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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-CSR/A

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

Investment Company Act file number 811-22437

Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

227 West Monroe, Chicago, IL, 60606
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

Amy J. Lee

227 West Monroe, Chicago, IL 60606
(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (312) 827-0100

Date of fiscal year end: May 31

Date of reporting period: June 1, 2021 - May 31, 2022

 

Update to IXBRL

EXPLANATORY NOTE

 

The Registrant is filing this amendment to its Form N-CSR for the year ended May 31, 2022, originally filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on August 10, 2022 (Accession Number: 0001821268-22-000196), with amendments filed on September 16, 2022 and September 21, 2022 (Accession Numbers: 0001398344-22-018688 and 0001398344-22-018917). The purpose of this amendment is solely to modify a line graph presentation.  This Form N-CSR/A does not modify the financial statements therein or otherwise modify the disclosures therein in any way.

 

Item 1. Reports to Stockholders.

The registrant's annual report transmitted to shareholders pursuant to Rule 30e-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), is as follows:

 

 
 

 

 

GUGGENHEIMINVESTMENTS.COM/GBAB

... YOUR LINK TO THE LATEST, MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ABOUT THE GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST

The shareholder report you are reading right now is just the beginning of the story. Online at guggenheiminvestments.com/gbab, you will find:

• Daily, weekly and monthly data on share prices, net asset values, distributions and more

• Monthly portfolio overviews and performance analyses

• Announcements, press releases and special notices

• Trust and adviser contact information

Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC and Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC are continually updating and expanding shareholder information services on the Trust’s website in an ongoing effort to provide you with the most current information about how your Trust’s assets are managed and the results of our efforts. It is just one more small way we are working to keep you better informed about your investment in the Trust.

 
 

 

DEAR SHAREHOLDER (Unaudited) May 31, 2022

 

We thank you for your investment in the Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust (the “Trust”). This report covers the Trust’s performance for the 12-month period ended May 31, 2022 (the “Reporting Period”).

The COVID-19 pandemic and the recovery response has caused and continues to cause at times reduced consumer demand and economic output, supply chain disruptions, and market closures, travel restrictions, quarantines, and disparate global vaccine distributions. As with other serious economic disruptions, governmental authorities and regulators have responded in recent years to this situation with significant fiscal and monetary policy changes. These included providing direct capital infusions into companies, introducing new monetary programs, and lowering interest rates. In some cases, these responses resulted in high inflation, low interest rates, and negative interest rates (which have since risen). Recently, the United States and other governments have also made investments and engaged in infrastructure modernization projects that have also increased public debt and spending. These actions, including their reversal or potential ineffectiveness, could further increase volatility in securities and other financial markets, reduce market liquidity, continue to cause higher inflation, heighten investor uncertainty, and adversely affect the value of the Trust’s investments and the performance of the Trust. These actions also contribute to a risk that asset prices have a high degree of correlation across markets and asset classes. The duration and extent of COVID-19 over the long term cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. The ultimate impact of COVID-19 and the extent to which COVID-19 impacts the Trust will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and difficult to predict.

The value of, or income generated by, the investments held by the Trust are subject to the possibility of rapid and unpredictable fluctuation, and loss. These movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, or from broader influences, including real or perceived changes in prevailing interest rates (which have risen recently and may continue to rise), changes in inflation rates or expectations about inflation rates (which are currently elevated relative to normal conditions), adverse investor confidence or sentiment, changing economic, political (including geopolitical), social or financial market conditions, increased instability or general uncertainty, environmental disasters, governmental actions, public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics and epidemics), debt crises, actual or threatened wars or other armed conflicts (such as the current Russia-Ukraine conflict and its risk of expansion or collateral economic and other effects) or ratings downgrades, and other similar events, each of which may be temporary or last for extended periods. Moreover, changing economic, political, geopolitical, social, or, financial market or other conditions in one country or geographic region could adversely affect the value, yield and return of the investments held by the Trust in a different country or geographic region and economies, markets and issuers generally because of the increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets.

The Trust’s primary investment objective is to provide current income with a secondary objective of long-term capital appreciation. To learn more about the Trust’s performance and investment strategy, we encourage you to read the Economic and Market Overview and the Management’s Discussion of Trust Performance sections of this report, which begin on page 5. There, you will find information on Guggenheim’s investment philosophy, views on the economy and market environment, and detailed information about the factors that impacted the Trust’s performance.

All Trust returns cited—whether based on net asset value (“NAV”) or market price—assume the reinvestment of all distributions. For the Reporting Period, the Trust provided a total return based on market price of -13.96% and a total return based on NAV of -13.81%. As of May 31, 2022, the Trust’s market price of $19.45 per share represented a premium of 5.99% to its NAV of $18.35 per share.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 3

 
 

 

 

   
DEAR SHAREHOLDER (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. All NAV returns include the deduction of management fees, operating expenses, and all other Trust expenses. The market price of the Trust’s shares fluctuates from time to time, and may be higher or lower than the Trust’s NAV.

During the Reporting Period, the Trust paid a monthly distribution of $0.12573 per share. The most recent distribution represents an annualized distribution rate of 7.76% based on the Trust’s closing market price of $19.45 per share on May 31, 2022. The Trust’s distribution rate is not constant and the amount of distributions, when declared by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, is subject to change. There is no guarantee of any future distribution or that the current returns and distribution rate will be maintained. Please see the Distributions to Shareholders & Annualized Distribution Rate on page 14, and Note 2(g) on page 47 for more information on distributions for the period.

We encourage shareholders to consider the opportunity to reinvest their distributions from the Trust through the Dividend Reinvestment Plan (“DRIP”), which is described in detail on page 83 of this report. When shares trade at a discount to NAV, the DRIP takes advantage of the discount by reinvesting the monthly distribution in common shares of the Trust purchased in the market at a price less than NAV. Conversely, when the market price of the Trust’s common shares is at a premium above NAV, the DRIP reinvests participants’ distributions in newly-issued common shares at the greater of NAV per share or 95% of the market price per share. The DRIP provides a cost-effective means to accumulate additional shares and enjoy the benefits of compounding returns over time. The DRIP effectively provides an income averaging technique, which causes shareholders to accumulate a larger number of Trust shares when the share price is lower than when the price is higher.

We appreciate your investment and look forward to serving your investment needs in the future. For the most up-to-date information on your investment, please visit the Trust’s website at guggenheiminvestments.com/gbab.

Sincerely,

Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC

Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust

June 30, 2022

 

4 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
ECONOMIC AND MARKET OVERVIEW (Unaudited) May 31, 2022

 

In the 12 months ended May 31, 2022, the yield on the two-year Treasury rose 242 basis points to 2.56% from 0.14%, and the 10-year Treasury increased by 125 basis points to 2.84% from 1.59% as the Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) began raising rates in March 2022 to battle inflation. The spread between the two-year Treasury and 10-year Treasury narrowed to 29 basis points from 145 basis points. One basis point is equal to one-hundredth of one percent, or 0.01%.

The first half of 2022 was extremely challenging for investors, with interest rates rising sharply even as downside risks to the economic outlook accumulated, pushing stock and bond returns deep into negative territory.

With the labor market overheated and inflation considerably above the Fed’s target, we have entered an uncomfortable regime where “good news is bad news,” and the “Fed put” is deeply out of the money. For the first time in many years, the Fed is aggressively tightening financial conditions in an effort to slow down the economy, keep inflation expectations in check, and bring inflation down to the 2% target. The Fed’s crusade to crush inflation is reverberating around the world, as the strengthening dollar is boosting inflation and inflation expectations in other countries, forcing central banks to tighten policy to avoid an erosion of their own inflation credibility.

The tightening of global financial conditions may further restrain growth, which has already slowed meaningfully in the United States in the first half of 2022 after a robust 2021. Growth this year has been hampered by supply-side constraints as the unemployment rate has fallen to 3.6%, commodity markets have been roiled by Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Chinese economy has been hobbled by renewed COVID-19 lockdowns.

Slower demand growth and limited slack have already served to moderate the pace of improvement in the labor market, with aggregate payroll growth and the pace of the decline in the unemployment rate slowing markedly since last fall. This indicates that the labor market has already started to cool even before the tightening of financial conditions has really been felt. High-frequency indicators and news reports point to a further slowdown in the job market in coming months.

Inflation is a lagging indicator and continues to run far above the Fed’s target. While some measures of inflation have cooled in recent months, the all-important headline consumer price index sits at a cycle high of 8.6% as of May 2022. Our analysis indicates that a recession will be required to bring inflation down to target, and we believe a recession could begin by 2023.

With a recession coming closer into view and the bond market already pricing in wider credit spreads and substantial further Fed tightening, we believe now is an opportune time to add high-quality, longer-duration fixed income ahead of the Fed easing cycle that we forecast to begin next year. We expect fixed income to once again provide a ballast in multi-asset portfolios as growth slows and inflation begins to recede.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 5

 
 

 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION OF  
TRUST PERFORMANCE (Unaudited) May 31, 2022

 

MANAGEMENT TEAM

Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC serves as the investment adviser to the Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust (“Trust”). The Trust is managed by a team of seasoned professionals at Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC (“GPIM”) and Guggenheim Partners Advisors, LLC (“GPA”) (each a “Sub-Adviser” and together, the “Sub-Advisers”).

This team includes B. Scott Minerd, Chairman of Guggenheim Investments, Chief Investment Officer of GPA, and Global Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner of Guggenheim Partners, LLC; Anne B. Walsh, CFA, JD, Chief Investment Officer, Fixed Income, Portfolio Manager, and Managing Partner of GPIM; Steven H. Brown, CFA, Chief Investment Officer, Total Return and Macro Strategies, and Senior Managing Director of GPIM; Allen Li, CFA, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager of GPIM; and Adam J. Bloch, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager of GPIM.

RETURN OF TRUST AND COMPARATIVE INDEXES

All Trust returns cited—whether based on net asset value (“NAV”) or market price—assume the reinvestment of all distributions. For the 12-month period ended May 31, 2022 (“Reporting Period”), the Trust provided a total return based on market price of -13.96% and a total return based on NAV of -13.81%. As of May 31, 2022, the Trust’s market price of $19.45 per share represented a premium of 5.99% to its NAV of $18.35 per share. As of May 31, 2021, the Trust’s market price of $24.22 per share represented a premium of 6.23% to its NAV of $22.80 per share.

Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. All NAV returns include the deduction of management fees, operating expenses, and all other Trust expenses. The market price of the Trust’s shares fluctuates from time to time, and may be higher or lower than the Trust’s NAV.

Please refer to the graphs and tables included within the Trust Summary, beginning on page 11 for additional information about the Trust's performance.

   
Index Total Return
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index -6.79%
Bloomberg Taxable Municipal Index -11.79%
Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index -8.22%
Bloomberg U.S. Corporate High Yield Index -5.27%
Credit Suisse Leveraged Loan Index -0.20%
ICE Bank of America Asset Backed Security Master BBB-AA Index -5.46%
ICE Bank of America Build America Bond Index -10.95%
Standard & Poor’s 500 (“S&P 500”) Index -0.30%

 

 

6 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION OF  
TRUST PERFORMANCE (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

DISTRIBUTIONS

During the Reporting Period, the Trust paid a monthly distribution of $0.12573 per share. The most recent distribution represents an annualized distribution rate of 7.76% based on the Trust’s closing market price of $19.45 per share on May 31, 2022.

There is no guarantee of any future distributions or that the current returns and distribution rate will be maintained. The Trust’s distribution rate is not constant and the amount of distributions, when declared by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, is subject to change.

Please see the Distributions to Shareholders & Annualized Distribution Rate table on page 14, and Note 2(g) on page 47 for more information on distributions for the period.

   
Payable Date Amount
June 30, 2021 $0.12573
July 30, 2021 $0.12573
August 31, 2021 $0.12573
September 30, 2021 $0.12573
October 29, 2021 $0.12573
November 30, 2021 $0.12573
December 31, 2021 $0.12573
January 31, 2022 $0.12573
February 28, 2022 $0.12573
March 31, 2022 $0.12573
April 29, 2022 $0.12573
May 31, 2022 $0.12573
Total $1.50876

 

PERFORMANCE CONTRIBUTORS AND DETRACTORS

The Trust experienced negative performance during the Reporting Period as interest rates rose across the yield curve. Municipal securities, the Trust’s largest allocation during the Reporting Period, saw particularly negative returns given their longer duration nature as rising rates drove prices lower. While also experiencing negative returns, the Trust’s investment grade corporate allocation, outperformed both the Trust’s municipal securities and the broader investment grade corporate market. As returns were negative across nearly all of the Trust’s allocations, leverage was an overall detractor from performance during the Reporting Period. The Trust’s portfolio allocations remained relatively consistent during the Reporting Period.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 7

 
 

 

 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION OF  
TRUST PERFORMANCE (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

DURATION

The Trust seeks to maintain a leverage-adjusted duration of generally less than 15 years. On May 31, 2022 the Trust’s duration was approximately 10.99 years. (Duration is a measure of a bond’s price sensitivity to changes in interest rates, expressed in years, and reflects the weighted average term to maturity of discounted bond cash flow.) GPIM may seek to manage the Trust’s duration in a flexible and opportunistic manner based primarily on then-current market conditions and interest rate levels.

LEVERAGE

As of May 31, 2022, the Trust’s leverage was approximately 29% of Managed Assets (as described herein), and the Trust’s leverage was the same at the beginning of the Reporting Period.

The Trust currently employs financial leverage through reverse repurchase agreements with six counterparties. Given negative total returns across asset classes over the Reporting Period, leverage detracted from performance.

One purpose of leverage is to fund the purchase of additional securities that may provide increased income and potentially greater appreciation to common shareholders than could be achieved from an unlevered portfolio. Leverage may result in greater NAV volatility and entails more downside risk than an unleveraged portfolio.

Investments in Investment Funds (as defined below in the Additional Information Regarding the Trust Section) frequently expose the Trust to an additional layer of financial leverage and the associated risks, such as the magnified effect of any losses. These risks are further discussed below in the Additional Information Regarding the Trust section.

DERIVATIVES TYPES, USES, AND IMPACT ON PERFORMANCE

The Trust had minimal exposure to derivatives during the Reporting Period. The Trust held FX forwards to hedge non-USD credit exposure, which benefited as the dollar rallied against both the Euro and the Pound. The Trust also held interest rate swaps that served to reduce duration, which had a nominal impact to Trust performance.

TRUST POSITIONING AND OUTLOOK

As of the end of the Reporting Period, risk assets continued to re-price lower as markets came to terms with tighter monetary policy and accordingly higher interest rates amid global central bankers’ efforts to curb record inflation. We expect volatility to continue for several months after the Reporting Period as rapidly changing economic data remains highly impactful on valuations. While that outlook is likely negative for risk assets in the near term, the Trust generally benefits from a long-term investment horizon. During such periods of volatility, GPIM typically seeks to add to attractive risk, particularly within high quality municipals and investment grade corporate debt. We believe that as

 

8 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION OF  
TRUST PERFORMANCE (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

interest rates near peak levels during this cycle, high quality credit is compelling. Accordingly, toward the end of the Reporting Period, the Trust increased its allocations to taxable municipal debt and investment grade corporates with yields for each at levels not seen since the Global Financial Crisis.

Index Definitions

Indices are unmanaged and reflect no expenses. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

The Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index is considered representative of the broad market for investment grade, tax-exempt municipal bonds with a maturity of at least one year.

The Bloomberg Taxable Municipal Index tracks performance of investment-grade fixed income securities issued by state and local governments whose income is not exempt from tax, issued generally to finance a project or activity that does not meet certain “public purpose/use” requirements.

The Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is a broad-based flagship benchmark that measures the investment grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bond market, including U.S. Treasuries, government-related and corporate securities, mortgage-backed securities or “MBS” (agency fixed-rate and hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage, or “ARM”, pass-throughs), asset-backed securities (“ABS”), and commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) (agency and non-agency).

The Bloomberg U.S. Corporate High Yield Index measures the U.S. dollar-denominated, high yield, fixed-rate corporate bond market. Securities are classified as high yield if the middle rating of Moody’s, Fitch, and S&P is Ba1/BB +/BB + or below.

The Credit Suisse Leveraged Loan Index is an index designed to mirror the investable universe of the U.S.-dollar-denominated leveraged loan market.

The ICE Bank of America Asset Backed Security Master BBB-AA Index is a subset of the ICE Bank of America Merrill Lynch U.S. Fixed Rate Asset Backed Securities Index including all securities rated AA1 through BBB3, inclusive.

The ICE Bank of America Build America Bond Index is designed to track the performance of U.S. dollar-denominated Build America Bonds publicly issued by U.S. states and territories, and their political subdivisions, in the U.S. market.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 (“S&P 500”) Index is a capitalization-weighted index of 500 stocks designed to measure the performance of the broad economy, representing all major industries and is considered a representation of the U.S. stock market.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 9

 
 

 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION OF  
TRUST PERFORMANCE (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

The views expressed in this report reflect those of the portfolio managers only through the report period as stated on the cover. These views are subject to change at any time, based on market and other conditions and should not be construed as a recommendation of any kind. The material may also include forward looking statements that involve risk and uncertainty, and there is no guarantee that any predictions will come to pass.

There can be no assurance that the Trust will achieve its investment objectives. The value of the Trust will fluctuate with the value of the underlying securities. Risk is inherent in all investing, including the loss of your entire principal. Therefore, before investing you should consider the risks carefully. The Trust is subject to various risk factors, including investment risk, which could result in the loss of the entire principal amount that you invest. Certain of these risk factors are described below. The Trust’s Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information (SAI) and guggenheiminvestments.com/gbab also include information about the risks of investing in the Trust. Shareholders may access the Trust’s Prospectus and SAI on the EDGAR Database on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov.

This material is not intended as a recommendation or as investment advice of any kind, including in connection with rollovers, transfers, and distributions. Such material is not provided in a fiduciary capacity, may not be relied upon for or in connection with the making of investment decisions, and does not constitute a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities. All content has been provided for informational or educational purposes only and is not intended to be and should not be construed as legal or tax advice and/or a legal opinion. Always consult a financial, tax and/or legal professional regarding your specific situation.

 

10 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

  

TRUST SUMMARY (Unaudited) May 31, 2022

 

   
Trust Statistics  
Market Price $19.45
Net Asset Value $18.35
Premium to NAV 5.99%
Net Assets ($000) $401,122

 

Cumulative Trust Performance*

 

 

*The performance data above represents past performance that is not predictive of future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment in the Trust will fluctuate so that an investor's shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Returns are historical and include changes in principal and reinvested dividends and capital gains and do not reflect the effect of taxes. The Bloomberg Taxable Municipal Index is an unmanaged index and, unlike the Trust, has no management fees or operating expenses to reduce its reported return. Further, the Bloomberg Taxable Municipal Index is a broad-based index that tracks the performance of investment-grade fixed income securities issued by state and local governments whose income is not exempt from tax, issued generally to finance a project or activity that does not meet certain "public purpose/use" requirements. The Trust does not seek to achieve performance that is comparative to an index.

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED MAY 31, 2022

 

  One Three Five Ten
  Year Year Year Year
Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment        
Grade Debt Trust        
NAV (13.81%) (0.42%) 1.91% 4.45%
Market (13.96%) 0.55% 3.24% 5.76%
Bloomberg Taxable Municipal Index (11.79%) (0.15%) 2.28% 3.36%

 

Performance data quoted represents past performance, which is no guarantee of future results and current performance may be lower or higher than the figures shown. All NAV returns include the deduction of management fees, operating expenses and all other Trust expenses. The deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Trust distributions or the sale of Trust shares is not reflected in the total returns. For the most recent month-end performance figures, please visit guggenheiminvestments.com/gbab. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate with changes in market conditions and other factors so that an investor’s shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost.

The referenced index is an unmanaged index and not available for direct investment. Index performance does not reflect transaction costs, fees or expenses.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 11

 
 

 

TRUST SUMMARY (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

   
Portfolio Breakdown % of Net Assets
Municipal Bonds 79.8%
Corporate Bonds 24.2%
Closed-End Funds 15.7%
Senior Floating Rate Interests 12.1%
Asset-Backed Securities 4.5%
Preferred Stocks 2.4%
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations 0.7%
Foreign Government Debt 0.3%
Money Market Fund 0.1%
Common Stocks 0.0%*
Warrants 0.0%*
Total Investments 139.8%
Options Written (0.0%)*
Other Assets & Liabilities, net (39.8%)
Net Assets 100.0%

 

* Less than (0.1%).

 

12 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

TRUST SUMMARY (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

Ten Largest Holdings % of Net Assets
BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust   7.1%
State of West Virginia, Higher Education Policy Commission, Revenue Bonds,    
Federally Taxable Build America Bonds 2010, 7.65%   3.4%
New Jersey Turnpike Authority Revenue Bonds, 7.10%   3.2%
Westchester County Health Care Corporation, Revenue Bonds, Taxable Build America Bonds, 8.57% 3.2%
Dallas, Texas, Convention Center Hotel Development Corporation, Hotel Revenue    
Bonds, Taxable Build America Bonds, 7.09%   3.0%
School District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, General Obligation Bonds,    
Series 2011A, Qualified School Construction Bonds – (Federally Taxable –    
Direct Subsidy), 6.00%   2.9%
Oklahoma Development Finance Authority Revenue Bonds, 5.45%   2.8%
Oakland Unified School District, County of Alameda, California, Taxable    
General Obligation Bonds, Election of 2006, Qualified School    
Construction Bonds, Series 2012B, 6.88%   2.5%
Nuveen Taxable Municipal Income Fund   2.5%
Santa Ana Unified School District, California, General Obligation Bonds, Federal    
Taxable Build America Bonds, 7.10%   2.4%
Top Ten Total   33.0%

 

“Ten Largest Holdings” excludes any temporary cash or derivative investments.

Portfolio breakdown and holdings are subject to change daily. For more information, please visit guggenheiminvestments.com/gbab. The above summaries are provided for informational purposes only and should not be viewed as recommendations. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Portfolio Composition by Quality Rating1

 

  % of Total
Rating Investments
Fixed Income Instruments  
AAA 0.7%
AA 33.6%
A 20.3%
BBB 14.4%
BB 6.8%
B 8.1%
CCC 1.2%
NR2 1.9%
Other Instruments 13.0%
Total Investments 100.0%

 

1 Source: BlackRock Solutions. Credit quality ratings are measured on a scale that generally ranges from AAA (highest) to D (lowest). All securities except for those labeled “NR” have been rated by Moody's, Standard & Poor's (“S&P”), or Fitch, each of which is a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (“NRSRO”). For purposes of this presentation, when ratings are available from more than one agency, the highest rating is used. Guggenheim Investments has converted Moody’s and Fitch ratings to the equivalent S&P rating. Security ratings are determined at the time of purchase and may change thereafter.
2 NR (not rated) securities do not necessarily indicate low credit quality.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 13

 
 

 

 

   
TRUST SUMMARY (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

All or a portion of the above distributions may be characterized as a return of capital. For the year ended May 31, 2022, 87% of the distributions were characterized as ordinary income 2% of the distributions were characterized as long-term capital gains, and 11% of the distributions were characterized as return of capital. The final determination of the tax character of the distributions paid by the Trust in 2022 will be reported to shareholders in January 2023.

 

14 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS May 31, 2022

 

     
  Shares Value
COMMON STOCKS– 0.0%    
Communications – 0.0%    
Vacasa, Inc. — Class A* 10,238 $ 45,559
Figs, Inc. — Class A*,1,6 3,754 33,411
Total Communications   78,970
Consumer, Non-cyclical – 0.0%    
Targus Group International Equity, Inc.*,†††,2 17,838 45,100
Industrial – 0.0%    
BP Holdco LLC*,†††,2 15,619 11,011
Vector Phoenix Holdings, LP*,††† 15,619 4,295
Total Industrial   15,306
Total Common Stocks    
(Cost $130,264)   139,376
PREFERRED STOCKS†† – 2.4%    
Financial – 2.4%    
Equitable Holdings, Inc.    
4.30% 140,000 2,696,400
First Republic Bank    
4.50% 54,000 1,069,200
4.25% 46,000 873,080
W R Berkley Corp.    
4.13% due 03/30/61 96,000 1,935,360
Kuvare US Holdings, Inc.    
7.00% due 02/17/51*,3 1,500,000 1,522,405
PartnerRe Ltd.    
4.88% 46,000 1,011,540
Selective Insurance Group, Inc.    
4.60% 20,000 415,400
Total Financial   9,523,385
Total Preferred Stocks    
(Cost $11,550,000)   9,523,385
WARRANTS– 0.0%    
Pershing Square Tontine Holdings, Ltd.    
Expiring 07/24/25*,4 23,730 10,921
KKR Acquisition Holdings I Corp. - Class A    
Expiring 12/31/27*,4 22,975 9,247
AfterNext HealthTech Acquisition Corp.    
Expiring 05/13/23*,4 19,233 6,022
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.    
Expiring 12/31/27* 9,372 5,717
Conyers Park III Acquisition Corp.    
Expiring 08/12/28*,4 17,900 5,436

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 15

 
 

 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

     
  Shares Value
WARRANTS– 0.0% (continued)    
RXR Acquisition Corp. - Class A    
Expiring 03/08/26*,4 16,686 $ 4,083
Waverley Capital Acquisition Corp.    
Expiring 04/30/27*,4 17,000 3,684
Acropolis Infrastructure Acquisition Corp.    
Expiring 03/31/26*,4 12,600 3,275
Blue Whale Acquisition Corp.    
Expiring 07/30/26*,4 7,800 2,262
MSD Acquisition Corp.    
Expiring 05/13/23*,4 2,723 1,017
Colicity, Inc. - Class A    
Expiring 12/31/27*,4 4,004 867
Total Warrants    
(Cost $291,649)   52,531
CLOSED-END FUNDS– 15.7%    
BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust 1,431,230 28,696,162
Nuveen Taxable Municipal Income Fund 537,476 10,066,925
Nuveen California Quality Municipal Income Fund 482,736 6,082,473
Invesco Municipal Opportunity Trust 450,245 4,844,636
Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals 382,286 4,262,489
Invesco Municipal Trust 309,052 3,316,128
BlackRock MuniVest Fund, Inc. 394,750 3,071,155
Invesco Advantage Municipal Income Trust II 287,297 2,821,257
Total Closed-End Funds    
(Cost $75,193,351)   63,161,225
MONEY MARKET FUND– 0.1%    
Dreyfus Treasury Obligations Cash Management Fund — Institutional Shares, 0.65%5 310,505 310,505
Total Money Market Fund    
(Cost $310,505)   310,505
  Face  
  Amount~  
MUNICIPAL BONDS†† – 79.8%    
California – 13.8%    
Santa Ana Unified School District, California, General Obligation Bonds,    
Federal Taxable Build America Bonds15    
7.10% due 08/01/40 7,785,000 9,801,099
6.80% due 08/01/30 2,245,000 2,656,378
Oakland Unified School District, County of Alameda, California, Taxable General    
Obligation Bonds, Election of 2006, Qualified School Construction Bonds,    
Series 2012B    
6.88% due 08/01/33 10,000,000 10,084,548

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

16 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

     
  Face  
  Amount~ Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS†† – 79.8% (continued)    
California – 13.8% (continued)    
Long Beach Unified School District, California, Qualified School Construction    
Bonds, Federally Taxable, Election of 2008, General Obligation Bonds    
5.91% due 08/01/256 7,500,000 $ 7,897,625
East Side Union High School District General Obligation Unlimited    
3.13% due 08/01/426 7,500,000 6,130,169
California Public Finance Authority Revenue Bonds    
3.27% due 10/15/43 4,800,000 3,605,268
Oakland Unified School District/Alameda County General Obligation Unlimited    
3.12% due 08/01/406 2,450,000 1,960,621
Marin Community College District General Obligation Unlimited    
4.03% due 08/01/386 2,000,000 1,903,485
Moreno Valley Unified School District General Obligation Unlimited    
3.82% due 08/01/446 2,000,000 1,762,547
Hillsborough City School District General Obligation Unlimited    
due 09/01/387 1,600,000 723,302
due 09/01/377 1,120,000 539,305
due 09/01/407 500,000 199,102
San Jose Evergreen Community College District General Obligation Unlimited    
3.06% due 09/01/456 1,500,000 1,199,636
Monrovia Unified School District, Los Angeles County, California, Election of 2006    
General Obligation Bonds, Build America Bonds, Federally Taxable15    
7.25% due 08/01/28 1,025,000 1,153,312
Manteca Redevelopment Agency Successor Agency Tax Allocation    
3.21% due 10/01/42 1,400,000 1,143,105
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District (Orange County, California),    
General Obligation Bonds, Federally Taxable Direct-Pay Qualified School    
Construction Bonds, Election of 2008    
5.40% due 02/01/266 1,000,000 1,072,175
Cypress School District General Obligation Unlimited    
6.65% due 08/01/25 660,000 698,437
Norman Y Mineta San Jose International Airport SJC Revenue Bonds    
2.91% due 03/01/35 500,000 411,676
3.27% due 03/01/40 250,000 196,823
3.29% due 03/01/41 70,000 54,446
Alhambra Unified School District General Obligation Unlimited    
6.70% due 02/01/266 500,000 536,974
California State University Revenue Bonds    
3.90% due 11/01/476 500,000 488,810
Fremont Unified School District/Alameda County California General Obligation Unlimited    
2.75% due 08/01/41 400,000 317,568
Riverside County Redevelopment Successor Agency Tax Allocation    
3.88% due 10/01/37 250,000 239,036
Coast Community College District General Obligation Unlimited    
2.98% due 08/01/39 250,000 199,470
Total California   54,974,917

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 17

 
 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

  Face  
  Amount~ Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS†† – 79.8% (continued)    
Texas – 11.1%    
Dallas, Texas, Convention Center Hotel Development Corporation,    
Hotel Revenue Bonds, Taxable Build America Bonds15    
7.09% due 01/01/426 10,020,000 $ 12,076,895
Harris County Cultural Education Facilities Finance Corp. Revenue Bonds    
3.34% due 11/15/376 8,900,000 7,712,202
Tarrant County Cultural Education Facilities Finance Corp. Revenue Bonds    
3.42% due 09/01/506 8,000,000 5,934,193
City of San Antonio Texas Electric & Gas Systems Revenue Bonds    
2.91% due 02/01/486 6,800,000 5,252,869
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Revenue Bonds    
2.92% due 11/01/506 6,500,000 5,140,491
Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority Revenue Bonds    
3.29% due 01/01/42 5,250,000 4,110,039
3.27% due 01/01/45 1,150,000 848,577
City of Garland Texas Electric Utility System Revenue Bonds    
3.15% due 03/01/516 2,400,000 1,918,978
City of Austin Texas Rental Car Special Facility Revenue Bonds    
2.86% due 11/15/426 2,200,000 1,671,485
Total Texas   44,665,729
Washington – 8.6%    
Washington State University, Housing and Dining System Revenue Bonds,    
Taxable Build America Bonds15    
7.40% due 04/01/41 6,675,000 8,589,269
7.10% due 04/01/32 3,325,000 3,998,818
Central Washington University Revenue Bonds    
6.95% due 05/01/40 5,000,000 6,279,963
Washington State Convention Center Public Facilities District, Lodging    
Tax Bonds, Taxable Build America Bonds15    
6.79% due 07/01/40 4,950,000 5,732,301
Central Washington University, System Revenue Bonds, 2010, Taxable    
Build America Bonds15    
6.50% due 05/01/30 5,000,000 5,703,809
County of Pierce Washington Sewer Revenue Bonds    
2.87% due 08/01/426 4,300,000 3,304,184
King County Public Hospital District No. 2 General Obligation Limited    
3.11% due 12/01/44 1,100,000 891,616
Total Washington   34,499,960
New York – 5.6%    
Westchester County Health Care Corporation, Revenue Bonds, Taxable    
Build America Bonds15    
8.57% due 11/01/40 10,010,000 12,983,591
Port Authority of New York & New Jersey Revenue Bonds    
3.14% due 02/15/516 5,000,000 3,970,133

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

18 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

     
  Face  
  Amount~ Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS†† – 79.8% (continued)    
New York – 5.6% (continued)    
Westchester County Local Development Corp. Revenue Bonds    
3.85% due 11/01/506 4,550,000 $ 3,777,015
New York City Industrial Development Agency Revenue Bonds    
2.73% due 03/01/346 2,250,000 1,866,051
Total New York   22,596,790
Pennsylvania – 4.9%    
School District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, General Obligation Bonds, Series 2011A,    
Qualified School Construction Bonds – (Federally Taxable – Direct Subsidy)    
6.00% due 09/01/306 10,330,000 11,498,860
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, School District, Taxable Qualified School Construction Bonds    
6.85% due 09/01/296 6,895,000 8,115,856
Doylestown Hospital Authority Revenue Bonds    
3.95% due 07/01/24 185,000 178,612
Total Pennsylvania   19,793,328
New Jersey – 4.5%    
New Jersey Turnpike Authority Revenue Bonds Taxable Build America Bonds15    
7.10% due 01/01/416 10,000,000 13,042,919
New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority Revenue Bonds    
3.51% due 07/01/42 3,500,000 2,850,602
New Jersey Turnpike Authority Revenue Bonds    
2.78% due 01/01/406 2,500,000 1,973,292
Total New Jersey   17,866,813
Illinois – 4.1%    
Chicago, Illinois, Second Lien Wastewater Transmission Revenue Project Bonds,    
Taxable Build America Bonds15    
6.90% due 01/01/406 5,100,000 5,992,371
Illinois, General Obligation Bonds, Taxable Build America Bonds15    
7.35% due 07/01/356 5,000,000 5,542,468
Chicago, Illinois, Second Lien Water Revenue Bonds, Taxable Build America Bonds15    
6.74% due 11/01/40 2,990,000 3,489,204
State of Illinois General Obligation Unlimited    
6.63% due 02/01/35 930,000 1,001,161
6.73% due 04/01/35 200,000 215,434
Chicago Board of Education General Obligation Unlimited    
6.14% due 12/01/39 195,000 200,241
Total Illinois   16,440,879
Ohio – 3.9%    
County of Franklin Ohio Revenue Bonds    
2.88% due 11/01/506 8,900,000 6,416,419
American Municipal Power, Inc., Combined Hydroelectric Projects Revenue    
Bonds, New Clean Renewable Energy Bonds    
7.33% due 02/15/286 5,000,000 5,674,689

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 19

 
 

 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

     
  Face  
  Amount~ Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS†† – 79.8% (continued)    
Ohio – 3.9% (continued)    
Madison Local School District, Richland County, Ohio, School Improvement,    
Taxable Qualified School Construction Bonds    
6.65% due 12/01/296 2,500,000 $ 2,505,799
Toronto City School District, Ohio, Qualified School Construction Bonds    
General Obligation Bonds    
7.00% due 12/01/28 890,000 891,959
Total Ohio   15,488,866
Oklahoma – 3.5%    
Oklahoma Development Finance Authority Revenue Bonds    
5.45% due 08/15/28 10,950,000 11,136,447
Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust Revenue Bonds    
3.10% due 06/01/45 3,700,000 2,837,762
Oklahoma State University Revenue Bonds    
4.13% due 08/01/48 150,000 142,210
Total Oklahoma   14,116,419
West Virginia – 3.4%    
State of West Virginia, Higher Education Policy Commission, Revenue Bonds,    
Federally Taxable Build America Bonds 201015    
7.65% due 04/01/40 10,000,000 13,803,167
Indiana – 2.9%    
Evansville-Vanderburgh School Building Corp. Revenue Bonds    
6.50% due 01/15/306 8,690,000 8,716,100
County of Knox Indiana Revenue Bonds    
5.90% due 04/01/346 2,920,000 2,899,787
Total Indiana   11,615,887
Georgia – 2.9%    
Atlanta & Fulton County Recreation Authority Revenue Bonds    
5.10% due 12/01/476 6,000,000 6,496,397
Georgia Municipal Association, Inc., Certificates of Participation,    
DeKalb County Public Schools Project    
5.21% due 12/01/22 5,000,000 5,056,720
Total Georgia   11,553,117
Michigan – 2.4%    
Detroit City School District General Obligation Unlimited    
7.75% due 05/01/396 2,540,000 3,305,210
Detroit, Michigan, School District, School Building and Site Bonds, Unlimited    
Tax General Obligation Bonds, Taxable Qualified School Construction Bonds    
6.65% due 05/01/296 2,640,000 3,069,225
Fraser Public School District, Macomb County, Michigan, General Obligation Federally    
Taxable School Construction Bonds, 2011 School Building and Site Bonds    
6.05% due 05/01/266 2,010,000 2,013,969

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

20 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

     
  Face  
  Amount~ Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS†† – 79.8% (continued)    
Michigan – 2.4% (continued)    
Oakridge, Michigan, Public Schools, Unlimited Tax General Obligation Bonds    
6.75% due 05/01/26 1,000,000 $ 1,003,034
Comstock Park Public Schools General Obligation Unlimited    
6.30% due 05/01/266 415,000 416,080
Total Michigan   9,807,518
South Carolina – 1.6%    
County of Horry South Carolina Airport Revenue Bonds, Build America Bonds15    
7.33% due 07/01/40 5,000,000 6,267,883
Colorado – 1.5%    
University of Colorado Revenue Bonds    
2.81% due 06/01/48 4,250,000 3,148,898
Colorado, Building Excellent Schools Today, Certificates of Participation,    
Taxable Qualified School Construction    
6.82% due 03/15/28 2,500,000 2,927,157
Total Colorado   6,076,055
Massachusetts – 1.1%    
Massachusetts Port Authority Revenue Bonds    
2.72% due 07/01/426 3,400,000 2,595,332
2.87% due 07/01/51 750,000 552,467
Massachusetts Development Finance Agency Revenue Bonds, Build America Bonds15    
3.52% due 10/01/46 2,250,000 1,724,625
Total Massachusetts   4,872,424
Alabama – 1.1%    
Auburn University Revenue Bonds    
2.68% due 06/01/506 6,500,000 4,486,763
New Hampshire – 1.0%    
New Hampshire Business Finance Authority Revenue Bonds    
3.27% due 05/01/516 4,800,000 3,935,931
Mississippi – 0.9%    
Medical Center Educational Building Corp. Revenue Bonds    
2.92% due 06/01/416 4,500,000 3,505,226
Louisiana – 0.5%    
State of Louisiana Gasoline & Fuels Tax Revenue Bonds    
3.05% due 05/01/386 2,500,000 2,120,414
Wisconsin – 0.3%    
State of Wisconsin General Obligation Unlimited    
2.49% due 05/01/42 1,650,000 1,205,170
Minnesota – 0.1%    
City of State Paul Minnesota Sales & Use Tax Revenue Tax Allocation    
3.89% due 11/01/35 250,000 246,949

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 21

 
 

 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

     
  Face  
  Amount~ Value
MUNICIPAL BONDS†† – 79.8% (continued)    
Arkansas – 0.1%    
University of Arkansas Revenue Bonds    
3.10% due 12/01/41 250,000 $ 197,343
District of Columbia – 0.0%    
Washington Convention & Sports Authority Revenue Bonds    
4.31% due 10/01/40 100,000 100,791
Total Municipal Bonds    
(Cost $320,510,587)   320,238,339
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 24.2%    
Financial – 8.9%    
Central Storage Safety Project Trust    
4.82% due 02/01/386,8 7,689,120 6,703,034
Wilton RE Ltd.    
6.00%3,6,9,10 3,800,000 3,372,538
Maple Grove Funding Trust I    
4.16% due 08/15/513,6 2,500,000 2,002,238
Liberty Mutual Group, Inc.    
4.30% due 02/01/613,6 2,700,000 1,991,250
Ares Finance Company IV LLC    
3.65% due 02/01/523,6 2,650,000 1,971,202
Blue Owl Finance LLC    
4.38% due 02/15/323 2,150,000 1,865,447
Home Point Capital, Inc.    
5.00% due 02/01/263,6 2,250,000 1,847,745
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co.    
3.20% due 12/01/613 2,500,000 1,795,481
Pershing Square Holdings Ltd.    
3.25% due 10/01/31 2,100,000 1,737,851
Jefferies Finance LLC / JFIN Company-Issuer Corp.    
5.00% due 08/15/283,6 1,500,000 1,352,790
National Life Insurance Co.    
10.50% due 09/15/393 900,000 1,271,383
Global Atlantic Finance Co.    
4.70% due 10/15/513,6,10 1,450,000 1,229,030
Prudential Financial, Inc.    
5.13% due 03/01/5210 1,200,000 1,153,500
Stewart Information Services Corp.    
3.60% due 11/15/31 1,350,000 1,152,950
United Wholesale Mortgage LLC    
5.50% due 11/15/253,6 1,100,000 1,039,500
FS KKR Capital Corp.    
3.25% due 07/15/27 1,150,000 1,035,789
Kennedy-Wilson, Inc.    
5.00% due 03/01/316 1,150,000 1,020,625

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

22 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

     
  Face  
  Amount~ Value
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 24.2% (continued)    
Financial – 8.9% (continued)    
NFP Corp.    
6.88% due 08/15/283,6 1,100,000 $ 958,859
Keenan Fort Detrick Energy LLC    
4.17% due 11/15/483,6 1,000,000 882,332
QBE Insurance Group Ltd.    
5.88%3,9,10 650,000 643,193
HUB International Ltd.    
5.63% due 12/01/293,6 550,000 512,875
Iron Mountain Information Management Services, Inc.    
5.00% due 07/15/323 300,000 275,352
Total Financial   35,814,964
Consumer, Cyclical – 3.9%    
Delta Air Lines, Inc.    
7.00% due 05/01/253,6 5,400,000 5,776,430
Marriott International, Inc.    
2.85% due 04/15/316 2,930,000 2,538,302
5.75% due 05/01/256 320,000 337,566
United Airlines, Inc.    
4.63% due 04/15/293,6 2,200,000 2,064,040
Hyatt Hotels Corp.    
5.75% due 04/23/306 1,100,000 1,148,847
Magallanes, Inc.    
5.14% due 03/15/523 1,150,000 1,028,954
Air Canada    
4.63% due 08/15/293 CAD 1,050,000 735,195
PetSmart, Inc. / PetSmart Finance Corp.    
4.75% due 02/15/283,6 600,000 552,000
Wabash National Corp.    
4.50% due 10/15/283 500,000 407,500
Suburban Propane Partners Limited Partnership/Suburban Energy Finance Corp.    
5.00% due 06/01/313,6 300,000 276,400
Superior Plus Limited Partnership / Superior General Partner, Inc.    
4.50% due 03/15/293,6 250,000 233,437
Station Casinos LLC    
4.63% due 12/01/313 200,000 169,415
Boyd Gaming Corp.    
8.63% due 06/01/253 88,000 91,795
Aramark Services, Inc.    
5.00% due 02/01/283 70,000 68,180
Total Consumer, Cyclical   15,428,061

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 23

 
 

 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

     
  Face  
  Amount~ Value
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 24.2% (continued)    
Consumer, Non-cyclical – 3.5%    
Beth Israel Lahey Health, Inc.    
3.08% due 07/01/516 2,500,000 $ 1,847,639
Tufts Medical Center, Inc.    
7.00% due 01/01/38 1,500,000 1,707,630
Post Holdings, Inc.    
4.50% due 09/15/313,6 1,300,000 1,140,750
Amgen, Inc.    
4.40% due 02/22/62 1,200,000 1,091,329
HCA, Inc.    
4.63% due 03/15/523 1,200,000 1,056,616
Altria Group, Inc.    
3.70% due 02/04/516 1,500,000 1,050,598
Sotheby's    
7.38% due 10/15/273,6 1,000,000 976,634
JBS USA LUX S.A. / JBS USA Food Company / JBS USA Finance, Inc.    
4.38% due 02/02/523,6 1,200,000 929,568
CPI CG, Inc.    
8.63% due 03/15/263,6 934,000 891,893
BCP V Modular Services Finance II plc    
6.13% due 10/30/283 GBP 750,000 827,001
Baylor College of Medicine    
5.26% due 11/15/46 600,000 635,127
Mozart Debt Merger Sub, Inc.    
5.25% due 10/01/293 450,000 398,345
Sabre GLBL, Inc.    
9.25% due 04/15/253,6 300,000 310,476
Endo Luxembourg Finance Company I SARL / Endo US, Inc.    
6.13% due 04/01/293,6 350,000 266,119
OhioHealth Corp.    
2.83% due 11/15/41 300,000 238,926
Performance Food Group, Inc.    
6.88% due 05/01/253 225,000 229,798
Rent-A-Center, Inc.    
6.38% due 02/15/293,6 250,000 219,077
Kronos Acquisition Holdings, Inc. / KIK Custom Products, Inc.    
7.00% due 12/31/273,6 260,000 208,673
Total Consumer, Non-cyclical   14,026,199
Industrial – 3.0%    
Boeing Co.    
5.81% due 05/01/506 4,000,000 3,935,832
IP Lending V Ltd.    
5.13% due 04/02/26†††,3 1,200,000 1,206,836
Cellnex Finance Company S.A.    
3.88% due 07/07/413,6 1,250,000 918,638

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

24 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

     
  Face  
  Amount~ Value
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 24.2% (continued)    
Industrial – 3.0% (continued)    
JELD-WEN, Inc.    
6.25% due 05/15/253,6 850,000 $ 854,250
Dyal Capital Partners IV    
3.65% due 02/22/41††† 1,000,000 840,948
Artera Services LLC    
9.03% due 12/04/253,6 1,050,000 829,500
Cleaver-Brooks, Inc.    
7.88% due 03/01/233,6 650,000 604,500
Summit Materials LLC / Summit Materials Finance Corp.    
6.50% due 03/15/273,6 600,000 602,476
Mauser Packaging Solutions Holding Co.    
8.50% due 04/15/243,6 600,000 597,000
New Enterprise Stone & Lime Company, Inc.    
9.75% due 07/15/283,6 575,000 551,487
Deuce FinCo plc    
5.50% due 06/15/27 GBP 500,000 538,568
Howmet Aerospace, Inc.    
6.88% due 05/01/256 350,000 374,028
Ardagh Metal Packaging Finance USA LLC / Ardagh Metal Packaging Finance plc    
4.00% due 09/01/293,6 400,000 346,602
Total Industrial   12,200,665
Communications – 2.4%    
British Telecommunications plc    
4.88% due 11/23/813,6,10 1,700,000 1,535,402
Corning, Inc.    
4.38% due 11/15/576 1,200,000 1,096,065
Charter Communications Operating LLC / Charter Communications Operating Capital    
5.25% due 04/01/53 1,200,000 1,092,823
Altice France S.A.    
5.50% due 10/15/293,6 900,000 780,750
5.13% due 07/15/293,6 350,000 305,506
Rogers Communications, Inc.    
4.50% due 03/15/423,6 1,150,000 1,067,193
LCPR Senior Secured Financing DAC    
5.13% due 07/15/293,6 1,150,000 1,046,212
McGraw-Hill Education, Inc.    
8.00% due 08/01/293,6 850,000 735,902
5.75% due 08/01/283 300,000 273,596
Vodafone Group plc    
5.13% due 06/04/816,10 1,100,000 853,992
UPC Broadband Finco BV    
4.88% due 07/15/313,6 700,000 641,993

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 25

 
 

 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

     
  Face  
  Amount~ Value
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 24.2% (continued)    
Communications – 2.4% (continued)    
Telenet Finance Luxembourg Notes SARL    
5.50% due 03/01/28 200,000 $ 187,000
CSC Holdings LLC    
5.25% due 06/01/246 100,000 98,706
Total Communications   9,715,140
Energy – 1.7%    
Occidental Petroleum Corp.    
7.00% due 11/15/276 2,000,000 2,116,410
Valero Energy Corp.    
4.00% due 06/01/52 2,450,000 2,041,867
ITT Holdings LLC    
6.50% due 08/01/293,6 1,250,000 1,071,125
NuStar Logistics, LP    
6.38% due 10/01/306 1,000,000 978,400
Parkland Corp.    
4.63% due 05/01/303 300,000 270,543
Buckeye Partners, LP    
4.35% due 10/15/246 250,000 248,184
CVR Energy, Inc.    
5.75% due 02/15/283 125,000 118,744
Cheniere Corpus Christi Holdings LLC    
7.00% due 06/30/24 100,000 104,970
Total Energy   6,950,243
Technology – 0.4%    
Oracle Corp.    
3.95% due 03/25/516 1,100,000 838,727
CDW LLC / CDW Finance Corp.    
3.57% due 12/01/31 800,000 707,912
Total Technology   1,546,639
Basic Materials – 0.4%    
EverArc Escrow SARL    
5.00% due 10/30/293,6 700,000 609,000
SCIL IV LLC / SCIL USA Holdings LLC    
5.38% due 11/01/263,6 600,000 557,628
Arconic Corp.    
6.00% due 05/15/253,6 200,000 204,500
Mirabela Nickel Ltd.    
due 06/24/198,11 96,316 4,816
Total Basic Materials   1,375,944
Total Corporate Bonds    
(Cost $109,675,969)   97,057,855

