Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund, Inc.
0001275617falseThe example above should not be considered a representation of future expenses. Actual expenses may be higher or lower. The example assumes that the estimated Other Expenses set forth in the Annual Expenses table is accurate and that all dividends and distributions are reinvested at NAV. Actual expenses may be greater or less than those assumed. Moreover, the Fund’s actual rate of return may be greater or less than the hypothetical 5% return shown in the example.If Common Shares are sold to or through underwriters, a prospectus or prospectus supplement will set forth any applicable sales commission and the estimated offering expenses borne by the Fund.Stockholders participating in the Fund’s Reinvestment Plan generally do not incur any additional fees. You will pay brokerage charges if you direct your broker or the plan agent to sell your Common Shares that you acquired pursuant to a dividend reinvestment plan. You may also pay a pro rata share of brokerage commissions incurred in connection with open-market purchases pursuant to the Fund’s Dividend Reinvestment Plan.The Investment Manager’s fee is accrued daily, paid monthly, at an annual rate of 0.85% of the Fund’s average daily Managed Assets. Consequently, since the Fund has borrowings outstanding, the investment management fees and other expenses as a percentage of net assets attributable to common shares are higher than if the Fund did not utilize a leveraged capital structure. Assumes borrowings from financial institution representing 30% of Managed Assets. The actual amount of interest expense borne by the Fund may significantly vary over time. Interest expense is required to be treated as an expense of the Fund for accounting purposes.Other Expenses shown in the table are based upon those incurred during the Fund’s current year ended December 31, 2023. The Fund and the Investment Manager have entered into an administration agreement (the Administration Agreement) and the Fund and State Street have entered into a co-administration agreement (the Co-Administration Agreement). Other Expenses include amounts paid to the Investment Manager under the Administration Agreement, which requires the Fund to pay the Investment Manager an amount equal to, on an annual basis, 0.06% of the Fund’s average daily Managed Assets, and amounts paid to State Street under the Co-Administration Agreement. 0001275617 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:BelowInvestmentGradeAndUnratedSecuritiesRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:ContingentCapitalSecuritiesRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:ForeignNonUSandEmergingMarketSecuritiesRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:ForeignCurrencyAndCurrencyHedgingRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:WarrantsAndRightsRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:OptionsRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:SpecialPurposeAcquisitionCompaniesRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:DerivativesAndHedgingTransactionsRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:RegulatoryRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:OtherInvestmentCompaniesRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:InterestsRateRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:ConvertibleSecuritiesRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:MlpsAndEnergyInvestmentsRisksMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:EnergySectorRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:InterestRateRiskToMlpsAndEnergyInvestmentsMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:IndustrySpecificRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:PortfolioTurnoverRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:AntiTakeoverProvisionsMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:GeopoliticalRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:RegulationAndGovernmentInterventionRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:CyberSecurityRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:LoansOfPortfolioSecuritiesMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:TaxRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:ActiveManagementRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:PotentialConflictsOfInterestRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:DependenceOnKeyPersonnelRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:InvestmentRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:MarketRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:InfrastructureCompaniesRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:CommonStockRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:ConcentrationInInfrastructureCompaniesRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:PreferredSecuritiesRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:DebtSecuritiesRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:RestrictedAndIlliquidSecuritiesRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:LeverageRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:InflationRiskMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:RisksOfSecuritiesLinkedToTheRealEstateMarketMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:SpecialRisksToHoldersOfCommonSharesMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:CommonSharesMember 2023-01-01 2023-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:CommonSharesMember 2022-01-01 2022-03-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:CommonSharesMember 2022-04-01 2022-06-30 0001275617 cik0001275617:CommonSharesMember 2022-07-01 2022-09-30 0001275617 cik0001275617:CommonSharesMember 2022-10-01 2022-12-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:CommonSharesMember 2023-01-01 2023-03-31 0001275617 cik0001275617:CommonSharesMember 2023-04-01 2023-06-30 0001275617 cik0001275617:CommonSharesMember 2023-07-01 2023-09-30 0001275617 cik0001275617:CommonSharesMember 2023-10-01 2023-12-31 xbrli:pure iso4217:USD xbrli:shares iso4217:USD xbrli:shares
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES
Investment Company Act File Number:
Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund, Inc.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in charter)
1166 Avenue of the Americas, 30
th
Floor, New York, NY 10036
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
Dana A. DeVivo
Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc.
1166 Avenue of the Americas, 30
th
Floor
New York, New York 10036
(Name and address of agent for service)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:
Date of fiscal year end:
December 31
Date of reporting period:
December 31, 2023
Item 1. Reports to Stockholders.
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We would like to share with you our report for the year ended December 31, 2023. The total returns for Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (the Fund) and its comparative benchmarks were:
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Six Months Ended December 31, 2023 |
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Year Ended December 31, 2023 |
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Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund at Net Asset Value (a) |
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2.41 |
% |
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|
2.08 |
% |
Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund at Market Value (a) |
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|
–6.06 |
% |
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–3.77 |
% |
Blended Benchmark—80% FTSE Global Core Infrastructure 50/50 Net Tax Index / 20% ICE BofA Fixed Rate Preferred Securities Index (b) |
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|
2.70 |
% |
|
|
3.88 |
% |
|
|
|
8.04 |
% |
|
|
26.29 |
% |
The performance data quoted represent past performance. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The investment return and the principal value of an investment will fluctuate and shares, if sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. Performance results reflect the effects of leverage, resulting from borrowings under a credit agreement. Current total returns of the Fund can be obtained by visiting our website at cohenandsteers.com. The Fund’s returns assume the reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan. Index performance does not reflect the deduction of any fees, taxes or expenses. An investor cannot invest directly in an index. Performance figures for periods shorter than one year are not annualized.
Managed Distribution Policy
The Fund, acting in accordance with an exemptive order received from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and with approval of its Board of Directors (the Board), adopted a managed distribution policy under which the Fund intends to include long-term capital gains, where applicable, as part of the regular monthly cash distributions to its shareholders (the Plan). The Plan gives the Fund greater flexibility to realize long-term capital gains and to distribute those gains on a regular monthly basis. In accordance with the Plan, the Fund currently distributes $0.155 per share on a monthly basis.
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As a closed-end investment company, the price of the Fund’s exchange-traded shares will be set by market forces and can deviate from the net asset value (NAV) per share of the Fund. |
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The FTSE Global Core Infrastructure 50/50 Net Tax Index is a market-capitalization-weighted index of worldwide infrastructure and infrastructure-related securities and is net of dividend withholding taxes. Constituent weights are adjusted semi-annually according to three broad industry sectors: 50% utilities, 30% transportation, and a 20% mix of other sectors, including pipelines, satellites, and telecommunication towers. The ICE BofA Fixed Rate Preferred Securities Index tracks the performance of fixed-rate U.S. dollar-denominated preferred securities issued in the U.S. domestic market. The S&P 500 Index is an unmanaged index of 500 large-capitalization stocks that is frequently used as a general measure of U.S. stock market performance. |
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The Fund may pay distributions in excess of the Fund’s investment company taxable income and net realized gains. This excess would be a return of capital distributed from the Fund’s assets. Distributions of capital decrease the Fund’s total assets and, therefore, could have the effect of increasing the Fund’s expense ratio. In addition, in order to make these distributions, the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities at a less than opportune time.
Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Fund’s investment performance from the amount of these distributions or from the terms of the Fund’s Plan. The Fund’s total return based on NAV is presented in the table above as well as in the Financial Highlights table.
The Plan provides that the Board may amend or terminate the Plan at any time without prior notice to Fund shareholders; however, at this time, there are no reasonably foreseeable circumstances that might cause the termination. The termination of the Plan could have the effect of creating a trading discount (if the Fund’s stock is trading at or above NAV) or widening an existing trading discount.
Global infrastructure stocks were little changed in the 12 months ending December 31, 2023. After sharp relative outperformance in 2022, listed infrastructure’s 2023 performance stood in contrast to the broader equity market, which rose on the strength of just a few sectors, led by technology (which rallied sharply on optimism surrounding advancements in generative artificial intelligence). As a result, listed infrastructure’s valuations moved below their historical average premium relative to the broad equity market.
Global economic growth generally exceeded expectations in 2023, and worries about an impending recession faded. Bond yields rose sharply through most of the period as the U.S. Federal Reserve and other central banks continued to raise interest rates in an effort to contain inflation, although interest rates declined sharply in late 2023 on signs of moderating inflation and more dovish monetary policy. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury retreated to 3.9% by year end, about where it stood at the start of 2023 after peaking near 5.0% in October.
The Fund had a positive total return in the period based on NAV but underperformed its blended benchmark (the Fund declined based on market price).
The communications sector was weighed down by concern over interest rates and several U.S.-based tower companies reporting mixed guidance. The Fund’s security selection in communications aided relative returns. This included an overweight position in Cellnex Telecom, which rallied sharply on takeover speculation as well as optimism about new management. An out-of-index position in data center company Digital Realty Trust also outperformed amid expectations of strong growth related to artificial intelligence applications.
Electric and water utilities lagged as investors generally favored more growth-oriented sectors. The Fund’s stock selection in electric utilities helped relative performance. Contributors included the portfolio’s underweight positions or non-investments in several large-capitalization U.S. utilities that declined in the period. Additionally, the Fund had no investment in Adani Transmission, which fell materially due to a high-profile short seller report in January targeting the company’s parent conglomerate. Stock selection in water utilities hindered relative returns.
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The gas distribution sector posted a flat return overall, with performance driven mainly by company-specific news rather than any overarching trend. The Fund’s stock selection in the gas distribution sector hindered relative returns, including an overweight in ENN Energy Holdings, which underperformed in part due to concerns surrounding new gas customer connections in China.
Passenger transportation–related sectors, including airports and toll roads, generated healthy returns on improved global growth expectations and continued pent-up demand from the Covid pandemic. The Fund’s underweight and security selection in airports detracted from relative performance, due in part to our underweight in Spain’s AENA, which benefited from increased international tourist volumes. Security selection in toll roads detracted from relative performance, largely from having no investment in a Latin American toll road company that rose meaningfully on the improved economic outlook.
