, to assist the Board in making this determination. In addition, throughout the year, the Board (or its committees or subcommittees) regularly meets with portfolio management teams and senior
management personnel and reviews information prepared by the Investment Manager addressing the services the Investment Manager provides and Fund performance. The Board also accords appropriate weight to the work,
deliberations and conclusions of the various committees, such as the Contracts Committee, the Investment Review Committee, the Audit Committee and the Compliance Committee in determining whether to continue the
Management Agreement.
The Board, at its June 23, 2022
Board meeting (the June Meeting), considered the renewal of the Management Agreement for an additional one-year term. At the June Meeting, Independent Legal Counsel reviewed with the Independent Trustees various
factors relevant to the Board’s consideration of advisory agreements and the Board’s legal responsibilities related to such consideration. The Independent Trustees considered all information that they,
their legal counsel or the Investment Manager believed reasonably necessary to evaluate and to approve the continuation of the Management Agreement. Among other things, the information and factors considered included
the following:
| • | Information on the investment performance of the Fund relative to the performance of a group of mutual funds determined to be comparable to the Fund by Broadridge, as well as performance relative to benchmarks; |
| • | Information on the Fund’s management fees and total expenses, including information comparing the Fund’s expenses to those of a group of comparable mutual funds, as determined by Broadridge; |
| • | The Investment Manager’s agreement to contractually limit or cap total operating expenses for the Fund so that total operating expenses (excluding certain fees and expenses, such as transaction costs and certain other investment related expenses, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses and infrequent and/or unusual expenses) would not exceed a specified annual rate, as a percentage of the Fund’s net assets; |
| • | Terms of the Management Agreement; |
| • | Descriptions of other agreements and arrangements with affiliates of the Investment Manager relating to the operations of the Fund, including agreements with respect to the provision of transfer agency and shareholder services to the Fund; |
| • | Descriptions of various services performed by the Investment Manager under the Management Agreement, including portfolio management and portfolio trading practices; |
| • | Information regarding any recently negotiated management fees of similarly-managed portfolios of other institutional clients of the Investment Manager; |
| • | Information regarding the resources of the Investment Manager, including information regarding senior management, portfolio managers and other personnel; |
| • | Information regarding the capabilities of the Investment Manager with respect to compliance monitoring services; |
| • | The profitability to the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund; and |
| • | Report provided by the Board’s independent fee consultant, JDL Consultants, LLC (JDL). |
| 42 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Approval of Management Agreement (continued)
(Unaudited)
Following an analysis and discussion of the foregoing, and the factors identified below, the Board, including all of the Independent Trustees, approved the renewal of the Management Agreement.
(Unaudited)
Following an analysis and discussion of the foregoing, and the factors identified below, the Board, including all of the Independent Trustees, approved the renewal of the Management Agreement.
Nature, extent and quality of
services provided by the Investment Manager
The Board analyzed various
reports and presentations it had received detailing the services performed by the Investment Manager, as well as its history, expertise, resources and relative capabilities, and the qualifications of its personnel.
The Board specifically considered
the many developments during recent years concerning the services provided by the Investment Manager. Among other things, the Board noted the organization and depth of the equity and credit research departments. The
Board further observed the enhancements to the investment risk management department’s processes, systems and oversight, over the past several years, as well as planned 2022 initiatives in this regard. The Board
also took into account the broad scope of services provided by the Investment Manager to the Fund, including, among other services, investment, risk and compliance oversight. The Board also took into account the
information it received concerning the Investment Manager’s ability to attract and retain key portfolio management personnel and that it has sufficient resources to provide competitive and adequate compensation
to investment personnel. The Board also observed that the Investment Manager has been able to effectively manage, operate and distribute the Funds through the COVID-19 pandemic period with no disruptions in services
provided. The Board also considered added personnel and resources obtained by Columbia Threadneedle through Ameriprise Financial’s acquisition of BMO Financial Group’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa
(EMEA) asset management business.
In connection with the
Board’s evaluation of the overall package of services provided by the Investment Manager, the Board also considered the nature, quality and range of administrative services provided to the Fund by the Investment
Manager, as well as the achievements in 2021 in the performance of administrative services, and noted the various enhancements anticipated for 2022. In evaluating the quality of services provided under the Management
Agreement, the Board also took into account the organization and strength of the Fund’s and its service providers’ compliance programs. The Board also reviewed the financial condition of the Investment
Manager and its affiliates and each entity’s ability to carry out its responsibilities under the Management Agreement and the Fund’s other service agreements.
In addition, the Board discussed
the acceptability of the terms of the Management Agreement, noting that no changes were proposed from the form of agreement previously approved. The Board also noted the wide array of legal and compliance services
provided to the Fund under the Management Agreement.
After reviewing these and related
factors (including investment performance as discussed below), the Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the Fund under the
Management Agreement supported the continuation of the Management Agreement.
Investment performance
In this connection, the Board
carefully reviewed the investment performance of the Fund, including detailed reports providing the results of analyses performed by each of the Investment Manager, Broadridge and JDL collectively showing, for various
periods (including since manager inception): (i) the performance of the Fund, (ii) the performance of a benchmark index, (iii) the percentage ranking of the Fund among its comparison group, (iv) the Fund’s
performance relative to peers and benchmarks and (v) the net assets of the Fund. The Board observed that the Fund’s performance for certain periods ranked above median based on information provided by
Broadridge.
The Board also reviewed a
description of the third-party data provider’s methodology for identifying the Fund’s peer groups for purposes of performance and expense comparisons.
The Board also considered the
Investment Manager’s performance and reputation generally. After reviewing these and related factors, the Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the performance of the Fund and
the Investment Manager, in light of other considerations, supported the continuation of the Management Agreement.
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 43 |
Approval of Management Agreement (continued)
(Unaudited)
Comparative fees, costs of services provided and the profits realized by the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund
(Unaudited)
Comparative fees, costs of services provided and the profits realized by the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund
The Board reviewed comparative
fees and the costs of services provided under the Management Agreement. The Board members considered detailed comparative information set forth in an annual report on fees and expenses, including, among other things,
data (based on analyses conducted by Broadridge and JDL) showing a comparison of the Fund’s expenses with median expenses paid by funds in its comparative peer universe, as well as data showing the Fund’s
contribution to the Investment Manager’s profitability. The Board reviewed the fees charged to comparable institutional or other accounts/vehicles managed by the Investment Manager and discussed differences in
how the products are managed and operated, thus explaining many of the differences in fees.
The Board considered the reports of
JDL, which assisted in the Board’s analysis of the Funds’ performance and expenses and the reasonableness of the Funds’ fee rates. The Board accorded particular weight to the notion that a primary
objective of the level of fees is to achieve a rational pricing model applied consistently across the various product lines in the Fund family, while assuring that the overall fees for each Fund (with certain
exceptions) are generally in line with the current "pricing philosophy" such that Fund total expense ratios, in general, approximate or are lower than the median expense ratios of funds in the same Lipper comparison
universe. The Board took into account that the Fund’s total expense ratio (after considering proposed expense caps/waivers) approximated the peer universe’s median expense ratio.
After reviewing these and related
factors, the Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the levels of management fees and expenses of the Fund, in light of other considerations, supported the continuation of the
Management Agreement.
The Board also considered the
profitability of the Investment Manager and its affiliates in connection with the Investment Manager providing management services to the Fund. With respect to the profitability of the Investment Manager and its
affiliates, the Independent Trustees referred to information discussing the profitability to the Investment Manager and Ameriprise Financial from managing, operating and distributing the Funds. The Board considered
that in 2021 the Board had considered 2020 profitability and that the 2022 information showed that the profitability generated by the Investment Manager in 2021 increased from 2020 levels, due to a variety of factors,
including the increased assets under management of the Funds. It also took into account the indirect economic benefits flowing to the Investment Manager or its affiliates in connection with managing or distributing
the Funds, such as the enhanced ability to offer various other financial products to Ameriprise Financial customers, soft dollar benefits and overall reputational advantages. The Board noted that the fees paid by the
Fund should permit the Investment Manager to offer competitive compensation to its personnel, make necessary investments in its business and earn an appropriate profit. After reviewing these and related factors, the
Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the costs of services provided and the profitability to the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund supported
the continuation of the Management Agreement.
Economies of scale
The Board considered the
potential existence of economies of scale in the provision by the Investment Manager of services to the Fund, to groups of related funds and to the Investment Manager as a whole, and whether those economies of scale
were shared with the Fund through breakpoints in investment management fees or other means, such as expense limitation arrangements and additional investments by the Investment Manager in investment, trading,
compliance and other resources. The Board considered the economies of scale that might be realized as the Fund’s net asset level grows and took note of the extent to which Fund shareholders might also benefit
from such growth. In this regard, the Board took into account that management fees decline as Fund assets exceed various breakpoints, all of which have not been surpassed. The Board observed that the Management
Agreement provided for breakpoints in the management fee rate schedule that allow opportunities for shareholders to realize lower fees as Fund assets grow and that there are additional opportunities through other
means for sharing economies of scale with shareholders.
Conclusion
The Board reviewed all of the
above considerations in reaching its decision to approve the continuation of the Management Agreement. In reaching its conclusions, no single factor was determinative.
| 44 | Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Approval of Management Agreement (continued)
(Unaudited)
On June 23, 2022, the Board, including all of the Independent Trustees, determined that fees payable under the Management Agreement were fair and reasonable in light of the extent and quality of services provided and approved the renewal of the Management Agreement.
(Unaudited)
On June 23, 2022, the Board, including all of the Independent Trustees, determined that fees payable under the Management Agreement were fair and reasonable in light of the extent and quality of services provided and approved the renewal of the Management Agreement.
| Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 45 |
Please read and consider the
investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses for any fund carefully before investing. For a prospectus and summary prospectus, which contains this and other important information about the Fund, go to
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/. The Fund is distributed by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc., member FINRA, and managed by Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC.
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/. The Fund is distributed by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc., member FINRA, and managed by Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC.
Columbia Threadneedle Investments
(Columbia Threadneedle) is the global brand name of the Columbia and Threadneedle group of companies. All rights reserved.
© 2022 Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC.
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/
ANN174_07_M01_(09/22)
Columbia Oregon
Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
Not FDIC or NCUA Insured •
No Financial Institution Guarantee • May Lose Value
Table of Contents
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| 43 |
If you elect to receive the
shareholder report for Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund (the Fund) in paper, mailed to you, the Fund mails one shareholder report to each shareholder address, unless such shareholder elects to receive
shareholder reports from the Fund electronically via e-mail or by having a paper notice mailed to you (Postcard Notice) that your Fund’s shareholder report is available at the Columbia funds’ website
(columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/). If you would like more than one report in paper to be mailed to you, or would like to elect to receive reports via e-mail or access them through Postcard Notice, please call
shareholder services at 800.345.6611 and additional reports will be sent to you.
Proxy voting policies and
procedures
The policy of the Board of Trustees
is to vote the proxies of the companies in which the Fund holds investments consistent with the procedures as stated in the Statement of Additional Information (SAI). You may obtain a copy of the SAI without charge by
calling 800.345.6611; contacting your financial intermediary; visiting columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/; or searching the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) at sec.gov. Information regarding
how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities is filed with the SEC by August 31st for the most recent 12-month period ending June 30th of that year, and is available without charge by visiting
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/, or searching the website of the SEC at sec.gov.
Quarterly schedule of
investments
The Fund files a complete schedule
of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-PORT. The Fund’s Form N-PORT filings are available on the SEC’s website at sec.gov. The Fund’s
complete schedule of portfolio holdings, as filed on Form N-PORT, is available on columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or can also be obtained without charge, upon request, by calling 800.345.6611.
Additional Fund information
For more information about the
Fund, please visit columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or call 800.345.6611. Customer Service Representatives are available to answer your questions Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Fund investment manager
Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (the
Investment Manager)
290 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
Fund distributor
Columbia Management Investment Distributors,
Inc.
290 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
Fund transfer agent
Columbia Management Investment Services Corp.
P.O. Box 219104
Kansas City, MO 64121-9104
Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond
Fund | Annual Report 2022
Fund at a Glance
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
Investment objective
The Fund
seeks a high level of income exempt from federal and Oregon income tax by investing at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in municipal securities issued by the State of Oregon
(and its political subdivisions, agencies, authorities and instrumentalities).
Portfolio management
Paul Fuchs, CFA
Co-Portfolio Manager
Managed Fund since 2016
Douglas Rangel, CFA
Co-Portfolio Manager
Managed Fund since June 2022
Anders Myhran, CFA*
Co-Portfolio Manager
Managed Fund since 2019
* Following his retirement on September 30, 2022, Mr. Myhran will no longer serve as portfolio manager of the Fund.
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 3 |
Fund at a Glance (continued)
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
Performance of a hypothetical $10,000 investment (July 31, 2012 — July 31, 2022)
The chart above shows the change in
value of a hypothetical $10,000 investment in Class A shares of Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund during the stated time period, and does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder may pay on
Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares.
| Quality breakdown (%) (at July 31, 2022) | |
| AAA rating | 6.7 |
| AA rating | 68.4 |
| A rating | 17.1 |
| BBB rating | 1.6 |
| BB rating | 1.0 |
| Not rated | 5.2 |
| Total | 100.0 |
Percentages indicated are based
upon total fixed income investments.
Bond ratings apply to the underlying
holdings of the Fund and not the Fund itself and are divided into categories ranging from highest to lowest credit quality, determined by using the middle rating of Moody’s, S&P and Fitch, after dropping the
highest and lowest available ratings. When ratings are available from only two rating agencies, the lower rating is used. When a rating is available from only one rating agency, that rating is used. If a security is
not rated but has a rating by Kroll and/or DBRS, the same methodology is applied to those bonds that would otherwise be not rated. When a bond is not rated by any rating agency, it is designated as “Not
rated.” Credit quality ratings assigned by a rating agency are subjective opinions, not statements of fact, and are subject to change, including daily. The ratings assigned by credit rating agencies are but one
of the considerations that the Investment Manager and/or Fund’s subadviser incorporates into its credit analysis process, along with such other issuer-specific factors as cash flows, capital structure and
leverage ratios, ability to de-leverage (repay) through free cash flow, quality of management, market positioning and access to capital, as well as such security-specific factors as the terms of the security (e.g.,
interest rate and time to maturity) and the amount and type of any collateral.
| 4 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Manager Discussion of Fund Performance
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
For the 12-month period that ended
July 31, 2022, Class A shares of Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund returned -5.83% excluding sales charges. Institutional Class shares of the Fund returned -5.60%. The Fund underperformed its benchmark,
the Bloomberg 3-15 Year Blend Municipal Bond Index, which returned -5.58% for the same time period.
Market overview
As the period began, a
Delta-variant-driven resurgence in COVID-19 cases weighed on investors’ minds. Supply chain disruptions, energy shortages and transportation bottlenecks pressured inflation and interest rates higher. While
interest rate volatility led most fixed-income sectors to negative returns, municipal performance remained one of the few positive corners of the domestic fixed-income landscape on a year-to-date basis in 2021.
Inflows remained positive. Post-COVID-19 tax revenue performance in most locales continued to outpace expectations, improving credit fundamentals and leaving many municipal issuers in healthy fiscal positions. With
growth and employment seemingly on track, messaging from the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) made a marked shift toward combatting inflationary pressures. As such, the Fed began tapering asset purchases while
acknowledging that conditions pushing inflation could last well into 2022. The combination of these market crosswinds served to elevate rate volatility for the period.
Municipals were not immune to the
volatility yet still managed solid outperformance versus Treasuries. While passage of the bipartisan infrastructure spending plan provided additional support to municipals via federal spending, movement toward higher
individual tax rates, which could have boosted demand, was left out of the final bill. Even without demand-inducing tax hikes, inflows remained positive. According to Lipper, municipal funds closed 2021 with a record
$101 billion into the asset class. On the supply side, full-year 2021 issuance for tax-exempt and taxable municipals were $343 billion and $133 billion, respectively. A combination of tax revenue outperformance driven
by continued economic expansion and additional federal spending from the infrastructure bill left many municipal issuers in very healthy fiscal positions as 2021 drew to a close.
Entering 2022 with relatively full
valuations and low absolute yields left little margin for error for municipal bonds, and, as messaging from the Fed grew increasingly hawkish, municipals could no longer remain immune from rising rates. The first
quarter closed with the Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index down 6.23% in the worst drawdown since the COVID-19 selloff and the worst first-quarter return since 1980. As is often the case with municipals, negative returns
precipitated outflows, which in turn led to more negative returns. Long and intermediate national funds, as well as high-yield funds, experienced the heaviest pressure.
Rising rates, coupled with
outflows, had a positive side effect for the municipal market. Valuations relative to Treasuries ended the first quarter of 2022 near their long-term averages, and, versus other fixed-income alternatives, taxable
equivalent yields were attractive enough to begin enticing even bank and insurance buyers back into the municipal market. Buyers of municipal credit were also drawn in by the solid fundamentals underpinning state and
local governments. On the back of record tax collections, substantial federal aid and a growing economy, municipal credit remained rather healthy. Upgrades continued to outpace downgrades, and, even in the riskiest
segments of the municipal market, defaults were exceptionally low.
The municipal bond market continued
to sell off as the second quarter of 2022 began. Interest rate volatility drove persistent outflows, which kept prices from finding a floor despite relative value measures appearing quite attractive. By mid-May, a
stabilization of outflows coupled with a recognition of very attractive valuations sparked a sharp rally. Even with this reversal, ratios remained attractive relative to long-term averages. This rally proved
short-lived, as June brought with it fresh highs for Treasury yields. While this selloff can still be described primarily as rate-driven, a more pronounced divergence between credit quality emerged, as concerns over
slowing growth spilled into municipal sectors.
Volatility remained the central
theme in the final month of the period as the market continued to process competing narratives of stubbornly high inflation and rapidly decelerating growth. The Fed, for its part, acutely focused on bringing inflation
under control, increased the target fed funds rate by 75 basis points (bps) at the July meeting. (A basis point is 1/100 of one percent.)
July’s rally in municipals
was also fueled by valuations that had reached historically cheap levels. Coupled with the move lower in yields, a stabilization of municipal fund flows pushed credit spreads tighter during the month. Muni/Treasury
yield ratios also retraced some of their recent cheapening, with ratios across the curve closing July richer between 4% and 11%. Front-end ratios appeared quite expensive versus historical averages, while 10-year and
30-year ratios were still indicating
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 5 |
Manager Discussion of Fund Performance (continued)
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
fair-to-slightly-cheap entry points. New issue
supply reached $22 billion, the second lowest monthly total of 2022. July is often a light new issuance month, but 2022 so far saw even lighter supply as the combination of municipal issuers flush with cash and
volatile markets kept new bond deals at bay. Continued stabilization of fund flows, along with lighter new supply, may help the market find solid footing.
The Fund’s notable
detractors during the period
| · | As interest rates rose during the period, longer duration, more interest-rate sensitive bond structures underperformed. The Fund’s overweighting to zero coupon bonds and sub 5% coupon bonds underperformed as these lower coupon bonds are more sensitive to changes in interest rates. |
| · | The Fund’s slight overweight to bonds maturing in 17 – 22 years detracted from performance as longer maturity bonds also underperformed during the period. |
| · | The Fund’s overweighting to hospital bonds held back performance as hospitals reported weaker operating performance. The uptick in COVID-19 cases during the period interrupted the ability for many hospitals to perform profitable elective surgeries. Rapidly increasing labor costs needed to hire nurses further reduced profitability within the hospital sector. |
The Fund’s notable
contributors during the period
| · | During a period of meaningful increases in interest rates and outperformance by the highest quality segments of the municipal market, the Fund’s below benchmark duration and higher quality profile were the two biggest positive contributors to relative performance. |
| ○ | The Fund began the period with a duration roughly 0.3 years below that of its benchmark and ended the period at 0.2 years below that of the benchmark. |
| ○ | The credit quality of the Oregon municipal market is higher than that of the national market. The Fund also had a 12% overweighting to AA rated bonds. It’s not uncommon for the Fund to outperform the national municipal market during periods of stress due to the stronger credit profile of the Oregon market. |
| · | The Fund’s overweighting in bonds with maturities of two years or less also contributed to Fund performance. These bonds were more insulated to withstand the interest rate increases and price declines experienced during the period. |
| · | An overweight in pre-refunded bonds, which are of very high quality, also served the Fund well as a defensive structure during this time of market stress. |
Fixed-income securities present
issuer default risk. The Fund invests substantially in municipal securities and will be affected by tax, legislative, regulatory, demographic or political changes, as well as changes impacting a state’s financial, economic or other
conditions. A relatively small number of tax-exempt issuers may necessitate the Fund investing more heavily in a single issuer and, therefore, be more exposed to the risk of loss than a Fund that invests more broadly.
The value of the Fund’s portfolio may be more volatile than a more geographically diversified fund. Prepayment and extension risk exists because the timing of payments on a loan, bond or other investment may accelerate when interest rates fall or decelerate when interest rates rise
which may reduce investment opportunities and potential returns. A rise in interest rates may result in a price decline of fixed-income instruments held by the Fund, negatively impacting its performance and NAV. Falling rates may result in the Fund investing
in lower yielding debt instruments, lowering the Fund’s income and yield. These risks may be heightened for longer maturity and duration securities. Non-investment-grade (high-yield or junk) securities present greater price volatility and more risk to principal and income than higher rated securities. Market risk may affect a single issuer, sector of the economy, industry or the market as a whole. Federal and state tax rules apply to capital gain distributions and any gains or losses on sales. Income may be subject to state or local taxes. Liquidity risk is associated with the difficulty of selling underlying investments at a desirable time or price. See the Fund’s prospectus for more information on these and other
risks.
The views expressed in this report
reflect the current views of the respective parties who contributed to this report. These views are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to
predict, so actual outcomes and results may differ significantly from the views expressed. These views are subject to change at any time based upon economic, market or other conditions and the respective parties
disclaim any responsibility to update such views. These views may not be relied on as investment advice and, because investment decisions for a Columbia fund are based on numerous factors, may not be relied on as an
indication of trading intent on behalf of any particular Columbia fund. References to specific securities should not be construed as a recommendation or investment advice.
| 6 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Understanding Your Fund’s
Expenses
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
As an investor, you incur two types
of costs. There are shareholder transaction costs, which generally include sales charges on purchases and may include redemption fees. There are also ongoing fund costs, which generally include management fees,
distribution and/or service fees, and other fund expenses. The following information is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to help you compare these costs with
the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.
Analyzing your Fund’s
expenses
To illustrate these ongoing
costs, we have provided examples and calculated the expenses paid by investors in each share class of the Fund during the period. The actual and hypothetical information in the table is based on an initial investment
of $1,000 at the beginning of the period indicated and held for the entire period. Expense information is calculated two ways and each method provides you with different information. The amount listed in the
“Actual” column is calculated using the Fund’s actual operating expenses and total return for the period. You may use the Actual information, together with the amount invested, to estimate the
expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the results by the expenses paid during the period under
the “Actual” column. The amount listed in the “Hypothetical” column assumes a 5% annual rate of return before expenses (which is not the Fund’s actual return) and then applies the
Fund’s actual expense ratio for the period to the hypothetical return. You should not use the hypothetical account values and expenses to estimate either your actual account balance at the end of the period or
the expenses you paid during the period. See “Compare with other funds” below for details on how to use the hypothetical data.
Compare with other funds
Since all mutual funds are
required to include the same hypothetical calculations about expenses in shareholder reports, you can use this information to compare the ongoing cost of investing in the Fund with other funds. To do so, compare the
hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds. As you compare hypothetical examples of other funds, it is important to note that hypothetical examples are
meant to highlight the ongoing costs of investing in a fund only and do not reflect any transaction costs, such as sales charges, or redemption or exchange fees. Therefore, the hypothetical calculations are useful in
comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. If transaction costs were included in these calculations, your costs would be higher.
Expenses paid during the period
are equal to the annualized expense ratio for each class as indicated above, multiplied by the average account value over the period and then multiplied by the number of days in the Fund’s most recent fiscal
half year and divided by 365.
Expenses do not include fees and
expenses incurred indirectly by the Fund from its investment in underlying funds, including affiliated and non-affiliated pooled investment vehicles, such as mutual funds and exchange-traded funds.
Had Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC and/or certain of its affiliates not waived/reimbursed certain fees and expenses, account value at the end of the period would have been reduced.
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 7 |
Portfolio of Investments
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
(Percentages represent value of
investments compared to net assets)
Investments in securities
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 8 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 9 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 10 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 11 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 12 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 13 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 14 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Notes to Portfolio of
Investments
| (a) | The Fund is entitled to receive principal and interest from the guarantor after a day or a week’s notice or upon maturity. The maturity date disclosed represents the final maturity. |
| (b) | Represents a variable rate security where the coupon rate adjusts on specified dates (generally daily or weekly) using the prevailing money market rate. The interest rate shown was the current rate as of July 31, 2022. |
| (c) | Income from this security may be subject to alternative minimum tax. |
| (d) | Represents privately placed and other securities and instruments exempt from Securities and Exchange Commission registration (collectively, private placements), such as Section 4(a)(2) and Rule 144A eligible securities, which are often sold only to qualified institutional buyers. At July 31, 2022, the total value of these securities amounted to $2,806,538, which represents 0.84% of total net assets. |
| (e) | Represents a variable rate security with a step coupon where the rate adjusts according to a schedule for a series of periods, typically lower for an initial period and then increasing to a higher coupon rate thereafter. The interest rate shown was the current rate as of July 31, 2022. |
| (f) | Zero coupon bond. |
| (g) | Municipal obligations include debt obligations issued by or on behalf of territories, possessions, or sovereign nations within the territorial boundaries of the United States. At July 31, 2022, the total value of these securities amounted to $6,399,361, which represents 1.91% of total net assets. |
| (h) | The rate shown is the seven-day current annualized yield at July 31, 2022. |
Abbreviation Legend
| AGM | Assured Guaranty Municipal Corporation |
| HUD | Department of Housing and Urban Development |
Fair value
measurements
The Fund categorizes
its fair value measurements according to a three-level hierarchy that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by prioritizing that the most observable input be used when
available. Observable inputs are those that market participants would use in pricing an investment based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs are those that
reflect the Fund’s assumptions about the information market participants would use in pricing an investment. An investment’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input
that is deemed significant to the asset’s or liability’s fair value measurement. The input levels are not necessarily an indication of the risk or liquidity associated with investments at that level. For
example, certain U.S. government securities are generally high quality and liquid, however, they are reflected as Level 2 because the inputs used to determine fair value may not always be quoted prices in an active
market.
Fair value inputs are
summarized in the three broad levels listed below:
| ■ | Level 1 — Valuations based on quoted prices for investments in active markets that the Fund has the ability to access at the measurement date. Valuation adjustments are not applied to Level 1 investments. |
| ■ | Level 2 — Valuations based on other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risks, etc.). |
| ■ | Level 3 — Valuations based on significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions and judgment in determining the fair value of investments). |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 15 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Fair value measurements (continued)
Inputs that are used in determining fair value of an investment may include price information, credit data, volatility statistics, and other factors. These inputs can be either observable or unobservable. The availability of observable inputs can vary between investments, and is affected by various factors such as the type of investment, and the volume and level of activity for that investment or similar investments in the marketplace. The inputs will be considered by the Investment Manager, along with any other relevant factors in the calculation of an investment’s fair value. The Fund uses prices and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, which may include periods of market dislocations. During these periods, the availability of prices and inputs may be reduced for many investments. This condition could cause an investment to be reclassified between the various levels within the hierarchy.
Inputs that are used in determining fair value of an investment may include price information, credit data, volatility statistics, and other factors. These inputs can be either observable or unobservable. The availability of observable inputs can vary between investments, and is affected by various factors such as the type of investment, and the volume and level of activity for that investment or similar investments in the marketplace. The inputs will be considered by the Investment Manager, along with any other relevant factors in the calculation of an investment’s fair value. The Fund uses prices and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, which may include periods of market dislocations. During these periods, the availability of prices and inputs may be reduced for many investments. This condition could cause an investment to be reclassified between the various levels within the hierarchy.
Investments falling into the Level 3
category are primarily supported by quoted prices from brokers and dealers participating in the market for those investments. However, these may be classified as Level 3 investments due to lack of market transparency
and corroboration to support these quoted prices. Additionally, valuation models may be used as the pricing source for any remaining investments classified as Level 3. These models may rely on one or more significant
unobservable inputs and/or significant assumptions by the Investment Manager. Inputs used in valuations may include, but are not limited to, financial statement analysis, capital account balances, discount rates and
estimated cash flows, and comparable company data.
Under the direction of the
Fund’s Board of Trustees (the Board), the Investment Manager’s Valuation Committee (the Committee) is responsible for overseeing the valuation procedures approved by the Board. The Committee consists of
voting and non-voting members from various groups within the Investment Manager’s organization, including operations and accounting, trading and investments, compliance, risk management and legal.
The Committee meets at least monthly
to review and approve valuation matters, which may include a description of specific valuation determinations, data regarding pricing information received from approved pricing vendors and brokers and the results of
Board-approved valuation control policies and procedures (the Policies). The Policies address, among other things, instances when market quotations are or are not readily available, including recommendations of third
party pricing vendors and a determination of appropriate pricing methodologies; events that require specific valuation determinations and assessment of fair value techniques; securities with a potential for stale
pricing, including those that are illiquid, restricted, or in default; and the effectiveness of third party pricing vendors, including periodic reviews of vendors. The Committee meets more frequently, as needed, to
discuss additional valuation matters, which may include the need to review back-testing results, review time-sensitive information or approve related valuation actions. The Committee reports to the Board, with members
of the Committee meeting with the Board at each of its regularly scheduled meetings to discuss valuation matters and actions during the period, similar to those described earlier.
The following table is a summary of
the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments at July 31, 2022:
| Level 1 ($) | Level 2 ($) | Level 3 ($) | Total ($) | |
| Investments in Securities | ||||
| Floating Rate Notes | — | 2,400,000 | — | 2,400,000 |
| Municipal Bonds | — | 322,415,091 | — | 322,415,091 |
| Money Market Funds | 7,786,743 | — | — | 7,786,743 |
| Total Investments in Securities | 7,786,743 | 324,815,091 | — | 332,601,834 |
See the Portfolio of Investments for
all investment classifications not indicated in the table.
The Fund’s assets assigned to
the Level 2 input category are generally valued using the market approach, in which a security’s value is determined through reference to prices and information from market transactions for similar or identical
assets.
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| 16 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
| Assets | |
| Investments in securities, at value | |
| Unaffiliated issuers (cost $336,010,524) | $332,601,834 |
| Cash | 4,845 |
| Receivable for: | |
| Capital shares sold | 483,281 |
| Interest | 2,663,057 |
| Expense reimbursement due from Investment Manager | 236 |
| Prepaid expenses | 6,474 |
| Trustees’ deferred compensation plan | 102,178 |
| Total assets | 335,861,905 |
| Liabilities | |
| Payable for: | |
| Capital shares purchased | 187,794 |
| Distributions to shareholders | 575,850 |
| Management services fees | 4,296 |
| Distribution and/or service fees | 313 |
| Transfer agent fees | 21,742 |
| Compensation of board members | 10,246 |
| Other expenses | 20,440 |
| Trustees’ deferred compensation plan | 102,178 |
| Total liabilities | 922,859 |
| Net assets applicable to outstanding capital stock | $334,939,046 |
| Represented by | |
| Paid in capital | 338,248,032 |
| Total distributable earnings (loss) | (3,308,986) |
| Total - representing net assets applicable to outstanding capital stock | $334,939,046 |
| Class A | |
| Net assets | $36,636,096 |
| Shares outstanding | 3,117,086 |
| Net asset value per share | $11.75 |
| Maximum sales charge | 3.00% |
| Maximum offering price per share (calculated by dividing the net asset value per share by 1.0 minus the maximum sales charge for Class A shares) | $12.11 |
| Advisor Class | |
| Net assets | $3,155,836 |
| Shares outstanding | 268,434 |
| Net asset value per share | $11.76 |
| Class C | |
| Net assets | $3,243,401 |
| Shares outstanding | 275,958 |
| Net asset value per share | $11.75 |
| Institutional Class | |
| Net assets | $241,308,002 |
| Shares outstanding | 20,531,264 |
| Net asset value per share | $11.75 |
| Institutional 2 Class | |
| Net assets | $39,877,538 |
| Shares outstanding | 3,398,502 |
| Net asset value per share | $11.73 |
| Institutional 3 Class | |
| Net assets | $10,718,173 |
| Shares outstanding | 910,904 |
| Net asset value per share | $11.77 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 17 |
Statement of Operations
Year Ended July 31, 2022
Year Ended July 31, 2022
| Net investment income | |
| Income: | |
| Dividends — unaffiliated issuers | $9,434 |
| Interest | 8,987,853 |
| Total income | 8,997,287 |
| Expenses: | |
| Management services fees | 1,640,959 |
| Distribution and/or service fees | |
| Class A | 104,321 |
| Class C | 33,390 |
| Transfer agent fees | |
| Class A | 37,336 |
| Advisor Class | 2,927 |
| Class C | 3,667 |
| Institutional Class | 228,222 |
| Institutional 2 Class | 18,635 |
| Institutional 3 Class | 727 |
| Compensation of board members | 16,589 |
| Custodian fees | 2,262 |
| Printing and postage fees | 18,255 |
| Registration fees | 10,907 |
| Audit fees | 29,500 |
| Legal fees | 13,934 |
| Compensation of chief compliance officer | 92 |
| Other | 13,973 |
| Total expenses | 2,175,696 |
| Fees waived or expenses reimbursed by Investment Manager and its affiliates | (100,467) |
| Fees waived by distributor | |
| Class C | (4,698) |
| Expense reduction | (380) |
| Total net expenses | 2,070,151 |
| Net investment income | 6,927,136 |
| Realized and unrealized gain (loss) — net | |
| Net realized gain (loss) on: | |
| Investments — unaffiliated issuers | (200,083) |
| Net realized loss | (200,083) |
| Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on: | |
| Investments — unaffiliated issuers | (27,176,242) |
| Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) | (27,176,242) |
| Net realized and unrealized loss | (27,376,325) |
| Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations | $(20,449,189) |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 18 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
| Year Ended July 31, 2022 | Year Ended July 31, 2021 | |
| Operations | ||
| Net investment income | $6,927,136 | $7,210,942 |
| Net realized gain (loss) | (200,083) | 25,280 |
| Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) | (27,176,242) | (1,567,752) |
| Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | (20,449,189) | 5,668,470 |
| Distributions to shareholders | ||
| Net investment income and net realized gains | ||
| Class A | (734,921) | (925,372) |
| Advisor Class | (65,890) | (62,877) |
| Class C | (53,550) | (93,304) |
| Institutional Class | (5,138,933) | (6,162,182) |
| Institutional 2 Class | (698,707) | (723,876) |
| Institutional 3 Class | (252,762) | (213,859) |
| Total distributions to shareholders | (6,944,763) | (8,181,470) |
| Increase (decrease) in net assets from capital stock activity | (290,003) | 11,747,514 |
| Total increase (decrease) in net assets | (27,683,955) | 9,234,514 |
| Net assets at beginning of year | 362,623,001 | 353,388,487 |
| Net assets at end of year | $334,939,046 | $362,623,001 |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 19 |
Statement of Changes in Net Assets (continued)
| Year Ended | Year Ended | |||
| July 31, 2022 | July 31, 2021 | |||
| Shares | Dollars ($) | Shares | Dollars ($) | |
| Capital stock activity | ||||
| Class A | ||||
| Subscriptions | 685,838 | 8,328,148 | 715,810 | 9,089,451 |
| Distributions reinvested | 57,622 | 699,804 | 70,270 | 890,456 |
| Redemptions | (1,138,898) | (13,602,558) | (859,891) | (10,921,882) |
| Net decrease | (395,438) | (4,574,606) | (73,811) | (941,975) |
| Advisor Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 141,491 | 1,708,751 | 71,018 | 900,785 |
| Distributions reinvested | 5,427 | 65,890 | 4,962 | 62,877 |
| Redemptions | (133,414) | (1,599,013) | (9,880) | (124,988) |
| Net increase | 13,504 | 175,628 | 66,100 | 838,674 |
| Class C | ||||
| Subscriptions | 32,559 | 400,557 | 44,033 | 557,658 |
| Distributions reinvested | 4,310 | 52,406 | 7,229 | 91,633 |
| Redemptions | (144,606) | (1,751,482) | (194,527) | (2,471,232) |
| Net decrease | (107,737) | (1,298,519) | (143,265) | (1,821,941) |
| Institutional Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 2,204,837 | 26,856,497 | 1,580,881 | 20,062,241 |
| Distributions reinvested | 325,614 | 3,950,321 | 375,671 | 4,760,339 |
| Redemptions | (2,969,253) | (35,759,051) | (1,874,015) | (23,759,540) |
| Net increase (decrease) | (438,802) | (4,952,233) | 82,537 | 1,063,040 |
| Institutional 2 Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 1,692,676 | 19,937,658 | 1,164,410 | 14,768,697 |
| Distributions reinvested | 57,828 | 698,693 | 57,227 | 723,871 |
| Redemptions | (983,721) | (11,744,059) | (413,551) | (5,232,171) |
| Net increase | 766,783 | 8,892,292 | 808,086 | 10,260,397 |
| Institutional 3 Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 589,265 | 7,196,027 | 228,471 | 2,901,112 |
| Distributions reinvested | 12,279 | 148,873 | 10,744 | 136,339 |
| Redemptions | (496,051) | (5,877,465) | (54,214) | (688,132) |
| Net increase | 105,493 | 1,467,435 | 185,001 | 2,349,319 |
| Total net increase (decrease) | (56,197) | (290,003) | 924,648 | 11,747,514 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| 20 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
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| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 21 |
Financial Highlights
The following table is intended to
help you understand the Fund’s financial performance. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share of a class held for the periods shown. Per share net investment income (loss) amounts are
calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period. Total return assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions, if any. Total return does not reflect payment of sales charges, if any. Total
return and portfolio turnover are not annualized for periods of less than one year. The portfolio turnover rate is calculated without regard to purchase and sales transactions of short-term instruments and certain
derivatives, if any. If such transactions were included, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate may be higher.
| Net asset value, beginning of period | Net investment income | Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | Total from investment operations | Distributions from net investment income | Distributions from net realized gains | Total distributions to shareholders | |
| Class A | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $12.70 | 0.21 | (0.95) | (0.74) | (0.21) | — | (0.21) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $12.79 | 0.23 | (0.06) | 0.17 | (0.23) | (0.03) | (0.26) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $12.52 | 0.27 | 0.29 | 0.56 | (0.27) | (0.02) | (0.29) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $12.14 | 0.30 | 0.41 | 0.71 | (0.31) | (0.02) | (0.33) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $12.45 | 0.31 | (0.31) | 0.00(d) | (0.31) | — | (0.31) |
| Advisor Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $12.70 | 0.24 | (0.94) | (0.70) | (0.24) | — | (0.24) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $12.79 | 0.26 | (0.05) | 0.21 | (0.27) | (0.03) | (0.30) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $12.52 | 0.30 | 0.29 | 0.59 | (0.30) | (0.02) | (0.32) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $12.14 | 0.33 | 0.41 | 0.74 | (0.34) | (0.02) | (0.36) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $12.45 | 0.34 | (0.31) | 0.03 | (0.34) | — | (0.34) |
| Class C | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $12.70 | 0.16 | (0.95) | (0.79) | (0.16) | — | (0.16) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $12.79 | 0.17 | (0.05) | 0.12 | (0.18) | (0.03) | (0.21) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $12.52 | 0.22 | 0.28 | 0.50 | (0.21) | (0.02) | (0.23) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $12.14 | 0.25 | 0.40 | 0.65 | (0.25) | (0.02) | (0.27) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $12.45 | 0.25 | (0.31) | (0.06) | (0.25) | — | (0.25) |
| Institutional Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $12.70 | 0.24 | (0.95) | (0.71) | (0.24) | — | (0.24) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $12.79 | 0.26 | (0.05) | 0.21 | (0.27) | (0.03) | (0.30) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $12.52 | 0.30 | 0.29 | 0.59 | (0.30) | (0.02) | (0.32) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $12.14 | 0.33 | 0.41 | 0.74 | (0.34) | (0.02) | (0.36) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $12.45 | 0.34 | (0.31) | 0.03 | (0.34) | — | (0.34) |
| Institutional 2 Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $12.68 | 0.25 | (0.95) | (0.70) | (0.25) | — | (0.25) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $12.77 | 0.26 | (0.05) | 0.21 | (0.27) | (0.03) | (0.30) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $12.51 | 0.31 | 0.27 | 0.58 | (0.30) | (0.02) | (0.32) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $12.12 | 0.34 | 0.41 | 0.75 | (0.34) | (0.02) | (0.36) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $12.43 | 0.34 | (0.31) | 0.03 | (0.34) | — | (0.34) |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 22 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Financial Highlights (continued)
| Net asset value, end of period | Total return | Total gross expense ratio to average net assets(a) | Total net expense ratio to average net assets(a),(b) | Net investment income ratio to average net assets | Portfolio turnover | Net assets, end of period (000’s) | |
| Class A | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $11.75 | (5.83%) | 0.84% | 0.81%(c) | 1.76% | 11% | $36,636 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $12.70 | 1.38% | 0.84% | 0.81%(c) | 1.81% | 5% | $44,606 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $12.79 | 4.52% | 0.84% | 0.81%(c) | 2.16% | 9% | $45,868 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $12.52 | 5.94% | 0.84% | 0.83% | 2.49% | 8% | $44,185 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $12.14 | 0.01% | 0.84% | 0.84%(c) | 2.53% | 10% | $39,896 |
| Advisor Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $11.76 | (5.52%) | 0.59% | 0.56%(c) | 2.01% | 11% | $3,156 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $12.70 | 1.63% | 0.59% | 0.56%(c) | 2.06% | 5% | $3,238 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $12.79 | 4.78% | 0.59% | 0.56%(c) | 2.40% | 9% | $2,415 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $12.52 | 6.21% | 0.59% | 0.57% | 2.73% | 8% | $1,919 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $12.14 | 0.25% | 0.59% | 0.59%(c) | 2.78% | 10% | $660 |
| Class C | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $11.75 | (6.26%) | 1.40% | 1.26%(c) | 1.30% | 11% | $3,243 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $12.70 | 0.92% | 1.59% | 1.26%(c),(e) | 1.36% | 5% | $4,873 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $12.79 | 4.05% | 1.59% | 1.26%(c),(e) | 1.72% | 9% | $6,740 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $12.52 | 5.46% | 1.59% | 1.28%(e) | 2.05% | 8% | $8,434 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $12.14 | (0.44%) | 1.59% | 1.29%(c) | 2.07% | 10% | $14,530 |
| Institutional Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $11.75 | (5.60%) | 0.59% | 0.56%(c) | 2.01% | 11% | $241,308 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $12.70 | 1.63% | 0.59% | 0.56%(c) | 2.06% | 5% | $266,298 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $12.79 | 4.78% | 0.59% | 0.56%(c) | 2.41% | 9% | $267,135 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $12.52 | 6.20% | 0.59% | 0.58% | 2.74% | 8% | $270,831 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $12.14 | 0.25% | 0.59% | 0.59%(c) | 2.77% | 10% | $293,485 |
| Institutional 2 Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $11.73 | (5.58%) | 0.55% | 0.52% | 2.05% | 11% | $39,878 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $12.68 | 1.67% | 0.56% | 0.53% | 2.10% | 5% | $33,366 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $12.77 | 4.73% | 0.56% | 0.53% | 2.45% | 9% | $23,286 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $12.51 | 6.33% | 0.56% | 0.54% | 2.77% | 8% | $25,397 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $12.12 | 0.28% | 0.56% | 0.56% | 2.80% | 10% | $31,451 |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 23 |
Financial Highlights (continued)
| Net asset value, beginning of period | Net investment income | Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | Total from investment operations | Distributions from net investment income | Distributions from net realized gains | Total distributions to shareholders | |
| Institutional 3 Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $12.72 | 0.25 | (0.95) | (0.70) | (0.25) | — | (0.25) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $12.81 | 0.27 | (0.05) | 0.22 | (0.28) | (0.03) | (0.31) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $12.54 | 0.31 | 0.29 | 0.60 | (0.31) | (0.02) | (0.33) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $12.15 | 0.34 | 0.42 | 0.76 | (0.35) | (0.02) | (0.37) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $12.47 | 0.35 | (0.32) | 0.03 | (0.35) | — | (0.35) |
| Notes to Financial Highlights | |
| (a) | In addition to the fees and expenses that the Fund bears directly, the Fund indirectly bears a pro rata share of the fees and expenses of any other funds in which it invests. Such indirect expenses are not included in the Fund’s reported expense ratios. |
| (b) | Total net expenses include the impact of certain fee waivers/expense reimbursements made by the Investment Manager and certain of its affiliates, if applicable. |
| (c) | The benefits derived from expense reductions had an impact of less than 0.01%. |
| (d) | Rounds to zero. |
| (e) | Ratios include the impact of voluntary waivers paid by the Investment Manager. For the periods indicated below, if the Investment Manager had not paid these voluntary waivers, the Fund’s net expense ratio would increase by: |
| 7/31/2021 | 7/31/2020 | 7/31/2019 | |
| Class C | 0.06% | 0.30% | 0.30% |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 24 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Financial Highlights (continued)
| Net asset value, end of period | Total return | Total gross expense ratio to average net assets(a) | Total net expense ratio to average net assets(a),(b) | Net investment income ratio to average net assets | Portfolio turnover | Net assets, end of period (000’s) | |
| Institutional 3 Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $11.77 | (5.51%) | 0.50% | 0.48% | 2.09% | 11% | $10,718 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $12.72 | 1.72% | 0.51% | 0.48% | 2.14% | 5% | $10,242 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $12.81 | 4.86% | 0.51% | 0.48% | 2.49% | 9% | $7,945 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $12.54 | 6.37% | 0.51% | 0.49% | 2.82% | 8% | $6,909 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $12.15 | 0.26% | 0.51% | 0.51% | 2.90% | 10% | $3,871 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 25 |
Notes to Financial Statements
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Note 1. Organization
Columbia Oregon Intermediate
Municipal Bond Fund (the Fund), a series of Columbia Funds Series Trust I (the Trust), is a diversified fund. The Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), as an open-end
management investment company organized as a Massachusetts business trust.
Fund shares
The Trust may issue an unlimited
number of shares (without par value). The Fund offers each of the share classes listed in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Although all share classes generally have identical voting, dividend and liquidation
rights, each share class votes separately when required by the Trust’s organizational documents or by law. Each share class has its own expense and sales charge structure. Different share classes may have
different minimum initial investment amounts and pay different net investment income distribution amounts to the extent the expenses of distributing such share classes vary. Distributions to shareholders in a
liquidation will be proportional to the net asset value of each share class.
As described in the Fund’s
prospectus, Class A and Class C shares are offered to the general public for investment. Class C shares automatically convert to Class A shares after 8 years. Advisor Class, Institutional Class, Institutional 2 Class
and Institutional 3 Class shares are available for purchase through authorized investment professionals to omnibus retirement plans or to institutional investors and to certain other investors as also described in the
Fund’s prospectus.
Note 2. Summary of
significant accounting policies
Basis of preparation
The Fund is an investment company
that applies the accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946, Financial Services - Investment Companies (ASC 946). The financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), which requires
management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the
reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
The following is a summary of
significant accounting policies followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements.
Security valuation
Debt securities generally are
valued by pricing services approved by the Board of Trustees based upon market transactions for normal, institutional-size trading units of similar securities. The services may use various pricing techniques that take
into account, as applicable, factors such as yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics and other data, as well as approved independent broker-dealer quotes. Debt securities for
which quotations are not readily available or not believed to be reflective of market value may also be valued based upon a bid quote from an approved independent broker-dealer. Debt securities maturing in 60 days or
less are valued primarily at amortized market value, unless this method results in a valuation that management believes does not approximate fair value.
Investments in open-end investment
companies (other than exchange-traded funds (ETFs)), are valued at the latest net asset value reported by those companies as of the valuation time.
Investments for which market
quotations are not readily available, or that have quotations which management believes are not reflective of market value or reliable, are valued at fair value as determined in good faith under procedures approved by
and under the general supervision of the Board of Trustees. If a security or class of securities (such as foreign securities) is valued at fair value, such value is likely to be different from the quoted or published
price for the security, if available.
The determination of fair value
often requires significant judgment. To determine fair value, management may use assumptions including but not limited to future cash flows and estimated risk premiums. Multiple inputs from various sources may be used
to determine fair value.
| 26 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
GAAP requires disclosure regarding
the inputs and valuation techniques used to measure fair value and any changes in valuation inputs or techniques. In addition, investments shall be disclosed by major category. This information is disclosed following
the Fund’s Portfolio of Investments.