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

26 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

     
  Face  
  Amount~ Value
SENIOR FLOATING RATE INTERESTS††,◊ – 12.1%    
Consumer, Non-cyclical – 3.0%    
Kronos Acquisition Holdings, Inc.    
4.81% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 12/22/26 1,333,125 $ 1,227,235
Mission Veterinary Partners    
5.06% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 04/27/28 1,243,750 1,203,328
Quirch Foods Holdings LLC    
5.50% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 5.50%) due 10/27/27 1,235,494 1,179,897
PetIQ LLC    
5.10% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 04/13/28††† 1,091,750 1,067,185
National Mentor Holdings, Inc.    
4.65% ((1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.75%) and    
(3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.75%), Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 03/02/28 1,160,111 1,035,399
4.76% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 03/02/28 30,000 26,775
Women's Care Holdings, Inc.    
5.74% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 01/17/28 1,091,750 1,048,768
Blue Ribbon LLC    
6.84% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 6.00%, Rate Floor: 6.75%) due 05/08/28 1,121,250 1,048,369
HAH Group Holding Co. LLC    
6.03% (1 Month Term SOFR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 6.00%) due 10/29/27 990,275 950,664
LaserAway Intermediate Holdings II LLC    
6.79% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 5.75%, Rate Floor: 6.50%) due 10/14/27 847,875 831,977
Florida Food Products LLC    
6.06% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 5.75%) due 10/18/28 650,000 628,875
Southern Veterinary Partners LLC    
5.00% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 10/05/27 595,477 574,636
Endo Luxembourg Finance Company I SARL    
6.06% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 5.75%) due 03/27/28 594,000 460,783
Gibson Brands, Inc.    
6.41% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 5.75%) due 08/11/28††† 498,750 451,369
Zep, Inc.    
5.00% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 08/12/24 395,161 366,018
Total Consumer, Non-cyclical   12,101,278
Consumer, Cyclical – 2.9%    
MB2 Dental Solutions LLC    
7.24% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 6.00%, Rate Floor: 7.00%) due 01/29/27††† 876,306 862,687
7.26% ((3 Month USD LIBOR + 6.00%) and (Commercial Prime    
Lending Rate + 5.00%), Rate Floor: 7.00%) due 01/29/27††† 312,540 307,683
7.00% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 6.00%, Rate Floor: 7.00%) due 01/29/27††† 200,996 197,872
FR Refuel LLC    
5.81% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 5.50%) due 11/08/28††† 1,277,631 1,239,302
Pacific Bells, LLC    
5.57% (3 Month Term SOFR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 11/10/28 1,246,907 1,187,679
First Brands Group LLC    
6.29% (3 Month Term SOFR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 6.00%) due 03/30/27 1,138,500 1,088,691

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 27

 
 

 

 

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

     
  Face  
  Amount~ Value
SENIOR FLOATING RATE INTERESTS††,◊ – 12.1% (continued)    
Consumer, Cyclical – 2.9% (continued)    
Zephyr Bidco Ltd.    
5.72% (1 Month GBP SONIA + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 5.47%) due 07/23/25 GBP 900,000 $ 1,063,604
SP PF Buyer LLC    
5.56% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 12/22/25 1,184,733 1,036,049
TTF Holdings Intermediate LLC    
5.31% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 03/31/28††† 887,074 860,462
Accuride Corp.    
6.26% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 5.25%, Rate Floor: 6.25%) due 11/17/23 832,753 763,360
ImageFIRST Holdings LLC    
5.49% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 04/27/28 595,833 564,552
PetSmart LLC    
4.50% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 02/11/28 595,500 558,132
NFM & J LLC    
6.81% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 5.75%, Rate Floor: 6.75%) due 11/30/27††† 495,884 490,916
WESCO    
5.25% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 06/14/24††† 480,576 479,768
Camin Cargo Control, Inc.    
7.56% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 6.50%, Rate Floor: 7.50%) due 06/04/26††† 479,301 474,508
The Facilities Group    
6.83% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 5.75%) and (3 Month USD LIBOR + 5.75%),    
Rate Floor: 6.75%) due 11/30/27††† 285,291 282,433
BRE/Everbright M6 Borrower LLC    
5.85% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 5.75%) due 09/09/26 149,250 145,768
Total Consumer, Cyclical   11,603,466
Industrial – 2.3%    
CapStone Acquisition Holdings, Inc.    
5.81% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 5.75%) due 11/12/27††† 1,969,767 1,945,145
Waterlogic USA Holdings, Inc.    
5.76% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 08/17/28 1,240,625 1,210,130
Arcline FM Holdings LLC    
5.50% (6 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 5.50%) due 06/23/28††† 1,194,000 1,140,270
Dispatch Terra Acquisition LLC    
5.26% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 03/27/28 1,141,375 1,070,039
DXP Enterprises, Inc.    
5.81% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 5.75%) due 12/23/27 976,389 950,349
Merlin Buyer, Inc.    
4.65% (3 Month Term SOFR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 12/14/28 750,000 710,003
Aegion Corp.    
5.64% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 5.50%) due 05/17/28††† 597,000 573,120
YAK MAT (YAK ACCESS LLC)    
10.95% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 10.00%, Rate Floor: 10.00%) due 07/10/26 851,051 485,099

 

 

28 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

     
  Face  
  Amount~ Value
SENIOR FLOATING RATE INTERESTS††,◊ – 12.1% (continued)    
Industrial – 2.3% (continued)    
PECF USS Intermediate Holding III Corp.    
5.31% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 12/15/28 498,750 $ 469,059
STS Operating, Inc. (SunSource)    
5.31% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 12/11/24 385,655 374,086
Integrated Power Services Holdings, Inc.†††    
5.76% ((3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%) and (Commercial Prime    
Lending Rate + 3.75%), Rate Floor: 5.50%) due 11/22/28 138,677 137,290
5.72% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 5.50%) due 11/22/28 26,641 26,374
ILPEA Parent, Inc.    
5.56% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 06/22/28††† 147,346 142,926
Pro Mach Group, Inc.    
5.00% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 08/31/28 2,514 2,425
Total Industrial   9,236,315
Technology – 1.7%    
Polaris Newco LLC    
4.49% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 3.50%) due 06/04/26††† 1,527,500 1,374,311
Sitecore Holding III A/S    
7.00% (3 Month EURIBOR + 6.25%, Rate Floor: 6.25%)    
(in-kind rate was 0.75%) due 03/12/26†††,12 EUR 643,317 682,807
7.80% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 7.00%, Rate Floor: 7.50%) due 03/12/26††† 520,590 514,697
Planview Parent, Inc.    
5.01% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 12/17/27 1,135,625 1,094,936
Aston FinCo SARL    
5.71% (1 Month GBP SONIA + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 10/09/26 GBP 794,010 958,079
Atlas CC Acquisition Corp.    
5.82% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 05/25/28 992,500 944,532
Misys Ltd.    
4.74% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 06/13/24 412,512 387,935
24-7 Intouch, Inc.    
5.81% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 08/25/25 388,985 377,315
Datix Bidco Ltd.    
9.58% (6 Month GBP LIBOR + 7.75%, Rate Floor: 8.44%) due 04/27/26††† GBP 300,000 376,110
Sitecore USA, Inc.    
7.80% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 7.00%, Rate Floor: 7.50%) due 03/12/26††† 254,887 252,001
Total Technology   6,962,723
Financial – 1.1%    
Jones Deslauriers Insurance Management, Inc.    
6.06% (3 Month Canada Banker Acceptance + 4.25%,    
Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 03/27/28 CAD 2,010,755 1,502,640
9.31% (3 Month Canada Banker Acceptance + 7.50%,    
Rate Floor: 8.00%) due 03/26/29 CAD 825,000 616,524
HighTower Holding LLC    
5.10% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 04/21/28 939,205 871,113

 

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 29

 
 

 

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

     
  Face  
  Amount~ Value
SENIOR FLOATING RATE INTERESTS††,◊ – 12.1% (continued)    
Financial – 1.1% (continued)    
Franchise Group, Inc.    
5.50% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 5.50%) due 03/10/26 815,445 $ 794,039
Franchise Group, Inc.    
6.08% (3 Month Term SOFR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 11/22/23††† 422,302 417,024
Eisner Advisory Group    
5.81% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 5.50%) due 07/28/28 348,250 336,061
Total Financial   4,537,401
Communications – 0.6%    
FirstDigital Communications LLC    
5.19% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 12/17/26††† 1,250,000 1,241,151
Syndigo LLC    
5.25% (6 Month USD LIBOR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 12/15/27††† 1,138,500 1,098,653
Total Communications   2,339,804
Utilities – 0.2%    
Hamilton Projects Acquiror LLC    
5.51% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 5.50%) due 06/17/27 692,330 676,967
Oregon Clean Energy LLC    
4.81% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 03/02/26 211,923 198,148
Total Utilities   875,115
Basic Materials – 0.2%    
NIC Acquisition Corp.    
4.76% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 12/29/27 693,000 636,520
Energy – 0.1%    
Matador Bidco SARL    
5.56% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 10/15/26 461,280 455,611
Total Senior Floating Rate Interests    
(Cost $51,033,699)   48,748,233
ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES†† – 4.5%    
Transport-Aircraft – 1.2%    
GAIA Aviation Ltd.    
2019-1, 3.97% due 12/15/443,13 1,251,958 1,179,516
Sprite Ltd.    
2021-1, 3.75% due 11/15/463 1,193,188 1,060,804
Start Ltd.    
2018-1, 4.09% due 05/15/433 1,165,315 1,038,296
JOL Air Ltd.    
2019-1, 3.97% due 04/15/443 1,040,804 935,908
Castlelake Aircraft Structured Trust    
2021-1A, 6.66% due 01/15/463 725,290 603,664
Total Transport-Aircraft   4,818,188

 

 

30 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

     
  Face  
  Amount~ Value
ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES†† – 4.5% (continued)    
Infrastructure – 1.2%    
VB-S1 Issuer LLC – VBTEL    
2022-1A, 4.29% due 02/15/523 5,000,000 $ 4,805,068
Collateralized Loan Obligations – 1.2%    
ABPCI Direct Lending Fund IX LLC    
2021-9A BR, 3.73% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 2.50%,    
Rate Floor: 2.50%) due 11/18/31◊,3 2,500,000 2,470,639
ABPCI Direct Lending Fund CLO II LLC    
2021-1A CR, 4.21% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.15%,    
Rate Floor: 3.15%) due 04/20/32◊,3 1,000,000 1,002,445
WhiteHorse X Ltd.    
2015-10A E, 6.34% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 5.30%,    
Rate Floor: 5.30%) due 04/17/27◊,3 500,000 458,139
WhiteHorse VIII Ltd.    
2014-1A E, 5.84% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.55%,    
Rate Floor: 0.00%) due 05/01/26◊,3 500,000 436,198
BNPP IP CLO Ltd.    
2014-2A E, 6.54% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 5.25%,    
Rate Floor: 0.00%) due 10/30/25◊,3 266,021 195,526
First Eagle Clarendon Fund CLO LLC    
2015-1A D, 5.53% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.35%,    
Rate Floor: 0.00%) due 01/25/27◊,3 130,601 129,796
Staniford Street CLO Ltd.    
2014-1A D, 4.33% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.50%,    
Rate Floor: 0.00%) due 06/15/25◊,3 80,534 80,529
Total Collateralized Loan Obligations   4,773,272
Financial – 0.9%    
Lightning A    
5.50% due 03/01/37††† 1,540,000 1,547,701
Thunderbird A    
5.50% due 03/01/37††† 1,400,000 1,407,001
KKR Core Holding Company LLC    
4.00% due 08/12/31††† 616,340 558,379
Total Financial   3,513,081
Total Asset-Backed Securities    
(Cost $18,246,950)   17,909,609
COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS†† – 0.7%    
Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities – 0.5%    
Imperial Fund Mortgage Trust    
2022-NQM2, 4.20% (WAC) due 03/25/67◊,3 2,207,989 2,107,726

 

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 31

 
 

 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

     
  Face  
  Amount~ Value
COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS†† – 0.7% (continued)    
Military Housing – 0.2%    
Freddie Mac Military Housing Bonds Resecuritization Trust Certificates    
2015-R1, 0.70% (WAC) due 11/25/55◊,3,14 6,947,828 $ 476,149
2015-R1, 5.94% (WAC) due 11/25/52◊,3,8 87,975 79,264
Total Military Housing   555,413
Total Collateralized Mortgage Obligations    
(Cost $2,840,136)   2,663,139
FOREIGN GOVERNMENT DEBT†† – 0.3%    
Panama Government International Bond    
4.50% due 01/19/63 1,250,000 1,048,635
Total Foreign Government Debt    
(Cost $1,242,212)   1,048,635
Total Investments – 139.8%    
(Cost $591,025,322)   560,852,832
  Contracts  
LISTED OPTIONS WRITTEN– (0.0)%    
Call Options on:    
Equity Options    
Figs, Inc.    
Expiring December 2022 with strike price of $50.00 (Notional Value $2,670) 3
Figs, Inc.    
Expiring December 2022 with strike price of $55.00 (Notional Value $2,670) 3
Total Listed Options Written    
(Premiums received $6,332)  
Other Assets & Liabilities, net – (39.8)%   (159,730,492)
Total Net Assets – 100.0%   $ 401,122,340

 

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts††          
        Contract Settlement Unrealized
Counterparty Currency Type Quantity Amount Date Depreciation
Bank of America, N.A. EUR Sell 826,000 871,380 USD 06/16/22 $ (16,057)
Barclays Bank plc CAD Sell 3,726,000 2,868,944 USD 06/16/22 (77,362)
Barclays Bank plc GBP Sell 3,056,000 3,748,873 USD 06/16/22 (102,563)
            $ (195,982)

 

 

32 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

~ The face amount is denominated in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated.
* Non-income producing security.
Value determined based on Level 1 inputs, unless otherwise noted — See Note 6.
†† Value determined based on Level 2 inputs, unless otherwise noted — See Note 6.
††† Value determined based on Level 3 inputs — See Note 6.
Variable rate security. Rate indicated is the rate effective at May 31, 2022. In some instances, the effective rate is limited by a minimum rate floor or a maximum rate cap established by the issuer. The settlement status of a position may also impact the effective rate indicated. In some cases, a position may be unsettled at period end and may not have a stated effective rate. In instances where multiple underlying reference rates and spread amounts are shown, the effective rate is based on a weighted average.
1 Security represents cover for outstanding options written.
2 Affiliated issuer.
3 Security is a 144A or Section 4(a)(2) security. These securities have been determined to be liquid under guidelines established by the Board of Trustees. The total market value of 144A or Section 4(a)(2) securities is $76,101,702 (cost $83,932,390), or 19.0% of total net assets.
4 Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC).
5 Rate indicated is the 7-day yield as of May 31, 2022.
6 All or a portion of these securities have been physically segregated in connection with borrowings, unfunded loan commitments, and reverse repurchase agreements. As of May 31, 2022, the total value of securities segregated was $192,078,948.
7 Zero coupon rate security.
8 Security is a 144A or Section 4(a)(2) security. These securities have been determined to be illiquid and restricted under guidelines established by the Board of Trustees. The total market value of 144A or Section 4(a)(2) illiquid and restricted securities is $6,787,114 (cost $8,022,130), or 1.7% of total net assets — See Note 12.
9 Perpetual maturity.
10 Security has a fixed rate coupon which will convert to a floating or variable rate coupon on a future date.
11 Security is in default of interest and/or principal obligations.
12 Payment-in-kind security.
13 Security is a step down bond with a 3.97% coupon rate until November 14, 2026. Future rate will be 2.00% commencing on November 15, 2026.
14 Security is an interest-only strip.
15 Taxable municipal bond issued as part of the Build America Bond program.

CAD — Canadian Dollar

EUR — Euro

EURIBOR — European Interbank Offered Rate

GBP — British Pound

LIBOR — London Interbank Offered Rate

plc — Public Limited Company

SARL — Société à Responsabilité Limitée

SOFR — Secured Overnight Financing Rate

SONIA — Sterling Overnight Index Average

WAC — Weighted Average Coupon

See Sector Classification in Other Information section.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 33

 
 

 

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

The following table summarizes the inputs used to value the Trust’s investments at May 31, 2022 (See Note 6 in the Notes to Financial Statements):

         
    Level 2 Level 3  
    Significant Significant  
  Level 1 Observable Unobservable  
Investments in Securities (Assets) Quoted Prices Inputs Inputs Total
Common Stocks $ 78,970 $ — $ 60,406 $ 139,376
Preferred Stocks 9,523,385 9,523,385
Warrants 52,531 52,531
Closed-End Funds 63,161,225 63,161,225
Money Market Fund 310,505 310,505
Municipal Bonds 320,238,339 320,238,339
Corporate Bonds 95,010,071 2,047,784 97,057,855
Senior Floating Rate Interests 32,112,169 16,636,064 48,748,233
Asset-Backed Securities 14,396,528 3,513,081 17,909,609
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations 2,663,139 2,663,139
Foreign Government Debt 1,048,635 1,048,635
Total Assets $ 63,603,231 $ 474,992,266 $ 22,257,335 $ 560,852,832

 

         
    Level 2 Level 3  
    Significant Significant  
  Level 1 Observable Unobservable  
Investments in Securities (Liabilities) Quoted Prices Inputs Inputs Total
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts** $ — $ 195,982 $ — $ 195,982
Unfunded Loan Commitments (Note 11) 180,973 180,973
Options Written —*
Total Liabilities $ — $ 195,982 $ 180,973 $ 376,955

 

* Security has a market value of $0.

** This derivative is reported as unrealized appreciation/depreciation at period end.

Please refer to the detailed Schedule of Investments for a breakdown of investment type by industry category.

The Trust may hold assets and/or liabilities in which the fair value approximates the carrying amount for financial statement purposes. As of the period end, reverse repurchase agreements of $167,775,690 are categorized as Level 2 within the disclosure hierarchy —See Note 7.

See notes to financial statements.

 

34 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

The following is a summary of significant unobservable inputs used in the fair valuation of assets and liabilities categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy:

           
  Ending Balance Valuation Unobservable Input Weighted
Category at May 31, 2022 Technique Inputs Range Average*
Assets:          
Asset-Backed Securities $ 2,954,702 Option adjusted spread Trade Price    
    off third party pricing
Asset-Backed Securities 558,379 Yield Analysis Yield 5.6%  
Common Stocks 60,406 Enterprise Value Valuation Multiple 1.8x-8.6x 5.9x
Corporate Bonds 1,206,836 Option adjusted spread Trade Price    
    off third party pricing
Corporate Bonds 840,948 Option adjusted spread Broker Quote    
    off prior month end
    broker quote      
Senior Floating Rate Interests 163,664 Third Party Pricing Vendor Price    
Senior Floating Rate Interests 9,409,964 Third Party Pricing Broker Quote    
Senior Floating Rate Interests 5,688,125 Yield Analysis Yield 5.4%-9.5% 7.3%
Senior Floating Rate Interests 1,374,311 Model Price Purchase Price    
Total Assets $ 22,257,335        
Liabilities:          
Unfunded Loan Commitments $ 180,973 Model Price Purchase Price    

 

* Inputs are weighted by the fair value of the instruments.

Significant changes in a quote, yield, or valuation multiples would generally result in significant changes in the fair value of the security.

The Trust’s fair valuation leveling guidelines classify a single daily broker quote, or a vendor price based on a single daily or monthly broker quote, as Level 3, if such a quote or price cannot be supported with other available market information.

Transfer between Level 2 and Level 3 may occur as markets fluctuate and/or the availability of data used in an investment’s valuation changes. For the year ended May 31, 2022, the Trust had securities with a total value of $3,459,556 transfer into Level 3 from Level 2 due to a lack of observable inputs and had securities with a total value of $7,715,010 transfer out of Level 3 into Level 2 due to the availability of current and reliable market-based data provided by a third-party pricing service which utilizes significant observable inputs.

See notes to financial statements.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 35

 
 

 

 

   
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

Summary of Fair Value Level 3 Activity

Following is a reconciliation of Level 3 assets for which significant unobservable inputs were used to determine fair value for the year ended May 31, 2022:

      Assets     Liabilities
    Asset-     Senior     Unfunded
    Backed Corporate Floating Rate Common Total Loan
    Securities Bonds   Interests Stocks Assets Commitments
Beginning Balance $ — $ 5,054,440 $ 13,573,617 $ 70,029 $ 18,698,086 $ (237,108)
Purchases/(Receipts)   3,580,000 1,200,000   9,908,908 14,688,908 (621,039)
(Sales, maturities and                
paydowns)/Fundings   (23,660)   (5,341,274) (26,627) (5,391,561) 334,021
Amortization of premiums/              
discounts     72,103 72,103 1,412
Total realized gains (losses)              
included in earnings     79,511 26,628 106,139 401,891
Total change in unrealized              
appreciation (depreciation)              
included in earnings   (43,259) (834,118)   (773,885) (9,624) (1,660,886) (60,150)
Transfers into Level 3     3,459,556 3,459,556
Transfers out of Level 3   (3,372,538)   (4,342,472) (7,715,010)
Ending Balance $ 3,513,081 $ 2,047,784 $ 16,636,064 $ 60,406 $ 22,257,335 $ (180,973)
Net change in unrealized              
appreciation (depreciation)              
for investments in Level 3              
securities still held at                
May 31, 2022 $ (43,259) $ (120,401) $ (262,716) $ (9,624) $ (436,000) $ 60,529

 

Affiliated Transactions

Investments representing 5% or more of the outstanding voting shares of a company, or control of or by, or common control under Guggenheim Investments result in that company being considered an affiliated person, as defined in the 1940 Act.

Transactions during the year ended May 31, 2022, in which the company is an affiliated person were as follows:

               
          Change in    
        Realized Unrealized    
  Value     Gain Appreciation Value Shares
Security Name 05/31/21 Additions Reductions (Loss) (Depreciation) 05/31/22 05/31/22
Common Stocks              
BP Holdco LLC* $ 5,507 $ — $ — $ — $ 5,504 $ 11,011 15,619
Targus Group International              
Equity, Inc.* 41,460 3,640 45,100 17,838
  $ 46,967 $ — $ — $ — $ 9,144 $ 56,111  

 

* Non-income producing security.

 

36 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES May 31, 2022

ASSETS:  
Investments in unaffiliated issuers, at value (cost $591,011,802) $ 560,796,721
Investments in affiliated issuers, at value (cost $13,520) 56,111
Foreign currency, at value 272,465
Cash 264,600
Due from adviser 1,654
Prepaid expenses 2,158
Receivables:  
Interest 6,393,052
Investments sold 1,869,965
Fund shares sold 878,669
Dividends 116,167
Tax reclaims 3,492
Total assets 570,655,054
LIABILITIES:  
Reverse repurchase agreements (Note 7) 167,775,690
Unfunded loan commitments, at value (Note 11)  
(commitment fees received $243,353) 180,973
Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts 195,982
Payable for:  
Investments purchased 548,625
Options written, at value (premiums received $6,332) —**
Investment advisory fees 297,088
Professional fees 276,036
Offering costs 170,845
Trustees' fees and expenses* 20,930
Other liabilities 66,545
Total liabilities 169,532,714
NET ASSETS $ 401,122,340
NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:  
Common stock, $0.01 par value per share; unlimited number of shares  
authorized, 21,864,166 shares issued and outstanding $ 218,642
Additional paid-in capital 431,024,190
Total distributable earnings (loss) (30,120,492)
NET ASSETS $ 401,122,340
Shares outstanding ($0.01 par value with unlimited amount authorized) 21,864,166
Net asset value $ 18.35

 

* Relates to Trustees not deemed “interested persons” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.
** Security has a market value of $0.

See notes to financial statements.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 37

 
 

 

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS May 31, 2022
For the Year Ended May 31, 2022  

 

INVESTMENT INCOME:  
Interest from securities of unaffiliated issuers  
(net of foreign withholdings tax $2,031) $ 28,001,208
Dividends from securities of unaffiliated issuers 4,395,332
Total investment income 32,396,540
EXPENSES:  
Investment advisory fees 3,894,119
Interest expense 1,446,696
Professional fees 452,584
Fund accounting fees 149,610
Administration fees 137,353
Printing fees 72,190
Trustees' fees and expenses* 62,194
Custodian fees 43,487
Registration and filing fees 24,277
Transfer agent fees 21,112
Insurance 20,835
Miscellaneous 17,168
Total expenses 6,341,625
Net investment income 26,054,915
NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS):  
Net realized gain (loss) on:  
Investments in unaffiliated issuers 2,029,165
Investments sold short (74,694)
Net increase from payments by affiliates 383,226
Swap agreements (226,661)
Options written 17,472
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts 859,831
Foreign currency transactions (16,102)
Net realized gain 2,972,237
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on:  
Investments in unaffiliated issuers (94,623,279)
Investments in affiliated issuers 9,144
Investments sold short (37,842)
Swap agreements 65,820
Options written 1,021
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts (187,551)
Foreign currency translations 65,427
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) (94,707,260)
Net realized and unrealized loss (91,735,023)
Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations $ (65,680,108)

 

* Relates to Trustees not deemed “interested persons” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.

See notes to financial statements.

 

38 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS May 31, 2022

 

     
  Year Ended Year Ended
  May 31, 2022 May 31, 2021
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:    
Net investment income $ 26,054,915 $ 23,433,736
Net realized gain on investments 2,972,237 3,189,773
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)    
on investments (94,707,260) 14,810,314
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations (65,680,108) 41,433,823
DISTRIBUTIONS:    
Distributions to shareholders (28,838,807) (29,623,397)
Return of capital (3,529,266) (90,025)
Total distributions (32,368,073) (29,713,422)
 
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTIONS:    
Net proceeds from shares issued through at-the-market offering 24,312,345 45,441,957
Reinvestments of distributions 2,049,662 1,638,687
Common shares offering cost charged to paid-in-capital 117,807 (278,108)
Net increase in net assets resulting from shareholder transactions 26,479,814 46,802,536
Net increase (decrease) in net assets (71,568,367) 58,522,937
NET ASSETS:    
Beginning of period 472,690,707 414,167,770
End of period $ 401,122,340 $ 472,690,707

 

See notes to financial statements.

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 39

 
 

 

 

   
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS May 31, 2022
For the Year Ended May 31, 2022  

 

   
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:  
Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations $ (65,680,108)
Adjustments to Reconcile Net Decrease in Net Assets Resulting from Operations to  
Net Cash Provided by Operating and Investing Activities:  
Net change in unrealized (appreciation) depreciation on investments 94,651,977
Net change in unrealized (appreciation) depreciation on options written (1,021)
Net change in unrealized (appreciation) depreciation on forward foreign currency  
exchange contracts 187,551
Net realized gain on investments (1,954,471)
Net realized gain on options written (17,472)
Purchase of long-term investments (235,606,626)
Proceeds from sale of long-term investments 227,722,985
Net proceeds from sale of short-term investments 122,146
Net accretion of discount and amortization of premium (1,131,457)
Corporate actions and other payments 180,281
Premiums received on options written 98,041
Cost of closing options written (151,376)
Commitment fees received and repayments of unfunded commitments 283,088
Increase in interest receivable (52,242)
Decrease in dividends receivable 42,899
Decrease in investments sold receivable 66,797,028
Increase in due from adviser (1,654)
Decrease in prepaid expenses 12,171
Increase in tax reclaims receivable (3,492)
Decrease in investments purchased payable (51,712,443)
Decrease in interest due on borrowings (41,968)
Increase in professional fees payable 205,602
Decrease in segregated cash due to broker (16,000)
Decrease in investment advisory fees payable (56,935)
Decrease in variation margin on interest rate swap agreements payable (31,854)
Decrease in trustees’ fees and expenses payable* (2,719)
Decrease in other liabilities (10,586)
Net Cash Provided by Operating and Investing Activities $ 33,831,345
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:  
Distributions to common shareholders (30,318,411)
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares 23,719,255
Payments made on borrowings (97,359,544)
Proceeds from reverse repurchase agreements 490,718,681
Payments made on reverse repurchase agreements (421,120,654)
Offering costs in connection with the issuance of common shares (6,414)
Net Cash Used in Financing Activities $ (34,367,087)
Net decrease in cash (535,742)
Cash at Beginning of Year (including restricted cash and foreign currency)*** 1,072,807
Cash at End of Year (including foreign currency)** $ 537,065
Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Financing Information: Cash paid during the year for interest $ 1,264,983
Supplemental Disclosure of Non Operating Activity: Dividend reinvestment $ 2,049,662

 

* Relates to Trustees not deemed “interested persons” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.
** Includes $272,465 of foreign currency.
*** Includes $430,914 of segregated cash for swap agreements with broker and $4,688 of foreign currency.

See notes to financial statements.

 

40 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS May 31, 2022

 

           
  Year Ended Year Ended Year Ended Year Ended Year Ended
  May 31, 2022 May 31, 2021 May 31, 2020 May 31, 2019 May 31, 2018
Per Share Data:          
Net asset value, beginning of period $ 22.80 $ 22.09 $ 22.71 $ 22.69 $ 23.30
Income from investment operations:          
Net investment income(a) 1.21 1.19 1.27 1.30 1.48
Net gain (loss) on investments (realized and unrealized) (4.15) 1.03 (0.38) 0.23 (0.58)
Total from investment operations (2.94) 2.22 0.89 1.53 0.90
Less distributions from:          
Net investment income (1.32) (1.38) (1.51) (1.43) (1.35)
Capital gains (0.03) (0.13) (0.08) (0.16)
Return of capital (0.16) (0.00)*
Total distributions to shareholders (1.51) (1.51) (1.51) (1.51) (1.51)
Net asset value, end of period $ 18.35 $ 22.80 $ 22.09 $ 22.71 $ 22.69
Market value, end of period $ 19.45 $ 24.22 $ 23.20 $ 23.38 $ 21.44
Total Return(b)          
Net asset value (13.81%)(f) 10.30% 3.86% 7.11% 3.93%
Market value (13.96%) 11.43% 6.03% 16.81% (1.23%)
Ratios/Supplemental Data:          
Net assets, end of period (in thousands) $ 401,122 $ 472,691 $ 414,168 $ 395,716 $ 395,221
Ratio to average net assets of:          
Total expenses, including interest expense(c),(e) 1.34% 1.27% 1.65% 1.68% 1.65%
Net investment income, including interest expense 5.52% 5.22% 5.61% 5.82% 6.42%
Portfolio turnover rate 36% 33% 25% 6% 8%
Borrowings - committed facility agreement (in thousands) $ — $ 97,360 $ 10,510 $ 44,510 $ 44,510
Asset Coverage per $1,000 of indebtedness(d) $ — $ 5,855 $ 40,409 $ 9,891 $ 9,879

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l41

 
 

 

 

   
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS continued May 31, 2022

 

(a) Based on average shares outstanding.
(b) Total return is calculated assuming a purchase of a common share at the beginning of the period and a sale on the last day of the period reported either at net asset value (“NAV”) or market price per share. Dividends and distributions are assumed to be reinvested at NAV for NAV returns or the prices obtained under the Trust’s Dividend Reinvestment Plan for market value returns. Total investment return does not reflect brokerage commissions. A return calculated for a period of less than one year is not annualized.
(c) Excluding interest expense, the operating expense ratios for the years ended May 31 would be:

  2022   2021   2020   2019   2018
  1.04%   1.01%   0.96%   0.95%   0.99%

 

(d) Calculated by subtracting the Trust’s total liabilities (not including the borrowings) from the Trust’s total assets and dividing by the borrowings.
(e) The ratios of total expenses to average net assets applicable to common shares do not reflect fees and expenses incurred indirectly by the Trust as a result of its investment in shares of other investment companies. If these fees were included in the expense ratios, the expense ratios would increase by 0.20%, 0.26%, 0.32%, 0.00%, and 0.00% for the years ended May 31, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.
(f) The Net increase from payments by affiliates totaling $383,226 relating to an operational issue contributed 0.08% to total return at net asset value for the year ended May 31, 2022.
* Less than (0.01).

See notes to financial statements

 

42 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS May 31, 2022

 

Note 1 – Organization

Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust (the “Trust”) was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on June 30, 2010. The Trust is registered as a diversified, closed-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

The Trust’s primary investment objective is to provide current income with a secondary objective of long-term capital appreciation. There can be no assurance that the Trust will achieve its investment objectives. The Trust’s investment objectives are considered fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval.

Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies

The Trust operates as an investment company and, accordingly, follows the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 Financial Services – Investment Companies.

The following significant accounting policies are in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) and are consistently followed by the Trust. This requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities, contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates. All time references are based on Eastern Time.

(a) Valuation of Investments

The Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) has adopted policies and procedures for the valuation of the Trust’s investments (the “Valuation Procedures”). Pursuant to the Valuation Procedures, the Board has delegated to a valuation committee, consisting of representatives from Guggenheim’s investment management, fund administration, legal and compliance departments (the “Valuation Committee”), the day-to-day responsibility for implementing the Valuation Procedures, including, under most circumstances, the responsibility for determining the fair value of the Trust’s securities and/or other assets.

Valuations of the Trust’s securities and other assets are supplied primarily by pricing services appointed pursuant to the processes set forth in the Valuation Procedures. The Valuation Committee convenes monthly, or more frequently as needed, to review the valuation of all assets which have been fair valued for reasonableness. The Trust’s officers, through the Valuation Committee and consistent with the monitoring and review responsibilities set forth in the Valuation Procedures, regularly review procedures used and valuations provided by the pricing services.

If the pricing service cannot or does not provide a valuation for a particular investment or such valuation is deemed unreliable, such investment is fair valued by the Valuation Committee.

Equity securities listed or traded on a recognized U.S. securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (“NASDAQ”) National Market System shall generally be valued on the basis of the last sale price on the primary U.S. exchange or market on which the security is listed or traded; provided, however, that securities listed on NASDAQ will be valued at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price, which may not necessarily represent the last sale price.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 43

 
 

 

 

   
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

If there is no sale on the valuation date, exchange-traded U.S. equity securities will be valued on the basis of the last bid price.

Open-end investment companies, other than exchange traded funds, are valued at their net asset value (“NAV”) as of the close of business, on the valuation date. Exchange-traded funds and closed-end investment companies are generally valued at the last quoted sale price.

Generally, trading in foreign securities markets is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). The values of foreign securities are determined as of the close of such foreign markets or the close of the NYSE, if earlier. All investments quoted in foreign currencies are valued in U.S. dollars on the basis of the foreign currency exchange rates prevailing at the close of U.S. business at 4:00 p.m. Investments in foreign securities may involve risks not present in domestic investments. The Valuation Committee will determine the current value of such foreign securities by taking into consideration certain factors which may include those discussed above, as well as the following factors, among others: the value of the securities traded on other foreign markets, ADR trading, closed-end fund trading, foreign currency exchange activity, and the trading prices of financial products that are tied to foreign securities. In addition, under the Valuation Procedures, the Valuation Committee and Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC (“GFIA” or the Adviser”) are authorized to use prices and other information supplied by a third party pricing vendor in valuing foreign securities.

Commercial paper and discount notes with a maturity of greater than 60 days at acquisition are valued at prices that reflect broker-dealer supplied valuations or are obtained from independent pricing services, which may consider the trade activity, treasury spreads, yields or price of bonds of comparable quality, coupon, maturity, and type, as well as prices quoted by dealers who make markets in such securities. Commercial paper and discount notes with a maturity of 60 days or less at acquisition are valued at amortized cost, unless the Valuation Committee concludes that amortized cost does not represent the fair value of the applicable asset in which case it will be valued using a third party pricing vendor.

Typically, loans are valued using information provided by an independent third party pricing service which uses broker quotes, among other inputs. If the pricing service cannot or does not provide a valuation for a particular loan, or such valuation is deemed unreliable, such investment is valued based on a quote from a broker-dealer or is fair valued by the Valuation Committee.

Exchange-traded options are valued at the mean of the bid and ask prices on the principal exchange on which they are traded. Over-the-counter (“OTC”) options are valued using a price provided by a pricing service.

The value of interest rate swap agreements entered into by the Trust is valued on the basis of the last sale price on the primary exchange on which the swap is traded. The values of other swap agreements entered into by the Trust are generally valued using an evaluated price provided by a third party pricing vendor.

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are valued daily based on the applicable exchange rate of the underlying currency.

Investments for which market quotations are not readily available are fair-valued as determined in good faith by GFIA, subject to review and approval by the Valuation Committee, pursuant to

 

44 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

methods established or ratified by the Board. Valuations in accordance with these methods are intended to reflect each security’s (or asset’s or liability’s) “fair value”. Each such determination is based on a consideration of all relevant factors, which are likely to vary from one pricing context to another. Examples of such factors may include, but are not limited to market prices; sale prices; broker quotes; and models which derive prices based on inputs such as prices of securities with comparable maturities and characteristics, or based on inputs such as anticipated cash flows or collateral, spread over U.S. Treasury securities, and other information analysis.

(b) Investment Transactions and Investment Income

Investment transactions are accounted for on the trade date. Realized gains and losses on investments are determined on the identified cost basis. Dividend income is recorded net of applicable withholding taxes on the ex-dividend date and interest income is recorded on an accrual basis. Discounts or premiums on debt securities purchased are accreted or amortized to interest income using the effective interest method. Interest income also includes paydown gains and losses on mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, and senior and subordinated loans. Amendment fees are earned as compensation for evaluating and accepting changes to the original loan agreement.

The Trust may receive other income from investments in senior loan interests, including amendment fees, consent fees and commitment fees. For funded loans, these fees are recorded as income when received by the Trust and included in interest income on the Statement of Operations. For unfunded loans, commitment fees are included in realized gain on investments on the Statement of Operations at the end of the commitment period.

Income from residual collateralized loan obligations is recognized using the effective interest method. At the time of purchase, management estimates the future expected cash flows and determines the effective yield and estimated maturity date based on the estimated cash flows. Subsequent to the purchase, the estimated cash flows are updated periodically and a revised yield is calculated prospectively.

(c) Senior Floating Rate Interests and Loan Investments

Senior floating rate interests in which the Trust invests generally pay interest rates which are periodically adjusted by reference to a base short-term floating rate, plus a premium. These base lending rates are generally (i) the lending rate offered by one or more major European banks, such as the one-month or three-month London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), (ii) the prime rate offered by one or more major United States banks, or (iii) the bank’s certificate of deposit rate. Senior floating rate interests often require prepayments from excess cash flows or permit the borrower to repay at its election. The rate at which the borrower repays cannot be predicted with accuracy. As a result, the actual remaining maturity may be substantially less than the stated maturities disclosed in the Trust’s Schedule of Investments.

The Trust invests in loans and other similar debt obligations (“obligations”). A portion of the Trust’s investments in these obligations is sometimes referred to as “covenant lite” loans or obligations (“covenant lite obligations”), which are obligations that lack covenants or possess fewer or less restrictive covenants or constraints on borrowers than certain other types of obligations. The Trust may also obtain exposure to covenant lite obligations through investment in securitization vehicles

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 45

 
 

  

   
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

and other structured products. In recent market conditions, many new or reissued obligations have not featured traditional covenants, which are intended to protect lenders and investors by (i) imposing certain restrictions or other limitations on a borrower’s operations or assets or (ii) providing certain rights to lenders. The Trust may have fewer rights with respect to covenant lite obligations, including fewer protections against the possibility of default and fewer remedies in the event of default. As a result, investments in (or exposure to) covenant lite obligations are subject to more risk than investments in (or exposure to) certain other types of obligations. The Trust is subject to other risks associated with investments in (or exposure to) obligations, including that obligations may not be considered “securities” and, as a result, the Trust may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections under the federal securities laws and instead may have to resort to state law and direct claims.

(d) Interest on When-Issued Securities

The Trust may purchase and sell interests in securities on a when-issued and delayed delivery basis, with payment and delivery scheduled for a future date. No income accrues to the Trust on such interests or securities in connection with such transactions prior to the date the Trust actually takes delivery of such interests or securities. These transactions are subject to market fluctuations and are subject to the risk that the value at delivery may be more or less than the trade date purchase price. Although the Trust will generally purchase these securities with the intention of acquiring such securities, it may sell such securities before the settlement date.

(e) Currency Translations

The accounting records of the Trust are maintained in U.S. dollars. All assets and liabilities initially expressed in foreign currencies are converted into U.S. dollars at prevailing exchange rates. Purchases and sales of investment securities, dividend and interest income, and certain expenses are translated at the rates of exchange prevailing on the respective dates of such transactions. Changes in the relationship of these foreign currencies to the U.S. dollar can significantly affect the value of the investments and earnings of the Trust. Foreign investments may also subject the Trust to foreign government exchange restrictions, expropriation, taxation, or other political, social or economic developments, all of which could affect the market and/or credit risk of the investments.

The Trust does not isolate that portion of the results of operations resulting from changes in the foreign exchange rates on investments from the fluctuations arising from changes in the market prices of securities held. Such fluctuations are included with the net realized gain or loss and unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments.

Reported net realized foreign exchange gains and losses arise from sales of foreign currencies and currency gains or losses realized between the trade and settlement dates on investment transactions. Net unrealized appreciation and depreciation arise from changes in the fair values of assets and liabilities other than investments in securities at the fiscal period end, resulting from changes in exchange rates.

(f) Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are agreements between two parties to buy and sell currencies at a set price on a future date. Fluctuations in the value of open forward foreign currency exchange contracts are recorded for financial reporting purposes as unrealized appreciation and

 

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depreciation by the Trust until the contracts are closed. When the contracts are closed, realized gains and losses are recorded, and included on the Statement of Operations in forward foreign currency exchange contracts.

(g) Distributions to Shareholders

The Trust declares and pays monthly distributions to common shareholders. These distributions consist of investment company taxable income, which generally includes qualified dividend income, ordinary income and short-term capital gains. Any net realized long-term capital gains are distributed annually to common shareholders. To the extent distributions exceed taxable income, the excess will be deemed a return of capital. A return of capital is not taxable, but it reduces the shareholder’s basis in its shares, which reduces the loss (or increases the gain) on a subsequent taxable disposition by such shareholder of the shares, until such shareholder’s basis reaches zero at which point subsequent return of capital distributions will constitute taxable capital gain to such shareholder.

Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. The amount and timing of distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

(h) Short Sales

When the Trust engages in a short sale of a security, an amount equal to the proceeds is reflected as an asset and an equivalent liability. The amount of the liability is subsequently marked-to-market to reflect the market value of the short sale. The Trust currently maintains a segregated account of cash and/or securities as collateral for short sales. Fees, if any, paid to brokers to borrow securities in connection with short sales are recorded as interest expense. In addition, the Trust must pay out the dividend rate of the equity or coupon rate of the obligation to the lender and record this as an expense. Short dividend or interest expense is a cost associated with the investment objective of short sales transactions, rather than an operational cost associated with the day-to-day management of any mutual fund. The Trust may also receive rebate income from the broker resulting from the investment of the proceeds from securities sold short.

(i) Options

Upon the purchase of an option, the premium paid is recorded as an investment, the value of which is marked-to-market daily. If a purchased option expires, the Trust realizes a loss in the amount of the cost of the option. When the Trust enters into a closing sale transaction, it realizes a gain or loss depending on whether the proceeds from the closing sale transaction are greater or less than the cost of the option. If the Trust exercises a put option, it realizes a gain or loss from the sale of the underlying security and the proceeds from such sale will be decreased by the premium originally paid. When the Trust exercises a call option, the cost of the security purchased by the Trust upon exercise increases by the premium originally paid.

When the Trust writes (sells) an option, an amount equal to the premium received is entered in that Trust’s accounting records as an asset and equivalent liability. The amount of the liability is subsequently marked-to-market to reflect the current value of the option written. When a written option expires, or if the Trust enters into a closing purchase transaction, it realizes a gain (or loss if the cost of a closing purchase transaction exceeds the premium received when the option was sold).

 

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(j) Swap Agreements

Swap agreements are marked-to-market daily and the change, if any, is recorded as unrealized appreciation or depreciation. Payments received or made as a result of an agreement or termination of an agreement are recognized as realized gains or losses.

Upon entering into certain centrally-cleared swap transactions, the Trust is required to deposit with its clearing broker an amount of cash or securities as an initial margin. Subsequent variation margin receipts or payments are received or made by the Trust depending on fluctuations in the fair value of the reference entity and are recorded by the Trust as unrealized appreciation or depreciation. When the contract is closed, the Trust records a realized gain or loss equal to the difference between the value of the contract at the time it was opened and the value at the time it was closed.

Upfront payments received or made by the Trust on interest rate swap agreements are amortized over the expected life of the agreement. Periodic payments received or paid by the Trust are recorded as realized gains or losses. Payments received or made as a result of termination of the contract are recognized, net of a proportional amount of the upfront payment, as realized gains or losses.

(k) Indemnifications

Under the Trust’s organizational documents, its Trustees and Officers are indemnified against certain liabilities arising out of the performance of their duties to the Trust. In addition, throughout the normal course of business, the Trust enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations and warranties which provide general indemnifications. The Trust’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown, as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Trust and/or its affiliates that have not yet occurred. However, based on experience, the Trust expects the risk of loss to be remote.

(l) Special Purpose Acquisition Companies

The Trust may acquire an interest in a special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”) in an initial public offering or a secondary market transaction. SPAC investments carry many of the same risks as investments in initial public offering securities, such as erratic price movements, greater risk of loss, lack of information about the issuer, limited operating and little public or no trading history, and higher transaction costs. An investment in a SPAC is typically subject to a higher risk of dilution by additional later offerings of interests in the SPAC or by other investors exercising existing rights to purchase shares of the SPAC and interests in SPACs may be illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale. A SPAC is a publicly traded company that raises investment capital for the purpose of acquiring the equity securities of one or more existing companies (or interests therein) via merger, combination, acquisition or other similar transactions. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less a portion retained to cover expenses) in U.S. government securities, money market securities and cash and does not typically pay dividends in respect of its common stock. SPAC investments are also subject to the risk that a significant portion of the funds raised by the SPAC may be expended during the search for a target acquisition or merger and that the SPAC may have limited time in which to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets. Because SPACs are in essence blank check companies without operating history or ongoing business other than seeking acquisitions, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity’s management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Among other conflicts of interest, the economic interests of the management,

 

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directors, officers and related parties of a SPAC can differ from the economic interests of public shareholders, which may lead to conflicts as they evaluate, negotiate and recommend business combination transactions to shareholders. This risk may become more acute as the deadline for the completion of a business combination nears. There is no guarantee that the SPACs in which the Trust invests will complete an acquisition or that any acquisitions that are completed will be profitable.

Note 3 – Financial Instruments and Derivatives

As part of its investment strategy, the Trust utilizes short sales and a variety of derivative instruments. These investments involve, to varying degrees, elements of market risk and risks in excess of amounts recognized on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Valuation and accounting treatment of these instruments can be found under Significant Accounting Policies in Note 2 of these Notes to Financial Statements.

Short Sales

A short sale is a transaction in which the Trust sells a security it does not own. If the security sold short decreases in price between the time the Trust sells the security and closes its short position, the Trust will realize a gain on the transaction. Conversely, if the security increases in price during the period, the Trust will realize a loss on the transaction. The risk of such price increases is the principal risk of engaging in short sales.

Derivatives

Derivatives are instruments whose values depend on, or are derived from, in whole or in part, the value of one or more other assets, such as securities, currencies, commodities or indices. Derivative instruments may be used to increase investment flexibility (including to maintain cash reserves while maintaining exposure to certain other assets), for risk management (hedging) purposes, to facilitate trading, to reduce transaction costs and to pursue higher investment returns. Derivative instruments may also be used to mitigate certain investment risks, such as foreign currency exchange rate risk, interest rate risk and credit risk. U.S. GAAP requires disclosures to enable investors to better understand how and why the Trust uses derivative instruments, how these derivative instruments are accounted for and their effects on the Trust’s financial position and results of operations.

The Trust utilized derivatives for the following purposes:

Duration: the use of an instrument to manage the interest rate risk of a portfolio.

Hedge: an investment made in order to reduce the risk of adverse price movements in a security, by taking an offsetting position to protect against broad market moves.

Income: the use of any instrument that distributes cash flows typically based upon some rate of interest.