In the railways sector, passenger rail and freight rail operators offered mixed volumes. The Fund’s security selection in railways detracted from relative performance, partially due to having no allocation to Brazil-based Rumo, which benefited from increased global demand for commodities and better-than-expected local inflation data.
Midstream energy fundamentals remained solid as the macroeconomic backdrop appeared likely to support energy throughput volumes. Stock selection in midstream aided performance, in part due to our out-of-index position in Plains All American Pipeline, which had a sizable gain.
Fixed income investments, including preferred securities, generally outperformed infrastructure stocks in the year. The Fund’s underweight and security selection in fixed income hindered its performance compared with the blended benchmark.
Impact of Leverage on Fund Performance
The Fund employs leverage as part of a yield-enhancement strategy. Leverage, which can increase total return in rising markets (just as it can have the opposite effect in declining markets), detracted from the Fund’s performance for the 12-month period ended December 31, 2023.
Impact of Foreign Currency on Fund Performance
The currency impact of the Fund’s investments in foreign securities contributed to absolute performance during the period. Although the Fund reports its NAV and pays dividends in U.S. dollars, the Fund’s investments denominated in foreign currencies are subject to foreign currency risk. Overall, other currencies appreciated against the U.S. dollar. Consequently, changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar were a tailwind for absolute returns.
Impact of Derivatives on Fund Performance
The Fund engaged in the buying and selling of single stock options with the intention of enhancing total returns and reducing overall volatility. These contracts contributed to the Fund’s total return for the 12-month period ended December 31, 2023.
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In connection with its use of leverage, the Fund pays interest on its borrowings based on a floating rate under the terms of its credit agreement. To reduce the impact that an increase in interest rates could have on the performance of the Fund with respect to these borrowings, the Fund used interest rate swaps to exchange a portion of the floating rate for a fixed rate. The Fund’s use of swaps contributed to the Fund’s total return for the 12-month period ended December 31, 2023.
The views and opinions in the preceding commentary are subject to change without notice and are as of the date of the report. There is no guarantee that any market forecast set forth in the commentary will be realized. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific point in time, should not be relied upon as investment advice and is not intended to predict or depict performance of any investment.
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Visit Cohen & Steers online at cohenandsteers.com
For more information about the Cohen & Steers family of mutual funds, visit cohenandsteers.com. Here you will find fund net asset values, fund fact sheets and portfolio highlights, as well as educational resources and timely market updates.
Our website also provides comprehensive information about Cohen & Steers, including our most recent press releases, profiles of our senior investment professionals and their investment approach to each asset class. The Cohen & Steers family of mutual funds specializes in liquid real assets, including real estate securities, listed infrastructure and natural resource equities, as well as preferred securities and other income solutions.
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Performance Review (Unaudited)
Growth of a $10,000 Investment
Average Annual Total Returns—For Period Ended December 31, 2023
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1 Year |
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5 Years |
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10 Years |
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2.08 |
% |
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8.65 |
% |
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7.92 |
% |
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9.29 |
% |
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-3.77 |
% |
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9.45 |
% |
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8.51 |
% |
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8.62 |
% |
The performance data quoted represent past performance. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The investment return will vary and the principal value of an investment will fluctuate and shares, if sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. Performance results reflect the effect of leverage from utilization of borrowings under a credit agreement. Current total returns of the Fund can be obtained by visiting our website at cohenandsteers.com. The Fund’s returns assume the reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan. The performance graph and table do not reflect the deduction of brokerage commissions or taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the sale of Fund shares.
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The Linked Blended Benchmark is represented by the performance of 80% UBS Global Infrastructure & Utilities 50/50 Index Net (UBS 50/50) / 20% ICE BofA Fixed Rate Preferred Securities Index through March 31, 2015 and 80% FTSE Global Core Infrastructure 50/50 Net Tax Index (FTSE 50/50) / 20% ICE BofA Fixed Rate Preferred Securities Index thereafter. The benchmark was replaced on March 31, 2015 because UBS retired the UBS 50/50. The UBS 50/50 tracked a 50% exposure to the global developed market utilities sector and a 50% exposure to the global developed market infrastructure sector. The index was a free-float market-capitalization weighted index and reconstituted |
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Performance Review (Unaudited)—(Continued)
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annually with quarterly rebalances and was net of dividend withholding taxes. The FTSE 50/50 is a market-capitalization-weighted index of worldwide infrastructure and infrastructure-related securities and is net of dividend withholding taxes. Constituent weights are adjusted semi-annually according to three broad industry sectors: 50% utilities, 30% transportation, and a 20% mix of other sectors, including pipelines, satellites and telecommunication towers. The ICE BofA Fixed Rate Preferred Securities Index tracks the performance of fixed-rate U.S. dollar-denominated preferred securities issued in the U.S. domestic market. The S&P 500 Index is an unmanaged index of 500 large-capitalization stocks that is frequently used as a general measure of U.S. stock market performance. |
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The comparative indexes are not adjusted to reflect expenses or other fees that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires to be reflected in the Fund’s performance. Index performance does not reflect the deduction of any fees, taxes or expenses. An investor cannot invest directly in an index. The Fund’s performance assumes the reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan. |
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Commencement of investment operations is March 30, 2004. |
Market and Net Asset Value Information
The following table, presented in conformance with annual reporting requirements for the Fund that has filed a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction A.2 of Form
N-2
(“Short Form
N-2”),
sets forth, for each of the quarters indicated, the high and low closing market prices of the Fund’s Common Shares on the NYSE, the high and low NAV per Common Share and the high and low premium/discount to NAV per Common Share.
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Common Share |
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Common Share |
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Premium/ (Discount) as a Percentage of |
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Market Price |
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Net Asset Value |
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Net Asset Value |
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High |
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Low |
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High |
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Low |
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High |
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Low |
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$ |
22.38 |
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$ |
18.36 |
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$ |
22.94 |
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$ |
19.47 |
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0.58 |
% |
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(7.17 |
)% |
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$ |
23.70 |
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$ |
19.58 |
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$ |
23.91 |
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$ |
20.51 |
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|
2.70 |
% |
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(6.11 |
)% |
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$ |
23.99 |
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$ |
20.97 |
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$ |
24.28 |
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$ |
22.43 |
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|
1.20 |
% |
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(6.55 |
)% |
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$ |
26.02 |
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$ |
22.27 |
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$ |
25.70 |
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$ |
22.32 |
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|
4.14 |
% |
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(2.32 |
)% |
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$ |
25.32 |
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$ |
21.14 |
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$ |
25.38 |
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$ |
21.22 |
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2.36 |
% |
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(3.90 |
)% |
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$ |
28.19 |
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$ |
23.24 |
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$ |
27.97 |
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$ |
22.52 |
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|
4.00 |
% |
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(2.90 |
)% |
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$ |
29.35 |
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$ |
22.99 |
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$ |
29.13 |
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$ |
24.15 |
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3.67 |
% |
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(5.09 |
)% |
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$ |
28.96 |
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$ |
25.40 |
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$ |
28.78 |
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$ |
25.56 |
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3.15 |
% |
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(3.78 |
)% |
The following information is presented in conformance with annual reporting requirements for funds that have filed a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction A.2 of Form
N-2
(“Short Form
N-2”).
The Fund does not believe that there are any material unresolved written comments, received 180 days or more before December 31, 2023 from the Staff of the SEC regarding any of the Fund’s periodic or current reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, or its registration statement.
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Performance Review (Unaudited)—(Continued)
The following table is intended to assist you in understanding the various costs and expenses directly or indirectly associated with investing in our common shares as a percentage of net assets attributable to common shares. The table reflects the use of leverage in the form of borrowings in an amount equal to 30% of the Fund’s total managed assets.
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Stockholder Transaction Expenses |
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Sales Load (as a percentage of offering price) |
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— |
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Offering Expenses Borne by the Fund (as a percentage of offering price) |
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— |
|
Dividend Reinvestment Fees |
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None |
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Percentage of Net Assets Attributable to Common Shares |
|
Annual Expenses (as a percentage of net assets attributable to common shares) |
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| |
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|
1.22 |
|
Interest Payments on Borrowed Funds |
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|
2.58 |
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|
0.17 |
|
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|
3.97 |
% |
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If Common Shares are sold to or through underwriters, a prospectus or prospectus supplement will set forth any applicable sales commission and the estimated offering expenses borne by the Fund. |
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Stockholders participating in the Fund’s Reinvestment Plan generally do not incur any additional fees. You will pay brokerage charges if you direct your broker or the plan agent to sell your Common Shares that you acquired pursuant to a dividend reinvestment plan. You may also pay a pro rata share of brokerage commissions incurred in connection with open-market purchases pursuant to the Fund’s Dividend Reinvestment Plan. |
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The Investment Manager’s fee is accrued daily, paid monthly, at an annual rate of 0.85% of the Fund’s average daily Managed Assets. Consequently, since the Fund has borrowings outstanding, the investment management fees and other expenses as a percentage of net assets attributable to common shares are higher than if the Fund did not utilize a leveraged capital structure. |
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Assumes borrowings from financial institution representing 30% of Managed Assets. The actual amount of interest expense borne by the Fund may significantly vary over time. Interest expense is required to be treated as an expense of the Fund for accounting purposes. |
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Other Expenses shown in the table are based upon those incurred during the Fund’s current year ended December 31, 2023. The Fund and the Investment Manager have entered into an administration agreement (the Administration Agreement) and the Fund and State Street have entered into a co-administration agreement (the Co-Administration Agreement). Other Expenses include amounts paid to the Investment Manager under the Administration Agreement, which requires the Fund to pay the Investment Manager an amount equal to, on an annual basis, 0.06% of the Fund’s average daily Managed Assets, and amounts paid to State Street under the Co-Administration Agreement. |
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Performance Review (Unaudited)—(Continued)
The following example illustrates the expenses (including the maximum sales commission
(1)
of 1.00% on common shares) that you would pay on each $1,000 investment in our common shares, assuming (1) total net annual expenses of 3.97% in years 1 through 10, (2) a 5% annual return and (3) that all dividends and distributions are reinvested at net asset value.