Security transactions
Security transactions are accounted
for on the trade date. Cost is determined and gains (losses) are based upon the specific identification method for both financial statement and federal income tax purposes.
Income recognition
Interest income is recorded on an
accrual basis. Market premiums and discounts, including original issue discounts, are amortized and accreted, respectively, over the expected life of the security on all debt securities, unless otherwise noted.
The Fund may place a debt security
on non-accrual status and reduce related interest income when it becomes probable that the interest will not be collected and the amount of uncollectible interest can be reasonably estimated. A defaulted debt security
is removed from non-accrual status when the issuer resumes interest payments or when collectability of interest is reasonably assured.
Dividend income is recorded on the
ex-dividend date.
Expenses
General expenses of the Trust are
allocated to the Fund and other funds of the Trust based upon relative net assets or other expense allocation methodologies determined by the nature of the expense. Expenses directly attributable to the Fund are
charged to the Fund. Expenses directly attributable to a specific class of shares are charged to that share class.
Determination of class net asset
value
All income, expenses (other than
class-specific expenses, which are charged to that share class, as shown in the Statement of Operations) and realized and unrealized gains (losses) are allocated to each class of the Fund on a daily basis, based on
the relative net assets of each class, for purposes of determining the net asset value of each class.
Federal income tax status
The Fund intends to qualify each
year as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended, and will distribute substantially all of its net tax-exempt and investment company taxable income and net capital
gain, if any, for its tax year, and as such will not be subject to federal income taxes. In addition, the Fund intends to distribute in each calendar year substantially all of its ordinary income, capital gain net
income and certain other amounts, if any, such that the Fund should not be subject to federal excise tax. Therefore, no federal income or excise tax provision is recorded.
Distributions to shareholders
Distributions from net investment
income, if any, are declared daily and paid monthly. Net realized capital gains, if any, are distributed at least annually. Income distributions and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with federal
income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP.
Guarantees and indemnifications
Under the Trust’s
organizational documents and, in some cases, by contract, its officers and trustees are indemnified against certain liabilities arising out of the performance of their duties to the Trust or its funds. In addition,
certain of the Fund’s contracts with its service providers contain general indemnification clauses. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown since the amount of any future claims
that may be made against the Fund cannot be determined, and the Fund has no historical basis for predicting the likelihood of any such claims.
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 27 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Note 3. Fees and other
transactions with affiliates
Management services fees
The Fund has entered into a
Management Agreement with Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (the Investment Manager), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (Ameriprise Financial). Under the Management Agreement, the
Investment Manager provides the Fund with investment research and advice, as well as administrative and accounting services. The management services fee is an annual fee that is equal to a percentage of the
Fund’s daily net assets that declines from 0.47% to 0.31% as the Fund’s net assets increase. The effective management services fee rate for the year ended July 31, 2022 was 0.47% of the Fund’s
average daily net assets.
Compensation of board members
Members of the Board of Trustees
who are not officers or employees of the Investment Manager or Ameriprise Financial are compensated for their services to the Fund as disclosed in the Statement of Operations. Under a Deferred Compensation Plan (the
Deferred Plan), these members of the Board of Trustees may elect to defer payment of up to 100% of their compensation. Deferred amounts are treated as though equivalent dollar amounts had been invested in shares of
certain funds managed by the Investment Manager. The Fund’s liability for these amounts is adjusted for market value changes and remains in the Fund until distributed in accordance with the Deferred Plan. All
amounts payable under the Deferred Plan constitute a general unsecured obligation of the Fund. The expense for the Deferred Plan, which includes Trustees’ fees deferred during the current period as well as any
gains or losses on the Trustees’ deferred compensation balances as a result of market fluctuations, is included in "Compensation of board members" in the Statement of Operations.
Compensation of Chief Compliance
Officer
The Board of Trustees has appointed
a Chief Compliance Officer for the Fund in accordance with federal securities regulations. As disclosed in the Statement of Operations, a portion of the Chief Compliance Officer’s total compensation is allocated
to the Fund, along with other allocations to affiliated registered investment companies managed by the Investment Manager and its affiliates, based on relative net assets.
Transactions with affiliates
The Fund is permitted to engage in
purchase and/or sale transactions with affiliates and/or accounts that have a common investment manager (or affiliated investment managers), common directors/trustees, and/or common officers under specified conditions
outlined in a policy adopted by the Board, pursuant to Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act (cross-trades). The Board relies on quarterly written representation from the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer that
cross-trades complied with approved policy.
For the year ended July 31, 2022,
the Fund engaged in cross-trades as follows:
| Purchases ($) | Sales ($) | Net realized gain (loss) ($) |
| 6,165,797 | — | — |
Transfer agency fees
Under a Transfer and Dividend
Disbursing Agent Agreement, Columbia Management Investment Services Corp. (the Transfer Agent), an affiliate of the Investment Manager and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, is responsible for
providing transfer agency services to the Fund. The Transfer Agent has contracted with DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc. (DST) to serve as sub-transfer agent. The Transfer Agent pays the fees of DST for services as
sub-transfer agent and DST is not entitled to reimbursement for such fees from the Fund (with the exception of out-of-pocket fees).
The Fund pays the Transfer Agent a
monthly transfer agency fee based on the number or the average value of accounts, depending on the type of account. In addition, the Fund pays the Transfer Agent a fee for shareholder services based on the number of
accounts or on a percentage of the average aggregate value of the Fund’s shares maintained in omnibus accounts up to the lesser of the amount charged by the financial intermediary or a cap established by the
Board of Trustees from time to time.
| 28 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The Transfer Agent also receives
compensation from the Fund for various shareholder services and reimbursements for certain out-of-pocket fees. Total transfer agency fees for Institutional 2 Class and Institutional 3 Class shares are subject to an
annual limitation of not more than 0.07% and 0.02%, respectively, of the average daily net assets attributable to each share class.
For the year ended July 31, 2022,
the Fund’s effective transfer agency fee rates as a percentage of average daily net assets of each class were as follows:
| Effective rate (%) | |
| Class A | 0.09 |
| Advisor Class | 0.09 |
| Class C | 0.09 |
| Institutional Class | 0.09 |
| Institutional 2 Class | 0.05 |
| Institutional 3 Class | 0.01 |
An annual minimum account balance
fee of $20 may apply to certain accounts with a value below the applicable share class’s initial minimum investment requirements to reduce the impact of small accounts on transfer agency fees. These minimum
account balance fees are remitted to the Fund and recorded as part of expense reductions in the Statement of Operations. For the year ended July 31, 2022, these minimum account balance fees reduced total expenses of
the Fund by $380.
Distribution and service fees
The Fund has entered into an
agreement with Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. (the Distributor), an affiliate of the Investment Manager and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, for distribution and shareholder
services. The Board of Trustees has approved, and the Fund has adopted, distribution and shareholder service plans (the Plans) applicable to certain share classes, which set the distribution and service fees for the
Fund. These fees are calculated daily and are intended to compensate the Distributor and/or eligible selling and/or servicing agents for selling shares of the Fund and providing services to investors.
Under the Plans, the Fund pays a
monthly service fee to the Distributor at the maximum annual rate of 0.25% of the average daily net assets attributable to Class A and Class C shares of the Fund. Also under the Plans, the Fund pays a
monthly distribution fee to the Distributor at the maximum annual rates of 0.10% and 0.75% of the average daily net assets attributable to Class A and Class C shares of the Fund, respectively.
Although the Fund may pay
distribution and service fees up to a maximum annual rate of 0.35% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares (comprised of up to 0.10% for distribution services and up to 0.25% for
shareholder services), the Fund currently limits such fees to an aggregate fee of not more than 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares.
Effective December 1, 2021, the
Distributor has reduced the distribution fee for Class C shares to 0.45% annually of the average daily net assets attributable to Class C shares. Prior to December 1, 2021, the Distributor contractually waived a
portion of the distribution fee for Class C shares so that the distribution fee did not exceed 0.45% annually of the average daily net assets attributable to Class C shares. This arrangement could have
been modified or terminated at the sole discretion of the Board of Trustees.
Sales charges (unaudited)
Sales charges, including front-end
charges and contingent deferred sales charges (CDSCs), received by the Distributor for distributing Fund shares for the year ended July 31, 2022, if any, are listed below:
| Front End (%) | CDSC (%) | Amount ($) | |
| Class A | 3.00 | 0.75(a) | 47,807 |
| Class C | — | 1.00(b) | — |
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 29 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
| (a) | This charge is imposed on certain investments of $500,000 or more if redeemed within 12 months after purchase. |
| (b) | This charge applies to redemptions within 12 months after purchase, with certain limited exceptions. |
The Fund’s other share
classes are not subject to sales charges.
Expenses waived/reimbursed by the
Investment Manager and its affiliates
The Investment Manager and certain
of its affiliates have contractually agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses (excluding certain fees and expenses described below) for the period(s) disclosed below, unless sooner terminated at the sole
discretion of the Board of Trustees, so that the Fund’s net operating expenses, after giving effect to fees waived/expenses reimbursed and any balance credits and/or overdraft charges from the Fund’s
custodian, do not exceed the following annual rate(s) as a percentage of the classes’ average daily net assets:
Under the agreement governing
these fee waivers and/or expense reimbursement arrangements, the following fees and expenses are excluded from the waiver/reimbursement commitment, and therefore will be paid by the Fund, if applicable: taxes
(including foreign transaction taxes), expenses associated with investments in affiliated and non-affiliated pooled investment vehicles (including mutual funds and exchange-traded funds), transaction costs and
brokerage commissions, costs related to any securities lending program, dividend expenses associated with securities sold short, inverse floater program fees and expenses, transaction charges and interest on borrowed
money, interest, costs associated with shareholder meetings, infrequent and/or unusual expenses and any other expenses the exclusion of which is specifically approved by the Board of Trustees. This agreement may be
modified or amended only with approval from the Investment Manager, certain of its affiliates and the Fund. In addition to the contractual agreement, the Investment Manager and certain of its affiliates have
voluntarily agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse Fund expenses (excluding certain fees and expenses described above) so that Fund level expenses (expenses directly attributable to the Fund and not to a specific share
class) are waived proportionately across all share classes. This arrangement may be revised or discontinued at any time. Prior to December 1, 2021, Class C distribution fees waived by the Distributor, as discussed
above, were in addition to the waiver/reimbursement commitment under the agreement. Any fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed under the expense reimbursement arrangements described above are not recoverable by
the Investment Manager or its affiliates in future periods.
Note 4. Federal tax
information
The timing and character of
income and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP because of temporary or permanent book to tax differences.
At July, 31, 2022, these
differences were primarily due to differing treatment for capital loss carryforwards, trustees’ deferred compensation, distributions and re-characterization of distributions for investments. To the extent these
differences were permanent, reclassifications were made among the components of the Fund’s net assets. Temporary differences do not require reclassifications.
The following reclassifications
were made:
| Undistributed net investment income ($) | Accumulated net realized (loss) ($) | Paid in capital ($) |
| (527) | 527 | — |
| 30 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Net investment income (loss) and
net realized gains (losses), as disclosed in the Statement of Operations, and net assets were not affected by this reclassification.
The tax character of distributions
paid during the years indicated was as follows:
| Year Ended July 31, 2022 | Year Ended July 31, 2021 | ||||||
| Ordinary income ($) | Tax-exempt income ($) | Long-term capital gains ($) | Total ($) | Ordinary income ($) | Tax-exempt income ($) | Long-term capital gains ($) | Total ($) |
| 1,727 | 6,943,036 | — | 6,944,763 | 28 | 7,245,249 | 936,193 | 8,181,470 |
Short-term capital gain
distributions, if any, are considered ordinary income distributions for tax purposes.
At July 31, 2022, the components of
distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:
| Undistributed ordinary income ($) | Undistributed tax- exempt income ($) | Undistributed long-term capital gains ($) | Capital loss carryforwards ($) | Net unrealized (depreciation) ($) |
| — | 986,682 | — | (199,556) | (3,408,690) |
At July 31, 2022, the cost of all
investments for federal income tax purposes along with the aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation based on that cost was:
| Federal tax cost ($) | Gross unrealized appreciation ($) | Gross unrealized (depreciation) ($) | Net unrealized (depreciation) ($) |
| 336,010,524 | 4,412,105 | (7,820,795) | (3,408,690) |
Tax cost of investments and
unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) may also include timing differences that do not constitute adjustments to tax basis.
The following capital loss
carryforwards, determined at July 31, 2022, may be available to reduce future net realized gains on investments, if any, to the extent permitted by the Internal Revenue Code. In addition, for the year ended July 31,
2022, capital loss carryforwards utilized, if any, were as follows:
| No expiration short-term ($) | No expiration long-term ($) | Total ($) | Utilized ($) |
| (199,556) | — | (199,556) | — |
Management of the Fund has
concluded that there are no significant uncertain tax positions in the Fund that would require recognition in the financial statements. However, management’s conclusion may be subject to review and adjustment at
a later date based on factors including, but not limited to, new tax laws, regulations, and administrative interpretations (including relevant court decisions). Generally, the Fund’s federal tax returns for the
prior three fiscal years remain subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service.
Note 5. Portfolio
information
The cost of purchases and
proceeds from sales of securities, excluding short-term investments and derivatives, if any, aggregated to $47,411,220 and $38,041,693, respectively, for the year ended July 31, 2022. The amount of purchase and sale
activity impacts the portfolio turnover rate reported in the Financial Highlights.
Note 6. Interfund
lending
Pursuant to an exemptive order
granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Fund participates in a program (the Interfund Program) allowing each participating Columbia Fund (each, a Participating Fund) to lend money directly to and,
except for closed-end funds and money market funds, borrow money directly from other Participating Funds for temporary purposes. The amounts eligible for borrowing and lending under the Interfund Program are subject
to certain restrictions.
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 31 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Interfund loans are subject to the
risk that the borrowing fund could be unable to repay the loan when due, and a delay in repayment to the lending fund could result in lost opportunities and/or additional lending costs. The exemptive order is subject
to conditions intended to mitigate conflicts of interest arising from the Investment Manager’s relationship with each Participating Fund.
The Fund did not borrow or lend
money under the Interfund Program during the year ended July 31, 2022.
Note 7. Line of credit
The Fund has access to a
revolving credit facility with a syndicate of banks led by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Citibank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. whereby the Fund may borrow for the temporary funding of shareholder redemptions or for
other temporary or emergency purposes. Pursuant to an October 28, 2021 amendment and restatement, the credit facility, which is an agreement between the Fund and certain other funds managed by the Investment Manager
or an affiliated investment manager, severally and not jointly, permits aggregate borrowings up to $950 million. Interest is currently charged to each participating fund based on its borrowings at a rate equal to the
higher of (i) the federal funds effective rate, (ii) the secured overnight financing rate plus 0.11448% and (iii) the overnight bank funding rate, plus in each case, 1.00%. Each borrowing under the credit facility
matures no later than 60 days after the date of borrowing. The Fund also pays a commitment fee equal to its pro rata share of the unused amount of the credit facility at a rate of 0.15% per annum. The commitment fee
is included in other expenses in the Statement of Operations. This agreement expires annually in October unless extended or renewed. Prior to the October 28, 2021 amendment and restatement, the Fund had access to a
revolving credit facility with a syndicate of banks led by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Citibank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. which permitted collective borrowings up to $950 million. Interest was charged to each
participating fund based on its borrowings at a rate equal to the higher of (i) the federal funds effective rate, (ii) the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) rate and (iii) the overnight bank funding
rate, plus in each case, 1.25%.
The Fund had no borrowings during
the year ended July 31, 2022.
Note 8. Significant
risks
Credit risk
Credit risk is the risk that the
value of debt instruments in the Fund’s portfolio may decline because the issuer defaults or otherwise becomes unable or unwilling, or is perceived to be unable or unwilling, to honor its financial obligations,
such as making payments to the Fund when due. Credit rating agencies assign credit ratings to certain debt instruments to indicate their credit risk. Lower-rated or unrated debt instruments held by the Fund may
present increased credit risk as compared to higher-rated debt instruments.
Interest rate risk
Interest rate risk is the risk of
losses attributable to changes in interest rates. In general, if prevailing interest rates rise, the values of debt instruments tend to fall, and if interest rates fall, the values of debt instruments tend to rise.
Actions by governments and central banking authorities can result in increases or decreases in interest rates. Higher periods of inflation could lead such authorities to raise interest rates. Increasing interest rates
may negatively affect the value of debt securities held by the Fund, resulting in a negative impact on the Fund’s performance and net asset value per share. In general, the longer the maturity or duration of a
debt security, the greater its sensitivity to changes in interest rates. The Fund is subject to the risk that the income generated by its investments may not keep pace with inflation.
Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is the risk
associated with a lack of marketability of investments which may make it difficult to sell the investment at a desirable time or price. Changing regulatory, market or other conditions or environments (for example, the
interest rate or credit environments) may adversely affect the liquidity of the Fund’s investments. The Fund may have to accept a lower selling price for the holding, sell other investments, or forego another,
more appealing investment opportunity. Generally, the less liquid the market at the time the Fund sells a portfolio investment, the greater the risk of loss or decline of value to the Fund. A less liquid market can
lead to an increase in Fund redemptions, which may negatively impact Fund performance and net asset value per share, including, for example, if the Fund is forced to sell securities in a down market.
| 32 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Market risk
The Fund may incur losses due to
declines in the value of one or more securities in which it invests. These declines may be due to factors affecting a particular issuer, or the result of, among other things, political, regulatory, market, economic or
social developments affecting the relevant market(s) more generally. In addition, turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed income markets may negatively affect many issuers,
which could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to price or value hard-to-value assets in thinly traded and closed markets and could cause significant redemptions and operational challenges. Global economies and
financial markets are increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. These risks may
be magnified if certain events or developments adversely interrupt the global supply chain; in these and other circumstances, such risks might affect companies worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events
such as terrorism, war, natural disasters, disease/virus outbreaks and epidemics or other public health issues, recessions, depressions or other events – or the potential for such events – could have a
significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions.
The pandemic caused by coronavirus
disease 2019 and its variants (COVID-19) has resulted in, and may continue to result in, significant global economic and societal disruption and market volatility due to disruptions in market access, resource
availability, facilities operations, imposition of tariffs, export controls and supply chain disruption, among others. Such disruptions may be caused, or exacerbated by, quarantines and travel restrictions, workforce
displacement and loss in human and other resources. The uncertainty surrounding the magnitude, duration, reach, costs and effects of the global pandemic, as well as actions that have been or could be taken by
governmental authorities or other third parties, present unknowns that are yet to unfold. The impacts, as well as the uncertainty over impacts to come, of COVID-19 – and any other infectious illness outbreaks,
epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future – could negatively affect global economies and markets in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. In addition, the impact of infectious illness outbreaks
and epidemics in emerging market countries may be greater due to generally less established healthcare systems, governments and financial markets. Public health crises caused by the COVID-19 outbreak may exacerbate
other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in certain countries or globally. The disruptions caused by COVID-19 could prevent the Fund from executing advantageous investment decisions in a timely manner
and negatively impact the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. Any such events could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Fund.
Municipal securities risk
Municipal securities are debt
obligations generally issued to obtain funds for various public purposes, including general financing for state and local governments, or financing for a specific project or public facility, and include obligations of
the governments of the U.S. territories, commonwealths and possessions such as Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to the extent such obligations are exempt from state and U.S. federal income taxes. The
value of municipal securities can be significantly affected by actual or expected political and legislative changes at the federal or state level. Municipal securities may be fully or partially backed by the taxing
authority of the local government, by the credit of a private issuer, by the current or anticipated revenues from a specific project or specific assets or by domestic or foreign entities providing credit support, such
as letters of credit, guarantees or insurance, and are generally classified into general obligation bonds and special revenue obligations. Because many municipal securities are issued to finance projects in sectors
such as education, health care, transportation and utilities, conditions in those sectors can affect the overall municipal market.
Issuers in a state, territory,
commonwealth or possession in which the Fund invests may experience significant financial difficulties for various reasons, including as the result of events that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled such as
economic downturns or similar periods of economic stress, social conflict or unrest, labor disruption and natural disasters. Such financial difficulties may lead to credit rating downgrades or defaults of such issuers
which in turn, could affect the market values and marketability of many or all municipal obligations of issuers in such state, territory, commonwealth or possession. The value of the Fund’s shares will be
negatively impacted to the extent it invests in such securities. The Fund’s annual and semiannual reports show the Fund’s investment exposures at a point in time. The risk of investing in the Fund is
directly correlated to the Fund’s investment exposures.
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 33 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Because the Fund invests
substantially in municipal securities issued by the state identified in the Fund’s name and political sub-divisions of that state, the Fund will be particularly affected by adverse tax, legislative, regulatory,
demographic or political changes as well as changes impacting the state’s financial, economic or other condition and prospects. In addition, because of the relatively small number of issuers of tax-exempt
securities in the state, the Fund may invest a higher percentage of assets in a single issuer and, therefore, be more exposed to the risk of loss than a fund that invests more broadly. The value of municipal and other
securities owned by the Fund also may be adversely affected by future changes in federal or state income tax laws.
Shareholder concentration risk
At July 31, 2022, one unaffiliated
shareholder of record owned 15.1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund in one or more accounts. The Fund has no knowledge about whether any portion of those shares was owned beneficially. Subscription and redemption
activity by concentrated accounts may have a significant effect on the operations of the Fund. In the case of a large redemption, the Fund may be forced to sell investments at inopportune times, including its liquid
positions, which may result in Fund losses and the Fund holding a higher percentage of less liquid positions. Large redemptions could result in decreased economies of scale and increased operating expenses for
non-redeeming Fund shareholders.
Note 9. Subsequent
events
Management has evaluated the
events and transactions that have occurred through the date the financial statements were issued and noted no items requiring adjustment of the financial statements or additional disclosure.
Note 10. Information
regarding pending and settled legal proceedings
Ameriprise Financial and certain
of its affiliates are involved in the normal course of business in legal proceedings which include regulatory inquiries, arbitration and litigation, including class actions concerning matters arising in connection
with the conduct of its activities as a diversified financial services firm. Ameriprise Financial believes that the Fund is not currently the subject of, and that neither Ameriprise Financial nor any of its affiliates
are the subject of, any pending legal, arbitration or regulatory proceedings that are likely to have a material adverse effect on the Fund or the ability of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates to perform under
their contracts with the Fund. Ameriprise Financial is required to make quarterly (10-Q), annual (10-K) and, as necessary, 8-K filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on legal and regulatory matters
that relate to Ameriprise Financial and its affiliates. Copies of these filings may be obtained by accessing the SEC website at www.sec.gov.
There can be no assurance that
these matters, or the adverse publicity associated with them, will not result in increased Fund redemptions, reduced sale of Fund shares or other adverse consequences to the Fund. Further, although we believe
proceedings are not likely to have a material adverse effect on the Fund or the ability of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates to perform under their contracts with the Fund, these proceedings are subject to
uncertainties and, as such, we are unable to estimate the possible loss or range of loss that may result. An adverse outcome in one or more of these proceedings could result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines,
penalties or other relief that could have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial condition or results of operations of Ameriprise Financial or one or more of its affiliates that provides services to
the Fund.
| 34 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Report of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm
To the Board of Trustees of Columbia
Funds Series Trust I and Shareholders of Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
Opinion on the Financial
Statements
We have audited the accompanying
statement of assets and liabilities, including the portfolio of investments, of Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund (one of the funds constituting Columbia Funds Series Trust I, referred to hereafter as
the "Fund") as of July 31, 2022, the related statement of operations for the year ended July 31, 2022, the statement of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended July 31, 2022, including the
related notes, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended July 31, 2022 (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present
fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund as of July 31, 2022, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period
ended July 31, 2022 and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended July 31, 2022 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the
responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of
the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits of these
financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.
Our audits included performing
procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test
basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating
the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of July 31, 2022 by correspondence with the custodian and broker. We believe that our audits provide a
reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
September 22, 2022
We have served as the auditor of
one or more investment companies within the Columbia Funds Complex since 1977.
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 35 |
Federal Income Tax
Information
(Unaudited)
The Fund hereby designates the
following tax attributes for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2022. Shareholders will be notified in early 2023 of the amounts for use in preparing 2022 income tax returns.
| Exempt- interest dividends | |
| 99.98% |
Exempt-interest dividends. The
percentage of net investment income distributed during the fiscal year that qualifies as exempt-interest dividends for federal income tax purposes. A portion of the income may be subject to federal alternative minimum
tax.
TRUSTEES AND
OFFICERS
(Unaudited)
The Board oversees the
Fund’s operations and appoints officers who are responsible for day-to-day business decisions based on policies set by the Board. The following table provides basic biographical information about the
Fund’s Trustees as of the printing of this report, including their principal occupations during the past five years, although specific titles for individuals may have varied over the period. The year set forth
beneath Length of Service in the table below is the year in which the Trustee was first appointed or elected as Trustee to any Fund currently in the Columbia Funds Complex or a predecessor thereof. Under current Board
policy, each Trustee generally serves until December 31 of the year such Trustee turns seventy-five (75).
Independent trustees
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| George S. Batejan c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1953 | Trustee since 2017 | Executive Vice President, Global Head of Technology and Operations, Janus Capital Group, Inc., 2010-2016 | 176 | Former Chairman of the Board, NICSA (National Investment Company Services Association) (Executive Committee, Nominating Committee and Governance Committee), 2014-2016; former Director, Intech Investment Management, 2011-2016; former Board Member, Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, 2015-2016; former Advisory Board Member, University of Colorado Business School, 2015-2018 |
| 36 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Kathleen Blatz c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1954 | Trustee since 2006 | Attorney, specializing in arbitration and mediation; Chief Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court, 1998-2006; Associate Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court, 1996-1998; Fourth Judicial District Court Judge, Hennepin County, 1994-1996; Attorney in private practice and public service, 1984-1993; State Representative, Minnesota House of Representatives, 1979-1993, which included service on the Tax and Financial Institutions and Insurance Committees; Member and Interim Chair, Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, January 2017-July 2017; Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (health care insurance), February-July 2018, April-October 2021 | 176 | Former Trustee, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, 2009-2021 (Chair of the Business Development Committee, 2014-2017; Chair of the Governance Committee, 2017-2019); former Member and Chair of the Board, Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, January 2017-July 2017; former Director, Robina Foundation, 2009-2020 (Chair, 2014-2020); Director, Schulze Family Foundation, since 2021 |
| Pamela G. Carlton c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1954 | Trustee since 2007 | President, Springboard — Partners in Cross Cultural Leadership (consulting company) since 2003; Managing Director of US Equity Research, JP Morgan Chase, 1999-2003; Director of US Equity Research, Chase Asset Management, 1996-1999; Co-Director Latin America Research, 1993-1996, COO Global Research, 1992-1996, Co-Director of US Research, 1991-1992, Investment Banker, 1982-1991, Morgan Stanley; Attorney, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, 1980-1982 | 176 | Trustee, New York Presbyterian Hospital Board (Executive Committee and Chair of People Committee) since 1996; Director, DR Bank (Audit Committee) since 2017; Director, Evercore Inc. (Audit Committee) since 2019; Director, Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. since 2021; the Governing Council of the Independent Directors Council (IDC), since 2021 |
| Janet Langford Carrig c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1957 | Trustee since 1996 | Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, ConocoPhillips (independent energy company), September 2007-October 2018 | 174 | Director, EQT Corporation (natural gas producer) since 2019; former Director, Whiting Petroleum Corporation (independent oil and gas company), 2020-2022 |
| J. Kevin Connaughton c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1964 | Trustee since 2020 | Member, FINRA National Adjudicatory Council since January 2020; Adjunct Professor of Finance, Bentley University since January 2018; Consultant to Independent Trustees of CFVIT and CFST I from March 2016 to June 2020 with respect to CFVIT and to December 2020 with respect to CFST I; Managing Director and General Manager of Mutual Fund Products, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC, May 2010-February 2015; President, Columbia Funds, 2008-2015; and senior officer of Columbia Funds and affiliated funds, 2003-2015 | 174 | Former Director, The Autism Project, March 2015-December 2021; former Member of the Investment Committee, St. Michael’s College, November 2015-February 2020; former Trustee, St. Michael’s College, June 2017-September 2019; former Trustee, New Century Portfolios, January 2015-December 2017 |
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 37 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Olive M. Darragh c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1962 | Trustee since 2020 | Managing Director of Darragh Inc. (strategy and talent management consulting firm) since 2010; Founder and CEO, Zolio, Inc. (investment management talent identification platform) since 2004; Consultant to Independent Trustees of CFVIT and CFST I from June 2019 to June 2020 with respect to CFVIT and to December 2020 with respect to CFST I; Partner, Tudor Investments, 2004-2010; Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company (consulting), 1990-2004; Touche Ross CPA, 1985-1988 | 174 | Former Director, University of Edinburgh Business School (Member of US Board); former Director, Boston Public Library Foundation |
| Patricia M. Flynn c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1950 | Trustee since 2004 | Trustee Professor of Economics and Management, Bentley University since 1976 (also teaches and conducts research on corporate governance); Dean, McCallum Graduate School of Business, Bentley University, 1992-2002 | 176 | Trustee, MA Taxpayers Foundation since 1997; former Board of Governors, Innovation Institute, MA Technology Collaborative, 2010-2020; former Board of Directors, The MA Business Roundtable, 2003-2019 |
| Brian J. Gallagher c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1954 | Trustee since 2017 | Retired; Partner with Deloitte & Touche LLP and its predecessors, 1977-2016 | 176 | Trustee, Catholic Schools Foundation since 2004 |
| Douglas A. Hacker c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1955 | Co-Chair since 2021; Chair of CFST I and CFVIT since 2014; Trustee of CFST I and CFVIT since 1996 and CFST, CFST II, CFVST II, CET I and CET II since 2021 | Independent business executive since May 2006; Executive Vice President – Strategy of United Airlines, December 2002 - May 2006; President of UAL Loyalty Services (airline marketing company), September 2001-December 2002; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of United Airlines, July 1999-September 2001 | 176 | Director, Spartan Nash Company (food distributor); Director, Aircastle Limited (Chair of Audit Committee) (aircraft leasing); former Director, Nash Finch Company (food distributor), 2005-2013; former Director, SeaCube Container Leasing Ltd. (container leasing), 2010-2013; and former Director, Travelport Worldwide Limited (travel information technology), 2014-2019 |
| Nancy T. Lukitsh c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1956 | Trustee since 2011 | Senior Vice President, Partner and Director of Marketing, Wellington Management Company, LLP (investment adviser), 1997-2010; Chair, Wellington Management Portfolios (commingled non-U.S. investment pools), 2007 -2010; Director, Wellington Trust Company, NA and other Wellington affiliates, 1997-2010 | 174 | None |
| 38 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| David M. Moffett c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1952 | Trustee since 2011 | Retired; Consultant to Bridgewater and Associates | 174 | Director, CSX Corporation (transportation suppliers); Director, Genworth Financial, Inc. (financial and insurance products and services); Director, PayPal Holdings Inc. (payment and data processing services); Trustee, University of Oklahoma Foundation; former Director, eBay Inc. (online trading community), 2007-2015; and former Director, CIT Bank, CIT Group Inc. (commercial and consumer finance), 2010-2016 |
| Catherine James Paglia c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1952 | Co-Chair since 2021; Chair of CFST, CFST II, CFVST II, CET I and CET II since 2020; Trustee of CFST, CFST II and CFVST II since 2004 and CFST I and CFVIT since 2021 | Director, Enterprise Asset Management, Inc. (private real estate and asset management company) since September 1998; Managing Director and Partner, Interlaken Capital, Inc., 1989-1997; Vice President, 1982-1985, Principal, 1985-1987, Managing Director, 1987-1989, Morgan Stanley; Vice President, Investment Banking, 1980-1982, Associate, Investment Banking, 1976-1980, Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc. | 176 | Director, Valmont Industries, Inc. (irrigation systems manufacturer) since 2012; Trustee, Carleton College (on the Investment Committee); Trustee, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (on the Investment Committee) |
| Minor M. Shaw c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1947 | Trustee since 2003 | President, Micco LLC (private investments) since 2011; President, Micco Corp. (family investment business), 1998-2011 | 176 | Director, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina (Chair of Compensation Committee) since April 2008; Trustee, Hollingsworth Funds (on the Investment Committee) since 2016 (previously Board Chair from 2016-2019); Former Advisory Board member, Duke Energy Corp., 2016-2020; Chair of the Duke Endowment; Chair of Greenville – Spartanburg Airport Commission; former Trustee, BofA Funds Series Trust (11 funds), 2003-2011; former Director, Piedmont Natural Gas, 2004-2016; former Director, National Association of Corporate Directors, Carolinas Chapter, 2013-2018; Chair, Daniel-Mickel Foundation since 1998 |
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 39 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Natalie A. Trunow c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1967 | Trustee since 2020 | Chief Executive Officer, Millennial Portfolio Solutions LLC (asset management and consulting services), January 2016-January 2021; Non-executive Member of the Investment Committee and Valuation Committee, Sarona Asset Management Inc. (private equity firm) since September 2019; Advisor, Horizon Investments (asset management and consulting services), August 2018-January 2021; Advisor, Paradigm Asset Management, November 2016-December 2021; Consultant to Independent Trustees of CFVIT and CFST I from September 2016 to June 2020 with respect to CFVIT and to December 2020 with respect to CFST I; Director of Investments/Consultant, Casey Family Programs, April 2016-November 2016; Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, Calvert Investments, August 2008-January 2016; Section Head and Portfolio Manager, General Motors Asset Management, June 1997-August 2008 | 174 | Former Director, Investment Committee, Health Services for Children with Special Needs, Inc., 2012-2019; Director, Chair of Audit Committee, Consumer Credit Counseling Services (formerly Guidewell Financial Solutions), since 2019; Independent Director, Investment Committee and Valuation Committee, Sarona Asset Management, since 2019 |
| Sandra L. Yeager c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1964 | Trustee since 2017 | Retired; President and founder, Hanoverian Capital, LLC (SEC registered investment advisor firm), 2008-2016; Managing Director, DuPont Capital, 2006-2008; Managing Director, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, 2004-2006; Senior Vice President, Alliance Bernstein, 1990-2004 | 176 | Former Director, NAPE Education Foundation, October 2016-October 2020 |
| * | The term “Columbia Funds Complex” as used herein includes Columbia Seligman Premium Technology Growth Fund, Tri-Continental Corporation and each series of Columbia Fund Series Trust (CFST), Columbia Funds Series Trust I (CFST I), Columbia Funds Series Trust II (CFST II), Columbia ETF Trust I (CET I), Columbia ETF Trust II (CET II), Columbia Funds Variable Insurance Trust (CFVIT) and Columbia Funds Variable Series Trust II (CFVST II). Messrs. Batejan, Beckman, Gallagher and Hacker and Mses. Blatz, Carlton, Flynn, Paglia, Shaw and Yeager serve as Directors of Columbia Seligman Premium Technology Growth Fund and Tri-Continental Corporation. |
Interested trustee affiliated with
Investment Manager*
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Daniel J. Beckman c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1962 | Trustee since November 2021 and President since June 2021 | Vice President – Head of North America Product, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC since April 2015; President and Principal Executive Officer of the Columbia Funds since June 2021; officer of Columbia Funds and affiliated funds, 2020-2021 | 176 | Director, Ameriprise Trust Company, since October 2016; Director, Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. since November 2018; Board of Governors, Columbia Wanger Asset Management, LLC since January 2022 |
| * | Interested person (as defined under the 1940 Act) by reason of being an officer, director, security holder and/or employee of the Investment Manager or Ameriprise Financial. |
| 40 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
The Statement of Additional Information has additional information about the Fund’s Board members and is available, without charge, upon request by calling 800.345.6611, visiting columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or contacting your financial intermediary.
(Unaudited)
The Statement of Additional Information has additional information about the Fund’s Board members and is available, without charge, upon request by calling 800.345.6611, visiting columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or contacting your financial intermediary.
The Board has appointed officers
who are responsible for day-to-day business decisions based on policies it has established. The officers serve at the pleasure of the Board. The following table provides basic information about the Officers of the
Fund as of the printing of this report, including principal occupations during the past five years, although their specific titles may have varied over the period. In addition to Mr. Beckman, who is President and
Principal Executive Officer, the Fund’s other officers are:
Fund officers
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 41 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Fund officers (continued)
(Unaudited)
Fund officers (continued)
| Name, address and year of birth | Position and year first appointed to position for any Fund in the Columbia Funds Complex or a predecessor thereof | Principal occupation(s) during past five years |
| Ryan C. Larrenaga 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1970 | Senior Vice President (2017), Chief Legal Officer (2017), and Secretary (2015) | Vice President and Chief Counsel, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since August 2018 (previously Vice President and Group Counsel, August 2011 - August 2018); Chief Legal Officer, Columbia Acorn/Wanger Funds, since September 2020; officer of Columbia Funds and affiliated funds since 2005. |
| Michael E. DeFao 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1968 | Vice President (2011) and Assistant Secretary (2010) | Vice President and Chief Counsel, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since May 2010; Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Assistant Secretary, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC since October 2021 (previously Vice President and Assistant Secretary, May 2010 – September 2021). |
| Lyn Kephart-Strong 5228 Ameriprise Financial Center Minneapolis, MN 55474 1960 | Vice President (2015) | President, Columbia Management Investment Services Corp. since October 2014; Vice President & Resolution Officer, Ameriprise Trust Company since August 2009. |
Liquidity Risk
Management Program
(Unaudited)
Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under the
1940 Act, the Fund has adopted a liquidity risk management program (Program). The Program’s principal objectives include assessing, managing and periodically reviewing the Fund’s liquidity risk. Liquidity
risk is defined as the risk that the Fund could not meet redemption requests without significant dilution of remaining investors’ interests in the Fund.
The Board has appointed the
Investment Manager as the program administrator for the Fund’s Program. The Investment Manager has delegated oversight of the Program to its Liquidity Risk Management Committee (the Committee). At a board
meeting during the fiscal period, the Committee provided the Board with a report addressing the operations of the program and assessing its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation for the period January 1, 2021,
through December 31, 2021, including:
| • | the Fund had sufficient liquidity to both meet redemptions and operate effectively on behalf of shareholders; |
| • | there were no material changes to the Program during the period; |
| • | the implementation of the Program was effective to manage the Fund’s liquidity risk; and |
| • | the Program operated adequately during the period. |
There can be no assurance that the
Program will achieve its objectives in the future. Please refer to the Fund’s prospectus for more information regarding the Fund’s exposure to liquidity risk and other principal risks to which an
investment in the Fund may be subject.
| 42 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Approval of Management
Agreement
(Unaudited)
Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC (the Investment Manager, and together with its domestic and global affiliates, Columbia Threadneedle Investments), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (Ameriprise Financial), serves
as the investment manager to Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund (the Fund). Under a management agreement (the Management Agreement), the Investment Manager provides investment advice and other services
to the Fund and other funds distributed by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. (collectively, the Funds).
On an annual basis, the
Fund’s Board of Trustees (the Board), including the independent Board members (the Independent Trustees), considers renewal of the Management Agreement. The Investment Manager prepared detailed reports for the
Board and its Contracts Committee (including its Contracts Subcommittee) in November 2021 and March, April and June 2022, including reports providing the results of analyses performed by an independent third-party
data provider, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (Broadridge), and comprehensive responses to written requests for information by independent legal counsels to the Independent Trustees (Independent Legal Counsel)
to the Investment Manager, to assist the Board in making this determination. In addition, throughout the year, the Board (or its committees or subcommittees) regularly meets with portfolio management teams and senior
management personnel and reviews information prepared by the Investment Manager addressing the services the Investment Manager provides and Fund performance. The Board also accords appropriate weight to the work,
deliberations and conclusions of the various committees, such as the Contracts Committee, the Investment Review Committee, the Audit Committee and the Compliance Committee in determining whether to continue the
Management Agreement.
The Board, at its June 23, 2022
Board meeting (the June Meeting), considered the renewal of the Management Agreement for an additional one-year term. At the June Meeting, Independent Legal Counsel reviewed with the Independent Trustees various
factors relevant to the Board’s consideration of advisory agreements and the Board’s legal responsibilities related to such consideration. The Independent Trustees considered all information that they,
their legal counsel or the Investment Manager believed reasonably necessary to evaluate and to approve the continuation of the Management Agreement. Among other things, the information and factors considered included
the following:
| • | Information on the investment performance of the Fund relative to the performance of a group of mutual funds determined to be comparable to the Fund by Broadridge, as well as performance relative to benchmarks; |
| • | Information on the Fund’s management fees and total expenses, including information comparing the Fund’s expenses to those of a group of comparable mutual funds, as determined by Broadridge; |
| • | The Investment Manager’s agreement to contractually limit or cap total operating expenses for the Fund so that total operating expenses (excluding certain fees and expenses, such as transaction costs and certain other investment related expenses, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses and infrequent and/or unusual expenses) would not exceed a specified annual rate, as a percentage of the Fund’s net assets; |
| • | Terms of the Management Agreement; |
| • | Descriptions of other agreements and arrangements with affiliates of the Investment Manager relating to the operations of the Fund, including agreements with respect to the provision of transfer agency and shareholder services to the Fund; |
| • | Descriptions of various services performed by the Investment Manager under the Management Agreement, including portfolio management and portfolio trading practices; |
| • | Information regarding any recently negotiated management fees of similarly-managed portfolios of other institutional clients of the Investment Manager; |
| • | Information regarding the resources of the Investment Manager, including information regarding senior management, portfolio managers and other personnel; |
| • | Information regarding the capabilities of the Investment Manager with respect to compliance monitoring services; |
| • | The profitability to the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund; and |
| • | Report provided by the Board’s independent fee consultant, JDL Consultants, LLC (JDL). |
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 43 |
Approval of Management Agreement (continued)
(Unaudited)
Following an analysis and discussion of the foregoing, and the factors identified below, the Board, including all of the Independent Trustees, approved the renewal of the Management Agreement.
(Unaudited)
Following an analysis and discussion of the foregoing, and the factors identified below, the Board, including all of the Independent Trustees, approved the renewal of the Management Agreement.
Nature, extent and quality of
services provided by the Investment Manager
The Board analyzed various
reports and presentations it had received detailing the services performed by the Investment Manager, as well as its history, expertise, resources and relative capabilities, and the qualifications of its personnel.
The Board specifically considered
the many developments during recent years concerning the services provided by the Investment Manager. Among other things, the Board noted the organization and depth of the equity and credit research departments. The
Board further observed the enhancements to the investment risk management department’s processes, systems and oversight, over the past several years, as well as planned 2022 initiatives in this regard. The Board
also took into account the broad scope of services provided by the Investment Manager to the Fund, including, among other services, investment, risk and compliance oversight. The Board also took into account the
information it received concerning the Investment Manager’s ability to attract and retain key portfolio management personnel and that it has sufficient resources to provide competitive and adequate compensation
to investment personnel. The Board also observed that the Investment Manager has been able to effectively manage, operate and distribute the Funds through the COVID-19 pandemic period with no disruptions in services
provided. The Board also considered added personnel and resources obtained by Columbia Threadneedle through Ameriprise Financial’s acquisition of BMO Financial Group’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa
(EMEA) asset management business.
In connection with the
Board’s evaluation of the overall package of services provided by the Investment Manager, the Board also considered the nature, quality and range of administrative services provided to the Fund by the Investment
Manager, as well as the achievements in 2021 in the performance of administrative services, and noted the various enhancements anticipated for 2022. In evaluating the quality of services provided under the Management
Agreement, the Board also took into account the organization and strength of the Fund’s and its service providers’ compliance programs. The Board also reviewed the financial condition of the Investment
Manager and its affiliates and each entity’s ability to carry out its responsibilities under the Management Agreement and the Fund’s other service agreements.
In addition, the Board discussed
the acceptability of the terms of the Management Agreement, noting that no changes were proposed from the form of agreement previously approved. The Board also noted the wide array of legal and compliance services
provided to the Fund under the Management Agreement.
After reviewing these and related
factors (including investment performance as discussed below), the Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the Fund under the
Management Agreement supported the continuation of the Management Agreement.
Investment performance
In this connection, the Board
carefully reviewed the investment performance of the Fund, including detailed reports providing the results of analyses performed by each of the Investment Manager, Broadridge and JDL collectively showing, for various
periods (including since manager inception): (i) the performance of the Fund, (ii) the performance of a benchmark index, (iii) the percentage ranking of the Fund among its comparison group, (iv) the Fund’s
performance relative to peers and benchmarks and (v) the net assets of the Fund. The Board observed that the Fund’s performance for certain periods ranked above median based on information provided by
Broadridge.
The Board also reviewed a
description of the third-party data provider’s methodology for identifying the Fund’s peer groups for purposes of performance and expense comparisons.
The Board also considered the
Investment Manager’s performance and reputation generally. After reviewing these and related factors, the Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the performance of the Fund and
the Investment Manager, in light of other considerations, supported the continuation of the Management Agreement.
| 44 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Approval of Management Agreement (continued)
(Unaudited)
Comparative fees, costs of services provided and the profits realized by the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund
(Unaudited)
Comparative fees, costs of services provided and the profits realized by the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund
The Board reviewed comparative
fees and the costs of services provided under the Management Agreement. The Board members considered detailed comparative information set forth in an annual report on fees and expenses, including, among other things,
data (based on analyses conducted by Broadridge and JDL) showing a comparison of the Fund’s expenses with median expenses paid by funds in its comparative peer universe, as well as data showing the Fund’s
contribution to the Investment Manager’s profitability.
The Board considered the reports of
JDL, which assisted in the Board’s analysis of the Funds’ performance and expenses and the reasonableness of the Funds’ fee rates. The Board accorded particular weight to the notion that a primary
objective of the level of fees is to achieve a rational pricing model applied consistently across the various product lines in the Fund family, while assuring that the overall fees for each Fund (with certain
exceptions) are generally in line with the current "pricing philosophy" such that Fund total expense ratios, in general, approximate or are lower than the median expense ratios of funds in the same Lipper comparison
universe. The Board took into account that the Fund’s total expense ratio (after considering proposed expense caps/waivers) approximated the peer universe’s median expense ratio.
After reviewing these and related
factors, the Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the levels of management fees and expenses of the Fund, in light of other considerations, supported the continuation of the
Management Agreement.
The Board also considered the
profitability of the Investment Manager and its affiliates in connection with the Investment Manager providing management services to the Fund. With respect to the profitability of the Investment Manager and its
affiliates, the Independent Trustees referred to information discussing the profitability to the Investment Manager and Ameriprise Financial from managing, operating and distributing the Funds. The Board considered
that in 2021 the Board had considered 2020 profitability and that the 2022 information showed that the profitability generated by the Investment Manager in 2021 increased from 2020 levels, due to a variety of factors,
including the increased assets under management of the Funds. It also took into account the indirect economic benefits flowing to the Investment Manager or its affiliates in connection with managing or distributing
the Funds, such as the enhanced ability to offer various other financial products to Ameriprise Financial customers, soft dollar benefits and overall reputational advantages. The Board noted that the fees paid by the
Fund should permit the Investment Manager to offer competitive compensation to its personnel, make necessary investments in its business and earn an appropriate profit. After reviewing these and related factors, the
Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the costs of services provided and the profitability to the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund supported
the continuation of the Management Agreement.
Economies of scale
The Board considered the
potential existence of economies of scale in the provision by the Investment Manager of services to the Fund, to groups of related funds and to the Investment Manager as a whole, and whether those economies of scale
were shared with the Fund through breakpoints in investment management fees or other means, such as expense limitation arrangements and additional investments by the Investment Manager in investment, trading,
compliance and other resources. The Board considered the economies of scale that might be realized as the Fund’s net asset level grows and took note of the extent to which Fund shareholders might also benefit
from such growth. In this regard, the Board took into account that management fees decline as Fund assets exceed various breakpoints, all of which have not been surpassed. The Board observed that the Management
Agreement provided for breakpoints in the management fee rate schedule that allow opportunities for shareholders to realize lower fees as Fund assets grow and that there are additional opportunities through other
means for sharing economies of scale with shareholders.
Conclusion
The Board reviewed all of the
above considerations in reaching its decision to approve the continuation of the Management Agreement. In reaching its conclusions, no single factor was determinative.
| Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 45 |
Approval of Management Agreement (continued)
(Unaudited)
On June 23, 2022, the Board, including all of the Independent Trustees, determined that fees payable under the Management Agreement were fair and reasonable in light of the extent and quality of services provided and approved the renewal of the Management Agreement.