Options Purchased and Written

A call option on a security gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the writer of a call option the obligation to sell, the underlying security. The purchaser of a put option has the right to sell, and the writer of the put option the obligation to buy, the underlying security at any time during

 

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the option period. The risk associated with purchasing options is limited to the premium originally paid.

The risk in writing a call option is that the Trust may incur a loss if the market price of the underlying security increases and the option is exercised. The risk in writing a put option is that the Trust may incur a loss if the market price of the underlying security decreases and the option is exercised. In addition, there may be an imperfect correlation between the movement in prices of options and the underlying securities where the Trust may not be able to enter into a closing transaction because of an illiquid secondary market; or, for OTC options, the Trust may be at risk because of the counterparty’s inability to perform.

The following table represents the Trust’s use and volume of call/put options written on a monthly basis:

     
  Average Notional Amount
Use Call Put
Income $561,658 $–

 

Swap Agreements

A swap is an agreement that obligates two parties to exchange a series of cash flows at specified intervals based upon or calculated by reference to changes in specified prices or rates for a specified amount of an underlying asset. When utilizing OTC swaps, the Trust bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty or if the underlying asset declines in value. Certain standardized swaps are subject to mandatory central clearing and are executed on a multi-lateral or other trade facility platform, such as a registered exchange. There is limited counterparty credit risk with respect to centrally-cleared swaps as the transaction is facilitated through a central clearinghouse, much like exchange-traded futures contracts. For the Trust utilizing centrally-cleared swaps, the exchange bears the risk of loss resulting from a counterparty not being able to pay. There is no guarantee that the Trust or an underlying fund could eliminate its exposure under an outstanding swap agreement by entering into an offsetting swap agreement with the same or another party.

Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Trust with another party for its respective commitment to pay or receive a fixed or variable interest rate on a notional amount of principal. Interest rate swaps are generally centrally-cleared, but central clearing does not make interest rate swap transactions risk free.

The following table represents the Trust’s use and volume of interest rate swaps on a monthly basis:

     
  Average Notional Amount
  Pay Receive
Use Floating Rate Floating Rate
Duration, Hedge $– $2,429,167

 

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts

A forward foreign currency exchange contract is an agreement between two parties to exchange two designated currencies at a specific time in the future. Certain types of contracts may be cash settled, in an amount equal to the change in exchange rates during the term of the contract. The contracts

 

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can be used to hedge or manage exposure to foreign currency risks with portfolio investments or to gain exposure to foreign currencies.

The market value of a forward foreign currency exchange contract changes with fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. Furthermore, the Trust may be exposed to risk if the counterparties cannot meet the contract terms or if the currency value changes unfavorably as compared to the U.S. dollar.

The following table represents the Trust’s use and volume of forward foreign currency exchange contracts on a monthly basis:

       
    Average Value  
Use Purchased   Sold
Hedge $20,897   $7,787,407

 

Derivative Investment Holdings Categorized by Risk Exposure

The following is a summary of the location of derivative investments on the Trust’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of May 31, 2022:

     
Derivative Investment Type Asset Derivatives Liability Derivatives
Equity option contracts Options written, at value
    Unrealized depreciation on forward
Currency forward contracts foreign currency exchange contacts

 

The following tables set forth the fair value of the Trust’s derivative investments categorized by primary risk exposure at May 31, 2022:

       
    Forward  
  Options Written Foreign Currency Total Value at
  Equity Risk Exchange Risk May 31, 2022
Liability Derivative Investments Value $–* $195,982 $195,982

 

* Security has a market value of $0.

The following is a summary of the location of derivative investments on the Trust’s Statement of Operations for the year ended May 31, 2022:

Derivative Investment Type Location of Gain (Loss) on Derivatives
Equity option contracts Net realized gain (loss) on options written
  Net change in unrealized appreciation
  (depreciation) on options written
Currency forward contracts Net realized gain (loss) on forward
  foreign currency exchange contracts
  Net change in unrealized appreciation
  (depreciation)on forward foreign currency
  exchange contracts
Swap agreements Net realized gain (loss) on swap agreements
  Net change in unrealized appreciation
  (depreciation) on swap agreements

 

 

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The following is a summary of the Trust’s realized gain (loss) and change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on derivative investments recognized on the Statement of Operations categorized by primary risk exposure for the year ended May 31, 2022:

         
Realized Gain (Loss) on Derivative Investments Recognized on the Statement of Operations  
    Forward    
Swaps Interest Options Written Foreign Currency    
Rate Risk Equity Risk Exchange Risk   Total
$ (226,661) $ 17,472 $ 859,831 $ 650,642

 

       
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on Derivative Investments Recognized on the Statement of Operations
    Forward  
Swaps Interest Options Written Foreign Currency  
Rate Risk Equity Risk Exchange Risk Total
$ 65,820 $ 1,021 $ (187,551) $ (120,710)

 

In conjunction with short sales and the use of derivative instruments, the Trust is required to maintain collateral in various forms. Depending on the financial instrument utilized and the broker involved, the Trust uses margin deposits at the broker, cash and/or securities segregated at the custodian bank, discount notes or repurchase agreements allocated to the Trust as collateral.

The Trust has established counterparty credit guidelines and enters into transactions only with financial institutions of investment grade or better. The Trust monitors the counterparty credit risk.

Foreign Investments

There are several risks associated with exposure to foreign currencies, foreign issuers and emerging markets. The Trust’s indirect and direct exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Trust to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, or in the case of short positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad. In addition, the Trust may incur transaction costs in connection with conversions between various currencies. The Trust may, but is not obligated to, engage in currency hedging transactions, which generally involve buying currency forward, options or futures contracts. However, not all currency risks may be effectively hedged, and in some cases the costs of hedging techniques may outweigh expected benefits. In such instances, the value of securities denominated in foreign currencies can change significantly when foreign currencies strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. dollar.

The Trust may invest in securities of foreign companies directly, or in financial instruments, such as ADRs and exchange-traded funds, which are indirectly linked to the performance of foreign issuers. Foreign markets can be more volatile than the U.S. market due to increased risks of adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments and can perform differently from the U.S. market. Investing in securities of foreign companies directly, or in financial instruments that are indirectly linked to the performance of foreign issuers, may involve risks not typically associated with investing in U.S. issuers. The value of securities denominated in foreign currencies, and of dividends from such securities, can change significantly when foreign currencies strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. dollar. Foreign securities markets generally have less trading volume and less liquidity

 

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than U.S. markets, and prices in some foreign markets may fluctuate more than those of securities traded on U.S. markets. Many foreign countries lack accounting and disclosure standards comparable to those that apply to U.S. companies, and it may be more difficult to obtain reliable information regarding a foreign issuer’s financial condition and operations. Transaction costs and costs associated with custody services are generally higher for foreign securities than they are for U.S. securities. Some foreign governments levy withholding taxes against dividend and interest income. Although in some countries portions of these taxes are recoverable, the non-recovered portion will reduce the income received by the Trust.

Note 4 – Offsetting

In the normal course of business, the Trust enters into transactions subject to enforceable master netting arrangements or other similar arrangements. Generally, the right to offset in those agreements allows the Trust to counteract the exposure to a specific counterparty with collateral received from or delivered to that counterparty based on the terms of the arrangements. These arrangements provide for the right to liquidate upon the occurrence of an event of default, credit event upon merger or additional termination event.

In order to better define its contractual rights and to secure rights that will help the Trust mitigate its counterparty risk, the Trust may enter into an International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. Master Agreement (“ISDA Master Agreement”) or similar agreement with its derivative contract counterparties. An ISDA Master Agreement is a bilateral agreement between a fund and a counterparty that governs OTC derivatives, including foreign exchange contracts, and typically contains, among other things, collateral posting terms and netting provisions in the event of a default and/or termination event. The provisions of the ISDA Master Agreement typically permit a single net payment in the event of a default (close-out netting) or similar event, including the bankruptcy or insolvency of the counterparty.

For derivatives traded under an ISDA Master Agreement, the collateral requirements are typically calculated by netting the mark-to-market amount for each transaction under such agreement and comparing that amount to the value of any collateral currently pledged by the Trust and the counterparty. For financial reporting purposes, cash collateral that has been pledged to cover obligations of the Trust and cash collateral received from the counterparty, if any, are reported separately on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as segregated cash with broker/receivable for variation margin, or payable for swap settlement/variation margin. Cash and/or securities pledged or received as collateral by the Trust in connection with an OTC derivative subject to an ISDA Master Agreement generally may not be invested, sold or rehypothecated by the counterparty or the Trust, as applicable, absent an event of default under such agreement, in which case such collateral generally may be applied towards obligations due to and payable by such counterparty or the Trust, as applicable. Generally, the amount of collateral due from or to a counterparty must exceed a minimum transfer amount threshold (e.g., $300,000) before a transfer is required to be made. To the extent amounts due to the Trust from its counterparties are not fully collateralized, contractually or otherwise, the Trust bears the risk of loss from counterparty nonperformance. The Trust attempts to mitigate counterparty risk by only entering into agreements with counterparties that it believes to be of good standing and by monitoring the financial stability of those counterparties.

For financial reporting purposes, the Trust does not offset derivative assets and derivative liabilities that are subject to netting arrangements in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

 

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The following tables present derivative financial instruments and secured financing transactions that are subject to enforceable netting arrangements:

             
      Net Amount Gross Amounts Not  
    Gross Amounts of Liabilities Offset in the Statement  
  Gross Offset in the Presented on of Assets and Liabilities  
  Amounts of Statement of the Statement   Cash  
  Recognized Assets and of Assets and Financial Collateral Net
Instrument Liabilities1 Liabilities Liabilities Instruments Pledged Amount
Forward foreign            
currency            
exchange            
contracts $ 195,982 $ — $ 195,982 $ — $ — $195,982
Reverse            
repurchase            
agreements 167,775,690 167,775,690 (167,775,690)

 

1 Exchange-traded or centrally-cleared derivatives are excluded from these reported amounts.

The Trust has the right to offset deposits against any related derivative liabilities outstanding with each counterparty with the exception of exchange-traded or centrally-cleared derivatives.

Note 5 – Fees and Other Transactions with Affiliates

Pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and the Adviser, the Adviser furnishes office facilities and equipment, and clerical, bookkeeping and administrative services for the Trust, oversees the activities of Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC (“GPIM”) and Guggenheim Partners Advisors, LLC (“GPA”)(each a “Sub-Adviser” and together, the “Sub Advisers”). The Adviser provides all services through the medium of any directors, officers or employees of the Adviser or its affiliates as the Adviser deems appropriate in order to fulfill its obligations. As compensation for these services, the Trust pays the Adviser a fee, payable monthly, in an amount equal to 0.60% of the Trust’s average daily managed assets.

Pursuant to an investment Sub-Advisory Agreement among the Trust, the Adviser and GPIM, GPIM, under the oversight and supervision of the Board and the Adviser, manages the investment of the assets of the Trust in accordance with its investment objectives and policies, places orders to purchase and sell securities on behalf of the Trust, and, at the request of the Adviser, consults with the Adviser as to the overall management of the assets of the Trust and its investment policies and practices. As compensation for its services, the Adviser pays GPIM a fee, payable monthly, in an annual amount equal to 0.30% of the Trust’s average daily managed assets.

Pursuant to an Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement among the Trust, the Adviser and GPA, GPA, under the oversight supervision of the Board and the Adviser, assists GPIM in the supervision and direction of the investment strategy of the Trust in accordance with its investment policies. As compensation for its services, the Adviser pays GPA a fee, payable monthly, in an amount equal to 0.005% of the Trust’s average daily managed assets.

For purposes of calculating the fees payable under the foregoing agreements, average daily managed assets means the average daily value of the Trust’s total assets minus the sum of its accrued liabilities, other than liabilities related to any financial leverage.

 

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Certain officers and trustees of the Trust may also be officers, directors and/or employees of the Adviser, GPIM or GPA. The Trust does not compensate its officers who are officers, directors and/or employees of the aforementioned firms.

GFIA pays operating expenses on behalf of the Trust, such as audit and accounting related services, legal services, custody, printing and mailing, among others, on a pass-through basis.

On April 19, 2022, the Adviser made a one-time payment to the Trust for $383,226 relating to an operational issue. This amount is included in Net increase from payments by affiliates on the Statement of Operations.

MUFG Investor Services (US), LLC (“MUIS”) acts as the Trust’s administrator and accounting agent. As administrator and accounting agent, MUIS maintains the books and records of the Trust’s securities and cash. The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (“BNY”) acts as the Trust’s custodian. As custodian, BNY is responsible for the custody of the Trust’s assets. For providing the aforementioned services, MUIS and BNY are entitled to receive a monthly fee equal to an annual percentage of the Trust’s average daily managed assets subject to certain minimum monthly fees and out of pocket expenses.

Note 6 – Fair Value Measurement

In accordance with U.S. GAAP, fair value is defined as the price that the Trust would receive to sell an investment or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction with an independent buyer in the principal market, or in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market for the investment or liability. U.S. GAAP establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy based on the types of inputs used to value assets and liabilities and requires corresponding disclosure. The hierarchy and the corresponding inputs are summarized below:

Level 1 — quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 — significant other observable inputs (for example quoted prices for securities that are similar based on characteristics such as interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).

Level 3 — significant unobservable inputs based on the best information available under the circumstances, to the extent observable inputs are not available, which may include assumptions.

The types of inputs available depend on a variety of factors, such as the type of security and the characteristics of the markets in which it trades, if any. Fair valuation determinations that rely on fewer or no observable inputs require greater judgment. Accordingly, fair value determinations for Level 3 securities require the greatest amount of judgment.

Independent pricing services are used to value a majority of the Trust’s investments. When values are not available from a pricing service, they will be determined using a variety of sources and techniques, including: market prices; broker quotes; and models which derive prices based on inputs such as prices of securities with comparable maturities and characteristics or based on inputs such as anticipated cash flows or collateral, spread over U.S. Treasury securities, and other information and analysis. A significant portion of the Trust’s assets and liabilities are categorized as Level 2, as indicated in this report.

Quotes from broker-dealers, adjusted for fluctuations in criteria such as credit spreads and interest rates, may also be used to value the Trust’s assets and liabilities, i.e. prices provided by a broker-

 

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dealer or other market participant who has not committed to trade at that price. Although quotes are typically received from established market participants, the Trust may not have the transparency to view the underlying inputs which support the market quotations. Significant changes in a quote would generally result in significant changes in the fair value of the security.

Certain fixed income securities are valued by obtaining a monthly quote from a broker-dealer, adjusted for fluctuations in criteria such as credit spreads and interest rates.

Certain loans and other securities are valued using a single daily broker quote or a price from a third party vendor based on a single daily or monthly broker quote.

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities. The suitability of the techniques and sources employed to determine fair valuation are regularly monitored and subject to change.

Note 7 – Reverse Repurchase Agreements

The Trust may enter into reverse repurchase agreements as part of its financial leverage strategy. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Trust temporarily transfers possession of a portfolio instrument to another party, such as a bank or broker-dealer, in return for cash. At the same time, the Trust agrees to repurchase the instrument at an agreed upon time and price, which reflects an interest payment. Such agreements have the economic effect of borrowings. The Trust may enter into such agreements when it is able to invest the cash acquired at a rate higher than the cost of the agreement, which would increase earned income. When the Trust enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, any fluctuations in the market value of either the instruments transferred to another party or the instruments in which the proceeds may be invested would affect the market value of the Trust’s assets. As a result, such transactions may increase fluctuations in the market value of the Trust’s assets. For the year ended May 31, 2022, the average daily balance for which reverse repurchase agreements were outstanding amounted to $138,143,053. The weighted average interest rate was 0.60%. As of May 31, 2022 there was $167,775,690 (inclusive of interest payable) in reverse repurchase agreements outstanding.

As of May 31, 2022, the Trust had outstanding reverse repurchase agreements with various counterparties. Details of the reverse repurchase agreements by counterparty are as follows:

       
Counterparty Interest Rates Maturity Dates Face Value
Barclays Capital, Inc. 1.05% - 1.30%* Open Maturity $ 28,080,972
Barclays Capital, Inc. 1.66% 7/18/22 14,856,231
BMO Capital Markets Corp. 1.68% 7/19/22 4,536,855
BMO Capital Markets Corp. 1.05% - 1.30%* Open Maturity 3,666,944
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. 1.35% - 1.50%* Open Maturity 24,892,294
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC 1.20%* Open Maturity 480,258
RBC Capital Markets, LLC 1.05% - 1.30%* Open Maturity 54,367,654
RBC Capital Markets, LLC 1.37% - 1.77% 7/18/22 21,937,020
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC 1.50% - 2.00% 7/18/22 13,889,056
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC 0.95% - 1.05%* Open Maturity 1,068,406
      $ 167,775,690

 

* The rate is adjusted periodically by the counterparty, subject to approval by the Adviser, and is not based upon a set of reference rate and spread. Rate indicated is the rate effective at May 31, 2022.

 

56 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

The following is a summary of the remaining contractual maturities of the reverse repurchase agreements outstanding as of May 31, 2022, aggregated by asset class of the related collateral pledged by the Trust:

  Up to   Greater than Overnight and  
  30 days 31-90 days 90 days Continuous Total
Municipal Bonds $ — $17,037,731 $ — $100,715,168 $117,752,899
Corporate Bonds 38,181,431 11,841,360 50,022,791
Total reverse repurchase agreements $ — $55,219,162 $ — $112,556,528 $167,775,690
Gross amount of recognized          
liabilities for reverse repurchase          
agreements $ — $55,219,162 $ — $112,556,528 $167,775,690

 

Note 8 – Borrowings

On February 27, 2015, the Trust entered into a $125,000,000 credit facility agreement with an approved lender. Effective September 1, 2020, the credit facility was amended to $100,000,000. Under the most recent amended terms, the interest rate on the amount borrowed is based on the 3-month LIBOR plus 85 basis points, and an unused commitment fee of 35 basis points is charged on the difference between the amount available to borrow under the credit agreement and the actual amount borrowed. As of May 31, 2022, there was $0 outstanding in connection with the Trust’s credit facility. The average daily amount of borrowings on the credit facility during the year ended May 31, 2022 was $36,959,508 with a related average interest rate of 1.24%. The maximum amount outstanding during the year was $82,359,544. As of May 31, 2022, the total value of securities segregated and pledged as collateral in connection with borrowings was $246,691.

The credit facility agreement governing the loan facility includes usual and customary covenants. These covenants impose on the Trust asset coverage requirements, collateral requirements, investment strategy requirements, and certain financial obligations. These covenants place limits or restrictions on the Trust’s ability to (i) enter into additional indebtedness with a party other than the counterparty, (ii) change its fundamental investment policy, or (iii) pledge to any other party, other than to the counterparty, securities owned or held by the Trust over which the counterparty has a lien. In addition, the Trust is required to deliver financial information to the counterparty within established deadlines, maintain an asset coverage ratio (as defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act) greater than 300%, comply with the rules of the stock exchange on which its shares are listed, and maintain its classification as a “closed-end management investment company” as defined in the 1940 Act.

There is no guarantee that the Trust’s leverage strategy will be successful. The Trust’s use of leverage may cause the Trust’s NAV and market price of common shares to be more volatile and can magnify the effect of any losses.

Note 9 – Federal Income Tax Information

The Trust intends to comply with the provisions of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and will distribute substantially all taxable net investment income and capital gains sufficient to relieve the Trust from all, or substantially all, federal income, excise and state income taxes. Therefore, no provision for federal or state income tax or federal excise tax is required.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 57

 
 

 

 

   
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

Tax positions taken or expected to be taken in the course of preparing the Trust’s tax returns are evaluated to determine whether the tax positions are “more-likely-than-not” of being sustained by the applicable tax authority. Tax positions not deemed to meet the more-likely-than-not threshold would be recorded as a tax benefit or expense in the current year. Management has analyzed the Trust’s tax positions taken, or to be taken, on U.S. federal income tax returns for all open tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the Trust’s financial statements. The Trust’s U.S. federal income tax returns are subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) for a period of three years after they are filed.

The tax character of distributions paid during the year ended May 31, 2022 was as follows:

       
Ordinary Long-Term Return Total
Income Capital Gain of Capital Distributions
$28,198,869 $639,938 $3,529,266 $32,368,073

 

The tax character of distributions paid during the year ended May 31, 2021 was as follows:

       
Ordinary Long-Term Return Total
Income Capital Gain of Capital Distributions
$27,080,616 $2,542,781 $90,025 $29,713,422

 

Note: For U.S. federal income tax purposes, short-term capital gain distributions are treated as ordinary income distributions.

The tax components of distributable earnings/(loss) as of May 31, 2022 were as follows:

         
Undistributed Undistributed Net Unrealized Accumulated  
Ordinary Long-Term Appreciation Capital and  
Income Capital Gain (Depreciation) Other Losses Total
$ – $ – $(30,120,492) $ – $(30,120,492)

 

For U.S. federal income tax purposes, capital loss carryforwards represent realized losses of the Trust that may be carried forward and applied against future capital gains. The Trust is permitted to carry forward capital losses for an unlimited period and such capital loss carryforwards retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses. As of May 31, 2022, the Trust had no capital loss carryforwards.

Net investment income and net realized gains (losses) may differ for financial statement and tax purposes because of temporary or permanent book/tax differences. These differences are primarily due to investments in swap agreements, paydown reclasses, losses deferred due to wash sales, foreign currency gains and losses, reclassification of distributions, debt to equity adjustments, and the “mark-to-market,” recharacterization, or disposition of certain Passive Foreign Investment Companies (PFICs). Additional differences may result from the “mark-to-market” of certain derivatives. To the extent these differences are permanent and would require a reclassification between Paid in Capital and Total Distributable Earnings (Loss), such reclassifications are made in the period that the differences arise. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or NAV per share.

There were no adjustments made on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of May 31, 2022 for permanent book/tax differences.

 

58 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

  

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

At May 31, 2022, the cost of investments for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the aggregate gross unrealized appreciation for all investments for which there was an excess of value over tax cost and the aggregate gross unrealized depreciation for all investments for which there was an excess of tax cost over value, were as follows:

       
      Net Tax
  Tax Tax Unrealized
Tax Unrealized Unrealized Appreciation/
Cost Appreciation Depreciation (Depreciation)
$591,041,344 $29,519,084 $(59,707,596) $(30,188,512)

 

Note 10 – Securities Transactions

For the year ended May 31, 2022, the cost of purchases and proceeds from sales of investment securities, excluding short-term investments and derivatives, were $235,606,626 and $227,722,985, respectively.

The Trust is permitted to purchase or sell securities from or to certain affiliated funds under specified conditions outlined in procedures adopted by the Board. The procedures have been designed to ensure that any purchase or sale of securities by the Trust from or to another fund or portfolio that is or could be considered an affiliate by virtue of having a common investment adviser (or affiliated investment advisers), common Trustees and/or common officers complies with Rule 17a-7 of the 1940 Act. Further, as defined under these procedures, each transaction is effected at the current market price to save costs, where permissible. For the year ended May 31, 2022, the Trust engaged in purchases and sales of securities, pursuant to Rule 17a-7 of the 1940 Act, as follows:

Purchases Sales Realized Gain (Loss)
$4,747,355 $25,733,503 $(488,916)

 

Note 11 – Unfunded Loan Commitments

Pursuant to the terms of certain loan agreements, the Trust held unfunded loan commitments as of May 31, 2022. The Trust is obligated to fund these loan commitments at the borrower’s discretion. The Trust reserves against such contingent obligations by designating cash, liquid securities, illiquid securities, and liquid term loans as a reserve. As of May 31, 2022, the total amount segregated in connection with unfunded loan commitments and reverse repurchase agreements was $191,832,256.

The unfunded loan commitments as of May 31, 2022, were as follows:

Borrower Maturity Date Face Amount~ Value
FR Refuel LLC 11/08/28 $ 169,167 $ 5,075
Integrated Power Services Holdings, Inc. 11/18/28 34,268 343
MB2 Dental Solutions LLC 01/29/27 125,610 1,952
Polaris Newco LLC 06/04/26 822,500 82,487
Pro Mach Group, Inc. 08/31/28 7,123 253
RLDatix 04/27/26 700,000 3,606
The Facilities Group 11/30/27 216,954 2,173
Vertical (TK Elevator) 01/29/27 EUR 1,000,000 85,084
      $ 180,973

 

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 59

 
 

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

Note 12 – Restricted Securities

The securities below are considered illiquid and restricted under guidelines established by the Board:

       
Restricted Securities Acquisition Date Cost Value
Central Storage Safety Project Trust      
4.82% due 02/01/381 02/02/18 $ 7,846,938 $ 6,703,034
Freddie Mac Military Housing Bonds      
Resecuritization Trust Certificates      
2015-R1, 5.94% (WAC) due 11/25/522 09/10/19 87,975 79,264
Mirabela Nickel Ltd.      
due 06/24/193 12/31/13 87,217 4,816
    $ 8,022,130 $ 6,787,114

 

1 All or a portion of these securities have been physically segregated in connection with borrowings, unfunded loan commitments, and reverse repurchase agreements.
2 Variable rate security. Rate indicated is the rate effective at May 31, 2022. In some instances, the effective rate is limited by a minimum rate floor or a maximum rate cap established by the issuer. The settlement status of a position may also impact the effective rate indicated. In some cases, a position may be unsettled at period end and may not have a stated effective rate. In instances where multiple underlying reference rates and spread amounts are shown, the effective rate is based on a weighted average.
3 Security is in default of interest and/or principal obligations.

Note 13 – Capital

Common Shares

The Trust has an unlimited amount of common shares, $0.01 par value, authorized and 21,864,166 shares issued and outstanding. Transactions in common shares were as follows:

     
  Year Ended Year Ended
  May 31, 2022 May 31, 2021
Beginning shares 20,730,781 18,752,555
Shares issues through at-the-market offering 1,039,903 1,907,373
Shares issues through dividend reinvestment 93,482 70,853
Ending shares 21,864,166 20,730,781

 

On October 16, 2019, the Trust’s shelf registration allowing for delayed or continuous offering of additional shares became effective. The shelf registration statement allows for the issuance of up to $150,000,000 of common shares. On October 16, 2019, the Trust entered into an at-the-market sales agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. to offer and sell up to 3,000,000 common shares, from time to time, through Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. as agent for the Trust. On February 1, 2021, the Trust entered into an at-the-market sales agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. to offer and sell common shares having an aggregated initial offering price of up to $88,896,812, from time to time, through Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. as agent for the Trust.

As of May 31, 2022, up to $48,637,740 remained available under the at-the-market sales agreement. For the year ended May 31, 2022, the Trust paid $6,414 for offering costs associated with the at-the market offering, and will be responsible for additional offering costs in the future of up to 0.60% of the offering price of commons shares sold pursuant to the shelf registration statement.

 

60 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued May 31, 2022

 

Note 14 – COVID-19 and Other Market Risks

The COVID-19 pandemic and the recovery response has caused and continues to cause at times reduced consumer demand and economic output, supply chain disruptions, and market closures, travel restrictions, quarantines, and disparate global vaccine distributions. As with other serious economic disruptions, governmental authorities and regulators have responded in recent years to this situation with significant fiscal and monetary policy changes. These included providing direct capital infusions into companies, introducing new monetary programs, and lowering interest rates. In some cases, these responses resulted in high inflation, low interest rates, and negative interest rates (which have since risen). Recently, the United States and other governments have also made investments and engaged in infrastructure modernization projects that have also increased public debt and spending. These actions, including their reversal or potential ineffectiveness, could further increase volatility in securities and other financial markets, reduce market liquidity, continue to cause higher inflation, heighten investor uncertainty, and adversely affect the value of the Trust’s investments and the performance of the Trust. These actions also contribute to a risk that asset prices have a high degree of correlation across markets and asset classes. The duration and extent of COVID-19 over the long term cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. The ultimate impact of COVID-19 and the extent to which COVID-19 impacts the Trust will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and difficult to predict.

The value of, or income generated by, the investments held by the Trust are subject to the possibility of rapid and unpredictable fluctuation, and loss. These movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, or from broader influences, including real or perceived changes in prevailing interest rates (which have since risen recently and may continue to rise), changes in inflation rates or expectations about inflation rates (which are currently elevated relative to normal conditions), adverse investor confidence or sentiment, changing economic, political (including geopolitical), social or financial market conditions, increased instability or general uncertainty, environmental disasters, governmental actions, public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics and epidemics), debt crises, actual or threatened wars or other armed conflicts (such as the current Russia-Ukraine conflict and its risk of expansion or collateral economic and other effects) or ratings downgrades, and other similar events, each of which may be temporary or last for extended periods. Moreover, changing economic, political, geopolitical, social, or, financial market or other conditions in one country or geographic region could adversely affect the value, yield and return of the investments held by the Trust in a different country or geographic region and economies, markets and issuers generally because of the increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets.

Note 15 – Subsequent Events

The Trust evaluated subsequent events through the date the financial statements were available for issue and determined there were no material events that would require adjustment to or disclosure in the Trust’s financial statements.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 61

 
 

 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT  
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM May 31, 2022

 

To the Shareholders and the Board of Trustees of Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust (the “Trust”), including the schedule of investments, as of May 31, 2022, and the related statements of operations and cash flows for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust at May 31, 2022, the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended and its financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Trust’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Trust’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 Trust 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 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. The Trust is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

62 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT  
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM continued May 31, 2022

 

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 procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of May 31, 2022, by correspondence with the custodian, broker and paying agents or by other appropriate auditing procedures where replies from brokers or paying agents were not received. 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. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

We have served as the auditor of one or more Guggenheim investment companies since 1979.

Tysons, Virginia

August 1, 2022

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 63

 
 

 

 

   
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) May 31, 2022

 

Federal Income Tax Information

This information is being provided as required by the Internal Revenue Code. Amounts shown may differ from those elsewhere in the report because of differences in tax and financial reporting practice.

In January 2023, shareholders will be advised on IRS Form 1099 DIV or substitute 1099 DIV as to the U.S. federal tax status of the distributions received by shareholders in the calendar year 2022.

The Trust’s investment income (dividend income plus short-term capital gains, if any) qualifies as follows:

Of the taxable ordinary income distributions paid during the fiscal year ending May 31, 2022, the Trust had the corresponding percentages qualify for the reduced tax rate pursuant to the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief and Reconciliation Act of 2003 or for the dividends received deduction for corporations. See the qualified dividend income and dividend received deduction columns, respectively, in the table below.

Additionally, of the taxable ordinary income distributions paid during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2022, the Trust had the corresponding percentages qualify as interest related dividends and qualified short-term capital gains as permitted by IRC Section 871(k)(1) and IRC Section 871(k)(2), respectively. See qualified interest income and qualified short-term capital gain columns, respectively, in the table below.

       
Qualified Dividend Qualified Qualified
Dividend Received Interest Short-Term
Income Deduction Income Capital Gain
2.10% 2.10% 89.00% 100.00%

 

With respect to the taxable year ended May 31, 2022, the Trust hereby designates as capital gain dividends the amount listed below, or, if subsequently determined to be different, the net capital gain of such year:

 
From long-term capital gain:
$639,938

 

Results of Shareholder Votes

The Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Trust was held on April 7, 2022. Common shareholders voted on the election of Trustees. With regards to the election of the following Trustees by common shareholders of the Trust:

       
  # of Shares # of Shares # of Shares
  in Favor Against Abstain
Amy J. Lee 15,784,381 468,038 152,059
Sandra G. Sponem 15,781,136 471,974 151,368
Ronald E. Toupin, Jr. 15,686,053 559,088 159,336

 

 

64 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

Senior Securities

The following table sets forth information about the Trust’s outstanding senior securities as of the end of each fiscal year for the last ten fiscal years. The outstanding senior securities include borrowings from certain financial institutions (“Borrowings”) . The information in this table for the fiscal years ended 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018 has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm. The Trust’s audited financial statements, including the report of Ernst & Young LLP thereon and accompanying notes thereto, are included in this annual report to shareholders for the year ended May 31, 2022.

    Total Principal(1) Asset Coverage
Fiscal Year Ended Title of Security Amount Outstanding(1) Per $1,000 of Principal Amount
May 31, 2022 Borrowings $0 $0
May 31, 2021 Borrowings $97,359,544 $5,855
May 31, 2020 Borrowings $10,509,544 $40,409
May 31, 2019 Borrowings $44,509,544 $9,891
May 31, 2018 Borrowings $44,509,544 $9,879
May 31, 2017 Borrowings $47,509,544 $9,541
May 31, 2016 Borrowings $61,709,544 $7,576
May 31, 2015 Borrowings $35,509,544 $12,452
May 31, 2014 Borrowings $30,963,936 $14,081
May 31, 2013 Borrowings $44,213,936 $10,299

 

(1) Principal amount outstanding represents the principal amount as of the end of the relevant fiscal year/period owed by the Trust to lenders under arrangements in place at the time.

As a result of the Trust having earmarked or segregated cash or liquid securities to collateralize reverse repurchase agreement transactions or otherwise having covered the transactions, in accordance with releases and interpretive letters issued by the SEC, the Trust does not treat its obligations under such transactions as senior securities representing indebtedness for purposes of the 1940 Act.

Summary of Trust Expenses

The following table contains information about the costs and expenses that Common Shareholders will bear directly or indirectly. The table is based on the capital structure of the Trust as of May 31, 2022 (except as noted below). The purpose of the table and the example below is to help you understand the fees and expenses that you, as a holder of Common Shares, would bear directly or indirectly. The following table should not be considered a representation of the Trust’s future expenses. The following table shows estimated Trust expenses as a percentage of average net assets attributable to Common Shares and not as a percentage of Managed Assets.

  May 31, 2022
Common Shareholder Transaction Expenses  
Sales load paid by you (as a percentage of offering price)(1) %
Offering expenses borne by the Trust (as a percentage of offering price)(1)(2) 0.60%
Dividend Reinvestment Plan fees(3) None

 

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 65

 
 

 

 

   
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

  As a Percentage of
  Net Assets Attributable
  to Common Shares(4)
Annual Expenses  
Management fees(5) 0.82%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(6) 0.20%
Interest expense(7) 0.31%
Other expenses(8) 0.21%
Total annual expenses 1.54%

 

(1) In connection with an offering of Common Shares, a supplement to the Trust’s prospectus (“Prospectus Supplement”) will set forth any applicable sales load and the estimated offering expenses borne by the Trust.
(2) The Adviser has incurred on behalf of the Trust all costs associated with the Trust’s registration statement and any offerings pursuant to such registration statement. The Trust has agreed, in connection with offerings under the Trust’s registration statement, to reimburse the Adviser for offering expenses incurred by the Adviser on the Trust’s behalf in an amount up to the lesser of the Trust’s actual offering costs or 0.60% of the total offering price of the Common Shares sold in such offering.
(3) Common Shareholders will pay brokerage charges if they direct the Plan Agent to sell Common Shares held in a dividend reinvestment account.
(4) Based upon average net assets applicable to Common Shares during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2022.
(5) The Trust pays the Adviser a monthly fee in arrears at an annual rate equal to 0.60% of the Trust’s average daily Managed Assets. The fee shown is based upon outstanding leverage employed through (i) the issuance of senior securities representing indebtedness, including through borrowing from financial institutions or issuance of debt securities, including notes or commercial paper, (ii) engaging in reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls and economically similar transactions, (iii) investments in inverse floating rate securities, which have the economic effect of leverage, and (iv) the issuance of preferred shares (collectively “Financial Leverage”) of 29.49% of the Trust’s Managed Assets. If Financial Leverage of more than 29.49% of the Trust’s Managed Assets is used, the management fees shown would be higher.
(6) Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are estimated based on the fees and expenses borne by the Trust as an investor in other investment companies during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2022, and the expected investment of the proceeds of an offering of Common Shares.
(7) Includes interest payments on borrowed funds and interest expense on reverse repurchase agreements. Interest payments on borrowed funds is based upon the Trust’s outstanding Borrowings as of May 31, 2022, which included Borrowings under the Trust’s committed facility agreement in an amount equal to 0% of the Trust’s Managed Assets, at an average interest rate of 0%. Interest expenses on reverse repurchase agreements is based on the Trust’s outstanding reverse repurchase agreements as of May 31, 2022, which included leverage in the form of reverse repurchase agreements in an amount equal to 29.49% of the Trust’s Managed Assets, at a weighted average interest rate cost to the Trust of 0.60%. The actual amount of interest payments and expenses by the Trust will vary over time in accordance with the amount of Borrowings and reverse repurchase agreements and variations in market interest rates.
(8) Other expenses are estimated based upon those incurred during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2022.

Example

As required by relevant Securities and Exchange Commission regulations, the following example illustrates the expenses that you would pay on a $1,000 investment in Common Shares, assuming (1) “Total annual expenses” of 1.54% of net assets attributable to Common Shares and (2) a 5% annual return*:

  1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
Total Annual Expenses paid by Common Shareholders(1) $22 $55 $90 $189

 

* The example should not be considered a representation of future expenses or returns. Actual expenses may be higher or lower than those assumed and shown. Moreover, the Trust’s actual rate of return may be higher or lower than the hypothetical 5% return shown in the example. The example assumes that all dividends and distributions are reinvested at net asset value.
(1) The example does not include sales loads or estimated offering costs. In connection with an offering of Common Shares, the Prospectus Supplement will set forth an example including sales load and estimated offering costs.

 

66 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

Market and Net Asset Value Information

The Trust’s currently outstanding Common Shares are listed on the NYSE. The Trust’s Common Shares commenced trading on the NYSE on October 28, 2010.

The Common Shares have traded both at a premium and at a discount in relation to the Trust’s net asset value per share. Although the Common Shares recently have traded at a premium to net asset value, there can be no assurance that this will continue nor that the Common Shares will not trade at a discount in the future. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount to net asset value. The sale of Common Shares by the Trust (or the perception that such sales may occur) may have an adverse effect on prices of Common Shares in the secondary market. An increase in the number of Common Shares available may put downward pressure on the market price for Common Shares.

The following table sets forth, for each of the periods indicated, the high and low closing market prices for the Common Shares on the NYSE, the net asset value per Common Share and the premium or discount to net asset value per Common Share at which the Common Shares were trading. Net asset value is generally determined on each Tuesday that the NYSE is open for business and the last business day of each calendar month.

     
      Net Asset Value    
      per Common Share Premium/(Discount)
      on Date of Market on Date of Market
  Market Price Price High and Low(1) Price High and Low(2)
Fiscal Quarter Ended High Low High Low High Low
May 31, 2022 $21.16 $18.06 $21.51 $18.18 (1.63)% (0.66)%
February 28, 2022 $23.73 $20.00 $23.04 $21.17 2.99% (5.53)%
November 30, 2021 $25.25 $23.29 $23.52 $22.75 7.36% 2.37%
August 31, 2021 $24.89 $24.30 $23.12 $23.36 7.66% 4.02%
May 31, 2021 $24.30 $22.62 $22.61 $22.03 7.47% 2.68%
February 28, 2021 $25.68 $23.88 $23.37 $22.49 9.88% 6.18%
November 30, 2020 $25.69 $23.57 $22.62 $22.82 13.57% 3.29%
August 31, 2020 $24.40 $22.53 $22.94 $22.47 6.36% 0.27%
May 31, 2020 $24.47 $17.55 $23.89 $21.13 2.43% (16.94)%

 

(1) Based on the Trust’s computations.
(2) Calculated based on the information presented. Percentages are rounded.

The reported market price, net asset value per Common Share and percentage premium to net asset value per Common Share as of May 31, 2022 was $19.45, $18.35 and 5.99%, respectively. The Trust cannot predict whether its Common Shares will trade in the future at a premium to or discount from net asset value, or the level of any premium or discount. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount from net asset value. As of May 31, 2022, 21,864,166 Common Shares of the Trust were outstanding.

Unresolved Staff Comments

The Trust believes that there are no material unresolved written comments, received 180 days or more before May 31, 2022, from the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding any of its periodic or current reports under the Securities Exchange Act or the Investment Company Act of 1940 or its registration statement.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 67

 
 

 

 

   
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

Sector Classification

Information in the “Schedule of Investments” is categorized by sectors using sector-level classifications used by Bloomberg Industry Classification System, a widely recognized industry classification system provider. In the Trust’s registration statement, the Trust has investment policies relating to concentration in specific industries. For purposes of these investment policies, the Trust usually classifies industries based on industry-level classifications used by widely recognized industry classification system providers such as Bloomberg Industry Classification System, Global Industry Classification Standards and Barclays Global Classification Scheme.

 

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Trustees

The Trustees of the Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust and their principal business occupations during the past five years:

           
    Number of      
  Position(s) Term of Office Portfolios in    
Name, Address* Held with and Length of Fund Complex Other Directorships  
and Year of Birth Trust Time Served** Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years Overseen Held by Trustees***
Independent Trustees:        
Randall C. Barnes Trustee and Since 2010 Current: Private Investor (2001-present). 155 Current: Advent Convertible and Income
(1951) Chair of the (Trustee)     Fund (2005-present); Purpose
  Valuation   Former: Senior Vice President and Treasurer, PepsiCo, Inc. (1993-1997);   Investments Funds (2013-present).
  Oversight Since 2020 President, Pizza Hut International (1991-1993); Senior Vice President,    
  Committee (Chair of the Strategic Planning and New Business Development, PepsiCo, Inc. (1987-1990).   Former: Fiduciary/Claymore Energy
    Valuation     Infrastructure Fund (2004-March 2022);
    Oversight     Guggenheim Enhanced Equity Income
    Committee)     Fund (2005-2021); Guggenheim Credit
          Allocation Fund (2013-2021).
Angela Brock-Kyle Trustee Since 2019 Current: Founder and Chief Executive Officer, B.O.A.R.D.S. (2013-present). 154 Current: Bowhead Insurance GP, LLP
(1959)         (2020-present); Hunt Companies, Inc.
      Former: Senior Leader, TIAA (1987-2012).   (2019-present).
 
          Former: Fiduciary/Claymore Energy
          Infrastructure Fund (2019-March 2022);
          Guggenheim Enhanced Equity Income
          Fund (2019-2021); Guggenheim Credit
          Allocation Fund (2019-2021); Infinity
          Property & Casualty Corp. (2014-2018).
Thomas F. Lydon, Jr. Trustee and Since 2019 Current: President, Global Trends Investments (1996-present); Chief Executive 154 Current: US Global Investors, Inc.
(1960) Chair of the (Trustee) Officer, ETF Flows, LLC (2019-present); Chief Executive Officer, Lydon Media   (GROW) (1995-present).
  Contracts   (2016-present); Director, GDX Index Partners, LLC (2021-present); Vice Chairman,  
  Review Since 2020 VettaFi (2022-present).   Former: Fiduciary/Claymore Energy
  Committee (Chair of the     Infrastructure Fund (2019-March 2022);
    Contracts Review     Guggenheim Enhanced Equity Income
    Committee)     Fund (2019-2021); Guggenheim Credit
          Allocation Fund (2019-2021); Harvest
          Volatility Edge Trust (3) (2017-2019).

 

 

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        Number of  
  Position(s) Term of Office   Portfolios in  
Name, Address* Held with and Length of   Fund Complex Other Directorships
and Year of Birth Trust Time Served** Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years Overseen Held by Trustees***
Independent Trustees continued:        
Ronald A. Nyberg Trustee and Since 2010 Current: Of Counsel, Momkus LLP (2016-present). 155 Current: Advent Convertible and Income
(1953) Chair of the       Fund (2005-present); PPM Funds (2)
  Nominating and   Former: Partner, Nyberg & Cassioppi, LLC (2000-2016); Executive Vice President,   (2018-present); NorthShore-Edward-
  Governance   General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary, Van Kampen Investments (1982-1999). Elmhurst Healthcare System
  Committee       (2012-present).
 
          Former: Fiduciary/Claymore Energy
          Infrastructure Fund (2004-March 2022);
          Guggenheim Enhanced Equity Income
          Fund (2005-2021); Guggenheim Credit
          Allocation Fund (2013-2021); Western
          Asset Inflation-Linked Opportunities &
          Income Fund (2004-2020); Western Asset
          Inflation-Linked Income Fund (2003-
          2020).
Sandra G. Sponem Trustee and Since 2019 Current: Retired. 154 Current: SPDR Series Trust (81)
(1958) Chair of (Trustee)     (2018-present); SPDR Index Shares
  the Audit   Former: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, M.A. Mortenson-   Funds (30) (2018-present); SSGA Active
  Committee Since 2020 Companies, Inc. (2007-2017).   Trust (14) (2018-present).
    (Chair of the      
    Audit Committee)     Former: Fiduciary/Claymore Energy
          Infrastructure Fund (2019-March 2022);
          Guggenheim Enhanced Equity Income
          Fund (2019-2021); Guggenheim Credit
          Allocation Fund (2019-2021); SSGA
          Master Trust (1) (2018-2020).

 

 

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        Number of  
  Position(s) Term of Office   Portfolios in  
Name, Address* Held with and Length of   Fund Complex Other Directorships
and Year of Birth Trust Time Served** Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years Overseen Held by Trustees***
Independent Trustees continued:        
Ronald E. Toupin, Jr. Trustee, Chair Since 2010 Current: Portfolio Consultant (2010-present); Member, Governing Council, 154 Former: Fiduciary/Claymore Energy
(1958) of the Board   Independent Directors Council (2013-present); Governor, Board of Governors,   Infrastructure Fund (2004-March 2022);
  and Chair of   Investment Company Institute (2018-present).   Guggenheim Enhanced Equity Income
  the Executive       Fund (2005-2021); Guggenheim Credit
  Committee   Former: Member, Executive Committee, Independent Directors Council (2016-2018); Allocation Fund (2013-2021); Western
      Vice President, Manager and Portfolio Manager, Nuveen Asset Management   Asset Inflation-Linked Opportunities
      (1998-1999); Vice President, Nuveen Investment Advisory Corp. (1992-1999); Vice   & Income Fund (2004-2020); Western
      President and Manager, Nuveen Unit Investment Trusts (1991-1999); and Assistant Asset Inflation-Linked Income Fund
      Vice President and Portfolio Manager, Nuveen Unit Investment Trusts (1988-1999), (2003-2020).
      each of John Nuveen & Co., Inc. (1982-1999).    

 

 

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        Number of  
  Position(s) Term of Office   Portfolios in  
Name, Address* Held with and Length of   Fund Complex Other Directorships
and Year of Birth Trust Time Served** Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years Overseen Held by Trustees***
Interested Trustee:          
Amy J. Lee**** Trustee, Since 2018 Current: Interested Trustee, certain other funds in the Fund Complex 154 Former: Fiduciary/Claymore Energy
(1961) Vice President (Trustee) (2018-present); Chief Legal Officer, certain other funds in the Fund Complex   Infrastructure Fund (2018-March 2022);
  and Chief   (2014-present); Vice President, certain other funds in the Fund Complex   Guggenheim Enhanced Equity Income
  Legal Officer Since 2014 (2007-present); Senior Managing Director, Guggenheim Investments   Fund (2018-2021); Guggenheim Credit
    (Chief Legal (2012-present).   Allocation Fund (2018-2021).
    Officer)      
      Former: President and Chief Executive Officer, certain other funds in the    
    Since 2012 Fund Complex (2017-2019); Vice President, Associate General Counsel and    
    (Vice President) Assistant Secretary, Security Benefit Life Insurance Company and Security    
      Benefit Corporation (2004-2012).    

 

* The business address of each Trustee is c/o Guggenheim Investments, 227 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60606.
** Each Trustee elected shall hold office until his or her successor shall have been elected and shall have qualified. After a Trustee’s initial term, each Trustee is expected to serve a three year term concurrent with the class of Trustees for which he or she serves.

-Mr. Barnes and Ms. Brock-Kyle are Class I Trustees. Class I Trustees are expected to stand for re-election at the Trust’s annual meeting of shareholders for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2023.

-Messrs. Lydon, Jr. and Nyberg are Class II Trustees. Class II Trustees are expected to stand for re-election at the Trust’s annual meeting of shareholders for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2024.

-Mr. Toupin, Jr. and Mses. Lee and Sponem are Class III Trustees. Class III Trustees are expected to stand for re-election at the Trust’s annual meeting of shareholders for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2025.

*** Each Trustee also serves on the Boards of Trustees of Guggenheim Funds Trust, Guggenheim Variable Funds Trust, Guggenheim Strategy Funds Trust, Guggen -heim Strategic Opportunities Fund, Guggenheim Energy & Income Fund, Guggenheim Active Allocation Fund, Rydex Series Funds, Rydex Dynamic Funds, Rydex Variable Trust and Transparent Value Trust. Messrs. Barnes and Nyberg also serve on the Board of Trustees of Advent Convertible & Income Fund.
**** This Trustee is deemed to be an “interested person” of the Trust under the 1940 Act by reason of her position with the Trust’s Investment Adviser and/or the parent of the Investment Adviser.