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The example above should not be considered a representation of future expenses. Actual expenses may be higher or lower. The example assumes that the estimated Other Expenses set forth in the Annual Expenses table is accurate and that all dividends and distributions are reinvested at NAV. Actual expenses may be greater or less than those assumed. Moreover, the Fund’s actual rate of return may be greater or less than the hypothetical 5% return shown in the example. |
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Notwithstanding this assumption, in actuality, these fees will be indirectly borne by all holders of Common Shares. |
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NC
.
Our current leverage strategy utilizes borrowings up to the maximum permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940 to provide additional capital for the Fund, with an objective of increasing net income available for shareholders. As of December 31, 2023, leverage represented 30% of the Fund’s managed assets.
Through a combination of variable and fixed rate financing, the Fund has locked in interest rates on a significant portion of this additional capital through 2027 (where we effectively reduce our variable rate obligation and lock in our fixed rate obligation over various terms). Locking in a significant portion of our leveraging costs is designed to protect the dividend-paying ability of the Fund. The use of leverage increases the volatility of the Fund’s NAV in both up and down markets. However, we believe that locking in portions of the Fund’s leveraging costs for the various terms partially protects the Fund’s expenses from an increase in short-term interest rates.
|
| |
Leverage (as a % of managed assets) |
|
30% |
% Variable Rate Financing |
|
15% |
|
|
6.3% |
% Fixed Rate Financing (c) |
|
85% |
Weighted Average Rate on Fixed Financing |
|
1.8% |
Weighted Average Term on Fixed Financing |
|
2.5 years |
The Fund seeks to enhance its dividend yield through leverage. The use of leverage is a speculative technique and there are special risks and costs associated with leverage. The NAV of the Fund’s shares may be reduced by the issuance and ongoing costs of leverage. So long as the Fund is able to invest in securities that produce an investment yield that is greater than the total cost of leverage, the leverage strategy will produce higher current net investment income for shareholders. On the other hand, to the extent that the total cost of leverage exceeds the incremental income gained from employing such leverage, shareholders would realize lower net investment income. In addition to the impact on net income, the use of leverage will have an effect of magnifying capital appreciation or depreciation for shareholders. Specifically, in an up market, leverage will typically generate greater capital appreciation than if the Fund were not employing leverage. Conversely, in down markets, the use of leverage will generally result in greater capital depreciation than if the Fund had been unlevered. To the extent that the Fund is required or elects to reduce its leverage, the Fund may need to liquidate investments, including under adverse economic conditions which may result in capital losses potentially reducing returns to shareholders. There can be no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be successful during any period in which it is employed.
|
Data as of December 31, 2023. Information is subject to change. |
|
See Note 7 in Notes to Financial Statements. |
|
Represents fixed payer interest rate swap contracts on variable rate borrowing. |
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Value |
|
|
% of Managed Assets |
|
|
|
$ |
139,649,102 |
|
|
|
4.4 |
|
|
|
|
124,175,702 |
|
|
|
3.9 |
|
|
|
|
113,052,583 |
|
|
|
3.6 |
|
|
|
|
97,499,957 |
|
|
|
3.1 |
|
|
|
|
96,660,659 |
|
|
|
3.1 |
|
|
|
|
93,896,180 |
|
|
|
3.0 |
|
|
|
|
91,421,703 |
|
|
|
2.9 |
|
|
|
|
71,643,018 |
|
|
|
2.3 |
|
|
|
|
70,259,110 |
|
|
|
2.2 |
|
|
|
|
66,357,088 |
|
|
|
2.1 |
|
|
Top ten holdings (excluding short-term investments and derivative instruments) are determined on the basis of the value of individual securities held. The Fund may also hold positions in other securities issued by the companies listed above. See the Schedule of Investments for additional details on such other positions. |
(Based on Managed Assets)
|
Excludes derivative instruments. |
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Shares/Units |
|
|
Value |
|
|
|
|
118.4% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
8.3% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
1.0% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
8,589,984 |
|
|
$ |
22,243,851 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
7.3% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
16,278,382 |
|
|
|
64,116,986 |
|
|
|
|
|
10,435,973 |
|
|
|
97,499,957 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
161,616,943 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
183,860,794 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.1% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
0.7% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Santos Brasil Participacoes SA |
|
|
|
8,336,994 |
|
|
|
16,081,529 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.4% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
10,300,010 |
|
|
|
30,067,140 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
46,148,669 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.5% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
0.2% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Tidewater Renewables Ltd. (c) |
|
|
|
789,442 |
|
|
|
4,807,967 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.9% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
888,181 |
|
|
|
18,647,746 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
8.5% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
1,843,322 |
|
|
|
66,357,088 |
|
|
|
|
|
748,046 |
|
|
|
18,082,271 |
|
|
|
|
|
327,150 |
|
|
|
11,110,336 |
|
|
|
|
|
2,340,385 |
|
|
|
91,421,703 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
186,971,398 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.9% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Canadian National Railway Co. |
|
|
|
164,490 |
|
|
|
20,675,302 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
231,102,413 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.6% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
1.4% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
ENN Energy Holdings Ltd., (H shares) |
|
|
|
4,079,921 |
|
|
|
30,043,601 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.6% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
China Merchants Port Holdings Co. Ltd., (H shares) |
|
|
|
5,016,000 |
|
|
|
6,834,890 |
|
COSCO SHIPPING Ports Ltd., (H shares) |
|
|
|
8,580,000 |
|
|
|
6,197,247 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
13,032,137 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Shares/Units |
|
|
Value |
|
|
|
|
0.6% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Jiangsu Expressway Co. Ltd., (H shares) |
|
|
|
15,514,000 |
|
|
$ |
13,947,401 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
57,023,139 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.2% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
1.5% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
1,794,411 |
|
|
|
31,532,608 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.7% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
870,072 |
|
|
|
15,910,949 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
47,443,557 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.0% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Power Assets Holdings Ltd. |
|
|
|
7,771,500 |
|
|
|
45,035,586 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.5% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
5,253,915 |
|
|
|
19,604,219 |
|
Power Grid Corp. of India Ltd. |
|
|
|
20,022,011 |
|
|
|
56,940,216 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
76,544,435 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.0% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
3,009,729 |
|
|
|
22,361,036 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.1% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
1.0% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Japan Airport Terminal Co. Ltd. (b) |
|
|
|
492,900 |
|
|
|
21,712,070 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.1% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. |
|
|
|
234,600 |
|
|
|
3,030,666 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.0% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
967,600 |
|
|
|
22,220,488 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
46,963,224 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.4% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte SAB de CV |
|
|
|
1,523,926 |
|
|
|
16,116,947 |
|
Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico SAB de CV, Class B |
|
|
|
3,394,388 |
|
|
|
59,538,217 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
75,655,164 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.7% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Auckland International Airport Ltd. (b) |
|
|
|
6,665,359 |
|
|
|
37,078,860 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Shares/Units |
|
|
Value |
|
|
|
|
0.4% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
International Container Terminal Services, Inc. |
|
|
|
1,795,530 |
|
|
$ |
8,002,470 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.3% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
1.9% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
234,282 |
|
|
|
42,442,110 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.4% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
746,977 |
|
|
|
29,406,141 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
71,848,251 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.5% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
18,795,100 |
|
|
|
32,901,405 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
5.0% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
4.3% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
6,962,597 |
|
|
|
93,896,180 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.7% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
1,667,274 |
|
|
|
15,970,811 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
109,866,991 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
68.8% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
10.4% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
American Tower Corp. (b)(e) |
|
|
|
646,883 |
|
|
|
139,649,102 |
|
|
|
|
|
535,724 |
|
|
|
61,710,048 |
|
SBA Communications Corp., Class A (b)(e) |
|
|
|
108,244 |
|
|
|