(Unaudited)
On June 23, 2022, the Board, including all of the Independent Trustees, determined that fees payable under the Management Agreement were fair and reasonable in light of the extent and quality of services provided and approved the renewal of the Management Agreement.
| 46 | Columbia Oregon Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Please read and consider the
investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses for any fund carefully before investing. For a prospectus and summary prospectus, which contains this and other important information about the Fund, go to
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/. The Fund is distributed by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc., member FINRA, and managed by Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC.
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/. The Fund is distributed by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc., member FINRA, and managed by Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC.
Columbia Threadneedle Investments
(Columbia Threadneedle) is the global brand name of the Columbia and Threadneedle group of companies. All rights reserved.
© 2022 Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC.
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/
ANN207_07_M01_(09/22)
Columbia Tax-Exempt
Fund
Not FDIC or NCUA Insured •
No Financial Institution Guarantee • May Lose Value
Table of Contents
| 3 | |
| 5 | |
| 7 | |
| 8 | |
| 31 | |
| 32 | |
| 33 | |
| 36 | |
| 40 | |
| 51 | |
| 52 | |
| 52 | |
| 58 | |
| 59 |
If you elect to receive the
shareholder report for Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund (the Fund) in paper, mailed to you, the Fund mails one shareholder report to each shareholder address, unless such shareholder elects to receive shareholder reports from
the Fund electronically via e-mail or by having a paper notice mailed to you (Postcard Notice) that your Fund’s shareholder report is available at the Columbia funds’ website
(columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/). If you would like more than one report in paper to be mailed to you, or would like to elect to receive reports via e-mail or access them through Postcard Notice, please call
shareholder services at 800.345.6611 and additional reports will be sent to you.
Proxy voting policies and
procedures
The policy of the Board of Trustees
is to vote the proxies of the companies in which the Fund holds investments consistent with the procedures as stated in the Statement of Additional Information (SAI). You may obtain a copy of the SAI without charge by
calling 800.345.6611; contacting your financial intermediary; visiting columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/; or searching the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) at sec.gov. Information regarding
how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities is filed with the SEC by August 31st for the most recent 12-month period ending June 30th of that year, and is available without charge by visiting
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/, or searching the website of the SEC at sec.gov.
Quarterly schedule of
investments
The Fund files a complete schedule
of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-PORT. The Fund’s Form N-PORT filings are available on the SEC’s website at sec.gov. The Fund’s
complete schedule of portfolio holdings, as filed on Form N-PORT, is available on columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or can also be obtained without charge, upon request, by calling 800.345.6611.
Additional Fund information
For more information about the
Fund, please visit columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or call 800.345.6611. Customer Service Representatives are available to answer your questions Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Fund investment manager
Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (the
Investment Manager)
290 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
Fund distributor
Columbia Management Investment Distributors,
Inc.
290 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
Fund transfer agent
Columbia Management Investment Services Corp.
P.O. Box 219104
Kansas City, MO 64121-9104
Columbia Tax-Exempt
Fund | Annual Report 2022
Fund at a Glance
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
Investment objective
The Fund
seeks total return, consisting of current income exempt from federal income tax and of capital appreciation, consistent with moderate fluctuation of principal.
Portfolio management
Catherine Stienstra
Co-Portfolio Manager
Managed Fund since 2018
Douglas J. White, CFA
Co-Portfolio Manager
Managed Fund since February 2022
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 3 |
Fund at a Glance (continued)
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
Performance of a hypothetical $10,000 investment (July 31, 2012 — July 31, 2022)
The chart above shows the change in
value of a hypothetical $10,000 investment in Class A shares of Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund during the stated time period, and does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder may pay on Fund distributions or
on the redemption of Fund shares.
| 4 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Manager Discussion of Fund Performance
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
For the 12-month period that
ended July 31, 2022, Class A shares of Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund returned -9.15% excluding sales charges. Institutional Class shares of the Fund returned -8.97%. The Fund underperformed its benchmark, the Bloomberg
Municipal Bond Index, which returned -6.93%.
Market overview
As the annual period began in
August 2021, a Delta-variant-driven resurgence in COVID-19 cases was weighing on investors’ minds. Initially, the expectation of slower economic growth pushed U.S. Treasury yields lower. By the end of September,
though, data were supportive of the view that the Delta variant should be a speed bump rather than a roadblock, and U.S. Treasury yields had risen well off the August low. Such interest rate volatility led most
fixed-income sectors to negative returns for the third calendar quarter, but municipal bond performance remained one of the few positive corners of the U.S. fixed-income market. Inflows remained positive, and, on the
supply side, approximately $89 billion of tax-exempt issuance came to market, in line with the prior quarter. Tax revenue performance in most locales outpaced expectations, driving improved credit fundamentals and
leaving many municipal issuers in healthy fiscal positions.
The year 2021 ended with yet
another new COVID-19 variant emerging, but despite higher transmissibility, Omicron appeared to be less severe than originally feared. With economic growth and employment seemingly on track, the U.S. Federal Reserve
(Fed) began tapering its asset purchases while acknowledging conditions pushing inflation higher could persist. This served to elevate interest rate volatility for the fourth calendar quarter. Municipal bonds were not
immune to the volatility yet still outperformed U.S. Treasuries. Congressional passage of an infrastructure spending plan provided support to the municipal bond sector via federal spending. Fund inflows remained
positive. On the supply side, approximately $81 billon of tax-exempt issuance arrived in the market during the quarter, complemented by another $34 billion on the taxable side. A combination of tax revenue growth,
driven by ongoing economic expansion, and additional federal spending from the infrastructure bill left most municipal issuers in healthy fiscal positions to start the new calendar year. However, entering 2022 with
relatively full valuations and low absolute yields left little margin for error within the municipal bond market, and as messaging from the Fed grew increasingly hawkish, municipal bonds no longer remained immune from
rising interest rates. (Hawkish tends to suggest higher interest rates; opposite of dovish.)
The first quarter of 2022 closed
with the Fund’s benchmark down 6.23% in the worst drawdown since the COVID-19 sell-off and the worst first quarter return since 1980. As is often the case with municipal bonds, negative returns precipitated
outflows, which, in turn, led to more negative returns. After 2021’s record inflows, Lipper reported 12 consecutive weeks of investor redemptions during the first calendar quarter. Long and intermediate national
funds, as well as high-yield funds, experienced the heaviest pressure. A silver lining to the sell-off was that credit fundamentals were not a concern, as evidenced by the modest differential between
below-investment-grade and investment-grade returns. A lack of high-yield supply helped to keep those returns relatively tight, and lower new issue supply avoided exacerbating the returns.
The municipal bond market continued
to sell off as the second quarter of 2022 began, with April returns representing the third worst for the month on record. Interest rate volatility drove persistent outflows, which kept prices from finding a floor
despite relative value measures appearing quite attractive. By mid-May, a stabilization of outflows, coupled with a recognition of attractive valuations, sparked a sharp reversal, driving the benchmark back into
positive territory for the month. However, this rally proved short-lived, as June brought with it fresh highs for U.S. Treasury yields. Though pressure on U.S. Treasuries was most pronounced at the short-term
maturities end of the curve, long-maturity municipal yields rose more and pressed the municipal bond yield curve to its steepest levels since March 2021. (A steep yield curve means yields on longer maturity bonds are
higher than those on shorter maturity bonds.) Through the last full week of June 2022, Lipper reported fund outflows of $17.3 billion for the month and $75.5 billion calendar year-to-date, a new record for a municipal
outflow cycle. While this sell-off was primarily rate-driven, a more pronounced divergence between credit quality segments emerged as concerns around slowing economic growth spilled into municipal sectors. In June
2022, for example, high yield municipal bonds posted the weakest performance, while high quality municipal bonds fared much better by comparison. In a significant reversal, July 2022 was a positive month for municipal
bonds, with all sectors posting gains amid still strong demand and slightly decreased supply.
For the annual period overall,
absolute returns disappointed, but the municipal bond market outperformed both U.S. Treasuries and the broad U.S. fixed-income market. Within the municipal bond market, highly rated bonds outperformed their lower
rated counterparts.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 5 |
Manager Discussion of Fund Performance (continued)
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
The Fund’s notable
detractors during the period
| • | Relative to the benchmark, the Fund’s overweight in municipal bonds with maturities of 17 years and more and its underweight in municipal bonds with maturities of 12 years and less detracted, as bonds with longer maturities underperformed those with shorter maturities overall during the annual period. |
| • | Security selection among municipal bonds with maturities of eight to 12 years detracted. |
| • | Having overweights to the continuing care retirement communities (CCRC), hospital and charter school sectors, which each underperformed the benchmark during the annual period, dampened the Fund’s relative results, as did security selection in the special tax, toll roads and hospital sectors. |
| • | Credit quality allocation positioning overall hurt, especially overweights to BBB-rated and BB-rated municipal bonds and an underweight to AA-rated bonds. During the annual period overall, lower quality portions of the municipal bond market generally underperformed higher quality segments. |
| • | Security selection among AA-rated bonds diminished relative results as well. |
| • | The Fund’s duration positioning detracted from its relative results. The Fund had a longer duration profile than that of the benchmark, which hurt as municipal yields rose significantly during the annual period. |
The Fund’s notable
contributors during the period
| • | Security selection among municipal bonds with maturities of 12 to 17 years and of 22+ years proved beneficial. |
| • | From a sector perspective, security selection among charter school bonds added value. |
| • | Exposure to non-rated bonds, which are not components of the benchmark, contributed positively, attributable primarily to the first half of the annual period. |
Fixed-income securities present
issuer default risk. The Fund invests substantially in municipal securities and will be affected by tax, legislative, regulatory, demographic or political changes, as well as changes impacting a state’s financial, economic or other
conditions. A relatively small number of tax-exempt issuers may necessitate the Fund investing more heavily in a single issuer and, therefore, be more exposed to the risk of loss than a fund that invests more broadly.
Prepayment and extension risk exists because the timing of payments on a loan, bond or other investment may accelerate when interest rates fall or decelerate when interest rates rise
which may reduce investment opportunities and potential returns. Non-investment-grade (high-yield or junk) securities present greater price volatility and more risk to principal and income than higher rated securities. Market risk may affect a single issuer, sector of the economy, industry or the market as a whole. A rise in interest rates may result in a price decline of fixed-income instruments held by the Fund, negatively impacting its performance and NAV. Falling rates may result in the Fund investing
in lower yielding debt instruments, lowering the Fund’s income and yield. These risks may be heightened for longer maturity and duration securities. Federal and state tax rules apply to capital gain distributions and any gains or losses on sales. Income may be subject to state, local or alternative minimum taxes. Liquidity risk is associated with the difficulty of selling underlying investments at a desirable time or price. Investing in derivatives is a specialized activity that involves special risks, which may result in significant losses. See the Fund’s prospectus for more information on these and other
risks.
The views expressed in this report
reflect the current views of the respective parties who contributed to this report. These views are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to
predict, so actual outcomes and results may differ significantly from the views expressed. These views are subject to change at any time based upon economic, market or other conditions and the respective parties
disclaim any responsibility to update such views. These views may not be relied on as investment advice and, because investment decisions for a Columbia fund are based on numerous factors, may not be relied on as an
indication of trading intent on behalf of any particular Columbia fund. References to specific securities should not be construed as a recommendation or investment advice.
| 6 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Understanding Your Fund’s
Expenses
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
As an investor, you incur two types
of costs. There are shareholder transaction costs, which generally include sales charges on purchases and may include redemption fees. There are also ongoing fund costs, which generally include management fees,
distribution and/or service fees, and other fund expenses. The following information is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to help you compare these costs with
the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.
Analyzing your Fund’s
expenses
To illustrate these ongoing
costs, we have provided examples and calculated the expenses paid by investors in each share class of the Fund during the period. The actual and hypothetical information in the table is based on an initial investment
of $1,000 at the beginning of the period indicated and held for the entire period. Expense information is calculated two ways and each method provides you with different information. The amount listed in the
“Actual” column is calculated using the Fund’s actual operating expenses and total return for the period. You may use the Actual information, together with the amount invested, to estimate the
expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the results by the expenses paid during the period under
the “Actual” column. The amount listed in the “Hypothetical” column assumes a 5% annual rate of return before expenses (which is not the Fund’s actual return) and then applies the
Fund’s actual expense ratio for the period to the hypothetical return. You should not use the hypothetical account values and expenses to estimate either your actual account balance at the end of the period or
the expenses you paid during the period. See “Compare with other funds” below for details on how to use the hypothetical data.
Compare with other funds
Since all mutual funds are
required to include the same hypothetical calculations about expenses in shareholder reports, you can use this information to compare the ongoing cost of investing in the Fund with other funds. To do so, compare the
hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds. As you compare hypothetical examples of other funds, it is important to note that hypothetical examples are
meant to highlight the ongoing costs of investing in a fund only and do not reflect any transaction costs, such as sales charges, or redemption or exchange fees. Therefore, the hypothetical calculations are useful in
comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. If transaction costs were included in these calculations, your costs would be higher.
Expenses paid during the period
are equal to the annualized expense ratio for each class as indicated above, multiplied by the average account value over the period and then multiplied by the number of days in the Fund’s most recent fiscal
half year and divided by 365.
Expenses do not include fees and
expenses incurred indirectly by the Fund from its investment in underlying funds, including affiliated and non-affiliated pooled investment vehicles, such as mutual funds and exchange-traded funds.
Had Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC and/or certain of its affiliates not waived/reimbursed certain fees and expenses, account value at the end of the period would have been reduced.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 7 |
Portfolio of Investments
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
(Percentages represent value of
investments compared to net assets)
Investments in securities
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 8 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 9 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 10 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 11 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 12 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 13 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 14 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 15 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 16 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 17 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 18 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 19 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 20 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 21 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 22 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 23 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 24 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 25 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 26 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 27 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 28 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Notes to Portfolio of
Investments
| (a) | Represents privately placed and other securities and instruments exempt from Securities and Exchange Commission registration (collectively, private placements), such as Section 4(a)(2) and Rule 144A eligible securities, which are often sold only to qualified institutional buyers. At July 31, 2022, the total value of these securities amounted to $89,619,471, which represents 3.37% of total net assets. |
| (b) | Income from this security may be subject to alternative minimum tax. |
| (c) | Represents securities that have defaulted on payment of interest. The Fund has stopped accruing interest on these securities. At July 31, 2022, the total value of these securities amounted to $53,454,465, which represents 2.01% of total net assets. |
| (d) | Zero coupon bond. |
| (e) | Represents a security purchased on a when-issued basis. |
| (f) | Municipal obligations include debt obligations issued by or on behalf of territories, possessions, or sovereign nations within the territorial boundaries of the United States. At July 31, 2022, the total value of these securities amounted to $58,807,976, which represents 2.21% of total net assets. |
| (g) | The rate shown is the seven-day current annualized yield at July 31, 2022. |
| (h) | As defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, an affiliated company is one in which the Fund owns 5% or more of the company’s outstanding voting securities, or a company which is under common ownership or control with the Fund. The value of the holdings and transactions in these affiliated companies during the year ended July 31, 2022 are as follows: |
| Affiliated issuers | Beginning of period($) | Purchases($) | Sales($) | Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)($) | End of period($) | Realized gain (loss)($) | Dividends($) | End of period shares |
| Columbia Multi-Sector Municipal Income ETF | ||||||||
| 6,252,495 | — | (5,972,532) | (279,963) | — | 164,937 | 21,878 | — | |
Abbreviation Legend
| AGM | Assured Guaranty Municipal Corporation |
| AMBAC | Ambac Assurance Corporation |
| BAM | Build America Mutual Assurance Co. |
| FHA | Federal Housing Authority |
| FNMA | Federal National Mortgage Association |
| GNMA | Government National Mortgage Association |
| HUD | Department of Housing and Urban Development |
| NPFGC | National Public Finance Guarantee Corporation |
Fair value measurements
The Fund categorizes its fair
value measurements according to a three-level hierarchy that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by prioritizing that the most observable input be used when available.
Observable inputs are those that market participants would use in pricing an investment based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs are those that reflect the
Fund’s assumptions about the information market participants would use in pricing an investment. An investment’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is
deemed significant to the asset’s or liability’s fair value measurement. The input levels are not necessarily an indication of the risk or liquidity associated with investments at that level. For example,
certain U.S. government securities are generally high quality and liquid, however, they are reflected as Level 2 because the inputs used to determine fair value may not always be quoted prices in an active market.
Fair value inputs are summarized in
the three broad levels listed below:
| ■ | Level 1 — Valuations based on quoted prices for investments in active markets that the Fund has the ability to access at the measurement date. Valuation adjustments are not applied to Level 1 investments. |
| ■ | Level 2 — Valuations based on other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risks, etc.). |
| ■ | Level 3 — Valuations based on significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions and judgment in determining the fair value of investments). |
Inputs that are used in determining
fair value of an investment may include price information, credit data, volatility statistics, and other factors. These inputs can be either observable or unobservable. The availability of observable inputs can vary
between investments, and is affected by various factors such as the type of investment, and the volume and level of activity for that investment or similar investments in the marketplace. The inputs will be considered
by the Investment Manager, along with any other relevant factors in the calculation of an investment’s fair value. The Fund uses prices and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, which may include
periods of market dislocations. During these periods, the availability of prices and inputs may be reduced for many investments. This condition could cause an investment to be reclassified between the various levels
within the hierarchy.
Investments falling into the Level 3
category are primarily supported by quoted prices from brokers and dealers participating in the market for those investments. However, these may be classified as Level 3 investments due to lack of market transparency
and corroboration to support these quoted prices. Additionally, valuation models may be used as the pricing source for any remaining investments classified as Level 3. These models may rely on one or more significant
unobservable inputs and/or significant assumptions by the Investment Manager. Inputs used in valuations may include, but are not limited to, financial statement analysis, capital account balances, discount rates and
estimated cash flows, and comparable company data.
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 29 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Fair value measurements (continued)
Under the direction of the Fund’s Board of Trustees (the Board), the Investment Manager’s Valuation Committee (the Committee) is responsible for overseeing the valuation procedures approved by the Board. The Committee consists of voting and non-voting members from various groups within the Investment Manager’s organization, including operations and accounting, trading and investments, compliance, risk management and legal.
Under the direction of the Fund’s Board of Trustees (the Board), the Investment Manager’s Valuation Committee (the Committee) is responsible for overseeing the valuation procedures approved by the Board. The Committee consists of voting and non-voting members from various groups within the Investment Manager’s organization, including operations and accounting, trading and investments, compliance, risk management and legal.
The Committee meets at least monthly
to review and approve valuation matters, which may include a description of specific valuation determinations, data regarding pricing information received from approved pricing vendors and brokers and the results of
Board-approved valuation control policies and procedures (the Policies). The Policies address, among other things, instances when market quotations are or are not readily available, including recommendations of third
party pricing vendors and a determination of appropriate pricing methodologies; events that require specific valuation determinations and assessment of fair value techniques; securities with a potential for stale
pricing, including those that are illiquid, restricted, or in default; and the effectiveness of third party pricing vendors, including periodic reviews of vendors. The Committee meets more frequently, as needed, to
discuss additional valuation matters, which may include the need to review back-testing results, review time-sensitive information or approve related valuation actions. The Committee reports to the Board, with members
of the Committee meeting with the Board at each of its regularly scheduled meetings to discuss valuation matters and actions during the period, similar to those described earlier.
The following table is a summary of
the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments at July 31, 2022:
| Level 1 ($) | Level 2 ($) | Level 3 ($) | Total ($) | |
| Investments in Securities | ||||
| Municipal Bonds | — | 2,648,146,025 | — | 2,648,146,025 |
| Money Market Funds | 26,448,375 | — | — | 26,448,375 |
| Total Investments in Securities | 26,448,375 | 2,648,146,025 | — | 2,674,594,400 |
See the Portfolio of Investments for
all investment classifications not indicated in the table.
The Fund’s assets assigned to
the Level 2 input category are generally valued using the market approach, in which a security’s value is determined through reference to prices and information from market transactions for similar or identical
assets.
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| 30 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
| Assets | |
| Investments in securities, at value | |
| Unaffiliated issuers (cost $2,790,114,559) | $2,674,594,400 |
| Cash | 130,643 |
| Receivable for: | |
| Capital shares sold | 7,503,804 |
| Interest | 23,950,723 |
| Prepaid expenses | 33,962 |
| Trustees’ deferred compensation plan | 530,842 |
| Total assets | 2,706,744,374 |
| Liabilities | |
| Payable for: | |
| Investments purchased on a delayed delivery basis | 32,276,705 |
| Capital shares purchased | 5,897,750 |
| Distributions to shareholders | 7,477,478 |
| Management services fees | 32,787 |
| Distribution and/or service fees | 11,840 |
| Transfer agent fees | 144,335 |
| Compensation of board members | 65,027 |
| Other expenses | 66,710 |
| Trustees’ deferred compensation plan | 530,842 |
| Total liabilities | 46,503,474 |
| Net assets applicable to outstanding capital stock | $2,660,240,900 |
| Represented by | |
| Paid in capital | 2,809,743,329 |
| Total distributable earnings (loss) | (149,502,429) |
| Total - representing net assets applicable to outstanding capital stock | $2,660,240,900 |
| Class A | |
| Net assets | $2,037,501,732 |
| Shares outstanding | 167,569,771 |
| Net asset value per share | $12.16 |
| Maximum sales charge | 3.00% |
| Maximum offering price per share (calculated by dividing the net asset value per share by 1.0 minus the maximum sales charge for Class A shares) | $12.54 |
| Advisor Class | |
| Net assets | $21,756,597 |
| Shares outstanding | 1,789,709 |
| Net asset value per share | $12.16 |
| Class C | |
| Net assets | $31,540,955 |
| Shares outstanding | 2,593,575 |
| Net asset value per share | $12.16 |
| Institutional Class | |
| Net assets | $532,341,598 |
| Shares outstanding | 43,775,520 |
| Net asset value per share | $12.16 |
| Institutional 2 Class | |
| Net assets | $15,272,313 |
| Shares outstanding | 1,255,647 |
| Net asset value per share | $12.16 |
| Institutional 3 Class | |
| Net assets | $21,827,705 |
| Shares outstanding | 1,789,955 |
| Net asset value per share | $12.19 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 31 |
Statement of Operations
Year Ended July 31, 2022
Year Ended July 31, 2022
| Net investment income | |
| Income: | |
| Dividends — unaffiliated issuers | $14,152 |
| Dividends — affiliated issuers | 21,878 |
| Interest | 106,115,477 |
| Total income | 106,151,507 |
| Expenses: | |
| Management services fees | 13,414,917 |
| Distribution and/or service fees | |
| Class A | 4,601,635 |
| Class C | 329,520 |
| Transfer agent fees | |
| Class A | 1,496,782 |
| Advisor Class | 17,350 |
| Class C | 25,047 |
| Institutional Class | 388,948 |
| Institutional 2 Class | 9,619 |
| Institutional 3 Class | 1,583 |
| Compensation of board members | 42,902 |
| Custodian fees | 25,008 |
| Printing and postage fees | 98,761 |
| Registration fees | 122,744 |
| Audit fees | 39,500 |
| Legal fees | 40,210 |
| Interest on interfund lending | 445 |
| Compensation of chief compliance officer | 808 |
| Other | 50,711 |
| Total expenses | 20,706,490 |
| Fees waived by distributor | |
| Class C | (21,480) |
| Fees waived by transfer agent | |
| Institutional 3 Class | (1,038) |
| Expense reduction | (2,677) |
| Total net expenses | 20,681,295 |
| Net investment income | 85,470,212 |
| Realized and unrealized gain (loss) — net | |
| Net realized gain (loss) on: | |
| Investments — unaffiliated issuers | (19,968,015) |
| Investments — affiliated issuers | 164,937 |
| Futures contracts | (4,263,513) |
| Net realized loss | (24,066,591) |
| Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on: | |
| Investments — unaffiliated issuers | (351,359,416) |
| Investments — affiliated issuers | (279,963) |
| Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) | (351,639,379) |
| Net realized and unrealized loss | (375,705,970) |
| Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations | $(290,235,758) |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 32 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
| Year Ended July 31, 2022 | Year Ended July 31, 2021 | |
| Operations | ||
| Net investment income | $85,470,212 | $92,073,978 |
| Net realized gain (loss) | (24,066,591) | 15,567,724 |
| Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) | (351,639,379) | 75,480,561 |
| Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | (290,235,758) | 183,122,263 |
| Distributions to shareholders | ||
| Net investment income and net realized gains | ||
| Class A | (77,176,902) | (78,218,582) |
| Advisor Class | (950,141) | (938,943) |
| Class C | (1,060,210) | (1,273,646) |
| Institutional Class | (21,249,393) | (20,255,431) |
| Institutional 2 Class | (661,141) | (1,515,757) |
| Institutional 3 Class | (923,446) | (786,951) |
| Total distributions to shareholders | (102,021,233) | (102,989,310) |
| Decrease in net assets from capital stock activity | (245,080,848) | (100,510,779) |
| Total decrease in net assets | (637,337,839) | (20,377,826) |
| Net assets at beginning of year | 3,297,578,739 | 3,317,956,565 |
| Net assets at end of year | $2,660,240,900 | $3,297,578,739 |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 33 |
Statement of Changes in Net Assets (continued)
| Year Ended | Year Ended | |||
| July 31, 2022 | July 31, 2021 | |||
| Shares | Dollars ($) | Shares | Dollars ($) | |
| Capital stock activity | ||||
| Class A | ||||
| Subscriptions | 9,708,549 | 123,022,678 | 9,044,414 | 123,055,854 |
| Distributions reinvested | 5,617,395 | 73,011,313 | 5,440,312 | 73,812,867 |
| Redemptions | (31,061,870) | (395,297,040) | (20,093,734) | (272,652,688) |
| Net decrease | (15,735,926) | (199,263,049) | (5,609,008) | (75,783,967) |
| Advisor Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 356,251 | 4,648,197 | 576,110 | 7,801,333 |
| Distributions reinvested | 63,243 | 825,224 | 59,663 | 809,616 |
| Redemptions | (781,887) | (9,969,995) | (460,211) | (6,256,008) |
| Net increase (decrease) | (362,393) | (4,496,574) | 175,562 | 2,354,941 |
| Class C | ||||
| Subscriptions | 471,057 | 6,020,898 | 434,523 | 5,910,689 |
| Distributions reinvested | 77,721 | 1,011,598 | 88,497 | 1,199,530 |
| Redemptions | (1,189,578) | (15,212,863) | (1,501,185) | (20,388,504) |
| Net decrease | (640,800) | (8,180,367) | (978,165) | (13,278,285) |
| Institutional Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 10,379,714 | 131,939,975 | 8,888,085 | 120,971,238 |
| Distributions reinvested | 957,213 | 12,417,286 | 799,638 | 10,855,698 |
| Redemptions | (13,637,930) | (171,217,167) | (9,033,158) | (122,718,730) |
| Net increase (decrease) | (2,301,003) | (26,859,906) | 654,565 | 9,108,206 |
| Institutional 2 Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 360,125 | 4,703,575 | 855,835 | 11,612,819 |
| Distributions reinvested | 50,657 | 660,216 | 111,855 | 1,515,277 |
| Redemptions | (747,053) | (9,699,446) | (3,089,416) | (42,161,772) |
| Net decrease | (336,271) | (4,335,655) | (2,121,726) | (29,033,676) |
| Institutional 3 Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 746,569 | 9,507,614 | 653,908 | 8,912,650 |
| Distributions reinvested | 67,158 | 874,575 | 54,163 | 737,556 |
| Redemptions | (984,102) | (12,327,486) | (259,378) | (3,528,204) |
| Net increase (decrease) | (170,375) | (1,945,297) | 448,693 | 6,122,002 |
| Total net decrease | (19,546,768) | (245,080,848) | (7,430,079) | (100,510,779) |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| 34 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Financial Highlights
The following table is intended to
help you understand the Fund’s financial performance. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share of a class held for the periods shown. Per share net investment income (loss) amounts are
calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period. Total return assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions, if any. Total return does not reflect payment of sales charges, if any. Total
return and portfolio turnover are not annualized for periods of less than one year. The portfolio turnover rate is calculated without regard to purchase and sales transactions of short-term instruments and certain
derivatives, if any. If such transactions were included, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate may be higher.
| Net asset value, beginning of period | Net investment income | Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | Total from investment operations | Distributions from net investment income | Distributions from net realized gains | Total distributions to shareholders | |
| Class A | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $13.84 | 0.36 | (1.61) | (1.25) | (0.36) | (0.07) | (0.43) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $13.50 | 0.38 | 0.38 | 0.76 | (0.38) | (0.04) | (0.42) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $13.63 | 0.43 | (0.06) | 0.37 | (0.43) | (0.07) | (0.50) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $13.35 | 0.50 | 0.34 | 0.84 | (0.55) | (0.01) | (0.56) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $13.60 | 0.53 | (0.25) | 0.28 | (0.53) | — | (0.53) |
| Advisor Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $13.83 | 0.39 | (1.60) | (1.21) | (0.39) | (0.07) | (0.46) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $13.50 | 0.40 | 0.38 | 0.78 | (0.41) | (0.04) | (0.45) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $13.63 | 0.45 | (0.05) | 0.40 | (0.46) | (0.07) | (0.53) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $13.35 | 0.52 | 0.35 | 0.87 | (0.58) | (0.01) | (0.59) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $13.60 | 0.56 | (0.25) | 0.31 | (0.56) | — | (0.56) |
| Class C | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $13.83 | 0.29 | (1.60) | (1.31) | (0.29) | (0.07) | (0.36) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $13.50 | 0.29 | 0.38 | 0.67 | (0.30) | (0.04) | (0.34) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $13.63 | 0.34 | (0.06) | 0.28 | (0.34) | (0.07) | (0.41) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $13.35 | 0.41 | 0.35 | 0.76 | (0.47) | (0.01) | (0.48) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $13.60 | 0.44 | (0.25) | 0.19 | (0.44) | — | (0.44) |
| Institutional Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $13.84 | 0.39 | (1.61) | (1.22) | (0.39) | (0.07) | (0.46) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $13.50 | 0.40 | 0.39 | 0.79 | (0.41) | (0.04) | (0.45) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $13.64 | 0.45 | (0.06) | 0.39 | (0.46) | (0.07) | (0.53) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $13.35 | 0.52 | 0.36 | 0.88 | (0.58) | (0.01) | (0.59) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $13.60 | 0.56 | (0.25) | 0.31 | (0.56) | — | (0.56) |
| Institutional 2 Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $13.84 | 0.39 | (1.61) | (1.22) | (0.39) | (0.07) | (0.46) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $13.50 | 0.41 | 0.38 | 0.79 | (0.41) | (0.04) | (0.45) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $13.64 | 0.45 | (0.06) | 0.39 | (0.46) | (0.07) | (0.53) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $13.35 | 0.52 | 0.36 | 0.88 | (0.58) | (0.01) | (0.59) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $13.60 | 0.56 | (0.25) | 0.31 | (0.56) | — | (0.56) |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 36 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Financial Highlights (continued)
| Net asset value, end of period | Total return | Total gross expense ratio to average net assets(a) | Total net expense ratio to average net assets(a),(b) | Net investment income ratio to average net assets | Portfolio turnover | Net assets, end of period (000’s) | |
| Class A | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $12.16 | (9.15%) | 0.73%(c) | 0.72%(c),(d) | 2.80% | 16% | $2,037,502 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $13.84 | 5.74% | 0.72%(e) | 0.72%(d),(e) | 2.78% | 13% | $2,536,239 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $13.50 | 2.76% | 0.73%(e) | 0.73%(d),(e) | 3.16% | 29% | $2,550,497 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $13.63 | 6.51% | 0.73% | 0.73% | 3.74% | 20% | $2,548,777 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $13.35 | 2.08% | 0.72% | 0.72%(d) | 3.93% | 17% | $2,642,009 |
| Advisor Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $12.16 | (8.91%) | 0.52%(c) | 0.52%(c),(d) | 2.99% | 16% | $21,757 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $13.83 | 5.88% | 0.52%(e) | 0.52%(d),(e) | 2.97% | 13% | $29,770 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $13.50 | 2.96% | 0.53%(e) | 0.53%(d),(e) | 3.36% | 29% | $26,679 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $13.63 | 6.72% | 0.53% | 0.53% | 3.93% | 20% | $21,407 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $13.35 | 2.29% | 0.52% | 0.52%(d) | 4.16% | 17% | $13,745 |
| Class C | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $12.16 | (9.63%) | 1.38%(c) | 1.32%(c),(d) | 2.20% | 16% | $31,541 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $13.83 | 5.03% | 1.47%(e) | 1.33%(d),(e),(f) | 2.17% | 13% | $44,740 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $13.50 | 2.09% | 1.48%(e) | 1.38%(d),(e),(f) | 2.51% | 29% | $56,855 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $13.63 | 5.82% | 1.48% | 1.38%(f) | 3.09% | 20% | $59,114 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $13.35 | 1.42% | 1.47% | 1.37%(d) | 3.27% | 17% | $72,134 |
| Institutional Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $12.16 | (8.97%) | 0.53%(c) | 0.53%(c),(d) | 3.01% | 16% | $532,342 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $13.84 | 5.95% | 0.52%(e) | 0.52%(d),(e) | 2.97% | 13% | $637,596 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $13.50 | 2.89% | 0.53%(e) | 0.53%(d),(e) | 3.37% | 29% | $613,307 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $13.64 | 6.80% | 0.53% | 0.53% | 3.94% | 20% | $781,834 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $13.35 | 2.29% | 0.52% | 0.52%(d) | 4.13% | 17% | $775,309 |
| Institutional 2 Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $12.16 | (8.96%) | 0.51%(c) | 0.51%(c) | 3.00% | 16% | $15,272 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $13.84 | 5.97% | 0.51%(e) | 0.51%(e) | 3.00% | 13% | $22,033 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $13.50 | 2.90% | 0.52%(e) | 0.52%(e) | 3.36% | 29% | $50,150 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $13.64 | 6.81% | 0.52% | 0.52% | 3.94% | 20% | $8,978 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $13.35 | 2.29% | 0.51% | 0.51% | 4.16% | 17% | $6,239 |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 37 |
Financial Highlights (continued)
| Net asset value, beginning of period | Net investment income | Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | Total from investment operations | Distributions from net investment income | Distributions from net realized gains | Total distributions to shareholders | |
| Institutional 3 Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $13.88 | 0.40 | (1.62) | (1.22) | (0.40) | (0.07) | (0.47) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $13.54 | 0.41 | 0.39 | 0.80 | (0.42) | (0.04) | (0.46) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $13.67 | 0.46 | (0.06) | 0.40 | (0.46) | (0.07) | (0.53) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $13.39 | 0.53 | 0.35 | 0.88 | (0.59) | (0.01) | (0.60) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $13.64 | 0.57 | (0.26) | 0.31 | (0.56) | — | (0.56) |
| Notes to Financial Highlights | |
| (a) | In addition to the fees and expenses that the Fund bears directly, the Fund indirectly bears a pro rata share of the fees and expenses of any other funds in which it invests. Such indirect expenses are not included in the Fund’s reported expense ratios. |
| (b) | Total net expenses include the impact of certain fee waivers/expense reimbursements made by the Investment Manager and certain of its affiliates, if applicable. |
| (c) | Ratios include interfund lending expense which is less than 0.01%. |
| (d) | The benefits derived from expense reductions had an impact of less than 0.01%. |
| (e) | Ratios include interest and fee expense related to the participation in certain inverse floater programs. If interest and fee expense related to the participation in certain inverse floater programs had been excluded, expenses would have been lower by less than 0.01%. Due to an equal increase in interest income from fixed rate municipal bonds held in trust, there is no impact on the Fund’s net assets, net asset value per share, total return or net investment income. |
| (f) | Ratios include the impact of voluntary waivers paid by the Investment Manager. For the periods indicated below, if the Investment Manager had not paid these voluntary waivers, the Fund’s net expense ratio would increase by: |
| 7/31/2021 | 7/31/2020 | 7/31/2019 | |
| Class C | 0.01% | 0.10% | 0.10% |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 38 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Financial Highlights (continued)
| Net asset value, end of period | Total return | Total gross expense ratio to average net assets(a) | Total net expense ratio to average net assets(a),(b) | Net investment income ratio to average net assets | Portfolio turnover | Net assets, end of period (000’s) | |
| Institutional 3 Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $12.19 | (8.96%) | 0.47%(c) | 0.46%(c) | 3.07% | 16% | $21,828 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $13.88 | 6.01% | 0.47%(e) | 0.47%(e) | 3.03% | 13% | $27,202 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $13.54 | 3.03% | 0.47%(e) | 0.47%(e) | 3.42% | 29% | $20,467 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $13.67 | 6.78% | 0.47% | 0.47% | 3.97% | 20% | $17,056 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $13.39 | 2.35% | 0.47% | 0.47% | 4.25% | 17% | $7,731 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 39 |
Notes to Financial Statements
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Note 1. Organization
Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund (the
Fund), a series of Columbia Funds Series Trust I (the Trust), is a diversified fund. The Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), as an open-end management investment
company organized as a Massachusetts business trust.
Fund shares
The Trust may issue an unlimited
number of shares (without par value). The Fund offers each of the share classes listed in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Although all share classes generally have identical voting, dividend and liquidation
rights, each share class votes separately when required by the Trust’s organizational documents or by law. Each share class has its own expense and sales charge structure. Different share classes may have
different minimum initial investment amounts and pay different net investment income distribution amounts to the extent the expenses of distributing such share classes vary. Distributions to shareholders in a
liquidation will be proportional to the net asset value of each share class.
As described in the Fund’s
prospectus, Class A and Class C shares are offered to the general public for investment. Class C shares automatically convert to Class A shares after 8 years. Advisor Class, Institutional Class, Institutional 2 Class
and Institutional 3 Class shares are available for purchase through authorized investment professionals to omnibus retirement plans or to institutional investors and to certain other investors as also described in the
Fund’s prospectus.
Note 2. Summary of
significant accounting policies
Basis of preparation
The Fund is an investment company
that applies the accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946, Financial Services - Investment Companies (ASC 946). The financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), which requires
management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the
reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
The following is a summary of
significant accounting policies followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements.
Security valuation
Debt securities generally are
valued by pricing services approved by the Board of Trustees based upon market transactions for normal, institutional-size trading units of similar securities. The services may use various pricing techniques that take
into account, as applicable, factors such as yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics and other data, as well as approved independent broker-dealer quotes. Debt securities for
which quotations are not readily available or not believed to be reflective of market value may also be valued based upon a bid quote from an approved independent broker-dealer. Debt securities maturing in 60 days or
less are valued primarily at amortized market value, unless this method results in a valuation that management believes does not approximate fair value.
Investments in open-end investment
companies (other than exchange-traded funds (ETFs)), are valued at the latest net asset value reported by those companies as of the valuation time.
Investments for which market
quotations are not readily available, or that have quotations which management believes are not reflective of market value or reliable, are valued at fair value as determined in good faith under procedures approved by
and under the general supervision of the Board of Trustees. If a security or class of securities (such as foreign securities) is valued at fair value, such value is likely to be different from the quoted or published
price for the security, if available.
The determination of fair value
often requires significant judgment. To determine fair value, management may use assumptions including but not limited to future cash flows and estimated risk premiums. Multiple inputs from various sources may be used
to determine fair value.
| 40 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
GAAP requires disclosure regarding
the inputs and valuation techniques used to measure fair value and any changes in valuation inputs or techniques. In addition, investments shall be disclosed by major category. This information is disclosed following
the Fund’s Portfolio of Investments.
Derivative instruments
The Fund invests in certain
derivative instruments, as detailed below, in seeking to meet its investment objectives. Derivatives are instruments whose values depend on, or are derived from, in whole or in part, the value of one or more
securities, currencies, commodities, indices, or other assets or instruments. Derivatives may be used to increase investment flexibility (including to maintain cash reserves while maintaining desired exposure to
certain assets), for risk management (hedging) purposes, to facilitate trading, to reduce transaction costs and to pursue higher investment returns. The Fund may also use derivative instruments to mitigate certain
investment risks, such as foreign currency exchange rate risk, interest rate risk and credit risk. Derivatives may involve various risks, including the potential inability of the counterparty to fulfill its
obligations under the terms of the contract, the potential for an illiquid secondary market (making it difficult for the Fund to sell or terminate, including at favorable prices) and the potential for market movements
which may expose the Fund to gains or losses in excess of the amount shown in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The notional amounts of derivative instruments, if applicable, are not recorded in the financial
statements.
A derivative instrument may suffer
a marked-to-market loss if the value of the contract decreases due to an unfavorable change in the market rates or values of the underlying instrument. Losses can also occur if the counterparty does not perform its
obligations under the contract. The Fund’s risk of loss from counterparty credit risk on over-the-counter derivatives is generally limited to the aggregate unrealized gain netted against any collateral held by
the Fund and the amount of any variation margin held by the counterparty, plus any replacement costs or related amounts. With exchange-traded or centrally cleared derivatives, there is reduced counterparty credit risk
to the Fund since the clearinghouse or central counterparty (CCP) provides some protection in the case of clearing member default. The clearinghouse or CCP stands between the buyer and the seller of the contract;
therefore, failure of the clearinghouse or CCP may pose additional counterparty credit risk. However, credit risk still exists in exchange-traded or centrally cleared derivatives with respect to initial and variation
margin that is held in a broker’s customer account. While clearing brokers are required to segregate customer margin from their own assets, in the event that a clearing broker becomes insolvent or goes into
bankruptcy and at that time there is a shortfall in the aggregate amount of margin held by the clearing broker for all its clients and such shortfall is remedied by the CCP or otherwise, U.S. bankruptcy laws will
typically allocate that shortfall on a pro-rata basis across all the clearing broker’s customers (including the Fund), potentially resulting in losses to the Fund.
In order to better define its
contractual rights and to secure rights that will help the Fund mitigate its counterparty risk, the Fund may enter into an International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. Master Agreement (ISDA Master Agreement)
or similar agreement with its derivatives counterparties. An ISDA Master Agreement is an agreement between the Fund and a counterparty that governs over-the-counter derivatives and foreign exchange forward contracts
and contains, among other things, collateral posting terms and netting provisions in the event of a default and/or termination event. Under an ISDA Master Agreement, the Fund may, under certain circumstances, offset
with the counterparty certain derivative instruments’ payables and/or receivables with collateral held and/or posted and create one single net payment. The provisions of the ISDA Master Agreement typically
permit a single net payment in the event of default (close-out netting), including the bankruptcy or insolvency of the counterparty. Note, however, that bankruptcy or insolvency laws of a particular jurisdiction may
impose restrictions on or prohibitions against the right of offset or netting in bankruptcy, insolvency or other events.
Collateral (margin) requirements
differ by type of derivative. Margin requirements are established by the clearinghouse or CCP for exchange-traded and centrally cleared derivatives. Brokers can ask for margin in excess of the minimum in certain
circumstances. Collateral terms for most over-the-counter derivatives are subject to regulatory requirements to exchange variation margin with trading counterparties and may have contract specific margin terms as
well. For over-the-counter derivatives traded under an ISDA Master Agreement, the collateral requirements are typically calculated by netting the marked-to-market amount for each transaction under such agreement and
comparing that amount to the value of any variation margin currently pledged by the Fund and/or the counterparty. Generally, the amount of collateral due from or to a party has to exceed a minimum transfer amount
threshold (e.g., $250,000) before a transfer has to be made. To the extent amounts due to the Fund from its counterparties are not fully collateralized, contractually or otherwise, the Fund bears the risk of loss from
counterparty nonperformance. The Fund may also pay interest expense on cash collateral received from the
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 41 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
broker. Any interest expense paid by the Fund is
shown in the Statement of Operations. The Fund attempts to mitigate counterparty risk by only entering into agreements with counterparties that it believes have the financial resources to honor their obligations and
by monitoring the financial stability of those counterparties.
Certain ISDA Master Agreements
allow counterparties of over-the-counter derivatives transactions to terminate derivatives contracts prior to maturity in the event the Fund’s net asset value declines by a stated percentage over a specified
time period or if the Fund fails to meet certain terms of the ISDA Master Agreement, which would cause the Fund to accelerate payment of any net liability owed to the counterparty. The Fund also has termination
rights if the counterparty fails to meet certain terms of the ISDA Master Agreement. In determining whether to exercise such termination rights, the Fund would consider, in addition to counterparty credit risk,
whether termination would result in a net liability owed from the counterparty.
For financial reporting purposes,
the Fund does not offset derivative assets and derivative liabilities that are subject to netting arrangements in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Futures contracts
Futures contracts are
exchange-traded and represent commitments for the future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a specified date. The Fund bought and sold futures contracts to manage exposure to movements in interest
rates. These instruments may be used for other purposes in future periods. Upon entering into futures contracts, the Fund bears risks that it may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the futures contracts and may
realize a loss. Additional risks include counterparty credit risk, the possibility of an illiquid market, and that a change in the value of the contract or option may not correlate with changes in the value of the
underlying asset.
Upon entering into a futures
contract, the Fund deposits cash or securities with the broker, known as a futures commission merchant (FCM), in an amount sufficient to meet the initial margin requirement. The initial margin deposit must be
maintained at an established level over the life of the contract. Cash deposited as initial margin is recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as margin deposits. Securities deposited as initial margin are
designated in the Portfolio of Investments. Subsequent payments (variation margin) are made or received by the Fund each day. The variation margin payments are equal to the daily change in the contract value and are
recorded as variation margin receivable or payable and are offset in unrealized gains or losses. The Fund generally expects to earn interest income on its margin deposits. The Fund recognizes a realized gain or loss
when the contract is closed or expires. Futures contracts involve, to varying degrees, risk of loss in excess of the variation margin disclosed in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Effects of derivative transactions in
the financial statements
The following tables are intended
to provide additional information about the effect of derivatives on the financial statements of the Fund, including: the fair value of derivatives by risk category and the location of those fair values in the
Statement of Assets and Liabilities; and the impact of derivative transactions over the period in the Statement of Operations, including realized and unrealized gains (losses). The derivative instrument schedules
following the Portfolio of Investments present additional information regarding derivative instruments outstanding at the end of the period, if any.
The following table indicates the
effect of derivative instruments (not considered to be hedging instruments for accounting disclosure purposes) in the Statement of Operations for the year ended July 31, 2022:
| Amount of realized gain (loss) on derivatives recognized in income | |
| Risk exposure category | Futures contracts ($) |
| Interest rate risk | (4,263,513) |
The following table is a summary
of the average outstanding volume by derivative instrument for the year ended July 31, 2022:
| Derivative instrument | Average notional amounts ($)* |
| Futures contracts — short | 61,463,438 |
| 42 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
| * | Based on the ending quarterly outstanding amounts for the year ended July 31, 2022. |
Delayed delivery securities
The Fund may trade securities on
other than normal settlement terms, including securities purchased or sold on a “when-issued” or "forward commitment" basis. This may increase risk to the Fund since the other party to the transaction may
fail to deliver, which could cause the Fund to subsequently invest at less advantageous prices. The Fund designates cash or liquid securities in an amount equal to the delayed delivery commitment.
Security transactions
Security transactions are accounted
for on the trade date. Cost is determined and gains (losses) are based upon the specific identification method for both financial statement and federal income tax purposes.
Income recognition
Interest income is recorded on an
accrual basis. Market premiums and discounts, including original issue discounts, are amortized and accreted, respectively, over the expected life of the security on all debt securities, unless otherwise noted.
The Fund may place a debt security
on non-accrual status and reduce related interest income when it becomes probable that the interest will not be collected and the amount of uncollectible interest can be reasonably estimated. A defaulted debt security
is removed from non-accrual status when the issuer resumes interest payments or when collectability of interest is reasonably assured.
Dividend income is recorded on the
ex-dividend date.
Expenses
General expenses of the Trust are
allocated to the Fund and other funds of the Trust based upon relative net assets or other expense allocation methodologies determined by the nature of the expense. Expenses directly attributable to the Fund are
charged to the Fund. Expenses directly attributable to a specific class of shares are charged to that share class.
Determination of class net asset
value
All income, expenses (other than
class-specific expenses, which are charged to that share class, as shown in the Statement of Operations) and realized and unrealized gains (losses) are allocated to each class of the Fund on a daily basis, based on
the relative net assets of each class, for purposes of determining the net asset value of each class.
Federal income tax status
The Fund intends to qualify each
year as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended, and will distribute substantially all of its net tax-exempt and investment company taxable income and net capital
gain, if any, for its tax year, and as such will not be subject to federal income taxes. In addition, the Fund intends to distribute in each calendar year substantially all of its ordinary income, capital gain net
income and certain other amounts, if any, such that the Fund should not be subject to federal excise tax. Therefore, no federal income or excise tax provision is recorded.