 

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Officers

The Officers of the Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust, who are not Trustees, and their principal occupations during the past five years:

       
  Position(s) Term of Office  
Name, Address* Held with and Length of Principal Occupation(s)
and Year of Birth the Trust Time Served** During Past Five Years
Officers:      
Brian E. Binder President Since 2018 Current: President and Chief Executive Officer, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2018-present); President, Chief Executive Officer and
(1972) and Chief   Chairman of the Board of Managers, Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC (2018-present); President and Chief Executive Officer,
  Executive   Security Investors, LLC (2018-present); Board Member of Guggenheim Partners Fund Management (Europe) Limited (2018-present); Senior
  Officer   Managing Director and Chief Administrative Officer, Guggenheim Investments (2018-present).
 
      Former: Managing Director and President, Deutsche Funds, and Head of US Product, Trading and Fund Administration, Deutsche Asset
      Management (2013-2018); Managing Director, Head of Business Management and Consulting, Invesco Ltd. (2010-2012).
Joanna M. Catalucci Chief Since 2012 Current: Chief Compliance Officer, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2012-present); Senior Managing Director, Guggenheim Investments
(1966) Compliance   (2014-present).
  Officer    
      Former: AML Officer, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2016-2017); Chief Compliance Officer and Secretary certain other funds in the
      Fund Complex (2008-2012); Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, Security Investors, LLC and certain affiliates (2010-2012); Chief
      Compliance Officer and Senior Vice President, Rydex Advisors, LLC and certain affiliates (2010-2011).
James M. Howley Assistant Since 2006 Current: Managing Director, Guggenheim Investments (2004-present); Assistant Treasurer, certain other funds in the Fund Complex
(1972) Treasurer   (2006-present).
 
      Former: Manager, Mutual Fund Administration of Van Kampen Investments, Inc. (1996-2004).
Mark E. Mathiasen Secretary Since 2008 Current: Secretary, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2007-present); Managing Director, Guggenheim Investments (2007-present).
(1978)      
Glenn McWhinnie Assistant Since 2016 Current: Vice President, Guggenheim Investments (2009-present); Assistant Treasurer, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2016-present).
(1969) Treasurer    
Michael P. Megaris Assistant Since 2014 Current: Assistant Secretary, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2014-present); Director, Guggenheim Investments (2012-present).
(1984) Secretary    
Kimberly J. Scott Assistant Since 2012 Current: Director, Guggenheim Investments (2012-present); Assistant Treasurer, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2012-present).
(1974) Treasurer    
      Former: Financial Reporting Manager, Invesco, Ltd. (2010-2011); Vice President/Assistant Treasurer, Mutual Fund Administration for Van Kampen
      Investments, Inc./Morgan Stanley Investment Management (2009-2010); Manager of Mutual Fund Administration, Van Kampen Investments,
      Inc./Morgan Stanley Investment Management (2005-2009).

 

 

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  Position(s) Term of Office  
Name, Address* Held with and Length of Principal Occupation(s)
and Year of Birth the Trust Time Served** During Past Five Years
Officers continued:      
Bryan Stone Vice Since 2014 Current: Vice President, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2014-present); Managing Director, Guggenheim Investments (2013-present).
(1979) President    
      Former: Senior Vice President, Neuberger Berman Group LLC (2009-2013); Vice President, Morgan Stanley (2002-2009).
John L. Sullivan Chief Since 2010 Current: Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2010-present); Senior
(1955) Financial   Managing Director, Guggenheim Investments (2010-present).
  Officer, Chief    
  Accounting   Former: Managing Director and Chief Compliance Officer, each of the funds in the Van Kampen Investments fund complex (2004-2010);
  Officer and   Managing Director and Head of Fund Accounting and Administration, Morgan Stanley Investment Management (2002-2004); Chief Financial
  Treasurer   Officer and Treasurer, Van Kampen Funds (1996-2004).
Jon Szafran Assistant Since 2017 Current: Director, Guggenheim Investments (2017-present); Assistant Treasurer, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2017-present).
(1989) Treasurer    
      Former: Assistant Treasurer of Henderson Global Funds and Manager of US Fund Administration, Henderson Global Investors (North America)
      Inc. (“HGINA”), (2017); Senior Analyst of US Fund Administration, HGINA (2014–2017); Senior Associate of Fund Administration, Cortland
      Capital Market Services, LLC (2013-2014); Experienced Associate, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (2012-2013).

 

* The business address of each officer is c/o Guggenheim Investments, 227 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60606.
** Each officer serves an indefinite term, until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified.

 

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APPROVAL OF ADVISORY AGREEMENTS – GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE  
MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST (GBAB) (Unaudited) May 31, 2022

 

Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust (the “Fund”) is a Delaware statutory trust that is registered as a diversified, closed-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC (“GFIA” or the “Adviser”), an indirect subsidiary of Guggenheim Partners, LLC, a privately-held, global investment and advisory firm (“Guggenheim Partners”), serves as the Fund’s investment adviser and provides certain administrative and other services pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Fund and GFIA (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”). (Guggenheim Partners, GFIA, Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC (“GPIM” or a “Sub-Adviser”) and their affiliates may be referred to herein collectively as “Guggenheim.” “Guggenheim Investments” refers to the global asset management and investment advisory division of Guggenheim Partners and includes GFIA, GPIM, Security Investors, LLC and other affiliated investment management businesses of Guggenheim Partners.) Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, GFIA is responsible for overseeing the activities of GPIM, which performs portfolio management and related services for the Fund pursuant to an investment sub-advisory agreement by and among the Fund, the Adviser and GPIM (the “GPIM Sub-Advisory Agreement” and together with the Investment Advisory Agreement, the “Current Advisory Agreements”). Under the supervision and oversight of GFIA and the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the “Board,” with the members of the Board referred to individually as the “Trustees”), GPIM provides a continuous investment program for the Fund’s portfolio, provides investment research, manages the Fund’s financial leverage (borrowing) strategy and makes and executes recommendations for the purchase and sale of securities for the Fund.

Each of the Current Advisory Agreements continues in effect from year to year provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the Board or a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, and, in either event, (ii) the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested person[s],” as defined by the 1940 Act, of the Fund (the “Independent Trustees”) casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose. At meetings held in person on April 19, 2022 (the “April Meeting”) and on May 24-25, 2022 (the “May Meeting”), the Contracts Review Committee of the Board (the “Committee”), consisting solely of the Independent Trustees, met separately from Guggenheim to consider the proposed renewal of the Current Advisory Agreements in connection with the Committee’s annual contract review schedule.

At a meeting held by videoconference on April 29, 2022 (the “Special Meeting”), the Board met to consider a new sub-advisory agreement with Guggenheim Partners Advisors, LLC (“GPA” or a “Sub-Adviser”) for the Fund (the “GPA Sub-Advisory Agreement”).1 Under the GPA Sub-Advisory Agreement, GPA assists GFIA and GPIM in the direction and supervision of the investment strategy of the Fund. At the Special Meeting, the Board approved the GPA Sub-Advisory Agreement for an annual term. At the May Meeting, the Committee also considered a renewal of the GPA Sub-Advisory Agreement so that it would have a consistent term with the Current Advisory Agreements. (The GPA

 

1 On March 13, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued an exemptive order providing relief to registered management investment companies from certain provisions of the 1940 Act in light of the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), including the in-person voting requirements under Section 15(c) of the 1940 Act with respect to approving or renewing an investment advisory agreement, subject to certain conditions. The relief, initially provided for a limited period of time, has been extended multiple times and was in effect as of April 29, 2022. The Board, including the Independent Trustees, relied on this relief in voting to approve the GPA Sub-Advisory Agreement at the Special Meeting.

 

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Sub-Advisory Agreement along with the GPIM Sub-Advisory Agreement are referred to hereafter as the “Sub-Advisory Agreements” and the Current Advisory Agreements along with the GPA Sub-Advisory Agreement are referred to hereafter as the “Advisory Agreements.”)

As part of its process of reviewing the Advisory Agreements, the Committee was represented by independent legal counsel to the Independent Trustees (“Independent Legal Counsel”), from whom the Independent Trustees received separate legal advice and with whom they met separately. Independent Legal Counsel reviewed and discussed with the Committee various key aspects of the Trustees’ legal responsibilities relating to the proposed approval or renewal of the Advisory Agreements and other principal contracts. The Committee took into account various materials received from Guggenheim and Independent Legal Counsel. The Committee also considered the variety of written materials, reports and oral presentations the Board received throughout the year regarding performance and operating results of the Fund, and other information relevant to its evaluation of the Advisory Agreements.

In connection with the contract review process, FUSE Research Network LLC, an independent, third-party research provider, was engaged to prepare advisory contract renewal reports designed specifically to help the Board fulfill its advisory contract renewal responsibilities. The objective of the reports is to present the subject funds’ relative position regarding fees, expenses and total return performance, with comparisons to a peer group of funds identified by Guggenheim, based on a methodology reviewed by the Board. In addition, Guggenheim provided materials and data in response to formal requests for information sent by Independent Legal Counsel on behalf of the Independent Trustees. Guggenheim also made presentations at the April Meeting, the May Meeting and the Special Meeting. Throughout the process, the Committee asked questions of management and requested certain additional information, which Guggenheim provided (collectively with the foregoing reports and materials, the “Contract Review Materials”). The Committee considered the Contract Review Materials in the context of its accumulated experience in governing the Fund and other Guggenheim funds and weighed the factors and standards discussed with Independent Legal Counsel.

Following an analysis and discussion of relevant factors, including those identified below, and in the exercise of its business judgment, the Committee concluded that it was in the best interest of the Fund to recommend that the Board approve the GPA Sub-Advisory Agreement and the renewal of each of the Advisory Agreements for an additional annual term.

Investment Advisory Agreement

Nature, Extent and Quality of Services Provided by the Adviser: With respect to the nature, extent and quality of services currently provided by the Adviser, the Committee noted that, although the Adviser has delegated certain portfolio management responsibilities to the Sub-Advisers, as affiliated companies, the Adviser and Sub-Advisers are part of the Guggenheim organization. Further, the Committee took into account Guggenheim’s explanation that investment advisory-related services are provided by many Guggenheim employees under different related legal entities and thus, the services provided by the Adviser on the one hand and a Sub-Adviser on the other, as well as the risks assumed by each party, cannot be ascribed to distinct legal entities. For example, the Committee noted as of March 31, 2022, both GFIA and GPIM had entered into a Macroeconomic Services Agreement, at no fee, with GPA which, as noted above, is a Guggenheim affiliate, to receive

 

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certain global and sector macroeconomic analysis and insight along with other guidance.2 As a result, in evaluating the services provided to the Fund the Committee did not separately consider the contributions under the Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreements.

The Committee also considered the secondary market support services provided by Guggenheim to the Fund and noted the materials describing the activities of Guggenheim’s dedicated Closed-End Fund Team, including with respect to communication with financial advisors, data dissemination and relationship management. In addition, the Committee considered the qualifications, experience and skills of key personnel performing services for the Fund, including those personnel providing compliance and risk oversight, as well as the supervisors and reporting lines for such personnel. The Committee also considered other information, including Guggenheim’s resources and related efforts to retain, attract and motivate capable personnel to serve the Fund. In evaluating Guggenheim’s resources and capabilities, the Committee considered Guggenheim’s commitment to focusing on, and investing resources in support of, funds in the Guggenheim fund complex, including the Fund.

The Committee’s review of the services provided by Guggenheim to the Fund included consideration of Guggenheim’s investment processes and resulting performance, portfolio oversight and risk management, and the related regular quarterly reports and presentations received by the Board. The Committee took into account the risks borne by Guggenheim in sponsoring and providing services to the Fund, including regulatory, operational, legal and entrepreneurial risks. The Committee considered the resources dedicated by Guggenheim to compliance functions and the reporting made to the Board by Guggenheim compliance personnel regarding Guggenheim’s adherence to regulatory requirements. The Committee also considered the regular reports the Board receives from the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer regarding compliance policies and procedures established pursuant to Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act.

In connection with the Committee’s evaluation of the overall package of services provided by Guggenheim, the Committee considered Guggenheim’s administrative services, including its role in supervising, monitoring, coordinating and evaluating the various services provided by the fund administrator, custodian and other service providers to the Fund. The Committee evaluated the Office of Chief Financial Officer (the “OCFO”), established to oversee the fund administration, accounting and transfer agency services provided to funds in the Guggenheim fund complex, including the OCFO’s resources, personnel and services provided.

With respect to Guggenheim’s resources and the ability of the Adviser to carry out its responsibilities under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Chief Financial Officer of Guggenheim Investments reviewed with the Committee financial information concerning the holding company for Guggenheim Investments, Guggenheim Partners Investment Management Holdings, LLC (“GPIMH”), and the various entities comprising Guggenheim Investments, and provided the audited consolidated financial statements of GPIMH. (Thereafter, the Committee received the audited consolidated financial statements of GPIM.)

The Committee also considered the acceptability of the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, including the scope of services required to be performed by the Adviser.

 

2 Consequently, except where the context indicates otherwise, references to “Adviser” or “Sub-Adviser” should be understood as referring to Guggenheim Investments generally and the services it provides under the Advisory Agreements.

 

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APPROVAL OF ADVISORY AGREEMENTS – GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE  
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Based on the foregoing, and based on other information received (both oral and written) at the April Meeting, the May Meeting and the Special Meeting, as well as other considerations, including the Committee’s knowledge of how the Adviser performs its duties obtained through Board meetings, discussions and reports throughout the year, the Committee concluded that the Adviser and its personnel were qualified to serve the Fund in such capacity and may reasonably be expected to continue to provide a high quality of services under the Investment Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund.

Investment Performance: The Fund commenced investment operations on October 27, 2010 and its investment objective is to provide current income with a secondary objective of long-term capital appreciation. The Committee received data showing, among other things, the Fund’s total return on a net asset value (“NAV”) and market price basis for the ten-year, five-year, three-year, one-year and three-month periods ended December 31, 2021, as well as total return based on NAV since inception. The Committee also received certain updated performance information as of March 31, 2022 and April 30, 2022.

The Committee compared the Fund’s performance to a peer group of closed-end funds identified by Guggenheim (the “peer group of funds”) and, for NAV returns, performance versus the Fund’s benchmark for the same time periods. The Committee noted that the Adviser’s peer group selection methodology for the Fund starts with the entire U.S.-listed taxable closed-end fund universe, and excludes funds that: (i) generally invest less than 50% in taxable municipals, including “Build America Bonds”; and (ii) generally employ less than 20% financial leverage. The Committee considered that the peer group of funds, with three constituent funds, including the Fund, is consistent with the peer group used for purposes of the Fund’s quarterly performance reporting, but that the small size of the group limited the usefulness of the comparisons.

In addition, the Committee took into account Guggenheim’s belief that there is no single optimal performance metric, nor is there a single optimal time period over which to evaluate performance and that a thorough understanding of performance comes from analyzing measures of returns, risk and risk-adjusted returns, as well as evaluating strategies both relative to their market benchmarks and to peer groups of competing strategies. Thus, the Committee also reviewed and considered the additional performance and risk metrics provided by Guggenheim, including the Fund’s standard deviation, tracking error, beta, Sharpe ratio, information ratio and alpha compared to the benchmark, with the Fund’s risk metrics ranked against its peer group. In assessing the foregoing, the Committee considered Guggenheim’s statement that, as of January 31, 2022, the Fund’s absolute returns have exceeded the benchmark over all relevant time periods. The Committee also noted Guggenheim’s statement that, as of January 31, 2022, the Fund’s risk metrics have consistently been superior to peers, reflecting the Fund’s lower duration and the diversification provided by the non-municipal bond portion of the Fund’s portfolio.

The Committee also considered the Fund’s structure and form of leverage, and, among other information related to leverage, the cost of the leverage and the aggregate leverage outstanding as of December 31, 2021, as well as net yield on leverage assets and net impact on common assets due to leverage for the one-year period ended December 31, 2021 and annualized for the three-year and since-inception periods ended December 31, 2021.

Based on the foregoing, and based on other information received (both oral and written) at the April Meeting, the May Meeting and the Special Meeting, as well as other considerations, the Committee concluded that the Fund’s performance was acceptable.

 

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APPROVAL OF ADVISORY AGREEMENTS – GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE  
MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST (GBAB)  
(Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

Comparative Fees, Costs of Services Provided and the Benefits Realized by the Adviser from Its Relationship with the Fund: The Committee compared the Fund’s contractual advisory fee (which includes the sub-advisory fees paid to the Sub-Advisers) calculated at average managed assets for the latest fiscal year,3 and the Fund’s net effective management fee4 and total net expense ratio, in each case as a percentage of average net assets for the latest fiscal year, to the peer group of funds and noted the Fund’s percentile rankings in this regard. The Committee also reviewed the average and median advisory fees (based on average net assets) and expense ratios, including expense ratio components (e.g., transfer agency fees, administration fees and other operating expenses), of the peer group of funds. In addition, the Committee considered information regarding Guggenheim’s process for evaluating the competitiveness of the Fund’s fees and expenses, noting Guggenheim’s statement that evaluations seek to incorporate a variety of factors with a general focus on ensuring fees and expenses: (i) are competitive; (ii) give consideration to resource support requirements; and (iii) ensure the Fund is able to deliver on shareholder return expectations.

The Committee observed that, although the Fund’s total net expense ratio (excluding interest expense) and contractual advisory fee based on average managed assets were the highest of its peer group of funds, its net effective management fee on average net assets was the lowest of its peer group of funds. The Committee also noted that the peer group of funds consists of only three funds, including the Fund and two peers from two large fund families, which limits its usefulness for comparison. In this connection, the Committee noted the contractual advisory fee range of the peer group and considered Guggenheim’s statement that the Fund’s contractual advisory fee of 0.60% is within 0.05% of the lowest contractual advisory fee of the peer group.

As part of its evaluation of the Fund’s advisory fee, the Committee considered how such fee compared to the advisory fee charged by Guggenheim to one or more other clients that it manages pursuant to similar investment strategies, noting that, in certain instances, Guggenheim charges a lower advisory fee to such other clients. In this connection, the Committee considered, among other things, Guggenheim’s representations about the significant differences between managing registered funds as compared to other types of accounts and differences between managing a closed-end fund as compared to an open-end fund. The Committee also considered Guggenheim’s explanation that lower fees are charged in certain instances due to various other factors, including the scope of contract, type of investors, differences in fee structure, applicable legal, governance and capital structures, tax status and historical pricing reasons. In addition, the Committee took into account Guggenheim’s discussion of the regulatory, operational, legal and entrepreneurial risks involved with the Fund as compared to other types of accounts. The Committee concluded that the information it received demonstrated that the aggregate services provided to, and the specific circumstances of, the Fund were sufficiently different from the services provided to, or the specific circumstances of, other clients, respectively, with similar investment strategies and/or the risks borne by Guggenheim were sufficiently greater than those associated with managing other clients with similar investment strategies to support the difference in fees.

 

3 Contractual advisory fee rankings represent the percentile ranking of the Fund’s contractual advisory fee relative to peers assuming that the contractual advisory fee for each fund in the peer group is calculated on the basis of the Fund’s average managed assets.

4 The “net effective management fee” for the Fund represents the combined effective advisory fee and administration fee as a percentage of average net assets for the latest fiscal year, after any waivers and/or reimbursements.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 79

 
 

 

 

   
APPROVAL OF ADVISORY AGREEMENTS – GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE  
MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST (GBAB)  
(Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

With respect to the costs of services provided and benefits realized by Guggenheim Investments from its relationship with the Fund, the Committee reviewed a profitability analysis and data from management setting forth the average assets under management for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021, gross revenues received by Guggenheim Investments, expenses allocated to the Fund, earnings and the operating margin/profitability rate, including variance information relative to the foregoing amounts as of December 31, 2020. In addition, the Chief Financial Officer of Guggenheim Investments reviewed with, and addressed questions from, the Committee concerning the expense allocation methodology employed in producing the profitability analysis.

In the course of its review of Guggenheim Investments’ profitability, the Committee took into account the methods used by Guggenheim Investments to determine expenses and profit. The Committee considered all of the foregoing, among other things, in evaluating the costs of services provided, the profitability to Guggenheim Investments and the profitability rates presented.

The Committee also considered other benefits available to the Adviser because of its relationship with the Fund and noted Guggenheim’s statement that it does not believe the Adviser derives any such “fall-out” benefits. In this regard, the Committee took into account Guggenheim’s representation that, although it does not consider such benefits to be fall-out benefits, the Adviser may benefit from certain economies of scale and synergies, such as enhanced visibility of the Adviser, enhanced leverage in fee negotiations and other synergies arising from offering a broad spectrum of products, including the Fund.

Based on the foregoing, and based on other information received (both oral and written) at the April Meeting, the May Meeting and the Special Meeting, as well as other considerations, the Committee concluded that the comparative fees and the benefits realized by the Adviser from its relationship with the Fund were appropriate and that the Adviser’s profitability from its relationship with the Fund was not unreasonable.

Economies of Scale: The Committee received and considered information regarding whether there have been economies of scale with respect to the management of the Fund as the Fund’s assets grow, whether the Fund has appropriately benefited from any economies of scale, and whether there is potential for realization of any further economies of scale. The Committee considered whether economies of scale in the provision of services to the Fund were being passed along to and shared with the shareholders. The Committee considered that advisory fee breakpoints generally are not relevant given the structural nature of closed-end funds, which, though able to conduct additional share offerings periodically, do not continuously offer new shares and thus, do not experience daily inflows and outflows of capital. In addition, the Committee took into account Guggenheim’s belief that given the relative size of the Fund, breakpoints are not appropriate at this time. The Committee also noted the additional shares offered by the Fund through secondary offerings in the past and considered that to the extent the Fund’s assets increase over time (whether through additional periodic offerings or internal growth from asset appreciation), the Fund and its shareholders should realize economies of scale as certain expenses, such as fixed fund fees, become a smaller percentage of overall assets.

Based on the foregoing, and based on other information received (both oral and written) at the April Meeting, the May Meeting and the Special Meeting, as well as other considerations, the Committee concluded that the Fund’s advisory fee was reasonable.

 

80 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
APPROVAL OF ADVISORY AGREEMENTS – GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE  
MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST (GBAB)  
(Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

Sub-Advisory Agreements

Nature, Extent and Quality of Services Provided by the Sub-Advisers: As noted above, because both the Adviser (GFIA) and Sub-Advisers (GPIM and GPA) for the Fund are part of Guggenheim Investments and the services provided by the Adviser on the one hand and the Sub-Advisers on the other cannot be ascribed to distinct legal entities, the Committee did not separately evaluate the services provided under the Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreements. Therefore, the Committee considered the qualifications, experience and skills of the Fund’s portfolio management team in connection with the Committee’s evaluation of Guggenheim’s investment professionals under the Investment Advisory Agreement.

With respect to Guggenheim’s resources and the Sub-Advisers’ abilities to carry out their responsibilities under their respective Sub-Advisory Agreements, as noted above, the Committee considered the financial condition of GPIMH and the various entities comprising Guggenheim Investments.

The Committee also considered the acceptability of the terms of the Sub-Advisory Agreements, including the scope of services required to be performed by each Sub-Adviser.

Investment Performance: The Committee considered the returns of the Fund under its evaluation of the Investment Advisory Agreement.

Comparative Fees, Costs of Services Provided and the Benefits Realized by the SubAdvisers from Their Relationships with the Fund: The Committee considered that the Sub-Advisory Agreements are with affiliates of the Adviser, that the Adviser compensates each Sub-Adviser from its own fees so that the sub-advisory fee rate with respect to the Fund does not impact the fees paid by the Fund and that GPIM’s revenues were included in the calculation of Guggenheim Investments’ profitability. Because GPA is a new Sub-Adviser, the amounts that will be paid to it by GFIA were previously included in the calculation of Guggenheim Investments’ profitability as part of GFIA’s revenue and in the future will continue to be included in the calculation of Guggenheim Investments’ profitability as a part of GPA’s revenue. Given its conclusion of the reasonableness of the advisory fee, the Committee concluded that the GPIM and GPA sub-advisory fee rates for the Fund were reasonable.

Economies of Scale: The Committee recognized that, because the Sub-Advisers’ fees are paid by the Adviser and not the Fund, the analysis of economies of scale was more appropriate in the context of the Committee’s consideration of the Investment Advisory Agreement, which was separately considered. (See “Investment Advisory Agreement – Economies of Scale” above.)

Overall Conclusions

The Committee concluded that the investment advisory fees are fair and reasonable in light of the extent and quality of the services provided and other benefits received and that the initial approval of the GPA Sub-Advisory Agreement and the continuation of each Advisory Agreement is in the best interest of the Fund. In reaching this conclusion, no single factor was determinative or conclusive and each Committee member, in the exercise of his or her informed business judgment, may afford different weights to different factors. At the Special Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Trustees approved the GPA Sub-Advisory Agreement for an initial annual term and at the May Meeting, the Committee, constituting all of the Independent Trustees, recommended the renewal of each Advisory Agreement for an additional annual term.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 81

 
 

 

 

   
DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN (Unaudited) May 31, 2022

 

Unless the registered owner of common shares elects to receive cash by contacting Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (the “Plan Administrator”), all dividends declared on common shares of the Trust will be automatically reinvested by the Plan Administrator for shareholders in the Trust’s Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the “Plan”), in additional common shares of the Trust. Participation in the Plan is completely voluntary and may be terminated or resumed at any time without penalty by notice if received and processed by the Plan Administrator prior to the dividend record date; otherwise such termination or resumption will be effective with respect to any subsequently declared dividend or other distribution. Some brokers may automatically elect to receive cash on your behalf and may re-invest that cash in additional common shares of the Trust for you. If you wish for all dividends declared on your common shares of the Trust to be automatically reinvested pursuant to the Plan, please contact your broker.

The Plan Administrator will open an account for each common shareholder under the Plan in the same name in which such common shareholder’s common shares are registered. Whenever the Trust declares a dividend or other distribution (together, a “Dividend”) payable in cash, nonparticipants in the Plan will receive cash and participants in the Plan will receive the equivalent in common shares. The common shares will be acquired by the Plan Administrator for the participants’ accounts, depending upon the circumstances described below, either (i) through receipt of additional unissued but authorized common shares from the Trust (“Newly Issued Common Shares”) or (ii) by purchase of outstanding common shares on the open market (“Open-Market Purchases”) on the New York Stock Exchange or elsewhere. If, on the payment date for any Dividend, the closing market price plus estimated brokerage commission per common share is equal to or greater than the net asset value per common share, the Plan Administrator will invest the Dividend amount in Newly Issued Common Shares on behalf of the participants. The number of Newly Issued Common Shares to be credited to each participant’s account will be determined by dividing the dollar amount of the Dividend by the net asset value per common share on the payment date; provided that, if the net asset value is less than or equal to 95% of the closing market value on the payment date, the dollar amount of the Dividend will be divided by 95% of the closing market price per common share on the payment date. If, on the payment date for any Dividend, the net asset value per common share is greater than the closing market value plus estimated brokerage commission, the Plan Administrator will invest the Dividend amount in common shares acquired on behalf of the participants in Open-Market Purchases.

For federal income tax purposes, the Trust generally would be able to claim a deduction for distributions to shareholders with respect to the common shares issued at up to a 5-percent discount from the closing market value pursuant to the Plan.

If, before the Plan Administrator has completed its Open-Market Purchases, the market price per common share exceeds the net asset value per common share, the average per common share purchase price paid by the Plan Administrator may exceed the net asset value of the common shares, resulting in the acquisition of fewer common shares than if the Dividend had been paid in Newly Issued Common Shares on the Dividend payment date. Because of the foregoing difficulty with respect to Open-Market Purchases, the Plan provides that if the Plan Administrator is unable to invest the full Dividend amount in Open-Market Purchases during the purchase period or if the market discount shifts to a market premium during the purchase period, the Plan Administrator may cease making Open-Market Purchases and may invest the uninvested portion of the Dividend

 

82 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

amount in Newly Issued Common Shares at net asset value per common share at the close of business on the Last Purchase Date provided that, if the net asset value is less than or equal to 95% of the then current market price per common share; the dollar amount of the Dividend will be divided by 95% of the market price on the payment date.

The Plan Administrator maintains all shareholders’ accounts in the Plan and furnishes written confirmation of all transactions in the accounts, including information needed by shareholders for tax records. Common shares in the account of each Plan participant will be held by the Plan Administrator on behalf of the Plan participant, and each shareholder proxy will include those shares purchased or received pursuant to the Plan. The Plan Administrator will forward all proxy solicitation materials to participants and vote proxies for shares held under the Plan in accordance with the instruction of the participants.

There will be no brokerage charges with respect to common shares issued directly by the Trust. However, each participant will pay a pro rata share of brokerage commission incurred in connection with Open-Market Purchases. The automatic reinvestment of Dividends will not relieve participants of any Federal, state or local income tax that may be payable (or required to be withheld) on such Dividends.

The Trust reserves the right to amend or terminate the Plan. There is no direct service charge to participants with regard to purchases in the Plan; however, the Trust reserves the right to amend the Plan to include a service charge payable by the participants.

All correspondence or questions concerning the Plan should be directed to the Plan Administrator, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., P.O. Box 30170 College Station, TX 77842-3170: Attention: Shareholder Services Department, Phone Number: (866) 488-3559 or online at www.computershare.com/investor.

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 83

 
 

 

 

   
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING  
THE TRUST (Unaudited) May 31, 2022

 

CHANGES OCCURRING DURING THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR ENDED MAY 31, 2022

The following information in this annual report is a summary of certain changes during the most recent fiscal year. This information may not reflect all of the changes that have occurred since you purchased shares of the Trust.

Appointment of Additional Sub-Adviser

Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC (“GFIA” or the “Adviser”) engaged Guggenheim Partners Advisors, LLC (“GPA”) to provide investment sub-advisory services to the Trust. GPA assists the Trust’s other sub-adviser, Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC (“GPIM”), in the supervision and direction of the investment strategy of the Trust in accordance with the Trust’s investment policies and pursuant to the sub-advisory agreement among the Trust, the Adviser and GPA. These services are subject to the supervision of the Board and the Adviser. GPA does not have discretion and is not authorized to (or direct others to) arrange for the purchase and sale of securities and other assets held in the Trust or place orders and negotiate the commissions (if any) for the execution of transactions in securities or other assets.

CHANGE TO THE TRUST’S PRINCIPAL RISKS

The following is an updated Recent Markets Developments Risk:

Recent Market Developments Risk

Periods of market volatility remain, and may continue to occur in the future, in response to various political, social, geopolitical, economic and public health events both within and outside of the United States. These conditions have resulted in, and in many cases continue to result in, greater price volatility, less liquidity, widening credit spreads and a lack of price transparency, with certain securities remaining illiquid and of uncertain value. Such market conditions may adversely affect the Trust, including by making valuation of some of the Trust’s securities uncertain and/or result in sudden and significant valuation increases or declines in the Trust’s holdings. If there is a significant decline in the value of the Trust’s portfolio, this may impact the asset coverage levels for the Trust’s outstanding leverage.

Risks resulting from any future debt or other economic or public health situation could also have a detrimental impact on the global economic recovery, the financial condition of financial institutions, operations of businesses and the Trust’s business, financial condition and results of operation. Market and economic disruptions have affected, and may in the future affect, consumer confidence levels and spending, personal bankruptcy rates, levels of incurrence and default on consumer and other debt and home prices, among other factors. To the extent uncertainty regarding the U.S. or global economy negatively impacts consumer confidence and consumer credit factors, the Trust’s business, financial condition and results of operations could be significantly and adversely affected. Downgrades to the credit ratings of major banks could result in increased borrowing costs for such banks and negatively affect the broader economy. Moreover, Federal Reserve policy, including with respect to certain interest rates, may also adversely affect the value, volatility and liquidity of various investments, notably dividend- and interest-paying securities. Market volatility, rising interest rates and/or unfavorable economic conditions could impair the Trust’s ability to achieve its investment objectives.

 

84 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING  
THE TRUST (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

The COVID-19 pandemic and the recovery response has caused and continues to cause at times reduced consumer demand and economic output, supply chain disruptions, and market closures, travel restrictions, quarantines, and disparate global vaccine distributions. As with other serious economic disruptions, governmental authorities and regulators have responded in recent years to this situation with significant fiscal and monetary policy changes. These included providing direct capital infusions into companies, introducing new monetary programs, and lowering interest rates. In some cases, these responses resulted in high inflation, low interest rates, and negative interest rates (which have since risen). Recently, the United States and other governments have also made investments and engaged in infrastructure modernization projects that have also increased public debt and spending. These actions, including their reversal or potential ineffectiveness, could further increase volatility in securities and other financial markets, reduce market liquidity, continue to cause higher inflation, heighten investor uncertainty, and adversely affect the value of the Trust’s investments and the performance of the Trust. These actions also contribute to a risk that asset prices have a high degree of correlation across markets and asset classes. The duration and extent of COVID-19 over the long term cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. The ultimate impact of COVID-19 and the extent to which COVID-19 impacts the Trust will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and difficult to predict.

The value of, or income generated by, the investments held by the Trust are subject to the possibility of rapid and unpredictable fluctuation, and loss. These movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, or from broader influences, including real or perceived changes in prevailing interest rates (which have risen recently and may continue to rise), changes in inflation rates or expectations about inflation rates (which are currently elevated relative to normal conditions), adverse investor confidence or sentiment, changing economic, political (including geopolitical), social or financial market conditions, increased instability or general uncertainty, environmental disasters, governmental actions, public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics and epidemics), debt crises, actual or threatened wars or other armed conflicts (such as the current Russia-Ukraine conflict and its risk of expansion or collateral economic and other effects) or ratings downgrades, and other similar events, each of which may be temporary or last for extended periods. Moreover, changing economic, political, geopolitical, social, financial market or other conditions in one country or geographic region could adversely affect the value, yield and return of the investments held by the Trust in a different country or geographic region and economies, markets and issuers generally because of the increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets.

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Trust’s investment objective is to provide current income with a secondary objective of long-term capital appreciation. The Trust cannot assure investors that it will achieve its investment objectives. The Trust’s investment objectives are considered fundamental and may not be changed without the approval of the holders of the Common Shares (the “Common Shareholders”).

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Trust seeks to achieve its investment objectives by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of taxable municipal securities, including Build America Bonds (“BABs”), and other investment grade, income generating debt securities, including debt instruments issued by non-profit entities (such as

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 85

 
 

  

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING  
THE TRUST (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

entities related to healthcare, higher education and housing), municipal conduits, project finance corporations, and tax-exempt municipal securities.

PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION

Under normal market conditions:

The Trust invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in taxable municipal securities, including BABs, and other investment grade, income generating debt securities, including debt instruments issued by non-profit entities (such as entities related to healthcare, higher education and housing), municipal conduits, project finance corporations, and tax-exempt municipal securities.
The Trust will not invest more than 25% of its Managed Assets in municipal securities of any one state of origin.
The Trust will invest at least 50% of its Managed Assets in taxable municipal securities.

Credit Quality

Under normal market conditions, the Trust invests at least 80% of its Managed Assets in securities that, at the time of investment, are investment grade quality. A security is considered investment grade quality if, at the time of investment, it is rated within the four highest letter grades by at least one of the nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (“NRSROs”) (that is Baa3 or better by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or BBB- or better by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (“S&P”) or Fitch Ratings (“Fitch”)) that rate such security, even if it is rated lower by another, or if it is unrated by any NRSRO but judged to be of comparable quality by the Adviser.

Under normal market conditions, the Trust may invest up to 20% of its Managed Assets in securities that, at the time of investment, are rated below investment grade (that is below Baa3 by Moody’s or below BBB- by S&P or Fitch) or are unrated by any NRSRO but judged to be of comparable quality by the Adviser. If NRSROs assign different ratings to the same security, the Trust will use the highest rating for purposes of determining the security’s credit quality. Securities of below investment grade quality are regarded as having predominately speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay principal, and are commonly referred to as “junk bonds.”

Duration Management Strategy

“Duration” is a measure of the price volatility of a security as a result of changes in market rates of interest, based on the weighted average timing of a security’s expected principal and interest payments. There is no limit on the remaining maturity or duration of any individual security in which the Trust may invest, nor will the Trust’s portfolio be managed to any duration benchmark prior to taking into account the duration management strategy discussed herein.

The Trust intends to employ investment and trading strategies to seek to maintain the leverage-adjusted portfolio duration to generally less than 15 years. The Adviser may seek to manage the duration of the Trust’s portfolio through the use of derivative instruments, including U.S. treasury swaps, credit default swaps, total return swaps and futures contracts to reduce the overall volatility of the Trust’s portfolio to changes in market interest rates. For example, the Adviser may seek to manage the overall duration through the combination of the sale of interest-rate swaps on the long

 

86 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING  
THE TRUST (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

end of the yield curve (for example a transaction in which the Trust would pay a fixed interest rate on a 30 year swap transaction) with the purchase of an interest-rate swap on the intermediate portion of the yield curve (for example a transaction in which the Trust would receive a fixed interest rate on a ten year swap transaction). In addition, the Trust may invest in short-duration fixed-income securities, which may help to decrease the overall duration of the Trust’s portfolio while also potentially adding incremental yield. The Adviser may seek to manage the Trust’s duration in a flexible and opportunistic manner based primarily on then current market conditions and interest rate levels. The Trust may incur costs in implementing the duration management strategy, but such strategy will seek to reduce the volatility of the Trust’s portfolio. There can be no assurance that the Adviser’s duration management strategy will be successful at any given time in managing the duration of the Trust’s portfolio or helping the Trust to achieve its investment objectives.

Investment Funds

As an alternative to holding investments directly, the Trust may also obtain investment exposure to securities in which it may invest directly by investing up to 20% of its Managed Assets in other investment companies, including U.S. registered investment companies and/or other U.S. or foreign pooled investment vehicles (collectively, “Investment Funds”). Investment Funds do not include structured finance investments, such as asset-backed securities (“ABS”). To the extent that the Trust invests in Investment Funds that invest at least 80% of their total assets in taxable municipal securities and other investment grade, income generating debt securities, including debt instruments issued by non-profit entities (such as entities related to healthcare, higher education and housing), municipal conduits, project finance corporations, and tax-exempt municipal securities, such investment will be counted for purposes of the Trust’s policy of investing at least 80% of its Managed Assets in taxable municipal securities and other investment grade, income generating debt securities. Investments in other Investment Funds involve operating expenses and fees at the Investment Funds level that are in addition to the expenses and fees borne by the Trust and are borne indirectly by Common Shareholders.

Synthetic Investments

As an alternative to holding investments directly, the Trust may also obtain investment exposure to investments in which the Trust may invest directly through the use of derivative instruments (including swaps, options, forwards, notional principal contracts or customized derivative or financial instruments) to replicate, modify or replace the economic attributes associated with an investment in which the Trust may invest directly. The Trust may be exposed to certain additional risks should the Adviser use derivatives as a means to synthetically implement the Trust’s investment strategies, including counterparty risk, lack of liquidity in such derivative instruments and additional expenses associated with using such derivative instruments. To the extent that the Trust obtains indirect investment exposure to taxable municipal securities and other investment grade, income generating debt securities, including debt instruments issued by non-profit entities (such as entities related to healthcare, higher education and housing), municipal conduits, project finance corporations, and tax-exempt municipal securities through the use of the foregoing derivative instruments with economic characteristics similar to taxable municipal securities, such investments will be counted for purposes of the Trust’s 80% investment policy. The Trust has not adopted any percentage limitation with respect to the overall percentage of investment exposure to taxable municipal securities and other investment grade, income generating debt securities, including debt

 

GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT l 87

 
 

 

 

   
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING  
THE TRUST (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

 

instruments issued by non-profit entities (such as entities related to healthcare, higher education and housing), municipal conduits, project finance corporations, and tax-exempt municipal securities that the Trust may obtain through the use of derivative instruments.

Strategic Transactions

In addition to those derivatives transactions utilized in connection with the Trust’s duration management strategy, the Trust may, but is not required to, use various portfolio strategies, including derivatives transactions involving interest rate and foreign currency transactions, swaps, options and futures (“Strategic Transactions”), to earn income, facilitate portfolio management and mitigate risks. In the course of pursuing Strategic Transactions, the Trust may purchase and sell exchange-listed and over-the-counter put and call options on securities, instruments or equity and fixed-income indices, purchase and sell futures contracts and options thereon, and enter into swap, cap, floor or collar transactions. In addition, Strategic Transactions may also include new techniques, instruments or strategies that are developed or permitted as regulatory changes occur. Successful use of Strategic Transactions depends on the Adviser’s ability to predict correctly market movements, which cannot be assured. Losses on Strategic Transactions may reduce the Trust’s net asset value and its ability to pay distributions if they are not offset by gains on portfolio positions being hedged.

Structured Finance Investments

The Trust may invest in structured finance investments, which are fixed income and other debt securities (“Income Securities”) typically issued by special purpose vehicles that hold income-producing securities (e.g., mortgage loans, consumer debt payment obligations and other receivables) and other financial assets. Structured finance investments are tailored, or packaged, to meet certain financial goals of investors. Typically, these investments provide investors with capital protection, income generation and/or the opportunity to generate capital growth. GPIM believes that structured finance investments provide attractive risk-adjusted returns, frequent sector rotation opportunities and prospects for adding value through security selection. Structured finance investments include:

Mortgage-Related Securities. Mortgage-related securities are collateralized by pools of commercial or residential mortgages. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. These securities may include complex instruments such as collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) (including debt and preferred stock issued by REITs), and other real estate-related securities. The mortgage-related securities in which the Trust may invest include those with fixed, floating or variable interest rates, those with interest rates that change based on multiples of changes in a specified index of interest rates, and those with interest rates that change inversely to changes in interest rates, as well as those that do not bear interest. The Trust may invest in residential and commercial mortgage-related securities issued by governmental entities and private issuers, including subordinated mortgage-related securities. The underlying assets of certain mortgage-related securities may be subject to prepayments, which shorten the weighted average maturity and may lower the return of such securities.

 

88 l GBAB l GUGGENHEIM TAXABLE MUNICIPAL BOND & INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT TRUST ANNUAL REPORT

 
 

 

 

   
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING  
THE TRUST (Unaudited) continued May 31, 2022

Asset-Backed Securities.

ABS are a form of structured debt obligation. ABS are payment claims that are securitized in the form of negotiable paper that is issued by a financing company (generally called a special purpose vehicle). Collateral assets are brought into a pool according to specific diversification rules. A special purpose vehicle is founded for the purpose of securitizing these payment claims and the assets of the special purpose vehicle are the diversified pool of collateral assets. The special purpose vehicle issues marketable securities which are intended to represent a lower level of risk than an underlying collateral asset individually, due to the diversification in the pool. The redemption of the securities issued by the special purpose vehicle takes place out of the cash flow generated by the collected assets. A special purpose vehicle may issue multiple securities with different priorities to the cash flows generated and the collateral assets. The collateral for ABS may include, among other things, home equity loans, automobile and credit card receivables, boat loans, computer leases, airplane leases, mobile home loans, recreational vehicle loans and hospital account receivables. The Trust may invest in these and other types of ABS that may be developed in the future. There is the possibility that recoveries on the underlying collateral may not, in some cases, be available or may be insufficient to support payments on these securities.

Collateralized Debt Obligations. A collateralized debt obligation (“CDO”) is an asset-backed security whose underlying collateral is typically a portfolio of bonds, bank loans, other structured finance securities and/or synthetic instruments. Where the underlying collateral is a portfolio of bonds, a CDO is referred to as a collateralized bond obligation (“CBO”). Where the underlying collateral is a portfolio of bank loans, a CDO is referred to as a collateralized loan obligation (“CLO”). Investors in CBOs and CLOs bear the credit risk of the underlying collateral.

Multiple tranches of securities are issued by the CLO, offering investors various maturity and credit risk characteristics. Tranches are categorized as senior, mezzanine, and subordinated/equity, according to their degree of risk. If there are defaults or the CLO’s collateral otherwise underperforms, scheduled payments to senior tranches take precedence over those of mezzanine tranches, and scheduled payments to mezzanine tranches take precedence over those to subordinated/equity tranches. This prioritization of the cash flows from a pool of securities among the several tranches of the CLO is a key feature of the CLO structure. If there are funds remaining after each tranche of debt receives its contractual interest rate and the CLO meets or exceeds required collateral coverage levels (or other similar covenants), the remaining funds may be paid to the subordinated (or residual) tranche (often referred to as the “equity” tranche). CLOs are subject to the same risk of prepayment and extension described with respect to certain mortgage-related and asset-backed securities.

The Trust may invest in senior, rated tranches as well as mezzanine and subordinated tranches of CLOs. Investment in the subordinated tranche is subject to special risks. The subordinated tranche does not receive ratings and is considered the riskiest portion of the capital structure of a CLO because it bears the bulk of defaults from the loans in the CLO and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances.

Risk-Linked Securities. Risk-linked securities (“RLS”) are a form of derivative issued by insurance companies and insurance-related special purpose vehicles that apply securitization techniques to catastrophic property and casualty damages. RLS are typically debt obligations for which the return of principal and the payment of interest are contingent on the non-occurrence of a pre-defined

 

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“trigger event.” Depending on the specific terms and structure of the RLS, this trigger could be the result of a hurricane, earthquake or some other catastrophic event.

Other Investment Practices

The Trust may engage in certain investment transactions described herein. The Trust may enter into forward commitments for the purchase or sale of securities. The Trust may enter into transactions on a “when issued” or “delayed delivery” basis, in excess of customary settlement periods for the type of security involved. The Trust may lend portfolio securities to securities broker-dealers or financial institutions and enter into short sales and repurchase agreements. The Trust may, without limitation, seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using similar investment techniques (such as buy backs or dollar rolls).

These policies may be changed by the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board of Trustees”). If the Trust’s policy with respect to investing at least 80% of its Managed Assets in taxable municipal securities and other investment grade, income generating debt securities, including debt instruments issued by non-profit entities (such as entities related to healthcare, higher education and housing), municipal conduits, project finance corporations, and tax-exempt municipal securities changes, the Trust will provide shareholders at least 60 days’ prior notice before implementation of the change.

USE OF LEVERAGE

The Trust may employ leverage through (i) the issuance of senior securities representing indebtedness, including through borrowing from financial institutions or issuance of debt securities, including notes or commercial paper (collectively, “Indebtedness”), (ii) engaging in reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls and economically similar transactions, (iii) investments in inverse floating rate securities, which have the economic effect of leverage, and (iv) the issuance of preferred shares (“Preferred Shares”) (collectively “Financial Leverage”).

The Trust may utilize leverage up to the limits imposed by the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). Under the 1940 Act the Trust may not incur Indebtedness if, immediately after incurring such Indebtedness, the Trust would have asset coverage (as defined in the 1940 Act) of less than 300% (i.e., for every dollar of Indebtedness outstanding, the Trust is required to have at least three dollars of assets). Under the 1940 Act, the Trust may not issue Preferred Shares if, immediately after issuance, the Trust would have asset coverage (as defined in the 1940 Act) of less than 200% (i.e., for every dollar of Preferred Shares outstanding, the Trust is required to have at least two dollars of assets). However, under current market conditions, the Trust currently expects to utilize Financial Leverage through Indebtedness and/or reverse repurchase agreements, such that the aggregate amount of Financial Leverage is not expected to exceed 331/3% of the Trust’s Managed Assets (including the proceeds of such Financial Leverage) (or 50% of net assets). The Trust has entered a committed facility agreement with Société Générale S.A., pursuant to which the Trust may borrow up to $100 million. As of May 31, 2022, there was approximately $0 in borrowings outstanding under the committed facility agreement, representing approximately 0% of the Trust’s Managed Assets as of such date, and there was approximately $167,775,690 in reverse repurchase agreements outstanding, representing approximately 29.5% of the Trust’s Managed Assets as of such date.

 

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Although the use of Financial Leverage by the Trust may create an opportunity for increased total return for the Common Shares, it also results in additional risks and can magnify the effect of any losses. Financial Leverage involves risks and special considerations for shareholders, including the likelihood of greater volatility of net asset value and market price of and dividends on the Common Share. To the extent the Trust increases its amount of Financial Leverage outstanding, it will be more exposed to these risks. The cost of Financial Leverage, including the portion of the investment advisory fee attributable to the assets purchased with the proceeds of Financial Leverage, is borne by Common Shareholders. To the extent the Trust increases its amount of Financial Leverage outstanding, the Trust’s annual expenses as a percentage of net assets attributable to Common Shares will increase.