27,460,420 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
228,819,570 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.1% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Benson Hill, Inc. (b)(c)(e) |
|
|
|
962,500 |
|
|
|
167,282 |
|
|
|
|
|
637,750 |
|
|
|
2,474,470 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
2,641,752 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
36.4% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Alliant Energy Corp. (b)(e) |
|
|
|
1,214,745 |
|
|
|
62,316,418 |
|
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (b)(e)(f) |
|
|
|
2,507,631 |
|
|
|
71,643,018 |
|
|
|
|
|
1,033,080 |
|
|
|
59,990,956 |
|
Consolidated Edison, Inc. (b) |
|
|
|
286,608 |
|
|
|
26,072,730 |
|
Dominion Energy, Inc. (b)(e) |
|
|
|
1,393,830 |
|
|
|
65,510,010 |
|
|
|
|
|
268,601 |
|
|
|
26,065,041 |
|
|
|
|
|
406,948 |
|
|
|
41,179,068 |
|
|
|
|
|
566,779 |
|
|
|
29,585,864 |
|
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Shares/Units |
|
|
Value |
|
|
|
|
|
790,581 |
|
|
$ |
28,982,699 |
|
|
|
|
|
731,336 |
|
|
|
7,386,494 |
|
NextEra Energy, Inc. (b)(e) |
|
|
|
2,044,381 |
|
|
|
124,175,702 |
|
|
|
|
|
3,566,814 |
|
|
|
96,660,659 |
|
Public Service Enterprise Group, Inc. (b)(e)(f) |
|
|
|
828,787 |
|
|
|
50,680,325 |
|
|
|
|
|
1,612,273 |
|
|
|
113,052,583 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
803,301,567 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
5.7% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
2,453,332 |
|
|
|
65,135,965 |
|
|
|
|
|
827,532 |
|
|
|
61,841,466 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
126,977,431 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.5% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Cheniere Energy, Inc. (b)(e)(f) |
|
|
|
294,762 |
|
|
|
50,318,821 |
|
|
|
|
|
334,958 |
|
|
|
18,355,698 |
|
|
|
|
|
1,606,191 |
|
|
|
22,165,436 |
|
Hess Midstream LP, Class A (b) |
|
|
|
469,791 |
|
|
|
14,859,489 |
|
Kinder Morgan, Inc. (b)(e) |
|
|
|
1,374,354 |
|
|
|
24,243,605 |
|
Kinetik Holdings, Inc. (b)(e) |
|
|
|
634,229 |
|
|
|
21,183,249 |
|
|
|
|
|
514,959 |
|
|
|
18,909,294 |
|
|
|
|
|
591,257 |
|
|
|
41,518,067 |
|
Plains All American Pipeline LP (b)(e) |
|
|
|
1,264,432 |
|
|
|
19,156,145 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
230,709,804 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
5.4% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Norfolk Southern Corp. (b)(e) |
|
|
|
202,861 |
|
|
|
47,952,283 |
|
Union Pacific Corp. (b)(e)(f) |
|
|
|
286,048 |
|
|
|
70,259,110 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
118,211,393 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.3% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Essential Utilities, Inc. (b) |
|
|
|
168,103 |
|
|
|
6,278,647 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
1,516,940,164 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
T OTAL C OMMON S TOCK (Identified cost—$2,171,840,452) |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
2,608,776,158 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
P REFERRED S ECURITIES —E XCHANGE - TRADED |
|
|
3.4% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
0.0% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd., 5.75%, Series F (b)(g) |
|
|
|
7,000 |
|
|
|
167,230 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Shares/Units |
|
|
Value |
|
|
|
|
0.2% |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp., 6.20% to 7/1/24, due 7/1/79, Series 19-A (b)(h) |
|
|
|
89,073 |
|
|
$ |
2,149,332 |
|
Brookfield BRP Holdings Canada, Inc., 4.625% (b)(g) |
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
|
1,565,000 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
3,714,332 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.0% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
AEGON Funding Co. LLC, 5.10%, due 12/15/49 (b) |
|
|
|
65,287 |
|
|
|
1,419,339 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.2% |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
0.8% |
|
|
|
| |
Bank of America Corp., 6.00%, Series GG (b) (e)(g) |
|
|
|
184,373 |
|
|
|
4,576,138 |
|
Morgan Stanley, 6.375%, Series I (b)(g) |
|
|
|
118,969 |
|
|
|
2,945,672 |
|
Regions Financial Corp., 5.70% to 5/15/29, Series C (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
81,114 |
|
|
|
1,728,539 |
|
Wells Fargo & Co., 4.375%, Series CC (b)(g) |
|
|
|
58,968 |
|
|
|
1,086,191 |
|
Wells Fargo & Co., 4.70%, Series AA (b)(g) |
|
|
|
142,405 |
|
|
|
2,855,220 |
|
Wells Fargo & Co., 4.75%, Series Z (b)(e)(g) |
|
|
|
206,575 |
|
|
|
4,117,040 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
17,308,800 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
C ONSUMER D ISCRETIONARY P RODUCTS |
|
|
0.2% |
|
|
|
| |
Ford Motor Co., Senior Debt, 6.50%, due 8/15/62 (b) |
|
|
|
| |
|
144,325 |
|
|
|
3,355,556 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.3% |
|
|
|
| |
CHS, Inc., 6.75% to 9/30/24, Series 3 (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
| |
|
137,935 |
|
|
|
3,397,339 |
|
CHS, Inc., 7.10% to 3/31/24, Series 2 (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
| |
|
135,283 |
|
|
|
3,378,017 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
6,775,356 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.2% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Carlyle Finance LLC, 4.625%, due 5/15/61 (b) |
|
|
|
| |
|
70,000 |
|
|
|
1,441,300 |
|
Oaktree Capital Group LLC, 6.55%, Series B (b)(g) |
|
|
|
| |
|
66,071 |
|
|
|
1,405,330 |
|
Oaktree Capital Group LLC, 6.625%, Series A (b)(g) |
|
|
|
| |
|
100,000 |
|
|
|
2,165,000 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
5,011,630 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.6% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Allstate Corp., 7.375%, Series J (b)(g) |
|
|
|
| |
|
98,834 |
|
|
|
2,668,518 |
|
American International Group, Inc., 5.85%, Series A (b)(g) |
|
|
|
| |
|
516 |
|
|
|
12,890 |
|
Arch Capital Group Ltd., 5.45%, Series F (b)(e)(g) |
|
|
|
| |
|
80,000 |
|
|
|
1,905,600 |
|
Athene Holding Ltd., 4.875%, Series D (b)(g) |
|
|
|
| |
|
55,443 |
|
|
|
986,886 |
|
Athene Holding Ltd., 6.35% to 6/30/29, Series A (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
| |
|
115,223 |
|
|
|
2,590,213 |
|
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Shares/Units |
|
|
Value |
|
Enstar Group Ltd., 7.00% to 9/1/28, Series D (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
77,050 |
|
|
$ |
1,932,414 |
|
Equitable Holdings, Inc., 5.25%, Series A (b)(g) |
|
|
|
52,000 |
|
|
|
1,108,640 |
|
Voya Financial, Inc., 5.35% to 9/15/29, Series B (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
45,010 |
|
|
|
1,045,582 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
12,250,743 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.3% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Energy Transfer LP, 7.60% to 5/15/24, Series E (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
203,366 |
|
|
|
5,043,477 |
|
Energy Transfer LP, 10.364% to 1/29/24, Series D (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
89,991 |
|
|
|
2,276,772 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
7,320,249 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.2% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
AT&T, Inc., 4.75%, Series C (b)(g) |
|
|
|
182,869 |
|
|
|
3,608,005 |
|
AT&T, Inc., 5.00%, Series A (b)(g) |
|
|
|
13,078 |
|
|
|
274,507 |
|
U.S. Cellular Corp., Senior Debt, 5.50%, due 6/1/70 (b) |
|
|
|
94,315 |
|
|
|
1,656,172 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
5,538,684 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.6% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
CMS Energy Corp., 5.875%, due 3/1/79 (b) |
|
|
|
99,975 |
|
|
|
2,496,376 |
|
Duke Energy Corp., 5.75%, Series A (b)(g) |
|
|
|
71,350 |
|
|
|
1,740,940 |
|
NiSource, Inc., 6.50% to 3/15/24, Series B (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
40,519 |
|
|
|
1,011,354 |
|
Sempra, 5.75%, due 7/1/79 (b) |
|
|
|
99,837 |
|
|
|
2,493,928 |
|
Southern Co., 4.95%, due 1/30/80, Series 2020 (b) |
|
|
|
230,000 |
|
|
|
5,170,400 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
12,912,998 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
70,474,016 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
T OTAL P REFERRED S ECURITIES —E XCHANGE -T RADED (Identified cost—$81,369,537) |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
75,774,917 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount |
|
|
|
|
P REFERRED S ECURITIES —O VER - THE -C OUNTER |
|
|
19.3% |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
0.5% |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
0.2% |
|
|
|
| |
Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd., 6.75% to 6/15/26 (USD) (b)(d)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
$ |
4,000,000 |
|
|
|
4,029,332 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.3% |
|
|
|
| |
QBE Insurance Group Ltd., 5.875% to 6/17/26, due 6/17/46, Series EMTN (USD) (h)(j) |
|
|
|
1,800,000 |
|
|
|
1,766,960 |
|
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount |
|
|
Value |
|
QBE Insurance Group Ltd., 6.75% to 12/2/24, due 12/2/44 (USD) (h)(j) |
|
|
$ |
5,155,000 |
|
|
$ |
5,150,854 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
6,917,814 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,947,146 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.4% |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
0.4% |
|
|
|
| |
Bank of Nova Scotia, 4.90% to 6/4/25 (USD) (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
1,840,000 |
|
|
|
1,762,080 |
|
Bank of Nova Scotia, 8.625% to 10/27/27, due 10/27/82 (USD) (b)(h) |
|
|
|
3,400,000 |
|
|
|
3,540,784 |
|
Toronto-Dominion Bank, 8.125% to 10/31/27, due 10/31/82 (USD) (b)(h) |
|
|
|
3,200,000 |
|
|
|
3,338,525 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
8,641,389 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.7% |
|
|
|
| |
Enbridge, Inc., 5.75% to 4/15/30, due 7/15/80, Series 20-A(USD) (b)(h) |
|
|
|
5,980,000 |
|
|
|
5,527,463 |
|
Enbridge, Inc., 6.00% to 1/15/27, due 1/15/77, Series 16-A (USD) (b)(h) |
|
|
|
4,155,000 |
|
|
|
3,951,528 |
|
Enbridge, Inc., 6.25% to 3/1/28, due 3/1/78 (USD) (b)(h) |
|
|
|
5,913,000 |
|
|
|
5,475,934 |
|
Enbridge, Inc., 7.375% to 10/15/27, due 1/15/83 (USD) (b)(h) |
|
|
|
3,985,000 |
|
|
|
3,928,623 |
|
Enbridge, Inc., 7.625% to 10/15/32, due 1/15/83 (USD) (b)(h) |
|
|
|
1,920,000 |
|
|
|
1,927,716 |
|
Enbridge, Inc., 8.25% to 10/15/28, due 1/15/84, Series NC5 (USD) (b)(h) |
|
|
|
2,620,000 |
|
|
|
2,709,937 |
|
Enbridge, Inc., 8.50% to 10/15/33, due 1/15/84 (USD) (b)(h) |
|
|
|
2,060,000 |
|
|
|
2,196,261 |
|
Transcanada Trust, 5.50% to 9/15/29, due 9/15/79 (USD) (b)(h) |
|
|
|
5,008,000 |
|
|
|
4,290,507 |
|
Transcanada Trust, 5.60% to 12/7/31, due 3/7/82 (USD) (b)(h) |
|
|
|
2,500,000 |
|
|
|