Distributions to shareholders
Distributions from net investment
income, if any, are declared daily and paid monthly. Net realized capital gains, if any, are distributed at least annually. Income distributions and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with federal
income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP.
Guarantees and indemnifications
Under the Trust’s
organizational documents and, in some cases, by contract, its officers and trustees are indemnified against certain liabilities arising out of the performance of their duties to the Trust or its funds. In addition,
certain of the Fund’s contracts with its service providers contain general indemnification clauses. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown since the amount of any future claims
that may be made against the Fund cannot be determined, and the Fund has no historical basis for predicting the likelihood of any such claims.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 43 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Note 3. Fees and other
transactions with affiliates
Management services fees
The Fund has entered into a
Management Agreement with Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (the Investment Manager), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (Ameriprise Financial). Under the Management Agreement, the
Investment Manager provides the Fund with investment research and advice, as well as administrative and accounting services. The management services fee is an annual fee that is equal to a percentage of the
Fund’s daily net assets that declines from 0.48% to 0.29% as the Fund’s net assets increase. The effective management services fee rate for the year ended July 31, 2022 was 0.45% of the Fund’s
average daily net assets.
Compensation of board members
Members of the Board of Trustees
who are not officers or employees of the Investment Manager or Ameriprise Financial are compensated for their services to the Fund as disclosed in the Statement of Operations. Under a Deferred Compensation Plan (the
Deferred Plan), these members of the Board of Trustees may elect to defer payment of up to 100% of their compensation. Deferred amounts are treated as though equivalent dollar amounts had been invested in shares of
certain funds managed by the Investment Manager. The Fund’s liability for these amounts is adjusted for market value changes and remains in the Fund until distributed in accordance with the Deferred Plan. All
amounts payable under the Deferred Plan constitute a general unsecured obligation of the Fund. The expense for the Deferred Plan, which includes Trustees’ fees deferred during the current period as well as any
gains or losses on the Trustees’ deferred compensation balances as a result of market fluctuations, is included in "Compensation of board members" in the Statement of Operations.
Compensation of Chief Compliance
Officer
The Board of Trustees has appointed
a Chief Compliance Officer for the Fund in accordance with federal securities regulations. As disclosed in the Statement of Operations, a portion of the Chief Compliance Officer’s total compensation is allocated
to the Fund, along with other allocations to affiliated registered investment companies managed by the Investment Manager and its affiliates, based on relative net assets.
Transactions with affiliates
The Fund is permitted to engage in
purchase and/or sale transactions with affiliates and/or accounts that have a common investment manager (or affiliated investment managers), common directors/trustees, and/or common officers under specified conditions
outlined in a policy adopted by the Board, pursuant to Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act (cross-trades). The Board relies on quarterly written representation from the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer that
cross-trades complied with approved policy.
For the year ended July 31, 2022,
the Fund engaged in cross-trades as follows:
| Purchases ($) | Sales ($) | Net realized gain (loss) ($) |
| — | 3,121,067 | (404,560) |
Transfer agency fees
Under a Transfer and Dividend
Disbursing Agent Agreement, Columbia Management Investment Services Corp. (the Transfer Agent), an affiliate of the Investment Manager and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, is responsible for
providing transfer agency services to the Fund. The Transfer Agent has contracted with DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc. (DST) to serve as sub-transfer agent. The Transfer Agent pays the fees of DST for services as
sub-transfer agent and DST is not entitled to reimbursement for such fees from the Fund (with the exception of out-of-pocket fees).
The Fund pays the Transfer Agent a
monthly transfer agency fee based on the number or the average value of accounts, depending on the type of account. In addition, the Fund pays the Transfer Agent a fee for shareholder services based on the number of
accounts or on a percentage of the average aggregate value of the Fund’s shares maintained in omnibus accounts up to the lesser of the amount charged by the financial intermediary or a cap established by the
Board of Trustees from time to time.
| 44 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The Transfer Agent also receives
compensation from the Fund for various shareholder services and reimbursements for certain out-of-pocket fees. Total transfer agency fees for Institutional 2 Class and Institutional 3 Class shares are subject to an
annual limitation of not more than 0.07% and 0.02%, respectively, of the average daily net assets attributable to each share class. In addition, effective December 1, 2021 through November 30, 2022, Institutional 3
Class shares are subject to a contractual transfer agency fee annual limitation of not more than 0.00% of the average daily net assets attributable to that share class.
For the year ended July 31,
2022, the Fund’s effective transfer agency fee rates as a percentage of average daily net assets of each class were as follows:
| Effective rate (%) | |
| Class A | 0.07 |
| Advisor Class | 0.07 |
| Class C | 0.07 |
| Institutional Class | 0.07 |
| Institutional 2 Class | 0.05 |
| Institutional 3 Class | 0.00 |
An annual minimum account balance
fee of $20 may apply to certain accounts with a value below the applicable share class’s initial minimum investment requirements to reduce the impact of small accounts on transfer agency fees. These minimum
account balance fees are remitted to the Fund and recorded as part of expense reductions in the Statement of Operations. For the year ended July 31, 2022, these minimum account balance fees reduced total expenses of
the Fund by $2,677.
Distribution and service fees
The Fund has entered into an
agreement with Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. (the Distributor), an affiliate of the Investment Manager and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, for distribution and shareholder
services. The Board of Trustees has approved, and the Fund has adopted, distribution and shareholder service plans (the Plans) applicable to certain share classes, which set the distribution and service fees for the
Fund. These fees are calculated daily and are intended to compensate the Distributor and/or eligible selling and/or servicing agents for selling shares of the Fund and providing services to investors.
Under the Plans, the Fund pays a
monthly service fee to the Distributor at the maximum annual rate of 0.20% of the average daily net assets attributable to Class A and Class C shares of the Fund. Also under the Plans, the Fund pays a monthly
distribution fee to the Distributor at the maximum annual rate of 0.75% of the average daily net assets attributable to Class C shares of the Fund.
Effective December 1, 2021, the
Distributor has reduced the distribution fee for Class C shares to 0.60% annually of the average daily net assets attributable to Class C shares. Prior to December 1, 2021, the Distributor contractually waived a
portion of the distribution fee for Class C shares so that the distribution fee did not exceed 0.60% annually of the average daily net assets attributable to Class C shares. This arrangement could have
been modified or terminated at the sole discretion of the Board of Trustees.
Sales charges (unaudited)
Sales charges, including front-end
charges and contingent deferred sales charges (CDSCs), received by the Distributor for distributing Fund shares for the year ended July 31, 2022, if any, are listed below:
| Front End (%) | CDSC (%) | Amount ($) | |
| Class A | 3.00 | 0.75(a) | 462,848 |
| Class C | — | 1.00(b) | 1,265 |
| (a) | This charge is imposed on certain investments of $500,000 or more if redeemed within 12 months after purchase. |
| (b) | This charge applies to redemptions within 12 months after purchase, with certain limited exceptions. |
The Fund’s other share
classes are not subject to sales charges.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 45 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Expenses waived/reimbursed by the
Investment Manager and its affiliates
The Investment Manager and certain
of its affiliates have contractually agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses (excluding certain fees and expenses described below) for the period(s) disclosed below, unless sooner terminated at the sole
discretion of the Board of Trustees, so that the Fund’s net operating expenses, after giving effect to fees waived/expenses reimbursed and any balance credits and/or overdraft charges from the Fund’s
custodian, do not exceed the following annual rate(s) as a percentage of the classes’ average daily net assets:
Under the agreement governing
these fee waivers and/or expense reimbursement arrangements, the following fees and expenses are excluded from the waiver/reimbursement commitment, and therefore will be paid by the Fund, if applicable: taxes
(including foreign transaction taxes), expenses associated with investments in affiliated and non-affiliated pooled investment vehicles (including mutual funds and exchange-traded funds), transaction costs and
brokerage commissions, costs related to any securities lending program, dividend expenses associated with securities sold short, inverse floater program fees and expenses, transaction charges and interest on borrowed
money, interest, costs associated with shareholder meetings, infrequent and/or unusual expenses and any other expenses the exclusion of which is specifically approved by the Board of Trustees. This agreement may be
modified or amended only with approval from the Investment Manager, certain of its affiliates and the Fund. Reflected in the contractual cap commitment, effective December 1, 2021 through November 30, 2022, is the
Transfer Agent’s contractual agreement to limit total transfer agency fees to an annual rate of not more than 0.00% for Institutional 3 Class of the average daily net assets attributable to that share class,
unless sooner terminated at the sole discretion of the Board of Trustees. Prior to December 1, 2021, Class C distribution fees waived by the Distributor, as discussed above, were in addition to the
waiver/reimbursement commitment under the agreement. Any fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed under the expense reimbursement arrangements described above are not recoverable by the Investment Manager or its
affiliates in future periods.
Note 4. Federal tax
information
The timing and character of
income and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP because of temporary or permanent book to tax differences.
At July, 31, 2022, these
differences were primarily due to differing treatment for tax straddles, investments in partnerships and/or grantor trusts, principal and/or interest from fixed income securities, defaulted securities/troubled debt,
post-October capital losses, trustees’ deferred compensation, distributions, re-characterization of distributions for investments and excess distributions. To the extent these differences were permanent,
reclassifications were made among the components of the Fund’s net assets. Temporary differences do not require reclassifications.
The following reclassifications
were made:
| Undistributed net investment income ($) | Accumulated net realized (loss) ($) | Paid in capital ($) |
| 1,194,056 | 376,504 | (1,570,560) |
Net investment income (loss) and
net realized gains (losses), as disclosed in the Statement of Operations, and net assets were not affected by this reclassification.
| 46 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The tax character of distributions
paid during the years indicated was as follows:
| Year Ended July 31, 2022 | Year Ended July 31, 2021 | ||||||
| Ordinary income ($) | Tax-exempt income ($) | Long-term capital gains ($) | Total ($) | Ordinary income ($) | Tax-exempt income ($) | Long-term capital gains ($) | Total ($) |
| 67,934 | 85,442,905 | 16,510,394 | 102,021,233 | 14,405 | 92,260,536 | 10,714,369 | 102,989,310 |
Short-term capital gain
distributions, if any, are considered ordinary income distributions for tax purposes.
At July 31, 2022, the components of
distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:
| Undistributed ordinary income ($) | Undistributed tax- exempt income ($) | Undistributed long-term capital gains ($) | Capital loss carryforwards ($) | Net unrealized (depreciation) ($) |
| — | 35,627,593 | — | — | (143,212,265) |
At July 31, 2022, the cost of all
investments for federal income tax purposes along with the aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation based on that cost was:
| Federal tax cost ($) | Gross unrealized appreciation ($) | Gross unrealized (depreciation) ($) | Net unrealized (depreciation) ($) |
| 2,817,806,665 | 40,951,816 | (184,164,081) | (143,212,265) |
Tax cost of investments and
unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) may also include timing differences that do not constitute adjustments to tax basis.
Under current tax rules, regulated
investment companies can elect to treat certain late-year ordinary losses incurred and post-October capital losses (capital losses realized after October 31) as arising on the first day of the following taxable year.
As of July 31, 2022, the Fund will elect to treat the following late-year ordinary losses and post-October capital losses as arising on August 1, 2022.
| Late year ordinary losses ($) | Post-October capital losses ($) |
| — | 33,845,056 |
Management of the Fund has
concluded that there are no significant uncertain tax positions in the Fund that would require recognition in the financial statements. However, management’s conclusion may be subject to review and adjustment at
a later date based on factors including, but not limited to, new tax laws, regulations, and administrative interpretations (including relevant court decisions). Generally, the Fund’s federal tax returns for the
prior three fiscal years remain subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service.
Note 5. Portfolio
information
The cost of purchases and
proceeds from sales of securities, excluding short-term investments and derivatives, if any, aggregated to $471,857,579 and $707,802,155, respectively, for the year ended July 31, 2022. The amount of purchase and sale
activity impacts the portfolio turnover rate reported in the Financial Highlights.
Note 6. Interfund
lending
Pursuant to an exemptive order
granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Fund participates in a program (the Interfund Program) allowing each participating Columbia Fund (each, a Participating Fund) to lend money directly to and,
except for closed-end funds and money market funds, borrow money directly from other Participating Funds for temporary purposes. The amounts eligible for borrowing and lending under the Interfund Program are subject
to certain restrictions.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 47 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Interfund loans are subject to the
risk that the borrowing fund could be unable to repay the loan when due, and a delay in repayment to the lending fund could result in lost opportunities and/or additional lending costs. The exemptive order is subject
to conditions intended to mitigate conflicts of interest arising from the Investment Manager’s relationship with each Participating Fund.
The Fund’s activity in the
Interfund Program during the year ended July 31, 2022 was as follows:
| Borrower or lender | Average loan balance ($) | Weighted average interest rate (%) | Number of days with outstanding loans |
| Borrower | 1,733,333 | 1.51 | 6 |
Interest expense incurred by the
Fund is recorded as Interfund lending in the Statement of Operations. The Fund had no outstanding interfund loans at July 31, 2022.
Note 7. Line of credit
The Fund has access to a
revolving credit facility with a syndicate of banks led by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Citibank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. whereby the Fund may borrow for the temporary funding of shareholder redemptions or for
other temporary or emergency purposes. Pursuant to an October 28, 2021 amendment and restatement, the credit facility, which is an agreement between the Fund and certain other funds managed by the Investment Manager
or an affiliated investment manager, severally and not jointly, permits aggregate borrowings up to $950 million. Interest is currently charged to each participating fund based on its borrowings at a rate equal to the
higher of (i) the federal funds effective rate, (ii) the secured overnight financing rate plus 0.11448% and (iii) the overnight bank funding rate, plus in each case, 1.00%. Each borrowing under the credit facility
matures no later than 60 days after the date of borrowing. The Fund also pays a commitment fee equal to its pro rata share of the unused amount of the credit facility at a rate of 0.15% per annum. The commitment fee
is included in other expenses in the Statement of Operations. This agreement expires annually in October unless extended or renewed. Prior to the October 28, 2021 amendment and restatement, the Fund had access to a
revolving credit facility with a syndicate of banks led by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Citibank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. which permitted collective borrowings up to $950 million. Interest was charged to each
participating fund based on its borrowings at a rate equal to the higher of (i) the federal funds effective rate, (ii) the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) rate and (iii) the overnight bank funding
rate, plus in each case, 1.25%.
The Fund had no borrowings during
the year ended July 31, 2022.
Note 8. Significant
risks
Credit risk
Credit risk is the risk that the
value of debt instruments in the Fund’s portfolio may decline because the issuer defaults or otherwise becomes unable or unwilling, or is perceived to be unable or unwilling, to honor its financial obligations,
such as making payments to the Fund when due. Credit rating agencies assign credit ratings to certain debt instruments to indicate their credit risk. Lower-rated or unrated debt instruments held by the Fund may
present increased credit risk as compared to higher-rated debt instruments.
Interest rate risk
Interest rate risk is the risk of
losses attributable to changes in interest rates. In general, if prevailing interest rates rise, the values of debt instruments tend to fall, and if interest rates fall, the values of debt instruments tend to rise.
Actions by governments and central banking authorities can result in increases or decreases in interest rates. Higher periods of inflation could lead such authorities to raise interest rates. Increasing interest rates
may negatively affect the value of debt securities held by the Fund, resulting in a negative impact on the Fund’s performance and net asset value per share. In general, the longer the maturity or duration of a
debt security, the greater its sensitivity to changes in interest rates. The Fund is subject to the risk that the income generated by its investments may not keep pace with inflation.
| 48 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is the risk
associated with a lack of marketability of investments which may make it difficult to sell the investment at a desirable time or price. Changing regulatory, market or other conditions or environments (for example, the
interest rate or credit environments) may adversely affect the liquidity of the Fund’s investments. The Fund may have to accept a lower selling price for the holding, sell other investments, or forego another,
more appealing investment opportunity. Generally, the less liquid the market at the time the Fund sells a portfolio investment, the greater the risk of loss or decline of value to the Fund. A less liquid market can
lead to an increase in Fund redemptions, which may negatively impact Fund performance and net asset value per share, including, for example, if the Fund is forced to sell securities in a down market.
Market risk
The Fund may incur losses due to
declines in the value of one or more securities in which it invests. These declines may be due to factors affecting a particular issuer, or the result of, among other things, political, regulatory, market, economic or
social developments affecting the relevant market(s) more generally. In addition, turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed income markets may negatively affect many issuers,
which could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to price or value hard-to-value assets in thinly traded and closed markets and could cause significant redemptions and operational challenges. Global economies and
financial markets are increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. These risks may
be magnified if certain events or developments adversely interrupt the global supply chain; in these and other circumstances, such risks might affect companies worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events
such as terrorism, war, natural disasters, disease/virus outbreaks and epidemics or other public health issues, recessions, depressions or other events – or the potential for such events – could have a
significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions.
The pandemic caused by coronavirus
disease 2019 and its variants (COVID-19) has resulted in, and may continue to result in, significant global economic and societal disruption and market volatility due to disruptions in market access, resource
availability, facilities operations, imposition of tariffs, export controls and supply chain disruption, among others. Such disruptions may be caused, or exacerbated by, quarantines and travel restrictions, workforce
displacement and loss in human and other resources. The uncertainty surrounding the magnitude, duration, reach, costs and effects of the global pandemic, as well as actions that have been or could be taken by
governmental authorities or other third parties, present unknowns that are yet to unfold. The impacts, as well as the uncertainty over impacts to come, of COVID-19 – and any other infectious illness outbreaks,
epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future – could negatively affect global economies and markets in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. In addition, the impact of infectious illness outbreaks
and epidemics in emerging market countries may be greater due to generally less established healthcare systems, governments and financial markets. Public health crises caused by the COVID-19 outbreak may exacerbate
other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in certain countries or globally. The disruptions caused by COVID-19 could prevent the Fund from executing advantageous investment decisions in a timely manner
and negatively impact the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. Any such events could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Fund.
Municipal securities risk
Municipal securities are debt
obligations generally issued to obtain funds for various public purposes, including general financing for state and local governments, or financing for a specific project or public facility, and include obligations of
the governments of the U.S. territories, commonwealths and possessions such as Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to the extent such obligations are exempt from state and U.S. federal income taxes. The
value of municipal securities can be significantly affected by actual or expected political and legislative changes at the federal or state level. Municipal securities may be fully or partially backed by the taxing
authority of the local government, by the credit of a private issuer, by the current or anticipated revenues from a specific project or specific assets or by domestic or foreign entities providing credit support, such
as letters of credit, guarantees or insurance, and are generally classified into general obligation bonds and special revenue obligations. Because many municipal securities are issued to finance projects in sectors
such as education, health care, transportation and utilities, conditions in those sectors can affect the overall municipal market.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 49 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Issuers in a state, territory,
commonwealth or possession in which the Fund invests may experience significant financial difficulties for various reasons, including as the result of events that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled such as
economic downturns or similar periods of economic stress, social conflict or unrest, labor disruption and natural disasters. Such financial difficulties may lead to credit rating downgrades or defaults of such issuers
which in turn, could affect the market values and marketability of many or all municipal obligations of issuers in such state, territory, commonwealth or possession. The value of the Fund’s shares will be
negatively impacted to the extent it invests in such securities. The Fund’s annual and semiannual reports show the Fund’s investment exposures at a point in time. The risk of investing in the Fund is
directly correlated to the Fund’s investment exposures.
Securities issued by a particular
state and its instrumentalities are subject to the risk of unfavorable developments in such state. A municipal security can be significantly affected by adverse tax, legislative, regulatory, demographic or political
changes as well as changes in a particular state’s (state and its instrumentalities’) financial, economic or other condition and prospects.
Shareholder concentration risk
At July 31, 2022, one unaffiliated
shareholder of record owned 12.1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund in one or more accounts. The Fund has no knowledge about whether any portion of those shares was owned beneficially. Affiliated shareholders of
record owned 39.9% of the outstanding shares of the Fund in one or more accounts. Subscription and redemption activity by concentrated accounts may have a significant effect on the operations of the Fund. In the case
of a large redemption, the Fund may be forced to sell investments at inopportune times, including its liquid positions, which may result in Fund losses and the Fund holding a higher percentage of less liquid
positions. Large redemptions could result in decreased economies of scale and increased operating expenses for non-redeeming Fund shareholders.
Note 9. Subsequent
events
Management has evaluated the
events and transactions that have occurred through the date the financial statements were issued and noted no items requiring adjustment of the financial statements or additional disclosure.
Note 10. Information
regarding pending and settled legal proceedings
Ameriprise Financial and certain
of its affiliates are involved in the normal course of business in legal proceedings which include regulatory inquiries, arbitration and litigation, including class actions concerning matters arising in connection
with the conduct of its activities as a diversified financial services firm. Ameriprise Financial believes that the Fund is not currently the subject of, and that neither Ameriprise Financial nor any of its affiliates
are the subject of, any pending legal, arbitration or regulatory proceedings that are likely to have a material adverse effect on the Fund or the ability of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates to perform under
their contracts with the Fund. Ameriprise Financial is required to make quarterly (10-Q), annual (10-K) and, as necessary, 8-K filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on legal and regulatory matters
that relate to Ameriprise Financial and its affiliates. Copies of these filings may be obtained by accessing the SEC website at www.sec.gov.
There can be no assurance that
these matters, or the adverse publicity associated with them, will not result in increased Fund redemptions, reduced sale of Fund shares or other adverse consequences to the Fund. Further, although we believe
proceedings are not likely to have a material adverse effect on the Fund or the ability of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates to perform under their contracts with the Fund, these proceedings are subject to
uncertainties and, as such, we are unable to estimate the possible loss or range of loss that may result. An adverse outcome in one or more of these proceedings could result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines,
penalties or other relief that could have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial condition or results of operations of Ameriprise Financial or one or more of its affiliates that provides services to
the Fund.
| 50 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Report of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm
To the Board of Trustees of Columbia
Funds Series Trust I and Shareholders of Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund
Opinion on the Financial
Statements
We have audited the accompanying
statement of assets and liabilities, including the portfolio of investments, of Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund (one of the funds constituting Columbia Funds Series Trust I, referred to hereafter as the "Fund") as of July
31, 2022, the related statement of operations for the year ended July 31, 2022, the statement of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended July 31, 2022, including the related notes, and the
financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended July 31, 2022 (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material
respects, the financial position of the Fund as of July 31, 2022, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period ended July 31, 2022 and
the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended July 31, 2022 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the
responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of
the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits of these
financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.
Our audits included performing
procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test
basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating
the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of July 31, 2022 by correspondence with the custodian and brokers. We believe that our audits provide a
reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
September 22, 2022
We have served as the auditor of
one or more investment companies within the Columbia Funds Complex since 1977.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 51 |
Federal Income Tax
Information
(Unaudited)
The Fund hereby designates the
following tax attributes for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2022. Shareholders will be notified in early 2023 of the amounts for use in preparing 2022 income tax returns.
| Capital gain dividend | Exempt- interest dividends |
| $1,453,957 | 99.92% |
Capital gain dividend. The Fund
designates as a capital gain dividend the amount reflected above, or if subsequently determined to be different, the net capital gain of such fiscal period.
Exempt-interest dividends. The
percentage of net investment income distributed during the fiscal year that qualifies as exempt-interest dividends for federal income tax purposes. A portion of the income may be subject to federal alternative minimum
tax.
TRUSTEES AND
OFFICERS
(Unaudited)
The Board oversees the
Fund’s operations and appoints officers who are responsible for day-to-day business decisions based on policies set by the Board. The following table provides basic biographical information about the
Fund’s Trustees as of the printing of this report, including their principal occupations during the past five years, although specific titles for individuals may have varied over the period. The year set forth
beneath Length of Service in the table below is the year in which the Trustee was first appointed or elected as Trustee to any Fund currently in the Columbia Funds Complex or a predecessor thereof. Under current Board
policy, each Trustee generally serves until December 31 of the year such Trustee turns seventy-five (75).
Independent trustees
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| George S. Batejan c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1953 | Trustee since 2017 | Executive Vice President, Global Head of Technology and Operations, Janus Capital Group, Inc., 2010-2016 | 176 | Former Chairman of the Board, NICSA (National Investment Company Services Association) (Executive Committee, Nominating Committee and Governance Committee), 2014-2016; former Director, Intech Investment Management, 2011-2016; former Board Member, Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, 2015-2016; former Advisory Board Member, University of Colorado Business School, 2015-2018 |
| 52 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Kathleen Blatz c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1954 | Trustee since 2006 | Attorney, specializing in arbitration and mediation; Chief Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court, 1998-2006; Associate Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court, 1996-1998; Fourth Judicial District Court Judge, Hennepin County, 1994-1996; Attorney in private practice and public service, 1984-1993; State Representative, Minnesota House of Representatives, 1979-1993, which included service on the Tax and Financial Institutions and Insurance Committees; Member and Interim Chair, Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, January 2017-July 2017; Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (health care insurance), February-July 2018, April-October 2021 | 176 | Former Trustee, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, 2009-2021 (Chair of the Business Development Committee, 2014-2017; Chair of the Governance Committee, 2017-2019); former Member and Chair of the Board, Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, January 2017-July 2017; former Director, Robina Foundation, 2009-2020 (Chair, 2014-2020); Director, Schulze Family Foundation, since 2021 |
| Pamela G. Carlton c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1954 | Trustee since 2007 | President, Springboard — Partners in Cross Cultural Leadership (consulting company) since 2003; Managing Director of US Equity Research, JP Morgan Chase, 1999-2003; Director of US Equity Research, Chase Asset Management, 1996-1999; Co-Director Latin America Research, 1993-1996, COO Global Research, 1992-1996, Co-Director of US Research, 1991-1992, Investment Banker, 1982-1991, Morgan Stanley; Attorney, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, 1980-1982 | 176 | Trustee, New York Presbyterian Hospital Board (Executive Committee and Chair of People Committee) since 1996; Director, DR Bank (Audit Committee) since 2017; Director, Evercore Inc. (Audit Committee) since 2019; Director, Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. since 2021; the Governing Council of the Independent Directors Council (IDC), since 2021 |
| Janet Langford Carrig c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1957 | Trustee since 1996 | Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, ConocoPhillips (independent energy company), September 2007-October 2018 | 174 | Director, EQT Corporation (natural gas producer) since 2019; former Director, Whiting Petroleum Corporation (independent oil and gas company), 2020-2022 |
| J. Kevin Connaughton c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1964 | Trustee since 2020 | Member, FINRA National Adjudicatory Council since January 2020; Adjunct Professor of Finance, Bentley University since January 2018; Consultant to Independent Trustees of CFVIT and CFST I from March 2016 to June 2020 with respect to CFVIT and to December 2020 with respect to CFST I; Managing Director and General Manager of Mutual Fund Products, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC, May 2010-February 2015; President, Columbia Funds, 2008-2015; and senior officer of Columbia Funds and affiliated funds, 2003-2015 | 174 | Former Director, The Autism Project, March 2015-December 2021; former Member of the Investment Committee, St. Michael’s College, November 2015-February 2020; former Trustee, St. Michael’s College, June 2017-September 2019; former Trustee, New Century Portfolios, January 2015-December 2017 |
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 53 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Olive M. Darragh c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1962 | Trustee since 2020 | Managing Director of Darragh Inc. (strategy and talent management consulting firm) since 2010; Founder and CEO, Zolio, Inc. (investment management talent identification platform) since 2004; Consultant to Independent Trustees of CFVIT and CFST I from June 2019 to June 2020 with respect to CFVIT and to December 2020 with respect to CFST I; Partner, Tudor Investments, 2004-2010; Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company (consulting), 1990-2004; Touche Ross CPA, 1985-1988 | 174 | Former Director, University of Edinburgh Business School (Member of US Board); former Director, Boston Public Library Foundation |
| Patricia M. Flynn c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1950 | Trustee since 2004 | Trustee Professor of Economics and Management, Bentley University since 1976 (also teaches and conducts research on corporate governance); Dean, McCallum Graduate School of Business, Bentley University, 1992-2002 | 176 | Trustee, MA Taxpayers Foundation since 1997; former Board of Governors, Innovation Institute, MA Technology Collaborative, 2010-2020; former Board of Directors, The MA Business Roundtable, 2003-2019 |
| Brian J. Gallagher c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1954 | Trustee since 2017 | Retired; Partner with Deloitte & Touche LLP and its predecessors, 1977-2016 | 176 | Trustee, Catholic Schools Foundation since 2004 |
| Douglas A. Hacker c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1955 | Co-Chair since 2021; Chair of CFST I and CFVIT since 2014; Trustee of CFST I and CFVIT since 1996 and CFST, CFST II, CFVST II, CET I and CET II since 2021 | Independent business executive since May 2006; Executive Vice President – Strategy of United Airlines, December 2002 - May 2006; President of UAL Loyalty Services (airline marketing company), September 2001-December 2002; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of United Airlines, July 1999-September 2001 | 176 | Director, Spartan Nash Company (food distributor); Director, Aircastle Limited (Chair of Audit Committee) (aircraft leasing); former Director, Nash Finch Company (food distributor), 2005-2013; former Director, SeaCube Container Leasing Ltd. (container leasing), 2010-2013; and former Director, Travelport Worldwide Limited (travel information technology), 2014-2019 |
| Nancy T. Lukitsh c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1956 | Trustee since 2011 | Senior Vice President, Partner and Director of Marketing, Wellington Management Company, LLP (investment adviser), 1997-2010; Chair, Wellington Management Portfolios (commingled non-U.S. investment pools), 2007 -2010; Director, Wellington Trust Company, NA and other Wellington affiliates, 1997-2010 | 174 | None |
| 54 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| David M. Moffett c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1952 | Trustee since 2011 | Retired; Consultant to Bridgewater and Associates | 174 | Director, CSX Corporation (transportation suppliers); Director, Genworth Financial, Inc. (financial and insurance products and services); Director, PayPal Holdings Inc. (payment and data processing services); Trustee, University of Oklahoma Foundation; former Director, eBay Inc. (online trading community), 2007-2015; and former Director, CIT Bank, CIT Group Inc. (commercial and consumer finance), 2010-2016 |
| Catherine James Paglia c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1952 | Co-Chair since 2021; Chair of CFST, CFST II, CFVST II, CET I and CET II since 2020; Trustee of CFST, CFST II and CFVST II since 2004 and CFST I and CFVIT since 2021 | Director, Enterprise Asset Management, Inc. (private real estate and asset management company) since September 1998; Managing Director and Partner, Interlaken Capital, Inc., 1989-1997; Vice President, 1982-1985, Principal, 1985-1987, Managing Director, 1987-1989, Morgan Stanley; Vice President, Investment Banking, 1980-1982, Associate, Investment Banking, 1976-1980, Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc. | 176 | Director, Valmont Industries, Inc. (irrigation systems manufacturer) since 2012; Trustee, Carleton College (on the Investment Committee); Trustee, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (on the Investment Committee) |
| Minor M. Shaw c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1947 | Trustee since 2003 | President, Micco LLC (private investments) since 2011; President, Micco Corp. (family investment business), 1998-2011 | 176 | Director, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina (Chair of Compensation Committee) since April 2008; Trustee, Hollingsworth Funds (on the Investment Committee) since 2016 (previously Board Chair from 2016-2019); Former Advisory Board member, Duke Energy Corp., 2016-2020; Chair of the Duke Endowment; Chair of Greenville – Spartanburg Airport Commission; former Trustee, BofA Funds Series Trust (11 funds), 2003-2011; former Director, Piedmont Natural Gas, 2004-2016; former Director, National Association of Corporate Directors, Carolinas Chapter, 2013-2018; Chair, Daniel-Mickel Foundation since 1998 |
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 55 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Natalie A. Trunow c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1967 | Trustee since 2020 | Chief Executive Officer, Millennial Portfolio Solutions LLC (asset management and consulting services), January 2016-January 2021; Non-executive Member of the Investment Committee and Valuation Committee, Sarona Asset Management Inc. (private equity firm) since September 2019; Advisor, Horizon Investments (asset management and consulting services), August 2018-January 2021; Advisor, Paradigm Asset Management, November 2016-December 2021; Consultant to Independent Trustees of CFVIT and CFST I from September 2016 to June 2020 with respect to CFVIT and to December 2020 with respect to CFST I; Director of Investments/Consultant, Casey Family Programs, April 2016-November 2016; Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, Calvert Investments, August 2008-January 2016; Section Head and Portfolio Manager, General Motors Asset Management, June 1997-August 2008 | 174 | Former Director, Investment Committee, Health Services for Children with Special Needs, Inc., 2012-2019; Director, Chair of Audit Committee, Consumer Credit Counseling Services (formerly Guidewell Financial Solutions), since 2019; Independent Director, Investment Committee and Valuation Committee, Sarona Asset Management, since 2019 |
| Sandra L. Yeager c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1964 | Trustee since 2017 | Retired; President and founder, Hanoverian Capital, LLC (SEC registered investment advisor firm), 2008-2016; Managing Director, DuPont Capital, 2006-2008; Managing Director, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, 2004-2006; Senior Vice President, Alliance Bernstein, 1990-2004 | 176 | Former Director, NAPE Education Foundation, October 2016-October 2020 |
| * | The term “Columbia Funds Complex” as used herein includes Columbia Seligman Premium Technology Growth Fund, Tri-Continental Corporation and each series of Columbia Fund Series Trust (CFST), Columbia Funds Series Trust I (CFST I), Columbia Funds Series Trust II (CFST II), Columbia ETF Trust I (CET I), Columbia ETF Trust II (CET II), Columbia Funds Variable Insurance Trust (CFVIT) and Columbia Funds Variable Series Trust II (CFVST II). Messrs. Batejan, Beckman, Gallagher and Hacker and Mses. Blatz, Carlton, Flynn, Paglia, Shaw and Yeager serve as Directors of Columbia Seligman Premium Technology Growth Fund and Tri-Continental Corporation. |
Interested trustee affiliated with
Investment Manager*
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Daniel J. Beckman c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1962 | Trustee since November 2021 and President since June 2021 | Vice President – Head of North America Product, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC since April 2015; President and Principal Executive Officer of the Columbia Funds since June 2021; officer of Columbia Funds and affiliated funds, 2020-2021 | 176 | Director, Ameriprise Trust Company, since October 2016; Director, Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. since November 2018; Board of Governors, Columbia Wanger Asset Management, LLC since January 2022 |
| * | Interested person (as defined under the 1940 Act) by reason of being an officer, director, security holder and/or employee of the Investment Manager or Ameriprise Financial. |
| 56 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
The Statement of Additional Information has additional information about the Fund’s Board members and is available, without charge, upon request by calling 800.345.6611, visiting columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or contacting your financial intermediary.
(Unaudited)
The Statement of Additional Information has additional information about the Fund’s Board members and is available, without charge, upon request by calling 800.345.6611, visiting columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or contacting your financial intermediary.
The Board has appointed officers
who are responsible for day-to-day business decisions based on policies it has established. The officers serve at the pleasure of the Board. The following table provides basic information about the Officers of the
Fund as of the printing of this report, including principal occupations during the past five years, although their specific titles may have varied over the period. In addition to Mr. Beckman, who is President and
Principal Executive Officer, the Fund’s other officers are:
Fund officers
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 57 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Fund officers (continued)
(Unaudited)
Fund officers (continued)
| Name, address and year of birth | Position and year first appointed to position for any Fund in the Columbia Funds Complex or a predecessor thereof | Principal occupation(s) during past five years |
| Ryan C. Larrenaga 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1970 | Senior Vice President (2017), Chief Legal Officer (2017), and Secretary (2015) | Vice President and Chief Counsel, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since August 2018 (previously Vice President and Group Counsel, August 2011 - August 2018); Chief Legal Officer, Columbia Acorn/Wanger Funds, since September 2020; officer of Columbia Funds and affiliated funds since 2005. |
| Michael E. DeFao 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1968 | Vice President (2011) and Assistant Secretary (2010) | Vice President and Chief Counsel, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since May 2010; Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Assistant Secretary, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC since October 2021 (previously Vice President and Assistant Secretary, May 2010 – September 2021). |
| Lyn Kephart-Strong 5228 Ameriprise Financial Center Minneapolis, MN 55474 1960 | Vice President (2015) | President, Columbia Management Investment Services Corp. since October 2014; Vice President & Resolution Officer, Ameriprise Trust Company since August 2009. |
Liquidity Risk
Management Program
(Unaudited)
Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under the
1940 Act, the Fund has adopted a liquidity risk management program (Program). The Program’s principal objectives include assessing, managing and periodically reviewing the Fund’s liquidity risk. Liquidity
risk is defined as the risk that the Fund could not meet redemption requests without significant dilution of remaining investors’ interests in the Fund.
The Board has appointed the
Investment Manager as the program administrator for the Fund’s Program. The Investment Manager has delegated oversight of the Program to its Liquidity Risk Management Committee (the Committee). At a board
meeting during the fiscal period, the Committee provided the Board with a report addressing the operations of the program and assessing its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation for the period January 1, 2021,
through December 31, 2021, including:
| • | the Fund had sufficient liquidity to both meet redemptions and operate effectively on behalf of shareholders; |
| • | there were no material changes to the Program during the period; |
| • | the implementation of the Program was effective to manage the Fund’s liquidity risk; and |
| • | the Program operated adequately during the period. |
There can be no assurance that the
Program will achieve its objectives in the future. Please refer to the Fund’s prospectus for more information regarding the Fund’s exposure to liquidity risk and other principal risks to which an
investment in the Fund may be subject.
| 58 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Approval of Management
Agreement
(Unaudited)
Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC (the Investment Manager, and together with its domestic and global affiliates, Columbia Threadneedle Investments), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (Ameriprise Financial), serves
as the investment manager to Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund (the Fund). Under a management agreement (the Management Agreement), the Investment Manager provides investment advice and other services to the Fund and other
funds distributed by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. (collectively, the Funds).
On an annual basis, the
Fund’s Board of Trustees (the Board), including the independent Board members (the Independent Trustees), considers renewal of the Management Agreement. The Investment Manager prepared detailed reports for the
Board and its Contracts Committee (including its Contracts Subcommittee) in November 2021 and March, April and June 2022, including reports providing the results of analyses performed by an independent third-party
data provider, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (Broadridge), and comprehensive responses to written requests for information by independent legal counsels to the Independent Trustees (Independent Legal Counsel)
to the Investment Manager, to assist the Board in making this determination. In addition, throughout the year, the Board (or its committees or subcommittees) regularly meets with portfolio management teams and senior
management personnel and reviews information prepared by the Investment Manager addressing the services the Investment Manager provides and Fund performance. The Board also accords appropriate weight to the work,
deliberations and conclusions of the various committees, such as the Contracts Committee, the Investment Review Committee, the Audit Committee and the Compliance Committee in determining whether to continue the
Management Agreement.
The Board, at its June 23, 2022
Board meeting (the June Meeting), considered the renewal of the Management Agreement for an additional one-year term. At the June Meeting, Independent Legal Counsel reviewed with the Independent Trustees various
factors relevant to the Board’s consideration of advisory agreements and the Board’s legal responsibilities related to such consideration. The Independent Trustees considered all information that they,
their legal counsel or the Investment Manager believed reasonably necessary to evaluate and to approve the continuation of the Management Agreement. Among other things, the information and factors considered included
the following:
| • | Information on the investment performance of the Fund relative to the performance of a group of mutual funds determined to be comparable to the Fund by Broadridge, as well as performance relative to benchmarks; |
| • | Information on the Fund’s management fees and total expenses, including information comparing the Fund’s expenses to those of a group of comparable mutual funds, as determined by Broadridge; |
| • | The Investment Manager’s agreement to contractually limit or cap total operating expenses for the Fund so that total operating expenses (excluding certain fees and expenses, such as transaction costs and certain other investment related expenses, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses and infrequent and/or unusual expenses) would not exceed a specified annual rate, as a percentage of the Fund’s net assets; |
| • | Terms of the Management Agreement; |
| • | Descriptions of other agreements and arrangements with affiliates of the Investment Manager relating to the operations of the Fund, including agreements with respect to the provision of transfer agency and shareholder services to the Fund; |
| • | Descriptions of various services performed by the Investment Manager under the Management Agreement, including portfolio management and portfolio trading practices; |
| • | Information regarding any recently negotiated management fees of similarly-managed portfolios of other institutional clients of the Investment Manager; |
| • | Information regarding the resources of the Investment Manager, including information regarding senior management, portfolio managers and other personnel; |
| • | Information regarding the capabilities of the Investment Manager with respect to compliance monitoring services; |
| • | The profitability to the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund; and |
| • | Report provided by the Board’s independent fee consultant, JDL Consultants, LLC (JDL). |
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 59 |
Approval of Management Agreement (continued)
(Unaudited)
Following an analysis and discussion of the foregoing, and the factors identified below, the Board, including all of the Independent Trustees, approved the renewal of the Management Agreement.
(Unaudited)
Following an analysis and discussion of the foregoing, and the factors identified below, the Board, including all of the Independent Trustees, approved the renewal of the Management Agreement.
Nature, extent and quality of
services provided by the Investment Manager
The Board analyzed various
reports and presentations it had received detailing the services performed by the Investment Manager, as well as its history, expertise, resources and relative capabilities, and the qualifications of its personnel.
The Board specifically considered
the many developments during recent years concerning the services provided by the Investment Manager. Among other things, the Board noted the organization and depth of the equity and credit research departments. The
Board further observed the enhancements to the investment risk management department’s processes, systems and oversight, over the past several years, as well as planned 2022 initiatives in this regard. The Board
also took into account the broad scope of services provided by the Investment Manager to the Fund, including, among other services, investment, risk and compliance oversight. The Board also took into account the
information it received concerning the Investment Manager’s ability to attract and retain key portfolio management personnel and that it has sufficient resources to provide competitive and adequate compensation
to investment personnel. The Board also observed that the Investment Manager has been able to effectively manage, operate and distribute the Funds through the COVID-19 pandemic period with no disruptions in services
provided. The Board also considered added personnel and resources obtained by Columbia Threadneedle through Ameriprise Financial’s acquisition of BMO Financial Group’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa
(EMEA) asset management business.
In connection with the
Board’s evaluation of the overall package of services provided by the Investment Manager, the Board also considered the nature, quality and range of administrative services provided to the Fund by the Investment
Manager, as well as the achievements in 2021 in the performance of administrative services, and noted the various enhancements anticipated for 2022. In evaluating the quality of services provided under the Management
Agreement, the Board also took into account the organization and strength of the Fund’s and its service providers’ compliance programs. The Board also reviewed the financial condition of the Investment
Manager and its affiliates and each entity’s ability to carry out its responsibilities under the Management Agreement and the Fund’s other service agreements.
In addition, the Board discussed
the acceptability of the terms of the Management Agreement, noting that no changes were proposed from the form of agreement previously approved. The Board also noted the wide array of legal and compliance services
provided to the Fund under the Management Agreement.
After reviewing these and related
factors (including investment performance as discussed below), the Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the Fund under the
Management Agreement supported the continuation of the Management Agreement.
Investment performance
In this connection, the Board
carefully reviewed the investment performance of the Fund, including detailed reports providing the results of analyses performed by each of the Investment Manager, Broadridge and JDL collectively showing, for various
periods (including since manager inception): (i) the performance of the Fund, (ii) the performance of a benchmark index, (iii) the percentage ranking of the Fund among its comparison group, (iv) the Fund’s
performance relative to peers and benchmarks and (v) the net assets of the Fund. The Board observed that the Fund’s performance for certain periods ranked above median based on information provided by
Broadridge.
The Board also reviewed a
description of the third-party data provider’s methodology for identifying the Fund’s peer groups for purposes of performance and expense comparisons.
The Board also considered the
Investment Manager’s performance and reputation generally. After reviewing these and related factors, the Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the performance of the Fund and
the Investment Manager, in light of other considerations, supported the continuation of the Management Agreement.
| 60 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Approval of Management Agreement (continued)
(Unaudited)
Comparative fees, costs of services provided and the profits realized by the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund
(Unaudited)
Comparative fees, costs of services provided and the profits realized by the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund
The Board reviewed comparative
fees and the costs of services provided under the Management Agreement. The Board members considered detailed comparative information set forth in an annual report on fees and expenses, including, among other things,
data (based on analyses conducted by Broadridge and JDL) showing a comparison of the Fund’s expenses with median expenses paid by funds in its comparative peer universe, as well as data showing the Fund’s
contribution to the Investment Manager’s profitability.
The Board considered the reports of
JDL, which assisted in the Board’s analysis of the Funds’ performance and expenses and the reasonableness of the Funds’ fee rates. The Board accorded particular weight to the notion that a primary
objective of the level of fees is to achieve a rational pricing model applied consistently across the various product lines in the Fund family, while assuring that the overall fees for each Fund (with certain
exceptions) are generally in line with the current "pricing philosophy" such that Fund total expense ratios, in general, approximate or are lower than the median expense ratios of funds in the same Lipper comparison
universe. The Board took into account that the Fund’s total expense ratio (after considering proposed expense caps/waivers) approximated the peer universe’s median expense ratio.
After reviewing these and related
factors, the Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the levels of management fees and expenses of the Fund, in light of other considerations, supported the continuation of the
Management Agreement.
The Board also considered the
profitability of the Investment Manager and its affiliates in connection with the Investment Manager providing management services to the Fund. With respect to the profitability of the Investment Manager and its
affiliates, the Independent Trustees referred to information discussing the profitability to the Investment Manager and Ameriprise Financial from managing, operating and distributing the Funds. The Board considered
that in 2021 the Board had considered 2020 profitability and that the 2022 information showed that the profitability generated by the Investment Manager in 2021 increased from 2020 levels, due to a variety of factors,
including the increased assets under management of the Funds. It also took into account the indirect economic benefits flowing to the Investment Manager or its affiliates in connection with managing or distributing
the Funds, such as the enhanced ability to offer various other financial products to Ameriprise Financial customers, soft dollar benefits and overall reputational advantages. The Board noted that the fees paid by the
Fund should permit the Investment Manager to offer competitive compensation to its personnel, make necessary investments in its business and earn an appropriate profit. After reviewing these and related factors, the
Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the costs of services provided and the profitability to the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund supported
the continuation of the Management Agreement.
Economies of scale
The Board considered the
potential existence of economies of scale in the provision by the Investment Manager of services to the Fund, to groups of related funds and to the Investment Manager as a whole, and whether those economies of scale
were shared with the Fund through breakpoints in investment management fees or other means, such as expense limitation arrangements and additional investments by the Investment Manager in investment, trading,
compliance and other resources. The Board considered the economies of scale that might be realized as the Fund’s net asset level grows and took note of the extent to which Fund shareholders might also benefit
from such growth. In this regard, the Board took into account that management fees decline as Fund assets exceed various breakpoints, all of which have not been surpassed. The Board observed that the Management
Agreement provided for breakpoints in the management fee rate schedule that allow opportunities for shareholders to realize lower fees as Fund assets grow and that there are additional opportunities through other
means for sharing economies of scale with shareholders.
Conclusion
The Board reviewed all of the
above considerations in reaching its decision to approve the continuation of the Management Agreement. In reaching its conclusions, no single factor was determinative.
| Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 61 |
Approval of Management Agreement (continued)
(Unaudited)
On June 23, 2022, the Board, including all of the Independent Trustees, determined that fees payable under the Management Agreement were fair and reasonable in light of the extent and quality of services provided and approved the renewal of the Management Agreement.
(Unaudited)
On June 23, 2022, the Board, including all of the Independent Trustees, determined that fees payable under the Management Agreement were fair and reasonable in light of the extent and quality of services provided and approved the renewal of the Management Agreement.
| 62 | Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Please read and consider the
investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses for any fund carefully before investing. For a prospectus and summary prospectus, which contains this and other important information about the Fund, go to
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/. The Fund is distributed by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc., member FINRA, and managed by Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC.
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/. The Fund is distributed by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc., member FINRA, and managed by Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC.
Columbia Threadneedle Investments
(Columbia Threadneedle) is the global brand name of the Columbia and Threadneedle group of companies. All rights reserved.
© 2022 Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC.
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/
ANN233_07_M01_(09/22)
Columbia Ultra
Short Term Bond Fund
Not FDIC or NCUA Insured •
No Financial Institution Guarantee • May Lose Value
Table of Contents
| 3 | |
| 5 | |
| 7 | |
| 8 | |
| 19 | |
| 20 | |
| 21 | |
| 22 | |
| 24 | |
| 36 | |
| 37 | |
| 37 | |
| 43 | |
| 44 |
If you elect to receive the
shareholder report for Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund (the Fund) in paper, mailed to you, the Fund mails one shareholder report to each shareholder address, unless such shareholder elects to receive shareholder
reports from the Fund electronically via e-mail or by having a paper notice mailed to you (Postcard Notice) that your Fund’s shareholder report is available at the Columbia funds’ website
(columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/). If you would like more than one report in paper to be mailed to you, or would like to elect to receive reports via e-mail or access them through Postcard Notice, please call
shareholder services at 800.345.6611 and additional reports will be sent to you.