With respect to leverage incurred through investments in reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls and economically similar transactions, the Trust currently intends to earmark or segregate cash or liquid securities in accordance with applicable interpretations of the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). As a result of such segregation, the Trust’s obligations under such transactions will not be considered indebtedness for purposes of the 1940 Act and the Trust’s use of leverage through reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls and economically similar transactions will not be limited by the 1940 Act. However, the Trust’s use of leverage through reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls and economically similar transactions will be included when calculating the Trust’s Financial Leverage and therefore will be limited by the Trust’s maximum overall Financial Leverage levels approved by the Board of Trustees and may be further limited by the availability of cash or liquid securities to earmark or segregate in connection with such transactions.

In addition, the Trust may engage in certain derivatives transactions that have economic characteristics similar to leverage. To the extent the terms of such transactions obligate the Trust to make payments, the Trust currently intends to earmark or segregate cash or liquid securities in an amount at least equal to the current value of the amount then payable by the Trust under the terms of such transactions or otherwise cover such transactions in accordance with applicable interpretations of the staff of the SEC. The Trust’s obligations under such transactions will not be considered indebtedness for purposes of the 1940 Act and will not be included in calculating the aggregate amount of the Trust’s Financial Leverage.

The Adviser anticipates that the use of Financial Leverage may result in higher total return to the Common Shareholders over time; however, there can be no assurance that the Adviser’s expectations will be realized or that a leveraging strategy will be successful in any particular time period. Use of Financial Leverage creates an opportunity for increased income and capital appreciation but, at the same time, creates special risks. The costs associated with the issuance of Financial Leverage will be borne by Common Shareholders, which will result in a reduction of net asset value of the Common Shares. The fee paid to the Adviser will be calculated on the basis of the Trust’s Managed Assets, including proceeds from Financial Leverage, so the fees paid to the Adviser will be higher when Financial Leverage is utilized.

Common Shareholders bear the portion of the investment advisory fee attributable to the assets purchased with the proceeds of Financial Leverage, which means that Common Shareholders effectively bear the entire advisory fee. The maximum level of and types of Financial Leverage used by the Trust will be approved by the Board of Trustees. There can be no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be utilized or, if utilized, will be successful.

 

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In October 2020, the SEC adopted a final rule related to the use of derivatives, reverse repurchase agreements and certain other transactions by registered investment companies that will rescind and withdraw the guidance of the SEC and its staff regarding asset segregation and cover transactions reflected in the Trust’s asset segregation and cover practices discussed herein. The final rule requires the Trust to trade derivatives and other transactions that create future payment or delivery obligations (except reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions) subject to value-at-risk (“VaR”) leverage limits and derivatives risk management program and reporting requirements. Generally, these requirements apply unless a fund satisfies a “limited derivatives users” exception that is included in the final rule. Under the final rule, when the Trust trades reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions, including certain tender option bonds, it needs to aggregate the amount of indebtedness associated with the reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the fund’s asset coverage ratio as discussed above or treat all such transactions as derivatives transactions. Reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions aggregated with other indebtedness do not need to be included in the calculation of whether a fund satisfies the limited derivatives users exception, but for funds subject to the VaR testing requirement, reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions must be included for purposes of such testing whether treated as derivatives transactions or not. The SEC also provided guidance in connection with the new rule regarding the use of securities lending collateral that may limit the Trust’s securities lending activities. The scheduled compliance date for the rule is August 19, 2022. Following the compliance date, these requirements may limit the ability of the Trust to use derivatives and reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions as part of its investment strategies. These requirements may increase the cost of the Trust’s investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.

TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE INVESTMENTS

During periods in which the Adviser believes that changes in economic, financial or political conditions make it advisable to maintain a temporary defensive posture (an Investments “temporary defensive period”), or in order to keep the Trust’s cash fully invested, including the period during which the net proceeds of the offering of Common Shares are being invested, the Trust may, without limitation, hold cash or invest its assets in money market instruments and repurchase agreements in respect of those instruments. The Trust may not achieve its investment objectives during a temporary defensive period or be able to sustain its historical distribution levels.

PRINCIPAL RISKS OF THE TRUST

Investment in the Trust involves special risk considerations, which are summarized below. The Trust is designed as a long-term investment and not as a trading vehicle. The Trust is not intended to be a complete investment program. The Trust’s performance and the value of its investments will vary in response to changes in interest rates, inflation and other market and economic factors.

The fact that a particular risk below is not specifically identified as being heightened under current conditions does not mean that the risk is not greater than under normal conditions.

 

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Not a Complete Investment Program

An investment in the Common Shares of the Trust should not be considered a complete investment program. The Trust is intended for long-term investors seeking current income and capital appreciation. An investment in the Trust is not meant to provide a vehicle for those who wish to play short-term swings in the stock market. Each Common Shareholder should take into account the Trust’s investment objectives as well as the Common Shareholder’s other investments when considering an investment in the Trust. Before making an investment decision, a prospective investor should consider (i) the suitability of this investment with respect to his or her investment objectives and personal situation and (ii) factors such as his or her personal net worth, income, age, risk tolerance and liquidity needs.

Investment and Market Risk

An investment in the Common Shares of the Trust is subject to investment risk, particularly under current economic, financial, geopolitical, labor and public health conditions, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount that you invest.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the recovery response has caused and continues to cause at times reduced consumer demand and economic output, supply chain disruptions, and market closures, travel restrictions, quarantines, and disparate global vaccine distributions. Investors should be aware that, particularly in light of the current uncertainty, volatility and distress in economies and financial markets, and geopolitical, labor and public health conditions around the world, the Trust’s investments and a shareholder’s investment in the Trust are subject to sudden and substantial losses, increased volatility and other adverse events. Firms through which investors invest with the Trust, its service providers, the markets in which it invests and market intermediaries and exchanges are also impacted by quarantines and similar measures intended to respond to and contain the ongoing pandemic, which can obstruct their functioning and subject them to heightened operational and other risks. The ultimate impact of COVID-19 and the extent to which COVID-19 impacts the Trust still depends on future developments, which are highly uncertain and difficult to predict.

An investment in the Common Shares of the Trust represents an indirect investment in the securities owned by the Trust. The value of, or income generated by, the investments held by the Trust are subject to the possibility of rapid and unpredictable fluctuation, and loss. These fluctuations may occur frequently and in large amounts. These movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, or from broader influences, including real or perceived changes in prevailing interest rates, changes in inflation rates or expectations about inflation rates (which are currently elevated relative to normal conditions), adverse investor confidence or sentiment, changing economic, political (including geopolitical), social or financial market conditions, increased instability or general uncertainty, natural/environmental disasters, cyber attacks, terrorism, governmental or quasi-governmental actions, public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics and epidemics) debt crises, actual or threatened wars or other armed conflicts (such as the current Russia-Ukraine conflict and its risk of expansion or collateral economic and other effects) or ratings downgrades, and other similar events, each of which may be temporary or last for extended periods. For example, the risks of a borrower’s default or bankruptcy or non¬payment of scheduled interest or principal payments from senior floating rate interests held by the Trust are especially acute under these conditions. Furthermore, interest rates and bond yields may fall as a result of types of events, including responses by governmental entities to such events,

 

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which would magnify the Trust’s fixed-income instruments’ susceptibility to interest rate risk and diminish their yield and performance. Moreover, the Trust’s investments in ABS are subject to many of the same risks that are applicable to investments in securities generally, including interest rate risk, credit risk, foreign currency risk, below investment grade securities risk, financial leverage risk, prepayment and extension risks and regulatory risk, which would be elevated under the foregoing circumstances.

Moreover, changing economic, political, geopolitical, social, or financial market or other conditions in one country or geographic region could adversely affect the value, yield and return of the investments held by a fund in a different country or geographic region and economies, markets and issuers generally because of the increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets. As a result, there is an increased risk that geopolitical and other events will disrupt economies and markets globally. For example, local or regional armed conflicts (notably the Russia-Ukraine conflict) have led to significant sanctions by the United States, Europe and other countries against certain countries (as well as persons and companies connected with certain counties) and led to indirect adverse regional and global market, economic and other effects. It is difficult to accurately predict or foresee when events or conditions affecting the U.S. or global financial markets, economies, and issuers may occur, the effects of such events or conditions, potential escalations or expansions of these events, possible retaliations in response to sanctions or similar actions and the duration or ultimate impact of those events. There is an increased likelihood that these types of events or conditions can, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, result in a variety of adverse developments and circumstances, such as reduced liquidity, supply chain disruptions and market volatility, as well as increased general uncertainty and broad ramifications for markets, economies, issuers, businesses in many sectors and societies globally.

Different sectors, industries and security types may react differently to such developments and, when the market performs well, there is no assurance that the Trust’s investments will increase in value along with the broader markets. Periods of market stress and volatility of financial markets, including potentially extreme stress and volatility caused by the events described above or similar circumstances, can expose the Trust to greater market risk than normal, possibly resulting in greatly reduced liquidity and increased valuation risks, for certain asset classes, longer than usual trade settlement periods. The fewer the number of issuers in which the Trust invests and/or the greater the use of leverage, the greater the potential volatility in the Trust’s portfolio. GPIM potentially could be prevented from considering, managing and executing investment decisions at an advantageous time or price or at all as a result of any domestic or global market or other disruptions, particularly disruptions causing heightened market volatility and reduced market liquidity, such as the current conditions, which have also resulted in impediments to the normal functioning of workforces, including personnel and systems of the Trust’s service providers and market intermediaries. The value of the securities owned by the Trust may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular issuer, such as real or perceived economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or changes in investor sentiment or market outlook generally.

At any point in time, your Common Shares may be worth less than your original investment, even after including the reinvestment of Trust dividends and distributions.

 

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Management Risk

The Trust is subject to management risk because it has an actively managed portfolio. GPIM will apply investment techniques and risk analysis in making investment decisions for the Trust, but there can be no guarantee that these will produce the desired results. The ability of the Trust to achieve its investment objective depends, in part, on the ability of GPIM to allocate effectively the Trust’s assets among multiple investment strategies, Investment Funds and investments and asset classes. There can be no assurance that the actual allocations will be effective in achieving the Trust’s investment objective or that an investment strategy or Investment Fund or investment will achieve its particular investment objective.

Municipal Securities Risk

Municipal securities are subject to a variety of risks, including credit, interest, prepayment, liquidity, and valuation risks. In addition, municipal securities can be adversely affected by (i) unfavorable legislative, political or other developments or events, including natural disasters and public health conditions, and (ii) changes in the economic and fiscal conditions or issuers of municipal securities or the federal government (in cases where it provides financial support to such issuers). Municipal securities may be fully or partially backed by the taxing authority or revenue of a local government, the credit of a private issuer, or the current or anticipated revenues from a specific project, which may be adversely affected as a result of economic and public health conditions. To the extent the Trust invests a substantial portion of its assets in municipal securities issued by issuers in a particular state, municipality or project, the Trust will be particularly sensitive to developments and events adversely affecting such state or municipality or with respect to a particular project. Certain sectors of the municipal bond market have special risks that can affect them more significantly than the market as a whole. Because many municipal instruments are issued to finance similar projects (such as education, health care, transportation and utilities), conditions in these industries can significantly affect the overall municipal market. Municipal securities that are insured may be adversely affected by developments relevant to that particular insurer, or more general developments relevant to the market as a whole. The Trust’s vulnerability to potential losses associated with such developments may be reduced through investment in municipal securities that feature credit enhancements (such as bond insurance). Although insurance may reduce the credit risk of a municipal security, it does not protect against fluctuations in the value of the Trust’s shares caused by market changes. It is important to note that, although insurance may increase the credit safety of investments held by the Trust, it decreases the Trust’s yield as the Trust may pay for the insurance directly or indirectly. In addition, while the obligation of a municipal bond insurance company to pay a claim extends over the life of an insured bond, there is no assurance that insurers will meet their claims. A higher-than-anticipated default rate on municipal bonds (or other insurance the insurer provides) could strain the insurer’s loss reserves and adversely affect its ability to pay claims to bondholders.

Municipal securities can be difficult to value and be less liquid than other investments, which may affect performance. Additionally, the amount of public information available about municipal securities is generally less than that for corporate equities or bonds, and the investment performance of the Trust’s municipal securities investments may therefore be more dependent on the analytical abilities of the Adviser. Information related to municipal securities and their risks may be provided by the municipality itself, which may not always be accurate. The secondary market for municipal

 

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securities, particularly below investment grade municipal securities, also tends to be less well-developed or liquid than many other securities markets, which may adversely affect the Trust’s ability to sell such securities at prices approximating those at which the Trust may currently value them.

Investments in municipal securities are subject to risks associated with the financial health of the issuers of such securities or the revenue associated with underlying projects. For example, social, political, economic, market or public health conditions, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, can, and have at times, significantly stressed the financial resources of many municipalities and other issuers of municipal securities, which may impair their ability to meet their financial obligations and may harm the value or liquidity of the Trust’s investments in municipal securities. In recent periods, a number of municipal issuers have defaulted on obligations, been downgraded or commenced insolvency proceedings. Financial difficulties of issuers of municipal securities may continue and the financial condition of such issuers may decline quickly. The ability of municipal issuers to make timely payments of interest and principal may be diminished during general economic downturns and as governmental cost burdens are reallocated among federal, state and local governments. The taxing power of any governmental entity may be limited by provisions of state constitutions or laws and an entity’s credit will depend on many factors, including the entity’s tax base, the extent to which the entity relies on federal or state aid and other factors which are beyond the entity’s control. In addition, laws enacted or that may be enacted in the future by governmental authorities could extend the time for payment of principal and/or interest, or impose other constraints on enforcement of such obligations or on the ability of municipalities to levy taxes. Issuers of municipal securities might seek protection under bankruptcy laws. In the event of bankruptcy of such an issuer, holders of municipal securities could experience delays in collecting principal and interest and such holders may not be able to collect all principal and interest to which they are entitled. Legislative developments may result in changes to the laws relating to municipal bankruptcies, which may adversely affect the Trust’s investments in municipal securities.

When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Transactions Risk

Securities purchased on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis may expose the Trust to counterparty risk of default as well as the risk that securities may experience fluctuations in value prior to their actual delivery. The Trust generally will not accrue income with respect to a when-issued or delayed delivery security prior to its stated delivery date. Purchasing securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis can involve the additional risk that the price or yield available in the market when the delivery takes place may not be as favorable as that obtained in the transaction itself.

Debt Instruments Risk

The value of the Trust’s investments in debt instruments (including bonds issued by non-profit entities, municipal conduits and project finance corporations) depends on the continuing ability of the debt issuers to meet their obligations for the payment of interest and principal when due. The ability of debt issuers to make timely payments of interest and principal can be affected by a variety of developments and changes in legal, political, economic and other conditions. For example, litigation, legislation or other political events, local business or economic conditions or the bankruptcy of an issuer could have a significant effect on the ability of the issuer to make timely payments of principal and/or interest.

 

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Investments in debt instruments present certain risks, including credit, interest rate, liquidity and prepayment risks. Issuers that rely directly or indirectly on government funding mechanisms or non¬profit statutes, may be negatively affected by actions of the government, including reductions in government spending, increases in tax rates, and changes in fiscal policy.

The value of a debt instrument may decline for many reasons that directly relate to the issuer, such as a change in the demand for the issuer’s goods or services, or a decline in the issuer’s performance, earnings or assets. In addition, changes in the financial condition of an individual issuer can affect the overall market for such instruments.

Municipal Conduit Bond Risk

Municipal conduit bonds, also referred to as private activity bonds or industrial revenue bonds, are bonds issued by state and local governments or other entities for the purpose of financing the projects of certain private enterprises. Unlike municipal bonds, municipal conduit bonds are not backed by the full faith, credit or general taxing power of the issuing governmental entity. Rather, issuances of municipal conduit bonds are backed solely by revenues of the private enterprise involved. Municipal conduit bonds are therefore subject to heightened credit risk, as the private enterprise involved can have a different credit profile than the issuing governmental entity. Municipal conduit bonds may be negatively impacted by conditions affecting either the general credit of the private enterprise or the project itself. Factors such as competitive pricing, construction delays, or lack of demand for the project could cause project revenues to fall short of projections, and defaults could occur. Municipal conduit bonds tend to have longer terms and thus are more susceptible to interest rate risk.

Corporate Bond Risk

Corporate bonds are debt obligations issued by corporations and other business entities. Corporate bonds may be either secured or unsecured. Collateral used for secured debt includes real property, machinery, equipment, accounts receivable, stocks, bonds or notes. If a bond is unsecured, it is known as a debenture. Bondholders, as creditors, have a prior legal claim over common and preferred stockholders as to both income and assets of the corporation for the principal and interest due them and may have a prior claim over other creditors if liens or mortgages are involved. Interest on corporate bonds may be fixed or floating, or the bonds may be zero coupons. Interest on corporate bonds is typically paid semi-annually and is fully taxable to the bondholder. Corporate bonds contain elements of both interest-rate risk and credit risk. The market value of a corporate bond generally may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates and may also be affected by the credit rating of the corporation, the corporation’s performance and perceptions of the corporation in the marketplace. Corporate bonds usually yield more than government or agency bonds due to the presence of credit risk. Depending on the nature of the seniority provisions, a senior corporate bond may be junior to other credit securities of the issuer. The market value of a corporate bond may be affected by factors directly related to the issuer, such as investors’ perceptions of the creditworthiness of the issuer, the issuer’s financial performance, perceptions of the issuer in the market place, performance of management of the issuer, the issuer’s capital structure and use of financial leverage and demand for the issuer’s goods and services. There is a risk that the issuers of corporate bonds may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument or at all. Corporate bonds of below

 

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investment grade quality are often high risk and have speculative characteristics and may be particularly susceptible to adverse issuer-specific developments and other developments.

Project Finance Risk

Project finance is a type of financing commonly used for infrastructure, industry, and public service projects. In a project finance arrangement, the cash flow generated by the project is used to repay lenders while the project’s assets, rights and interest are held as secondary collateral. Investors involved in project finance face heightened technology risk, operational risk, and market risk because the cash flow generated by the project, rather than the revenues of the company behind the project, will repay investors. In addition, because of the project-specific nature of such arrangements, the Trust face the risk of loss of investment if the company behind the project determines not to complete it.

Risks of Investing in Debt Issued by Non-Profit Institutions

Investing in debt issued by non-profit institutions, including foundations, museums, cultural institutions, colleges, universities, hospitals and healthcare systems, involves different risks than investing in municipal bonds. Many non-profit entities are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and risk losing their tax-exempt status if they do not comply with the requirements of that section. There is a risk that Congress or the IRS could pass new laws or regulations changing the requirements for tax-exempt status, which could result in a non-profit institution losing such status. Additionally, non-profit institutions that receive federal and state appropriations face the risk of a decrease in or loss of such appropriations.

Hospitals and healthcare systems are highly regulated at the federal and state levels and face burdensome state licensing requirements. There is a risk that a state could refuse to renew a hospital’s license or that the passage of new laws or regulations, especially changes to Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement, could inhibit a hospital from growing its revenues. Hospitals and healthcare systems also face risks related to increased competition from other health care providers; increased costs of inpatient and outpatient care; and increased pressures from managed care organizations, insurers, and patients to cut the costs of medical care.

There is a risk that non-profit institutions relying on philanthropy and donations to maintain their operations will receive less funding during economic downturns, such as the economic situation initially caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The economic situation has placed unique pressures on hospitals and healthcare systems including decreased revenues due to postponement or cancellation of elective surgeries, non-urgent admissions, clinic visits, and research visits; shortages of staff, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, beds, and blood; and increased levels of self-paying admissions and uncompensated care due to reduced availability and affordability of health insurance. The economic situation has also resulted in decreased revenues in higher education through decreased enrollment; lower revenues from student tuition, room and board; increased financial need for students; and temporary closure of on-campus research programs. In addition, the economic situation has forced museums and cultural institutions to close, resulting in loss of revenues from retail, concessions, parking operations and special events held at the facilities. The economic situation has also led to layoffs and cost-cutting measures among non-profits and museums, some of which have been or may be forced out of business as a result of the pandemic.

 

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Taxable Municipal Securities Risk

While interest earned on municipal securities is generally not subject to federal tax, any interest earned on taxable municipal securities is fully taxable at the federal level and may be subject to tax at the state level. Additionally, litigation, legislation or other political events, local business or economic conditions or the bankruptcy of the issuer could have a significant effect on the ability of an issuer of municipal securities to make payments of principal and/or interest. Political changes and uncertainties in the municipal market related to taxation, legislative changes or the rights of municipal security holders can significantly affect municipal securities. Because many securities are issued to finance similar projects, especially those relating to education, health care, transportation and utilities, conditions in those sectors can affect the overall municipal market. In addition, changes in the financial condition of an individual municipal issuer can affect the overall municipal market.

Build America Bonds Risk

BABs are a form of municipal financing. The BABs market is smaller and less diverse than the broader municipal securities market. In addition, because the relevant provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 were not extended, bonds issued after December 31, 2010 cannot qualify as BABs. We do not currently know whether Congress will renew the program to permit issuance of new BABs. As a result, the number of available BABs is limited, which may negatively affect the value of the BABs. In addition, there can be no assurance that BABs will be actively traded. It is difficult to predict the extent to which a market for such bonds will continue, meaning that BABs may experience greater illiquidity than other municipal obligations. Because issuers of direct payment BABs held in the Trust’s portfolio receive reimbursement from the U.S. Treasury with respect to interest payments on bonds, there is a risk that those municipal issuers will not receive timely payment from the U.S. Treasury and may remain obligated to pay the full interest due on direct payment BABs held by the Trust. Under the sequestration process under the Budget Control Act of 2011, automatic spending cuts that became effective on March 1, 2013 reduced the federal subsidy for BABs and other subsidized taxable municipal bonds. In addition, pursuant to the requirements of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended, refund payments issued to and refund offset transactions for BABS are subject to sequestration. The subsidy payments were reduced by 6.6% in 2018, 6.2% in 2019, 5.9% in 2020 and 5.7% between 2021 and 2030. Furthermore, it is possible that a municipal issuer may fail to comply with the requirements to receive the direct pay subsidy or that a future Congress may further reduce or terminate the subsidy altogether. In addition, the Code contains a general offset rule (the “IRS Offset Rule”) which allows for the possibility that subsidy payments to be received by issuers of BABs may be subject to offset against amounts owed by them to the federal government. Moreover, the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) may audit the agencies issuing BABs and such audits may, among other things, examine the price at which BABs are initially sold to investors. If the IRS concludes that a BAB was mispriced based on its audit, it could disallow all or a portion of the interest subsidy received by the issuer of the BAB. The IRS Offset Rule and the disallowance of any interest subsidy as a result of an IRS audit could potentially adversely affect a BABs issuer’s credit rating, and adversely affect the issuer’s ability to repay or refinance BABs. This, in turn, could adversely affect the ratings and value of the BABs held by the Trust and the Trust’s net asset value. The IRS has withheld subsidies from several states and municipalities.

 

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Income Risk

The income investors receive from the Trust is based in part on the interest it earns from its investments in Income Securities, which can vary widely over the short- and long-term. If prevailing market interest rates drop, investors’ income from the Trust could drop as well. The Trust’s income could also be affected adversely when prevailing short-term interest rates increase and the Trust is utilizing leverage, although this risk is mitigated to the extent the Trust invests in floating-rate obligations.

Income Securities Risk

In addition to the risks discussed above, Income Securities, including high-yield bonds, are subject to certain risks, including:

Issuer Risk. The value of Income Securities may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, the issuer’s overall level of debt, reduced demand for the issuer’s goods and services, historical and projected earnings, and the value of its assets.

Spread Risk. Spread risk is the risk that the market price can change due to broad based movements in spreads. The difference (or “spread”) between the yield of a security and the yield of a benchmark measures the additional interest paid. As the spread on a security widens (or increases), the price (or value) of the security falls. Spread widening may occur, among other reasons, as a result of market concerns over the stability of the market, excess supply, general credit concerns in other markets, security- or market-specific credit concerns, or general reductions in risk tolerance.

Credit Risk. The Trust could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a debt instrument or a counterparty to a derivatives transaction or other transaction (such as a repurchase agreement or a loan of portfolio securities or other instruments) is unable or unwilling, or perceived to be unable or unwilling, to pay interest or repay principal on time or defaults. If an issuer fails to pay interest, the Trust’s income would likely be reduced, and if an issuer fails to repay principal, the value of the instrument likely would fall and the Trust could lose money. This risk is especially acute with respect to below investment grade debt instruments (commonly referred to as “high-yield” or “junk” bonds) and unrated high risk debt instruments, whose issuers are particularly susceptible to fail to meet principal or interest obligations. Also, the issuer, guarantor or counterparty may suffer adverse changes in its financial condition or be adversely affected by economic, political or social conditions that could lower the credit quality (or the market’s perception of the credit quality) of the issuer or instrument, leading to greater volatility in the price of the instrument and in shares of the Trust. Although credit quality rating may not accurately reflect the true credit risk of an instrument, a change in the credit quality rating of an instrument or an issuer can have a rapid, adverse effect on the instrument’s value and liquidity and make it more difficult for the Trust to sell at an advantageous price or time. The risk of the occurrence of these types of events is heightened under adverse economic conditions.

The degree of credit risk depends on the particular instrument and the financial condition of the issuer, guarantor or counterparty, which are often reflected in its credit quality. A credit quality rating is a measure of the issuer’s expected ability to make all required interest and principal payments in a timely manner. An issuer with the highest credit rating has a very strong capacity with respect to making all payments. An issuer with the second-highest credit rating has a strong capacity to make all payments, but the degree of safety is somewhat less. An issuer with the lowest credit quality

 

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rating may be in default or have extremely poor prospects of making timely payment of interest and principal. Credit ratings assigned by rating agencies are based on a number of factors and subjective judgments and therefore do not necessarily represent an issuer’s actual financial condition or the volatility or liquidity of the security. Although higher-rated securities generally present lower credit risk as compared to lower-rated or unrated securities, an issuer with a high credit rating may in fact be exposed to heightened levels of credit or liquidity risk.

In addition, during recent conditions, many issuers have been unprofitable, have had little cash on hand and/or unable to pay the interest owed on their debt obligations and the number of such issuers may increase if demand for their goods and services falls, borrowing and other costs rise due to governmental action or inaction or for other reasons. Also, the issuer, guarantor or counterparty may suffer adverse changes in its financial condition or reduced demand for its goods and services or be adversely affected by economic, political, public health or social conditions that could lower the credit quality (or the market’s perception of the credit quality) of the issuer or instrument, leading to greater volatility in the price of the instrument and in shares of the Trust.

If an issuer, guarantor or counterparty declares bankruptcy or is declared bankrupt, the Trust would likely be adversely affected in its ability to receive principal or interest owed or otherwise to enforce the financial obligations of the other party. The Trust may be subject to increased costs associated with the bankruptcy process and experience losses as a result of the deterioration of the financial condition of the issuer, guarantor or counterparty. The risks to the Trust related to such bankruptcies are elevated given the current state of economic, market, labor and public health conditions and would likely be elevated under similar circumstances in the future.

Interest Rate Risk. Fixed-income and other debt instruments are subject to the possibility that interest rates could change (or are expected to change). Changes in interest rates, including changes in reference rates used in fixed-income and other debt instruments (such as the London Interbank Offer Rate), may adversely affect the Trust’s investments in these instruments, such as the value or liquidity of, and income generated by, the investments. In addition, changes in interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, can have unpredictable effects on markets and can adversely affect the Trust’s yield, income and performance. Generally, when interest rates increase, the values of fixed-income and other debt instruments decline and when interest rates decrease, the values of fixed-income and other debt instruments rise.

The value of a debt instrument with a longer duration will generally be more sensitive to interest rate changes than a similar instrument with a shorter duration. Similarly, the longer the average duration (whether positive or negative) of these instruments held by the Trust or to which the Trust is exposed (i.e., the longer the average portfolio duration of the Trust), the more the Trust’s NAV will likely fluctuate in response to interest rate changes. Duration is a measure used to determine the sensitivity of a security’s price to changes in interest rates that incorporates a security’s yield, coupon, final maturity and call features, among other characteristics. For example, the NAV per share of a bond fund with an average duration of eight years would be expected to fall approximately 8% if interest rates rose by one percentage point.

However, measures such as duration may not accurately reflect the true interest rate sensitivity of instruments held by the Trust and, in turn, the Trust’s susceptibility to changes in interest rates. Certain fixed-income and debt instruments are subject to the risk that the issuer may exercise its

 

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right to redeem (or call) the instrument earlier than anticipated. Although an issuer may call an instrument for a variety of reasons, if an issuer does so during a time of declining interest rates, the Trust might have to reinvest the proceeds in an investment offering a lower yield or other less favorable features, and therefore might not benefit from any increase in value as a result of declining interest rates. Interest only or principal only securities and inverse floaters are particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, which may impact the income generated by the security and other features of the security.

Instruments with variable or floating rate interest rates generally are less sensitive to interest rate changes, but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much or as fast as interest rates in general. Conversely, in a decreasing interest rate environment, these instruments will generally not increase in value and the Trust’s investment in instruments with floating interest rates may prevent the Trust from taking full advantage of decreasing interest rates in a timely manner. In addition, the income received from such instruments will likely be adversely affected by a decrease in interest rates.

Adjustable rate securities also react to interest rate changes in a similar manner as fixed-rate securities but generally to a lesser degree depending on the characteristics of the security, in particular its reset terms (i.e., the index chosen, frequency of reset and reset caps or floors). During periods of rising interest rates, as is the case currently, because changes in interest rates on adjustable rate securities may lag behind changes in market rates, the value of such securities may decline until their interest rates reset to market rates. These securities also may be subject to limits on the maximum increase in interest rates. During periods of declining interest rates, because the interest rates on adjustable rate securities generally reset downward, their market value is unlikely to rise to the same extent as the value of comparable fixed rate securities. These securities may not be subject to limits on downward adjustments of interest rates.

During periods of rising interest rates, as is the case currently, issuers of debt securities or asset-backed securities may pay principal later or more slowly than expected, which may reduce the value of the Trust’s investment in such securities and may prevent the Trust from receiving higher interest rates on proceeds reinvested in other instruments. During periods of falling interest rates, issuers of debt securities or asset-backed securities may pay off debts more quickly or earlier than expected, which could cause the Trust to be unable to recoup the full amount of its initial investment and/or cause the Trust to reinvest in lower-yielding securities, thereby reducing the Trust’s yield or otherwise adversely impacting the Trust.

Certain debt instruments, such as instruments with a negative duration or inverse instruments, are also subject to interest rate risk, although such instruments generally react differently to changes in interest rates than instruments with positive durations. The Trust’s investments in these instruments also may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates. For example, the value of instruments with negative durations, such as inverse floaters, generally decrease if interest rates decline.

The Trust’s use of leverage will tend to increase common share interest rate risk. The Trust may utilize certain strategies, including taking positions in futures or interest rate swaps, for the purpose of reducing the interest rate sensitivity of credit securities held by the Trust or any leverage being employed by the Trust and decreasing the Trust’s exposure to interest rate risk. The Trust is not required to hedge its exposure to interest rate risk and may choose not to do so. In addition, there is

 

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no assurance that any attempts by the Trust to reduce interest rate risk will be successful or that any hedges that the Trust may establish will perfectly correlate with movements in interest rates.

Current Fixed-Income and Debt Market Conditions. Fixed-income and debt market conditions are highly unpredictable and some parts of the market are subject to dislocations. In response to the situation initially caused by the outbreak of COVID-19, as with other serious economic disruptions, governmental authorities and regulators have enacted or are enacting significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including providing direct capital infusions into companies, creating new monetary programs and lowering interest rates considerably for extended periods. These changes are also the result of investment and programs (such as infrastructure modernization projects) made by the U.S. and other governments. These actions present heightened risks to fixed-income and debt instruments, and such risks could be even further heightened if these actions are unexpectedly or suddenly discontinued, disrupted, reversed or are ineffective in achieving their desired outcomes. These actions are also contributing to increases in inflation. In light of these actions and current conditions, interest rates and bond yields in the United States and many other countries were, until recently, at or near historic lows, but interest rates are currently rising again. Certain countries have experienced negative interest rates on certain debt securities and have pursued negative interest rate policies in recent years. A negative interest rate policy is an unconventional central bank monetary policy tool where nominal target interest rates are set with negative value intended to create self-sustaining growth in the local economy. To the extent the Trust holds a debt instrument with a negative interest rate, the Trust would generate a negative return on that investment. If negative interest rates become more prevalent in the market, market participants may seek to reallocate their investments to other income-producing assets, which could further reduce the value of instruments held by the Trust with a negative yield.

The current interest rate environment is magnifying the Trust’s susceptibility to interest rate risk and may diminish yield and impact performance. As of the date of this report, the Federal Reserve Board has begun to increase interest rates and has signaled the possibility of further increases during the remainder of 2022. It is difficult to accurately predict the pace at which the Federal Reserve Board will increase interest rates any further, or the timing, frequency or magnitude of any such increases, and the evaluation of macro-economic and other conditions could cause a change in approach in the future. Any such changes could be sudden and unpredictable. Certain economic conditions and market environments will expose fixed-income and debt instruments to heightened volatility and reduced liquidity, which can negatively impact the Trust’s performance or otherwise adversely impact the Trust’s.

Reinvestment Risk. Reinvestment risk is the risk that income from the Trust’s portfolio will decline if the Trust invests the proceeds from matured, traded or called Income Securities at market interest rates that are below the Trust portfolio’s current earnings rate. A decline in income could affect the Common Shares’ market price or the overall return of the Trust. These or similar conditions may also occur in the future.

Extension Risk. Certain debt instruments, including mortgage- and other asset-backed securities, are subject to the risk that payments on principal may occur at a slower rate or later than expected. In this event, the expected maturity could lengthen as short or intermediate-term instruments become longer-term instruments, which would make the investment more sensitive to changes in interest rates. The likelihood that payments on principal will occur at a slower rate or later than expected is

 

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heightened under the current conditions. In addition, the Trust’s investment may sharply decrease in value and the Trust’s income from the investment may quickly decline. These types of instruments are particularly subject to extension risk, and offer less potential for gains, during periods of rising interest rates. In addition, the Trust may be delayed in its ability to reinvest income or proceeds from these instruments in potentially higher yielding investments, which would adversely affect the Trust to the extent its investments are in lower interest rate debt instruments. Thus, changes in interest rates may cause volatility in the value of and income received from these types of debt instruments.

Prepayment Risk. Certain debt instruments, including loans and mortgage- and other asset-backed securities, are subject to the risk that payments on principal may occur more quickly or earlier than expected (or an investment is converted or redeemed prior to maturity). For example, an issuer may exercise its right to redeem outstanding debt securities prior to their maturity (known as a “call”) or otherwise pay principal earlier than expected for a number of reasons (e.g., declining interest rates, changes in credit spreads and improvements in the issuer’s credit quality). If an issuer calls or “prepays” a security in which the Trust has invested, the Trust may not recoup the full amount of its initial investment and may be required to reinvest in generally lower-yielding securities, securities with greater credit risks or securities with other, less favorable features or terms than the security in which the Trust initially invested, thus potentially reducing the Trust’s yield. Income Securities frequently have call features that allow the issuer to repurchase the security prior to its stated maturity. Loans and mortgage- and other asset-backed securities are particularly subject to prepayment risk, and offer less potential for gains, during periods of declining interest rates (or narrower spreads) as issuers of higher interest rate debt instruments pay off debts earlier than expected. In addition, the Trust may lose any premiums paid to acquire the investment. Other factors, such as excess cash flows, may also contribute to prepayment risk. Thus, changes in interest rates may cause volatility in the value of and income received from these types of debt instruments.

Variable or floating rate investments may be less vulnerable to prepayment risk. Most floating rate loans and fixed-income securities allow for prepayment of principal without penalty. Accordingly, the potential for the value of a floating rate loan or security to increase in response to interest rate declines is limited. Corporate loans or fixed-income securities purchased to replace a prepaid corporate loan or security may have lower yields than the yield on the prepaid corporate loan or security.

Valuation of Certain Income Securities Risk. GPIM may use the fair value method to value investments if market quotations for them are not readily available or are deemed unreliable, or if events occurring after the close of a securities market and before the Trust values its assets would materially affect net asset value. Because the secondary markets for certain investments may be limited, they may be difficult to value. Where market quotations are not readily available, valuation may require more research than for more liquid investments. In addition, elements of judgment may play a greater role in valuation in such cases than for investments with a more active secondary market because there is less reliable objective data available. A security that is fair valued may be valued at a price higher or lower than the value determined by other funds using their own fair valuation procedures. Prices obtained by the Trust upon the sale of such securities may not equal the value at which the Trust carried the investment on its books, which would adversely affect the net asset value of the Trust.

 

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Duration Management Risk

The Trust’s managers expect to employ investment and trading strategies to seek to maintain the leverage-adjusted duration of the Trust’s portfolio at generally less than 15 years. Such strategies include, among others, security selection and the use of financial products. Financial products may include US treasury swaps, total return swaps and futures contracts, among others. The Trust seeks to invest in instruments that provide the Trust with protection against interest rate volatility while providing income to the Trust. Duration is a measure of a bond’s price sensitivity to changes in interest rates, expressed in years. Duration is a weighted average of the times that interest payments and the final return of principal are received. The weights are the amounts of the payments discounted by the yield to maturity of the bond.

Financial Leverage Risk

Although the use of Financial Leverage by the Trust may create an opportunity for increased after-tax total return for the Common Shares, it also results in additional risks and can magnify the effect of any losses. If the income and gains earned on securities purchased with Financial Leverage proceeds are greater than the cost of Financial Leverage, the Trust’s return will be greater than if Financial Leverage had not been used. Conversely, if the income or gains from the securities purchased with such proceeds does not cover the cost of Financial Leverage, the return to the Trust will be less than if Financial Leverage had not been used. There can be no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be implemented or that it will be successful during any period during which it is employed.

Financial Leverage involves risks and special considerations for shareholders, including the likelihood of greater volatility of NAV and market price of and dividends on the Common Shares than a comparable portfolio without leverage; the risk that fluctuations in interest rates on borrowings and short-term debt or in the dividend rates on any Financial Leverage that the Trust must pay will reduce the return to the Common Shareholders; and the effect of Financial Leverage in a declining market, which is likely to cause a greater decline in the NAV of the Common Shares than if the Trust were not leveraged, which may result in a greater decline in the market price of the Common Shares.

It is also possible that the Trust will be required to sell assets, possibly at a loss, in order to redeem or meet payment obligations on any leverage. Such a sale would reduce the Trust’s net asset value and also make it difficult for the net asset value to recover. The Trust in its best judgment nevertheless may determine to continue to use Financial Leverage if it expects that the benefits to the Trust’s shareholders of maintaining the leveraged position will outweigh the current reduced return.

Certain types of Borrowings subject the Trust to covenants in credit agreements relating to asset coverage and portfolio composition requirements. Borrowings by the Trust also may subject the Trust to certain restrictions on investments imposed by guidelines of one or more rating agencies, which may issue ratings for such Borrowings. Such guidelines may impose asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed by the 1940 Act.

It is not anticipated that these covenants or guidelines will impede the Adviser or GPIM from managing the Trust’s portfolio in accordance with the Trust’s investment objectives and policies.

The Trust may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with the same parties with whom they may enter into repurchase agreements (as described below). Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Trust would sell securities or other assets and agree to repurchase them at a particular price at a

 

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future date. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risks that the interest income earned on the investment of the proceeds will be less than the interest expense and Trust expenses associated with the repurchase agreement, that the market value of the securities or other assets sold by the Trust may decline below the price at which the Trust is obligated to repurchase such securities and that the securities may not be returned to the Trust. There is no assurance that reverse repurchase agreements can be successfully employed. In connection with reverse repurchase agreements, the Trust will also be subject to counterparty risk with respect to the purchaser of the securities. In the event of the insolvency of the counterparty to a reverse repurchase agreement, recovery of the securities or other assets sold by the Trust may be delayed. The counterparty’s insolvency may result in a loss equal to the amount by which the value of the securities or other assets sold by the Trust exceeds the repurchase price payable by the Trust; if the value of the purchased securities or other assets increases during such a delay, that loss may also be increased. When the Trust enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, any fluctuations in the market value of either the securities or other assets transferred to another party or the securities or other assets in which the proceeds may be invested would affect the market value of the Trust’s assets. As a result, such transactions may increase fluctuations in the NAV of the Trust’s Common Shares.

The Trust may engage in certain derivatives transactions that have economic characteristics similar to leverage. Under current regulatory requirements, to the extent the terms of any such transaction obligate the Trust to make payments, to mitigate leveraging risk and otherwise comply with regulatory requirements, the Trust must segregate or earmark liquid assets to meet its obligations under, or otherwise cover, the transactions that may give rise to this risk. Securities so segregated or designated as “cover” will be unavailable for sale by GPIM (unless replaced by other securities qualifying for segregation or cover requirements), which may adversely affect the ability of the Trust to pursue its investment objective.

The Trust may have Financial Leverage outstanding during a short-term period during which such Financial Leverage may not be beneficial to the Trust if GPIM believes that the long-term benefits to Common Shareholders of such Financial Leverage would outweigh the costs and portfolio disruptions associated with redeeming and reissuing or closing out and reopening such Financial Leverage. However, there can be no assurance that GPIM’s judgment in weighing such costs and benefits will be correct.

Because the fees received by the Adviser and each Sub-Adviser are based on the Managed Assets of the Trust (including the proceeds of any Financial Leverage), the Adviser and Sub-Advisers have a financial incentive for the Trust to utilize Financial Leverage, which may create a conflict of interest between the Adviser and Sub-Advisers on the one hand and the Common Shareholders on the other. Common Shareholders bear a portion of the investment advisory fee attributable to the assets purchased with the proceeds of Financial Leverage, which means that Common Shareholders effectively bear the entire advisory fee.

Economic and market events have at times caused severe market volatility and liquidity strains in the credit markets. The terms of the Trust’s credit facility include a variable interest rate. Accordingly, during periods when interest rates or the applicable reference rate for the credit facility rise or there are dislocations in the credit markets, the Trust’s leverage costs may increase and there is a risk that the Trust may not be able to renew or replace existing leverage on favorable terms or at all. If the cost of leverage is no longer favorable, or if the Trust is otherwise required to reduce its leverage, the

 

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Trust may not be able to maintain distributions on Common Shares at historical levels and Common Shareholders will bear any costs associated with selling portfolio securities. Interest rates are currently rising, and thus so is the cost of leverage and the risks highlighted above. The Trust may also be exposed to the risks associated with Financial Leverage through its investments in Investment Funds.

The Trust’s total Financial Leverage may vary significantly over time. To the extent the Trust increases its mount of Financial Leverage outstanding, it will be more exposed to these risks.

Investments in Investment Funds and certain other pooled and structured finance vehicles, such as collateralized loan obligations, frequently expose the Trust to an additional layer of financial leverage and, thus, increase the Trust’s exposure to leverage risk. From time to time, the Trust may invest a significant portion of its assets in Investment Funds that employ leverage.

Inflation/Deflation Risk

Inflation risk is the risk that the intrinsic value of assets or income from investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the purchasing power and value of money. As inflation increases, the real value of the Common Shares and distributions can decline. Inflation rates (which are currently elevated relative to historical levels) may change frequently and significantly as a result of various factors, including unexpected shifts in the domestic or global economy and changes in monetary or economic policies (or expectations that these policies may change), and the Trust’s investments may not keep pace with inflation, which would adversely affect the Trust. The market price of debt securities generally falls as inflation increases because the purchasing power of the future income and repaid principal is expected to be worth less when received by the Trust. The risk of inflation is significantly elevated compared to normal conditions because of current monetary policy measures and the current interest rate environment and level of government intervention and spending. In addition, during any periods of rising inflation, the dividend rates or borrowing costs associated with the Trust’s use of Financial Leverage would likely increase, which would tend to further reduce returns to Common Shareholders. Deflation risk is the risk that prices throughout the economy decline over time—the opposite of inflation. Deflation may have an adverse effect on the creditworthiness of issuers and may make issuer default more likely, which may result in a decline in the value of the Trust’s portfolio.

Insurance Risk

The Trust may purchase municipal securities that are secured by insurance, bank credit agreements or escrow accounts. The credit quality of the companies that provide such credit enhancements will affect the value of those securities. Certain significant providers of insurance for municipal securities have in the past incurred significant losses as a result of exposure to sub-prime mortgages and other lower credit quality investments that experienced recent defaults or otherwise suffered extreme credit deterioration. As a result, such losses reduced the insurers’ capital and called into question their continued ability to perform their obligations under such insurance if they are called upon to do so in the future. While an insured municipal security will typically be deemed to have the rating of its insurer, if the insurer of a municipal security suffers a downgrade in its credit rating or the market discounts the value of the insurance provided by the insurer, the rating of the underlying municipal security will be more relevant and the value of the municipal security would more closely, if not entirely, reflect such rating. In such a case, the value of insurance associated with a municipal

 

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security would decline and may not add any value. The insurance feature of a municipal security normally provides that it guarantees the full payment of principal and interest when due through the life of an insured obligation, but does not guarantee the market value of the insured obligation or the net asset value of the Common Shares attributable to such insured obligation.

Below Investment Grade Securities Risk

The Trust may invest in Income Securities rated below investment grade or, if unrated, determined by the Adviser to be of comparable credit quality, which are commonly referred to as “high-yield” or “junk” bonds. Investment in securities of below investment grade quality involves substantial risk of loss, the risk of which is particularly acute under adverse economic conditions. Income Securities of below investment grade quality are predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal when due and therefore involve a greater risk of default or decline in market value due to adverse economic and issuer-specific developments. Securities of below investment grade quality may involve a greater risk of default or decline in market value due to adverse economic issuer-specific developments, such as operating results and outlook and to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions. Generally, the risks associated with high yield securities are heightened during times of weakening economic conditions or rising interest rates (particularly for issuers that are highly leveraged) and are therefore heightened under current conditions. If the Trust is unable to sell an investment at its desired time, the Trust may miss other investment opportunities while it holds investments it would prefer to sell, which could adversely affect the Trust’s performance. In addition, the liquidity of any Trust investment may change significantly over time as a result of market, economic, trading, issuer-specific and other factors. Accordingly, the performance of the Trust and a shareholder’s investment in the Trust may be adversely affected if an issuer is unable to pay interest and repay principal, either on time or at all. Issuers of below investment grade securities are not perceived to be as strong financially as those with higher credit ratings. These issuers are more vulnerable to financial setbacks and recessions and other adverse economic developments than more creditworthy issuers, which may impair their ability to make interest and principal payments. Income Securities of below investment grade quality display increased price sensitivity to changing interest rates and to a deteriorating economic environment. The market values, total return and yield for securities of below investment grade quality tend to be more volatile than the market values, total return and yield for higher-quality securities. Securities of below investment grade quality tend to be less liquid than investment grade debt securities and therefore more difficult to value accurately and sell at an advantageous price or time and may involve greater transactions costs and wider bid/ask spreads, than higher-quality securities. To the extent that a secondary market does exist for certain below investment grade securities, the market for them may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods. Because of the substantial risks associated with investments in below investment grade securities, you could have an increased risk of losing money on your investment in Common Shares, both in the short-term and the long-term. To the extent that the Trust invests in securities that have not been rated by an NRSRO, the Trust’s ability to achieve its investment objectives will be more dependent on the Adviser’s credit analysis than would be the case when the Trust invests in rated securities.

Successful investment in lower-medium and lower-rated debt securities may involve greater investment risk and is highly dependent on the Adviser’s credit analysis. The value of securities of

 

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below investment grade quality is particularly vulnerable to changes in interest rates and a real or perceived economic downturn or higher interest rates could cause a decline in prices of such securities by lessening the ability of issuers to make principal and interest payments. These securities are often thinly traded or subject to irregular trading and can be more difficult to sell and value accurately than higher-quality securities because there tends to be less public information available about these securities. Because objective pricing data may be less available, judgment may play a greater role in the valuation process. In addition, the entire below investment grade market can experience sudden and sharp price swings due to a variety of factors, including changes in economic forecasts, stock market activity, large or sustained sales by major investors, a high-profile default, or a change in the market’s psychology. Adverse conditions could make it difficult at times for the Trust to sell certain securities or could result in lower prices than those used in calculating the Trust’s NAV.