2,097,484 |
|
Transcanada Trust, 5.875% to 8/15/26, due 8/15/76, Series 16-A (USD) (b)(e)(h) |
|
|
|
6,499,000 |
|
|
|
6,159,609 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
38,265,062 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.3% |
|
|
|
| |
Emera, Inc., 6.75% to 6/15/26, due 6/15/76, Series 16-A (USD) (b)(e)(h) |
|
|
|
7,268,000 |
|
|
|
7,144,222 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
54,050,673 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount |
|
|
Value |
|
|
|
|
0.1% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Nordea Bank Abp, 6.625% to 3/26/26 (USD) (b)(d)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
$ |
1,400,000 |
|
|
$ |
1,391,228 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.7% |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
1.6% |
|
|
|
| |
BNP Paribas SA, 6.625% to 3/25/24 (USD) (b)(d)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
1,660,000 |
|
|
|
1,653,800 |
|
BNP Paribas SA, 7.00% to 8/16/28 (USD) (b)(d)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
984,176 |
|
BNP Paribas SA, 7.375% to 8/19/25 (USD) (b)(d)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
6,200,000 |
|
|
|
6,224,112 |
|
BNP Paribas SA, 7.75% to 8/16/29 (USD) (b)(d)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
3,200,000 |
|
|
|
3,274,464 |
|
BNP Paribas SA, 9.25% to 11/17/27 (USD) (b)(d)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
5,200,000 |
|
|
|
5,573,698 |
|
Credit Agricole SA, 6.875% to 9/23/24 (USD) (b)(d)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
2,600,000 |
|
|
|
2,589,245 |
|
Credit Agricole SA, 7.875% to 1/23/24 (USD) (b)(d)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
4,600,000 |
|
|
|
4,604,664 |
|
Credit Agricole SA, 8.125% to 12/23/25 (USD) (b)(d)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
3,950,000 |
|
|
|
4,037,935 |
|
Societe Generale SA, 6.75% to 4/6/28 (USD) (b)(d)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
3,400,000 |
|
|
|
3,044,999 |
|
Societe Generale SA, 8.00% to 9/29/25 (USD) (b)(d)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
2,200,000 |
|
|
|
2,199,740 |
|
Societe Generale SA, 9.375% to 11/22/27 (USD) (b)(d)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
2,400,000 |
|
|
|
2,516,683 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
36,703,516 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.1% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
CNP Assurances SACA, 4.875% to 10/7/30 (USD) (g)(h)(i)(j) |
|
|
|
2,200,000 |
|
|
|
1,731,149 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
38,434,665 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.2% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Intesa Sanpaolo SpA, 7.70% to 9/17/25 (USD) (b)(d)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
3,900,000 |
|
|
|
3,841,921 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Dai-ichi Life Insurance Co. Ltd., 5.10% to 10/28/24 (USD) (b)(d)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
2,000,000 |
|
|
|
1,985,240 |
|
Fukoku Mutual Life Insurance Co., 5.00% to 7/28/25 (USD) (g)(h)(j) |
|
|
|
2,800,000 |
|
|
|
2,754,657 |
|
Nippon Life Insurance Co., 5.10% to 10/16/24, due 10/16/44 (USD) (b)(d)(h) |
|
|
|
5,600,000 |
|
|
|
5,549,581 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
10,289,478 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.6% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
0.5% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
ING Groep NV, 5.75% to 11/16/26 (USD) (b)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
5,000,000 |
|
|
|
4,671,844 |
|
ING Groep NV, 6.50% to 4/16/25 (USD) (b)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
2,600,000 |
|
|
|
2,536,825 |
|
ING Groep NV, 6.75% to 4/16/24 (USD) (g)(h)(i)(j) |
|
|
|
2,400,000 |
|
|
|
2,391,473 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
9,600,142 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount |
|
|
Value |
|
|
|
|
0.1% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Aegon Ltd., 5.50% to 4/11/28, due 4/11/48 (USD) (b)(h) |
|
|
$ |
2,875,000 |
|
|
$ |
2,737,004 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
12,337,146 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.2% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA, 6.50% to 3/5/25, Series 9 (USD) (b)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
4,800,000 |
|
|
|
4,723,408 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.8% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
0.3% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Credit Suisse Group AG, 5.25%, Claim (USD) (c)(d)(g)(i)(k) |
|
|
|
1,600,000 |
|
|
|
176,000 |
|
Credit Suisse Group AG, 6.375%, Claim (USD) (c)(d)(g)(i)(k) |
|
|
|
2,000,000 |
|
|
|
220,000 |
|
Credit Suisse Group AG, 7.50%, Claim (USD) (c)(d)(g)(i)(k) |
|
|
|
600,000 |
|
|
|
66,000 |
|
UBS Group AG, 6.875% to 8/7/25 (USD) (g)(h)(i)(j) |
|
|
|
5,400,000 |
|
|
|
5,323,212 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
5,785,212 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Argentum Netherlands BV for Swiss Re Ltd., 5.625% to 8/15/27, due 8/15/52 (USD) (h)(j) |
|
|
|
3,700,000 |
|
|
|
3,607,940 |
|
Argentum Netherlands BV for Zurich Insurance Co. Ltd., 5.125% to 6/1/28, due 6/1/48 (USD) (h)(j) |
|
|
|
5,800,000 |
|
|
|
5,607,150 |
|
Zurich Finance Ireland Designated Activity Co., 3.00% to 1/19/31, due 4/19/51, Series EMTN (USD) (h)(j) |
|
|
|
3,600,000 |
|
|
|
2,931,300 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
12,146,390 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
17,931,602 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.8% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
1.7% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Barclays PLC, 8.00% to 6/15/24 (USD) (b)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
5,000,000 |
|
|
|
4,978,122 |
|
Barclays PLC, 8.00% to 3/15/29 (USD) (b)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
4,400,000 |
|
|
|
4,329,214 |
|
HSBC Capital Funding Dollar 1 LP, 10.176% to 6/30/30, Series 2 (USD) (b)(d)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
7,566,000 |
|
|
|
9,623,332 |
|
HSBC Holdings PLC, 6.50% to 3/23/28 (USD) (b)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
2,800,000 |
|
|
|
2,707,714 |
|
Lloyds Banking Group PLC, 7.50% to 6/27/24 (USD) (b)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
4,534,000 |
|
|
|
4,494,814 |
|
Lloyds Banking Group PLC, 7.50% to 9/27/25 (USD) (b)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
3,400,000 |
|
|
|
3,338,088 |
|
NatWest Group PLC, 6.00% to 12/29/25 (USD) (b)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
2,000,000 |
|
|
|
1,938,617 |
|
NatWest Group PLC, 8.00% to 8/10/25 (USD) (b)(e)(g)(h)(i) |
|
|
|
6,000,000 |
|
|
|
6,025,530 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
37,435,431 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount |
|
|
Value |
|
|
|
|
0.3% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
BP Capital Markets PLC, 4.375% to 6/22/25 (USD) (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
$ |
3,000,000 |
|
|
$ |
2,934,046 |
|
BP Capital Markets PLC, 4.875% to 3/22/30 (USD) (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
3,550,000 |
|
|
|
3,382,875 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
6,316,921 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.3% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Beazley Insurance DAC, 5.50%, due 9/10/29 (USD) (j) |
|
|
|
2,600,000 |
|
|
|
2,359,152 |
|
Lancashire Holdings Ltd., 5.625% to 3/18/31, due 9/18/41 (USD) (h)(j) |
|
|
|
1,300,000 |
|
|
|
1,116,375 |
|
Phoenix Group Holdings PLC, 5.625% to 1/29/25 (USD) (g)(h)(i)(j) |
|
|
|
4,400,000 |
|
|
|
4,202,000 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
7,677,527 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Vodafone Group PLC, 4.125% to 3/4/31, due 6/4/81 (USD) (b)(h) |
|
|
|
2,090,000 |
|
|
|
1,802,115 |
|
Vodafone Group PLC, 6.25% to 7/3/24, due 10/3/78 (USD) (h)(j) |
|
|
|
4,235,000 |
|
|
|
4,224,158 |
|
Vodafone Group PLC, 7.00% to 1/4/29, due 4/4/79 (USD) (b)(h) |
|
|
|
4,500,000 |
|
|
|
4,650,768 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
10,677,041 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
62,106,920 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
9.5% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
6.0% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
AgriBank FCB, 6.875% to 1/1/24 (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
37,000 |
† |
|
|
3,786,950 |
|
Bank of America Corp., 5.875% to 3/15/28, Series FF (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
2,682,000 |
|
|
|
2,570,995 |
|
Bank of America Corp., 6.10% to 3/17/25, Series AA (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
7,429,000 |
|
|
|
7,377,056 |
|
Bank of America Corp., 6.25% to 9/5/24, Series X (b) (g)(h) |
|
|
|
7,423,000 |
|
|
|
7,373,187 |
|
Bank of America Corp., 6.30% to 3/10/26, Series DD (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
6,000,000 |
|
|
|
6,045,012 |
|
Bank of America Corp., 6.50% to 10/23/24, Series Z (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
6,806,000 |
|
|
|
6,790,030 |
|
Bank of New York Mellon Corp., 4.625% to 9/20/26, Series F (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
3,500,000 |
|
|
|
3,341,348 |
|
Charles Schwab Corp., 4.00% to 6/1/26, Series I (b)(e)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
6,983,000 |
|
|
|
6,164,098 |
|
Charles Schwab Corp., 5.375% to 6/1/25, Series G (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
2,936,000 |
|
|
|
2,902,587 |
|
Citigroup, Inc., 3.875% to 2/18/26, Series X (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
3,250,000 |
|
|
|
2,885,429 |
|
Citigroup, Inc., 4.15% to 11/15/26, Series Y (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
2,310,000 |
|
|
|
1,988,301 |
|
Citigroup, Inc., 5.00% to 9/12/24, Series U (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
4,704,000 |
|
|
|
4,577,912 |
|
Citigroup, Inc., 5.95% to 5/15/25, Series P (b)(e)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
6,000,000 |
|
|
|
5,880,345 |
|
Citigroup, Inc., 6.25% to 8/15/26, Series T (b)(e)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
7,850,000 |
|
|
|
7,767,555 |
|
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount |
|
|
Value |
|
Citizens Financial Group, Inc., 5.65% to 10/6/25, Series F (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
$ |
2,000,000 |
|
|
$ |
1,902,335 |
|
CoBank ACB, 6.25% to 10/1/26, Series I (g)(h) |
|
|
|
2,866,000 |
|
|
|
2,765,600 |
|
Dresdner Funding Trust I, 8.151%, due 6/30/31 (TruPS) (b)(d) |
|
|
|
2,500,000 |
|
|
|
2,771,875 |
|
Farm Credit Bank of Texas, 9.656% (3 Month USD Term SOFR + 4.01%) (b)(d)(g)(l) |
|
|
|
35,300 |
† |
|
|
3,525,587 |
|
First Horizon Bank, 6.518% (3 Month USD Term SOFR + 1.11%, Floor 3.75%) (b)(d)(g)(l) |