Proxy voting policies and
procedures
The policy of the Board of Trustees
is to vote the proxies of the companies in which the Fund holds investments consistent with the procedures as stated in the Statement of Additional Information (SAI). You may obtain a copy of the SAI without charge by
calling 800.345.6611; contacting your financial intermediary; visiting columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/; or searching the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) at sec.gov. Information regarding
how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities is filed with the SEC by August 31st for the most recent 12-month period ending June 30th of that year, and is available without charge by visiting
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/, or searching the website of the SEC at sec.gov.
Quarterly schedule of
investments
The Fund files a complete schedule
of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-PORT. The Fund’s Form N-PORT filings are available on the SEC’s website at sec.gov. The Fund’s
complete schedule of portfolio holdings, as filed on Form N-PORT, is available on columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or can also be obtained without charge, upon request, by calling 800.345.6611.
Additional Fund information
For more information about the
Fund, please visit columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or call 800.345.6611. Customer Service Representatives are available to answer your questions Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Fund investment manager
Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (the
Investment Manager)
290 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
Fund distributor
Columbia Management Investment Distributors,
Inc.
290 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
Fund transfer agent
Columbia Management Investment Services Corp.
P.O. Box 219104
Kansas City, MO 64121-9104
Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond
Fund | Annual Report 2022
Fund at a Glance
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
Investment objective
The Fund
seeks a high level of current income consistent with the maintenance of liquidity and the preservation of capital.
Portfolio management
Gregory Liechty
Co-Portfolio Manager
Managed Fund since 2016
Ronald Stahl, CFA
Co-Portfolio Manager
Managed Fund since 2015
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 3 |
Fund at a Glance (continued)
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
Performance of a hypothetical $10,000 investment (July 31, 2012 — July 31, 2022)
The chart above shows the change in
value of a hypothetical $10,000 investment in Class A shares of Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund during the stated time period, and does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder may pay on Fund
distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares.
| 4 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Manager Discussion of Fund Performance
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
For the 12-month period that
ended July 31, 2022, Class A shares of Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund returned -0.80%. The Fund underperformed its benchmark, the Bloomberg U.S. Short-Term Government/Corporate Index, which returned -0.23% for
the same time period.
Marketing overview
Investor sentiment in 2021 was
supported by accommodative monetary and fiscal policy, healthy consumer balance sheets, strong corporate financial results and above-trend economic growth. However, inflation accelerated in 2022 and proved to be more
persistent than originally expected. The changing economic landscape prompted the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) to shift its attention to taming historically elevated inflation even at the cost of economic growth. The
Fed tightened monetary policy and raised its policy rate from the zero-lower bound to a range of 2.25%-2.50%. Economic growth indicators have softened in 2022, but the Fed has communicated that it plans on continuing
to raise its policy rate into 2023 due to elevated inflation readings.
Given the likely trajectory of the
fed funds target rate, short-term Treasury yields moved sharply higher over the year, while longer term yields also rose, albeit to a lesser degree. At the end of July 2022, the 2-year Treasury yield was 2.88%, or 270
basis points (bps, a basis point is 1/100 of a percent) greater than July 2021, and the 10-year Treasury yield was 2.65%, about 143 bps greater than a year ago. The slope of the yield curve flattened considerably, and
inverted between certain tenors, as economic growth concerns increased. The yield difference between 10-year Treasury and the 2-year Treasury was -23 bps in July 2022 versus 104 bps in the prior year.
Credit-related sectors in the
aggregate fixed-income market produced negative absolute returns and negative excess returns relative to Treasuries during the period. On an excess returns basis, emerging market bonds performed the worst, followed by
lower rated investment grade corporates and high-yield corporates. Agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and asset-backed securities (ABS) outperformed other sectors, although the sectors still generated negative
excess returns. Shorter duration bonds outperformed longer duration bonds.
Within the short-term
investment-grade corporate market, lower rated securities generated positive excess returns relative to Treasuries and also outperformed higher quality securities over the last year. The trend was reversed in longer
term investment-grade corporate markets, with higher rated securities outperforming lower quality securities and excess returns for all ratings buckets ending negative.
The Fund’s notable
detractors during the period
| • | Security selection within the investment-grade corporate sector, particularly within financials, was the largest detractor from performance during the period. |
| • | The Fund’s investment-grade corporate holdings were also of a longer duration than that of the sector’s position in the benchmark, which hurt relative performance as interest rates rose. |
The Fund’s notable
contributors during the period
| • | The largest positive contributor to relative performance during the period was from sector allocation decisions. |
| • | Our overweight allocation to investment-grade corporates and exposure to out-of-benchmark sectors, namely ABS and non-agency collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), were additive to relative performance as the sectors outperformed the benchmark. |
| • | Sector weightings were continuously evaluated throughout the period and fine-tuned according to our outlook. |
| ○ | For instance, we increased the allocation to investment-grade corporates as we saw attractive opportunities arise in 2022. |
| ○ | We also believed that valuations in non-agency CMOs and non-agency commercial MBS were relatively attractive and increased exposure to the sectors accordingly. |
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 5 |
Manager Discussion of Fund Performance (continued)
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
Market risk may affect a single issuer, sector of the economy, industry or the market as a whole. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities are affected by interest rates, financial health of issuers/originators, creditworthiness of entities providing credit enhancements and the value of underlying assets.
Fixed-income securities present issuer default risk. A rise in interest rates may result in a price decline of fixed-income instruments held by the Fund, negatively impacting its performance and NAV. Falling rates may result in the Fund investing
in lower yielding debt instruments, lowering the Fund’s income and yield. These risks may be heightened for longer maturity and duration securities. Prepayment and extension risk exists because the timing of payments on a loan, bond or other investment may accelerate when interest rates fall or decelerate when interest rates rise which may reduce
investment opportunities and potential returns. Investing in derivatives is a specialized activity involves special risks, which may result in significant losses. Market or other (e.g., interest rate) environments may adversely affect the
liquidity of Fund investments, negatively impacting their price. Generally, the less liquid the market at the time the Fund sells a holding, the greater the risk of loss or decline of value to the Fund. See the
Fund’s prospectus for more information on these and other risks.
The views expressed in this report
reflect the current views of the respective parties who contributed to this report. These views are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to
predict, so actual outcomes and results may differ significantly from the views expressed. These views are subject to change at any time based upon economic, market or other conditions and the respective parties
disclaim any responsibility to update such views. These views may not be relied on as investment advice and, because investment decisions for a Columbia fund are based on numerous factors, may not be relied on as an
indication of trading intent on behalf of any particular Columbia fund. References to specific securities should not be construed as a recommendation or investment advice.
| 6 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Understanding Your Fund’s
Expenses
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
As an investor, you incur two types
of costs. There are shareholder transaction costs, which may include redemption fees. There are also ongoing fund costs, which generally include management fees, distribution and/or service fees, and other fund
expenses. The following information is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to help you compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual
funds.
Analyzing your Fund’s
expenses
To illustrate these ongoing
costs, we have provided examples and calculated the expenses paid by investors in each share class of the Fund during the period. The actual and hypothetical information in the table is based on an initial investment
of $1,000 at the beginning of the period indicated and held for the entire period. Expense information is calculated two ways and each method provides you with different information. The amount listed in the
“Actual” column is calculated using the Fund’s actual operating expenses and total return for the period. You may use the Actual information, together with the amount invested, to estimate the
expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the results by the expenses paid during the period under
the “Actual” column. The amount listed in the “Hypothetical” column assumes a 5% annual rate of return before expenses (which is not the Fund’s actual return) and then applies the
Fund’s actual expense ratio for the period to the hypothetical return. You should not use the hypothetical account values and expenses to estimate either your actual account balance at the end of the period or
the expenses you paid during the period. See “Compare with other funds” below for details on how to use the hypothetical data.
Compare with other funds
Since all mutual funds are
required to include the same hypothetical calculations about expenses in shareholder reports, you can use this information to compare the ongoing cost of investing in the Fund with other funds. To do so, compare the
hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds. As you compare hypothetical examples of other funds, it is important to note that hypothetical examples are
meant to highlight the ongoing costs of investing in a fund only and do not reflect any transaction costs, such as redemption or exchange fees. Therefore, the hypothetical calculations are useful in comparing ongoing
costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. If transaction costs were included in these calculations, your costs would be higher.
Expenses paid during the period
are equal to the annualized expense ratio for each class as indicated above, multiplied by the average account value over the period and then multiplied by the number of days in the Fund’s most recent fiscal
half year and divided by 365.
Expenses do not include fees and
expenses incurred indirectly by the Fund from its investment in underlying funds, including affiliated and non-affiliated pooled investment vehicles, such as mutual funds and exchange-traded funds.
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 7 |
Portfolio of Investments
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
(Percentages represent value of
investments compared to net assets)
Investments in securities
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 8 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 9 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 10 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 11 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 12 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 13 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 14 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 15 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
At July 31, 2022,
securities and/or cash totaling $2,418,811 were pledged as collateral.
Investments in
derivatives
| Short futures contracts | ||||||
| Description | Number of contracts | Expiration date | Trading currency | Notional amount | Value/Unrealized appreciation ($) | Value/Unrealized depreciation ($) |
| U.S. Treasury 2-Year Note | (1,785) | 09/2022 | USD | (375,672,774) | 1,321,593 | — |
Notes to Portfolio of
Investments
| (a) | Represents privately placed and other securities and instruments exempt from Securities and Exchange Commission registration (collectively, private placements), such as Section 4(a)(2) and Rule 144A eligible securities, which are often sold only to qualified institutional buyers. At July 31, 2022, the total value of these securities amounted to $1,335,359,769, which represents 47.55% of total net assets. |
| (b) | Variable rate security. The interest rate shown was the current rate as of July 31, 2022. |
| (c) | Valuation based on significant unobservable inputs. |
| (d) | Represents a security purchased on a when-issued basis. |
| (e) | Represents a variable rate security with a step coupon where the rate adjusts according to a schedule for a series of periods, typically lower for an initial period and then increasing to a higher coupon rate thereafter. The interest rate shown was the current rate as of July 31, 2022. |
| (f) | Principal and interest may not be guaranteed by a governmental entity. |
| (g) | Variable or floating rate security, the interest rate of which adjusts periodically based on changes in current interest rates and prepayments on the underlying pool of assets. The interest rate shown was the current rate as of July 31, 2022. |
| (h) | The rate shown is the seven-day current annualized yield at July 31, 2022. |
| (i) | As defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, an affiliated company is one in which the Fund owns 5% or more of the company’s outstanding voting securities, or a company which is under common ownership or control with the Fund. The value of the holdings and transactions in these affiliated companies during the year ended July 31, 2022 are as follows: |
| Affiliated issuers | Beginning of period($) | Purchases($) | Sales($) | Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)($) | End of period($) | Realized gain (loss)($) | Dividends($) | End of period shares |
| Columbia Short-Term Cash Fund, 1.712% | ||||||||
| 69,999,006 | 2,377,513,340 | (2,353,475,810) | 8,628 | 94,045,164 | (39,795) | 382,914 | 94,092,210 | |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| 16 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Abbreviation Legend
| CMO | Collateralized Mortgage Obligation |
| CMT | Constant Maturity Treasury |
| LIBOR | London Interbank Offered Rate |
| SOFR | Secured Overnight Financing Rate |
Currency Legend
| USD | US Dollar |
Fair value measurements
The Fund categorizes its fair
value measurements according to a three-level hierarchy that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by prioritizing that the most observable input be used when available.
Observable inputs are those that market participants would use in pricing an investment based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs are those that reflect the
Fund’s assumptions about the information market participants would use in pricing an investment. An investment’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is
deemed significant to the asset’s or liability’s fair value measurement. The input levels are not necessarily an indication of the risk or liquidity associated with investments at that level. For example,
certain U.S. government securities are generally high quality and liquid, however, they are reflected as Level 2 because the inputs used to determine fair value may not always be quoted prices in an active market.
Fair value inputs are summarized in
the three broad levels listed below:
| ■ | Level 1 — Valuations based on quoted prices for investments in active markets that the Fund has the ability to access at the measurement date. Valuation adjustments are not applied to Level 1 investments. |
| ■ | Level 2 — Valuations based on other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risks, etc.). |
| ■ | Level 3 — Valuations based on significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions and judgment in determining the fair value of investments). |
Inputs that are used in determining
fair value of an investment may include price information, credit data, volatility statistics, and other factors. These inputs can be either observable or unobservable. The availability of observable inputs can vary
between investments, and is affected by various factors such as the type of investment, and the volume and level of activity for that investment or similar investments in the marketplace. The inputs will be considered
by the Investment Manager, along with any other relevant factors in the calculation of an investment’s fair value. The Fund uses prices and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, which may include
periods of market dislocations. During these periods, the availability of prices and inputs may be reduced for many investments. This condition could cause an investment to be reclassified between the various levels
within the hierarchy.
Investments falling into the Level 3
category are primarily supported by quoted prices from brokers and dealers participating in the market for those investments. However, these may be classified as Level 3 investments due to lack of market transparency
and corroboration to support these quoted prices. Additionally, valuation models may be used as the pricing source for any remaining investments classified as Level 3. These models may rely on one or more significant
unobservable inputs and/or significant assumptions by the Investment Manager. Inputs used in valuations may include, but are not limited to, financial statement analysis, capital account balances, discount rates and
estimated cash flows, and comparable company data.
Under the direction of the
Fund’s Board of Trustees (the Board), the Investment Manager’s Valuation Committee (the Committee) is responsible for overseeing the valuation procedures approved by the Board. The Committee consists of
voting and non-voting members from various groups within the Investment Manager’s organization, including operations and accounting, trading and investments, compliance, risk management and legal.
The Committee meets at least monthly
to review and approve valuation matters, which may include a description of specific valuation determinations, data regarding pricing information received from approved pricing vendors and brokers and the results of
Board-approved valuation control policies and procedures (the Policies). The Policies address, among other things, instances when market quotations are or are not readily available, including recommendations of third
party pricing vendors and a determination of appropriate pricing methodologies; events that require specific valuation determinations and assessment of fair value techniques; securities with a potential for stale
pricing, including those that are illiquid, restricted, or in default; and the effectiveness of third party pricing vendors, including periodic reviews of vendors. The Committee meets more frequently, as needed, to
discuss additional valuation matters, which may include the need to review back-testing results, review time-sensitive information or approve related valuation actions. The Committee reports to the Board, with members
of the Committee meeting with the Board at each of its regularly scheduled meetings to discuss valuation matters and actions during the period, similar to those described earlier.
The following table is a summary of
the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments at July 31, 2022:
| Level 1 ($) | Level 2 ($) | Level 3 ($) | Total ($) | |
| Investments in Securities | ||||
| Asset-Backed Securities — Non-Agency | — | 927,945,469 | 7,506,000 | 935,451,469 |
| Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities - Non-Agency | — | 24,361,480 | — | 24,361,480 |
| Corporate Bonds & Notes | — | 1,437,358,876 | — | 1,437,358,876 |
| Foreign Government Obligations | — | 28,890,361 | — | 28,890,361 |
| Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities - Agency | — | 26,016 | — | 26,016 |
| Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities - Non-Agency | — | 223,449,500 | 8,763,230 | 232,212,730 |
| U.S. Government & Agency Obligations | — | 28,929,649 | — | 28,929,649 |
| U.S. Treasury Obligations | 28,974,953 | — | — | 28,974,953 |
| Money Market Funds | 94,045,164 | — | — | 94,045,164 |
| Total Investments in Securities | 123,020,117 | 2,670,961,351 | 16,269,230 | 2,810,250,698 |
| Investments in Derivatives |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 17 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Fair value measurements (continued)
| Level 1 ($) | Level 2 ($) | Level 3 ($) | Total ($) | |
| Asset | ||||
| Futures Contracts | 1,321,593 | — | — | 1,321,593 |
| Total | 124,341,710 | 2,670,961,351 | 16,269,230 | 2,811,572,291 |
See the Portfolio of Investments for
all investment classifications not indicated in the table.
The Fund’s assets assigned to
the Level 2 input category are generally valued using the market approach, in which a security’s value is determined through reference to prices and information from market transactions for similar or identical
assets.
Derivative instruments are valued at
unrealized appreciation (depreciation).
The following table is a
reconciliation of Level 3 assets for which significant observable and unobservable inputs were used to determine fair value:
| Balance as of 07/31/2021 ($) | Increase (decrease) in accrued discounts/ premiums ($) | Realized gain (loss) ($) | Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)(a) ($) | Purchases ($) | Sales ($) | Transfers into Level 3 ($) | Transfers out of Level 3 ($) | Balance as of 07/31/2022 ($) | |
| Asset-Backed Securities — Non-Agency | 11,250,000 | — | — | 6,000 | 7,500,000 | — | — | (11,250,000) | 7,506,000 |
| Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities — Non-Agency | 44,162,200 | — | — | — | 10,500,000 | (45,898,970) | — | — | 8,763,230 |
| Total | 55,412,200 | — | — | 6,000 | 18,000,000 | (45,898,970) | — | (11,250,000) | 16,269,230 |
(a) Change in unrealized
appreciation (depreciation) relating to securities held at July 31, 2022 was $6,000, which is comprised of Asset-Backed Securities — Non-Agency.
The Fund’s assets assigned to
the Level 3 category are valued utilizing the valuation technique deemed the most appropriate in the circumstances. Certain asset backed and residential mortgage backed securities classified as Level 3 securities are
valued using the market approach and utilize single market quotations from broker dealers which may have included, but were not limited to, observable transactions for identical or similar assets in the market and the
distressed nature of the security. The appropriateness of fair values for these securities is monitored on an ongoing basis which may include results of back testing, manual price reviews and other control procedures.
Significant increases (decreases) to any of these inputs would have resulted in a significantly higher (lower) fair value measurement.
Financial assets were transferred
from Level 3 to Level 2 as observable market inputs were utilized and management determined that there was sufficient, reliable and observable market data to value these assets as of period end.
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| 18 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
| Assets | |
| Investments in securities, at value | |
| Unaffiliated issuers (cost $2,763,086,747) | $2,716,205,534 |
| Affiliated issuers (cost $94,035,313) | 94,045,164 |
| Margin deposits on: | |
| Futures contracts | 2,418,811 |
| Receivable for: | |
| Investments sold | 13,865,626 |
| Capital shares sold | 4,108,141 |
| Dividends | 95,031 |
| Interest | 8,140,599 |
| Foreign tax reclaims | 13,149 |
| Variation margin for futures contracts | 203,124 |
| Prepaid expenses | 34,661 |
| Trustees’ deferred compensation plan | 155,748 |
| Total assets | 2,839,285,588 |
| Liabilities | |
| Due to custodian | 124,414 |
| Payable for: | |
| Investments purchased on a delayed delivery basis | 7,500,000 |
| Capital shares purchased | 19,691,006 |
| Distributions to shareholders | 3,359,510 |
| Variation margin for futures contracts | 10,411 |
| Management services fees | 16,265 |
| Distribution and/or service fees | 2,781 |
| Transfer agent fees | 41,514 |
| Compensation of board members | 31,761 |
| Other expenses | 45,869 |
| Trustees’ deferred compensation plan | 155,748 |
| Total liabilities | 30,979,279 |
| Net assets applicable to outstanding capital stock | $2,808,306,309 |
| Represented by | |
| Paid in capital | 2,858,465,326 |
| Total distributable earnings (loss) | (50,159,017) |
| Total - representing net assets applicable to outstanding capital stock | $2,808,306,309 |
| Class A | |
| Net assets | $675,383,408 |
| Shares outstanding | 75,602,751 |
| Net asset value per share | $8.93 |
| Advisor Class | |
| Net assets | $54,945,806 |
| Shares outstanding | 6,143,452 |
| Net asset value per share | $8.94 |
| Institutional Class | |
| Net assets | $422,413,236 |
| Shares outstanding | 47,239,005 |
| Net asset value per share | $8.94 |
| Institutional 3 Class | |
| Net assets | $1,655,563,859 |
| Shares outstanding | 185,064,389 |
| Net asset value per share | $8.95 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 19 |
Statement of Operations
Year Ended July 31, 2022
Year Ended July 31, 2022
| Net investment income | |
| Income: | |
| Dividends — affiliated issuers | $382,914 |
| Interest | 29,360,994 |
| Interfund lending | 58 |
| Total income | 29,743,966 |
| Expenses: | |
| Management services fees | 7,738,672 |
| Distribution and/or service fees | |
| Class A | 1,287,607 |
| Transfer agent fees | |
| Class A | 382,939 |
| Advisor Class | 18,786 |
| Institutional Class | 177,436 |
| Institutional 3 Class | 130,844 |
| Compensation of board members | 56,243 |
| Custodian fees | 28,244 |
| Printing and postage fees | 42,809 |
| Registration fees | 397,560 |
| Audit fees | 29,500 |
| Legal fees | 47,332 |
| Compensation of chief compliance officer | 1,041 |
| Other | 54,551 |
| Total expenses | 10,393,564 |
| Net investment income | 19,350,402 |
| Realized and unrealized gain (loss) — net | |
| Net realized gain (loss) on: | |
| Investments — unaffiliated issuers | (9,029,602) |
| Investments — affiliated issuers | (39,795) |
| Futures contracts | 13,140,342 |
| Net realized gain | 4,070,945 |
| Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on: | |
| Investments — unaffiliated issuers | (49,120,693) |
| Investments — affiliated issuers | 8,628 |
| Futures contracts | 1,331,010 |
| Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) | (47,781,055) |
| Net realized and unrealized loss | (43,710,110) |
| Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations | $(24,359,708) |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 20 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
| Year Ended July 31, 2022 | Year Ended July 31, 2021 | |
| Operations | ||
| Net investment income | $19,350,402 | $22,495,472 |
| Net realized gain | 4,070,945 | 5,914,847 |
| Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) | (47,781,055) | (6,980,451) |
| Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | (24,359,708) | 21,429,868 |
| Distributions to shareholders | ||
| Net investment income and net realized gains | ||
| Class A | (3,424,548) | (4,935,165) |
| Advisor Class | (252,722) | (95,070) |
| Institutional Class | (2,283,532) | (2,527,296) |
| Institutional 3 Class | (13,885,936) | (17,427,490) |
| Total distributions to shareholders | (19,846,738) | (24,985,021) |
| Increase (decrease) in net assets from capital stock activity | (1,122,950,875) | 1,740,629,181 |
| Total increase (decrease) in net assets | (1,167,157,321) | 1,737,074,028 |
| Net assets at beginning of year | 3,975,463,630 | 2,238,389,602 |
| Net assets at end of year | $2,808,306,309 | $3,975,463,630 |
| Year Ended | Year Ended | |||
| July 31, 2022 | July 31, 2021 | |||
| Shares | Dollars ($) | Shares | Dollars ($) | |
| Capital stock activity | ||||
| Class A | ||||
| Subscriptions | 35,534,103 | 320,107,044 | 121,956,238 | 1,103,440,357 |
| Distributions reinvested | 381,031 | 3,420,523 | 543,784 | 4,919,688 |
| Redemptions | (68,576,118) | (616,728,239) | (63,535,032) | (574,792,443) |
| Net increase (decrease) | (32,660,984) | (293,200,672) | 58,964,990 | 533,567,602 |
| Advisor Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 9,179,795 | 82,733,447 | 5,647,873 | 51,136,063 |
| Distributions reinvested | 28,141 | 252,653 | 10,488 | 94,970 |
| Redemptions | (5,271,360) | (47,488,719) | (3,730,005) | (33,765,846) |
| Net increase | 3,936,576 | 35,497,381 | 1,928,356 | 17,465,187 |
| Institutional Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 42,987,099 | 386,589,900 | 53,485,336 | 484,322,411 |
| Distributions reinvested | 251,521 | 2,259,993 | 277,639 | 2,514,378 |
| Redemptions | (40,880,635) | (368,018,292) | (33,349,666) | (301,983,894) |
| Net increase | 2,357,985 | 20,831,601 | 20,413,309 | 184,852,895 |
| Institutional 3 Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 114,442,793 | 1,033,394,227 | 279,779,317 | 2,534,105,345 |
| Distributions reinvested | 261,517 | 2,350,277 | 337,244 | 3,054,320 |
| Redemptions | (213,614,865) | (1,921,823,689) | (169,206,209) | (1,532,416,168) |
| Net increase (decrease) | (98,910,555) | (886,079,185) | 110,910,352 | 1,004,743,497 |
| Total net increase (decrease) | (125,276,978) | (1,122,950,875) | 192,217,007 | 1,740,629,181 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 21 |
Financial Highlights
The following table is intended to
help you understand the Fund’s financial performance. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share of a class held for the periods shown. Per share net investment income (loss) amounts are
calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period. Total return assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions, if any. Total return does not reflect payment of sales charges, if any. Total
return and portfolio turnover are not annualized for periods of less than one year. The portfolio turnover rate is calculated without regard to purchase and sales transactions of short-term instruments and certain
derivatives, if any. If such transactions were included, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate may be higher.
| Net asset value, beginning of period | Net investment income | Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | Total from investment operations | Distributions from net investment income | Total distributions to shareholders | |
| Class A | ||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $9.04 | 0.03 | (0.10) | (0.07) | (0.04) | (0.04) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $9.05 | 0.05 | 0.00(c) | 0.05 | (0.06) | (0.06) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $9.03 | 0.16 | 0.03 | 0.19 | (0.17) | (0.17) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019(d) | $9.01 | 0.09 | 0.02 | 0.11 | (0.09) | (0.09) |
| Advisor Class | ||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $9.05 | 0.05 | (0.11) | (0.06) | (0.05) | (0.05) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $9.06 | 0.06 | 0.00(c) | 0.06 | (0.07) | (0.07) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $9.04 | 0.16 | 0.05 | 0.21 | (0.19) | (0.19) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019(f) | $8.99 | 0.14 | 0.05 | 0.19 | (0.14) | (0.14) |
| Institutional Class | ||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $9.05 | 0.05 | (0.11) | (0.06) | (0.05) | (0.05) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $9.06 | 0.06 | 0.00(c) | 0.06 | (0.07) | (0.07) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $9.04 | 0.17 | 0.04 | 0.21 | (0.19) | (0.19) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019(g) | $8.99 | 0.15 | 0.04 | 0.19 | (0.14) | (0.14) |
| Institutional 3 Class | ||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $9.05 | 0.05 | (0.09) | (0.04) | (0.06) | (0.06) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $9.06 | 0.07 | 0.00(c) | 0.07 | (0.08) | (0.08) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $9.04 | 0.18 | 0.03 | 0.21 | (0.19) | (0.19) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $9.00 | 0.22 | 0.04 | 0.26 | (0.22) | (0.22) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $9.02 | 0.14 | (0.01) | 0.13 | (0.15) | (0.15) |
| Notes to Financial Highlights | |
| (a) | In addition to the fees and expenses that the Fund bears directly, the Fund indirectly bears a pro rata share of the fees and expenses of any other funds in which it invests. Such indirect expenses are not included in the Fund’s reported expense ratios. |
| (b) | Total net expenses include the impact of certain fee waivers/expense reimbursements made by the Investment Manager and certain of its affiliates, if applicable. |
| (c) | Rounds to zero. |
| (d) | Class A shares commenced operations on February 20, 2019. Per share data and total return reflect activity from that date. |
| (e) | Annualized. |
| (f) | Advisor Class shares commenced operations on December 3, 2018. Per share data and total return reflect activity from that date. |
| (g) | Institutional Class shares commenced operations on December 3, 2018. Per share data and total return reflect activity from that date. |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 22 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Financial Highlights (continued)
| Net asset value, end of period | Total return | Total gross expense ratio to average net assets(a) | Total net expense ratio to average net assets(a),(b) | Net investment income ratio to average net assets | Portfolio turnover | Net assets, end of period (000’s) | |
| Class A | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $8.93 | (0.80%) | 0.42% | 0.42% | 0.38% | 76% | $675,383 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $9.04 | 0.56% | 0.43% | 0.43% | 0.55% | 87% | $978,846 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $9.05 | 2.17% | 0.43% | 0.43% | 1.79% | 100% | $446,211 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019(d) | $9.03 | 1.27% | 0.42%(e) | 0.42%(e) | 2.43%(e) | 95% | $118,625 |
| Advisor Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $8.94 | (0.65%) | 0.27% | 0.27% | 0.61% | 76% | $54,946 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $9.05 | 0.71% | 0.28% | 0.28% | 0.63% | 87% | $19,969 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $9.06 | 2.32% | 0.27% | 0.27% | 1.81% | 100% | $2,522 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019(f) | $9.04 | 2.16% | 0.27%(e) | 0.27%(e) | 2.52%(e) | 95% | $12 |
| Institutional Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $8.94 | (0.65%) | 0.27% | 0.27% | 0.56% | 76% | $422,413 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $9.05 | 0.71% | 0.28% | 0.28% | 0.71% | 87% | $406,157 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $9.06 | 2.32% | 0.28% | 0.28% | 1.94% | 100% | $221,636 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019(g) | $9.04 | 2.18% | 0.30%(e) | 0.30%(e) | 2.63%(e) | 95% | $61,044 |
| Institutional 3 Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $8.95 | (0.50%) | 0.23% | 0.23% | 0.57% | 76% | $1,655,564 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $9.05 | 0.75% | 0.24% | 0.24% | 0.75% | 87% | $2,570,491 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $9.06 | 2.35% | 0.25% | 0.25% | 2.00% | 100% | $1,568,020 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $9.04 | 2.91% | 0.25% | 0.25% | 2.40% | 95% | $780,430 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $9.00 | 1.40% | 0.26% | 0.25% | 1.56% | 66% | $1,128,076 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 23 |
Notes to Financial Statements
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Note 1. Organization
Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond
Fund (the Fund), a series of Columbia Funds Series Trust I (the Trust), is a diversified fund. The Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), as an open-end management
investment company organized as a Massachusetts business trust.
Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund
must be purchased through financial intermediaries that, by written agreement with Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc., are specifically authorized to sell the Fund’s shares.
Fund shares
The Trust may issue an unlimited
number of shares (without par value). The Fund offers each of the share classes listed in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Although all share classes generally have identical voting, dividend and liquidation
rights, each share class votes separately when required by the Trust’s organizational documents or by law. Each share class has its own expense and sales charge structure. Different share classes may have
different minimum initial investment amounts and pay different net investment income distribution amounts to the extent the expenses of distributing such share classes vary. Distributions to shareholders in a
liquidation will be proportional to the net asset value of each share class.
As described in the Fund’s
prospectus, Class A shares are offered to the general public for investment. Advisor Class, Institutional Class and Institutional 3 Class shares are available for purchase through authorized investment professionals
to omnibus retirement plans or to institutional investors and to certain other investors as also described in the Fund’s prospectus.
Note 2. Summary of
significant accounting policies
Basis of preparation
The Fund is an investment company
that applies the accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946, Financial Services - Investment Companies (ASC 946). The financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), which requires
management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the
reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
The following is a summary of
significant accounting policies followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements.
Security valuation
Debt securities generally are
valued by pricing services approved by the Board of Trustees based upon market transactions for normal, institutional-size trading units of similar securities. The services may use various pricing techniques that take
into account, as applicable, factors such as yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics and other data, as well as approved independent broker-dealer quotes. Debt securities for
which quotations are not readily available or not believed to be reflective of market value may also be valued based upon a bid quote from an approved independent broker-dealer. Debt securities maturing in 60 days or
less are valued primarily at amortized market value, unless this method results in a valuation that management believes does not approximate fair value.
Asset- and mortgage-backed
securities are generally valued by pricing services, which utilize pricing models that incorporate the securities’ cash flow and loan performance data. These models also take into account available market data,
including trades, market quotations, and benchmark yield curves for identical or similar securities. Factors used to identify similar securities may include, but are not limited to, issuer, collateral type, vintage,
prepayment speeds, collateral performance, credit ratings, credit enhancement and expected life. Asset-backed securities for which quotations are readily available may also be valued based upon an over-the-counter or
exchange bid quote from an approved independent broker-dealer. Debt securities maturing in 60 days or less are valued primarily at amortized market value, unless this method results in a valuation that management
believes does not approximate fair value.
| 24 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Investments in open-end investment
companies (other than exchange-traded funds (ETFs)), are valued at the latest net asset value reported by those companies as of the valuation time.
Futures and options on futures
contracts are valued based upon the settlement price at the close of regular trading on their principal exchanges or, in the absence of a settlement price, at the mean of the latest quoted bid and ask prices.
Investments for which market
quotations are not readily available, or that have quotations which management believes are not reflective of market value or reliable, are valued at fair value as determined in good faith under procedures approved by
and under the general supervision of the Board of Trustees. If a security or class of securities (such as foreign securities) is valued at fair value, such value is likely to be different from the quoted or published
price for the security, if available.
The determination of fair value
often requires significant judgment. To determine fair value, management may use assumptions including but not limited to future cash flows and estimated risk premiums. Multiple inputs from various sources may be used
to determine fair value.
GAAP requires disclosure regarding
the inputs and valuation techniques used to measure fair value and any changes in valuation inputs or techniques. In addition, investments shall be disclosed by major category. This information is disclosed following
the Fund’s Portfolio of Investments.
Derivative instruments
The Fund invests in certain
derivative instruments, as detailed below, in seeking to meet its investment objectives. Derivatives are instruments whose values depend on, or are derived from, in whole or in part, the value of one or more
securities, currencies, commodities, indices, or other assets or instruments. Derivatives may be used to increase investment flexibility (including to maintain cash reserves while maintaining desired exposure to
certain assets), for risk management (hedging) purposes, to facilitate trading, to reduce transaction costs and to pursue higher investment returns. The Fund may also use derivative instruments to mitigate certain
investment risks, such as foreign currency exchange rate risk, interest rate risk and credit risk. Derivatives may involve various risks, including the potential inability of the counterparty to fulfill its
obligations under the terms of the contract, the potential for an illiquid secondary market (making it difficult for the Fund to sell or terminate, including at favorable prices) and the potential for market movements
which may expose the Fund to gains or losses in excess of the amount shown in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The notional amounts of derivative instruments, if applicable, are not recorded in the financial
statements.
A derivative instrument may suffer
a marked-to-market loss if the value of the contract decreases due to an unfavorable change in the market rates or values of the underlying instrument. Losses can also occur if the counterparty does not perform its
obligations under the contract. The Fund’s risk of loss from counterparty credit risk on over-the-counter derivatives is generally limited to the aggregate unrealized gain netted against any collateral held by
the Fund and the amount of any variation margin held by the counterparty, plus any replacement costs or related amounts. With exchange-traded or centrally cleared derivatives, there is reduced counterparty credit risk
to the Fund since the clearinghouse or central counterparty (CCP) provides some protection in the case of clearing member default. The clearinghouse or CCP stands between the buyer and the seller of the contract;
therefore, failure of the clearinghouse or CCP may pose additional counterparty credit risk. However, credit risk still exists in exchange-traded or centrally cleared derivatives with respect to initial and variation
margin that is held in a broker’s customer account. While clearing brokers are required to segregate customer margin from their own assets, in the event that a clearing broker becomes insolvent or goes into
bankruptcy and at that time there is a shortfall in the aggregate amount of margin held by the clearing broker for all its clients and such shortfall is remedied by the CCP or otherwise, U.S. bankruptcy laws will
typically allocate that shortfall on a pro-rata basis across all the clearing broker’s customers (including the Fund), potentially resulting in losses to the Fund.
In order to better define its
contractual rights and to secure rights that will help the Fund mitigate its counterparty risk, the Fund may enter into an International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. Master Agreement (ISDA Master Agreement)
or similar agreement with its derivatives counterparties. An ISDA Master Agreement is an agreement between the Fund and a counterparty that governs over-the-counter derivatives and foreign exchange forward contracts
and contains, among other things, collateral posting terms and netting provisions in the event of a default and/or termination event. Under an ISDA Master Agreement, the Fund may, under certain circumstances, offset
with the counterparty certain derivative instruments’ payables and/or receivables with collateral held and/or posted and create one single net payment. The provisions of the
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 25 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
ISDA Master Agreement typically permit a single
net payment in the event of default (close-out netting), including the bankruptcy or insolvency of the counterparty. Note, however, that bankruptcy or insolvency laws of a particular jurisdiction may impose
restrictions on or prohibitions against the right of offset or netting in bankruptcy, insolvency or other events.
Collateral (margin) requirements
differ by type of derivative. Margin requirements are established by the clearinghouse or CCP for exchange-traded and centrally cleared derivatives. Brokers can ask for margin in excess of the minimum in certain
circumstances. Collateral terms for most over-the-counter derivatives are subject to regulatory requirements to exchange variation margin with trading counterparties and may have contract specific margin terms as
well. For over-the-counter derivatives traded under an ISDA Master Agreement, the collateral requirements are typically calculated by netting the marked-to-market amount for each transaction under such agreement and
comparing that amount to the value of any variation margin currently pledged by the Fund and/or the counterparty. Generally, the amount of collateral due from or to a party has to exceed a minimum transfer amount
threshold (e.g., $250,000) before a transfer has to be made. To the extent amounts due to the Fund from its counterparties are not fully collateralized, contractually or otherwise, the Fund bears the risk of loss from
counterparty nonperformance. The Fund may also pay interest expense on cash collateral received from the broker. Any interest expense paid by the Fund is shown in the Statement of Operations. The Fund attempts to
mitigate counterparty risk by only entering into agreements with counterparties that it believes have the financial resources to honor their obligations and by monitoring the financial stability of those
counterparties.
Certain ISDA Master Agreements
allow counterparties of over-the-counter derivatives transactions to terminate derivatives contracts prior to maturity in the event the Fund’s net asset value declines by a stated percentage over a specified
time period or if the Fund fails to meet certain terms of the ISDA Master Agreement, which would cause the Fund to accelerate payment of any net liability owed to the counterparty. The Fund also has termination
rights if the counterparty fails to meet certain terms of the ISDA Master Agreement. In determining whether to exercise such termination rights, the Fund would consider, in addition to counterparty credit risk,
whether termination would result in a net liability owed from the counterparty.
For financial reporting purposes,
the Fund does not offset derivative assets and derivative liabilities that are subject to netting arrangements in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Futures contracts
Futures contracts are
exchange-traded and represent commitments for the future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a specified date. The Fund bought and sold futures contracts to manage the duration and yield curve
exposure of the Fund versus the benchmark and to manage exposure to movements in interest rates. These instruments may be used for other purposes in future periods. Upon entering into futures contracts, the Fund bears
risks that it may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the futures contracts and may realize a loss. Additional risks include counterparty credit risk, the possibility of an illiquid market, and that a change in
the value of the contract or option may not correlate with changes in the value of the underlying asset.
Upon entering into a futures
contract, the Fund deposits cash or securities with the broker, known as a futures commission merchant (FCM), in an amount sufficient to meet the initial margin requirement. The initial margin deposit must be
maintained at an established level over the life of the contract. Cash deposited as initial margin is recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as margin deposits. Securities deposited as initial margin are
designated in the Portfolio of Investments. Subsequent payments (variation margin) are made or received by the Fund each day. The variation margin payments are equal to the daily change in the contract value and are
recorded as variation margin receivable or payable and are offset in unrealized gains or losses. The Fund generally expects to earn interest income on its margin deposits. The Fund recognizes a realized gain or loss
when the contract is closed or expires. Futures contracts involve, to varying degrees, risk of loss in excess of the variation margin disclosed in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Effects of derivative transactions in
the financial statements
The following tables are intended
to provide additional information about the effect of derivatives on the financial statements of the Fund, including: the fair value of derivatives by risk category and the location of those fair values in the
Statement of Assets and Liabilities; and the impact of derivative transactions over the period in the Statement of Operations, including realized and unrealized gains (losses). The derivative instrument schedules
following the Portfolio of Investments present additional information regarding derivative instruments outstanding at the end of the period, if any.
| 26 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The following table is a summary of
the fair value of derivative instruments (not considered to be hedging instruments for accounting disclosure purposes) at July 31, 2022:
| Asset derivatives | ||
| Risk exposure category | Statement of assets and liabilities location | Fair value ($) |
| Interest rate risk | Component of total distributable earnings (loss) — unrealized appreciation on futures contracts | 1,321,593* |
| * | Includes cumulative appreciation (depreciation) as reported in the tables following the Portfolio of Investments. Only the current day’s variation margin is reported in receivables or payables in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. |
The following table indicates the
effect of derivative instruments (not considered to be hedging instruments for accounting disclosure purposes) in the Statement of Operations for the year ended July 31, 2022:
The following table is a summary
of the average outstanding volume by derivative instrument for the year ended July 31, 2022:
| Derivative instrument | Average notional amounts ($)* |
| Futures contracts — short | 428,766,475 |
| * | Based on the ending quarterly outstanding amounts for the year ended July 31, 2022. |
Asset- and mortgage-backed
securities
The Fund may invest in asset-backed
and mortgage-backed securities. The maturity dates shown represent the original maturity of the underlying obligation. Actual maturity may vary based upon prepayment activity on these obligations. All, or a portion,
of the obligation may be prepaid at any time because the underlying asset may be prepaid. As a result, decreasing market interest rates could result in an increased level of prepayment. An increased prepayment rate
will have the effect of shortening the maturity of the security. Unless otherwise noted, the coupon rates presented are fixed rates.
Delayed delivery securities
The Fund may trade securities on
other than normal settlement terms, including securities purchased or sold on a “when-issued” or "forward commitment" basis. This may increase risk to the Fund since the other party to the transaction may
fail to deliver, which could cause the Fund to subsequently invest at less advantageous prices. The Fund designates cash or liquid securities in an amount equal to the delayed delivery commitment.
Security transactions
Security transactions are accounted
for on the trade date. Cost is determined and gains (losses) are based upon the specific identification method for both financial statement and federal income tax purposes.
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 27 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Income recognition
Interest income is recorded on an
accrual basis. Market premiums and discounts, including original issue discounts, are amortized and accreted, respectively, over the expected life of the security on all debt securities, unless otherwise noted. The
Fund classifies gains and losses realized on prepayments received on mortgage-backed securities as adjustments to interest income.
The Fund may place a debt security
on non-accrual status and reduce related interest income when it becomes probable that the interest will not be collected and the amount of uncollectible interest can be reasonably estimated. A defaulted debt security
is removed from non-accrual status when the issuer resumes interest payments or when collectability of interest is reasonably assured.
Dividend income is recorded on the
ex-dividend date.
Expenses
General expenses of the Trust are
allocated to the Fund and other funds of the Trust based upon relative net assets or other expense allocation methodologies determined by the nature of the expense. Expenses directly attributable to the Fund are
charged to the Fund. Expenses directly attributable to a specific class of shares are charged to that share class.
Determination of class net asset
value
All income, expenses (other than
class-specific expenses, which are charged to that share class, as shown in the Statement of Operations) and realized and unrealized gains (losses) are allocated to each class of the Fund on a daily basis, based on
the relative net assets of each class, for purposes of determining the net asset value of each class.
Federal income tax status
The Fund intends to qualify each
year as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended, and will distribute substantially all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain, if any, for its
tax year, and as such will not be subject to federal income taxes. In addition, the Fund intends to distribute in each calendar year substantially all of its ordinary income, capital gain net income and certain other
amounts, if any, such that the Fund should not be subject to federal excise tax. Therefore, no federal income or excise tax provision is recorded.
Foreign taxes
The Fund may be subject to foreign
taxes on income, gains on investments or currency repatriation, a portion of which may be recoverable. The Fund will accrue such taxes and recoveries, as applicable, based upon its current interpretation of tax rules
and regulations that exist in the markets in which it invests.
Realized gains in certain countries
may be subject to foreign taxes at the Fund level, based on statutory rates. The Fund accrues for such foreign taxes on realized and unrealized gains at the appropriate rate for each jurisdiction, as applicable. The
amount, if any, is disclosed as a liability in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Distributions to shareholders
Distributions from net investment
income, if any, are declared daily and paid monthly. Net realized capital gains, if any, are distributed at least annually. Income distributions and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with federal
income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP.
Guarantees and indemnifications
Under the Trust’s
organizational documents and, in some cases, by contract, its officers and trustees are indemnified against certain liabilities arising out of the performance of their duties to the Trust or its funds. In addition,
certain of the Fund’s contracts with its service providers contain general indemnification clauses. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown since the amount of any future claims
that may be made against the Fund cannot be determined, and the Fund has no historical basis for predicting the likelihood of any such claims.
| 28 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Note 3. Fees and other
transactions with affiliates
Management services fees
The Fund has entered into a
Management Agreement with Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (the Investment Manager), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (Ameriprise Financial). Under the Management Agreement, the
Investment Manager provides the Fund with investment research and advice, as well as administrative and accounting services. The management services fee is an annual fee that is equal to 0.21% of the Fund’s
daily net assets.
Compensation of board members
Members of the Board of Trustees
who are not officers or employees of the Investment Manager or Ameriprise Financial are compensated for their services to the Fund as disclosed in the Statement of Operations. Under a Deferred Compensation Plan (the
Deferred Plan), these members of the Board of Trustees may elect to defer payment of up to 100% of their compensation. Deferred amounts are treated as though equivalent dollar amounts had been invested in shares of
certain funds managed by the Investment Manager. The Fund’s liability for these amounts is adjusted for market value changes and remains in the Fund until distributed in accordance with the Deferred Plan. All
amounts payable under the Deferred Plan constitute a general unsecured obligation of the Fund. The expense for the Deferred Plan, which includes Trustees’ fees deferred during the current period as well as any
gains or losses on the Trustees’ deferred compensation balances as a result of market fluctuations, is included in "Compensation of board members" in the Statement of Operations.
Compensation of Chief Compliance
Officer
The Board of Trustees has appointed
a Chief Compliance Officer for the Fund in accordance with federal securities regulations. As disclosed in the Statement of Operations, a portion of the Chief Compliance Officer’s total compensation is allocated
to the Fund, along with other allocations to affiliated registered investment companies managed by the Investment Manager and its affiliates, based on relative net assets.
Transfer agency fees
Under a Transfer and Dividend
Disbursing Agent Agreement, Columbia Management Investment Services Corp. (the Transfer Agent), an affiliate of the Investment Manager and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, is responsible for
providing transfer agency services to the Fund. The Transfer Agent has contracted with DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc. (DST) to serve as sub-transfer agent. The Transfer Agent pays the fees of DST for services as
sub-transfer agent and DST is not entitled to reimbursement for such fees from the Fund (with the exception of out-of-pocket fees).
The Fund pays the Transfer Agent a
monthly transfer agency fee based on the number or the average value of accounts, depending on the type of account. In addition, the Fund pays the Transfer Agent a fee for shareholder services based on the number of
accounts or on a percentage of the average aggregate value of the Fund’s shares maintained in omnibus accounts up to the lesser of the amount charged by the financial intermediary or a cap established by the
Board of Trustees from time to time.
The Transfer Agent also receives
compensation from the Fund for various shareholder services and reimbursements for certain out-of-pocket fees. Total transfer agency fees for Institutional 3 Class shares are subject to an annual limitation of not
more than 0.02% of the average daily net assets attributable to Institutional 3 Class shares.
For the year ended July 31, 2022,
the Fund’s effective transfer agency fee rates as a percentage of average daily net assets of each class were as follows:
| Effective rate (%) | |
| Class A | 0.04 |
| Advisor Class | 0.05 |
| Institutional Class | 0.05 |
| Institutional 3 Class | 0.01 |
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 29 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Distribution and service fees
The Fund has entered into an
agreement with Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. (the Distributor), an affiliate of the Investment Manager and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, for distribution and shareholder
services. The Board of Trustees has approved, and the Fund has adopted, distribution and shareholder service plans (the Plans) applicable to certain share classes, which set the distribution and service fees for the
Fund. These fees are calculated daily and are intended to compensate the Distributor and/or eligible selling and/or servicing agents for selling shares of the Fund and providing services to investors.
Under the Plans, the Fund pays a
monthly combined distribution and service fee to the Distributor at the maximum annual rate of 0.15% of the average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares of the Fund.