Sector Risk

The Trust may invest a significant portion of its managed assets in certain sectors which may subject the Trust to additional risk and variability. To the extent that the Trust focuses its managed assets in the hospital and healthcare facilities sector, for example, the Trust will be subject to risks associated with such sector, including adverse government regulation and reduction in reimbursement rates, as well as government approval of products and services and intense competition. Securities issued with respect to special taxing districts will be subject to various risks, including real-estate development related risks and taxpayer concentration risk. Further, the fees, special taxes or tax allocations and other revenues established to secure the obligations of securities issued with respect to special taxing districts are generally limited as to the rate or amount that may be levied or assessed and are not subject to increase pursuant to rate covenants or municipal or corporate guarantees. Charter schools and other private educational facilities are subject to various risks, including the reversal of legislation authorizing or funding charter schools, the failure to renew or secure a charter, the failure of a funding entity to appropriate necessary funds and competition from alternatives such as voucher programs. Issuers of municipal utility securities can be significantly affected by government regulation, financing difficulties, supply and demand of services or fuel and natural resource conservation. The transportation sector, including airports, airlines, ports and other transportation facilities, can be significantly affected by changes in the economy, fuel prices, maintenance, labor relations, insurance costs and government regulation.

Short Sales Risk

The Trust may make short sales of securities. Short selling a security involves selling a borrowed security with the expectation that the value of that security will decline, so that the security may be purchased at a lower price when returning the borrowed security. If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time the Trust replaces the borrowed security, the Trust will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Trust will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss will be increased, by the transaction costs incurred by the Trust, including the costs associated with providing collateral to the broker-dealer (usually cash and liquid securities) and the maintenance of collateral with its custodian. Although the Trust’s gain is limited to the price at which it sold the security short, its potential loss is theoretically unlimited and is greater than a direct investment in the security itself because the price of the borrowed or reference security may rise. The Trust may not always be able to close out a short position at a

 

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particular time or at an acceptable price. A lender may request that borrowed securities be returned to it on short notice, and the Trust may have to buy the borrowed securities at an unfavorable price, resulting in a loss. The Trust may have to pay a premium to borrow the securities and must pay any dividends or interest payable on the securities until they are replaced, which will be expenses of the Trust. Short sales also subject the Trust to risks related to the lender (such as bankruptcy risks) or the general risk that the lender does not comply with its obligations. Government actions also may affect the Trust’s ability to engage in short selling. The use of physical short sales is typically more expensive than gaining short exposure through derivatives

Special Risks Related to Certain Municipal Securities

The Trust may invest in municipal leases and certificates of participation in such leases. Municipal leases and certificates of participation involve special risks not normally associated with general obligations or revenue bonds. Leases and installment purchase or conditional sale contracts (which normally provide for title to the leased asset to pass eventually to the governmental issuer) have evolved as a means for governmental issuers to acquire property and equipment without meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements for the issuance of debt. The debt issuance limitations are deemed to be inapplicable because of the inclusion in many leases or contracts of “non-appropriation” clauses that relieve the governmental issuer of any obligation to make future payments under the lease or contract unless money is appropriated for such purpose by the appropriate legislative body. In addition, such leases or contracts may be subject to the temporary abatement of payments in the event the governmental issuer is prevented from maintaining occupancy of the leased premises or utilizing the leased equipment. Although the obligations may be secured by the leased equipment or facilities, the disposition of the property in the event of non-appropriation or foreclosure might prove difficult, time consuming and costly, and may result in a delay in recovering or the failure to fully recover the Trust’s original investment. In the event of non-appropriation, the issuer would be in default and taking ownership of the assets may be a remedy available to the Trust, although the Trust does not anticipate that such a remedy would normally be pursued. To the extent that the Trust invests in unrated municipal leases or participates in such leases, the credit quality and risk of cancellation of such unrated leases will be monitored on an ongoing basis. Certificates of participation, which represent interests in unmanaged pools of municipal leases or installment contracts, involve the same risks as the underlying municipal leases. In addition, the Trust may be dependent upon the municipal authority issuing the certificates of participation to exercise remedies with respect to the underlying securities. Certificates of participation entail a risk of default or bankruptcy not only of the issuer of the underlying lease but also of the municipal agency issuing the certificate of participation.

Structured Finance Investments Risk

The Trust’s structured finance investments may include residential and commercial mortgage-related and other ABS issued by governmental entities and private issuers. While traditional fixed-income securities typically pay a fixed rate of interest until maturity, when the entire principal amount is due, these investments represent an interest in a pool of residential or commercial real estate or assets such as automobile loans, credit card receivables or student loans that have been securitized and provide for monthly payments of interest and principal to the holder based from the cash flow of these assets. Holders of structured finance investments bear risks of the underlying investments, index or reference obligation and are subject to counterparty risk. The Trust may have the right to

 

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receive payments only from the structured product, and generally does not have direct rights against the issuer or the entity that sold the assets to be securitized. While certain structured finance investments enable the investor to acquire interests in a pool of securities without the brokerage and other expenses associated with directly holding the same securities, investors in structured finance investments generally pay their share of the structured product’s administrative and other expenses. Although it is difficult to accurately predict whether the prices of indices and securities underlying structured finance investments will rise or fall, these prices (and, therefore, the prices of structured finance investments) will be influenced by the same types of political, economic and other events that affect issuers of securities and capital markets generally. If the issuer of a structured product uses shorter term financing to purchase longer term securities, the issuer may be forced to sell its securities at below market prices if it experiences difficulty in obtaining short-term financing, which may adversely affect the value of the structured finance investment owned by the Trust.

The Trust may invest in structured finance products collateralized by low grade or defaulted loans or securities. Investments in such structured finance products are subject to the risks associated with below investment grade securities. Such securities are characterized by high risk. It is likely that an economic recession could severely disrupt the market for such securities and may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities.

The Trust may invest in senior and subordinated classes issued by structured finance vehicles. The payment of cash flows from the underlying assets to senior classes take precedence over those of subordinated classes, and therefore subordinated classes are subject to greater risk. Furthermore, the leveraged nature of subordinated classes may magnify the adverse impact on such class of changes in the value of the assets, changes in the distributions on the assets, defaults and recoveries on the assets, capital gains and losses on the assets, prepayment on assets and availability, price and interest rates of assets.

Structured finance securities may be thinly traded or have a limited trading market. Structured finance securities are typically privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in structured finance securities may be characterized by the Trust as illiquid securities; however, an active dealer market may exist which would allow such securities to be considered liquid in some circumstances.

Structured finance securities, such as mortgage-backed securities, issued by non-governmental issuers are not guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. government or a government sponsored enterprise and are typically subject to greater risk than those issued by such governmental entities. For example, privately issued mortgage-backed securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for underlying mortgages as those issued by governmental entities and, as a result, mortgage loans underlying such privately issued securities typically have less favorable underwriting characteristics (such as credit risk and collateral) and a wider range in terms (such as interest rate, term and borrower characteristics).

Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk

Mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) represent an interest in a pool of mortgages. MBS are subject to certain risks, such as: credit risk associated with the performance of the underlying mortgage properties and of the borrowers owning these properties; risks associated with their structure and execution (including the collateral, the process by which principal and interest payments are

 

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allocated and distributed to investors and how credit losses affect the return to investors in such MBS); risks associated with the servicer of the underlying mortgages; adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances, which are more likely to have an adverse impact on MBS secured by loans on certain types of commercial properties than on those secured by loans on residential properties; prepayment and extension risks, which can lead to significant fluctuations in the value of the MBS; loss of all or part of the premium, if any, paid; and decline in the market value of the security, whether resulting from changes in interest rates, prepayments on the underlying mortgage collateral or perceptions of the credit risk associated with the underlying mortgage collateral. The value of MBS may be substantially dependent on the servicing of the underlying pool of mortgages. In addition, the Trust’s level of investment in MBS of a particular type or in MBS issued or guaranteed by affiliated obligors, serviced by the same servicer or backed by underlying collateral located in a specific geographic region, may subject the Trust to additional risk.

When market interest rates decline, more mortgages are refinanced and the securities are paid off earlier than expected. Prepayments may also occur on a scheduled basis or due to foreclosure. When market interest rates increase, the market values of MBS decline. At the same time, however, mortgage refinancings and prepayments slow, which lengthens the effective maturities of these securities. As a result, the negative effect of the rate increase on the market value of MBS is usually more pronounced than it is for other types of debt securities. In addition, due to increased instability in the credit markets, the market for some MBS has experienced reduced liquidity and greater volatility with respect to the value of such securities, making it more difficult to value such securities. The Trust may invest in sub-prime mortgages or MBS that are backed by sub-prime mortgages or defaulted or nonperforming loans.

Additional risks relating to investments in MBS may arise because of the type of MBS in which the Trust invests, defined by the assets collateralizing the MBS. For example, CMOs may have complex or highly variable prepayment terms, such as companion classes, interest only or principal only payments, inverse floaters and residuals. These investments generally entail greater market, prepayment and liquidity risks than other MBS, and may be more volatile or less liquid than other MBS. These risks are heightened under the current state of economic, market, labor and public health conditions.

Moreover, the relationship between prepayments and interest rates may give some high-yielding mortgage-related and asset-backed securities less potential for growth in value than conventional bonds with comparable maturities. In addition, in periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayments tends to increase. During such periods, the reinvestment of prepayment proceeds by the Trust will generally be at lower rates than the rates that were carried by the obligations that have been prepaid. Because of these and other reasons, mortgage-related and asset-backed securities’ total return and maturity may be difficult to predict precisely. To the extent that the Trust purchases mortgage-related and asset-backed securities at a premium, prepayments (which may be made without penalty) may result in loss of the Trust’s principal investment to the extent of premium paid.

Mortgage-backed securities generally are classified as either CMBS or RMBS, each of which are subject to certain specific risks.

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. The market for CMBS developed more recently and, in terms of total outstanding principal amount of issues, is relatively small compared to the market for

 

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RMBS. CMBS are subject to particular risks, such as those associated with lack of standardized terms, shorter maturities than residential mortgage loans and payment of all or substantially all of the principal only at maturity rather than regular amortization of principal. In addition, commercial lending generally is viewed as exposing the lender to a greater risk of loss than residential lending. Commercial lending typically involves larger loans to single borrowers or groups of related borrowers than residential mortgage loans. In addition, the repayment of loans secured by income producing properties typically is dependent upon the successful operation of the related real estate project and the cash flow generated therefrom. Net operating income of an income-producing property can be affected by, among other things: tenant mix, success of tenant businesses, property management decisions, property location and condition, competition from comparable types of properties, changes in laws that increase operating expense or limit rents that may be charged, any need to address environmental contamination at the property, the occurrence of any uninsured casualty at the property, changes in national, regional or local economic conditions and/or specific industry segments, declines in regional or local real estate values, declines in regional or local rental or occupancy rates, increases in interest rates, real estate tax rates and other operating expenses, change in governmental rules, regulations and fiscal policies, including environmental legislation, acts of God, terrorism, social unrest and civil disturbances.

Consequently, adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances are more likely to have an adverse impact on MBS secured by loans on commercial properties than on those secured by loans on residential properties. Economic downturns, rises in unemployment and other events, such as public health emergencies, that limit the activities of and demand for commercial retail and office spaces (such as the current COVID-19 situation) adversely impact the value of such securities. Additional risks may be presented by the type and use of a particular commercial property. Special risks are presented by hospitals, nursing homes, hospitality properties and certain other property types. Commercial property values and net operating income are subject to volatility, which may result in net operating income becoming insufficient to cover debt service on the related mortgage loan. The exercise of remedies and successful realization of liquidation proceeds relating to CMBS may be highly dependent on the performance of the servicer or special servicer. There may be a limited number of special servicers available, particularly those that do not have conflicts of interest.

Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. Credit-related risk on RMBS arises from losses due to delinquencies and defaults by the borrowers in payments on the underlying mortgage loans and breaches by originators and servicers of their obligations under the underlying documentation pursuant to which the RMBS are issued. The rate of delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgage loans and the aggregate amount of the resulting losses will be affected by a number of factors, including general economic conditions, particularly those in the area where the related mortgaged property is located, the level of the borrower’s equity in the mortgaged property and the individual financial circumstances of the borrower. If a residential mortgage loan is in default, foreclosure on the related residential property may be a lengthy and difficult process involving significant legal and other expenses. The net proceeds obtained by the holder on a residential mortgage loan following the foreclosure on the related property may be less than the total amount that remains due on the loan. The prospect of incurring a loss upon the foreclosure of the related property may lead the holder of the residential mortgage loan to restructure the residential mortgage loan or otherwise delay the foreclosure process. These risks are elevated given the current state of economic, market, public health and labor conditions.

 

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Sub-Prime Mortgage Market Risk. The residential mortgage market in the United States has experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain mortgages and mortgage-related securities. Delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans (especially sub-prime and second-line mortgage loans) generally have increased at times and may again increase, and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has at times been experienced and may again be experienced in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Largely due to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have at times caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen. If the economy of the United States deteriorates further, the incidence of mortgage foreclosures, especially sub-prime mortgages, may increase, which may adversely affect the value of any mortgage-backed securities owned by the Trust.

Any increase in prevailing market interest rates, which until recently were near historical lows and have begun to rise, may result in increased payments for borrowers who have adjustable rate mortgages. Moreover, with respect to hybrid mortgage loans after the initial fixed rate period, interest-only products or products having a lower rate, and with respect to mortgage loans with a negative amortization feature which reach their negative amortization cap, borrowers may experience a substantial increase in their monthly payment even without an increase in prevailing market interest rates. Increases in payments for borrowers may result in increased rates of delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgage loans underlying RMBS.

The significance of the mortgage crisis and loan defaults in residential mortgage loan sectors led to the enactment of numerous pieces of legislation relating to the mortgage and housing markets. These actions, along with future legislation or regulation, may have significant impacts on the mortgage market generally and may result in a reduction of available transactional opportunities for the Trust or an increase in the cost associated with such transactions and may adversely impact the value of RMBS.

During the mortgage crisis, a number of originators and servicers of residential and commercial mortgage loans, including some of the largest originators and servicers in the residential and commercial mortgage loan market, experienced serious financial difficulties. These or similar difficulties may occur in the future and affect the performance of non-agency RMBS and CMBS. There can be no assurance that originators and servicers of mortgage loans will not continue to experience serious financial difficulties or experience such difficulties in the future, including becoming subject to bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, or that underwriting procedures and policies and protections against fraud will be sufficient in the future to prevent such financial difficulties or significant levels of default or delinquency on mortgage loans.

Asset-Backed Securities Risk

ABS are a form of structured debt obligation. In addition to the general risks associated with credit or debt securities discussed herein and the risks discussed under “Structured Finance Investments

 

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Risk,” ABS are subject to additional risks. While traditional fixed-income securities typically pay a fixed rate of interest until maturity, when the entire principal amount is due, an ABS represents an interest in a pool of assets, such as automobile loans, credit card receivables, unsecured consumer loans or student loans, that has been securitized and provides for monthly payments of interest, at a fixed or floating rate, and principal from the cash flow of these assets. This pool of assets (and any related assets of the issuing entity) is the only source of payment for the ABS. The ability of an ABS issuer to make payments on the ABS, and the timing of such payments, is therefore dependent on collections on these underlying assets. The recoveries on the underlying collateral may not, in some cases, be sufficient to support payments on these securities, which may result in losses to investors in an ABS.

Generally, obligors may prepay the underlying assets in full or in part at any time, subjecting the Trust to prepayment risk related to the ABS it holds. While the expected repayment streams on ABS are determined by the contractual amortization schedules for the underlying assets, an investor’s yield to maturity on an ABS is uncertain and may be reduced by the rate and speed of prepayments of the underlying assets, which may be influenced by a variety of economic, social and other factors. Any prepayments, repurchases, purchases or liquidations of the underlying assets could shorten the average life of the ABS to an extent that cannot be fully predicted. Some ABS may be structured to include a period of rapid amortization triggered by events such as a significant rise in the default rate of the underlying collateral, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level because of credit losses on the underlying assets, a specified regulatory event or the bankruptcy of the originator. A rapid amortization event will cause any revolving period to end earlier than expected and all collections on the underlying assets will be used to pay principal to investors earlier than expected. In general, the senior most securities will be paid prior to any payments being made on the subordinated securities, and if such payments are made earlier than expected, the Trust’s yield on such ABS may be negatively affected.

The collateral underlying ABS may constitute assets related to a wide range of industries, such as credit card and automobile receivables or other assets derived from consumer, commercial or corporate sectors, and these underlying assets may be secured or unsecured. The value of ABS held by the Trust also may be reduced because of actual or perceived changes in the creditworthiness of the obligors on the underlying assets, the originators, the servicers, any financial institutions providing credit support or hedging counterparties that are required to make payments on the ABS. Additionally, an obligor may seek protection under debtor relief laws and therefore the debtor may be able to avoid or delay payments. Economic factors, including unemployment, interest rates and the rate of inflation, may affect the rate of prepayments and defaults on the underlying receivables and may accelerate, delay or reduce expected payments on an ABS. During recessions or periods of economic contraction, factors such as elevated unemployment, decreased asset values or reductions in available credit may lead to increased delinquency and default rates on the underlying receivables.

In general, the value of the assets collateralizing an ABS will exceed the principal amount of the ABS issued in a transaction. This excess value is generally referred to as “overcollateralization.” The amount of overcollateralization varies based on the credit quality of the underlying collateral backing the ABS. In general, losses on the assets underlying the ABS will reduce the amount of overcollateralization on the ABS and increase the risk to holders of the ABS. Other forms of credit enhancement may be used, including letters of credit or monoline insurance policies. These forms of

 

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credit enhancement are subject to risk if the party obligated to make payments on the letter of credit or insurance policy defaults on the obligation to the ABS issuer.

Payments to holders of ABS may be subject to deferral. If the cash flow generated by the underlying assets is insufficient to make all payments required on a payment date, such payments may be deferred to the following payment date. If the cash flow remains insufficient to make payments on the ABS as a result of credit losses on the underlying assets, there may be no recourse by the Trust for any shortfall.

CLO, CDO and CBO Risk

The Trust may invest in CDOs, CBOs and CLOs. A CDO is an ABS whose underlying collateral is typically a portfolio of other structured finance debt securities or synthetic instruments issued by another ABS vehicle. A CBO is an ABS whose underlying collateral is a portfolio of bonds. A CLO is an ABS whose underlying collateral is a portfolio of bank loans.

In addition to the general risks associated with credit or debt securities discussed herein and the risks discussed under “Structured Finance Investments Risk” and “Asset Backed Securities Risk,” CLOs, CDOs and CBOs are subject to additional risks. CLOs, CDOs and CBOs are subject to risks associated with the involvement of multiple transaction parties related to the underlying collateral and disruptions that may occur as a result of the restructuring or insolvency of the underlying obligors, which are generally corporate obligors. Unlike a consumer obligor that is generally obligated to make payments on the collateral backing an ABS, the obligor on the collateral backing a CLO, a CDO or a CBO may have more effective defenses or resources to cause a delay in payment or restructure the underlying obligation. If an obligor is permitted to restructure its obligations, distributions from collateral securities may not be adequate to make interest or other payments.

The performance of CLOs, CDOs and CBOs depends primarily upon the quality of the underlying assets and the level of credit support or enhancement in the structure and the relative priority of the interest in the issuer of the CLO, CDO or CBO purchased by the Trust. In general, CLOs, CDOs and CBOs are actively managed by an asset manager that is responsible for evaluating and acquiring the assets that will collateralize the CLO, CDO or CBO. The asset manager may have difficulty in identifying assets that satisfy the eligibility criteria for the assets and may be restricted from trading the collateral. These criteria, restrictions and requirements, while reducing the overall risk to the Trust, may limit the ability of GPIM to maximize returns on the CLOs, CDOs and CBOs if an opportunity is identified by the collateral manager. In addition, other parties involved in CLOs, CDOs and CBOs, such as credit enhancement providers and investors in senior obligations of the CLO, CDO or CBO may have the right to control the activities and discretion of GPIM in a manner that is adverse to the interests of the Trust. A CLO, CDO or CBO generally includes provisions that alter the priority of payments if performance metrics related to the underlying collateral, such as interest coverage and minimum overcollateralization, are not met. These provisions may cause delays in payments on the securities or an increase in prepayments depending on the relative priority of the securities owned by the Trust. The failure of a CLO, CDO or CBO to make timely payments on a particular tranche may have an adverse effect on the liquidity and market value of such tranche.

Payments to holders of CLOs, CDOs and CBOs may be subject to deferral. If cashflows generated by the underlying assets are insufficient to make all current and, if applicable, deferred payments on the CLOs, CDOs and CBOs, no other assets will be available for payment of the deficiency and, following

 

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realization of the underlying assets, the obligations of the issuer to pay such deficiency will be extinguished.

The value of securities issued by CLOs, CDOs and CBOs also may change because of, among other things, changes in market value; changes in the market’s perception of the creditworthiness of the servicer of the assets, the originator of an asset in the pool, or the financial institution or fund providing credit support or enhancement; loan performance and prices; broader market sentiment, including expectations regarding future loan defaults, liquidity conditions and supply and demand for structured products.

CLO Subordinated Notes Risk

The Trust may invest in any portion of the capital structure of CLOs (including the subordinated, residual and deep mezzanine debt tranches). Investment in the subordinated tranche is subject to special risks. The subordinated tranche does not receive ratings and is considered the riskiest portion of the capital structure of a CLO. The subordinated tranche is junior in priority of payment to the more senior tranches of the CLO and is subject to certain payment restrictions. As a result, the subordinated tranche bears the bulk of defaults from the loans in the CLO. In addition, the subordinated tranche generally has only limited voting rights and generally does not benefit from any creditors’ rights or ability to exercise remedies under the indenture governing the CLO notes. Certain mezzanine tranches in which the Trust may invest may also be subject to certain risks similar to risks associated with investment in the subordinated tranche.

The subordinated tranche is unsecured and ranks behind all of the secured creditors, known or unknown, of the CLO issuer, including the holders of the secured notes it has issued. Consequently, to the extent that the value of the issuer’s portfolio of loan investments has been reduced as a result of conditions in the credit markets, defaulted loans, capital gains and losses on the underlying assets, prepayment or changes in interest rates, the value of the subordinated tranche realized at redemption could be reduced. If a CLO breaches certain tests set forth in the CLO’s indenture, excess cash flow that would otherwise be available for distribution to the subordinated tranche investors is diverted to prepay CLO debt investors in order of seniority until such time as the covenant breach is cured. If the covenant breach is not or cannot be cured, the subordinated tranche investors (and potentially other investors in lower priority rated tranches) may experience a partial or total loss of their investment. Accordingly, the subordinated tranche may not be paid in full and may be subject to up to 100% loss. At the time of issuance, the subordinated tranche of a CLO is typically under-collateralized in that the liabilities of a CLO at inception exceed its total assets.

The leveraged nature of subordinated notes may magnify the adverse impact on the subordinated notes of changes in the market value of the investments held by the issuer, changes in the distributions on those investments, defaults and recoveries on those investments, capital gains and losses on those investments, prepayments on those investments and availability, prices and interest rates of those investments.

Subordinated notes are not guaranteed by another party. There can be no assurance that distributions on the assets held by the CLO will be sufficient to make any distributions or that the yield on the subordinated notes will meet the Trust’s expectations. Investments in the subordinated tranche of a CLO are generally less liquid than CLO debt tranches and subject to extensive transfer restrictions, and there may be no market for subordinated notes. Therefore, Trust may be required to

 

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hold subordinated notes for an indefinite period of time or until their stated maturity. Certain mezzanine tranches in which the Trust may invest may also be subject to certain risks similar to risks associated with investment in the subordinated tranche.

Risks Associated with RLS

RLS are a form of derivative issued by insurance companies and insurance-related special purpose vehicles that apply securitization techniques to catastrophic property and casualty damages. Unlike other insurable low-severity, high-probability events (such as auto collision coverage), the insurance risk of which can be diversified by writing large numbers of similar policies, the holders of a typical RLS are exposed to the risks from high-severity, low-probability events such as that posed by major earthquakes or hurricanes. RLS represent a method of reinsurance, by which insurance companies transfer their own portfolio risk to other reinsurance companies and, in the case of RLS, to the capital markets. A typical RLS provides for income and return of capital similar to other fixed-income investments, but involves full or partial default if losses resulting from a certain catastrophe exceeded a predetermined amount. In essence, investors invest funds in RLS and if a catastrophe occurs that “triggers” the RLS, investors may lose some or all of the capital invested. In the case of an event, the funds are paid to the bond sponsor—an insurer, reinsurer or corporation—to cover losses. In return, the bond sponsors pay interest to investors for this catastrophe protection. RLS can be structured to pay-off on three types of variables—insurance-industry catastrophe loss indices, insure-specific catastrophe losses and parametric indices based on the physical characteristics of catastrophic events. Such variables are difficult to predict or model, and the risk and potential return profiles of RLS may be difficult to assess. Catastrophe-related RLS have been in use since the 1990s, and the securitization and risk-transfer aspects of such RLS are beginning to be employed in other insurance and risk-related areas. No active trading market may exist for certain RLS, which may impair the ability of the Trust to realize full value in the event of the need to liquidate such assets.

Risks Associated with Structured Notes

Investments in structured notes involve risks associated with the issuer of the note and the reference instrument. Where the Trust’s investments in structured notes are based upon the movement of one or more factors, including currency exchange rates, interest rates, referenced bonds and stock indices, depending on the factor used and the use of multipliers or deflators, changes in interest rates and movement of the factor may cause significant price fluctuations. Additionally, changes in the reference instrument or security may cause the interest rate on the structured note to be reduced to zero, and any further changes in the reference instrument may then reduce the principal amount payable on maturity. Structured notes may be less liquid than other types of securities and more volatile than the reference instrument or security underlying the note.

Senior Loans Risk

The Trust may invest in senior secured floating rate Loans made to corporations and other nongovernmental entities and issuers (“Senior Loans”). Senior Loans typically hold the most senior position in the capital structure of the issuing entity, are typically secured with specific collateral and typically have a claim on the assets of the borrower, including stock owned by the borrower and its subsidiaries, that is senior to that held by junior lien creditors, subordinated debt holders and stockholders of the borrower. The Trust’s investments in Senior Loans are typically below investment grade and are considered speculative because of the credit risk of the applicable issuer.

 

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There is less readily-available, reliable information about most Senior Loans than is the case for many other types of securities. In addition, there is rarely a minimum rating or other independent evaluation of a borrower or its securities, and GPIM relies primarily on its own evaluation of a borrower’s credit quality rather than on any available independent sources. As a result, the Trust is particularly dependent on the analytical abilities of GPIM with respect to investments in Senior Loans. GPIM’s judgment about the credit quality of a borrower may be wrong.

The risks associated with Senior Loans of below investment grade quality are similar to the risks of other lower grade Income Securities, although Senior Loans are typically senior in payment priority and secured on a senior priority basis in contrast to subordinated and unsecured Income Securities. Senior Loans’ higher priority has historically resulted in generally higher recoveries in the event of a corporate reorganization. In addition, because their interest payments are adjusted for changes in short-term interest rates, investments in Senior Loans have less interest rate risk than certain other lower grade Income Securities, which may have fixed interest rates. Further, transactions in Senior Loans typically settle on a delayed basis and may take longer than seven days to settle. As a result the Trust may receive the proceeds from a sale of a Senior Loan on a delayed basis which may affect the Trust’s ability to repay debt, to pay dividends, to pay expenses, or to take advantage of new investment opportunities. An economic downturn generally leads to a higher non-payment rate, and a debt obligation may lose significant value before a default occurs. Moreover, any specific collateral used to secure a Senior Loan may decline in value or become illiquid, which would adversely affect the Senior Loan’s value.

Economic and other events (whether real or perceived) can reduce the demand for certain Senior Loans or Senior Loans generally, which may reduce market prices and cause the Trust’s NAV per share to fall. The frequency and magnitude of such changes cannot be predicted.

Loans and other debt instruments are also subject to the risk of price declines due to increases in prevailing interest rates, although floating-rate debt instruments are substantially less exposed to this risk than fixed-rate debt instruments. Interest rate changes may also increase prepayments of debt obligations and require the Trust to invest assets at lower yields. No active trading market may exist for certain Senior Loans, which may impair the ability of the Trust to realize full value in the event of the need to liquidate such assets. Adverse market conditions may impair the liquidity of some actively traded Senior Loans, meaning that the Trust may not be able to sell them quickly at a desirable price. To the extent that a secondary market does exist for certain Senior Loans, the market may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods. Illiquid Senior Loans may also be difficult to value.

Although the Senior Loans in which the Trust will invest generally will be secured by specific collateral, there can be no assurance that liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the borrower’s obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In the event of the bankruptcy of a borrower, the Trust could experience delays or limitations with respect to its ability to realize the benefits of the collateral securing a Senior Loan. If the terms of a Senior Loan do not require the borrower to pledge additional collateral in the event of a decline in the value of the already pledged collateral, the Trust will be exposed to the risk that the value of the collateral will not at all times equal or exceed the amount of the borrower’s obligations under the Senior Loans. To the extent that a Senior Loan is collateralized by stock in the borrower or its subsidiaries, such stock may lose all of its value in the event of the bankruptcy of the

 

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borrower. Such Senior Loans involve a greater risk of loss. Some Senior Loans are subject to the risk that a court, pursuant to fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws, could subordinate or otherwise adversely affect the priority of the Senior Loans to presently existing or future indebtedness of the borrower or could take other action detrimental to lenders, including the Trust. Such court action could under certain circumstances include invalidation of Senior Loans.

Senior Loans are subject to legislative risk. If legislation or state or federal regulations impose additional requirements or restrictions on the ability of financial institutions to make loans, the availability of Senior Loans for investment by the Trust may be adversely affected. In addition, such requirements or restrictions could reduce or eliminate sources of financing for certain borrowers. This could increase the risk of default. If legislation or federal or state regulations require financial institutions to increase their capital requirements in order to make or hold certain debt investments, this may cause financial institutions to dispose of Senior Loans that are considered highly levered transactions. Such sales could result in prices that, in the opinion of the Adviser, do not represent fair value. If the Trust attempts to sell a Senior Loan at a time when a financial institution is engaging in such a sale, the price the Trust could receive for the Senior Loan may be adversely affected.

The Trust’s investments in Senior Loans may be subject to lender liability risk. Lender liability refers to a variety of legal theories generally founded on the premise that a lender has violated a duty of good faith, commercial reasonableness and fair dealing or a similar duty owed to the borrower or has assumed an excessive degree of control over the borrower resulting in the creation of a fiduciary duty owed to the borrower or its other creditors or shareholders. Because of the nature of its investments, the Trust may be subject to allegations of lender liability. In addition, under common law principles that in some cases form the basis for lender liability claims, a court may elect to subordinate the claim of an offending lender or bondholder (or group of offending lenders or bondholders) to the claims of a disadvantaged creditor (or group of creditors).

Economic exposure to Senior Loans through the use of derivatives transactions may involve greater risks than if the Trust had invested in the Senior Loan interest directly during a primary distribution or through assignments or participations in a loan acquired in secondary markets since, in addition to the risks described above, derivatives transactions to gain exposure to Senior Loans may be subject to leverage risk and greater illiquidity risk, counterparty risk, valuation risk and other risks associated with derivatives discussed herein.

Second Lien Loans Risk

The Trust may invest in “second lien” secured floating rate loans made by public and private corporations and other non-governmental entities and issuers for a variety of purposes (“Second Lien Loans”). Second Lien Loans are typically second in right of payment and/or second in right of priority with respect to collateral remedies to one or more Senior Loans of the related borrower. Second Lien Loans are subject to the same risks associated with investment in Senior Loans and other lower grade Income Securities. However, Second Lien Loans are second in right of payment and/or second in right of priority with respect to collateral remedies to Senior Loans and therefore are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and/or the value of any property securing the Loan may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments or otherwise be available to repay the Loan after giving effect to payments in respect of a Senior Loan, including payments made with the proceeds of any property securing the Loan and any senior secured obligations of the borrower.

 

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Second Lien Loans are expected to have greater price volatility and exposure to losses upon default than Senior Loans and may be less liquid. There is also a possibility that originators will not be able to sell participations in Second Lien Loans, which would create greater credit risk exposure.

Subordinated Secured Loans Risk

Subordinated secured loans generally are subject to similar risks as those associated with investment in Senior Loans, Second Lien Loans and below investment grade securities. However, such loans may rank lower in right of payment than any outstanding Senior Loans, Second Lien Loans or other debt instruments with higher priority of the borrower and therefore are subject to additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and any property securing the loan may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments and repayment of principal in the event of default or bankruptcy after giving effect to the higher ranking secured obligations of the borrower. Subordinated secured loans are expected to have greater price volatility than Senior Loans and Second Lien Loans and may be less liquid.

Unsecured Loans Risk

Unsecured loans generally are subject to similar risks as those associated with investment in Senior Loans, Second Lien Loans, subordinated secured loans and below investment grade securities. However, because unsecured loans have lower priority in right of payment to any higher ranking obligations of the borrower and are not backed by a security interest in any specific collateral, they are subject to additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and available assets may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments and repayment of principal after giving effect to any higher ranking obligations of the borrower. Unsecured loans are expected to have greater price volatility than Senior Loans, Second Lien Loans and subordinated secured loans and may be less liquid.

Loans and Loan Participations and Assignments Risk

The Trust may invest in loans directly or through participations or assignments. The Trust may purchase loans on a direct assignment basis from a participant in the original syndicate of lenders or from subsequent assignees of such interests. The Trust may also purchase, without limitation, participations in loans. The purchaser of an assignment typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations of the assigning institution and becomes a lender under the credit agreement with respect to the debt obligation; however, the purchaser’s rights can be more restricted than those of the assigning institution, and, in any event, the Trust may not be able to unilaterally enforce all rights and remedies under the loan and with regard to any associated collateral. A participation typically results in a contractual relationship only with the institution participating out the interest, not with the borrower. In purchasing participations, the Trust generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement against the borrower, and the Trust may not directly benefit from the collateral supporting the debt obligation in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, the Trust will be exposed to the credit risk of both the borrower and the institution selling the participation. Further, in purchasing participations in lending syndicates, the Trust may not be able to conduct the same due diligence on the borrower with respect to a Senior Loan that the Trust would otherwise conduct. In addition, as a holder of the participations, the Trust may not have voting rights or inspection rights that the Trust would otherwise have if it were investing directly in the Senior Loan, which may result in the Trust being exposed to greater credit or fraud risk with respect to the borrower or the Senior Loan. Lenders selling a participation and other

 

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persons inter-positioned between the lender and the Trust with respect to a participation will likely conduct their principal business activities in the banking, finance and financial services industries. Because the Trust may invest in participations, the Trust may be more susceptible to economic, political or regulatory occurrences affecting such industries.

Certain of the loan participations or assignments acquired by the Trust may involve unfunded commitments of the lenders, revolving credit facilities, delayed draw credit facilities or other investments under which a borrower may from time to time borrow and repay amounts up to the maximum amount of the facility. In such cases, the Trust would have an obligation to advance its portion of such additional borrowings upon the terms specified in the loan documentation. Such an obligation may have the effect of requiring the Trust to increase its investment in a company at a time when it might not be desirable to do so (including at a time when the company’s financial condition makes it unlikely that such amounts will be repaid). These commitments are generally subject to the borrowers meeting certain criteria such as compliance with covenants and certain operational metrics. The terms of the borrowings and financings subject to commitment are comparable to the terms of other loans and related investments in the Trust’s portfolio.

Should a loan in which the Trust is invested be foreclosed on, the Trust may become owner of the collateral and will be responsible for any costs and liabilities associated with owning the collateral. If the collateral includes a pledge of equity interests in the borrower by its owners, the Trust may become the owner of equity in the borrower and may be responsible for the borrower’s business operations and/or assets. The applicability of the securities laws is subject to court interpretation of the nature of the loan and its characterization as a security. Accordingly, the Trust cannot be certain of any protections it may be afforded under the securities or other laws against fraud or misrepresentation.

Loans are especially vulnerable to the financial health, or perceived financial health, of the borrower but are also particularly susceptible to economic and market sentiment such that changes in these conditions or the occurrence of other economic or market events may reduce the demand for loans and cause their value to decline rapidly and unpredictably. Many loans and loan interests are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on transfer, resale or assignment that may limit the ability of the Trust to sell its interest in a loan at an advantageous time or price. The resale, or secondary, market for loans is currently growing, but may become more limited or more difficult to access, and such changes may be sudden and unpredictable. Transactions in loans are often subject to long settlement periods (in excess of the standard T+2 days settlement cycle for most securities and often longer than seven days). As a result, sale proceeds potentially will not be available to the Trust to make additional investments or to use proceeds to meet its current obligations. The Trust thus is subject to the risk of selling other investments at disadvantageous times or prices or taking other actions necessary to raise cash to meet its obligations such as borrowing from a bank or holding additional cash, particularly during periods of unusual market or economic conditions or financial stress.

The Trust invests in or is exposed to loans and other similar debt obligations that are sometimes referred to as “covenant-lite” loans or obligations (“covenant-lite obligations”), which are generally subject to more risk than investments that contain traditional financial maintenance covenants and financial reporting requirements. The Trust may have fewer rights with respect to covenant-lite obligations, including fewer protections against the possibility of default and fewer remedies in the

 

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event of default. As a result, investments in (or exposure to) covenant-lite obligations are subject to more risk than investments in (or exposure to) certain other types of obligations.

In certain circumstances, the Adviser or its affiliates (including on behalf of clients other than the Trust) or the Trust may be in possession of material non-public information about a borrower as a result of its ownership of a loan and/or corporate debt security of a borrower. Because U.S. laws and regulations generally prohibit trading in securities of issuers while in possession of material, non¬public information, the Trust might be unable (potentially for a substantial period of time) to trade securities or other instruments issued by the borrower when it would otherwise be advantageous to do so and, as such, could incur a loss. In circumstances when the Adviser, GPIM or the Trust determines to avoid or to not receive non-public information about a borrower for loan investments being considered for acquisition by the Trust or held by the Trust, the Trust may be disadvantaged relative to other investors that do receive such information, and the Trust may not be able to take advantage of other investment opportunities that it may otherwise have. The Adviser or its affiliates may participate in the primary and secondary market for loans or other transactions with possible borrowers. As a result, the Trust may be legally restricted from acquiring some loans and from participating in a restructuring of a loan or other similar instrument. Further, if the Trust, in combination with other accounts managed by the Adviser or its affiliates, acquires a large portion of a loan, the Trust’s valuation of its interests in the loan and the Trust’s ability to dispose of the loan at favorable times or prices may be adversely affected.

The Trust is subject to other risks associated with investments in (or exposure to) loans and other similar obligations, including that such loans or obligations may not be considered “securities” and, as a result, the Trust may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections under the federal securities laws and instead may have to resort to state law and direct claims.

Unfunded Commitments Risk

Certain of the loan participations or assignments acquired by the Trust may involve unfunded commitments of the lenders, revolving credit facilities, delayed draw credit facilities or other investments under which a borrower may from time to time borrow and repay amounts up to the maximum amount of the facility. In such cases, the Trust would have an obligation to advance its portion of such additional borrowings upon the terms specified in the loan documentation. Such an obligation may have the effect of requiring the Trust to increase its investment in a company at a time when it might not be desirable to do so (including at a time when the company’s financial condition makes it unlikely that such amounts will be repaid). These commitments are generally subject to the borrowers meeting certain criteria such as compliance with covenants and certain operational metrics. The terms of the borrowings and financings subject to commitment are comparable to the terms of other loans and related investments in the Trust’s portfolio.

Distressed and Defaulted Securities Risk

Investments in the securities of financially distressed issuers involve substantial risks. These securities may present a substantial risk of default or may be in default at the time of investment. The Trust may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of principal or interest on its portfolio holdings. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a portfolio company, the Trust may lose its entire investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than its original investment. Among the risks

 

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inherent in investments in a troubled entity is the fact that it frequently may be difficult to obtain information as to the true financial condition of such issuer. The Adviser’s judgment about the credit quality of the issuer and the relative value and liquidity of its securities may prove to be wrong.

Convertible Securities Risk

Convertible securities, debt or preferred equity securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, equity securities, are generally preferred stocks and other securities, including fixed-income securities and warrants that are convertible into or exercisable for common stock. Convertible securities generally participate in the appreciation or depreciation of the underlying stock into which they are convertible, but to a lesser degree and are subject to the risks associated with debt and equity securities, including interest rate, market and issuer risks. For example, if market interest rates rise, the value of a convertible security usually falls. Certain convertible securities may combine higher or lower current income with options and other features. Warrants are options to buy a stated number of shares of common stock at a specified price anytime during the life of the warrants (generally, two or more years). Convertible securities may be lower-rated securities subject to greater levels of credit risk. A convertible security may be converted before it would otherwise be most appropriate, which may have an adverse effect on the Trust’s ability to achieve its investment objective.

“Synthetic” convertible securities have economic characteristics similar to those of a traditional convertible security due to the combination of separate securities that possess the two principal characteristics of a traditional convertible security, i.e., an income-producing security (“income-producing component”) and the right to acquire an equity security (“convertible component”). The income-producing component is achieved by investing in non-convertible, income-producing securities such as bonds, preferred stocks and money market instruments, which may be represented by derivative instruments.

The convertible component is achieved by investing in securities or instruments such as warrants or options to buy common stock at a certain exercise price, or options on a stock index. A simple example of a synthetic convertible security is the combination of a traditional corporate bond with a warrant to purchase equity securities of the issuer of the bond. The income-producing and convertible components of a synthetic convertible security may be issued separately by different issuers and at different times.

Liquidity Risk

The Trust may invest in municipal securities that are, at the time of investment, illiquid. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the value that the Trust values the securities. Illiquid securities may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid securities and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The Trust may be subject to significant delays in disposing of illiquid securities. Accordingly, the Trust may be forced to sell these securities at less than fair market value or may not be able to sell them when the Adviser believes it is desirable to do so. Illiquid securities also may entail registration expenses and other transaction costs that are higher than those for liquid securities. Restricted securities (i.e., securities subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale) may be illiquid. However, some restricted securities (such as securities issued pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”) and certain commercial paper) may be treated as liquid for these purposes. Inverse floating-rate securities or the residual interest

 

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certificates of tender option bond trusts are not considered illiquid securities. Dislocations in certain parts of markets have in the past and may in the future result in reduced liquidity for certain investments. Liquidity of financial markets may also be affected by government intervention.

Volatility Risk

The use of Financial Leverage by the Trust will cause the net asset value, and possibly the market price, of the Trust’s Common Shares to fluctuate significantly in response to changes in interest rates and other economic indicators. In addition, the Trust may invest up to 20% of its managed assets in below investment grade securities (i.e., “junk bonds”), which may be less liquid and therefore more volatile than investment grade municipal securities. As a result, the net asset value and market price of the Trust’s Common Shares will be more volatile than those of a closed-end investment company that is not exposed to leverage or that does not invest in below investment grade securities. In a declining market, the use of leverage may result in a greater decline in the net asset value of the Common Shares than if the Trust were not leveraged.

Inverse Floating-Rate Securities Risk

Under current market conditions, the Trust anticipates utilizing Financial Leverage through Indebtedness and/or engaging in reverse repurchase agreements. However, the Trust also may utilize Financial Leverage through investments in inverse floating-rate securities (sometimes referred to as “inverse floaters”). Typically, inverse floating-rate securities represent beneficial interests in a special purpose trust (sometimes called a “tender option bond trust”) formed by a third party sponsor for the purpose of holding municipal bonds. Distributions on inverse floating-rate securities bear an inverse relationship to short-term municipal bond interest rates. In general, income on inverse floating-rate securities will decrease, or in the extreme be eliminated, when interest rates increase and increase when interest rates decrease. Investments in inverse floating-rate securities may subject the Trust to the risks of reduced or eliminated interest payments and losses of principal. Short-term interest rates are at historic lows and may be more likely to rise in the current market environment. Inverse floating-rate securities may increase or decrease in value at a greater rate than the underlying interest rate, which effectively leverages the Trust’s investment. As a result, the market value of such securities generally will be more volatile than that of fixed-rate securities. Inverse floating-rate securities have varying degrees of liquidity based, among other things, upon the liquidity of the underlying securities deposited in a special purpose trust. The Trust may invest in taxable inverse floating-rate securities, issued by special purpose trusts formed with taxable municipal securities. The market for such inverse floating-rate securities issued by special purpose trusts formed with taxable municipal securities is relatively new and undeveloped. Initially, there may be a limited number of counterparties, which may increase the credit risks, counterparty risk and liquidity risk of investing in taxable inverse floating-rate securities. The leverage attributable to such inverse floating-rate securities may be “called away” on relatively short notice and therefore may be less permanent than more traditional forms of Financial Leverage. In certain circumstances, to the extent the Trust relies on inverse floating-rate securities to achieve its desired effective leverage ratio the likelihood of an increase in the volatility of net asset value and market price of the Common Shares may be greater. To the extent the Trust relies on inverse floating-rate securities to achieve its desired effective leverage ratio, the Trust may be required to sell its inverse floating-rate securities at less than favorable prices, or liquidate other Trust portfolio holdings in certain circumstances.

 

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Sovereign Debt Risk

Investments in sovereign debt securities, such as foreign government debt or foreign treasury bills, involve special risks, including the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the government debtor’s policy towards the International Monetary Fund or international lenders, the political constraints to which the debtor may be subject and other political considerations. Periods of economic and political uncertainty may result in the illiquidity and increased price volatility of sovereign debt securities held by the Trust. The governmental authority that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may be unwilling or unable to repay the principal and/or interest when due in accordance with the terms of such securities due to the extent of its foreign reserves. If an issuer of sovereign debt defaults on payments of principal and/or interest, the Trust may have limited or no legal recourse against the issuer and/or guarantor. In certain cases, remedies must be pursued in the courts of the defaulting party itself. For example, there may be no bankruptcy or similar proceedings through which all or part of the sovereign debt that a governmental entity has not repaid may be collected. There can be no assurance that the holders of commercial bank loans to the same sovereign entity may not contest payments to the holders of sovereign debt in the event of default under commercial bank loan agreements.

Certain issuers of sovereign debt may be dependent on disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others abroad to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. Such disbursements may be conditioned upon a debtor’s implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such debtor’s obligations. A failure on the part of the debtor to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties’ commitments to lend funds to the debtor, which may impair the debtor’s ability to service its debts on a timely basis. Foreign investment in certain sovereign debt is restricted or controlled to varying degrees, including requiring governmental approval for the repatriation of income, capital or proceeds of sales by foreign investors.

These restrictions or controls may at times limit or preclude foreign investment in certain sovereign debt and increase the costs and expenses of the Trust.

As a holder of sovereign debt, the Trust may be requested to participate in the restructuring of such sovereign indebtedness, including the rescheduling of payments and the extension of further loans to debtors, which may adversely affect the Trust. There can be no assurance that such restructuring will result in the repayment of all or part of the debt. Sovereign debt risk is increased for emerging market issuers and certain emerging market countries have declared moratoria on the payment of principal and interest on external debt. Certain emerging market countries have experienced difficulty in servicing their sovereign debt on a timely basis, which has led to defaults and the restructuring of certain indebtedness.

The Trust may also invest in securities or other obligations issued or backed by supranational organizations, which are international organizations that are designated or supported by government entities or banking institutions typically to promote economic reconstruction or development. These obligations are subject to the risk that the government(s) on whose support the organization depends may be unable or unwilling to provide the necessary support. With respect to both sovereign and supranational obligations, the Trust may have little recourse against the foreign

 

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government or supranational organization that issues or backs the obligation in the event of default. These obligations may be denominated in foreign currencies and the prices of these obligations may be more volatile than corporate debt obligations.

Strategic Transactions Risk

The Trust may engage in various portfolio strategies, including derivatives transactions involving interest rate and foreign currency transactions, swaps, options and futures, for hedging and risk management purposes and to enhance total return. The use of Strategic Transactions to enhance total return may be particularly speculative. Strategic Transactions involve risks, including the imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets, the possible default of the other party to the transaction and illiquidity of the derivative instruments. Furthermore, the Trust’s ability to successfully use Strategic Transactions depends on the Adviser’s ability to predict pertinent market movements, which cannot be assured. The use of Strategic Transactions s may result in losses greater than if they had not been used, may require the Trust to sell or purchase portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices other than current market values, may limit the amount of appreciation the Trust can realize on an investment or may cause the Trust to hold a security that it might otherwise sell. Additionally, amounts paid by the Trust as premiums and cash or other assets held in margin accounts with respect to Strategic Transactions are not otherwise available to the Trust for investment purposes.