|
|
|
1,806 |
† |
|
|
1,121,978 |
|
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., 3.65% to 8/10/26, Series U (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
4,170,000 |
|
|
|
3,708,253 |
|
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., 4.125% to 11/10/26, Series V (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
891,801 |
|
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., 5.30% to 11/10/26, Series O (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
1,645,000 |
|
|
|
1,610,880 |
|
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., 5.50% to 8/10/24, Series Q (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
989,775 |
|
Huntington Bancshares, Inc., 4.45% to 10/15/27, Series G (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
879,487 |
|
Huntington Bancshares, Inc., 5.625% to 7/15/30, Series F (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
894,000 |
|
|
|
811,614 |
|
JPMorgan Chase & Co., 5.00% to 8/1/24, Series FFF (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
1,043,000 |
|
|
|
1,024,634 |
|
JPMorgan Chase & Co., 6.10% to 10/1/24, Series X (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
2,500,000 |
|
|
|
2,487,845 |
|
JPMorgan Chase & Co., 6.125% to 4/30/24, Series U (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
1,436,000 |
|
|
|
1,426,798 |
|
JPMorgan Chase & Co., 6.75% to 2/1/24, Series S (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
8,790,000 |
|
|
|
8,777,681 |
|
PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., 6.20% to 9/15/27, Series V (b) (g)(h) |
|
|
|
4,450,000 |
|
|
|
4,337,584 |
|
Truist Financial Corp., 5.10% to 3/1/30, Series Q (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
2,109,000 |
|
|
|
1,921,731 |
|
Truist Financial Corp., 5.125% to 12/15/27, Series M (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
500,000 |
|
|
|
422,602 |
|
U.S. Bancorp, 5.30% to 4/15/27, Series J (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
1,500,000 |
|
|
|
1,349,295 |
|
Wells Fargo & Co., 3.90% to 3/15/26, Series BB (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
7,400,000 |
|
|
|
6,841,904 |
|
Wells Fargo & Co., 5.875% to 6/15/25, Series U (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
7,521,000 |
|
|
|
7,461,407 |
|
Wells Fargo & Co., 5.95%, due 12/15/36 (b) |
|
|
|
2,830,000 |
|
|
|
2,874,291 |
|
Wells Fargo & Co., 7.625% to 9/15/28 (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
2,390,000 |
|
|
|
2,513,828 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
131,869,590 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.3% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Discover Financial Services, 6.125% to 6/23/25, Series D (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
7,200,000 |
|
|
|
6,974,780 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount |
|
|
Value |
|
|
|
|
1.7% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Assurant, Inc., 7.00% to 3/27/28, due 3/27/48 (b)(h) |
|
|
$ |
3,200,000 |
|
|
$ |
3,232,055 |
|
Corebridge Financial, Inc., 6.875% to 9/15/27, due 12/15/52 (b)(h) |
|
|
|
7,170,000 |
|
|
|
7,155,363 |
|
Liberty Mutual Group, Inc., 7.80%, due 3/15/37 (b)(d) |
|
|
|
1,680,000 |
|
|
|
1,685,335 |
|
MetLife Capital Trust IV, 7.875%, due 12/15/37 (TruPS) (b)(d)(e) |
|
|
|
5,850,000 |
|
|
|
6,297,978 |
|
MetLife, Inc., 9.25%, due 4/8/38 (b)(d) |
|
|
|
6,500,000 |
|
|
|
7,308,668 |
|
MetLife, Inc., 10.75%, due 8/1/39 (b) |
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
1,339,758 |
|
Prudential Financial, Inc., 5.125% to 11/28/31, due 3/1/52 (b)(h) |
|
|
|
1,600,000 |
|
|
|
1,507,593 |
|
Prudential Financial, Inc., 5.20% to 3/15/24, due 3/15/44 (b)(e)(h) |
|
|
|
3,000,000 |
|
|
|
2,989,755 |
|
Prudential Financial, Inc., 6.00% to 6/1/32, due 9/1/52 (b)(h) |
|
|
|
4,500,000 |
|
|
|
4,489,584 |
|
Voya Financial, Inc., 7.748% to 9/15/28, Series A (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
1,310,000 |
|
|
|
1,360,435 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
37,366,524 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.1% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Energy Transfer LP, 7.125% to 5/15/30, Series G (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
1,857,000 |
|
|
|
1,715,828 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.4% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
American Electric Power Co., Inc., 3.875% to 11/15/26, due 2/15/62 (b)(h) |
|
|
|
4,200,000 |
|
|
|
3,545,963 |
|
CMS Energy Corp., 4.75% to 3/1/30, due 6/1/50 (b)(h) |
|
|
|
1,125,000 |
|
|
|
1,018,750 |
|
Dominion Energy, Inc., 4.35% to 1/15/27, Series C (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
8,000,000 |
|
|
|
7,133,723 |
|
Duke Energy Corp., 4.875% to 9/16/24 (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
2,805,000 |
|
|
|
2,768,775 |
|
National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corp., 7.125% to 6/15/28, due 9/15/53 (b)(h) |
|
|
|
2,240,000 |
|
|
|
2,314,305 |
|
NextEra Energy Capital Holdings, Inc., 5.65% to 5/1/29, due 5/1/79 (b)(h) |
|
|
|
3,438,000 |
|
|
|
3,243,239 |
|
Sempra, 4.125% to 1/1/27, due 4/1/52 (b)(h) |
|
|
|
2,500,000 |
|
|
|
2,157,922 |
|
Sempra, 4.875% to 10/15/25 (b)(g)(h) |
|
|
|
5,780,000 |
|
|
|
5,668,808 |
|
Southern Co., 4.00% to 10/15/25, due 1/15/51, Series B (b)(h) |
|
|
|
3,000,000 |
|
|
|
2,858,124 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
30,709,609 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
208,636,331 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
T OTAL P REFERRED S ECURITIES —O VER - THE -C OUNTER (Identified cost—$428,578,009) |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
424,690,518 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount |
|
|
Value |
|
|
|
|
0.6% |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
0.0% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Enel Finance America LLC, 7.10%, due 10/14/27 (USD) (b)(d)(e) |
|
|
$ |
600,000 |
|
|
$ |
640,685 |
|
Enel Finance International NV, 7.50%, due 10/14/32 (USD) (b)(d) |
|
|
|
400,000 |
|
|
|
456,955 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
1,097,640 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.6% |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
0.2% |
|
|
|
| |
Spirit Realty LP, 3.40%, due 1/15/30(b) |
|
|
|
| |
|
3,060,000 |
|
|
|
2,789,391 |
|
VICI Properties LP/VICI Note Co., Inc., 5.75%, due 2/1/27 (b)(d)(e) |
|
|
|
1,700,000 |
|
|
|
1,706,345 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
4,495,736 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.4% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
American Electric Power Co., Inc., 5.75%, due 11/1/27 (b) |
|
|
|
1,015,000 |
|
|
|
1,050,300 |
|
Southern California Edison Co., 5.85%, due 11/1/27 (b)(e) |
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
1,044,928 |
|
Southern Co., 5.113%, due 8/1/27 (b)(e) |
|
|
|
6,000,000 |
|
|
|
6,085,746 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
8,180,974 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
12,676,710 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
T OTAL C ORPORATE B ONDS (Identified cost—$13,435,474) |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
13,774,350 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Shares |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.0% |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
0.0% |
|
|
|
| |
Net Power, Inc., strike price $11.50, expires 3/12/26 (b)(c) |
|
|
|
182,834 |
|
|
|
402,235 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
T OTAL W ARRANTS (Identified cost—$621,636) |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
402,235 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund, Premier Class, 5.31% (m) |
|
|
|
6,237,252 |
|
|
|
6,237,252 |
|
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Shares |
|
|
Value |
|
State Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund, Premier Class, 5.32% (m) |
|
|
|
5,231,000 |
|
|
$ |
5,231,000 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
T OTAL S HORT -T ERM I NVESTMENTS (Identified cost—$11,468,252) |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
11,468,252 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
T OTAL I NVESTMENTS I N S ECURITIES (Identified cost—$2,707,313,360) |
|
|
142.2% |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
3,134,886,430 |
|
W RITTEN O PTION C ONTRACTS (Premiums received—$490,025) |
|
|
(0.0 |
) |
|
|
|
| |
|
(413,008 |
) |
L IABILITIES I N E XCESS O F O THER A SSETS |
|
|
(42.2 |
) |
|
|
|
| |
|
(930,350,758 |
) |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
N ET A SSETS (Equivalent to $22.88 per share based on 96,335,977 shares of common stock outstanding) |
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
|
| |
$ |
2,204,122,664 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Exchange-Traded Option Contracts
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Description |
|
Exercise Price |
|
Expiration Date |
|
|
Number of Contracts |
|
|
|
|
|
Premiums Received |
|
|
Value |
|
|
|
$32.00 |
|
|
1/19/24 |
|
|
|
(2,495) |
|
|
|
$ (7,891,685) |
|
|
|
$(121,208) |
|
|
|
$(112,275) |
|
Call—NextEra Energy, Inc. |
|
62.50 |
|
|
1/19/24 |
|
|
|
(2,106) |
|
|
|
(12,791,844) |
|
|
|
(197,080) |
|
|
|
(162,162) |
|
|
|
70.00 |
|
|
1/19/24 |
|
|
|
(1,316) |
|
|
|
(9,519,944) |
|
|
|
(94,976) |
|
|
|
(73,696) |
|
|
|
34.00 |
|
|
1/19/24 |
|
|
|
(2,595) |
|
|
|
(9,038,385) |
|
|
|
(76,761) |
|
|
|
(64,875) |
|
|
| |
|
(8,512) |
|
|
|
$(39,241,858) |
|
|
|
$(490,025) |
|
|
|
$(413,008) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Centrally Cleared Interest Rate Swap Contracts
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notional Amount |
|
|
Fixed Rate Payable |
|
Fixed Payment Frequency |
|
|
Floating Rate Receivable (resets monthly) |
|
Floating Payment Frequency |
|
|
Maturity Date |
|
|
Value |
|
|
Upfront Receipts (Payments) |
|
|
Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) |
|
|
$255,000,000 |
|
|
0.670% |
|
|
Monthly |
|
|
|
|
|
Monthly |
|
|
|
9/15/25 |
|
|
$ |
15,904,985 |
|
|
$ |
40,869 |
|
|
$ |
15,945,854 |
|
|
212,500,000 |
|
|
1.240% |
|
|
Monthly |
|
|
|
|
|
Monthly |
|
|
|
2/3/26 |
|
|
|
12,921,652 |
|
|
|
6,063 |
|
|
|
12,927,715 |
|
|
85,000,000 |
|
|
0.898% |
|
|
Monthly |
|
|
|
|
|
Monthly |
|
|
|
5/1/26 |
|
|
|
6,232,995 |
|
|
|
18,602 |
|
|
|
6,251,597 |
|
|
255,000,000 |
|
|
1.237% |
|
|
Monthly |
|
|
|
|
|
Monthly |
|
|
|
9/15/27 |
|
|
|
22,407,520 |
|
|
|
50,810 |
|
|
|
22,458,330 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
$ |
57,467,152 |
|
|
$ |
116,344 |
|
|
$ |
57,583,496 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The total amount of all interest rate swap contracts as presented in the table above is representative of the volume of activity for this derivative type during the year ended December 31, 2023.