Expenses waived/reimbursed by the
Investment Manager and its affiliates
The Investment Manager and certain
of its affiliates have contractually agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses (excluding certain fees and expenses described below) for the period(s) disclosed below, unless sooner terminated at the sole
discretion of the Board of Trustees for Class A, Advisor Class and Institutional Class and permanently for as long as the Investment Manager manages the Fund for Institutional 3 Class, so that the Fund’s net
operating expenses, after giving effect to fees waived/expenses reimbursed and any balance credits and/or overdraft charges from the Fund’s custodian, do not exceed the following annual rate(s) as a percentage
of the classes’ average daily net assets:
| December 1, 2021 through November 30, 2022 | Prior to December 1, 2021 | |
| Class A | 0.43% | 0.50% |
| Advisor Class | 0.28 | 0.35 |
| Institutional Class | 0.28 | 0.35 |
| Institutional 3 Class | 0.25 | 0.25 |
Under the agreement governing
these fee waivers and/or expense reimbursement arrangements, the following fees and expenses are excluded from the waiver/reimbursement commitment, and therefore will be paid by the Fund, if applicable: taxes
(including foreign transaction taxes), expenses associated with investments in affiliated and non-affiliated pooled investment vehicles (including mutual funds and exchange-traded funds), transaction costs and
brokerage commissions, costs related to any securities lending program, dividend expenses associated with securities sold short, inverse floater program fees and expenses, transaction charges and interest on borrowed
money, interest, costs associated with shareholder meetings, infrequent and/or unusual expenses and any other expenses the exclusion of which is specifically approved by the Board of Trustees. This agreement may be
modified or amended only with approval from the Investment Manager, certain of its affiliates and the Fund. Any fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed under the expense reimbursement arrangements described above are
not recoverable by the Investment Manager or its affiliates in future periods.
Note 4. Federal tax
information
The timing and character of
income and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP because of temporary or permanent book to tax differences.
At July, 31, 2022, these
differences were primarily due to differing treatment for deferral/reversal of wash sale losses, derivative investments, tax straddles, principal and/or interest from fixed income securities, capital loss
carryforwards, trustees’ deferred compensation and distributions. To the extent these differences were permanent, reclassifications were made among the components of the Fund’s net assets. Temporary
differences do not require reclassifications.
| 30 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The following reclassifications
were made:
| Undistributed net investment income ($) | Accumulated net realized (loss) ($) | Paid in capital ($) |
| 1,384,130 | (1,384,130) | — |
Net investment income (loss) and
net realized gains (losses), as disclosed in the Statement of Operations, and net assets were not affected by this reclassification.
The tax character of distributions
paid during the years indicated was as follows:
| Year Ended July 31, 2022 | Year Ended July 31, 2021 | ||||
| Ordinary income ($) | Long-term capital gains ($) | Total ($) | Ordinary income ($) | Long-term capital gains ($) | Total ($) |
| 19,846,738 | — | 19,846,738 | 24,985,021 | — | 24,985,021 |
Short-term capital gain
distributions, if any, are considered ordinary income distributions for tax purposes.
At July 31, 2022, the components of
distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:
| Undistributed ordinary income ($) | Undistributed long-term capital gains ($) | Capital loss carryforwards ($) | Net unrealized (depreciation) ($) |
| 4,124,533 | — | (3,150,762) | (47,586,374) |
At July 31, 2022, the cost of all
investments for federal income tax purposes along with the aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation based on that cost was:
| Federal tax cost ($) | Gross unrealized appreciation ($) | Gross unrealized (depreciation) ($) | Net unrealized (depreciation) ($) |
| 2,859,158,665 | 2,754,172 | (50,340,546) | (47,586,374) |
Tax cost of investments and
unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) may also include timing differences that do not constitute adjustments to tax basis.
The following capital loss
carryforwards, determined at July 31, 2022, may be available to reduce future net realized gains on investments, if any, to the extent permitted by the Internal Revenue Code. In addition, for the year ended July 31,
2022, capital loss carryforwards utilized, if any, were as follows:
| No expiration short-term ($) | No expiration long-term ($) | Total ($) | Utilized ($) |
| — | (3,150,762) | (3,150,762) | 3,476,277 |
Management of the Fund has
concluded that there are no significant uncertain tax positions in the Fund that would require recognition in the financial statements. However, management’s conclusion may be subject to review and adjustment at
a later date based on factors including, but not limited to, new tax laws, regulations, and administrative interpretations (including relevant court decisions). Generally, the Fund’s federal tax returns for the
prior three fiscal years remain subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service.
Note 5. Portfolio
information
The cost of purchases and
proceeds from sales of securities, excluding short-term investments and derivatives, if any, aggregated to $2,691,232,502 and $3,710,783,219, respectively, for the year ended July 31, 2022, of which $71,629,619 and
$109,540,168, respectively, were U.S. government securities. The amount of purchase and sale activity impacts the portfolio turnover rate reported in the Financial Highlights.
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 31 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Note 6. Affiliated money
market fund
The Fund invests in Columbia
Short-Term Cash Fund, an affiliated money market fund established for the exclusive use by the Fund and other affiliated funds (the Affiliated MMF). The income earned by the Fund from such investments is included as
Dividends - affiliated issuers in the Statement of Operations. As an investing fund, the Fund indirectly bears its proportionate share of the expenses of the Affiliated MMF. The Affiliated MMF prices its shares with a
floating net asset value. In addition, the Board of Trustees of the Affiliated MMF may impose a fee on redemptions (sometimes referred to as a liquidity fee) or temporarily suspend redemptions (sometimes
referred to as imposing a redemption gate) in the event its liquidity falls below regulatory limits.
Note 7. Interfund
lending
Pursuant to an exemptive order
granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Fund participates in a program (the Interfund Program) allowing each participating Columbia Fund (each, a Participating Fund) to lend money directly to and,
except for closed-end funds and money market funds, borrow money directly from other Participating Funds for temporary purposes. The amounts eligible for borrowing and lending under the Interfund Program are subject
to certain restrictions.
Interfund loans are subject to the
risk that the borrowing fund could be unable to repay the loan when due, and a delay in repayment to the lending fund could result in lost opportunities and/or additional lending costs. The exemptive order is subject
to conditions intended to mitigate conflicts of interest arising from the Investment Manager’s relationship with each Participating Fund.
The Fund’s activity in the
Interfund Program during the year ended July 31, 2022 was as follows:
| Borrower or lender | Average loan balance ($) | Weighted average interest rate (%) | Number of days with outstanding loans |
| Lender | 3,000,000 | 0.69 | 1 |
Interest income earned by the Fund
is recorded as Interfund lending in the Statement of Operations. The Fund had no outstanding interfund loans at July 31, 2022.
Note 8. Line of credit
The Fund has access to a
revolving credit facility with a syndicate of banks led by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Citibank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. whereby the Fund may borrow for the temporary funding of shareholder redemptions or for
other temporary or emergency purposes. Pursuant to an October 28, 2021 amendment and restatement, the credit facility, which is an agreement between the Fund and certain other funds managed by the Investment Manager
or an affiliated investment manager, severally and not jointly, permits aggregate borrowings up to $950 million. Interest is currently charged to each participating fund based on its borrowings at a rate equal to the
higher of (i) the federal funds effective rate, (ii) the secured overnight financing rate plus 0.11448% and (iii) the overnight bank funding rate, plus in each case, 1.00%. Each borrowing under the credit facility
matures no later than 60 days after the date of borrowing. The Fund also pays a commitment fee equal to its pro rata share of the unused amount of the credit facility at a rate of 0.15% per annum. The commitment fee
is included in other expenses in the Statement of Operations. This agreement expires annually in October unless extended or renewed. Prior to the October 28, 2021 amendment and restatement, the Fund had access to a
revolving credit facility with a syndicate of banks led by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Citibank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. which permitted collective borrowings up to $950 million. Interest was charged to each
participating fund based on its borrowings at a rate equal to the higher of (i) the federal funds effective rate, (ii) the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) rate and (iii) the overnight bank funding
rate, plus in each case, 1.25%.
The Fund had no borrowings during
the year ended July 31, 2022.
| 32 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Note 9. Significant
risks
Credit risk
Credit risk is the risk that the
value of debt instruments in the Fund’s portfolio may decline because the issuer defaults or otherwise becomes unable or unwilling, or is perceived to be unable or unwilling, to honor its financial obligations,
such as making payments to the Fund when due. Credit rating agencies assign credit ratings to certain debt instruments to indicate their credit risk. Lower-rated or unrated debt instruments held by the Fund may
present increased credit risk as compared to higher-rated debt instruments.
Derivatives risk
Losses involving derivative
instruments may be substantial, because a relatively small movement in the underlying reference (which is generally the price, rate or other economic indicator associated with a security(ies), commodity, currency,
index or other instrument or asset) may result in a substantial loss for the Fund. In addition to the potential for increased losses, the use of derivative instruments may lead to increased volatility within the Fund.
Derivatives will typically increase the Fund’s exposure to principal risks to which it is otherwise exposed, and may expose the Fund to additional risks, including correlation risk, counterparty risk, hedging
risk, leverage risk, liquidity risk and pricing risk.
Interest rate risk
Interest rate risk is the risk of
losses attributable to changes in interest rates. In general, if prevailing interest rates rise, the values of debt instruments tend to fall, and if interest rates fall, the values of debt instruments tend to rise.
Actions by governments and central banking authorities can result in increases or decreases in interest rates. Higher periods of inflation could lead such authorities to raise interest rates. Increasing interest rates
may negatively affect the value of debt securities held by the Fund, resulting in a negative impact on the Fund’s performance and net asset value per share. In general, the longer the maturity or duration of a
debt security, the greater its sensitivity to changes in interest rates. The Fund is subject to the risk that the income generated by its investments may not keep pace with inflation.
Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is the risk
associated with a lack of marketability of investments which may make it difficult to sell the investment at a desirable time or price. Changing regulatory, market or other conditions or environments (for example, the
interest rate or credit environments) may adversely affect the liquidity of the Fund’s investments. The Fund may have to accept a lower selling price for the holding, sell other investments, or forego another,
more appealing investment opportunity. Generally, the less liquid the market at the time the Fund sells a portfolio investment, the greater the risk of loss or decline of value to the Fund. A less liquid market can
lead to an increase in Fund redemptions, which may negatively impact Fund performance and net asset value per share, including, for example, if the Fund is forced to sell securities in a down market.
Market risk
The Fund may incur losses due to
declines in the value of one or more securities in which it invests. These declines may be due to factors affecting a particular issuer, or the result of, among other things, political, regulatory, market, economic or
social developments affecting the relevant market(s) more generally. In addition, turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed income markets may negatively affect many issuers,
which could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to price or value hard-to-value assets in thinly traded and closed markets and could cause significant redemptions and operational challenges. Global economies and
financial markets are increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. These risks may
be magnified if certain events or developments adversely interrupt the global supply chain; in these and other circumstances, such risks might affect companies worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events
such as terrorism, war, natural disasters, disease/virus outbreaks and epidemics or other public health issues, recessions, depressions or other events – or the potential for such events – could have a
significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions.
The large-scale invasion of Ukraine
by Russia in February 2022 has resulted in sanctions and market disruptions, including declines in regional and global stock markets, unusual volatility in global commodity markets and significant devaluations of
Russian currency. The extent and duration of the military action are impossible to predict but could be significant. Market
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 33 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
disruption caused by the Russian military action,
and any counter-measures or responses thereto (including international sanctions, a downgrade in the country’s credit rating, purchasing and financing restrictions, boycotts, tariffs, changes in consumer or
purchaser preferences, cyberattacks and espionage) could have severe adverse impacts on regional and/or global securities and commodities markets, including markets for oil and natural gas. These impacts may include
reduced market liquidity, distress in credit markets, further disruption of global supply chains, increased risk of inflation, and limited access to investments in certain international markets and/or issuers. These
developments and other related events could negatively impact Fund performance.
The pandemic caused by coronavirus
disease 2019 and its variants (COVID-19) has resulted in, and may continue to result in, significant global economic and societal disruption and market volatility due to disruptions in market access, resource
availability, facilities operations, imposition of tariffs, export controls and supply chain disruption, among others. Such disruptions may be caused, or exacerbated by, quarantines and travel restrictions, workforce
displacement and loss in human and other resources. The uncertainty surrounding the magnitude, duration, reach, costs and effects of the global pandemic, as well as actions that have been or could be taken by
governmental authorities or other third parties, present unknowns that are yet to unfold. The impacts, as well as the uncertainty over impacts to come, of COVID-19 – and any other infectious illness outbreaks,
epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future – could negatively affect global economies and markets in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. In addition, the impact of infectious illness outbreaks
and epidemics in emerging market countries may be greater due to generally less established healthcare systems, governments and financial markets. Public health crises caused by the COVID-19 outbreak may exacerbate
other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in certain countries or globally. The disruptions caused by COVID-19 could prevent the Fund from executing advantageous investment decisions in a timely manner
and negatively impact the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. Any such events could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Fund.
Mortgage- and other asset-backed
securities risk
The value of any mortgage-backed
and other asset-backed securities including collateralized debt obligations, if any, held by the Fund may be affected by, among other things, changes or perceived changes in: interest rates; factors concerning the
interests in and structure of the issuer or the originator of the mortgages or other assets; the creditworthiness of the entities that provide any supporting letters of credit, surety bonds or other credit enhancements;
or the market’s assessment of the quality of underlying assets. Payment of principal and interest on some mortgage-backed securities (but not the market value of the securities themselves) may be guaranteed by
the full faith and credit of a particular U.S. Government agency, authority, enterprise or instrumentality, and some, but not all, are also insured or guaranteed by the U.S. Government. Mortgage-backed securities
issued by non-governmental issuers (such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers) may entail greater risk than
obligations guaranteed by the U.S. Government. Mortgage- and other asset-backed securities are subject to liquidity risk and prepayment risk. A decline or flattening of housing values may cause delinquencies in
mortgages (especially sub-prime or non-prime mortgages) underlying mortgage-backed securities and thereby adversely affect the ability of the mortgage-backed securities issuer to make principal and/or interest
payments to mortgage-backed securities holders, including the Fund. Rising or high interest rates tend to extend the duration of mortgage- and other asset-backed securities, making their prices more volatile and more
sensitive to changes in interest rates.
Shareholder concentration risk
At July 31, 2022, one unaffiliated
shareholder of record owned 46.0% of the outstanding shares of the Fund in one or more accounts. The Fund has no knowledge about whether any portion of those shares was owned beneficially. Affiliated shareholders of
record owned 42.9% of the outstanding shares of the Fund in one or more accounts. Subscription and redemption activity by concentrated accounts may have a significant effect on the operations of the Fund. In the case
of a large redemption, the Fund may be forced to sell investments at inopportune times, including its liquid positions, which may result in Fund losses and the Fund holding a higher percentage of less liquid
positions. Large redemptions could result in decreased economies of scale and increased operating expenses for non-redeeming Fund shareholders.
| 34 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Note 10. Subsequent
events
Management has evaluated the
events and transactions that have occurred through the date the financial statements were issued and noted no items requiring adjustment of the financial statements or additional disclosure.
Note 11. Information
regarding pending and settled legal proceedings
Ameriprise Financial and certain
of its affiliates are involved in the normal course of business in legal proceedings which include regulatory inquiries, arbitration and litigation, including class actions concerning matters arising in connection
with the conduct of its activities as a diversified financial services firm. Ameriprise Financial believes that the Fund is not currently the subject of, and that neither Ameriprise Financial nor any of its affiliates
are the subject of, any pending legal, arbitration or regulatory proceedings that are likely to have a material adverse effect on the Fund or the ability of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates to perform under
their contracts with the Fund. Ameriprise Financial is required to make quarterly (10-Q), annual (10-K) and, as necessary, 8-K filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on legal and regulatory matters
that relate to Ameriprise Financial and its affiliates. Copies of these filings may be obtained by accessing the SEC website at www.sec.gov.
There can be no assurance that
these matters, or the adverse publicity associated with them, will not result in increased Fund redemptions, reduced sale of Fund shares or other adverse consequences to the Fund. Further, although we believe
proceedings are not likely to have a material adverse effect on the Fund or the ability of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates to perform under their contracts with the Fund, these proceedings are subject to
uncertainties and, as such, we are unable to estimate the possible loss or range of loss that may result. An adverse outcome in one or more of these proceedings could result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines,
penalties or other relief that could have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial condition or results of operations of Ameriprise Financial or one or more of its affiliates that provides services to
the Fund.
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 35 |
Report of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm
To the Board of Trustees of Columbia
Funds Series Trust I and Shareholders of Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund
Opinion on the Financial
Statements
We have audited the accompanying
statement of assets and liabilities, including the portfolio of investments, of Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund (one of the funds constituting Columbia Funds Series Trust I, referred to hereafter as the "Fund") as
of July 31, 2022, the related statement of operations for the year ended July 31, 2022, the statement of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended July 31, 2022, including the related notes,
and the financial highlights for each of the periods indicated therein (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the
financial position of the Fund as of July 31, 2022, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period ended July 31, 2022 and the financial
highlights for each of the periods indicated therein in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the
responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of
the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits of these
financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.
Our audits included performing
procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test
basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating
the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of July 31, 2022 by correspondence with the custodian, transfer agent and brokers. We believe that our
audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
September 22, 2022
We have served as the auditor of
one or more investment companies within the Columbia Funds Complex since 1977.
| 36 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Federal Income Tax
Information
(Unaudited)
The Fund hereby designates the
following tax attributes for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2022. Shareholders will be notified in early 2023 of the amounts for use in preparing 2022 income tax returns.
| Section 163(j) Interest Dividends | |
| 93.82% |
Section 163(j) Interest Dividends.
The percentage of ordinary income distributed during the fiscal year that shareholders may treat as interest income for purposes of IRC Section 163(j), subject to holding period requirements and other limitations.
TRUSTEES AND
OFFICERS
(Unaudited)
The Board oversees the
Fund’s operations and appoints officers who are responsible for day-to-day business decisions based on policies set by the Board. The following table provides basic biographical information about the
Fund’s Trustees as of the printing of this report, including their principal occupations during the past five years, although specific titles for individuals may have varied over the period. The year set forth
beneath Length of Service in the table below is the year in which the Trustee was first appointed or elected as Trustee to any Fund currently in the Columbia Funds Complex or a predecessor thereof. Under current Board
policy, each Trustee generally serves until December 31 of the year such Trustee turns seventy-five (75).
Independent trustees
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| George S. Batejan c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1953 | Trustee since 2017 | Executive Vice President, Global Head of Technology and Operations, Janus Capital Group, Inc., 2010-2016 | 176 | Former Chairman of the Board, NICSA (National Investment Company Services Association) (Executive Committee, Nominating Committee and Governance Committee), 2014-2016; former Director, Intech Investment Management, 2011-2016; former Board Member, Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, 2015-2016; former Advisory Board Member, University of Colorado Business School, 2015-2018 |
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 37 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Kathleen Blatz c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1954 | Trustee since 2006 | Attorney, specializing in arbitration and mediation; Chief Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court, 1998-2006; Associate Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court, 1996-1998; Fourth Judicial District Court Judge, Hennepin County, 1994-1996; Attorney in private practice and public service, 1984-1993; State Representative, Minnesota House of Representatives, 1979-1993, which included service on the Tax and Financial Institutions and Insurance Committees; Member and Interim Chair, Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, January 2017-July 2017; Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (health care insurance), February-July 2018, April-October 2021 | 176 | Former Trustee, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, 2009-2021 (Chair of the Business Development Committee, 2014-2017; Chair of the Governance Committee, 2017-2019); former Member and Chair of the Board, Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, January 2017-July 2017; former Director, Robina Foundation, 2009-2020 (Chair, 2014-2020); Director, Schulze Family Foundation, since 2021 |
| Pamela G. Carlton c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1954 | Trustee since 2007 | President, Springboard — Partners in Cross Cultural Leadership (consulting company) since 2003; Managing Director of US Equity Research, JP Morgan Chase, 1999-2003; Director of US Equity Research, Chase Asset Management, 1996-1999; Co-Director Latin America Research, 1993-1996, COO Global Research, 1992-1996, Co-Director of US Research, 1991-1992, Investment Banker, 1982-1991, Morgan Stanley; Attorney, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, 1980-1982 | 176 | Trustee, New York Presbyterian Hospital Board (Executive Committee and Chair of People Committee) since 1996; Director, DR Bank (Audit Committee) since 2017; Director, Evercore Inc. (Audit Committee) since 2019; Director, Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. since 2021; the Governing Council of the Independent Directors Council (IDC), since 2021 |
| Janet Langford Carrig c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1957 | Trustee since 1996 | Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, ConocoPhillips (independent energy company), September 2007-October 2018 | 174 | Director, EQT Corporation (natural gas producer) since 2019; former Director, Whiting Petroleum Corporation (independent oil and gas company), 2020-2022 |
| J. Kevin Connaughton c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1964 | Trustee since 2020 | Member, FINRA National Adjudicatory Council since January 2020; Adjunct Professor of Finance, Bentley University since January 2018; Consultant to Independent Trustees of CFVIT and CFST I from March 2016 to June 2020 with respect to CFVIT and to December 2020 with respect to CFST I; Managing Director and General Manager of Mutual Fund Products, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC, May 2010-February 2015; President, Columbia Funds, 2008-2015; and senior officer of Columbia Funds and affiliated funds, 2003-2015 | 174 | Former Director, The Autism Project, March 2015-December 2021; former Member of the Investment Committee, St. Michael’s College, November 2015-February 2020; former Trustee, St. Michael’s College, June 2017-September 2019; former Trustee, New Century Portfolios, January 2015-December 2017 |
| 38 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Olive M. Darragh c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1962 | Trustee since 2020 | Managing Director of Darragh Inc. (strategy and talent management consulting firm) since 2010; Founder and CEO, Zolio, Inc. (investment management talent identification platform) since 2004; Consultant to Independent Trustees of CFVIT and CFST I from June 2019 to June 2020 with respect to CFVIT and to December 2020 with respect to CFST I; Partner, Tudor Investments, 2004-2010; Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company (consulting), 1990-2004; Touche Ross CPA, 1985-1988 | 174 | Former Director, University of Edinburgh Business School (Member of US Board); former Director, Boston Public Library Foundation |
| Patricia M. Flynn c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1950 | Trustee since 2004 | Trustee Professor of Economics and Management, Bentley University since 1976 (also teaches and conducts research on corporate governance); Dean, McCallum Graduate School of Business, Bentley University, 1992-2002 | 176 | Trustee, MA Taxpayers Foundation since 1997; former Board of Governors, Innovation Institute, MA Technology Collaborative, 2010-2020; former Board of Directors, The MA Business Roundtable, 2003-2019 |
| Brian J. Gallagher c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1954 | Trustee since 2017 | Retired; Partner with Deloitte & Touche LLP and its predecessors, 1977-2016 | 176 | Trustee, Catholic Schools Foundation since 2004 |
| Douglas A. Hacker c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1955 | Co-Chair since 2021; Chair of CFST I and CFVIT since 2014; Trustee of CFST I and CFVIT since 1996 and CFST, CFST II, CFVST II, CET I and CET II since 2021 | Independent business executive since May 2006; Executive Vice President – Strategy of United Airlines, December 2002 - May 2006; President of UAL Loyalty Services (airline marketing company), September 2001-December 2002; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of United Airlines, July 1999-September 2001 | 176 | Director, Spartan Nash Company (food distributor); Director, Aircastle Limited (Chair of Audit Committee) (aircraft leasing); former Director, Nash Finch Company (food distributor), 2005-2013; former Director, SeaCube Container Leasing Ltd. (container leasing), 2010-2013; and former Director, Travelport Worldwide Limited (travel information technology), 2014-2019 |
| Nancy T. Lukitsh c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1956 | Trustee since 2011 | Senior Vice President, Partner and Director of Marketing, Wellington Management Company, LLP (investment adviser), 1997-2010; Chair, Wellington Management Portfolios (commingled non-U.S. investment pools), 2007 -2010; Director, Wellington Trust Company, NA and other Wellington affiliates, 1997-2010 | 174 | None |
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 39 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| David M. Moffett c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1952 | Trustee since 2011 | Retired; Consultant to Bridgewater and Associates | 174 | Director, CSX Corporation (transportation suppliers); Director, Genworth Financial, Inc. (financial and insurance products and services); Director, PayPal Holdings Inc. (payment and data processing services); Trustee, University of Oklahoma Foundation; former Director, eBay Inc. (online trading community), 2007-2015; and former Director, CIT Bank, CIT Group Inc. (commercial and consumer finance), 2010-2016 |
| Catherine James Paglia c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1952 | Co-Chair since 2021; Chair of CFST, CFST II, CFVST II, CET I and CET II since 2020; Trustee of CFST, CFST II and CFVST II since 2004 and CFST I and CFVIT since 2021 | Director, Enterprise Asset Management, Inc. (private real estate and asset management company) since September 1998; Managing Director and Partner, Interlaken Capital, Inc., 1989-1997; Vice President, 1982-1985, Principal, 1985-1987, Managing Director, 1987-1989, Morgan Stanley; Vice President, Investment Banking, 1980-1982, Associate, Investment Banking, 1976-1980, Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc. | 176 | Director, Valmont Industries, Inc. (irrigation systems manufacturer) since 2012; Trustee, Carleton College (on the Investment Committee); Trustee, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (on the Investment Committee) |
| Minor M. Shaw c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1947 | Trustee since 2003 | President, Micco LLC (private investments) since 2011; President, Micco Corp. (family investment business), 1998-2011 | 176 | Director, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina (Chair of Compensation Committee) since April 2008; Trustee, Hollingsworth Funds (on the Investment Committee) since 2016 (previously Board Chair from 2016-2019); Former Advisory Board member, Duke Energy Corp., 2016-2020; Chair of the Duke Endowment; Chair of Greenville – Spartanburg Airport Commission; former Trustee, BofA Funds Series Trust (11 funds), 2003-2011; former Director, Piedmont Natural Gas, 2004-2016; former Director, National Association of Corporate Directors, Carolinas Chapter, 2013-2018; Chair, Daniel-Mickel Foundation since 1998 |
| 40 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Natalie A. Trunow c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1967 | Trustee since 2020 | Chief Executive Officer, Millennial Portfolio Solutions LLC (asset management and consulting services), January 2016-January 2021; Non-executive Member of the Investment Committee and Valuation Committee, Sarona Asset Management Inc. (private equity firm) since September 2019; Advisor, Horizon Investments (asset management and consulting services), August 2018-January 2021; Advisor, Paradigm Asset Management, November 2016-December 2021; Consultant to Independent Trustees of CFVIT and CFST I from September 2016 to June 2020 with respect to CFVIT and to December 2020 with respect to CFST I; Director of Investments/Consultant, Casey Family Programs, April 2016-November 2016; Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, Calvert Investments, August 2008-January 2016; Section Head and Portfolio Manager, General Motors Asset Management, June 1997-August 2008 | 174 | Former Director, Investment Committee, Health Services for Children with Special Needs, Inc., 2012-2019; Director, Chair of Audit Committee, Consumer Credit Counseling Services (formerly Guidewell Financial Solutions), since 2019; Independent Director, Investment Committee and Valuation Committee, Sarona Asset Management, since 2019 |
| Sandra L. Yeager c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1964 | Trustee since 2017 | Retired; President and founder, Hanoverian Capital, LLC (SEC registered investment advisor firm), 2008-2016; Managing Director, DuPont Capital, 2006-2008; Managing Director, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, 2004-2006; Senior Vice President, Alliance Bernstein, 1990-2004 | 176 | Former Director, NAPE Education Foundation, October 2016-October 2020 |
| * | The term “Columbia Funds Complex” as used herein includes Columbia Seligman Premium Technology Growth Fund, Tri-Continental Corporation and each series of Columbia Fund Series Trust (CFST), Columbia Funds Series Trust I (CFST I), Columbia Funds Series Trust II (CFST II), Columbia ETF Trust I (CET I), Columbia ETF Trust II (CET II), Columbia Funds Variable Insurance Trust (CFVIT) and Columbia Funds Variable Series Trust II (CFVST II). Messrs. Batejan, Beckman, Gallagher and Hacker and Mses. Blatz, Carlton, Flynn, Paglia, Shaw and Yeager serve as Directors of Columbia Seligman Premium Technology Growth Fund and Tri-Continental Corporation. |
Interested trustee affiliated with
Investment Manager*
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Daniel J. Beckman c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1962 | Trustee since November 2021 and President since June 2021 | Vice President – Head of North America Product, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC since April 2015; President and Principal Executive Officer of the Columbia Funds since June 2021; officer of Columbia Funds and affiliated funds, 2020-2021 | 176 | Director, Ameriprise Trust Company, since October 2016; Director, Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. since November 2018; Board of Governors, Columbia Wanger Asset Management, LLC since January 2022 |
| * | Interested person (as defined under the 1940 Act) by reason of being an officer, director, security holder and/or employee of the Investment Manager or Ameriprise Financial. |
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 41 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
The Statement of Additional Information has additional information about the Fund’s Board members and is available, without charge, upon request by calling 800.345.6611, visiting columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or contacting your financial intermediary.
(Unaudited)
The Statement of Additional Information has additional information about the Fund’s Board members and is available, without charge, upon request by calling 800.345.6611, visiting columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or contacting your financial intermediary.
The Board has appointed officers
who are responsible for day-to-day business decisions based on policies it has established. The officers serve at the pleasure of the Board. The following table provides basic information about the Officers of the
Fund as of the printing of this report, including principal occupations during the past five years, although their specific titles may have varied over the period. In addition to Mr. Beckman, who is President and
Principal Executive Officer, the Fund’s other officers are:
Fund officers
| 42 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Fund officers (continued)
(Unaudited)
Fund officers (continued)
| Name, address and year of birth | Position and year first appointed to position for any Fund in the Columbia Funds Complex or a predecessor thereof | Principal occupation(s) during past five years |
| Ryan C. Larrenaga 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1970 | Senior Vice President (2017), Chief Legal Officer (2017), and Secretary (2015) | Vice President and Chief Counsel, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since August 2018 (previously Vice President and Group Counsel, August 2011 - August 2018); Chief Legal Officer, Columbia Acorn/Wanger Funds, since September 2020; officer of Columbia Funds and affiliated funds since 2005. |
| Michael E. DeFao 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1968 | Vice President (2011) and Assistant Secretary (2010) | Vice President and Chief Counsel, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since May 2010; Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Assistant Secretary, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC since October 2021 (previously Vice President and Assistant Secretary, May 2010 – September 2021). |
| Lyn Kephart-Strong 5228 Ameriprise Financial Center Minneapolis, MN 55474 1960 | Vice President (2015) | President, Columbia Management Investment Services Corp. since October 2014; Vice President & Resolution Officer, Ameriprise Trust Company since August 2009. |
Liquidity Risk
Management Program
(Unaudited)
Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under the
1940 Act, the Fund has adopted a liquidity risk management program (Program). The Program’s principal objectives include assessing, managing and periodically reviewing the Fund’s liquidity risk. Liquidity
risk is defined as the risk that the Fund could not meet redemption requests without significant dilution of remaining investors’ interests in the Fund.
The Board has appointed the
Investment Manager as the program administrator for the Fund’s Program. The Investment Manager has delegated oversight of the Program to its Liquidity Risk Management Committee (the Committee). At a board
meeting during the fiscal period, the Committee provided the Board with a report addressing the operations of the program and assessing its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation for the period January 1, 2021,
through December 31, 2021, including:
| • | the Fund had sufficient liquidity to both meet redemptions and operate effectively on behalf of shareholders; |
| • | there were no material changes to the Program during the period; |
| • | the implementation of the Program was effective to manage the Fund’s liquidity risk; and |
| • | the Program operated adequately during the period. |
There can be no assurance that the
Program will achieve its objectives in the future. Please refer to the Fund’s prospectus for more information regarding the Fund’s exposure to liquidity risk and other principal risks to which an
investment in the Fund may be subject.
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 43 |
Approval of Management
Agreement
(Unaudited)
Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC (the Investment Manager, and together with its domestic and global affiliates, Columbia Threadneedle Investments), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (Ameriprise Financial), serves
as the investment manager to Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund (the Fund). Under a management agreement (the Management Agreement), the Investment Manager provides investment advice and other services to the Fund
and other funds distributed by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. (collectively, the Funds).
On an annual basis, the
Fund’s Board of Trustees (the Board), including the independent Board members (the Independent Trustees), considers renewal of the Management Agreement. The Investment Manager prepared detailed reports for the
Board and its Contracts Committee (including its Contracts Subcommittee) in November 2021 and March, April and June 2022, including reports providing the results of analyses performed by an independent third-party
data provider, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (Broadridge), and comprehensive responses to written requests for information by independent legal counsels to the Independent Trustees (Independent Legal Counsel)
to the Investment Manager, to assist the Board in making this determination. In addition, throughout the year, the Board (or its committees or subcommittees) regularly meets with portfolio management teams and senior
management personnel and reviews information prepared by the Investment Manager addressing the services the Investment Manager provides and Fund performance. The Board also accords appropriate weight to the work,
deliberations and conclusions of the various committees, such as the Contracts Committee, the Investment Review Committee, the Audit Committee and the Compliance Committee in determining whether to continue the
Management Agreement.
The Board, at its June 23, 2022
Board meeting (the June Meeting), considered the renewal of the Management Agreement for an additional one-year term. At the June Meeting, Independent Legal Counsel reviewed with the Independent Trustees various
factors relevant to the Board’s consideration of advisory agreements and the Board’s legal responsibilities related to such consideration. The Independent Trustees considered all information that they,
their legal counsel or the Investment Manager believed reasonably necessary to evaluate and to approve the continuation of the Management Agreement. Among other things, the information and factors considered included
the following:
| • | Information on the investment performance of the Fund relative to the performance of a group of mutual funds determined to be comparable to the Fund by Broadridge, as well as performance relative to benchmarks; |
| • | Information on the Fund’s management fees and total expenses, including information comparing the Fund’s expenses to those of a group of comparable mutual funds, as determined by Broadridge; |
| • | The Investment Manager’s agreement to contractually limit or cap total operating expenses for the Fund so that total operating expenses (excluding certain fees and expenses, such as transaction costs and certain other investment related expenses, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses and infrequent and/or unusual expenses) would not exceed a specified annual rate, as a percentage of the Fund’s net assets; |
| • | Terms of the Management Agreement; |
| • | Descriptions of other agreements and arrangements with affiliates of the Investment Manager relating to the operations of the Fund, including agreements with respect to the provision of transfer agency and shareholder services to the Fund; |
| • | Descriptions of various services performed by the Investment Manager under the Management Agreement, including portfolio management and portfolio trading practices; |
| • | Information regarding any recently negotiated management fees of similarly-managed portfolios of other institutional clients of the Investment Manager; |
| • | Information regarding the resources of the Investment Manager, including information regarding senior management, portfolio managers and other personnel; |
| • | Information regarding the capabilities of the Investment Manager with respect to compliance monitoring services; |
| • | The profitability to the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund; and |
| • | Report provided by the Board’s independent fee consultant, JDL Consultants, LLC (JDL). |
| 44 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Approval of Management Agreement (continued)
(Unaudited)
Following an analysis and discussion of the foregoing, and the factors identified below, the Board, including all of the Independent Trustees, approved the renewal of the Management Agreement.
(Unaudited)
Following an analysis and discussion of the foregoing, and the factors identified below, the Board, including all of the Independent Trustees, approved the renewal of the Management Agreement.
Nature, extent and quality of
services provided by the Investment Manager
The Board analyzed various
reports and presentations it had received detailing the services performed by the Investment Manager, as well as its history, expertise, resources and relative capabilities, and the qualifications of its personnel.
The Board specifically considered
the many developments during recent years concerning the services provided by the Investment Manager. Among other things, the Board noted the organization and depth of the equity and credit research departments. The
Board further observed the enhancements to the investment risk management department’s processes, systems and oversight, over the past several years, as well as planned 2022 initiatives in this regard. The Board
also took into account the broad scope of services provided by the Investment Manager to the Fund, including, among other services, investment, risk and compliance oversight. The Board also took into account the
information it received concerning the Investment Manager’s ability to attract and retain key portfolio management personnel and that it has sufficient resources to provide competitive and adequate compensation
to investment personnel. The Board also observed that the Investment Manager has been able to effectively manage, operate and distribute the Funds through the COVID-19 pandemic period with no disruptions in services
provided. The Board also considered added personnel and resources obtained by Columbia Threadneedle through Ameriprise Financial’s acquisition of BMO Financial Group’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa
(EMEA) asset management business.
In connection with the
Board’s evaluation of the overall package of services provided by the Investment Manager, the Board also considered the nature, quality and range of administrative services provided to the Fund by the Investment
Manager, as well as the achievements in 2021 in the performance of administrative services, and noted the various enhancements anticipated for 2022. In evaluating the quality of services provided under the Management
Agreement, the Board also took into account the organization and strength of the Fund’s and its service providers’ compliance programs. The Board also reviewed the financial condition of the Investment
Manager and its affiliates and each entity’s ability to carry out its responsibilities under the Management Agreement and the Fund’s other service agreements.
In addition, the Board discussed
the acceptability of the terms of the Management Agreement, noting that no changes were proposed from the form of agreement previously approved. The Board also noted the wide array of legal and compliance services
provided to the Fund under the Management Agreement.
After reviewing these and related
factors (including investment performance as discussed below), the Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the Fund under the
Management Agreement supported the continuation of the Management Agreement.
Investment performance
In this connection, the Board
carefully reviewed the investment performance of the Fund, including detailed reports providing the results of analyses performed by each of the Investment Manager, Broadridge and JDL collectively showing, for various
periods (including since manager inception): (i) the performance of the Fund, (ii) the performance of a benchmark index, (iii) the percentage ranking of the Fund among its comparison group, (iv) the Fund’s
performance relative to peers and benchmarks and (v) the net assets of the Fund. The Board observed that the Fund’s performance for certain periods ranked above median based on information provided by
Broadridge.
The Board also reviewed a
description of the third-party data provider’s methodology for identifying the Fund’s peer groups for purposes of performance and expense comparisons.
The Board also considered the
Investment Manager’s performance and reputation generally. After reviewing these and related factors, the Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the performance of the Fund and
the Investment Manager, in light of other considerations, supported the continuation of the Management Agreement.
| Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 45 |
Approval of Management Agreement (continued)
(Unaudited)
Comparative fees, costs of services provided and the profits realized by the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund
(Unaudited)
Comparative fees, costs of services provided and the profits realized by the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund
The Board reviewed comparative
fees and the costs of services provided under the Management Agreement. The Board members considered detailed comparative information set forth in an annual report on fees and expenses, including, among other things,
data (based on analyses conducted by Broadridge and JDL) showing a comparison of the Fund’s expenses with median expenses paid by funds in its comparative peer universe, as well as data showing the Fund’s
contribution to the Investment Manager’s profitability. The Board reviewed the fees charged to comparable institutional or other accounts/vehicles managed by the Investment Manager and discussed differences in
how the products are managed and operated, thus explaining many of the differences in fees.
The Board considered the reports of
JDL, which assisted in the Board’s analysis of the Funds’ performance and expenses and the reasonableness of the Funds’ fee rates. The Board accorded particular weight to the notion that a primary
objective of the level of fees is to achieve a rational pricing model applied consistently across the various product lines in the Fund family, while assuring that the overall fees for each Fund (with certain
exceptions) are generally in line with the current "pricing philosophy" such that Fund total expense ratios, in general, approximate or are lower than the median expense ratios of funds in the same Lipper comparison
universe. The Board took into account that the Fund’s total expense ratio (after considering proposed expense caps/waivers) approximated the peer universe’s median expense ratio.
After reviewing these and related
factors, the Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the levels of management fees and expenses of the Fund, in light of other considerations, supported the continuation of the
Management Agreement.
The Board also considered the
profitability of the Investment Manager and its affiliates in connection with the Investment Manager providing management services to the Fund. With respect to the profitability of the Investment Manager and its
affiliates, the Independent Trustees referred to information discussing the profitability to the Investment Manager and Ameriprise Financial from managing, operating and distributing the Funds. The Board considered
that in 2021 the Board had considered 2020 profitability and that the 2022 information showed that the profitability generated by the Investment Manager in 2021 increased from 2020 levels, due to a variety of factors,
including the increased assets under management of the Funds. It also took into account the indirect economic benefits flowing to the Investment Manager or its affiliates in connection with managing or distributing
the Funds, such as the enhanced ability to offer various other financial products to Ameriprise Financial customers, soft dollar benefits and overall reputational advantages. The Board noted that the fees paid by the
Fund should permit the Investment Manager to offer competitive compensation to its personnel, make necessary investments in its business and earn an appropriate profit. After reviewing these and related factors, the
Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the costs of services provided and the profitability to the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund supported
the continuation of the Management Agreement.
Economies of scale
The Board considered the
economies of scale that might be realized as the Fund’s net asset level grows and took note of the extent to which Fund shareholders might also benefit from such growth. The Board took into account, however,
that the Management Agreement already provides for a relatively low flat fee regardless of the Fund’s asset level, and requires Columbia Threadneedle to provide investment advice, as well as administrative,
accounting and other services to the Fund.
Conclusion
The Board reviewed all of the
above considerations in reaching its decision to approve the continuation of the Management Agreement. In reaching its conclusions, no single factor was determinative.
On June 23, 2022, the Board,
including all of the Independent Trustees, determined that fees payable under the Management Agreement were fair and reasonable in light of the extent and quality of services provided and approved the renewal of the
Management Agreement.
| 46 | Columbia Ultra Short Term Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Please read and consider the
investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses for any fund carefully before investing. For a prospectus and summary prospectus, which contains this and other important information about the Fund, go to
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/. The Fund is distributed by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc., member FINRA, and managed by Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC.
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/. The Fund is distributed by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc., member FINRA, and managed by Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC.
Columbia Threadneedle Investments
(Columbia Threadneedle) is the global brand name of the Columbia and Threadneedle group of companies. All rights reserved.
© 2022 Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC.
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/
ANN103_07_M01_(09/22)
Columbia U.S.
Social Bond Fund
Not FDIC or NCUA Insured •
No Financial Institution Guarantee • May Lose Value
Table of Contents
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| 41 | |
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| 49 |
If you elect to receive the
shareholder report for Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund (the Fund) in paper, mailed to you, the Fund mails one shareholder report to each shareholder address, unless such shareholder elects to receive shareholder
reports from the Fund electronically via e-mail or by having a paper notice mailed to you (Postcard Notice) that your Fund’s shareholder report is available at the Columbia funds’ website
(columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/). If you would like more than one report in paper to be mailed to you, or would like to elect to receive reports via e-mail or access them through Postcard Notice, please call
shareholder services at 800.345.6611 and additional reports will be sent to you.
Proxy voting policies and
procedures
The policy of the Board of Trustees
is to vote the proxies of the companies in which the Fund holds investments consistent with the procedures as stated in the Statement of Additional Information (SAI). You may obtain a copy of the SAI without charge by
calling 800.345.6611; contacting your financial intermediary; visiting columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/; or searching the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) at sec.gov. Information regarding
how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities is filed with the SEC by August 31st for the most recent 12-month period ending June 30th of that year, and is available without charge by visiting
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/, or searching the website of the SEC at sec.gov.
Quarterly schedule of
investments
The Fund files a complete schedule
of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-PORT. The Fund’s Form N-PORT filings are available on the SEC’s website at sec.gov. The Fund’s
complete schedule of portfolio holdings, as filed on Form N-PORT, is available on columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or can also be obtained without charge, upon request, by calling 800.345.6611.
Additional Fund information
For more information about the
Fund, please visit columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or call 800.345.6611. Customer Service Representatives are available to answer your questions Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Fund investment manager
Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (the
Investment Manager)
290 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
Fund distributor
Columbia Management Investment Distributors,
Inc.
290 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
Fund transfer agent
Columbia Management Investment Services Corp.
P.O. Box 219104
Kansas City, MO 64121-9104
Columbia U.S. Social Bond
Fund | Annual Report 2022
Fund at a Glance
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
Investment objective
The Fund
seeks total return, consisting of current income and capital appreciation, through investments that seek to support and fund socially beneficial activities and developments, primarily in the U.S.
Portfolio management
Catherine Stienstra
Lead Portfolio Manager
Managed Fund since February 2022
Tom Murphy, CFA
Portfolio Manager
Managed Fund since 2015
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 3 |
Fund at a Glance (continued)
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
Performance of a hypothetical $10,000 investment (March 26, 2015 — July 31, 2022)
The chart above shows the change in
value of a hypothetical $10,000 investment in Class A shares of Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund during the stated time period, and does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder may pay on Fund
distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares.
| 4 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Fund at a Glance (continued)
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
| Top Ten States/Territories (%) (at July 31, 2022) | |
| New York | 7.8 |
| Texas | 6.3 |
| Pennsylvania | 6.2 |
| California | 6.1 |
| Illinois | 4.9 |
| Florida | 3.8 |
| Virginia | 3.7 |
| Ohio | 3.6 |
| Washington | 3.6 |
| Louisiana | 3.6 |
Percentages indicated are based
upon total investments excluding Money Market Funds and investments in derivatives, if any.
For further detail about these
holdings, please refer to the section entitled “Portfolio of Investments.”
Fund holdings are as of the date
given, are subject to change at any time, and are not recommendations to buy or sell any security.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 5 |
Manager Discussion of Fund Performance
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
For the 12-month period that
ended July 31, 2022, Class A shares of Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund returned -8.22% excluding sales charges. Institutional Class shares of the Fund returned -7.99%. The Fund underperformed its benchmark, the
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index, which returned -6.93% for the same time period.
Market overview
As the annual period began in
August 2021, a Delta-variant-driven resurgence in COVID-19 cases was weighing on investors’ minds. Initially, the expectation of slower economic growth pushed U.S. Treasury yields lower. By the end of September,
though, data supported the view that the Delta variant should be a speed bump rather than a roadblock, and U.S. Treasury yields had risen well off the August low. Such interest rate volatility led most fixed-income
sectors to negative returns for the third calendar quarter, but municipal bond performance remained one of the few positive corners of the U.S. fixed-income market. Inflows remained positive, and, on the supply side,
approximately $89 billion of tax-exempt issuance came to market, in line with the prior quarter. Tax revenue performance in most locales outpaced expectations, driving improved credit fundamentals and leaving many
municipal issuers in healthy fiscal positions.
The year 2021 ended with yet
another new COVID-19 variant emerging, but despite higher transmissibility, Omicron appeared to be less severe than originally feared. With economic growth and employment seemingly on track, the U.S. Federal Reserve
(Fed) began tapering its asset purchases while acknowledging conditions pushing inflation higher could persist. This served to elevate interest rate volatility for the fourth calendar quarter. Municipal bonds were not
immune to the volatility yet still outperformed U.S. Treasuries. Congressional passage of an infrastructure spending plan provided support to the municipal bond sector via federal spending. Fund inflows remained
positive. On the supply side, approximately $81 billon of tax-exempt issuance arrived in the market during the quarter, complemented by another $34 billion on the taxable side. A combination of tax revenue
outperformance, driven by ongoing economic expansion, and additional federal spending from the infrastructure bill left most municipal issuers in healthy fiscal positions to start the new calendar year. However,
entering 2022 with relatively full valuations and low absolute yields left little margin for error within the municipal bond market, and as messaging from the Fed grew increasingly hawkish, municipal bonds no longer
remained immune from rising interest rates. (Hawkish tends to suggest higher interest rates; opposite of dovish.)
The first quarter of 2022 closed
with the Fund’s benchmark down 6.23% in the worst drawdown since the COVID-19 sell-off and the worst first quarter return since 1980. As is often the case with municipal bonds, negative returns precipitated
outflows, which, in turn, led to more negative returns. After 2021’s record inflows, Lipper reported 12 consecutive weeks of investor redemptions during the first calendar quarter. Long and intermediate national
funds, as well as high-yield funds, experienced the heaviest pressure. A silver lining to the sell-off was that credit fundamentals were not a concern, as evidenced by the modest differential between
below-investment-grade and investment-grade returns. A lack of high-yield supply helped to keep those returns relatively tight, and lower new issue supply avoided exacerbating the returns.
The municipal bond market continued
to sell off as the second quarter of 2022 began, with April returns the third worst for the month on record. Interest rate volatility drove persistent outflows, which kept prices from finding a floor despite relative
value measures appearing quite attractive. By mid-May, a stabilization of outflows, coupled with a recognition of attractive valuations, sparked a sharp reversal, driving the benchmark back into positive territory for
the month. However, this rally proved short-lived, as June brought with it fresh highs for U.S. Treasury yields. Though pressure on U.S. Treasuries was most pronounced at the short-term end, long-maturity municipal
yields rose more and pressed the municipal bond yield curve to its steepest levels since March 2021. (A steep yield curve means yields on longer maturity bonds are higher than those on shorter maturity bonds.) Through
the last full week of June 2022, Lipper reported fund outflows of $17.3 billion for the month and $75.5 billion calendar year-to-date, a new record for a municipal outflow cycle. While this sell-off was primarily
rate-driven, a more pronounced divergence between credit quality segments emerged as concerns around slowing economic growth spilled into municipal sectors. In June 2022, for example, high-yield municipal bonds posted
the weakest performance, while high quality municipal bonds fared much better by comparison. In a significant reversal, July 2022 was a positive month for municipal bonds, with all sectors posting gains amid still
strong demand and slightly decreased supply.