Synthetic Investments Risk

The Trust may be exposed to certain additional risks to the extent the Adviser uses derivatives as a means to synthetically implement the Trust’s investment strategies. If the Trust enters into a derivative instrument whereby it agrees to receive the return of a security or financial instrument or a basket of securities or financial instruments, it will typically contract to receive such returns for a predetermined period of time. During such period, the Trust may not have the ability to increase or decrease its exposure. In addition, such customized derivative instruments will likely be highly illiquid, and it is possible that the Trust will not be able to terminate such derivative instruments prior to their expiration date or that the penalties associated with such a termination might impact the Trust’s performance in a material adverse manner. Furthermore, certain derivative instruments contain provisions giving the counterparty the right to terminate the contract upon the occurrence of certain events. Such events may include a decline in the value of the reference securities and material violations of the terms of the contract or the portfolio guidelines as well as other events determined by the counterparty. If a termination were to occur, the Trust’s return could be adversely affected as it would lose the benefit of the indirect exposure to the reference securities and it may incur significant termination expenses.

Counterparty Risk

Counterparty risk is the risk that a counterparty to Trust transactions (e.g., prime brokerage or securities lending arrangement or derivatives transaction) will be unable or unwilling to perform its contractual obligation to the Trust. The Trust will be subject to credit risk with respect to the counterparties to the derivative contracts purchased by the Trust. If a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under a derivative contract, the Trust may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery under the derivative contract in bankruptcy or other reorganization proceedings, the risk of which is particularly acute under current conditions.

 

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The Trust may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances. If a counterparty’s credit becomes significantly impaired, multiple requests for collateral posting in a short period of time could increase the risk that the Trust may not receive adequate collateral.

The Trust bears the risk that conterparties may be adversely affected by legislative or regulatory changes, adverse market conditions (such as the current conditions), increased competition, and/or wide scale credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of the counterparties' other trading partners or borrowers.

Securities Lending Risk

The Trust may lend its portfolio securities to banks or dealers which meet the creditworthiness standards established by the Board of Trustees. Securities lending is subject to the risk that loaned securities may not be available to the Trust on a timely basis and the Trust may therefore lose the opportunity to sell the securities at a desirable price. Any loss in the market price of securities loaned by the Trust that occurs during the term of the loan would be borne by the Trust and would adversely affect the Trust’s performance. Also, there may be delays in recovery, or no recovery, of securities loaned or even a loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially while the loan is outstanding.

Investment Funds Risk

As an alternative to holding investments directly, the Trust may also obtain investment exposure to securities in which it may invest directly by investing up to 20% of its Managed Assets in Investment Funds. These investments include open-end funds, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds and business development companies as well as other pooled investment vehicles. Investment Funds may include those advised by the Adviser or its affiliates. Investments in Investment Funds present certain special considerations and risks not present in making direct investments in securities in which the Trust may invest. Investments in Investment Funds subject the Trust to the risks affecting such Investment Funds and involve operating expenses and fees that are in addition to the expenses and fees borne by the Trust. Such expenses and fees attributable to the Trust’s investment in another Investment Fund are borne indirectly by Common Shareholders. Accordingly, investment in such entities involves expenses and fees at both levels. Fees and expenses borne by other Investment Funds in which the Trust invests may be similar to the fees and expenses borne by the Trust and can include asset-based management fees and administrative fees payable to such entities’ advisers and managers, as well as other expenses borne by such entities, thus resulting in fees and expenses at both levels. To the extent management fees of Investment Funds are based on total gross assets, it may create an incentive for such entities’ managers to employ Financial Leverage, thereby adding additional expense and increasing volatility and risk (including the Trust’s overall exposure to financial leverage risk). Fees payable to advisers and managers of Investment Funds may include performance-based incentive fees calculated as a percentage of profits. Such incentive fees directly reduce the return that otherwise would have been earned by investors over the applicable period. A performance-based fee arrangement may create incentives for an adviser or manager to take greater investment risks in the hope of earning a higher profit participation.

Investments in Investment Funds frequently expose the Trust to an additional layer of Financial Leverage. The use of leverage by Investment Funds may cause the Investments Funds’ market price of

 

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common shares and/or NAV to be more volatile and can magnify the effect of any losses. From time to time, the Trust may invest a significant portion of its assets in Investment Funds that employ leverage.

Investments in Investment Funds expose the Trust to additional management risk. The success of the Trust’s investments in Investment Funds will depend in large part on the investment skills and implementation abilities of the advisers or managers of such entities. Decisions made by the advisers or managers of such entities may cause the Trust to incur losses or to miss profit opportunities. While GPIM will seek to evaluate managers of Investment Funds and where possible independently evaluate the underlying assets, a substantial degree of reliance on such entities’ managers is nevertheless present with such investments.

The Trust may invest in Investment Funds in excess of statutory limits imposed by the 1940 Act in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act. These investments would be subject to the applicable conditions of Rule 12d1-4, which in part could affect or otherwise impose certain limits on the investments and operations of the underlying Investment Fund (notably such fund’s ability to invest in other investment companies and private funds, which include certain structured finance vehicles). It is uncertain what effect the conditions of Rule 12d1-4 will have on the Trust’s investment strategies and operations or those of the Investment Funds in which the Trust may invest.

If the Trust invests in Investment Funds, the Trust's realized losses on sales of shares of an underlying Investment Fund may be indefinitely or permanently deferred as "wash sales." Distributions of short-term capital gains by an underlying Investment Fund will be recognized as ordinary income by the Trust and would not be offset by the Trust's capital loss carryforwards, if any. Capital loss carryforwards of an underlying Investment Fund, if any, would not offset net capital gain of the Trust or of another underlying Investment Fund.

Market Discount Risk

Shares of closed-end management investment companies frequently trade at a discount from their net asset value, which is a risk separate and distinct from the risk that the Trust’s net asset value could decrease as a result of its investment activities. Although the value of the Trust’s net assets is generally considered by market participants in determining whether to purchase or sell Common Shares, whether investors will realize gains or losses upon the sale of Common Shares will depend entirely upon whether the market price of Common Shares at the time of sale is above or below the investor’s purchase price for Common Shares.

The Trust’s net asset value will be reduced immediately following an offering of the Common Shares due to the costs of such offering, which will be borne entirely by the Trust. The sale of Common Shares by the Trust (or the perception that such sales may occur) may have an adverse effect on prices of Common Shares in the secondary market. An increase in the number of Common Shares available may put downward pressure on the market price for Common Shares. The Trust may, from time to time, seek the consent of Common Shareholders to permit the issuance and sale by the Trust of Common Shares at a price below the Trust’s then current net asset value, subject to certain conditions, and such sales of Common Shares at price below net asset value, if any, may increase downward pressure on the market price for Common Shares. These sales, if any, also might make it more difficult for the Trust to sell additional Common Shares in the future at a time and price it deems appropriate.

 

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Whether Common Shareholder will realize a gain or loss upon the sale of Common Shares depends upon whether the market value of the Common Shares at the time of sale is above or below the price the Common Shareholder paid, taking into account transaction costs for the Common Shares, and is not directly dependent upon the Trust’s net asset value. Because the market price of Common Shares will be determined by factors such as net asset value, dividend and distribution levels (which are dependent, in part, on expenses), supply of and demand for Common Shares, stability of dividends or distributions, trading volume of Common Shares, general market and economic conditions and other factors beyond the control of the Trust, the Trust cannot predict whether Common Shares will trade at, below or above net asset value or at, below or above the public offering price for the Common Shares. Common Shares of the Trust are designed primarily for long-term investors; investors in Common Shares should not view the Trust as a vehicle for trading purposes.

Dilution Risk

The voting power of current Common Shareholders will be diluted to the extent that current Common Shareholders do not purchase Common Shares in any future offerings of Common Shares or do not purchase sufficient Common Shares to maintain their percentage interest. If the Trust is unable to invest the proceeds of such offering as intended or if investments made with these proceeds perform poorly, the Trust’s per Common Share distribution may decrease, and the Trust may not participate in market advances to the same extent as if such proceeds were fully invested as planned. If the Trust sells Common Shares at a price below NAV pursuant to the consent of Common Shareholders, shareholders will experience a dilution of the aggregate NAV per Common Share because the sale price will be less than the Trust’s then-current NAV per Common Share. Similarly, were the expenses of the offering to exceed the amount by which the sale price exceeded the Trust’s then current NAV per Common Share, shareholders would experience a dilution of the aggregate NAV per Common Share. This dilution will be experienced by all shareholders, irrespective of whether they purchase Common Shares in any such offering.

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies Risk

The Trust may invest in stock, warrants, rights and other securities of SPACs or similar special purpose entities in a private placement transaction or as part of a public offering. As an alternative to obtaining a public listing through a traditional IPO, SPAC investments carry many of the same risks as investments in IPO securities. These may include, but are not limited to, erratic price movements, greater risk of loss, lack of information about the issuer, limited operating and little public or no trading history, and higher transaction costs.

Investments in SPACs also have risks peculiar to the SPAC structure and investment process. Until an acquisition or merger is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets, less a portion retained to cover expenses, in U.S. government securities, money market securities and cash and does not typically pay dividends in respect of its common stock. To the extent a SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities, this may impact the Trust’s ability to meet its investment objective. SPAC investments are also subject to the risk that a significant portion of the funds raised by the SPAC may be expended during the search for a target acquisition or merger. Some SPACs pursue acquisitions and mergers only within certain market sectors or regions, which can increase the volatility of their prices. Conversely, other SPACs may invest without such limitations, in which case management may have limited experience or knowledge of the market sector or region in which the transaction is contemplated. Moreover, interests in SPACs may be illiquid and/or be subject to

 

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restrictions on resale, which may remain for an extended time, and may only be traded in the over-the-counter market. If there is no market for interests in a SPAC, or only a thinly traded market for interests in a SPAC develops, the Trust may not be able to sell its interest in a SPAC, or may be able to sell its interest only at a price below what the Trust believes is the SPAC interest’s value.

Portfolio Turnover Risk

The Trust’s annual portfolio turnover rate may vary greatly from year to year. Portfolio turnover rate is not considered a limiting factor in the execution of investment decisions for the Trust. A higher portfolio turnover rate results in correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transactional expenses that are borne by the Trust. High portfolio turnover may result in an increased realization of net short-term capital gains by the Trust which, when distributed to Common Shareholders, will be taxable as ordinary income. Additionally, in a declining market, portfolio turnover may create realized capital losses.

UK Departure from EU (“Brexit”) Risk

On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom officially withdrew from the European Union (“EU”) which started an 11-month transition period ending on December 31, 2020. The United Kingdom and the EU entered into a bilateral trade agreement on December 30, 2020, governing certain aspects of the EU’s and the United Kingdom’s relationship following the end of the transition period, the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (the “TCA”). The TCA provisionally went into effect on January 1, 2021, and was ratified by the United Kingdom Parliament in December 2020 and by the EU Parliament in April 2021. Brexit has resulted in considerable uncertainty as to the United Kingdom’s post-transition framework, how future negotiations between the United Kingdom and the EU will proceed on economic, trade, foreign policy and social issues and how the financial markets will react in the near future and on an ongoing basis. Brexit has resulted in increased volatility and illiquidity and could result in lower economic growth. It is not possible to anticipate the long-term impact to the economic, legal, political, regulatory and social framework that will result from Brexit. Brexit may have a negative impact on the economy and currency of the United Kingdom and EU as a result of anticipated, perceived or actual changes to the United Kingdom’s economic and political relations with the EU. Brexit may also have a destabilizing impact on the EU to the extent other member states similarly seek to withdraw from the union. Any further exits from member states of the EU, or the possibility of such exits, would likely cause additional market disruption globally and introduce new legal and regulatory uncertainties. Any or all of these challenges may affect the value of the Trust’s investments that are economically tied to the United Kingdom or the EU, and could have an adverse impact on the Trust’s performance.

Redenomination Risk

The result of Brexit, the progression of the European debt crisis and the possibility of one or more Eurozone countries exiting the European Monetary Union (“EMU”), or even the collapse of the euro as a common currency, has in recent years created significant volatility in currency and financial markets generally. The effects of the collapse of the euro, or of the exit of one or more countries from the EMU, on the U.S. and global economies and securities markets are impossible to predict and any such events could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Trust’s portfolio. Any partial or complete dissolution of the EMU could have significant adverse effects on currency and financial markets, and on the values of the Trust’s portfolio investments. If one or more

 

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EMU countries were to stop using the euro as its primary currency, the Trust’s investments in such countries may be redenominated into a different or newly adopted currency. As a result, the value of those investments could decline significantly and unpredictably. In addition, securities or other investments that are redenominated may be subject to foreign currency risk, liquidity risk and valuation risk to a greater extent than similar investments currently denominated in euros. To the extent a currency used for redenomination purposes is not specified in respect of certain EMU-related investments, or should the euro cease to be used entirely, the currency in which such investments are denominated may be unclear, making such investments particularly difficult to value or dispose of. The Trust may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek judicial or other clarification of the denomination or value of such securities.

LIBOR Replacement Risk

The terms of many investments, financings or other transactions in the U.S. and globally have been historically tied to interbank reference rates (referred to collectively as the “London Interbank Offered Rate” or “LIBOR”), which function as a reference rate or benchmark for such investments, financings or other transactions. LIBOR may be a significant factor in determining payment obligations under derivatives transactions, the cost of financing of Trust investments or the value or return on certain other Trust investments. As a result, LIBOR may be relevant to, and directly affect, the Trust’s performance, price volatility, liquidity and value, as well as the price volatility, liquidity and value of the assets that the Trust holds.

On July 27, 2017, the Chief Executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), the United Kingdom’s financial regulatory body and regulator of LIBOR, announced that after 2021 it will cease its active encouragement of banks to provide the quotations needed to sustain LIBOR due to the absence of an active market for interbank unsecured lending and other reasons. However subsequent announcements by the FCA, the LIBOR administrator and other regulators indicate that it is possible that the most widely used tenors of US dollar LIBORs may continue until mid-2023. It is anticipated that LIBOR ultimately will be officially discontinued or the regulator will announce that it is no longer sufficiently robust to be representative of its underlying market around that time. In connection with supervisory guidance from regulators, regulated entities have ceased entering into certain new LIBOR contracts after January 1, 2022. Various financial industry groups have begun planning for that transition and certain regulators and industry groups have taken actions to establish alternative reference rates (e.g., the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”), which measures the cost of overnight borrowings through repurchase agreement transactions collateralized with U.S. Treasury securities and is intended to replace U.S. dollar LIBORs with certain adjustments). There is no assurance that the composition or characteristics of any such alternative reference rate will be similar to or produce the same value or economic equivalence as LIBOR or that it will have the same volume or liquidity as did LIBOR prior to its discontinuance or unavailability, which may affect the value or liquidity or return on certain of the Trust’s investments and result in costs incurred in connection with closing out positions and entering into new trades. However, there are challenges to converting certain contracts and transactions to a new benchmark and neither the full effects of the transition process nor its ultimate outcome is known.

The transition process might lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets for instruments with terms tied to LIBOR. It could also lead to a reduction in the interest rates on, and the value of,

 

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some LIBOR-based investments and reduce the effectiveness of hedges mitigating risk in connection with LIBOR-based investments. Although some LIBOR-based instruments may contemplate a scenario where LIBOR is no longer available by providing for an alternative rate-setting methodology and/or increased costs for certain LIBOR-related instruments or financing transactions, others may not have such provisions and there may be significant uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of any such alternative methodologies. Instruments that include robust fallback provisions to facilitate the transition from LIBOR to an alternative reference rate may also include adjustments that do not adequately compensate the holder for the different characteristics of the alternative reference rate. The result may be that the fallback provision results in a value transfer from one party to the instrument to the counterparty. Additionally, because such provisions may differ across instruments (e.g., hedges versus cash positions hedged or investments in structured finance products transitioning to a different rate or at a different time as the assets underlying those structured finance products), LIBOR’s cessation may give rise to basis risk and render hedges less effective. As the usefulness of LIBOR as a benchmark could deteriorate during the transition period, these effects and related adverse conditions could occur prior to the anticipated cessation of the remaining US dollar LIBOR tenors in mid-2023. There also remains uncertainty and risk regarding the willingness and ability of issuers to include enhanced provisions in new and existing contracts or instruments, notwithstanding significant efforts by the industry to develop robust LIBOR replacement clauses. The effect of any changes to, or discontinuation of, LIBOR on the Trust will vary depending, among other things, on (1) existing fallback or termination provisions in individual contracts and the possible renegotiation of existing contracts and (2) whether, how, and when industry participants develop and adopt new reference rates and fallbacks for both legacy and new products and instruments. Trust investments may also be tied to other interbank offered rates and currencies, which also will face similar issues. In many cases, in the event that an instrument falls back to an alternative reference rate, including the SOFR or any reference rate based on SOFR, the alternative reference rate will not perform the same as would have and may not include adjustments to such alternative reference rate that are reflective of current economic circumstances or differences between such alternative reference rate and LIBOR. SOFR is based on a secured lending markets in U.S. government securities and does not reflect credit risk in the inter-bank lending market in the way that LIBOR did. The alternative reference rates are generally secured by U.S. treasury securities and will reflect the performance of the market for U.S. treasury securities and not the inter-bank lending markets. In the event of a credit crisis, floating rate instruments using alternative reference rates could therefore perform differently than those instruments using a rate indexed to the inter¬bank lending market.

Certain classes of instruments invested in by the Trust may be more sensitive to LIBOR cessation than others. For example, certain asset classes such as floating rate notes may not contemplate a LIBOR cessation and/or might freeze a last-published or last-used LIBOR rate for all future payment dates upon a discontinuation of LIBOR (although such investments may be impacted by relevant state or federal LIBOR replacement legislation). Also, for example, syndicated and other business loans tied to LIBOR may not provide a clear roadmap for LIBOR’s replacement, leaving any future adjustments to the determination of a quantum of lenders. Securitizations and other asset-backed transactions may experience disruption as a result of inconsistencies between when collateral assets shift from LIBOR and what rate those assets replace LIBOR with, on the one hand, and when the securitization notes shift from LIBOR and what rate the securitization notes replace LIBOR with.

 

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Various pieces of legislation, including pending legislation in various states such as Florida and Georgia and the federal law enacted in March 2022 in the U.S. Congress and laws enacted by the states of New York and Alabama, may affect the transition of LIBOR-based instruments as well by permitting trustees and calculation agents to transition instruments with no LIBOR transition language to an alternative reference rate selected by such agents. Such pieces of legislation also include safe harbors from liability, which may limit the recourse the Trust may have if the alternative reference rate does not fully compensate the Trust for the transition of an instrument from LIBOR. It is uncertain what impact any such legislation may have or that any such legislation will be effective with respect to any particular instrument.

These developments could negatively impact financial markets in general and present heightened risks, including with respect to the Trust’s investments. As a result of this uncertainty and developments relating to the transition process, the Trust and its investments may be adversely affected.

Recent Market Developments Risk

Periods of market volatility remain, and may continue to occur in the future, in response to various political, social, geopolitical, economic and public health events both within and outside of the United States. These conditions have resulted in, and in many cases continue to result in, greater price volatility, less liquidity, widening credit spreads and a lack of price transparency, with certain securities remaining illiquid and of uncertain value. Such market conditions may adversely affect the Trust, including by making valuation of some of the Trust’s securities uncertain and/or result in sudden and significant valuation increases or declines in the Trust’s holdings. If there is a significant decline in the value of the Trust’s portfolio, this may impact the asset coverage levels for the Trust’s outstanding leverage.

Risks resulting from any future debt or other economic or public health situation could also have a detrimental impact on the global economic recovery, the financial condition of financial institutions, operations of businesses and the Trust’s business, financial condition and results of operation. Market and economic disruptions have affected, and may in the future affect, consumer confidence levels and spending, personal bankruptcy rates, levels of incurrence and default on consumer and other debt and home prices, among other factors. To the extent uncertainty regarding the U.S. or global economy negatively impacts consumer confidence and consumer credit factors, the Trust’s business, financial condition and results of operations could be significantly and adversely affected. Downgrades to the credit ratings of major banks could result in increased borrowing costs for such banks and negatively affect the broader economy. Moreover, Federal Reserve policy, including with respect to certain interest rates, may also adversely affect the value, volatility and liquidity of various investments, notably dividend- and interest-paying securities. Market volatility, rising interest rates and/or unfavorable economic conditions could impair the Trust’s ability to achieve its investment objective.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the recovery response has caused and continues to cause at times reduced consumer demand and economic output, supply chain disruptions, and market closures, travel restrictions, quarantines, and disparate global vaccine distributions. As with other serious economic disruptions, governmental authorities and regulators have responded in recent years to this situation with significant fiscal and monetary policy changes. These included providing direct

 

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capital infusions into companies, introducing new monetary programs, and lowering interest rates. In some cases, these responses resulted in high inflation, low interest rates, and negative interest rates (which have since risen). Recently, the United States and other governments have also made investments and engaged in infrastructure modernization projects that have also increased public debt and spending. These actions, including their reversal or potential ineffectiveness, could further increase volatility in securities and other financial markets, reduce market liquidity, continue to cause higher inflation, heighten investor uncertainty, and adversely affect the value of the Trust’s investments and the performance of the Trust. These actions also contribute to a risk that asset prices have a high degree of correlation across markets and asset classes. The duration and extent of COVID-19 over the long term cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. The ultimate impact of COVID-19 and the extent to which COVID-19 impacts the Trust will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and difficult to predict.

The value of, or income generated by, the investments held by the Trust are subject to the possibility of rapid and unpredictable fluctuation, and loss. These movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, or from broader influences, including real or perceived changes in prevailing interest rates, changes in inflation rates or expectations about inflation rates (which are currently elevated relative to normal conditions), adverse investor confidence or sentiment, changing economic, political (including geopolitical), social or financial market conditions, increased instability or general uncertainty, environmental disasters, governmental actions, public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics and epidemics), debt crises, actual or threatened wars or other armed conflicts (such as the current Russia-Ukraine conflict and its risk of expansion or collateral economic and other effects) or ratings downgrades, and other similar events, each of which may be temporary or last for extended periods. Moreover, changing economic, political, geopolitical, social, financial market or other conditions in one country or geographic region could adversely affect the value, yield and return of the investments held by the Trust in a different country or geographic region and economies, markets and issuers generally because of the increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets.

Increasing Government and other Public Debt Risk

Government and other public debt, including municipal obligations in which the Trust may invest, can be adversely affected by large and sudden changes in local and global economic conditions that result in increased debt levels. Although high levels of government and other public debt do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, high levels of debt may create certain systemic risks if sound debt management practices are not implemented. A high debt level may increase market pressures to meet an issuer’s funding needs, which may increase borrowing costs and cause a government or public or municipal entity to issue additional debt, thereby increasing the risk of refinancing. A high debt level also raises concerns that the issuer may be unable or unwilling to repay the principal or interest on its debt, which may adversely impact instruments held by the Trust that rely on such payments. Extraordinary governmental and quasigovernmental responses to the current economic, market, labor and public health conditions are significantly increasing government and other public debt, which heighten these risks and the long-term consequences of these actions are not known. Unsustainable debt levels can decline the valuation of currencies and can prevent a government from implementing effective counter cyclical fiscal policy during economic downturns or can lead to increases in inflation or generate or contribute to an economic downturn.

 

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Legislation and Regulation Risk

At any time after the date hereof, U.S. and non-U.S. governmental agencies and other regulators may implement additional regulations and legislators may pass new laws that affect the investments held by the Trust, the strategies used by the Trust or the level of regulation or taxation applying to the Trust (such as regulations related to investments in derivatives and other transactions). These regulations and laws may impact the investment strategies, performance, costs and operations of the Trust, as well as the way investments in, and shareholders of, the Trust are taxed.

Risk of Failure to Qualify as a RIC

To qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally accorded to regulated investment companies (“RICs”), the Trust must, among other things, derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from certain prescribed sources, meet certain asset diversification tests and distribute for each taxable year at least 90% of its “investment company taxable income” (generally, ordinary income plus the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gain over net long term capital loss). If for any taxable year the Trust does not qualify as a RIC, all of its taxable income for that year (including its net capital gain) would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and such distributions would be taxable as ordinary dividends to the extent of the Trust’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.

Conflicts of Interest Risk

Guggenheim Partners, LLC (“Guggenheim Partners”) is a global asset management and investment advisory organization. Guggenheim Partners and its affiliates advise clients in various markets and transactions and purchase, sell, hold and recommend a broad array of investments for their own accounts and the accounts of clients and of their personnel and the relationships and products they sponsor, manage and advise. Accordingly, Guggenheim Partners and its affiliates may have direct and indirect interests in a variety of global markets and the securities of issuers in which the Trust may directly or indirectly invest. These interests may cause the Trust to be subject to regulatory limits, and in certain circumstances, these various activities may prevent the Trust from participating in an investment decision.

An investment in the Trust is subject to a number of actual or potential conflicts of interest. For example, the Adviser and its affiliates are engaged in a variety of business activities that are unrelated to managing the Trust, which may give rise to actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest in connection with making investment decisions for the Trust. As a result, activities and dealings of Guggenheim Partners and its affiliates may affect the Trust in ways that may disadvantage or restrict the Trust or be deemed to benefit Guggenheim Partners and its affiliates. From time to time, conflicts of interest may arise between a portfolio manager’s management of the investments of the Trust on the one hand and the management of other registered investment companies, pooled investment vehicles and other accounts (collectively, “other accounts”) on the other. The other accounts might have similar investment objectives or strategies as the Trust or otherwise hold, purchase, or sell securities that are eligible to be held, purchased or sold by the Trust. In certain circumstances, and subject to its fiduciary obligations under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Adviser or GPIM may have to allocate a limited investment opportunity among its clients. The other accounts might also have different investment objectives or strategies than the Trust. In addition, the Trust may be limited in its ability to invest in, or hold securities of, any companies that the Adviser or its affiliates (or other accounts

 

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managed by the Adviser or its affiliates) control, or companies in which the Adviser or its affiliates have interests or with whom they do business. For example, affiliates of the Adviser may act as underwriter, lead agent or administrative agent for loans or otherwise participate in the market for loans. Because of limitations imposed by applicable law, the presence of the Adviser’s affiliates in the markets for loans may restrict the Trust’s ability to acquire some loans or affect the timing or price of such acquisitions. To address these conflicts, the Trust and Guggenheim Partners and its affiliates have established various policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to detect and prevent such conflicts and prevent the Trust from being disadvantaged. There can be no guarantee that these policies and procedures will be successful in every instance.

Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk

The Trust does not know and cannot predict how long the securities markets may be affected by geopolitical events and the effects of these and similar events in the future on the U.S. economy and securities markets. The Trust may be adversely affected by abrogation of international agreements and national laws which have created the market instruments in which the Trust may invest, failure of the designated national and international authorities to enforce compliance with the same laws and agreements, failure of local, national and international organization to carry out their duties prescribed to them under the relevant agreements, revisions of these laws and agreements which dilute their effectiveness or conflicting interpretation of provisions of the same laws and agreements. The Trust may be adversely affected by uncertainties such as terrorism, international political developments, and changes in government policies, taxation, restrictions on foreign investment and currency repatriation, currency fluctuations and other developments in the laws and regulations of the countries in which it is invested and the risks associated with financial, economic, geopolitical, public health, labor and other global market developments and disruptions, such as the current Russia-Ukraine conflict and its risk of expansion or collateral economic and other effects.

Cyber Security, Market Disruptions and Operational Risk

Like other funds and other parts of the modern economy, the Trust and its service providers, as well as exchanges and market participants through or with which the Trust trades and exchanges on which shares trade and other infrastructures, services and parties on which the Trust, the Adviser, the Sub-Advisers or the Trust’s other service providers rely, are susceptible to ongoing risks related to cyber incidents and the risks associated with financial, economic, public health, labor and other global market developments and disruptions, including those arising out of geopolitical events, public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics and epidemics), natural/environmental disasters, war, terrorism and governmental or quasi-governmental actions. Cyber incidents can result from unintentional events (such as an inadvertent release of confidential information) or deliberate attacks by insiders or third parties, including cyber criminals, competitors, nation-states and “hacktivists,” and can be perpetrated by a variety of complex means, including the use of stolen access credentials, malware or other computer viruses, ransomware, phishing, structured query language injection attacks, and distributed denial of service attacks, among other means. Cyber incidents and market disruptions may result in actual or potential adverse consequences for critical information and communications technology, systems and networks that are vital to the operations of the Trust or its service providers, or otherwise impair Trust or service provider operations. For example, a cyber incident may cause operational disruptions and failures impacting information systems or information that a system processes, stores, or transmits, such as

 

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by theft, damage or destruction, or corruption or modification of and denial of access to data maintained online or digitally, denial of service on websites rendering the websites unavailable to intended users or not accessible for such users in a timely manner, and the unauthorized release or other exploitation of confidential information.

A cyber incident or sudden market disruption could adversely impact the Trust, its service providers or its shareholders by, among other things, interfering with the processing of transactions or other operational functionality, impacting the Trust’s ability to calculate its NAV or other data, causing the release of private shareholder information (i.e., identity theft or other privacy breaches) or confidential Trust information or otherwise compromising the security and reliability of information, impeding trading, causing reputational damage, and subjecting the Trust to regulatory fines, penalties or financial losses, reimbursement or other compensation or remediation costs, litigation expenses and additional compliance and cyber security risk management costs, which may be substantial. The same could affect the exchange through which Trust shares trade. A cyber incident could also adversely affect the ability of the Trust (and its Adviser) to invest or manage the Trust’s assets.

Cyber incidents and developments and disruptions to financial, economic, public health, labor and other global market conditions can obstruct the regular functioning of business workforces (including requiring employees to work from external locations or from their homes), cause business slowdowns or temporary suspensions of business activities, each of which can negatively impact Trust service providers and Trust operations. Although the Trust and its service providers, as well as exchanges and market participants through or with which the Trust trades and other infrastructures on which the Trust or its service providers rely, may have established business continuity plans and systems reasonably designed to protect from and/or defend against the risks or adverse consequences associated with cyber incidents and market disruptions, there are inherent limitations in these plans and systems, including that certain risks may not yet be identified, in large part because different or unknown threats may emerge in the future and the threats continue to rapidly evolve and increase in sophistication. As a result, it is not possible to anticipate and prevent every cyber incident and possible obstruction to the normal activities of these entities’ employees resulting from market disruptions and attempts to mitigate the occurrence or impact of such events may be unsuccessful. For example, public health emergencies and governmental responses to such emergencies, including through quarantine measures and travel restrictions, can create difficulties in carrying out the normal working processes of these entities’ employees, disrupt their operations and hamper their capabilities. The nature, extent, and potential magnitude of the adverse consequences of these events cannot be predicted accurately but may result in significant risks, adverse consequences and costs to the Trust and its shareholders.

The issuers of securities in which the Trust invests are also subject to the ongoing risks and threats associated with cyber incidents and market disruptions. These incidents could result in adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause the Trust’s investment in such securities to lose value. For example, a cyber incident involving an issuer may include the theft, destruction or misappropriation of financial assets, intellectual property or other sensitive information belonging to the issuer or their customers (i.e., identity theft or other privacy breaches) and a market disruption involving an issuer may include materially reduced consumer demand and output, disrupted supply chains, market closures, travel restrictions and quarantines. As a result, the issuer may experience the types of adverse consequences summarized above, among others (such as loss

 

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of revenue), despite having implemented preventative and other measures reasonably designed to protect from and/or defend against the risks or adverse effects associated with cyber incidents and market disruptions.

The Trust and its service providers, as well as exchanges and market participants through or with which the Trust trades and other infrastructures on which the Trust or its service providers rely, are also subject to the risks associated with technological and operational disruptions or failures arising from, for example, processing errors and human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, errors in algorithms used with respect to the Trust, changes in personnel, and errors caused by third parties or trading counterparties. Although the Trust attempts to minimize such failures through controls and oversight, it is not possible to identify all of the operational risks that may affect the Trust or to develop processes and controls that completely eliminate or mitigate the occurrence of such failures or other disruptions in service.

Cyber incidents, market disruptions and operational errors or failures or other technological issues may adversely affect the Trust’s ability to calculate its NAV correctly, in a timely manner or process trades, including over a potentially extended period. The Trust does not control the cyber security, disaster recovery, or other operational defense plans or systems of its service providers, intermediaries, exchanges where its shares trades, companies in which it invests or other third-parties. The value of an investment in Trust shares may be adversely affected by the occurrence of the cyber incidents, market disruptions and operational errors or failures or technological issues summarized above or other similar events and the Trust and its shareholders may bear costs tied to these risks.

The Trust and its service providers are still impacted by rolling quarantines and similar measures being enacted by governments in response to COVID-19, which are obstructing the regular functioning of business workforces (including requiring employees to work from external locations and their homes). These and associated restrictive measures may continue to affect economic activity, the unemployment rate and inflation. The impact of such measures on the Trust is unknown. Accordingly, the risks described above are heightened under current conditions.

Technology Risk

As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent, the Trust and its service providers and markets generally have become more susceptible to potential operational risks related to intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Trust or a service provider to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. There can be no guarantee that any risk management systems established by the Trust, its service providers, or issuers of the securities in which the Trust invests to reduce technology and cyber security risks will succeed, and the Trust cannot control such systems put in place by service providers, issuers or other third parties whose operations may affect the Trust.

In addition, investors should note that the Trust reserves the right to merge or reorganize with another fund, liquidate or convert into an open-end fund, in each case subject to applicable approvals by shareholders and the Trust’s Board of Trustees as required by law and the Trust’s governing documents.

 

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ANTI-TAKEOVER PROVISIONS

The Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and the Trust’s Bylaws include provisions that could limit the ability of other in the Trust’s entities or persons to acquire control of the Trust or convert the Trust to an open-end fund. These provisions could have the effect of depriving the Common Shareholders of opportunities to sell their Common Shares at a premium over the then-current market price of the Common Shares.

EFFECTS OF LEVERAGE

Assuming that the Trust’s total Financial Leverage represented approximately 29.5% of the Trust’s Managed Assets (based on the Trust’s outstanding Financial Leverage of $167,775,690) and interest costs to the Trust at a combined average annual rate of 0.60% (based on the Trust’s average annual leverage costs for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2022) with respect to such Financial Leverage, then the incremental income generated by the Trust’s portfolio (net of estimated expenses including expenses related to the Financial Leverage) must exceed approximately 0.18% to cover such interest specifically related to the debt. These numbers are merely estimates used for illustration. Actual interest rates may vary frequently and may be significantly higher or lower than the rate estimated above.

The following table is furnished pursuant to requirements of the SEC. It is designed to illustrate the effect of leverage on Common Share total return, assuming investment portfolio total returns (comprised of income, net expenses and changes in the value of investments held in the Trust’s portfolio) of -10%, -5%, 0%, 5% and 10%. These assumed investment portfolio returns are hypothetical figures and are not necessarily indicative of what the Trust’s investment portfolio returns will be. The table further reflects the issuance of Financial Leverage representing approximately 29.5% of the Trust’s Managed Assets. The table does not reflect any offering costs of Common Shares or Borrowings.

Assumed portfolio total return (net of expenses) (10.00%) (5.00%) 0.00% 5.00% 10.00%
Common Share total return (14.43%) (7.34%) (0.25%) 6.84% 13.93%

 

Common Share total return is composed of two elements—the Common Share dividends paid by the Trust (the amount of which is largely determined by the Trust’s net investment income after paying the carrying cost of Financial Leverage) and realized and unrealized gains or losses on the value of the securities the Trust owns. As required by Securities and Exchange Commission rules, the table assumes that the Trust is more likely to suffer capital loss than to enjoy capital appreciation. For example, to assume a total return of 0%, the Trust must assume that the net investment income it receives on its investments is entirely offset by losses on the value of those investments. This table reflects the hypothetical performance of the Trust’s portfolio and not the performance of the Trust’s Common Shares, the value of which will be determined by market and other factors.

During the time in which the Trust is utilizing Financial Leverage, the amount of the fees paid to the Adviser and each Sub-Adviser for investment advisory services will be higher than if the Trust did not utilize Financial Leverage because the fees paid will be calculated based on the Trust’s Managed Assets which may create a conflict of interest between the Adviser and the Sub-Advisers and the Common Shareholders. Because the Financial Leverage costs will be borne by the Trust at a specified rate, only the Trust’s Common Shareholders will bear the cost of the Trust’s fees and expenses. The

 

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Trust generally will not use Financial Leverage if the Adviser and the Sub-Advisers anticipate that such use would result in a lower return to Common Shareholders for any significant amount of time.

INTEREST RATE TRANSACTIONS

In connection with the Trust’s duration management strategy and anticipated use of Financial Leverage, the Trust may enter into interest rate swap or cap transactions. Interest rate swaps involve the Trust’s agreement with the swap counterparty to pay or receive a fixed-rate payment in exchange for a variable-rate payment. An interest rate cap transaction would require the Trust to pay a premium to the cap counterparty and would entitle it, to the extent that a specified variable-rate index exceeds a predetermined fixed rate, to receive payment from the counterparty of the difference based on the notional amount.

In connection with the Trust’s duration management strategy, the Trust may use interest rate swaps to reduce the overall duration of the portfolio. In connection with the Trust’s anticipated leverage, the Trust may use interest rate swaps or caps to reduce or eliminate the risk that an increase in short-term interest rates could have on Common Share net earnings as a result of Financial Leverage. For example, the Trust may agree to pay to the swap counterparty a fixed-rate payment in exchange for the counterparty’s paying the Trust a variable-rate payment that is intended to approximate all or a portion of the Trust’s variable-rate payment obligation on the Trust’s Financial Leverage.

The Trust will usually enter into swaps or caps on a net basis; that is, the two payment streams will be netted out in a cash settlement on the payment date or dates specified in the instrument, with the Trust’s receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. The Trust currently intends to earmark or segregate cash or liquid securities having a value at least equal to the Trust’s net payment obligations under any swap transaction, marked-to-market daily. The Trust will treat such amounts as illiquid.

In October 2020, the SEC adopted a final rule related to the use of derivatives, reverse repurchase agreements and certain other transactions by registered investment companies that will rescind and withdraw the guidance of the SEC and its staff regarding asset segregation and cover transactions reflected in the Trust’s asset segregation and cover practices discussed herein. The scheduled compliance date for the rule is August 19, 2022.

The use of interest rate swaps and caps is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions. Depending on the state of interest rates in general, the Trust’s use of interest rate instruments could enhance or harm the overall performance of the Common Shares.

Interest rate swaps and caps do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to interest rate swaps is limited to the net amount of interest payments that the Trust is contractually obligated to make. The Trust will be subject to credit risk with respect to the counterparties to interest rate transactions entered into by the Trust. If a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under a derivative contract, the Trust may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery under the derivative contract in bankruptcy or other reorganization proceedings. The Trust may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances. Depending on whether the Trust would be

 

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entitled to receive net payments from the counterparty on the swap or cap, which in turn would depend on the general state of short-term interest rates at that point in time, such default by a counterparty could negatively impact the performance of the Common Shares.

Although this will not guarantee that the counterparty does not default, the Trust will not enter into an interest rate swap or cap transaction with any counterparty that the Adviser believes does not have the financial resources to honor its obligation under the interest rate swap or cap transaction. Further, the Adviser will regularly monitor the financial stability of a counterparty to an interest rate swap or cap transaction in an effort to proactively protect the Trust’s investments.

At the time the interest rate swap or cap transaction reaches its scheduled termination date, there is a risk that the Trust will not be able to obtain a replacement transaction or that the terms of the replacement will not be as favorable as on the expiring transaction. If this occurs, it could have a negative impact on the performance of the Common Shares. The Trust may choose or be required to prepay Indebtedness. Such a prepayment would likely result in the Trust’s seeking to terminate early all or a portion of any swap or cap transaction entered into in connection with the Trust’s use of Financial Leverage. Such early termination of a swap could result in a termination payment by or to the Trust. An early termination of a cap could result in a termination payment to the Trust. There may also be penalties associated with early termination.

FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

The Trust operates under the following restrictions that constitute fundamental policies that, except as otherwise noted, cannot be changed without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust voting together as a single class, which is defined by the 1940 Act as the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the Trust’s voting securities present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the Trust’s outstanding voting securities are present or represented by proxy; or (ii) more than 50% of the Trust’s outstanding voting securities. Except as otherwise noted, all percentage limitations set forth below apply immediately after a purchase or initial investment and any subsequent change in any applicable percentage resulting from market fluctuations does not require any action. These restrictions provide that the Trust shall not:

1. Issue senior securities nor borrow money, except the Trust may issue senior securities or borrow money to the extent permitted by applicable law.

2. Act as underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Trust may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act, in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.

3. Invest in any security if, as a result, 25% or more of the value of the Trust’s total assets, taken at market value at the time of each investment, are in the securities of issuers in any particular industry or group of related industries, except that this policy shall not apply to (i) securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities or (ii) securities issued by state and municipal governments or their political subdivisions (other than those municipal securities backed only by the assets and revenues of non-governmental users with respect to which the Trust will not invest 25% or more of the value of the Trust’s total assets in securities backed by the same source of revenue).

 

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4. Purchase or sell real estate except that the Trust may: (a) acquire or lease office space for its own use, (b) invest in securities of issuers that invest in real estate or interests therein or that are engaged in or operate in the real estate industry, (c) invest in securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein, (d) purchase and sell mortgage-related securities, (e) hold and sell real estate acquired by the Trust as a result of the ownership of securities and (f) as otherwise permitted by applicable law.

5. Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit the Trust from purchasing or selling options, futures contracts and related options thereon, forward contracts, swaps, caps, floors, collars and any other financial instruments or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities or as otherwise permitted by applicable law.

6. Make loans of money or property to any person, except (a) to the extent that securities or interests in which the Trust may invest are considered to be loans, (b) through the loan of portfolio securities in an amount up to 331/3% of the Trust’s total assets, (c) by engaging in repurchase agreements or (d) as may otherwise be permitted by applicable law.

7. With respect to 75% of the value of the Trust’s total assets, purchase any securities (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities), if as a result more than 5% of the Trust’s total assets would then be invested in securities of a single issuer or if as a result the Trust would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any single issuer.

In addition to the foregoing fundamental investment policies, the Trust is also subject to the following non-fundamental restrictions and policies, which may be changed by the board of trustees (the “Board”):

(a) In addition to the issuer diversification limits set forth in investment restriction (7) above, under normal market conditions, the Trust will not purchase any securities (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities), if as a result more than 15% of the Trust’s total assets would then be invested in securities of a single issuer; provided, however, that such limitation shall not apply during the period prior to the full investment of the proceeds of any offering completed by the Trust.

For purposes of applying the limitation set forth in subparagraph (3) above to securities that have a security interest or other collateral claim on specified underlying collateral (including asset-backed securities and collateralized debt and loan obligations) the Trust will determine the industry classifications of such investments based on the GPIM’s evaluation of the risks associated with the collateral underlying such investments.

For the purpose of applying the limitation set forth in subparagraphs (7) and (a) above, a governmental issuer shall be deemed the single issuer of a security when its assets and revenues are separate from other governmental entities and its securities are backed only by its assets and revenues. Similarly, in the case of a nongovernmental issuer, if the security is backed only by the assets and revenues of the non-governmental issuer, then such non-governmental issuer would be deemed to be the single issuer. Where a security is also backed by the enforceable obligation of a

 

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superior or unrelated governmental or other entity (other than a bond insurer), it shall also be included in the computation of securities owned that are issued by such governmental or other entity. Where a security is guaranteed by a governmental entity or some other facility, such as a bank guarantee or letter of credit, such a guarantee or letter of credit would be considered a separate security and would be treated as an issue of such government, other entity or bank. When a municipal security is insured by bond insurance, it shall not be considered a security that is issued or guaranteed by the insurer; instead, the issuer of such municipal security will be determined in accordance with the principles set forth above. The foregoing restrictions do not limit the percentage of the Trust’s assets that may be invested in municipal securities insured by any given insurer.

 

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TRUST INFORMATION May 31, 2022

 

Board of Trustees Investment Adviser
Randall C. Barnes
Angela Brock-Kyle
Amy J. Lee*
Thomas F. Lydon, Jr.
Ronald A. Nyberg
Sandra G. Sponem
Ronald E. Toupin, Jr.,
Chairman

* Trustee is an “interested person” (as defined
in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act)
(“Interested Trustee”) of the Trust because of
her affiliation with Guggenheim Investments.

Principal Executive Officers

Brian E. Binder
President and Chief Executive Officer

Joanna M. Catalucci
Chief Compliance Officer

Amy J. Lee
Vice President and Chief Legal Officer

Mark E. Mathiasen
Secretary

John L. Sullivan
Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting
Officer and Treasurer
Guggenheim Funds Investment
Advisors, LLC
Chicago, IL

Investment Sub-Advisers
Guggenheim Partners Investment
Management, LLC
Santa Monica, CA

Guggenheim Partners Advisors, LLC
Santa Monica, CA

Administrator and Accounting Agent
MUFG Investor Services (US), LLC
Rockville, MD

Custodian
The Bank of New York Mellon Corp.
New York, NY

Legal Counsel
Dechert LLP
Washington, D.C.

Independent Registered Public Accounting
Firm
Ernst & Young LLP
Tysons, VA


 

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TRUST INFORMATION continued May 31, 2022

 

Privacy Principles of Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust for Shareholders

The Trust is committed to maintaining the privacy of its shareholders and to safeguarding its non-public personal information. The following information is provided to help you understand what personal information the Trust collects, how we protect that information and why, in certain cases, we may share information with select other parties.

Generally, the Trust does not receive any non-public personal information relating to its shareholders, although certain non-public personal information of its shareholders may become available to the Trust. The Trust does not disclose any non-public personal information about its shareholders or former shareholders to anyone except as permitted by law or as is necessary in order to service shareholder accounts (for example, to a transfer agent or third party administrator).

The Trust restricts access to non-public personal information about the shareholders to Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC employees with a legitimate business need for the information. The Trust maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards designed to protect the non-public personal information of its shareholders.

Questions concerning your shares of Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust?

If your shares are held in a Brokerage Account, contact your Broker.
If you have physical possession of your shares in certificate form, contact the Trust’s Transfer Agent: Computershare Trust Company, N.A., P.O. Box 30170 College Station, TX 77842-3170; (866) 488-3559 or online at www.computershare.com/investor

This report is provided to shareholders of Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust for their information. It is not a Prospectus, circular or representation intended for use in the purchase or sale of shares of the Trust or of any securities mentioned in this report.

Paper copies of the Trust’s annual and semi-annual shareholder reports are not sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports are made available on a website, and you are notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website address to access the report.

You may elect to receive paper copies of all future shareholder reports free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you may receive paper copies of your shareholder reports; if you invest directly with the Trust, you may call Computershare at 1-866-488-3559. Your election to receive reports in paper form may apply to all funds held in your account with your financial intermediary or, if you invest directly, to all Guggenheim closed-end funds you hold.

The Trust’s Statement of Additional Information includes additional information about directors of the Trust and is available, without charge, upon request, by calling the Trust at (888) 991-0091.

A description of the Trust’s proxy voting policies and procedures related to portfolio securities is available without charge, upon request, by calling the Trust at (888) 991-0091 and on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

Information regarding how the Trust voted proxies for portfolio securities, if applicable, during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30, is also available, without charge and upon request by calling (888) 991-0091, by visiting the Trust’s website at guggenheiminvestments.com/gbab or by accessing the Trust’s Form N-PX on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) website at www.sec.gov.

The Trust files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT, and for reporting periods ended prior to August 31, 2019, on Form N-Q. The Trust’s Forms N-PORT and N-Q are available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov or at guggenheiminvestments.com/gbab.

Notice to Shareholders

Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 23(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, that the Trust from time to time may purchase shares of its common stock in the open market or in private transactions.

 

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ABOUT THE TRUST MANAGERS

 

GUGGENHEIM FUNDS INVESTMENT ADVISORS, LLC

Guggenheim Investments represents the investment management businesses of Guggenheim Partners, LLC (“Guggenheim”), which includes Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC (“GFIA”) the investment adviser to the referenced fund. Collectively Guggenheim Investments has a long, distinguished history of serving institutional investors, ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices and financial intermediaries. Guggenheim Investments offers clients a wide range of differentiated capabilities built on a proven commitment to investment excellence.

Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC

Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC (“GPIM”) is an indirect subsidiary of Guggenheim Partners, LLC, a diversified financial services firm. The firm provides capital markets services, portfolio and risk management expertise, wealth management, and investment advisory services. Clients of Guggenheim Partners, LLC subsidiaries are an elite mix of individuals, family offices, endowments, foundations, insurance companies and other institutions.

Investment Philosophy

GPIM’s investment philosophy is predicated upon the belief that thorough research and independent thought are rewarded with performance that has the potential to outperform benchmark indices with both lower volatility and lower correlation of returns over time as compared to such benchmark indices.