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)
Glossary of Portfolio Abbreviations
|
| |
|
|
Euro Medium Term Note |
|
|
Overnight Indexed Swap |
|
|
Secured Overnight Financing Rate |
|
|
Trust Preferred Securities |
|
|
United States Dollar |
Note: Percentages indicated are based on the net assets of the Fund.
|
Stapled security. A security contractually bound to one or more other securities to form a single saleable unit which cannot be sold separately. |
|
All or a portion of the security is pledged as collateral in connection with the Fund’s revolving credit agreement. $1,986,557,629 in aggregate has been pledged as collateral. |
|
Non–income producing security. |
|
Securities exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. These securities may only be resold to qualified institutional buyers. Aggregate holdings amounted to $160,949,807 which represents 7.3% of the net assets of the Fund, of which 0.1% are illiquid. |
|
A portion of the security has been rehypothecated in connection with the Fund’s revolving credit agreement. $876,538,372 in aggregate has been rehypothecated. |
|
All or a portion of the security is pledged in connection with written option contracts. $27,916,059 in aggregate has been pledged as collateral. |
|
Perpetual security. Perpetual securities have no stated maturity date, but they may be called/redeemed by the issuer. |
|
Security converts to floating rate after the indicated fixed–rate coupon period. |
|
Contingent Capital security (CoCo). CoCos are debt or preferred securities with loss absorption characteristics built into the terms of the security for the benefit of the issuer. Aggregate holdings amounted to $99,820,007 which represents 4.5% of the net assets of the Fund (3.2% of the managed assets of the Fund). |
|
Securities exempt from registration under Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933. These securities are subject to resale restrictions. Aggregate holdings amounted to $43,166,380 which represents 2.0% of the net assets of the Fund, of which 0.0% are illiquid. |
|
Variable rate. Rate shown is in effect at December 31, 2023. |
|
Rate quoted represents the annualized seven–day yield. |
|
Represents the number of contracts multiplied by notional contract size multiplied by the underlying price. |
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)
|
Based on Represents rates in effect at December 31, 2023. |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
% of Managed Assets |
|
|
|
|
34.1 |
|
|
|
|
13.2 |
|
|
|
|
8.3 |
|
|
|
|
8.2 |
|
|
|
|
6.7 |
|
|
|
|
6.5 |
|
|
|
|
6.3 |
|
|
|
|
5.6 |
|
|
|
|
2.9 |
|
|
|
|
2.0 |
|
|
|
|
1.5 |
|
|
|
|
1.2 |
|
|
|
|
0.7 |
|
|
|
|
0.5 |
|
|
|
|
2.3 |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
100.0 |
|
| |
|
|
|
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
Investments in securities, at value (a) (Identified cost—$2,707,313,360) |
|
$ |
3,134,886,430 |
|
Cash collateral pledged for interest rate swap contracts |
|
|
14,700,705 |
|
Foreign currency, at value (Identified cost—$1,544,036) |
|
|
1,563,420 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
14,941,583 |
|
Investment securities sold |
|
|
1,552,404 |
|
|
|
|
205,528 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,167,850,070 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Written option contracts, at value (Premiums received—$490,025) |
|
|
413,008 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
950,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
5,098,597 |
|
Foreign capital gains tax |
|
|
3,244,259 |
|
Investment management fees |
|
|
2,250,737 |
|
Investment securities purchased |
|
|
1,166,755 |
|
Dividends and distributions declared |
|
|
745,598 |
|
|
|
|
158,876 |
|
Variation margin on interest rate swap contracts |
|
|
135,042 |
|
|
|
|
514,534 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
963,727,406 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
2,204,122,664 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
$ |
1,722,550,319 |
|
Total distributable earnings/(accumulated loss) |
|
|
481,572,345 |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
$ |
2,204,122,664 |
|
| |
|
|
|
NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE: |
|
|
| |
($2,204,122,664 ÷ 96,335,977 shares outstanding) |
|
$ |
22.88 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
21.24 |
|
| |
|
|
|
MARKET PRICE PREMIUM (DISCOUNT) TO NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE |
|
|
(7.17 |
)% |
| |
|
|
|
|
Includes $1,986,557,629 pledged as collateral, of which $876,538,372 has been rehypothecated in connection with the Fund’s credit agreement, as described in Note 7. |
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
For the Year Ended December 31, 2023
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
Dividend income (net of $5,044,949 of foreign withholding tax) |
|
$ |
100,106,070 |
|
|
|
|
24,378,982 |
|
Foreign withholding tax reclaims (See Note 1) |
|
|
5,913,287 |
|
|
|
|
1,392,639 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
131,790,978 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
56,860,931 |
|
Investment management fees |
|
|
26,787,681 |
|
|
|
|
2,126,023 |
|
Shareholder reporting expenses |
|
|
905,506 |
|
Custodian fees and expenses |
|
|
320,069 |
|
Directors’ fees and expenses |
|
|
96,419 |
|
|
|
|
60,342 |
|
Transfer agent fees and expenses |
|
|
22,039 |
|
|
|
|
247,692 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
87,426,702 |
|
| |
|
|
|
Net Investment Income (Loss) |
|
|
44,364,276 |
|
| |
|
|
|
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss): |
|
|
| |
Net realized gain (loss) on: |
|
|
| |
Investments in securities (net of $69,968 of foreign capital gains tax) |
|
|
71,330,137 |
|
|
|
|
4,085,189 |
|
Interest rate swap contracts |
|
|
32,485,938 |
|
Foreign currency transactions |
|
|
(202,962 |
) |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
107,698,302 |
|
| |
|
|
|
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on: |
|
|
| |
Investments in securities (net of increase in accrued foreign capital gains tax of $1,237,128) |
|
|
(94,937,909 |
) |
|
|
|
(120,520 |
) |
Interest rate swap contracts |
|
|
(20,910,325 |
) |
Foreign currency translations |
|
|
66,538 |
|
| |
|
|
|
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) |
|
|
(115,902,216 |
) |
| |
|
|
|
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) |
|
|
(8,203,914 |
) |
| |
|
|
|
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations |
|
$ |
36,160,362 |
|
| |
|
|
|
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
For the Year Ended December 31, 2023 |
|
|
For the Year Ended December 31, 2022 |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Net investment income (loss) |
|
$ |
44,364,276 |
|
|
$ |
48,044,564 |
|
|
|
|
107,698,302 |
|
|
|
66,844,009 |
|
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) |
|
|
(115,902,216 |
) |
|
|
(311,101,213 |
) |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations |
|
|
36,160,362 |
|
|
|
(196,212,640 |
) |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions to shareholders |
|
|
(149,341,710 |
) |
|
|
(177,437,070 |
) |
Tax return of capital to shareholders |
|
|
(29,565,253 |
) |
|
|
— |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(178,906,963 |
) |
|
|
(177,437,070 |
) |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital Stock Transactions: |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Issued as reinvestment of dividends and distributions (See Note 6) |
|
|
3,330,799 |
|
|
|
5,174,453 |
|
Net proceeds from sale of shares (See Note 6) |
|
|
9,166,432 |
|
|
|
17,542,514 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total increase (decrease) in net assets |
|
|
(130,249,370 |
) |
|
|
(350,932,743 |
) |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
2,334,372,034 |
|
|
|
2,685,304,777 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
2,204,122,664 |
|
|
$ |
2,334,372,034 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net of offering costs of $8,061 and sales charges of $74,026. |
|
Net of offering costs of $21,775 and sales charges of $141,721. |
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
For the Year Ended December 31, 2023
|
|
|
| |
Increase (Decrease) in Cash: |
|
|
| |
Cash Flows from Operating Activities: |
|
|
| |
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations |
|
$ |
36,160,362 |
|
Adjustments to reconcile net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations to net cash provided by operating activities: |
|
|
| |
Purchases of long-term investments |
|
|
(1,228,161,790 |
) |
Proceeds from sales and maturities of long-term investments |
|
|
1,273,756,402 |
|
Net purchases, sales and maturities of short-term investments |
|
|
54,477,867 |
|
Net amortization of premium on investments in securities |
|
|
1,314,248 |
|
Net increase in dividends and interest receivable and other assets |
|
|
(910,875 |
) |
Net increase in interest expense payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities |
|
|
606,701 |
|
Net increase in payable for variation margin on interest rate swap contracts |
|
|
82,237 |
|
Net increase in premiums received from written option contracts |
|
|
153,026 |
|
Net change in unrealized depreciation on written option contracts |
|
|
120,520 |
|
Net change in unrealized depreciation on investments in securities (net of $1,237,128 of foreign capital gains tax) |
|
|
94,937,909 |
|
Net realized gain on investments in securities (net of $69,968 of foreign capital gains tax) |
|
|
(71,330,137 |
) |
| |
|
|
|
Cash provided by operating activities |
|
|
161,206,470 |
|
| |
|
|
|
Cash Flows from Financing Activities: |
|
|
| |
Proceeds from sale of shares |
|
|
9,166,432 |
|
Dividends and distributions paid |
|
|
(175,570,525 |
) |
| |
|
|
|
Cash used for financing activities |
|
|
(166,404,093 |
) |
| |
|
|
|
Increase (decrease) in cash and restricted cash |
|
|
(5,197,623 |
) |
Cash and restricted cash at beginning of year (including foreign currency) |
|
|
21,461,748 |
|
| |
|
|
|
Cash and restricted cash at end of year (including foreign currency) |
|
$ |
16,264,125 |
|
| |
|
|
|
Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information and
Non-Cash
Activities:
For the year ended December 31, 2023, interest paid was $55,547,869.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, reinvestment of dividends was $3,330,799.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, as a result of corporate action, the Fund received shares of new securities valued at $9,419,609, resulting in a realized gain of $2,106,248.