For the annual period overall,
absolute returns disappointed, but the municipal bond market outperformed both U.S. Treasuries and the broad U.S. fixed-income market. Within the municipal bond market, highly rated bonds outperformed their lower
rated counterparts.
| 6 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Manager Discussion of Fund Performance (continued)
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
The Fund’s notable
detractors during the period
| • | The Fund’s duration and yield curve positioning detracted most from the Fund’s relative results during the annual period. |
| ○ | The Fund had a longer duration profile than that of the benchmark, which hurt as municipal yields rose significantly during the annual period. |
| ○ | The Fund had an overweight to municipal bonds with maturities of 12 years and more, but bonds with shorter maturities outperformed those with longer maturities during the annual period. |
| • | The Fund’s three largest allocations on average during the annual period were to the local general obligation, hospital and housing sectors given their comparatively greater propensity to have a high score when analyzing positive social and environmental impact. However, having overweighted allocations to the local general obligation, hospital and housing sectors, as well as to charter schools, which each underperformed the benchmark during the annual period, hurt. |
| ○ | The Fund’s local general obligation bond exposure, the largest allocation within the portfolio during the annual period, has tended to be with issuers of high impact proceed bonds for schools in needy communities, such as K-12 and community colleges districts. |
| ○ | The Fund’s second-largest exposure was to the hospital sector, which targets providers of health care services that serve disadvantaged populations who rely on government programs such as Medicaid for their coverage. |
| ○ | The Fund’s allocation to multifamily housing was established due to the high impact affordable housing can offer many communities. But the sector’s longer duration positioning and par structure led to relatively weak returns during the annual period. (A par bond is one that trades at its face value, i.e., has a yield matching the coupon amount attached to the bond.) |
| • | Having an underweight to the state general obligation sector, which outperformed the benchmark during the annual period, hurt. |
| • | Security selection detracted most in the water and sewer, hospital and local general obligation sectors. |
| • | From a credit quality perspective, the Fund’s overweight to BBB-rated bonds and underweights to bonds rated AAA and AA detracted, as BBB-rated municipal bonds were the weakest performers within the investment-grade segment of the market during the annual period. |
| • | Exposure to below-investment-grade and non-rated municipal bonds, which are not components of the benchmark, also dampened results, as high-yield underperformed higher quality bonds overall during the annual period. |
The Fund’s notable
contributors during the period
| • | Having an overweight to the water and sewer sector, which outperformed the benchmark during the annual period, and underweighted allocations to the weaker performing tolls and special tax sectors contributed positively to the Fund’s relative results. |
| • | Issue selection in the pre-refunded and electricity sectors boosted relative results. |
Market risk may affect a single issuer, sector of the economy, industry or the market as a whole. Social impact investing may increase risk due to the limitations and constraints involved in investment selection and, as a result, the Fund may under perform other funds that do not consider the social
impact. Fixed-income securities present issuer default risk. A rise in interest rates may result in a price decline of fixed-income instruments held by the Fund, negatively impacting its performance and NAV. Falling rates may result in the Fund investing in lower yielding
debt instruments, lowering the Fund’s income and yield. These risks may be heightened for longer maturity and duration securities. Non-investment-grade (high-yield or junk) securities present greater price volatility and more risk to principal and income than higher rated securities. Prepayment and extension risk exists because the timing of payments on a loan, bond or other investment may accelerate when interest rates fall or decelerate when interest rates rise which may reduce investment
opportunities and potential returns. The Fund invests substantially in municipal securities and will be affected by tax, legislative, regulatory, demographic or political changes, as well as changes impacting a state’s financial, economic or other conditions. A relatively
small number of tax-exempt issuers may necessitate the Fund investing more heavily in a single issuer and, therefore, be more exposed to the risk of loss than a fund that invests more broadly. The Fund may invest
significantly in issuers within a particular sector, which may be negatively affected by market, economic or other conditions, making the Fund more vulnerable
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 7 |
Manager Discussion of Fund Performance (continued)
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
to unfavorable developments in the sector. Market or other (e.g., interest rate) environments may adversely affect the liquidity of fund investments, negatively impacting their price. Generally, the less liquid the market at the time the Fund sells a holding, the greater the risk of loss or decline of
value to the Fund. As a non-diversified fund, fewer investments could have a greater effect on performance. See the Fund’s prospectus for more information on these and other risks.
The views expressed in this report
reflect the current views of the respective parties who have contributed to this report. These views are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult
to predict, so actual outcomes and results may differ significantly from the views expressed. These views are subject to change at any time based upon economic, market or other conditions and the respective parties
disclaim any responsibility to update such views. These views may not be relied on as investment advice and, because investment decisions for a Columbia fund are based on numerous factors, may not be relied on as an
indication of trading intent on behalf of any particular Columbia fund. References to specific securities should not be construed as a recommendation or investment advice.
| 8 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Understanding Your Fund’s
Expenses
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
As an investor, you incur two types
of costs. There are shareholder transaction costs, which generally include sales charges on purchases and may include redemption fees. There are also ongoing fund costs, which generally include management fees,
distribution and/or service fees, and other fund expenses. The following information is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to help you compare these costs with
the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.
Analyzing your Fund’s
expenses
To illustrate these ongoing
costs, we have provided examples and calculated the expenses paid by investors in each share class of the Fund during the period. The actual and hypothetical information in the table is based on an initial investment
of $1,000 at the beginning of the period indicated and held for the entire period. Expense information is calculated two ways and each method provides you with different information. The amount listed in the
“Actual” column is calculated using the Fund’s actual operating expenses and total return for the period. You may use the Actual information, together with the amount invested, to estimate the
expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the results by the expenses paid during the period under
the “Actual” column. The amount listed in the “Hypothetical” column assumes a 5% annual rate of return before expenses (which is not the Fund’s actual return) and then applies the
Fund’s actual expense ratio for the period to the hypothetical return. You should not use the hypothetical account values and expenses to estimate either your actual account balance at the end of the period or
the expenses you paid during the period. See “Compare with other funds” below for details on how to use the hypothetical data.
Compare with other funds
Since all mutual funds are
required to include the same hypothetical calculations about expenses in shareholder reports, you can use this information to compare the ongoing cost of investing in the Fund with other funds. To do so, compare the
hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds. As you compare hypothetical examples of other funds, it is important to note that hypothetical examples are
meant to highlight the ongoing costs of investing in a fund only and do not reflect any transaction costs, such as sales charges, or redemption or exchange fees. Therefore, the hypothetical calculations are useful in
comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. If transaction costs were included in these calculations, your costs would be higher.
Expenses paid during the period
are equal to the annualized expense ratio for each class as indicated above, multiplied by the average account value over the period and then multiplied by the number of days in the Fund’s most recent fiscal
half year and divided by 365.
Expenses do not include fees and
expenses incurred indirectly by the Fund from its investment in underlying funds, including affiliated and non-affiliated pooled investment vehicles, such as mutual funds and exchange-traded funds.
Had Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC and/or certain of its affiliates not waived/reimbursed certain fees and expenses, account value at the end of the period would have been reduced.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 9 |
Portfolio of Investments
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
(Percentages represent value of
investments compared to net assets)
Investments in securities
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 10 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 11 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 12 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 13 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 14 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 15 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 16 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 17 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 18 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The accompanying Notes to Financial
Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 19 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Notes to Portfolio of
Investments
| (a) | Represents privately placed and other securities and instruments exempt from Securities and Exchange Commission registration (collectively, private placements), such as Section 4(a)(2) and Rule 144A eligible securities, which are often sold only to qualified institutional buyers. At July 31, 2022, the total value of these securities amounted to $2,378,735, which represents 3.17% of total net assets. |
| (b) | Represents a variable rate security with a step coupon where the rate adjusts according to a schedule for a series of periods, typically lower for an initial period and then increasing to a higher coupon rate thereafter. The interest rate shown was the current rate as of July 31, 2022. |
| (c) | The Fund is entitled to receive principal and interest from the guarantor after a day or a week’s notice or upon maturity. The maturity date disclosed represents the final maturity. |
| (d) | Represents a variable rate security where the coupon rate adjusts on specified dates (generally daily or weekly) using the prevailing money market rate. The interest rate shown was the current rate as of July 31, 2022. |
| (e) | Income from this security may be subject to alternative minimum tax. |
| (f) | Represents securities that have defaulted on payment of interest. The Fund has stopped accruing interest on these securities. At July 31, 2022, the total value of these securities amounted to $204,000, which represents 0.27% of total net assets. |
| (g) | Municipal obligations include debt obligations issued by or on behalf of territories, possessions, or sovereign nations within the territorial boundaries of the United States. At July 31, 2022, the total value of these securities amounted to $773,948, which represents 1.03% of total net assets. |
| (h) | Zero coupon bond. |
| (i) | The rate shown is the seven-day current annualized yield at July 31, 2022. |
Abbreviation Legend
| AGM | Assured Guaranty Municipal Corporation |
| AMBAC | Ambac Assurance Corporation |
| BAM | Build America Mutual Assurance Co. |
| FHA | Federal Housing Authority |
| FNMA | Federal National Mortgage Association |
| GNMA | Government National Mortgage Association |
| HUD | Department of Housing and Urban Development |
| NPFGC | National Public Finance Guarantee Corporation |
Fair value measurements
The Fund categorizes its fair
value measurements according to a three-level hierarchy that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by prioritizing that the most observable input be used when available.
Observable inputs are those that market participants would use in pricing an investment based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs are those that reflect the
Fund’s assumptions about the information market participants would use in pricing an investment. An investment’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is
deemed significant to the asset’s or liability’s fair value measurement. The input levels are not necessarily an indication of the risk or liquidity associated with investments at that level. For example,
certain U.S. government securities are generally high quality and liquid, however, they are reflected as Level 2 because the inputs used to determine fair value may not always be quoted prices in an active market.
Fair value inputs are summarized in
the three broad levels listed below:
| ■ | Level 1 — Valuations based on quoted prices for investments in active markets that the Fund has the ability to access at the measurement date. Valuation adjustments are not applied to Level 1 investments. |
| ■ | Level 2 — Valuations based on other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risks, etc.). |
| ■ | Level 3 — Valuations based on significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions and judgment in determining the fair value of investments). |
Inputs that are used in determining
fair value of an investment may include price information, credit data, volatility statistics, and other factors. These inputs can be either observable or unobservable. The availability of observable inputs can vary
between investments, and is affected by various factors such as the type of investment, and the volume and level of activity for that investment or similar investments in the marketplace. The inputs will be considered
by the Investment Manager, along with any other relevant factors in the calculation of an investment’s fair value. The Fund uses prices and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, which may include
periods of market dislocations. During these periods, the availability of prices and inputs may be reduced for many investments. This condition could cause an investment to be reclassified between the various levels
within the hierarchy.
Investments falling into the Level 3
category are primarily supported by quoted prices from brokers and dealers participating in the market for those investments. However, these may be classified as Level 3 investments due to lack of market transparency
and corroboration to support these quoted prices. Additionally, valuation models may be used as the pricing source for any remaining investments classified as Level 3. These models may rely on one or more significant
unobservable inputs and/or significant assumptions by the Investment Manager. Inputs used in valuations may include, but are not limited to, financial statement analysis, capital account balances, discount rates and
estimated cash flows, and comparable company data.
Under the direction of the
Fund’s Board of Trustees (the Board), the Investment Manager’s Valuation Committee (the Committee) is responsible for overseeing the valuation procedures approved by the Board. The Committee consists of
voting and non-voting members from various groups within the Investment Manager’s organization, including operations and accounting, trading and investments, compliance, risk management and legal.
The Committee meets at least monthly
to review and approve valuation matters, which may include a description of specific valuation determinations, data regarding pricing information received from approved pricing vendors and brokers and the results of
Board-approved valuation control policies and procedures (the Policies). The Policies address, among other things, instances when market quotations are or are not readily available, including recommendations of third
party pricing vendors and a determination of appropriate pricing methodologies; events that require specific valuation determinations and assessment of fair value techniques; securities with a potential for stale
pricing, including those that are
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| 20 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Portfolio of Investments (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Fair value measurements (continued)
illiquid, restricted, or in default; and the effectiveness of third party pricing vendors, including periodic reviews of vendors. The Committee meets more frequently, as needed, to discuss additional valuation matters, which may include the need to review back-testing results, review time-sensitive information or approve related valuation actions. The Committee reports to the Board, with members of the Committee meeting with the Board at each of its regularly scheduled meetings to discuss valuation matters and actions during the period, similar to those described earlier.
illiquid, restricted, or in default; and the effectiveness of third party pricing vendors, including periodic reviews of vendors. The Committee meets more frequently, as needed, to discuss additional valuation matters, which may include the need to review back-testing results, review time-sensitive information or approve related valuation actions. The Committee reports to the Board, with members of the Committee meeting with the Board at each of its regularly scheduled meetings to discuss valuation matters and actions during the period, similar to those described earlier.
The following table is a summary of
the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments at July 31, 2022:
| Level 1 ($) | Level 2 ($) | Level 3 ($) | Total ($) | |
| Investments in Securities | ||||
| Corporate Bonds & Notes | — | 5,756,848 | — | 5,756,848 |
| Floating Rate Notes | — | 1,250,000 | — | 1,250,000 |
| Municipal Bonds | — | 61,977,906 | — | 61,977,906 |
| Money Market Funds | 5,069,268 | — | — | 5,069,268 |
| Total Investments in Securities | 5,069,268 | 68,984,754 | — | 74,054,022 |
See the Portfolio of Investments for
all investment classifications not indicated in the table.
The Fund’s assets assigned to
the Level 2 input category are generally valued using the market approach, in which a security’s value is determined through reference to prices and information from market transactions for similar or identical
assets.
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 21 |
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
| Assets | |
| Investments in securities, at value | |
| Unaffiliated issuers (cost $77,049,889) | $74,054,022 |
| Cash | 402,115 |
| Receivable for: | |
| Capital shares sold | 135,363 |
| Interest | 685,254 |
| Expense reimbursement due from Investment Manager | 628 |
| Prepaid expenses | 3,643 |
| Trustees’ deferred compensation plan | 32,615 |
| Total assets | 75,313,640 |
| Liabilities | |
| Payable for: | |
| Capital shares purchased | 94,442 |
| Distributions to shareholders | 138,201 |
| Management services fees | 984 |
| Distribution and/or service fees | 121 |
| Transfer agent fees | 4,372 |
| Compensation of board members | 8,387 |
| Other expenses | 18,415 |
| Trustees’ deferred compensation plan | 32,615 |
| Total liabilities | 297,537 |
| Net assets applicable to outstanding capital stock | $75,016,103 |
| Represented by | |
| Paid in capital | 78,376,864 |
| Total distributable earnings (loss) | (3,360,761) |
| Total - representing net assets applicable to outstanding capital stock | $75,016,103 |
| Class A | |
| Net assets | $13,616,470 |
| Shares outstanding | 1,392,719 |
| Net asset value per share | $9.78 |
| Maximum sales charge | 3.00% |
| Maximum offering price per share (calculated by dividing the net asset value per share by 1.0 minus the maximum sales charge for Class A shares) | $10.08 |
| Advisor Class | |
| Net assets | $5,763,759 |
| Shares outstanding | 589,705 |
| Net asset value per share | $9.77 |
| Class C | |
| Net assets | $1,013,426 |
| Shares outstanding | 103,674 |
| Net asset value per share | $9.78 |
| Institutional Class | |
| Net assets | $42,481,502 |
| Shares outstanding | 4,344,908 |
| Net asset value per share | $9.78 |
| Institutional 2 Class | |
| Net assets | $4,387,327 |
| Shares outstanding | 448,364 |
| Net asset value per share | $9.79 |
| Institutional 3 Class | |
| Net assets | $7,753,619 |
| Shares outstanding | 790,321 |
| Net asset value per share | $9.81 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| 22 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Statement of Operations
Year Ended July 31, 2022
Year Ended July 31, 2022
| Net investment income | |
| Income: | |
| Dividends — unaffiliated issuers | $3,261 |
| Interest | 1,854,405 |
| Total income | 1,857,666 |
| Expenses: | |
| Management services fees | 343,254 |
| Distribution and/or service fees | |
| Class A | 35,650 |
| Class C | 13,041 |
| Transfer agent fees | |
| Class A | 12,218 |
| Advisor Class | 2,476 |
| Class C | 1,116 |
| Institutional Class | 35,981 |
| Institutional 2 Class | 2,222 |
| Institutional 3 Class | 535 |
| Compensation of board members | 13,342 |
| Custodian fees | 1,773 |
| Printing and postage fees | 14,809 |
| Registration fees | 87,739 |
| Audit fees | 29,500 |
| Legal fees | 11,177 |
| Compensation of chief compliance officer | 18 |
| Other | 10,462 |
| Total expenses | 615,313 |
| Fees waived or expenses reimbursed by Investment Manager and its affiliates | (254,634) |
| Total net expenses | 360,679 |
| Net investment income | 1,496,987 |
| Realized and unrealized gain (loss) — net | |
| Net realized gain (loss) on: | |
| Investments — unaffiliated issuers | (18,825) |
| Futures contracts | 85,944 |
| Net realized gain | 67,119 |
| Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on: | |
| Investments — unaffiliated issuers | (7,687,105) |
| Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) | (7,687,105) |
| Net realized and unrealized loss | (7,619,986) |
| Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations | $(6,122,999) |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 23 |
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
| Year Ended July 31, 2022 | Year Ended July 31, 2021 | |
| Operations | ||
| Net investment income | $1,496,987 | $1,450,306 |
| Net realized gain | 67,119 | 33,459 |
| Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) | (7,687,105) | 734,051 |
| Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | (6,122,999) | 2,217,816 |
| Distributions to shareholders | ||
| Net investment income and net realized gains | ||
| Class A | (270,527) | (286,103) |
| Advisor Class | (63,564) | (47,112) |
| Class C | (14,809) | (21,380) |
| Institutional Class | (904,206) | (884,786) |
| Institutional 2 Class | (82,050) | (71,421) |
| Institutional 3 Class | (162,197) | (135,066) |
| Total distributions to shareholders | (1,497,353) | (1,445,868) |
| Increase in net assets from capital stock activity | 11,353,597 | 7,480,454 |
| Total increase in net assets | 3,733,245 | 8,252,402 |
| Net assets at beginning of year | 71,282,858 | 63,030,456 |
| Net assets at end of year | $75,016,103 | $71,282,858 |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 24 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Statement of Changes in Net Assets (continued)
| Year Ended | Year Ended | |||
| July 31, 2022 | July 31, 2021 | |||
| Shares | Dollars ($) | Shares | Dollars ($) | |
| Capital stock activity | ||||
| Class A | ||||
| Subscriptions | 242,765 | 2,483,677 | 276,112 | 2,970,060 |
| Distributions reinvested | 18,530 | 189,906 | 20,204 | 216,513 |
| Redemptions | (234,701) | (2,386,161) | (298,959) | (3,208,079) |
| Net increase (decrease) | 26,594 | 287,422 | (2,643) | (21,506) |
| Advisor Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 462,295 | 4,536,212 | 88,294 | 949,990 |
| Distributions reinvested | 6,239 | 63,333 | 4,372 | 46,874 |
| Redemptions | (113,955) | (1,154,640) | (44,592) | (478,911) |
| Net increase | 354,579 | 3,444,905 | 48,074 | 517,953 |
| Class C | ||||
| Subscriptions | 22,549 | 228,483 | 51,442 | 549,748 |
| Distributions reinvested | 986 | 10,117 | 1,522 | 16,303 |
| Redemptions | (53,926) | (536,467) | (83,018) | (891,596) |
| Net decrease | (30,391) | (297,867) | (30,054) | (325,545) |
| Institutional Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 2,035,390 | 20,719,858 | 1,454,645 | 15,589,987 |
| Distributions reinvested | 65,810 | 672,843 | 61,656 | 660,810 |
| Redemptions | (1,608,917) | (16,173,421) | (1,053,333) | (11,276,538) |
| Net increase | 492,283 | 5,219,280 | 462,968 | 4,974,259 |
| Institutional 2 Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 218,005 | 2,191,834 | 49,318 | 530,169 |
| Distributions reinvested | 8,018 | 81,827 | 6,634 | 71,181 |
| Redemptions | (95,988) | (959,281) | (9,151) | (98,319) |
| Net increase | 130,035 | 1,314,380 | 46,801 | 503,031 |
| Institutional 3 Class | ||||
| Subscriptions | 258,588 | 2,599,714 | 213,261 | 2,295,089 |
| Distributions reinvested | 14,634 | 150,406 | 12,047 | 129,625 |
| Redemptions | (135,497) | (1,364,643) | (55,063) | (592,452) |
| Net increase | 137,725 | 1,385,477 | 170,245 | 1,832,262 |
| Total net increase | 1,110,825 | 11,353,597 | 695,391 | 7,480,454 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 25 |
Financial Highlights
The following table is intended to
help you understand the Fund’s financial performance. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share of a class held for the periods shown. Per share net investment income (loss) amounts are
calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period. Total return assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions, if any. Total return does not reflect payment of sales charges, if any. Total
return and portfolio turnover are not annualized for periods of less than one year. The portfolio turnover rate is calculated without regard to purchase and sales transactions of short-term instruments and certain
derivatives, if any. If such transactions were included, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate may be higher.
| Net asset value, beginning of period | Net investment income | Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | Total from investment operations | Distributions from net investment income | Distributions from net realized gains | Total distributions to shareholders | |
| Class A | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $10.86 | 0.19 | (1.08) | (0.89) | (0.19) | — | (0.19) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $10.75 | 0.21 | 0.11 | 0.32 | (0.21) | — | (0.21) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $10.51 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.50 | (0.25) | (0.01) | (0.26) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $10.05 | 0.27 | 0.45 | 0.72 | (0.26) | — | (0.26) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $10.18 | 0.24 | (0.13) | 0.11 | (0.24) | — | (0.24) |
| Advisor Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $10.86 | 0.22 | (1.09) | (0.87) | (0.22) | — | (0.22) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $10.75 | 0.24 | 0.11 | 0.35 | (0.24) | — | (0.24) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $10.51 | 0.28 | 0.25 | 0.53 | (0.28) | (0.01) | (0.29) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $10.05 | 0.29 | 0.46 | 0.75 | (0.29) | — | (0.29) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $10.18 | 0.28 | (0.14) | 0.14 | (0.27) | — | (0.27) |
| Class C | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $10.86 | 0.12 | (1.08) | (0.96) | (0.12) | — | (0.12) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $10.74 | 0.13 | 0.12 | 0.25 | (0.13) | — | (0.13) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $10.51 | 0.17 | 0.24 | 0.41 | (0.17) | (0.01) | (0.18) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $10.05 | 0.19 | 0.46 | 0.65 | (0.19) | — | (0.19) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $10.17 | 0.17 | (0.12) | 0.05 | (0.17) | — | (0.17) |
| Institutional Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $10.86 | 0.22 | (1.08) | (0.86) | (0.22) | — | (0.22) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $10.75 | 0.24 | 0.11 | 0.35 | (0.24) | — | (0.24) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $10.51 | 0.28 | 0.25 | 0.53 | (0.28) | (0.01) | (0.29) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $10.05 | 0.29 | 0.46 | 0.75 | (0.29) | — | (0.29) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $10.18 | 0.27 | (0.13) | 0.14 | (0.27) | — | (0.27) |
| Institutional 2 Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $10.87 | 0.22 | (1.08) | (0.86) | (0.22) | — | (0.22) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $10.76 | 0.24 | 0.11 | 0.35 | (0.24) | — | (0.24) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $10.52 | 0.28 | 0.25 | 0.53 | (0.28) | (0.01) | (0.29) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $10.06 | 0.29 | 0.46 | 0.75 | (0.29) | — | (0.29) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $10.18 | 0.27 | (0.12) | 0.15 | (0.27) | — | (0.27) |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 26 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Financial Highlights (continued)
| Net asset value, end of period | Total return | Total gross expense ratio to average net assets(a) | Total net expense ratio to average net assets(a),(b) | Net investment income ratio to average net assets | Portfolio turnover | Net assets, end of period (000’s) | |
| Class A | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $9.78 | (8.22%) | 1.05% | 0.70% | 1.90% | 7% | $13,616 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $10.86 | 3.03% | 1.08% | 0.70% | 1.98% | 13% | $14,841 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $10.75 | 4.87% | 1.12% | 0.70% | 2.39% | 14% | $14,709 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $10.51 | 7.33% | 1.14% | 0.70% | 2.63% | 11% | $11,797 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $10.05 | 1.10% | 1.20% | 0.70% | 2.40% | 21% | $7,030 |
| Advisor Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $9.77 | (8.08%) | 0.80% | 0.45% | 2.19% | 7% | $5,764 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $10.86 | 3.29% | 0.83% | 0.45% | 2.23% | 13% | $2,554 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $10.75 | 5.13% | 0.87% | 0.45% | 2.64% | 14% | $2,010 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $10.51 | 7.60% | 0.89% | 0.45% | 2.86% | 11% | $629 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $10.05 | 1.36% | 0.94% | 0.45% | 2.76% | 21% | $86 |
| Class C | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $9.78 | (8.91%) | 1.80% | 1.45% | 1.14% | 7% | $1,013 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $10.86 | 2.36% | 1.83% | 1.45% | 1.23% | 13% | $1,456 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $10.74 | 3.99% | 1.87% | 1.45% | 1.64% | 14% | $1,763 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $10.51 | 6.53% | 1.89% | 1.45% | 1.88% | 11% | $1,803 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $10.05 | 0.45% | 1.95% | 1.45% | 1.65% | 21% | $1,470 |
| Institutional Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $9.78 | (7.99%) | 0.80% | 0.45% | 2.15% | 7% | $42,482 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $10.86 | 3.29% | 0.83% | 0.45% | 2.23% | 13% | $41,856 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $10.75 | 5.13% | 0.86% | 0.45% | 2.64% | 14% | $36,426 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $10.51 | 7.60% | 0.90% | 0.45% | 2.88% | 11% | $31,708 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $10.05 | 1.36% | 0.95% | 0.45% | 2.65% | 21% | $36,887 |
| Institutional 2 Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $9.79 | (7.95%) | 0.77% | 0.42% | 2.19% | 7% | $4,387 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $10.87 | 3.31% | 0.80% | 0.43% | 2.25% | 13% | $3,461 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $10.76 | 5.14% | 0.84% | 0.44% | 2.66% | 14% | $2,920 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $10.52 | 7.60% | 0.87% | 0.44% | 2.89% | 11% | $3,018 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $10.06 | 1.46% | 0.93% | 0.44% | 2.67% | 21% | $1,581 |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 27 |
Financial Highlights (continued)
| Net asset value, beginning of period | Net investment income | Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | Total from investment operations | Distributions from net investment income | Distributions from net realized gains | Total distributions to shareholders | |
| Institutional 3 Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $10.90 | 0.23 | (1.09) | (0.86) | (0.23) | — | (0.23) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $10.78 | 0.25 | 0.12 | 0.37 | (0.25) | — | (0.25) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $10.55 | 0.28 | 0.25 | 0.53 | (0.29) | (0.01) | (0.30) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $10.09 | 0.30 | 0.45 | 0.75 | (0.29) | — | (0.29) |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $10.21 | 0.27 | (0.12) | 0.15 | (0.27) | — | (0.27) |
| Notes to Financial Highlights | |
| (a) | In addition to the fees and expenses that the Fund bears directly, the Fund indirectly bears a pro rata share of the fees and expenses of any other funds in which it invests. Such indirect expenses are not included in the Fund’s reported expense ratios. |
| (b) | Total net expenses include the impact of certain fee waivers/expense reimbursements made by the Investment Manager and certain of its affiliates, if applicable. |
The accompanying Notes to
Financial Statements are an integral part of this statement.
| 28 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Financial Highlights (continued)
| Net asset value, end of period | Total return | Total gross expense ratio to average net assets(a) | Total net expense ratio to average net assets(a),(b) | Net investment income ratio to average net assets | Portfolio turnover | Net assets, end of period (000’s) | |
| Institutional 3 Class | |||||||
| Year Ended 7/31/2022 | $9.81 | (7.97%) | 0.72% | 0.37% | 2.23% | 7% | $7,754 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2021 | $10.90 | 3.46% | 0.75% | 0.38% | 2.30% | 13% | $7,115 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2020 | $10.78 | 5.08% | 0.79% | 0.40% | 2.69% | 14% | $5,202 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2019 | $10.55 | 7.61% | 0.84% | 0.42% | 2.91% | 11% | $3,515 |
| Year Ended 7/31/2018 | $10.09 | 1.49% | 0.90% | 0.43% | 2.72% | 21% | $2,420 |
The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements are
an integral part of this statement.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 29 |
Notes to Financial Statements
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Note 1. Organization
Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund
(the Fund), a series of Columbia Funds Series Trust I (the Trust), is a diversified fund. The Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), as an open-end management
investment company organized as a Massachusetts business trust.
Fund shares
The Trust may issue an unlimited
number of shares (without par value). The Fund offers each of the share classes listed in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Although all share classes generally have identical voting, dividend and liquidation
rights, each share class votes separately when required by the Trust’s organizational documents or by law. Each share class has its own expense and sales charge structure. Different share classes may have
different minimum initial investment amounts and pay different net investment income distribution amounts to the extent the expenses of distributing such share classes vary. Distributions to shareholders in a
liquidation will be proportional to the net asset value of each share class.
As described in the Fund’s
prospectus, Class A and Class C shares are offered to the general public for investment. Class C shares automatically convert to Class A shares after 8 years. Advisor Class, Institutional Class, Institutional 2 Class
and Institutional 3 Class shares are available for purchase through authorized investment professionals to omnibus retirement plans or to institutional investors and to certain other investors as also described in the
Fund’s prospectus.
Note 2. Summary of
significant accounting policies
Basis of preparation
The Fund is an investment company
that applies the accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946, Financial Services - Investment Companies (ASC 946). The financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), which requires
management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the
reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
The following is a summary of
significant accounting policies followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements.
Security valuation
Debt securities generally are
valued by pricing services approved by the Board of Trustees based upon market transactions for normal, institutional-size trading units of similar securities. The services may use various pricing techniques that take
into account, as applicable, factors such as yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics and other data, as well as approved independent broker-dealer quotes. Debt securities for
which quotations are not readily available or not believed to be reflective of market value may also be valued based upon a bid quote from an approved independent broker-dealer. Debt securities maturing in 60 days or
less are valued primarily at amortized market value, unless this method results in a valuation that management believes does not approximate fair value.
Investments in open-end investment
companies (other than exchange-traded funds (ETFs)), are valued at the latest net asset value reported by those companies as of the valuation time.
Investments for which market
quotations are not readily available, or that have quotations which management believes are not reflective of market value or reliable, are valued at fair value as determined in good faith under procedures approved by
and under the general supervision of the Board of Trustees. If a security or class of securities (such as foreign securities) is valued at fair value, such value is likely to be different from the quoted or published
price for the security, if available.
The determination of fair value
often requires significant judgment. To determine fair value, management may use assumptions including but not limited to future cash flows and estimated risk premiums. Multiple inputs from various sources may be used
to determine fair value.
| 30 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
GAAP requires disclosure regarding
the inputs and valuation techniques used to measure fair value and any changes in valuation inputs or techniques. In addition, investments shall be disclosed by major category. This information is disclosed following
the Fund’s Portfolio of Investments.
Derivative instruments
The Fund invests in certain
derivative instruments, as detailed below, in seeking to meet its investment objectives. Derivatives are instruments whose values depend on, or are derived from, in whole or in part, the value of one or more
securities, currencies, commodities, indices, or other assets or instruments. Derivatives may be used to increase investment flexibility (including to maintain cash reserves while maintaining desired exposure to
certain assets), for risk management (hedging) purposes, to facilitate trading, to reduce transaction costs and to pursue higher investment returns. The Fund may also use derivative instruments to mitigate certain
investment risks, such as foreign currency exchange rate risk, interest rate risk and credit risk. Derivatives may involve various risks, including the potential inability of the counterparty to fulfill its
obligations under the terms of the contract, the potential for an illiquid secondary market (making it difficult for the Fund to sell or terminate, including at favorable prices) and the potential for market movements
which may expose the Fund to gains or losses in excess of the amount shown in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The notional amounts of derivative instruments, if applicable, are not recorded in the financial
statements.
A derivative instrument may suffer
a marked-to-market loss if the value of the contract decreases due to an unfavorable change in the market rates or values of the underlying instrument. Losses can also occur if the counterparty does not perform its
obligations under the contract. The Fund’s risk of loss from counterparty credit risk on over-the-counter derivatives is generally limited to the aggregate unrealized gain netted against any collateral held by
the Fund and the amount of any variation margin held by the counterparty, plus any replacement costs or related amounts. With exchange-traded or centrally cleared derivatives, there is reduced counterparty credit risk
to the Fund since the clearinghouse or central counterparty (CCP) provides some protection in the case of clearing member default. The clearinghouse or CCP stands between the buyer and the seller of the contract;
therefore, failure of the clearinghouse or CCP may pose additional counterparty credit risk. However, credit risk still exists in exchange-traded or centrally cleared derivatives with respect to initial and variation
margin that is held in a broker’s customer account. While clearing brokers are required to segregate customer margin from their own assets, in the event that a clearing broker becomes insolvent or goes into
bankruptcy and at that time there is a shortfall in the aggregate amount of margin held by the clearing broker for all its clients and such shortfall is remedied by the CCP or otherwise, U.S. bankruptcy laws will
typically allocate that shortfall on a pro-rata basis across all the clearing broker’s customers (including the Fund), potentially resulting in losses to the Fund.
In order to better define its
contractual rights and to secure rights that will help the Fund mitigate its counterparty risk, the Fund may enter into an International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. Master Agreement (ISDA Master Agreement)
or similar agreement with its derivatives counterparties. An ISDA Master Agreement is an agreement between the Fund and a counterparty that governs over-the-counter derivatives and foreign exchange forward contracts
and contains, among other things, collateral posting terms and netting provisions in the event of a default and/or termination event. Under an ISDA Master Agreement, the Fund may, under certain circumstances, offset
with the counterparty certain derivative instruments’ payables and/or receivables with collateral held and/or posted and create one single net payment. The provisions of the ISDA Master Agreement typically
permit a single net payment in the event of default (close-out netting), including the bankruptcy or insolvency of the counterparty. Note, however, that bankruptcy or insolvency laws of a particular jurisdiction may
impose restrictions on or prohibitions against the right of offset or netting in bankruptcy, insolvency or other events.
Collateral (margin) requirements
differ by type of derivative. Margin requirements are established by the clearinghouse or CCP for exchange-traded and centrally cleared derivatives. Brokers can ask for margin in excess of the minimum in certain
circumstances. Collateral terms for most over-the-counter derivatives are subject to regulatory requirements to exchange variation margin with trading counterparties and may have contract specific margin terms as
well. For over-the-counter derivatives traded under an ISDA Master Agreement, the collateral requirements are typically calculated by netting the marked-to-market amount for each transaction under such agreement and
comparing that amount to the value of any variation margin currently pledged by the Fund and/or the counterparty. Generally, the amount of collateral due from or to a party has to exceed a minimum transfer amount
threshold (e.g., $250,000) before a transfer has to be made. To the extent amounts due to the Fund from its counterparties are not fully collateralized, contractually or otherwise, the Fund bears the risk of loss from
counterparty nonperformance. The Fund may also pay interest expense on cash collateral received from the
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 31 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
broker. Any interest expense paid by the Fund is
shown in the Statement of Operations. The Fund attempts to mitigate counterparty risk by only entering into agreements with counterparties that it believes have the financial resources to honor their obligations and
by monitoring the financial stability of those counterparties.
Certain ISDA Master Agreements
allow counterparties of over-the-counter derivatives transactions to terminate derivatives contracts prior to maturity in the event the Fund’s net asset value declines by a stated percentage over a specified
time period or if the Fund fails to meet certain terms of the ISDA Master Agreement, which would cause the Fund to accelerate payment of any net liability owed to the counterparty. The Fund also has termination
rights if the counterparty fails to meet certain terms of the ISDA Master Agreement. In determining whether to exercise such termination rights, the Fund would consider, in addition to counterparty credit risk,
whether termination would result in a net liability owed from the counterparty.
For financial reporting purposes,
the Fund does not offset derivative assets and derivative liabilities that are subject to netting arrangements in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Futures contracts
Futures contracts are
exchange-traded and represent commitments for the future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a specified date. The Fund bought and sold futures contracts to manage the duration and yield curve
exposure of the Fund versus the benchmark and to manage exposure to movements in interest rates. These instruments may be used for other purposes in future periods. Upon entering into futures contracts, the Fund bears
risks that it may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the futures contracts and may realize a loss. Additional risks include counterparty credit risk, the possibility of an illiquid market, and that a change in
the value of the contract or option may not correlate with changes in the value of the underlying asset.
Upon entering into a futures
contract, the Fund deposits cash or securities with the broker, known as a futures commission merchant (FCM), in an amount sufficient to meet the initial margin requirement. The initial margin deposit must be
maintained at an established level over the life of the contract. Cash deposited as initial margin is recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as margin deposits. Securities deposited as initial margin are
designated in the Portfolio of Investments. Subsequent payments (variation margin) are made or received by the Fund each day. The variation margin payments are equal to the daily change in the contract value and are
recorded as variation margin receivable or payable and are offset in unrealized gains or losses. The Fund generally expects to earn interest income on its margin deposits. The Fund recognizes a realized gain or loss
when the contract is closed or expires. Futures contracts involve, to varying degrees, risk of loss in excess of the variation margin disclosed in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Effects of derivative transactions in
the financial statements
The following tables are intended
to provide additional information about the effect of derivatives on the financial statements of the Fund, including: the fair value of derivatives by risk category and the location of those fair values in the
Statement of Assets and Liabilities; and the impact of derivative transactions over the period in the Statement of Operations, including realized and unrealized gains (losses). The derivative instrument schedules
following the Portfolio of Investments present additional information regarding derivative instruments outstanding at the end of the period, if any.
The following table indicates the
effect of derivative instruments (not considered to be hedging instruments for accounting disclosure purposes) in the Statement of Operations for the year ended July 31, 2022:
| 32 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The following table is a summary
of the average outstanding volume by derivative instrument for the year ended July 31, 2022:
| Derivative instrument | Average notional amounts ($)* |
| Futures contracts — short | 1,358,080 |
| * | Based on the ending daily outstanding amounts for the year ended July 31, 2022. |
Security transactions
Security transactions are accounted
for on the trade date. Cost is determined and gains (losses) are based upon the specific identification method for both financial statement and federal income tax purposes.
Income recognition
Interest income is recorded on an
accrual basis. Market premiums and discounts, including original issue discounts, are amortized and accreted, respectively, over the expected life of the security on all debt securities, unless otherwise noted.
The Fund may place a debt security
on non-accrual status and reduce related interest income when it becomes probable that the interest will not be collected and the amount of uncollectible interest can be reasonably estimated. A defaulted debt security
is removed from non-accrual status when the issuer resumes interest payments or when collectability of interest is reasonably assured.
Dividend income is recorded on the
ex-dividend date.
Expenses
General expenses of the Trust are
allocated to the Fund and other funds of the Trust based upon relative net assets or other expense allocation methodologies determined by the nature of the expense. Expenses directly attributable to the Fund are
charged to the Fund. Expenses directly attributable to a specific class of shares are charged to that share class.
Determination of class net asset
value
All income, expenses (other than
class-specific expenses, which are charged to that share class, as shown in the Statement of Operations) and realized and unrealized gains (losses) are allocated to each class of the Fund on a daily basis, based on
the relative net assets of each class, for purposes of determining the net asset value of each class.
Federal income tax status
The Fund intends to qualify each
year as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended, and will distribute substantially all of its net tax-exempt and investment company taxable income and net capital
gain, if any, for its tax year, and as such will not be subject to federal income taxes. In addition, the Fund intends to distribute in each calendar year substantially all of its ordinary income, capital gain net
income and certain other amounts, if any, such that the Fund should not be subject to federal excise tax. Therefore, no federal income or excise tax provision is recorded.
Distributions to shareholders
Distributions from net investment
income, if any, are declared daily and paid monthly. Net realized capital gains, if any, are distributed at least annually. Income distributions and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with federal
income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP.
Guarantees and indemnifications
Under the Trust’s
organizational documents and, in some cases, by contract, its officers and trustees are indemnified against certain liabilities arising out of the performance of their duties to the Trust or its funds. In addition,
certain of the Fund’s contracts with its service providers contain general indemnification clauses. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown since the amount of any future claims
that may be made against the Fund cannot be determined, and the Fund has no historical basis for predicting the likelihood of any such claims.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 33 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Note 3. Fees and other
transactions with affiliates
Management services fees
The Fund has entered into a
Management Agreement with Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (the Investment Manager), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (Ameriprise Financial). Under the Management Agreement, the
Investment Manager provides the Fund with investment research and advice, as well as administrative and accounting services. The management services fee is an annual fee that is equal to a percentage of the
Fund’s daily net assets that declines from 0.48% to 0.29% as the Fund’s net assets increase. The effective management services fee rate for the year ended July 31, 2022 was 0.48% of the Fund’s
average daily net assets.
Subadvisory agreement
The Fund’s Board of Trustees
has approved a Subadvisory Agreement between the Investment Manager and Threadneedle International Limited (Threadneedle), an affiliate of the Investment Manager and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise
Financial. As of July 31, 2022, Threadneedle is not providing services to the Fund pursuant to the Subadvisory Agreement.
Compensation of board members
Members of the Board of Trustees
who are not officers or employees of the Investment Manager or Ameriprise Financial are compensated for their services to the Fund as disclosed in the Statement of Operations. Under a Deferred Compensation Plan (the
Deferred Plan), these members of the Board of Trustees may elect to defer payment of up to 100% of their compensation. Deferred amounts are treated as though equivalent dollar amounts had been invested in shares of
certain funds managed by the Investment Manager. The Fund’s liability for these amounts is adjusted for market value changes and remains in the Fund until distributed in accordance with the Deferred Plan. All
amounts payable under the Deferred Plan constitute a general unsecured obligation of the Fund. The expense for the Deferred Plan, which includes Trustees’ fees deferred during the current period as well as any
gains or losses on the Trustees’ deferred compensation balances as a result of market fluctuations, is included in "Compensation of board members" in the Statement of Operations.
Compensation of Chief Compliance
Officer
The Board of Trustees has appointed
a Chief Compliance Officer for the Fund in accordance with federal securities regulations. As disclosed in the Statement of Operations, a portion of the Chief Compliance Officer’s total compensation is allocated
to the Fund, along with other allocations to affiliated registered investment companies managed by the Investment Manager and its affiliates, based on relative net assets.
Transfer agency fees
Under a Transfer and Dividend
Disbursing Agent Agreement, Columbia Management Investment Services Corp. (the Transfer Agent), an affiliate of the Investment Manager and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, is responsible for
providing transfer agency services to the Fund. The Transfer Agent has contracted with DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc. (DST) to serve as sub-transfer agent. The Transfer Agent pays the fees of DST for services as
sub-transfer agent and DST is not entitled to reimbursement for such fees from the Fund (with the exception of out-of-pocket fees).
The Fund pays the Transfer Agent a
monthly transfer agency fee based on the number or the average value of accounts, depending on the type of account. In addition, the Fund pays the Transfer Agent a fee for shareholder services based on the number of
accounts or on a percentage of the average aggregate value of the Fund’s shares maintained in omnibus accounts up to the lesser of the amount charged by the financial intermediary or a cap established by the
Board of Trustees from time to time.
The Transfer Agent also receives
compensation from the Fund for various shareholder services and reimbursements for certain out-of-pocket fees. Total transfer agency fees for Institutional 2 Class and Institutional 3 Class shares are subject to an
annual limitation of not more than 0.07% and 0.02%, respectively, of the average daily net assets attributable to each share class.
| 34 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
For the year ended July 31, 2022,
the Fund’s effective transfer agency fee rates as a percentage of average daily net assets of each class were as follows:
| Effective rate (%) | |
| Class A | 0.09 |
| Advisor Class | 0.09 |
| Class C | 0.09 |
| Institutional Class | 0.09 |
| Institutional 2 Class | 0.06 |
| Institutional 3 Class | 0.01 |
An annual minimum account balance
fee of $20 may apply to certain accounts with a value below the applicable share class’s initial minimum investment requirements to reduce the impact of small accounts on transfer agency fees. These minimum
account balance fees are remitted to the Fund and recorded as part of expense reductions in the Statement of Operations. For the year ended July 31, 2022, no minimum account balance fees were charged by the Fund.
Distribution and service fees
The Fund has entered into an
agreement with Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. (the Distributor), an affiliate of the Investment Manager and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, for distribution and shareholder
services. The Board of Trustees has approved, and the Fund has adopted, distribution and shareholder service plans (the Plans) applicable to certain share classes, which set the distribution and service fees for the
Fund. These fees are calculated daily and are intended to compensate the Distributor and/or eligible selling and/or servicing agents for selling shares of the Fund and providing services to investors.
Under the Plans, the Fund pays a
monthly service fee to the Distributor at the maximum annual rate of 0.25% of the average daily net assets attributable to Class A and Class C shares of the Fund. Also under the Plans, the Fund pays a monthly
distribution fee to the Distributor at the maximum annual rate of 0.75% of the average daily net assets attributable to Class C shares of the Fund.
Sales charges (unaudited)
Sales charges, including front-end
charges and contingent deferred sales charges (CDSCs), received by the Distributor for distributing Fund shares for the year ended July 31, 2022, if any, are listed below:
| Front End (%) | CDSC (%) | Amount ($) | |
| Class A | 3.00 | 0.75(a) | 4,236 |
| Class C | — | 1.00(b) | 100 |
| (a) | This charge is imposed on certain investments of $500,000 or more if redeemed within 12 months after purchase. |
| (b) | This charge applies to redemptions within 12 months after purchase, with certain limited exceptions. |
The Fund’s other share
classes are not subject to sales charges.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 35 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Expenses waived/reimbursed by the
Investment Manager and its affiliates
The Investment Manager and certain
of its affiliates have contractually agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses (excluding certain fees and expenses described below) for the period(s) disclosed below, unless sooner terminated at the sole
discretion of the Board of Trustees, so that the Fund’s net operating expenses, after giving effect to fees waived/expenses reimbursed and any balance credits and/or overdraft charges from the Fund’s
custodian, do not exceed the following annual rate(s) as a percentage of the classes’ average daily net assets:
| Fee rate(s) contractual November 30, 2022 | |
| Class A | 0.70% |
| Advisor Class | 0.45 |
| Class C | 1.45 |
| Institutional Class | 0.45 |
| Institutional 2 Class | 0.42 |
| Institutional 3 Class | 0.37 |
Under the agreement governing
these fee waivers and/or expense reimbursement arrangements, the following fees and expenses are excluded from the waiver/reimbursement commitment, and therefore will be paid by the Fund, if applicable: taxes
(including foreign transaction taxes), expenses associated with investments in affiliated and non-affiliated pooled investment vehicles (including mutual funds and exchange-traded funds), transaction costs and
brokerage commissions, costs related to any securities lending program, dividend expenses associated with securities sold short, inverse floater program fees and expenses, transaction charges and interest on borrowed
money, interest, costs associated with shareholder meetings, infrequent and/or unusual expenses and any other expenses the exclusion of which is specifically approved by the Board of Trustees. This agreement may be
modified or amended only with approval from the Investment Manager, certain of its affiliates and the Fund. Any fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed under the expense reimbursement arrangements described above are
not recoverable by the Investment Manager or its affiliates in future periods.
Note 4. Federal tax
information
The timing and character of
income and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP because of temporary or permanent book to tax differences.
At July, 31, 2022, these
differences were primarily due to differing treatment for tax straddles, investments in partnerships and/or grantor trusts, principal and/or interest from fixed income securities, defaulted securities/troubled debt,
capital loss carryforwards, trustees’ deferred compensation, non-deductible expenses, distributions and re-characterization of distributions for investments. To the extent these differences were permanent,
reclassifications were made among the components of the Fund’s net assets. Temporary differences do not require reclassifications.
The following reclassifications
were made:
| Undistributed net investment income ($) | Accumulated net realized (loss) ($) | Paid in capital ($) |
| (153) | 153 | — |
Net investment income (loss) and
net realized gains (losses), as disclosed in the Statement of Operations, and net assets were not affected by this reclassification.
| 36 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The tax character of distributions
paid during the years indicated was as follows:
| Year Ended July 31, 2022 | Year Ended July 31, 2021 | ||||||
| Ordinary income ($) | Tax-exempt income ($) | Long-term capital gains ($) | Total ($) | Ordinary income ($) | Tax-exempt income ($) | Long-term capital gains ($) | Total ($) |
| 221,078 | 1,276,275 | — | 1,497,353 | 238,674 | 1,207,194 | — | 1,445,868 |
Short-term capital gain
distributions, if any, are considered ordinary income distributions for tax purposes.