Investment Process

GPIM’s investment process is a collaborative effort between various groups including the Portfolio Construction Group, which utilize proprietary portfolio construction and risk modeling tools to determine allocation of assets among a variety of sectors, and its Sector Specialists, who are responsible for security selection within these sectors and for implementing securities transactions, including the structuring of certain securities directly with the issuers or with investment banks and dealers involved in the origination of such securities.

Guggenheim Partners Advisors, LLC

The Investment Adviser engaged Guggenheim Partners Advisors, LLC to provide investment sub-advisory services to the Trust, effective April 29, 2022. Guggenheim Partners Advisors, LLC assists the Investment Adviser in the supervision and direction of the investment strategy of the Trust in accordance with the Trust’s investment objectives, policies, and restrictions. The Investment Adviser, and not the Trust, compensates Guggenheim Partners Advisors, LLC for these services.

Guggenheim Funds Distributors, LLC

227 West Monroe Street

Chicago, IL 60606

Member FINRA/SIPC (07/22)

CEF-GBAB-AR-0522

NOT FDIC-INSURED l NOT BANK-GUARANTEED l MAY LOSE VALUE

 

Item 2. Code of Ethics.

(a)       The registrant has adopted a code of ethics (the "Code of Ethics") that applies to its principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions.

(b)       No information need be disclosed pursuant to this paragraph.

(c)       The registrant has not amended its Code of Ethics during the period covered by the report presented in Item 1 hereto.

(d)       The registrant has not granted a waiver or an implicit waiver to its principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions from a provision of its Code of Ethics during the period covered by this report.

(e)       Not applicable.

(f)       (1) The registrant's Code of Ethics is attached hereto as Exhibit (a)(1).

(2) Not applicable.

(3) Not applicable.

Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.

The registrant's Board of Trustees has determined that it has at least one audit committee financial expert serving on its audit committee (the “Audit Committee), Sandra G. Sponem. Ms. Sponem is “independent,” meaning that she is not an “interested person” of the Registrant (as that term is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) and she does not accept any consulting, advisory, or other compensatory fee from the Registrant (except in her capacity as a Board or committee member).

 

Under applicable securities laws, a person who is determined to be an audit committee financial expert will not be deemed an "expert" for any purpose, including without limitation for the purposes of Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933, as a result of being designated or identified as an audit committee financial expert. The designation or identification of a person as an audit committee financial expert does not impose on such person any duties, obligations, or liabilities that are greater than the duties, obligations, and liabilities imposed on such person as a member of the audit committee and Board of Trustees in the absence of such designation or identification. The designation or identification of a person as an audit committee financial expert does not affect the duties, obligations or liability of any other member of the audit committee or Board of Trustees.

Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

(a) Audit Fees: the aggregate Audit Fees billed for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for 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 were $71,354 and $69,276 for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2022 and May 31, 2021, respectively.

(b) Audit-Related Fees: the aggregate Audit-Related Fees billed 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 under paragraph 4(a) of this Item 4, were $6,200 and $24,000 for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2022 and May 31, 2021 respectively.

(c) Tax Fees: the aggregate Tax Fees billed for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning, including federal, state and local income tax return preparation and related advice and determination of taxable income and miscellaneous tax advice were $16,350 and $11,384 for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2022 and May 31, 2021, respectively. These services consisted of [(i) preparation of U.S. federal, state and excise tax returns; (ii) U.S. federal and state tax planning, advice and assistance regarding statutory, regulatory or administrative developments, (iii) tax advice regarding tax qualification matters and/or treatment of various financial instruments held or proposed to be acquired and (iv) review of U.S. federal excise distribution calculations.

 

(d) All Other Fees: the aggregate All Other Fees billed for products and services provided by the principal accountant, other than the services reported in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this Item 4 were $0 and $0 for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2022 and May 31, 2021, respectively.

(e) Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures.

1. Pre-Approval Policy (Trusts). Pre-approve any engagement of the independent auditors to provide any services, other than “prohibited non-audit services,” to the Trust, including the fees and other compensation to be paid to the independent auditors (unless an exception is available under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X).

 

(a) The categories of services to be reviewed and considered for pre-approval include those services set forth under Section II.A.1. of the Background and Definitions for Audit Committee Charter (collectively, “Identified Services”).

(b) The Committee has pre-approved Identified Services for which the estimated fees are less than $25,000.

(c) For Identified Services with estimated fees of $25,000 or more, but less than $50,000, the Chair or any member of the Committee designated by the Chair is hereby authorized to pre-approve such Identified Services on behalf of the Committee.

(d) For Identified Services with estimated fees of $50,000 or more, such Identified Services require pre-approval by the Committee.

(e) All requests for Identified Services to be provided by the independent auditor that were pre-approved by the Committee shall be submitted to the Principal/Chief Accounting Officer (“CAO”) of the Trust by the independent auditor using the pre-approval request form. The Trust’s CAO will determine whether such services are included within the list of services that have received the general pre-approval of the Committee.

(f) The independent auditors or the CAO of the Trust (or an officer of the Trust who reports to the CAO) shall report to the Committee at each of its regular scheduled meetings all audit, audit-related and permissible non-audit services initiated since the last such report (unless the services were contained in the initial audit plan, as previously presented to, and approved by, the Committee). The report shall include a general description of the services and projected fees, and the means by which such services were approved by the Committee (including the particular category of Identified Services under which pre-approval was obtained).

 

2. Pre-Approval Policy (Adviser or Any Control Affiliate). Pre-approve any engagement of the independent auditors, including the fees and other compensation to be paid to the independent auditors, to provide any non-audit services to the Adviser (or any “control affiliate” of the Adviser providing ongoing services to the Trust), if the engagement relates directly to the operations or financial reporting of the Trust (unless an exception is available under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X).

(a) The Chair or any member of the Committee designated by the Chair may grant the pre-approval for non-audit services to the Adviser (or any “control affiliate” of the Adviser providing ongoing services to the Trust) relating directly to the operations or financial reporting of the Trust for which the estimated fees are less than $25,000. All such delegated pre-approvals shall be presented to the Committee no later than the next Committee meeting.

 

(b) For non-audit services to the Adviser (or any “control affiliate” of the Adviser providing ongoing services to the Trust) relating directly to the operations or financial reporting of the Trust for which the estimated fees are $25,000 or more, such services require pre-approval by the Committee.

a. Pre-Approval Requirements

i. Categories of Services to be Reviewed and Considered for Pre-Approval

1. Audit Services

a. Annual financial statement audits

b. Seed audits (related to new product filings, as required)

c. SEC and regulatory filings and consents

2. Audit-Related Services

a. Accounting consultations

b. Fund merger/reorganization support services

c. Other accounting related matters

d. Agreed upon procedures reports

e. Attestation reports

f. Other internal control reports

3. Tax Services

a. Recurring tax services:

i. Preparation of Federal and state income tax returns, including extensions

ii. Preparation of calculations of taxable income, including fiscal year tax designations

iii.Preparation of annual Federal excise tax returns (if applicable)

iv.Preparation of calendar year excise distribution calculations

v. Calculation of tax equalization on an as-needed basis

vi.Preparation of monthly/quarterly estimates of tax undistributed position for closed-end funds

vii.Preparation of the estimated excise distribution calculations on an as-needed basis

viii.Preparation of calendar year shareholder reporting designations on Form 1099

ix.Preparation of quarterly Federal, state and local and franchise tax estimated tax payments on an as-needed basis

x. Preparation of state apportionment calculations to properly allocate Fund taxable income among the states for state tax filing purposes

xi.Assistance with management’s identification of passive foreign investment companies (PFICs) for tax purposes

b. Permissible non-recurring tax services upon request:

i. Assistance with determining ownership changes which impact a Fund’s utilization of loss carryforwards

ii. Assistance with corporate actions and tax treatment of complex securities and structured products

iii.Assistance with IRS ruling requests and calculation of deficiency dividends

iv.Conduct training sessions for the Adviser’s internal tax resources

v. Assistance with Federal, state, local and international tax planning and advice regarding the tax consequences of proposed or actual transactions

vi.Tax services related to amendments to Federal, state and local returns and sales and use tax compliance

vii.RIC qualification reviews

viii.Tax distribution analysis and planning

ix.Tax authority examination services

x. Tax appeals support services

xi.Tax accounting methods studies

xii.Fund merger, reorganization and liquidation support services

xiii.Tax compliance, planning and advice services and related projects

xiv.Assistance with out of state residency status

xv.Provision of tax compliance services in India for Funds with direct investments in India

(2) None of the services described in each of Items 4(b) through (d) were approved by the Audit Committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.

(f) Not applicable.

(g) The aggregate non-audit fees billed by the registrant's accountant for services rendered to the registrant, the registrant’s investment adviser (not including a sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is sub-contracted with or overseen by another investment adviser) and/or any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the adviser that provides ongoing services

to the registrant that directly related to the operations and financial reporting of the registrant were $22,550 and $35,384 for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2022 and May 31, 2021, respectively.

(h) Not applicable.

 

Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.

(a) The registrant has a separately designated standing audit committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Audit Committee of the registrant is composed of: Randall C. Barnes; Angela Brock-Kyle; Thomas F. Lydon, Jr.; Ronald A. Nyberg; Sandra G. Sponem; and Ronald E. Toupin, Jr.

(b) Not applicable.

Item 6. Schedule of Investments.

The Schedule of Investments is included as part of Item 1.

Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

The registrant has delegated the voting of proxies relating to its voting securities to the registrant’s investment sub-adviser, Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC (“GPIM”). GPIM’s proxy voting policies and procedures are included as Exhibit (c) hereto.

Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

a)(1) GPIM serves as sub-adviser for the registrant and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the registrant’s portfolio. GPIM uses a team approach to manage client portfolios. Day to day management of a client portfolio is conducted under the auspices of GPIM’s Portfolio Construction Group (“PCG”). PCG’s members include the Chief Investment Officer (“CIO”) and other key investment personnel. The PCG, in consultation with the CIO, provides direction for overall investment strategy. The PCG performs several duties as it relates to client portfolios including: determining both tactical and strategic asset allocations; monitoring portfolio adherence to asset allocation targets; providing sector specialists with direction for overall investment strategy, which may include portfolio design and the rebalancing of portfolios; performing risk management oversight; assisting sector managers and research staff in determining the relative valuation of market sectors; and providing a forum for the regular discussion of the economy and the financial markets to enhance the robustness of GPIM’s strategic and tactical policy directives.

 

The following individuals at GPIM share primary responsibility for the management of the registrant’s portfolio and is provided as of May 31, 2022:

 

 

Name

 

Since Professional Experience During the Last Five Years
Scott Minerd - CIO 2010

Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC: Global CIO – 2005–Present; Guggenheim Partners, LLC: Managing Partner – Insurance Advisory – 1998–Present.

 

Anne Walsh, CFA, FLMI – Senior Managing Director and Assistant CIO 2010

Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC: Senior Managing Director and Assistant Chief Investment Officer – 2007–2021; Managing Partner and CIO- Fixed Income - 2021- Present

 

Allen Li - Managing Director 2017 Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC. Managing Director – 2014 to Present; Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC – Director 2012 to 2014.
Steve Brown – Senior Managing Director 2021 Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC Senior Managing Director 2019- Present; Managing Director – 2016 to 2019; Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC – Director 2014 to 2016; Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC – Vice President 2013 to 2014; Senior Associate 2012 to 2013.
Adam Bloch – Managing Director   Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC: Managing Director 2019- Present; Director – 2015- 2019; Vice President – 2014-2015; Senior Associate – 2013-2014; Associate – 2012-2013. Bank of America Merrill Lynch: Associate – 2011-2012.
         

 

(a)(2)(i-iii) Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Managers

 

The following tables summarize information regarding each of the other accounts managed by the GPIM portfolio managers as of May 31, 2022:

 

Scott Minerd:

Type of Account Number of Accounts  Total Assets in the Accounts

Number of Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance

 

Total Assets in the Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance

Registered investment companies

 

9  $           13,454,498,593 0 $0

Other pooled investment vehicles

 

73  $        13,142,403,450 43  $           9,100,551,269

Other accounts

 

140  $         165,379,442,715 15  $             6,052,868,685
               

 

Anne Walsh:

             
Type of Account   Number of Accounts Total Assets in the Accounts  

Number of Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance

 

Total Assets in the Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance

Registered investment companies 

  16 $44,855,907,059   0   $0

Other pooled investment vehicles

 

  6  $3,396,075,180 3 $2,064,877,547

Other accounts

 

  105  $152,904,882,859   2 $786,158,709
               

 

 

Allen Li:

                 
Type of Account   Number of Accounts Total Assets in the Accounts   

Number of Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance

 

Total Assets in the Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance

Registered investment companies

 

                  2

$ 628,238,395

 

    0 $0

Other pooled investment vehicles

 

                  0 $0     0 $0

Other accounts

 

                  1

$ 112,602,140

 

    0 $0
                   

 

Steve Brown:

                 
Type of Account   Number of Accounts Total Assets in the Accounts   

Number of Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance

 

  Total Assets in the Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance

Registered investment companies

 

  15  $           43,468,956,782     0   $0

Other pooled investment vehicles

 

  6  $           3,396,075,180     3

 

$2,064,877,547

Other accounts

 

  35  $           17,950,992,422     3   $693,819,282 
                     

 

Adam Bloch:

                 
Type of Account   Number of Accounts Total Assets in the Accounts   

Number of Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance

 

Total Assets in the Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance

Registered investment companies

 

  21  $           43,652,610,049     0 $0

Other pooled investment vehicles

 

  6  $           3,396,075,180     3 $2,064,877,547 

Other accounts

 

  35  $           17,950,992,422     3 $693,819,282 
                   

 

(a)(2)(iv) Potential Conflicts of Interest

 

Actual or apparent conflicts of interest may arise when a portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to more than one fund or other account. More specifically, portfolio managers who manage multiple funds and/or other accounts may be presented with one or more of the following potential conflicts.

 

The management of multiple funds and/or other accounts may result in a portfolio manager devoting unequal time and attention to the management of each fund and/or other account. GPIM seeks to manage such competing interests for the time and attention of a portfolio manager by having the portfolio manager focus on a particular investment discipline. Specifically, the ultimate decision maker for security selection for each client portfolio is the Sector Specialist Portfolio Manager. They are responsible for analyzing and selecting specific securities that they believe best reflect the risk and return level as provided in each client’s investment guidelines.

 

GPIM may have clients with similar investment strategies. As a result, if an investment opportunity would be appropriate for more than one client, GPIM may be required to choose among those clients in allocating such opportunity, or to allocate less of such opportunity to a client than it would ideally allocate if it did not have to allocate to multiple clients. In addition, GPIM may determine that an investment opportunity is appropriate for a particular account, but not for another.

 

Allocation decisions are made in accordance with the investment objectives, guidelines, and restrictions governing the respective clients and in a manner that will not unfairly favor one client over another. GPIM’s allocation policy provides that investment decisions must never be based upon account performance or fee structure. Accordingly, GPIM’s allocation procedures are designed to ensure that investment opportunities are allocated equitably among different client accounts over time. The procedures also seek to ensure reasonable efficiency in client transactions and to provide portfolio managers with flexibility to use allocation methodologies appropriate to GPIM’s investment disciplines and the specific goals and objectives of each client account.

 

In order to minimize execution costs and obtain best execution for clients, trades in the same security transacted on behalf of more than one client may be aggregated. In the event trades are aggregated, GPIM’s policy and procedures provide as follows: (i) treat all participating client accounts fairly; (ii) continue to seek best execution; (iii) ensure that clients who participate in an aggregated order will participate at the average share price with all transaction costs shared on a pro-rata basis based on each client’s participation in the transaction; (iv) disclose its aggregation policy to clients.

 

GPIM, as a fiduciary to its clients, considers numerous factors in arranging for the purchase and sale of clients’ portfolio securities in order to achieve best execution for its clients. When selecting a broker, individuals making trades on behalf of GPIM clients consider the full range and quality of a broker’s services, including execution capability, commission rate, price, financial stability and reliability. GPIM is not obliged to merely get the lowest price or commission but also must determine whether the transaction represents the best qualitative execution for the account.

 

In the event that multiple broker/dealers make a market in a particular security, GPIM’s Portfolio Managers are responsible for selecting the broker-dealer to use with respect to executing the transaction. The broker-dealer will be selected on the basis of how the transaction can be executed to achieve the most favorable execution for the client under the circumstances. In many instances, there may only be one counter-party active in a particular security at a given time. In such situations the Employee executing the trade will use his/her best effort to obtain the best execution from the counter-party.

 

GPIM and the registrant have adopted certain compliance procedures which are designed to address these types of conflicts. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation in which a conflict arises.

 

(a)(3) Portfolio Manager Compensation

 

GPIM compensates the portfolio managers for their management of the registrant’s portfolio. Compensation is evaluated based on their contribution to investment performance relative to pertinent benchmarks and qualitatively based on factors such as teamwork and client service efforts. GPIM’s staff incentives may include: a competitive base salary, bonus determined by individual and firm wide performance, equity participation, and participation opportunities in various GPIM investments. All GPIM employees are also eligible to participate in a 401(k) plan to which GPIM may make a discretionary match after the completion of each plan year.

 

 

 

(a)(4) Portfolio Manager Securities Ownership

 

The following table discloses the dollar range of equity securities of the registrant beneficially owned by each GPIM portfolio manager as of May 31, 2022:

 

Name of Portfolio Manager


 

 

Dollar Amount of Equity Securities in Fund


 

Scott Minerd

 

Anne Walsh

 

None

 

$100,001-$500,000

 

 

Steve Brown

Allen Li

 

None

None

Adam Bloch                                                                                                                                     None

 

 

Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.

None.

Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

The registrant has not made any material changes to the procedures by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the registrant’s Board of Trustees.

Item 11. Controls and Procedures.

(a) The registrant's principal executive officer and principal financial officer have evaluated the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act) as of a date within 90 days of this filing and have concluded based on such evaluation, as required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the Investment Company Act, that the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures were effective, as of that date, in ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the registrant in this Form N-CSR was recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms.

(b) There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act) that occurred during the registrant’s period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting. 

Item 12. Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

(a) The registrant has not participated in securities lending activities during the period covered by this report.

(b) Not applicable

Item 13. Exhibits.

(a)(1) Code of Ethics for Chief Executive and Senior Financial Officers.

(a)(2) Certifications of principal executive officer and principal financial officer pursuant to Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act.

(a)(3) Not applicable.

(b)        Certification of principal executive officer and principal financial officer pursuant to Rule 30a-2(b) under the Investment Company Act and Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

(c)       Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures.

(d)       Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

(Registrant) Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust

By: /s/ Brian E. Binder

Name: Brian E. Binder

Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

Date: November 22, 2022

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

By: /s/ Brian E. Binder

Name: Brian E. Binder

Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

Date: November 22, 2022

By: /s/ James M. Howley

Name: James M. Howley

Title: Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer

Date: November 22, 2022

EXHIBIT (a)(1)

 

APPENDIX A

 

CODE OF ETHICS FOR PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE AND

SENIOR FINANCIAL OFFICERS

 

I.       Covered Officers/Purpose of the Code

 

This code of ethics (the “Code”) is applicable to Guggenheim Funds (each a “Company” and together the “Companies,” each set forth in Exhibit A) and applies to the Companies’ President/CEO (Principal Executive Officer), and CFO/Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer) (the “Covered Officers”) for the purpose of promoting:

 

Covered Officers are expected to dedicate their best efforts to advancing the Trust’s interests and to use objective and unbiased standards when making decisions that affect the Trust, while being sensitive to situations that may give rise to actual conflicts of interest, as well as apparent conflicts of interest.

 

II.Covered Officers Should Handle Ethically Actual and Apparent Conflicts of Interest

 

Overview. A “conflict of interest” occurs when a Covered Officer’s private interest interferes with the interests of, or his or her service to, the Company. For example, a conflict of interest would arise if a Covered Officer, or a member of his or her family, receives improper personal benefits as a result of his or her position with the Company.

 

Certain conflicts of interest arise out of the relationships between Covered Officers and the Company and already are subject to conflict of interest provisions in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Investment Company Act”) and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Investment Advisers Act”). For example, Covered Officers may not individually engage in certain transactions (such as the purchase or sale of securities or other property) with the Company because of their status as “affiliated persons” of the Company. The Company's and the investment adviser's compliance programs and procedures are designed to prevent, or identify and correct, violations of these provisions. This Code does not, and is not intended to, repeat or replace these programs and procedures, and such conflicts fall outside of the parameters of this Code.

 

Although typically not presenting an opportunity for improper personal benefit, conflicts arise from, or result from, the contractual relationship between the Company and the investment adviser of which the Covered Officers are also officers or employees. As a result, this Code recognizes that the Covered Officers will, in the normal course of their duties (whether formally for the Company or for the adviser, or for both), be involved in establishing policies and implementing decisions that will have different effects on the adviser and the Company. The participation of the Covered Officers in such activities is inherent in the contractual relationship between the Company and the adviser and is consistent with the performance by the Covered Officers of their duties as officers of the Company. Thus, if performed in conformity with the provisions of the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act, such activities will be deemed to have been handled ethically. In addition, it is recognized by the Funds’ Boards of Trustees (“Boards”) that the Covered Officers may also be officers or employees of one or more other investment companies covered by this code.

 

Other conflicts of interest are covered by the Code, even if such conflicts of interest are not subject to provisions in the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act. The following list provides examples of conflicts of interest under the Code, but Covered Officers should keep in mind that these examples are not exhaustive. The overarching principle is that the personal interest of a Covered Officer should not be placed improperly before the interest of the Company.

 

***

Each Covered Officer must:

 

There are some conflict of interest situations that should always be discussed with the Secretary of the Funds (the "Secretary"), or other senior legal officer, if material. Examples of these include:1

 

III.        Disclosure and Compliance

 


1Any activity or relationship that would present a conflict for a Covered Officer would likely also present a conflict for the Covered Officer if a member of the Covered Officer’s family engages in such an activity or has such a relationship.

 

 

 

IV.        Reporting and Accountability

 

Each Covered Officer must:

 

The Secretary, or other designated senior legal officer of the Funds’ investment adviser, is responsible for applying this Code to specific situations in which questions are presented under it and has the authority to interpret this Code in any particular situation.2 However, any approvals or waivers3 sought by the President/ CEO will be considered by the Audit Committee of the Funds (the “Committee”). The Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Trust is authorized and encouraged to consult, as appropriate, with the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, the Independent Trustees or the Board of Trustees of the Trust and/or with counsel to the Trust, the Investment Adviser(s) or the Independent Trustees.

The Independent Trustees are responsible for granting waivers of this Code of Ethics, as appropriate. Any changes to or waivers of this Code of Ethics will be disclosed on Form N-CSR3 to the extent required by Securities and Exchange Commission rules.

 

The Funds will follow these procedures in investigating and enforcing this Code:

 

 


2The Secretary or other designated senior legal officer is authorized to consult, as appropriate, with counsel to the Company and counsel to the Independent Trustees, and is encouraged to do so.
3Item 2 of Form N-CSR defines “waiver” as “the approval by the registrant of a material departure from a provision of the code of ethics” and “implicit waiver,” which must also be disclosed, as “the registrant’s failure to take action within a reasonable period of time regarding a material departure from a provision of the code of ethics that has been made known to an executive officer” of the registrant.

 

 

V.       Other Policies and Procedures

 

This Code shall be the sole code of ethics adopted by the Funds for purposes of Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and forms applicable to registered investment companies thereunder. Insofar as other policies or procedures of the Funds, the Funds’ adviser, principal underwriter, or other service providers govern or purport to govern the behavior or activities of the Covered Officers who are subject to this Code, they are superseded by this Code to the extent that they overlap or conflict with the provisions of this Code. The Funds’ and their investment adviser’s and principal underwriter’s codes of ethics under Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act are separate requirements applying to the Covered Officers and others, and are not part of this Code.

 

VI.        Amendments

Any amendments to this Code must be approved or ratified by a majority vote of the Board, including a majority of independent directors/trustees.

 

VII       Confidentiality

All reports and records prepared or maintained pursuant to this Code will be considered confidential and shall be maintained and protected accordingly. Except as otherwise required by law or this Code, such matters shall not be disclosed to anyone other than the Board and its counsel, the Funds’ counsel, the Adviser and its counsel and any other advisers, consultants or counsel retained by the Board of Trustees.

 

VIII.        Internal Use

 

The Code is intended solely for the internal use by the Funds and does not constitute an admission, by or on behalf of any Company, as to any fact, circumstance, or legal conclusion.

 

Exhibit A - Covered Entities

 

Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust (“GBAB”)

Guggenheim Active Allocation Fund (“GUG”)

Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund (“GOF”)

Guggenheim Energy & Income Fund (“XGEIX”)

Guggenheim Funds Trust (“GFT” and its series, the “Open-End Funds”)

Guggenheim Variable Funds Trust (“GVFT” and its series, the “Variable Insurance Funds”)

Guggenheim Strategy Funds Trust (“GSFT”)

Transparent Value Trust

Rydex Series Funds

Rydex Dynamic Funds

Rydex Variable Trust

  

Exhibit P-2

 

CERTIFICATION FORM

 

This is to certify that I have received, read and understand the Code of Ethics for Chief Executive and Senior Financial Officers and that I recognize that I am subject to the provisions thereof and will comply with the policy and procedures contained therein.

 

This is to further certify that I have complied with the requirements of the Code of Ethics for Chief Executive and Senior Financial Officers. 

Signature: _________

Name: ____________

Date: November 22, 2022

Please sign two copies of this Certification Form, return one copy to the Chief Compliance Officer and retain the other copy, together with a copy of the Code of Ethics for Chief Executive and Senior Financial Officers, for your records.

EXHIBIT (a)(2)

CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

CERTIFICATIONS

I, Brian E. Binder, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have:

(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based on such evaluation; and

(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting: and

5. The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

Date: November 22, 2022

/s/ Brian E. Binder

Brian E. Binder

President and Chief Executive Officer

CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

CERTIFICATIONS

I, James M. Howley, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have:

(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based on such evaluation; and

(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting: and

5. The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and

(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

Date: November 22, 2022

/s/ James M. Howley

James M. Howley

Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer

 

EXHIBIT (b)

Certification of CEO and CFO Pursuant to

18 U.S.C. Section 1350,

as Adopted Pursuant to

Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 

In connection with the Report on Form N-CSR of Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust (the “Issuer”) for the annual period ended May 31, 2022 (the “Report”), Brian E. Binder, as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Issuer, and James M. Howley, as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer of the Issuer, each hereby certifies, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to the best of his knowledge:

(1)the Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and
(2)the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Issuer.

 

Dated: November 22, 2022 

 

/s/ Brian E. Binder

Name: Brian E. Binder

Title: President and Chief Executive Officer  

 

/s/ James M. Howley

Name: James M. Howley

Title: Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer

EXHIBIT (c)

 

 

Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC
Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

 

Sponsor
Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC
Chief Compliance Officer

Owner
GPIM Director of Policies and Procedures

Contact
Maria.Rosen@guggenheimpartners.com

Effective Date
January 19, 2022

 

Innovative Solutions. Enduring Values.® 

 
 

 

 

       
Table of Contents  
 
1. Policy Statement 2
  1.1. Proxy Voting Advisory Committee 3
2. Procedures 3
  2.1. Overview 3
  2.2. GPIM Voting 4
  2.3. Resolving Material Conflicts of Interest 4
  2.4. Special Situations (As Applicable) 6
  2.5. Investment in Funds 8
  2.6. Undue Influence 11
  2.7. Recordkeeping 11
  2.8. Disclosure 11
3. APPENDIX A 12

 

 
 

 

 

 

1. Policy Statement

Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC (“GPIM”) generally is responsible for voting proxies with respect to securities held in client accounts, including clients registered as investment companies under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“the “1940 Act””) and clients that are pension plans (“Plans”) subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). This document sets forth GPIM’s policies and guidelines with respect to proxy voting and its procedures to comply with SEC Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Rule 206(4)-6 requires each registered investment adviser that exercises proxy voting authority with respect to client securities to:

Adopt and implement written policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the adviser votes client securities in the best interest of clients; such policies and procedures must address the manner in which the adviser will resolve material conflicts of interest that can arise during the proxy voting process;
Disclose to clients how they may obtain information from the adviser about how the adviser voted proxies with respect to their securities; and
Describe to clients the adviser’s proxy voting procedures and, upon request, furnish a copy of the policies and procedures.

Where GPIM has been delegated the responsibility for voting proxies, it must take reasonable steps under the circumstances to ensure that proxies are received and voted in the best long-term interests of its clients. This generally means voting proxies with a view to enhancing the value of the securities held in client accounts, considering all relevant factors and without giving undue weight to the opinions of individuals or groups who may have an economic interest in the outcome of the proxy vote. GPIM’s authority is initially established by its advisory contracts or comparable documents. Clients, however, may change their proxy voting direction at any time.

The financial interest of GPIM’s clients is the primary consideration in determining how proxies should be voted. Any material conflicts of interest between GPIM and its clients with respect to proxy voting are resolved in the best interests of the clients.

This policy covers only proxy voting. It does not cover corporate actions, such as rights offerings, tender offers, and stock splits, or actions initiated by holders of a security rather than the issuer (such as reset rights for a CLO). This policy also does not cover legal actions, such as bankruptcy proceedings or class action lawsuits. Corporate and legal actions involve decisions about a security itself, rather than decisions about the governance of the security’s issuer. As such, the investment team managing the client’s account will decide whether and how to respond to a corporate or legal action about which they are notified, with assistance from GPIM Compliance or Legal as needed.

   
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1.1. Proxy Voting Advisory Committee

Guggenheim Investments (“GI”) has established the Proxy Voting Advisory Committee (“PVAC”) to oversee the proxy voting activities and policies and procedures of certain GI registered investment advisers, including GPIM. The PVAC comprises of representatives from Investment Management, Compliance, Risk, Operations and Legal.

The PVAC’s primary responsibility will be to seek to ensure that the GI Advisors, including GPIM, fulfill their fiduciary duties in voting proxies in the best interests of their clients, and has certain responsibilities including, but not limited to:

Oversee GPIM’s proxy voting policies and procedures and ensure that a review of GPIM’s proxy voting policies and procedures is conducted no less frequently than annually;
Determine how GPIM should vote proxies on behalf of clients in certain conflict situations and evaluate recommendations, proposals and issues that may not be covered by the proxy voting policies and procedures;
Review situations and documentation where Portfolio Managers/Investment Management has determined to override a voting recommendation contrary to the Guidelines; and
Oversee evaluation of GPIM’s third-party proxy advisory firm’s policies and procedures, due diligence and Guidelines on an annual basis.

The PVAC is authorized to meet two times annually and at such other times as the PVAC may deem necessary or appropriate under its authorities and responsibilities. In general, the PVAC’s two regular meetings are to be held before and after proxy season.

2. Procedures

2.1. Overview

Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC (“GPIM”) has adopted the proxy voting guidelines of an outside proxy voting firm, Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”), as GPIM’s proxy voting guidelines (“Guidelines”). GPIM has also engaged ISS to act as agent for the proxy process, to maintain records on proxy votes for its clients, and to provide independent research on corporate governance, proxy and corporate responsibility issues. At account inception, depending on the objective of the client account and the portfolio team managing, GPIM will assess the proxy voting guidelines in Appendix A to determine which Guidelines will be followed. GPIM reviews the Guidelines and conducts a due diligence assessment of ISS and the performance of its duties as agent at least annually.

   
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GPIM may override the Guidelines recommending a vote on a particular proposal if GPIM determines a different vote to be in the best interest of the client or if required to deviate under applicable rule, law or regulation. If a proposal is voted in a manner different than set forth in the Guidelines, the reasons therefore shall be documented in writing by the appropriate investment team(s) and retained by Operations.

GPIM seeks to vote securities in the best interest of clients and will apply the Guidelines regardless whether the issuer, a third party, or both solicit GPIM’s vote.

In the absence of contrary instructions received from GPIM, ISS will vote proxies in accordance with the Guidelines, attached as Appendix A hereto, as such Guidelines may be revised from time to time. ISS will employ these Guidelines based on account set up instructions received from Operations.

2.2. GPIM Voting

GPIM typically will vote proxies itself in two scenarios: (1) the Guidelines do not address the proposal; and (2) GPIM has decided to vote some or all of the shares contrary to the Guidelines.

Proposals not Addressed by Guidelines: ISS will notify Operations of all proxy proposals that do not fall within the Guidelines (i.e. proposals which are either not addressed in the Guidelines or proposals for which GPIM has indicated that a decision will be made on a case-by-case basis, such as fixed-income securities). Operations will forward such proposals to the investment team(s) responsible for the client account. If the investment team(s) responsible, together with the PVAC, determines that there is no material conflict of interest, the proposal will be voted in accordance with the recommendation of said team(s) and approval from the PVAC. If there is a material conflicts of interest, GPIM will follow the procedure below.

Proposal to be Voted Contrary to Guidelines: When an investment team decides that a proposal should be voted contrary to the Guidelines, because it believes it is in the best interest of the client to do so, the team will consult with the PVAC to determine whether there is a material conflict of interest as to that proposal. If the investment team(s) responsible, together with the PVAC, determines that there is no material conflict of interest, the team(s) will notify Operations to override the proposal from ISS in accordance with the recommendation of said team(s) and approval from the PVAC. If there is a material conflicts of interest, GPIM will follow the procedure below.

In either case, the investment team(s) responsible will document the rationale for voting the proposal in a particular manner. The PVAC will review instances of either scenarios.

2.3. Resolving Material Conflicts of Interest

GPIM may occasionally be subject to material conflicts of interest in the voting of proxies due to relationships it maintains with persons having an interest in the outcome of certain votes.

   
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Common examples of material conflicts in the voting of proxies are: (a) GPIM or a GPIM affiliate provides or is seeking to provide services to the company on whose behalf proxies are being solicited, and the amount of fees involved is or would be material to GPIM or its affiliate, (b) an employee of GPIM or its affiliate has a personal relationship with the company’s management or another proponent of a proxy issue, and the employee may be in a position to influence the proxy voting decision, (c) an immediate family member of the employee is a director or executive officer of the company, and the employee may be in a position to influence the proxy voting decision. Senior members of the investment team responsible for voting the proxy, in consultation with GPIM Compliance, will decide whether a material conflict of interest exists. If a material conflict of interest exists, the investment team will consult the PVAC to determine how to resolve the conflict consistent with the procedures below.

If the Guidelines do not address a proposal, or GPIM wishes to vote a proposal contrary to the Guidelines, or ISS does not provide a recommendation on a proposal, and GPIM has a material conflict of interest as to the vote, then GPIM may resolve the conflict in any of the following ways, as recommended by the PVAC:

Refer Proposal to the Client – GPIM may refer the proposal to the client and obtain instructions from the client on how to vote the proxy relating to that proposal.
Obtain Client Ratification – If GPIM is in a position to disclose the conflict to the client (i.e., such information is not confidential), GPIM may determine how it proposes to vote the proposal on which it has a conflict, fully disclose the nature of the conflict to the client, and obtain the client’s consent for how GPIM will vote on the proposal (or otherwise obtain instructions from the client on how the proxy on the proposal should be voted).
Abstain from Voting
Use another Independent Third Party for All Proposals – Subject to any client imposed proxy voting policies, GPIM may vote all proposals in a single proxy according to the policies of an independent third party other than ISS (or have the third party vote such proxies).
Use another Independent Third Party to Vote Only the Specific Proposals that Involve a Conflict – Subject to any client imposed proxy voting policies, GPIM may use an independent third party other than ISS to recommend how the proxy for specific proposals that involve a conflict should be voted (or have the third party vote such proxies).
Demonstrate that its Vote was Not the Product of a Material Conflict – in limited situations, generally involving SPAC transactions, GPIM may be able to demonstrate that its vote was not the product of a conflict. For example, GPIM may be able to demonstrate that an investment team recommending an override of a proxy voting recommendation was insulated from the conflict or used a predetermined policy to arrive at its view.
   
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The method selected by the PVAC to resolve the conflict may vary from one instance to another depending upon the facts and circumstances of the situation, but in each case, consistent with its duty of loyalty and care.

2.4. Special Situations (As Applicable)

2.4.1. Securities Subject to Lending Arrangements

For various legal or administrative reasons, GPIM is often unable to vote securities that are, at the time of such vote, on loan pursuant to a client’s securities lending arrangement with the client’s custodian. GPIM is usually unable to recall securities in order to vote proxies when a third party securities lending agent has arranged the loan of the client’s shares. If GPIM has arranged the loan, GPIM will refrain from voting such securities where the cost to the client and/or administrative inconvenience of retrieving securities then on loan outweighs the benefit of voting, assuming retrieval under such circumstances is even feasible and/or possible. In certain extraordinary situations, GPIM may seek to have securities then on loan pursuant to such securities lending arrangements retrieved by the clients’ custodians for voting purposes. This decision will generally be made on a case-by-case basis depending on whether, in the PVAC’s judgment, the matter to be voted on has critical significance to the potential value of the securities in question, the relative cost and/or administrative inconvenience of retrieving the securities, the significance of the holding, and whether the stock is considered a long-term holding. There can be no guarantee that any such securities can be retrieved for such purpose.

2.4.2. Special Issues with Voting Foreign Proxies

Voting proxies with respect to shares of foreign stocks may involve significantly greater effort and corresponding cost due to the variety of regulatory schemes and corporate practices in foreign countries with respect to proxy voting. Because the cost of voting on a particular proxy proposal could exceed the expected benefit to a client (including an ERISA Plan), GPIM will weigh the costs and benefits of voting on proxy proposals relating to foreign securities and make an informed decision on whether voting a given proxy proposal is prudent.

2.4.3. Share Blocking

In certain countries the exercise of voting rights could restrict the ability of an account's portfolio manager to freely trade the security in question ("share blocking"). If the client has not indicated at account set-up whether it wants shares voted regardless of the potential for share blocking, then the portfolio manager retains the final authority to determine whether to vote the shares in the client's account or to forego voting the shares.

2.4.4. Lack of Adequate Information, Untimely Receipt of Proxy or Excessive Costs

   
Confidential 6

 

 
 

 

 

 

GPIM may be unable to enter an informed vote in certain circumstances due to the lack of information provided in the proxy statement or by the issuer or other resolution sponsor, and may abstain from voting in those instances. Proxy materials not delivered in a timely manner may prevent analysis or entry of a vote by voting deadlines. GPIM’s practice is to abstain from voting a proxy in circumstances where, in its judgment, the costs exceed the expected benefits to the client.

2.4.5. Formation of a Group

If GPIM owns shares of a public company and enters into a written or oral agreement with one or more shareholders to vote its shares in line with such shareholder(s) or in line with company management recommendations, several issues arise.

First, if GPIM agrees to vote its shares at the direction of or in line with another member of the group, or in line with management, then GPIM must consider whether its vote is in the best long-term financial interests of its clients. If it is not, then GPIM will have a conflict of interest that it must resolve using the procedures set out in Section 2.2.

Second, if GPIM holds an irrevocable proxy for the other members of the group, or has the right to designate director nominees for which the other group members must vote, GPIM will be viewed as the beneficial owner of all of the other members’ shares as well as its own shares. This will affect the number of shares that GPIM must report on a Schedule 13D or 13G.

2.4.6 Fixed Income Securities

The issuers of fixed income securities generally do not solicit proxies. If such an issuer were to solicit a proxy, GPIM would seek to apply these proxy voting procedures in determining how to vote the proxy. If the subject of the proxy is not covered in ISS Standard Guidelines or any other third-party guidelines GPIM uses, and assuming that voting the proxy does not present GPIM with a material conflict of interest, GPIM may vote the proxy in a manner it believes is in its clients’ best long-term interests. If voting the proxy presents GPIM with a material conflict of interest, it will follow the conflict resolution procedures in this policy.

   
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2.4.7 Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs)

SPACs typically issue a proxy when they have identified an acquisition. The proxy may ask shareholders to vote separately on the acquisition and on certain governance proposals, or it may bundle the proposals or make them dependent on each other. GPIM clients at times will own SPAC shares when GPIM or its affiliates provide services to the SPAC, such as financing or investment banking services. GPIM’s policy is that it will vote with the SPAC’s management on acquisition matters (including corporate governance matters or other matters related to a proposed acquisition), whether or not GPIM or its affiliates have other roles in the transaction, and whether or not it may have a conflict of interest in voting the proxy. GPIM believes that SPAC management generally is a better judge than a third party proxy voting service of the merits of the acquisition and need for certain corporate governance mechanisms.

If the investment team(s) decides to override this policy of voting with management, it will consult with the PVAC to analyze whether GPIM has a material conflict in voting the proxy. If the investment team(s) responsible, together with the PVAC, determines that there is no material conflict of interest, the team(s) will notify Operations to vote the proposal in accordance with the recommendation of said team(s) and approval from the PVAC. If it does have a material conflict in voting the proxy, then GPIM must use the one of the mechanisms in Section 2.3 to resolve its conflict.

In either case, the investment team(s) responsible will document the rationale for voting the proposal in a particular manner and the PVAC will review the matter.

2.5. Investment in Funds

2.5.1. Trust-Wide Approval Matters

Certain Guggenheim Funds (“Funds”) managed by GPIM may invest in other Guggenheim Funds. With respect to a proposal that applies on a trust-wide basis (i.e., all series of a Guggenheim trust will vote together on the proposal, e.g., election of trustees), GPIM will cause the investing Funds to vote their shares in the underlying Fund in the same proportion as the vote (in the aggregate) of all the other shareholders in the Trust that are not themselves funds managed by GPIM or its affiliates. GPIM may, however, elect to follow the fund or class-specific methodologies described below when deemed appropriate.

2.5.2. Fund or Class-Specific Approval Matters

The following voting methods are applicable to proposals that are Fund or class-specific (i.e., each Fund or class votes separately).

   
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As a general matter, for those Guggenheim Funds that invest in other Guggenheim Funds, GPIM will cause the investing Guggenheim Funds to vote their shares in the underlying Fund in the same proportion as the vote of all the shareholders in that underlying Fund (or class) that are not themselves funds managed by GPIM or its affiliates (also called “mirror” or “echo” voting).

With regard to Guggenheim Funds that hold shares in underlying funds offered exclusively to Funds managed by GPIM or its affiliates and institutional accounts managed by GPIM or its affiliates, GPIM will cause the investing Funds to: (i) echo vote in proportion to votes of the shareholders of the investing Funds in the event that both Funds are voting on substantially identical proposals; or, in all other cases, (ii) seek voting instructions from the independent board members of the investing Funds or an independent proxy voting service, if deemed appropriate by the independent board members.

2.5.3. Voting Conditions Pursuant to Rule 12d1-4

Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act allows registered investment companies (and BDCs), including the Guggenheim Funds (each, an “Acquiring Fund” and, with respect to each such Guggenheim Fund or any such series of a Guggenheim Fund, a “Guggenheim Acquiring Fund”), to invest in other registered investment companies and BDCs (each, an “Acquired Fund”) beyond the limits of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, subject to certain terms and conditions. Where a Guggenheim Acquiring Fund invests, in reliance on Rule 12d1-4, in an Acquired Fund that is not part of the same “group of investment companies” as defined in Rule 12d1-4 (a “Non-Guggenheim Acquired Fund”), the following voting conditions (hereinafter, the “Rule 12d1-4 Voting Conditions”) shall apply:

The Guggenheim Acquiring Fund and its “Advisory Group” (defined as comprising the Guggenheim Acquiring Fund’s Adviser or depositor and any person controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Adviser or depositor) or, if applicable, its “Sub-Advisory Group” (defined as comprising the Guggenheim Acquiring Fund’s Sub-Adviser and any person controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such Sub-Adviser) must vote their respective securities in a Non-Guggenheim Acquired Fund in the same proportion as the vote of all other holders of such securities under the following circumstances:

§If a Guggenheim Acquiring Fund and its Advisory Group (or Sub-Advisory Group, if applicable), in the aggregate, hold more than 25% of the outstanding voting securities of a Non-Guggenheim Acquired Fund that is a registered open-end management investment company or registered UIT as a result of a decrease in the outstanding voting securities of such Non-Guggenheim Acquired Fund; or
   
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§If a Guggenheim Acquiring Fund and its Advisory Group (or Sub-Advisory Group, if applicable), in the aggregate, hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of a Non-Guggenheim Acquired Fund that is a registered closed-end management investment company or BDC.

Notwithstanding these Rule 12d1-4 Voting Conditions, in circumstances where all holders of the outstanding voting securities of the Non-Guggenheim Acquired Fund are required by Rule 12d1-4 or otherwise under Section 12(d)(1) to vote securities of the Non-Guggenheim Acquired Fund in the same proportion as the vote of all other holders of such securities, the Guggenheim Acquiring Fund will seek instructions from its security holders with regard to the voting of all proxies with respect to such Non-Guggenheim Acquired Fund securities and vote such proxies only in accordance with such instructions (i.e., pass thru voting).

For the avoidance of doubt, the Rule 12d1-4 Voting Conditions do not apply where: (1) the Guggenheim Acquiring Fund is in the same “group of investment companies,” as defined in Rule 12d1-4, as the Acquired Fund; or (2) the Guggenheim Acquiring Fund has a Sub-Adviser and that Sub-Adviser (or any other member of its Sub-Advisory Group) acts as the Non-Guggenheim Acquired Fund’s investment adviser or depositor.

In addition, the terms of investment agreements entered into by a Guggenheim Acquiring Fund pursuant to Rule 12d1-4 with an Acquired Fund may also need to be accounted for in voting securities of the Acquired Fund.

2.5.4. Voting Conditions Pursuant to Section 12(d)(1)(F)

Section 12(d)(1)(F) of, and Rule 12d1-3 under, the 1940 Act allows registered investment companies (and BDCs), including the Guggenheim Funds to invest in other registered investment companies and BDCs beyond the applicable limits of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, subject to certain terms and conditions. Where a Guggenheim Acquiring Fund invests in an Acquired Fund in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F), the following voting conditions shall apply:

The Guggenheim Acquiring Fund must exercise its voting rights (by proxy or otherwise) with respect to any security purchased or acquired in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) by either:

§seeking instructions from its security holders with regard to the voting of all proxies with respect to such security and to vote such proxies only in accordance with such instructions (i.e., pass thru voting); or
§to vote the shares held by it in the same proportion as the vote of all other holders of such security (i.e., mirror voting).
   
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2.6. Undue Influence

If at any time any person involved in the GPIM’s proxy voting process is pressured or lobbied either by GPIM’s personnel or affiliates or third parties with respect to a particular proposal, he or she should provide information regarding such activity to GPIM Compliance or Legal Departments. A determination will then be made regarding this information, keeping in mind GPIM's duty of loyalty and care to its clients.

2.7. Recordkeeping

GPIM is required to keep the following records:

a copy of this policy;
proxy statements received regarding client securities;
records of votes cast on behalf of clients;
records of how material conflicts were resolved;
any documents prepared by GPIM that were material to making a decision how to vote, or that memorialized the basis for the decision; and
records of client requests for proxy voting information and a copy of any written response by GPIM to any client request (regardless of whether such client request was written or oral).

The foregoing records will be retained for such period of time as is required to comply with applicable laws and regulations.

GPIM may rely on proxy statements filed on the SEC’s EDGAR system instead of keeping its own copies, and may rely on proxy statements and records of proxy votes cast by GPIM that are maintained with a third party, such as ISS, provided that GPIM has obtained an undertaking from the third party to provide a copy of the documents promptly upon request.

2.8. Disclosure

Rule 206(4)-6 requires GPIM to disclose in response to any client request how the client can obtain information from GPIM on how the client’s securities were voted. GPIM will disclose in Form ADV Part 2 that clients can obtain information on how their securities were voted by submitting a written request to GPIM. Upon receipt of a written request from a client, GPIM Compliance Department will provide the information requested by the client within a reasonable amount of time.

Rule 206(4)-6 also requires GPIM to describe its proxy voting policies and procedures to clients, and upon request, to provide clients with a copy of those policies and procedures. GPIM will provide such a description in its Form ADV Part 2. Upon receipt of a written request from a client, GPIM Compliance Department will provide a copy of this policy within a reasonable amount of time.

   
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If approved by the client, this policy and any requested records may be provided electronically.

3. APPENDIX A

ISS Standard Guidelines for the various relevant local markets, including the U.S., are available upon request. In addition, the Taft-Hartley Guidelines and the Socially Responsible Investor Guidelines are also available.

   
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EXHIBIT (d)

 

 

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference of our report dated August 1, 2022, with respect to the financial statements and financial highlights of Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust included in this Annual Report to Shareholders (Form N-CSR/A) for the year ended May 31, 2022, into Registration Statement (Form N-2, File No 333-233605), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Tysons, Virginia

November 22, 2022