At July 31, 2022, the components of
distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:
| Undistributed ordinary income ($) | Undistributed tax- exempt income ($) | Undistributed long-term capital gains ($) | Capital loss carryforwards ($) | Net unrealized (depreciation) ($) |
| — | 225,972 | — | (205,003) | (3,201,340) |
At July 31, 2022, the cost of all
investments for federal income tax purposes along with the aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation based on that cost was:
| Federal tax cost ($) | Gross unrealized appreciation ($) | Gross unrealized (depreciation) ($) | Net unrealized (depreciation) ($) |
| 77,255,362 | 542,420 | (3,743,760) | (3,201,340) |
Tax cost of investments and
unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) may also include timing differences that do not constitute adjustments to tax basis.
The following capital loss
carryforwards, determined at July 31, 2022, may be available to reduce future net realized gains on investments, if any, to the extent permitted by the Internal Revenue Code. In addition, for the year ended July 31,
2022, capital loss carryforwards utilized, if any, were as follows:
| No expiration short-term ($) | No expiration long-term ($) | Total ($) | Utilized ($) |
| — | (205,003) | (205,003) | — |
Management of the Fund has
concluded that there are no significant uncertain tax positions in the Fund that would require recognition in the financial statements. However, management’s conclusion may be subject to review and adjustment at
a later date based on factors including, but not limited to, new tax laws, regulations, and administrative interpretations (including relevant court decisions). Generally, the Fund’s federal tax returns for the
prior three fiscal years remain subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service.
Note 5. Portfolio
information
The cost of purchases and
proceeds from sales of securities, excluding short-term investments and derivatives, if any, aggregated to $11,913,956 and $4,856,859, respectively, for the year ended July 31, 2022. The amount of purchase and sale
activity impacts the portfolio turnover rate reported in the Financial Highlights.
Note 6. Interfund
lending
Pursuant to an exemptive order
granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Fund participates in a program (the Interfund Program) allowing each participating Columbia Fund (each, a Participating Fund) to lend money directly to and,
except for closed-end funds and money market funds, borrow money directly from other Participating Funds for temporary purposes. The amounts eligible for borrowing and lending under the Interfund Program are subject
to certain restrictions.
Interfund loans are subject to the
risk that the borrowing fund could be unable to repay the loan when due, and a delay in repayment to the lending fund could result in lost opportunities and/or additional lending costs. The exemptive order is subject
to conditions intended to mitigate conflicts of interest arising from the Investment Manager’s relationship with each Participating Fund.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 37 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
The Fund did not borrow or lend
money under the Interfund Program during the year ended July 31, 2022.
Note 7. Line of credit
The Fund has access to a
revolving credit facility with a syndicate of banks led by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Citibank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. whereby the Fund may borrow for the temporary funding of shareholder redemptions or for
other temporary or emergency purposes. Pursuant to an October 28, 2021 amendment and restatement, the credit facility, which is an agreement between the Fund and certain other funds managed by the Investment Manager
or an affiliated investment manager, severally and not jointly, permits aggregate borrowings up to $950 million. Interest is currently charged to each participating fund based on its borrowings at a rate equal to the
higher of (i) the federal funds effective rate, (ii) the secured overnight financing rate plus 0.11448% and (iii) the overnight bank funding rate, plus in each case, 1.00%. Each borrowing under the credit facility
matures no later than 60 days after the date of borrowing. The Fund also pays a commitment fee equal to its pro rata share of the unused amount of the credit facility at a rate of 0.15% per annum. The commitment fee
is included in other expenses in the Statement of Operations. This agreement expires annually in October unless extended or renewed. Prior to the October 28, 2021 amendment and restatement, the Fund had access to a
revolving credit facility with a syndicate of banks led by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Citibank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. which permitted collective borrowings up to $950 million. Interest was charged to each
participating fund based on its borrowings at a rate equal to the higher of (i) the federal funds effective rate, (ii) the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) rate and (iii) the overnight bank funding
rate, plus in each case, 1.25%.
The Fund had no borrowings during
the year ended July 31, 2022.
Note 8. Significant
risks
Credit risk
Credit risk is the risk that the
value of debt instruments in the Fund’s portfolio may decline because the issuer defaults or otherwise becomes unable or unwilling, or is perceived to be unable or unwilling, to honor its financial obligations,
such as making payments to the Fund when due. Credit rating agencies assign credit ratings to certain debt instruments to indicate their credit risk. Lower-rated or unrated debt instruments held by the Fund may
present increased credit risk as compared to higher-rated debt instruments.
Interest rate risk
Interest rate risk is the risk of
losses attributable to changes in interest rates. In general, if prevailing interest rates rise, the values of debt instruments tend to fall, and if interest rates fall, the values of debt instruments tend to rise.
Actions by governments and central banking authorities can result in increases or decreases in interest rates. Higher periods of inflation could lead such authorities to raise interest rates. Increasing interest rates
may negatively affect the value of debt securities held by the Fund, resulting in a negative impact on the Fund’s performance and net asset value per share. In general, the longer the maturity or duration of a
debt security, the greater its sensitivity to changes in interest rates. The Fund is subject to the risk that the income generated by its investments may not keep pace with inflation.
Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is the risk
associated with a lack of marketability of investments which may make it difficult to sell the investment at a desirable time or price. Changing regulatory, market or other conditions or environments (for example, the
interest rate or credit environments) may adversely affect the liquidity of the Fund’s investments. The Fund may have to accept a lower selling price for the holding, sell other investments, or forego another,
more appealing investment opportunity. Generally, the less liquid the market at the time the Fund sells a portfolio investment, the greater the risk of loss or decline of value to the Fund. A less liquid market can
lead to an increase in Fund redemptions, which may negatively impact Fund performance and net asset value per share, including, for example, if the Fund is forced to sell securities in a down market.
Market risk
The Fund may incur losses due to
declines in the value of one or more securities in which it invests. These declines may be due to factors affecting a particular issuer, or the result of, among other things, political, regulatory, market, economic or
social developments affecting the relevant market(s) more generally. In addition, turbulence in financial markets and reduced
| 38 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed income
markets may negatively affect many issuers, which could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to price or value hard-to-value assets in thinly traded and closed markets and could cause significant redemptions and
operational challenges. Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country,
region or financial market. These risks may be magnified if certain events or developments adversely interrupt the global supply chain; in these and other circumstances, such risks might affect companies worldwide. As
a result, local, regional or global events such as terrorism, war, natural disasters, disease/virus outbreaks and epidemics or other public health issues, recessions, depressions or other events – or the
potential for such events – could have a significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions.
The pandemic caused by coronavirus
disease 2019 and its variants (COVID-19) has resulted in, and may continue to result in, significant global economic and societal disruption and market volatility due to disruptions in market access, resource
availability, facilities operations, imposition of tariffs, export controls and supply chain disruption, among others. Such disruptions may be caused, or exacerbated by, quarantines and travel restrictions, workforce
displacement and loss in human and other resources. The uncertainty surrounding the magnitude, duration, reach, costs and effects of the global pandemic, as well as actions that have been or could be taken by
governmental authorities or other third parties, present unknowns that are yet to unfold. The impacts, as well as the uncertainty over impacts to come, of COVID-19 – and any other infectious illness outbreaks,
epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future – could negatively affect global economies and markets in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. In addition, the impact of infectious illness outbreaks
and epidemics in emerging market countries may be greater due to generally less established healthcare systems, governments and financial markets. Public health crises caused by the COVID-19 outbreak may exacerbate
other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in certain countries or globally. The disruptions caused by COVID-19 could prevent the Fund from executing advantageous investment decisions in a timely manner
and negatively impact the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. Any such events could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Fund.
Municipal securities risk
Municipal securities are debt
obligations generally issued to obtain funds for various public purposes, including general financing for state and local governments, or financing for a specific project or public facility, and include obligations of
the governments of the U.S. territories, commonwealths and possessions such as Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to the extent such obligations are exempt from state and U.S. federal income taxes. The
value of municipal securities can be significantly affected by actual or expected political and legislative changes at the federal or state level. Municipal securities may be fully or partially backed by the taxing
authority of the local government, by the credit of a private issuer, by the current or anticipated revenues from a specific project or specific assets or by domestic or foreign entities providing credit support, such
as letters of credit, guarantees or insurance, and are generally classified into general obligation bonds and special revenue obligations. Because many municipal securities are issued to finance projects in sectors
such as education, health care, transportation and utilities, conditions in those sectors can affect the overall municipal market.
Issuers in a state, territory,
commonwealth or possession in which the Fund invests may experience significant financial difficulties for various reasons, including as the result of events that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled such as
economic downturns or similar periods of economic stress, social conflict or unrest, labor disruption and natural disasters. Such financial difficulties may lead to credit rating downgrades or defaults of such issuers
which in turn, could affect the market values and marketability of many or all municipal obligations of issuers in such state, territory, commonwealth or possession. The value of the Fund’s shares will be
negatively impacted to the extent it invests in such securities. The Fund’s annual and semiannual reports show the Fund’s investment exposures at a point in time. The risk of investing in the Fund is
directly correlated to the Fund’s investment exposures.
Securities issued by a particular
state and its instrumentalities are subject to the risk of unfavorable developments in such state. A municipal security can be significantly affected by adverse tax, legislative, regulatory, demographic or political
changes as well as changes in a particular state’s (state and its instrumentalities’) financial, economic or other condition and prospects.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 39 |
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
July 31, 2022
July 31, 2022
Shareholder concentration risk
At July 31, 2022, one unaffiliated
shareholder of record owned 23.3% of the outstanding shares of the Fund in one or more accounts. The Fund has no knowledge about whether any portion of those shares was owned beneficially. Affiliated shareholders of
record owned 26.1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund in one or more accounts. Subscription and redemption activity by concentrated accounts may have a significant effect on the operations of the Fund. In the case
of a large redemption, the Fund may be forced to sell investments at inopportune times, including its liquid positions, which may result in Fund losses and the Fund holding a higher percentage of less liquid
positions. Large redemptions could result in decreased economies of scale and increased operating expenses for non-redeeming Fund shareholders.
Social impact risk
The Investment Manager’s
consideration of social impact may limit the Fund’s investment opportunities and, as a result, the Fund may underperform funds that do not consider social impact or consider it but make different investment
decisions based thereon.
Note 9. Subsequent
events
Management has evaluated the
events and transactions that have occurred through the date the financial statements were issued and noted no items requiring adjustment of the financial statements or additional disclosure.
Note 10. Information
regarding pending and settled legal proceedings
Ameriprise Financial and certain
of its affiliates are involved in the normal course of business in legal proceedings which include regulatory inquiries, arbitration and litigation, including class actions concerning matters arising in connection
with the conduct of its activities as a diversified financial services firm. Ameriprise Financial believes that the Fund is not currently the subject of, and that neither Ameriprise Financial nor any of its affiliates
are the subject of, any pending legal, arbitration or regulatory proceedings that are likely to have a material adverse effect on the Fund or the ability of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates to perform under
their contracts with the Fund. Ameriprise Financial is required to make quarterly (10-Q), annual (10-K) and, as necessary, 8-K filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on legal and regulatory matters
that relate to Ameriprise Financial and its affiliates. Copies of these filings may be obtained by accessing the SEC website at www.sec.gov.
There can be no assurance that
these matters, or the adverse publicity associated with them, will not result in increased Fund redemptions, reduced sale of Fund shares or other adverse consequences to the Fund. Further, although we believe
proceedings are not likely to have a material adverse effect on the Fund or the ability of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates to perform under their contracts with the Fund, these proceedings are subject to
uncertainties and, as such, we are unable to estimate the possible loss or range of loss that may result. An adverse outcome in one or more of these proceedings could result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines,
penalties or other relief that could have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial condition or results of operations of Ameriprise Financial or one or more of its affiliates that provides services to
the Fund.
| 40 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Report of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm
To the Board of Trustees of Columbia
Funds Series Trust I and Shareholders of Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund
Opinion on the Financial
Statements
We have audited the accompanying
statement of assets and liabilities, including the portfolio of investments, of Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund (one of the funds constituting Columbia Funds Series Trust I, referred to hereafter as the "Fund") as of
July 31, 2022, the related statement of operations for the year ended July 31, 2022, the statement of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended July 31, 2022, including the related notes, and
the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended July 31, 2022 (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material
respects, the financial position of the Fund as of July 31, 2022, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period ended July 31, 2022 and
the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended July 31, 2022 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the
responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of
the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits of these
financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.
Our audits included performing
procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test
basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating
the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of July 31, 2022 by correspondence with the custodian. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable
basis for our opinion.
/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
September 22, 2022
We have served as the auditor of
one or more investment companies within the Columbia Funds Complex since 1977.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 41 |
Federal Income Tax
Information
(Unaudited)
The Fund hereby designates the
following tax attributes for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2022. Shareholders will be notified in early 2023 of the amounts for use in preparing 2022 income tax returns.
| Exempt- interest dividends | |
| 85.24% |
Exempt-interest dividends. The
percentage of net investment income distributed during the fiscal year that qualifies as exempt-interest dividends for federal income tax purposes. A portion of the income may be subject to federal alternative minimum
tax.
TRUSTEES AND
OFFICERS
(Unaudited)
The Board oversees the
Fund’s operations and appoints officers who are responsible for day-to-day business decisions based on policies set by the Board. The following table provides basic biographical information about the
Fund’s Trustees as of the printing of this report, including their principal occupations during the past five years, although specific titles for individuals may have varied over the period. The year set forth
beneath Length of Service in the table below is the year in which the Trustee was first appointed or elected as Trustee to any Fund currently in the Columbia Funds Complex or a predecessor thereof. Under current Board
policy, each Trustee generally serves until December 31 of the year such Trustee turns seventy-five (75).
Independent trustees
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| George S. Batejan c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1953 | Trustee since 2017 | Executive Vice President, Global Head of Technology and Operations, Janus Capital Group, Inc., 2010-2016 | 176 | Former Chairman of the Board, NICSA (National Investment Company Services Association) (Executive Committee, Nominating Committee and Governance Committee), 2014-2016; former Director, Intech Investment Management, 2011-2016; former Board Member, Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, 2015-2016; former Advisory Board Member, University of Colorado Business School, 2015-2018 |
| 42 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Kathleen Blatz c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1954 | Trustee since 2006 | Attorney, specializing in arbitration and mediation; Chief Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court, 1998-2006; Associate Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court, 1996-1998; Fourth Judicial District Court Judge, Hennepin County, 1994-1996; Attorney in private practice and public service, 1984-1993; State Representative, Minnesota House of Representatives, 1979-1993, which included service on the Tax and Financial Institutions and Insurance Committees; Member and Interim Chair, Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, January 2017-July 2017; Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (health care insurance), February-July 2018, April-October 2021 | 176 | Former Trustee, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, 2009-2021 (Chair of the Business Development Committee, 2014-2017; Chair of the Governance Committee, 2017-2019); former Member and Chair of the Board, Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, January 2017-July 2017; former Director, Robina Foundation, 2009-2020 (Chair, 2014-2020); Director, Schulze Family Foundation, since 2021 |
| Pamela G. Carlton c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1954 | Trustee since 2007 | President, Springboard — Partners in Cross Cultural Leadership (consulting company) since 2003; Managing Director of US Equity Research, JP Morgan Chase, 1999-2003; Director of US Equity Research, Chase Asset Management, 1996-1999; Co-Director Latin America Research, 1993-1996, COO Global Research, 1992-1996, Co-Director of US Research, 1991-1992, Investment Banker, 1982-1991, Morgan Stanley; Attorney, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, 1980-1982 | 176 | Trustee, New York Presbyterian Hospital Board (Executive Committee and Chair of People Committee) since 1996; Director, DR Bank (Audit Committee) since 2017; Director, Evercore Inc. (Audit Committee) since 2019; Director, Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. since 2021; the Governing Council of the Independent Directors Council (IDC), since 2021 |
| Janet Langford Carrig c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1957 | Trustee since 1996 | Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, ConocoPhillips (independent energy company), September 2007-October 2018 | 174 | Director, EQT Corporation (natural gas producer) since 2019; former Director, Whiting Petroleum Corporation (independent oil and gas company), 2020-2022 |
| J. Kevin Connaughton c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1964 | Trustee since 2020 | Member, FINRA National Adjudicatory Council since January 2020; Adjunct Professor of Finance, Bentley University since January 2018; Consultant to Independent Trustees of CFVIT and CFST I from March 2016 to June 2020 with respect to CFVIT and to December 2020 with respect to CFST I; Managing Director and General Manager of Mutual Fund Products, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC, May 2010-February 2015; President, Columbia Funds, 2008-2015; and senior officer of Columbia Funds and affiliated funds, 2003-2015 | 174 | Former Director, The Autism Project, March 2015-December 2021; former Member of the Investment Committee, St. Michael’s College, November 2015-February 2020; former Trustee, St. Michael’s College, June 2017-September 2019; former Trustee, New Century Portfolios, January 2015-December 2017 |
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 43 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Olive M. Darragh c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1962 | Trustee since 2020 | Managing Director of Darragh Inc. (strategy and talent management consulting firm) since 2010; Founder and CEO, Zolio, Inc. (investment management talent identification platform) since 2004; Consultant to Independent Trustees of CFVIT and CFST I from June 2019 to June 2020 with respect to CFVIT and to December 2020 with respect to CFST I; Partner, Tudor Investments, 2004-2010; Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company (consulting), 1990-2004; Touche Ross CPA, 1985-1988 | 174 | Former Director, University of Edinburgh Business School (Member of US Board); former Director, Boston Public Library Foundation |
| Patricia M. Flynn c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1950 | Trustee since 2004 | Trustee Professor of Economics and Management, Bentley University since 1976 (also teaches and conducts research on corporate governance); Dean, McCallum Graduate School of Business, Bentley University, 1992-2002 | 176 | Trustee, MA Taxpayers Foundation since 1997; former Board of Governors, Innovation Institute, MA Technology Collaborative, 2010-2020; former Board of Directors, The MA Business Roundtable, 2003-2019 |
| Brian J. Gallagher c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1954 | Trustee since 2017 | Retired; Partner with Deloitte & Touche LLP and its predecessors, 1977-2016 | 176 | Trustee, Catholic Schools Foundation since 2004 |
| Douglas A. Hacker c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1955 | Co-Chair since 2021; Chair of CFST I and CFVIT since 2014; Trustee of CFST I and CFVIT since 1996 and CFST, CFST II, CFVST II, CET I and CET II since 2021 | Independent business executive since May 2006; Executive Vice President – Strategy of United Airlines, December 2002 - May 2006; President of UAL Loyalty Services (airline marketing company), September 2001-December 2002; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of United Airlines, July 1999-September 2001 | 176 | Director, Spartan Nash Company (food distributor); Director, Aircastle Limited (Chair of Audit Committee) (aircraft leasing); former Director, Nash Finch Company (food distributor), 2005-2013; former Director, SeaCube Container Leasing Ltd. (container leasing), 2010-2013; and former Director, Travelport Worldwide Limited (travel information technology), 2014-2019 |
| Nancy T. Lukitsh c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1956 | Trustee since 2011 | Senior Vice President, Partner and Director of Marketing, Wellington Management Company, LLP (investment adviser), 1997-2010; Chair, Wellington Management Portfolios (commingled non-U.S. investment pools), 2007 -2010; Director, Wellington Trust Company, NA and other Wellington affiliates, 1997-2010 | 174 | None |
| 44 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| David M. Moffett c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1952 | Trustee since 2011 | Retired; Consultant to Bridgewater and Associates | 174 | Director, CSX Corporation (transportation suppliers); Director, Genworth Financial, Inc. (financial and insurance products and services); Director, PayPal Holdings Inc. (payment and data processing services); Trustee, University of Oklahoma Foundation; former Director, eBay Inc. (online trading community), 2007-2015; and former Director, CIT Bank, CIT Group Inc. (commercial and consumer finance), 2010-2016 |
| Catherine James Paglia c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1952 | Co-Chair since 2021; Chair of CFST, CFST II, CFVST II, CET I and CET II since 2020; Trustee of CFST, CFST II and CFVST II since 2004 and CFST I and CFVIT since 2021 | Director, Enterprise Asset Management, Inc. (private real estate and asset management company) since September 1998; Managing Director and Partner, Interlaken Capital, Inc., 1989-1997; Vice President, 1982-1985, Principal, 1985-1987, Managing Director, 1987-1989, Morgan Stanley; Vice President, Investment Banking, 1980-1982, Associate, Investment Banking, 1976-1980, Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc. | 176 | Director, Valmont Industries, Inc. (irrigation systems manufacturer) since 2012; Trustee, Carleton College (on the Investment Committee); Trustee, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (on the Investment Committee) |
| Minor M. Shaw c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1947 | Trustee since 2003 | President, Micco LLC (private investments) since 2011; President, Micco Corp. (family investment business), 1998-2011 | 176 | Director, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina (Chair of Compensation Committee) since April 2008; Trustee, Hollingsworth Funds (on the Investment Committee) since 2016 (previously Board Chair from 2016-2019); Former Advisory Board member, Duke Energy Corp., 2016-2020; Chair of the Duke Endowment; Chair of Greenville – Spartanburg Airport Commission; former Trustee, BofA Funds Series Trust (11 funds), 2003-2011; former Director, Piedmont Natural Gas, 2004-2016; former Director, National Association of Corporate Directors, Carolinas Chapter, 2013-2018; Chair, Daniel-Mickel Foundation since 1998 |
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 45 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
(Unaudited)
Independent trustees (continued)
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex* overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Natalie A. Trunow c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1967 | Trustee since 2020 | Chief Executive Officer, Millennial Portfolio Solutions LLC (asset management and consulting services), January 2016-January 2021; Non-executive Member of the Investment Committee and Valuation Committee, Sarona Asset Management Inc. (private equity firm) since September 2019; Advisor, Horizon Investments (asset management and consulting services), August 2018-January 2021; Advisor, Paradigm Asset Management, November 2016-December 2021; Consultant to Independent Trustees of CFVIT and CFST I from September 2016 to June 2020 with respect to CFVIT and to December 2020 with respect to CFST I; Director of Investments/Consultant, Casey Family Programs, April 2016-November 2016; Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, Calvert Investments, August 2008-January 2016; Section Head and Portfolio Manager, General Motors Asset Management, June 1997-August 2008 | 174 | Former Director, Investment Committee, Health Services for Children with Special Needs, Inc., 2012-2019; Director, Chair of Audit Committee, Consumer Credit Counseling Services (formerly Guidewell Financial Solutions), since 2019; Independent Director, Investment Committee and Valuation Committee, Sarona Asset Management, since 2019 |
| Sandra L. Yeager c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1964 | Trustee since 2017 | Retired; President and founder, Hanoverian Capital, LLC (SEC registered investment advisor firm), 2008-2016; Managing Director, DuPont Capital, 2006-2008; Managing Director, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, 2004-2006; Senior Vice President, Alliance Bernstein, 1990-2004 | 176 | Former Director, NAPE Education Foundation, October 2016-October 2020 |
| * | The term “Columbia Funds Complex” as used herein includes Columbia Seligman Premium Technology Growth Fund, Tri-Continental Corporation and each series of Columbia Fund Series Trust (CFST), Columbia Funds Series Trust I (CFST I), Columbia Funds Series Trust II (CFST II), Columbia ETF Trust I (CET I), Columbia ETF Trust II (CET II), Columbia Funds Variable Insurance Trust (CFVIT) and Columbia Funds Variable Series Trust II (CFVST II). Messrs. Batejan, Beckman, Gallagher and Hacker and Mses. Blatz, Carlton, Flynn, Paglia, Shaw and Yeager serve as Directors of Columbia Seligman Premium Technology Growth Fund and Tri-Continental Corporation. |
Interested trustee affiliated with
Investment Manager*
| Name, address, year of birth | Position held with the Columbia Funds and length of service | Principal occupation(s) during the past five years and other relevant professional experience | Number of Funds in the Columbia Funds Complex overseen | Other directorships held by Trustee during the past five years |
| Daniel J. Beckman c/o Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1962 | Trustee since November 2021 and President since June 2021 | Vice President – Head of North America Product, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC since April 2015; President and Principal Executive Officer of the Columbia Funds since June 2021; officer of Columbia Funds and affiliated funds, 2020-2021 | 176 | Director, Ameriprise Trust Company, since October 2016; Director, Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. since November 2018; Board of Governors, Columbia Wanger Asset Management, LLC since January 2022 |
| * | Interested person (as defined under the 1940 Act) by reason of being an officer, director, security holder and/or employee of the Investment Manager or Ameriprise Financial. |
| 46 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
The Statement of Additional Information has additional information about the Fund’s Board members and is available, without charge, upon request by calling 800.345.6611, visiting columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or contacting your financial intermediary.
(Unaudited)
The Statement of Additional Information has additional information about the Fund’s Board members and is available, without charge, upon request by calling 800.345.6611, visiting columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/ or contacting your financial intermediary.
The Board has appointed officers
who are responsible for day-to-day business decisions based on policies it has established. The officers serve at the pleasure of the Board. The following table provides basic information about the Officers of the
Fund as of the printing of this report, including principal occupations during the past five years, although their specific titles may have varied over the period. In addition to Mr. Beckman, who is President and
Principal Executive Officer, the Fund’s other officers are:
Fund officers
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 47 |
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS (continued)
(Unaudited)
Fund officers (continued)
(Unaudited)
Fund officers (continued)
| Name, address and year of birth | Position and year first appointed to position for any Fund in the Columbia Funds Complex or a predecessor thereof | Principal occupation(s) during past five years |
| Ryan C. Larrenaga 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1970 | Senior Vice President (2017), Chief Legal Officer (2017), and Secretary (2015) | Vice President and Chief Counsel, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since August 2018 (previously Vice President and Group Counsel, August 2011 - August 2018); Chief Legal Officer, Columbia Acorn/Wanger Funds, since September 2020; officer of Columbia Funds and affiliated funds since 2005. |
| Michael E. DeFao 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 1968 | Vice President (2011) and Assistant Secretary (2010) | Vice President and Chief Counsel, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since May 2010; Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Assistant Secretary, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC since October 2021 (previously Vice President and Assistant Secretary, May 2010 – September 2021). |
| Lyn Kephart-Strong 5228 Ameriprise Financial Center Minneapolis, MN 55474 1960 | Vice President (2015) | President, Columbia Management Investment Services Corp. since October 2014; Vice President & Resolution Officer, Ameriprise Trust Company since August 2009. |
Liquidity Risk
Management Program
(Unaudited)
Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under the
1940 Act, the Fund has adopted a liquidity risk management program (Program). The Program’s principal objectives include assessing, managing and periodically reviewing the Fund’s liquidity risk. Liquidity
risk is defined as the risk that the Fund could not meet redemption requests without significant dilution of remaining investors’ interests in the Fund.
The Board has appointed the
Investment Manager as the program administrator for the Fund’s Program. The Investment Manager has delegated oversight of the Program to its Liquidity Risk Management Committee (the Committee). At a board
meeting during the fiscal period, the Committee provided the Board with a report addressing the operations of the program and assessing its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation for the period January 1, 2021,
through December 31, 2021, including:
| • | the Fund had sufficient liquidity to both meet redemptions and operate effectively on behalf of shareholders; |
| • | there were no material changes to the Program during the period; |
| • | the implementation of the Program was effective to manage the Fund’s liquidity risk; and |
| • | the Program operated adequately during the period. |
There can be no assurance that the
Program will achieve its objectives in the future. Please refer to the Fund’s prospectus for more information regarding the Fund’s exposure to liquidity risk and other principal risks to which an
investment in the Fund may be subject.
| 48 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Approval of Management
and Subadvisory
Agreements
(Unaudited)
Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC (the Investment Manager, and together with its domestic and global affiliates, Columbia Threadneedle Investments), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (Ameriprise Financial), serves
as the investment manager to Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund (the Fund). Under a management agreement (the Management Agreement), the Investment Manager provides investment advice and other services to the Fund and
other funds distributed by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. (collectively, the Funds). In addition, under a Subadvisory Agreement (the Subadvisory Agreement) between the Investment Manager and
Threadneedle International Limited (the Subadviser), an affiliate of the Investment Manager, the Investment Manager has retained the Subadviser to perform portfolio management and related services for the Fund.
Although the Subadviser is not currently providing such services, the Investment Manager may in the future reallocate Fund assets to be managed by the Subadviser.
On an annual basis, the
Fund’s Board of Trustees (the Board), including the independent Board members (the Independent Trustees), considers renewal of the Management Agreement and the Subadvisory Agreement (together, the Advisory
Agreements). The Investment Manager prepared detailed reports for the Board and its Contracts Committee (including its Contracts Subcommittee) in November 2021 and March, April and June 2022, including reports
providing the results of analyses performed by an independent third-party data provider, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (Broadridge), and comprehensive responses to written requests for information by
independent legal counsels to the Independent Trustees (Independent Legal Counsel) to the Investment Manager, to assist the Board in making this determination. In addition, throughout the year, the Board (or its
committees or subcommittees) regularly meets with portfolio management teams and senior management personnel and reviews information prepared by the Investment Manager addressing the services the Investment Manager
provides and Fund performance. The Board also accords appropriate weight to the work, deliberations and conclusions of the various committees, such as the Contracts Committee, the Investment Review Committee, the
Audit Committee and the Compliance Committee in determining whether to continue the Advisory Agreements.
The Board, at its June 23, 2022
Board meeting (the June Meeting), considered the renewal of each of the Advisory Agreements for additional one-year terms. At the June Meeting, Independent Legal Counsel reviewed with the Independent Trustees various
factors relevant to the Board’s consideration of advisory and subadvisory agreements and the Board’s legal responsibilities related to such consideration. The Independent Trustees considered all
information that they, their legal counsel or the Investment Manager believed reasonably necessary to evaluate and to approve the continuation of each of the Advisory Agreements. Among other things, the information
and factors considered included the following:
| • | Information on the investment performance of the Fund relative to the performance of a group of mutual funds determined to be comparable to the Fund by Broadridge, as well as performance relative to benchmarks; |
| • | Information on the Fund’s management fees and total expenses, including information comparing the Fund’s expenses to those of a group of comparable mutual funds, as determined by Broadridge; |
| • | The Investment Manager’s agreement to contractually limit or cap total operating expenses for the Fund so that total operating expenses (excluding certain fees and expenses, such as transaction costs and certain other investment related expenses, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses and infrequent and/or unusual expenses) would not exceed a specified annual rate, as a percentage of the Fund’s net assets; |
| • | Terms of the Advisory Agreements; |
| • | Subadvisory fees payable by the Investment Manager under the Subadvisory Agreement; |
| • | Descriptions of other agreements and arrangements with affiliates of the Investment Manager relating to the operations of the Fund, including agreements with respect to the provision of transfer agency and shareholder services to the Fund; |
| • | Descriptions of various services performed by the Investment Manager and the Subadviser under the Advisory Agreements, including portfolio management and portfolio trading practices; |
| • | Information regarding any recently negotiated management fees of similarly-managed portfolios of other institutional clients of the Investment Manager; |
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 49 |
Approval of Management and Subadvisory
Agreements (continued)
(Unaudited)
| • | Information regarding the resources of the Investment Manager and the Subadviser, including information regarding senior management, portfolio managers and other personnel; |
| • | Information regarding the capabilities of the Investment Manager and the Subadviser with respect to compliance monitoring services; |
| • | The profitability to the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund; and |
| • | Report provided by the Board’s independent fee consultant, JDL Consultants, LLC (JDL). |
Following an analysis and
discussion of the foregoing, and the factors identified below, the Board, including all of the Independent Trustees, approved the renewal of the Management Agreement and the Subadvisory Agreement.
Nature, extent and quality of
services provided by the Investment Manager and the Subadviser
The Board analyzed various
reports and presentations it had received detailing the services performed by the Investment Manager and the Subadviser, as well as their history, expertise, resources and relative capabilities, and the qualifications
of their personnel.
The Board specifically considered
the many developments during recent years concerning the services provided by the Investment Manager, including, in particular, detailed information regarding the process employed for selecting and overseeing
affiliated and unaffiliated Subadvisers. With respect to the Investment Manager, the Board also noted the organization and depth of the equity and credit research departments. The Board further observed the
enhancements to the investment risk management department’s processes, systems and oversight, over the past several years, as well as planned 2022 initiatives in this regard. The Board also took into account the
broad scope of services provided by the Investment Manager to each subadvised Fund, including, among other services, investment, risk and compliance oversight. The Board also took into account the information it
received concerning the Investment Manager’s ability to attract and retain key portfolio management personnel and that it has sufficient resources to provide competitive and adequate compensation to investment
personnel. The Board also observed that the Investment Manager has been able to effectively manage, operate and distribute the Funds through the COVID-19 pandemic period with no disruptions in services provided. The
Board also considered added personnel and resources obtained by Columbia Threadneedle through Ameriprise Financial’s acquisition of BMO Financial Group’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) asset
management business.
In connection with the
Board’s evaluation of the overall package of services provided by the Investment Manager, the Board also considered the nature, quality and range of administrative services provided to the Fund by the Investment
Manager, as well as the achievements in 2021 in the performance of administrative services, and noted the various enhancements anticipated for 2022. In evaluating the quality of services provided under the Advisory
Agreements, the Board also took into account the organization and strength of the Fund’s and its service providers’ compliance programs. The Board also reviewed the financial condition of the Investment
Manager and its affiliates and each entity’s ability to carry out its responsibilities under the Management Agreement and the Fund’s other service agreements.
In addition, the Board discussed
the acceptability of the terms of the Management Agreement (including the relatively broad scope of services required to be performed by the Investment Manager in addition to monitoring the Subadviser), noting that no
changes were proposed from the forms of agreements previously approved. The Board also noted the wide array of legal and compliance services provided to the Fund under the Management Agreement.
The Board considered the
Subadviser’s organizational strength and resources, portfolio management team depth and capabilities and investment process. The Board also considered the Subadviser’s capability and wherewithal to carry
out its responsibilities under the Subadvisory Agreement. In addition, the Board discussed the acceptability of the terms of the Subadvisory Agreement, including the scope of services required to be performed. The
Board noted that the terms of the Subadvisory Agreement are generally consistent with the terms of other subadvisory agreements for subadvisers who manage other funds managed by the Investment Manager. It was observed
that no changes were recommended to the
| 50 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Approval of Management and Subadvisory
Agreements (continued)
(Unaudited)
Subadvisory Agreement. The Board took into account
the Investment Manager’s representation that the Subadviser was in a position to provide quality services to the Fund. In this regard, the Board further observed the various services provided by the Investment
Manager’s subadvisory oversight team and their significant resources added in recent years.
After reviewing these and related
factors (including investment performance as discussed below), the Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the Fund under the
Advisory Agreements supported the continuation of the Management Agreement and the Subadvisory Agreement.
Investment performance
In this connection, the Board
carefully reviewed the investment performance of the Fund, including detailed reports providing the results of analyses performed by each of the Investment Manager, Broadridge and JDL collectively showing, for various
periods (including since manager inception): (i) the performance of the Fund, (ii) the performance of a benchmark index, (iii) the percentage ranking of the Fund among its comparison group, (iv) the Fund’s
performance relative to peers and benchmarks and (v) the net assets of the Fund. The Board observed that Fund performance was well within the range of that of its peers.
Additionally, the Board reviewed
the performance of the Subadviser. The Board considered, in particular, management’s rationale for recommending the continued retention of the Subadviser.
The Board also reviewed a
description of the third-party data provider’s methodology for identifying the Fund’s peer groups for purposes of performance and expense comparisons.
The Board also considered the
Investment Manager’s and Subadviser’s performance and reputation generally and the Investment Manager’s evaluation of the Subadviser’s contribution to the Fund’s broader investment
mandate. After reviewing these and related factors, the Board concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions, that the performance of the Fund, the Investment Manager and the Subadviser, in light of other
considerations, supported the continuation of the Management Agreement and the Subadvisory Agreement.
Comparative fees, costs of
services provided and the profits realized by the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund
The Board reviewed comparative
fees and the costs of services provided under each of the Advisory Agreements. The Board members considered detailed comparative information set forth in an annual report on fees and expenses, including, among other
things, data (based on analyses conducted by Broadridge and JDL) showing a comparison of the Fund’s expenses with median expenses paid by funds in its comparative peer universe, as well as data showing the
Fund’s contribution to the Investment Manager’s profitability. The Board reviewed the fees charged to comparable institutional or other accounts/vehicles managed by the Investment Manager and discussed
differences in how the products are managed and operated, thus explaining many of the differences in fees.
The Board considered the reports of
JDL, which assisted in the Board’s analysis of the Funds’ performance and expenses and the reasonableness of the Funds’ fee rates. The Board accorded particular weight to the notion that a primary
objective of the level of fees is to achieve a rational pricing model applied consistently across the various product lines in the Fund family, while assuring that the overall fees for each Fund (with certain
exceptions) are generally in line with the current "pricing philosophy" such that Fund total expense ratios, in general, approximate or are lower than the median expense ratios of funds in the same Lipper comparison
universe. The Board took into account that the Fund’s total expense ratio (after considering proposed expense caps/waivers) was below the peer universe’s median expense ratio shown in the reports.
| Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 | 51 |
Approval of Management and Subadvisory
Agreements (continued)
(Unaudited)
Additionally, the Board reviewed the level of
subadvisory fees paid to the Subadviser, noting that the fees are paid by the Investment Manager and do not impact the fees paid by the Fund. After reviewing these and related factors, the Board concluded, within the
context of their overall conclusions, that the levels of management fees, subadvisory fees and expenses of the Fund, in light of other considerations, supported the continuation of each of the Management Agreement and
the Subadvisory Agreement.
The Board also considered the
profitability of the Investment Manager and its affiliates in connection with the Investment Manager providing management services to the Fund. The Independent Trustees referred to information discussing the
profitability to the Investment Manager and Ameriprise Financial from managing, operating and distributing the Funds. The Board considered that in 2021 the Board had considered 2020 profitability and that the 2022
information showed that the profitability generated by the Investment Manager in 2021 increased from 2020 levels, due to a variety of factors, including the increased assets under management of the Funds. It also took
into account the indirect economic benefits flowing to the Investment Manager or its affiliates in connection with managing or distributing the Funds, such as the enhanced ability to offer various other financial
products to Ameriprise Financial customers, soft dollar benefits and overall reputational advantages. The Board noted that the fees paid by the Fund should permit the Investment Manager to offer competitive
compensation to its personnel, make necessary investments in its business and earn an appropriate profit. After reviewing these and related factors, the Board concluded, within the context of their overall
conclusions, that the costs of services provided and the profitability to the Investment Manager and its affiliates from their relationships with the Fund supported the continuation of the Management Agreement and the
Subadvisory Agreement.
Economies of scale
The Board considered the
potential existence of economies of scale in the provision by the Investment Manager of services to the Fund, to groups of related funds and to the Investment Manager as a whole, and whether those economies of scale
were shared with the Fund through breakpoints in investment management fees or other means, such as expense limitation arrangements and additional investments by the Investment Manager in investment, trading,
compliance and other resources. The Board considered the economies of scale that might be realized as the Fund’s net asset level grows and took note of the extent to which Fund shareholders might also benefit
from such growth. In this regard, the Board took into account that management fees decline as Fund assets exceed various breakpoints, all of which have not been surpassed. The Board observed that the Management
Agreement provided for breakpoints in the management fee rate schedule that allow opportunities for shareholders to realize lower fees as Fund assets grow and that there are additional opportunities through other
means for sharing economies of scale with shareholders.
Conclusion
The Board reviewed all of the
above considerations in reaching its decision to approve the continuation of the Management Agreement and the Subadvisory Agreement. In reaching its conclusions, no single factor was determinative.
On June 23, 2022, the Board,
including all of the Independent Trustees, determined that fees payable under each of the Advisory Agreements were fair and reasonable in light of the extent and quality of services provided and approved the renewal
of each of the Advisory Agreements.
| 52 | Columbia U.S. Social Bond Fund | Annual Report 2022 |
Please read and consider the
investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses for any fund carefully before investing. For a prospectus and summary prospectus, which contains this and other important information about the Fund, go to
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/. The Fund is distributed by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc., member FINRA, and managed by Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC.
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/. The Fund is distributed by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc., member FINRA, and managed by Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC.
Columbia Threadneedle Investments
(Columbia Threadneedle) is the global brand name of the Columbia and Threadneedle group of companies. All rights reserved.
© 2022 Columbia Management Investment
Advisers, LLC.
columbiathreadneedleus.com/investor/
ANN262_07_M01_(09/22)
Item 2. Code of Ethics.
|
(a) |
The registrant has adopted a code of ethics that applies to the registrant’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions, regardless of whether these individuals are employed by the registrant or a third party. |
|
(b) |
During the period covered by this report, there were not any amendments to a provision of the code of ethics that applies to the registrant’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions, regardless of whether these individuals are employed by the registrant or a third party, and that relates to any element of the code of ethics definition enumerated in paragraph (b) of this Item. |
|
(c) |
During the period covered by this report, there were no waivers, including any implicit waivers, from a provision of the code of ethics to the registrant’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions, regardless of whether these individuals are employed by the registrant or a third party that relates to one or more of the items set forth in paragraph (b) of this Item. |
Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.
The registrant’s Board of Trustees has determined that David M. Moffett, Brian J. Gallagher, J. Kevin Connaughton, and Sandra L. Yeager, each of whom are members of the registrant’s Board of Trustees and Audit Committee, each qualify as an audit committee financial expert. Mr. Moffett, Mr. Gallagher, Mr. Connaughton, and Ms. Yeager are each independent trustees, as defined in paragraph (a)(2) of this item’s instructions.
Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
Fee information below is disclosed for the five series of the registrant whose reports to stockholders are included in this annual filing.
(a) Audit Fees. Aggregate Audit Fees billed by the principal accountant for professional services rendered during the fiscal years ended July 31, 2022 and July 31, 2021 are approximately as follows:
|
2022 |
2021 |
|
$157,500 |
$157,500 |
Audit Fees include amounts related to the audit of the registrant’s annual financial statements or services that are normally provided by the accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for those fiscal years.
(b) Audit-Related Fees. Aggregate Audit-Related Fees billed to the registrant by the principal accountant for professional services rendered during the fiscal years ended July 31, 2022 and July 31, 2021 are approximately as follows:
|
2022 |
2021 |
|
$0 |
$0 |
Audit-Related Fees, if any, include amounts for assurance and related services by the principal accountant that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit of the registrant’s financial statements and are not reported in Audit Fees above.
During the fiscal years ended July 31, 2022 and July 31, 2021, there were no Audit-Related Fees billed by the registrant’s principal accountant to the registrant’s investment adviser (not including any sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment adviser) and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant for an engagement that related directly to the operations and financial reporting of the registrant.
(c) Tax Fees. Aggregate Tax Fees billed by the principal accountant to the registrant for professional services rendered during the fiscal years ended July 31, 2022 and July 31, 2021 are approximately as follows:
|
2022 |
2021 |
|
$63,300 |
$0 |
Tax Fees include amounts for the review of annual tax returns, the review of required shareholder distribution calculations and typically include amounts for professional services by the principal accountant for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning.
During the fiscal years ended July 31, 2022 and July 31, 2021, there were no Tax Fees billed by the registrant’s principal accountant to the registrant’s investment adviser (not including any sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment adviser) and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant for an engagement that related directly to the operations and financial reporting of the registrant.
(d) All Other Fees. Aggregate All Other Fees billed by the principal accountant to the registrant for professional services rendered during the fiscal years ended July 31, 2022 and July 31, 2021 are approximately as follows:
|
2022 |
2021 |
|
$0 |
$0 |
All Other Fees, if any, include amounts for products and services provided by the principal accountant, other than the services reported in paragraphs (a) through (c) above.
Aggregate All Other Fees billed by the registrant’s principal accountant to the registrant’s investment adviser (not including any sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment adviser) and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant for an engagement that related directly to the operations and financial reporting of the registrant during the fiscal years ended July 31, 2022 and July 31, 2021 are approximately as follows:
|
2022 |
2021 |
|
$535,000 |
$520,000 |
In fiscal years 2022 and 2021, All Other Fees primarily consists of fees billed for internal control examinations of the registrant’s transfer agent and investment adviser.
(e)(1) Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
The registrant’s Audit Committee is required to pre-approve the engagement of the registrant’s independent auditors to provide audit and non-audit services to the registrant and non-audit services to its investment adviser (excluding any sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is sub-contracted or overseen by another investment adviser (the “Adviser”) or any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Adviser that provides ongoing services to the Fund (a “Control Affiliate”) if the engagement relates directly to the operations and financial reporting of the registrant.
The Audit Committee has adopted a Policy for Engagement of Independent Auditors for Audit and Non-Audit Services (the “Policy”). The Policy sets forth the understanding of the Audit Committee regarding the engagement of the registrant’s independent accountants to provide (i) audit and permissible audit-related, tax and other services to the registrant (“Fund Services”); (ii) non-audit services to the registrant’s Adviser and any Control Affiliates, that relates directly to the operations and financial reporting of a Fund (“Fund-related Adviser Services”); and (iii) certain other audit and non-audit services to the registrant’s Adviser and its Control Affiliates. A service will require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee if it is to be provided by the Fund’s independent auditor; provided, however, that pre-approval of non-audit services to the Fund, the Adviser or Control Affiliates may be waived if certain de minimis requirements set forth in the SEC’s rules are met.
Under the Policy, the Audit Committee may delegate pre-approval authority to any pre-designated member or members who are independent board members. The member(s) to whom such authority is delegated must report, for informational purposes only, any pre-approval decisions to the Audit Committee at its next regular meeting. The Audit Committee's responsibilities with respect to the pre-approval of services performed by the independent auditor may not be delegated to management.
On an annual basis, at a regularly scheduled Audit Committee meeting, the Fund’s Treasurer or other Fund officer shall submit to the Audit Committee a schedule of the types of Fund Services and Fund-related Adviser Services that are subject to specific pre-approval. This schedule will provide a description of each type of service that is subject to specific pre-approval, along with total projected fees for each service. The pre-approval will generally cover a one-year period. The Audit Committee will review and approve the types of services and the projected fees for the next one-year period and may add to, or subtract from, the list of pre-approved services from time to time, based on subsequent determinations. This specific approval acknowledges that the Audit Committee is in agreement with the specific types of services that the independent auditor will be permitted to perform and the projected fees for each service.
The Fund’s Treasurer or other Fund officer shall report to the Audit Committee at each of its regular meetings regarding all Fund Services or Fund-related Adviser Services provided since the last such report was rendered, including a description of the services, by category, with forecasted fees for the annual reporting period, proposed changes requiring specific pre-approval and a description of services provided by the independent auditor, by category, with actual fees during the current reporting period.
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(e)(2) None, or 0%, of the Audit-Related Fees, Tax Fees and All Other Fees paid by the Fund or affiliated entities relating directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Registrant disclosed above were approved by the audit committee pursuant to paragraphs (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X (which permits audit committee approval after the start of the engagement with respect to services other than audit, review or attest services, if certain conditions are satisfied).
(f) Not applicable.
(g) The aggregate non-audit fees billed by the registrant’s accountant for services rendered to the registrant, and rendered to the registrant’s investment adviser (not including any sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment adviser), and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant for the fiscal years ended July 31, 2022 and July 31, 2021 are approximately as follows:
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2022 |
2021 |
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$598,300 |
$520,000 |
(h) The registrant’s Audit Committee of the Board of Directors has considered whether the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to the registrant’s adviser (not including any sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment adviser), and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant that were not pre-approved pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X, is compatible with maintaining the principal accountant’s independence.
Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.
Not applicable.
Item 6. Investments
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(a) |
The registrant’s “Schedule I – Investments in securities of unaffiliated issuers” (as set forth in 17 CFR 210.12-12) is included in Item 1 of this Form N-CSR. |
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(b) |
Not applicable. |
Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.
Not applicable.
Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.
Not applicable.
Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.
Not applicable.
Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
There were no material changes to the procedures by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the registrant's board of directors.
Item 11. Controls and Procedures.
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(c) |
The registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, based on their evaluation of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days of the filing of this report, have concluded that such controls and procedures are adequately designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the registrant in Form N-CSR is accumulated and communicated to the registrant’s management, including the principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. |
Item 12. Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies
Not applicable.
Item 13. Exhibits.