The following table provides a reconciliation of cash and restricted cash reported within the Statement of Assets and Liabilities that sums to the total of such amounts shown on the Statement of Cash Flows.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
$ |
14,700,705 |
|
|
|
|
1,563,420 |
|
| |
|
|
|
Total cash and restricted cash shown on the Statement of Cash Flows |
|
$ |
16,264,125 |
|
| |
|
|
|
Restricted cash consists of cash that has been deposited with a broker and pledged to cover the Fund’s collateral or margin obligations under derivative contracts. It is reported on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as cash collateral pledged for interest rate swap contracts.
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
The following table includes selected data for a share outstanding throughout each year and other performance information derived from the financial statements. It should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
For the Year Ended December 31, |
|
|
|
2023 |
|
|
2022 |
|
|
2021 |
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
Per Share Operating Data: |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Net asset value, beginning of year |
|
|
$ 24.36 |
|
|
|
$ 28.28 |
|
|
|
$ 24.62 |
|
|
|
$ 27.73 |
|
|
|
$ 22.08 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
Net investment income (loss) (a) |
|
|
0.46 |
|
|
|
0.50 |
|
|
|
0.56 |
|
|
|
0.41 |
|
|
|
0.57 |
|
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) |
|
|
(0.08 |
) |
|
|
(2.56 |
) |
|
|
4.95 |
|
|
|
(1.66 |
) |
|
|
6.94 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total from investment operations |
|
|
0.38 |
|
|
|
(2.06 |
) |
|
|
5.51 |
|
|
|
(1.25 |
) |
|
|
7.51 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
(0.84 |
) |
|
|
(0.64 |
) |
|
|
(0.54 |
) |
|
|
(0.41 |
) |
|
|
(0.58 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.71 |
) |
|
|
(1.22 |
) |
|
|
(1.32 |
) |
|
|
(1.45 |
) |
|
|
(1.28 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.31 |
) |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total dividends and distributions to shareholders |
|
|
(1.86 |
) |
|
|
(1.86 |
) |
|
|
(1.86 |
) |
|
|
(1.86 |
) |
|
|
(1.86 |
) |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anti-dilutive effect from the issuance of shares |
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
0.01 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net increase (decrease) in net asset value |
|
|
(1.48 |
) |
|
|
(3.92 |
) |
|
|
3.66 |
|
|
|
(3.11 |
) |
|
|
5.65 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Net asset value, end of year |
|
|
$ 22.88 |
|
|
|
$ 24.36 |
|
|
|
$ 28.28 |
|
|
|
$ 24.62 |
|
|
|
$ 27.73 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Market value, end of year |
|
|
$ 21.24 |
|
|
|
$ 23.99 |
|
|
|
$ 28.50 |
|
|
|
$ 25.82 |
|
|
|
$ 26.20 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total net asset value return (d) |
|
|
2.08 |
% |
|
|
-7.42 |
% |
|
|
23.10 |
% |
|
|
-3.66 |
% |
|
|
35.09 |
% |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total market value return (d) |
|
|
-3.77 |
% |
|
|
-9.53 |
% |
|
|
18.29 |
% |
|
|
6.94 |
% |
|
|
42.63 |
% |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS—(Continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
For the Year Ended December 31, |
|
|
|
2023 |
|
|
2022 |
|
|
2021 |
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
Ratios/Supplemental Data: |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Net assets, end of year (in millions) |
|
|
$2,204.1 |
|
|
|
$2,334.4 |
|
|
|
$2,685.3 |
|
|
|
$2,304.1 |
|
|
|
$2,593.6 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios to average daily net assets: |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
3.97 |
% |
|
|
2.44 |
% |
|
|
2.19 |
% |
|
|
2.53 |
% |
|
|
2.50 |
% |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Expenses (excluding interest expense) |
|
|
1.39 |
% |
|
|
1.34 |
% |
|
|
1.34 |
% |
|
|
1.35 |
% |
|
|
1.36 |
% |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Net investment income (loss) |
|
|
2.02 |
|
|
|
1.94 |
% |
|
|
2.10 |
% |
|
|
1.73 |
% |
|
|
2.18 |
% |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Ratio of expenses to average daily managed assets (e) |
|
|
2.77 |
% |
|
|
1.76 |
% |
|
|
1.59 |
% |
|
|
1.83 |
% |
|
|
1.81 |
% |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
40 |
% |
|
|
38 |
% |
|
|
47 |
% |
|
|
54 |
% |
|
|
41 |
% |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
Asset coverage ratio for credit agreement |
|
|
332 |
% |
|
|
346 |
% |
|
|
383 |
% |
|
|
371 |
% |
|
|
405 |
% |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Asset coverage per $1,000 for credit agreement |
|
|
$ 3,320 |
|
|
|
$ 3,457 |
|
|
|
$ 3,827 |
|
|
|
$ 3,711 |
|
|
|
$ 4,051 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Amount of loan outstanding (in millions) |
|
|
$ 950.0 |
|
|
|
$ 950.0 |
|
|
|
$ 950.0 |
|
|
|
$ 850.0 |
|
|
|
$ 850.0 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Calculation based on average shares outstanding. |
|
Reflects income from foreign withholding tax reclaims, including related interest income. Had the Fund not received these proceeds, the net investment income (loss) per share would have been $0.40, and the net investment income (loss) ratios would have been 1.75%. |
|
Amount is less than $0.005. |
|
Total net asset value return measures the change in net asset value per share over the year indicated. Total market value return is computed based upon the Fund’s market price per share and excludes the effects of brokerage commissions. Dividends and distributions are assumed, for purposes of these calculations, to be reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan. |
|
Average daily managed assets represent net assets plus the outstanding balance of the credit agreement. |
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note 1. Organization and Significant Accounting Policies
Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (the Fund) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland on January 8, 2004 and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the 1940 Act) as a diversified,
closed-end
management investment company. The Fund’s investment objective is total return with emphasis on income.
The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements. The Fund is an investment company and, accordingly, follows the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 946—Investment Companies. The accounting policies of the Fund are in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP). The preparation of the financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
: Investments in securities that are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) are valued, except as indicated below, at the last sale price reflected at the close of the NYSE on the business day as of which such value is being determined. If there has been no sale on such day, the securities are valued at the mean of the closing bid and ask prices on such day or, if no ask price is available, at the bid price. Centrally cleared interest rate swaps are valued at the price determined by the relevant exchange or clearinghouse. Exchange-traded options are valued at their last sale price as of the close of options trading on applicable exchanges on the valuation date. In the absence of a last sale price on such day, options are valued based upon prices provided by a third-party pricing service.
(OTC) options are valued based upon prices provided by a third-party pricing service or counterparty.
Securities not listed on the NYSE but listed on other domestic or foreign securities exchanges (including NASDAQ) are valued in a similar manner. Securities traded on more than one securities exchange are valued at the last sale price reflected at the close of the exchange representing the principal market for such securities on the business day as of which such value is being determined. If after the close of a foreign market, but prior to the close of business on the day the securities are being valued, market conditions change significantly, certain
non-U.S.
equity holdings may be fair valued pursuant to procedures established by the Board of Directors.
Readily marketable securities traded in the OTC market, including listed securities whose primary market is believed by Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc. (the investment manager) to be OTC, are valued on the basis of prices provided by a third-party pricing service or third-party broker-dealers when such prices are believed by the investment manager, pursuant to delegation by the Board of Directors, to reflect the fair value of such securities.
Fixed-income securities are valued on the basis of prices provided by a third-party pricing service or third-party broker-dealers when such prices are believed by the investment manager, pursuant to delegation by the Board of Directors, to reflect the fair value of such securities. The pricing services or
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
broker-dealers use multiple valuation techniques to determine fair value. In instances where sufficient market activity exists, the pricing services or broker-dealers may utilize a market-based approach through which quotes from market makers are used to determine fair value. In instances where sufficient market activity may not exist or is limited, the pricing services or broker-dealers also utilize proprietary valuation models which may consider market transactions in comparable securities and the various relationships between securities in determining fair value and/or characteristics such as benchmark yield curves, option-adjusted spreads, credit spreads, estimated default rates, coupon rates, anticipated timing of principal repayments, underlying collateral, and other unique security features which are then used to calculate the fair values.
Short-term debt securities with a maturity date of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which approximates fair value. Investments in
open-end
mutual funds are valued at net asset value (NAV).
The Board of Directors has designated the investment manager as the Fund’s “Valuation Designee” under Rule
2a-5
under the 1940 Act. As Valuation Designee, the investment manager is authorized to make fair valuation determinations, subject to the oversight of the Board of Directors. The investment manager has established a valuation committee (Valuation Committee) to administer, implement and oversee the fair valuation process according to the policies and procedures approved annually by the Board of Directors. Among other things, these procedures allow the Fund to utilize independent pricing services, quotations from securities and financial instrument dealers and other market sources to determine fair value.
Securities for which market prices are unavailable, or securities for which the investment manager determines that the bid and/or ask price or a counterparty valuation does not reflect market value, will be valued at fair value, as determined in good faith by the Valuation Committee, pursuant to procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Directors. Circumstances in which market prices may be unavailable include, but are not limited to, when trading in a security is suspended, the exchange on which the security is traded is subject to an unscheduled close or disruption or material events occur after the close of the exchange on which the security is principally traded. In these circumstances, the Fund determines fair value in a manner that fairly reflects the market value of the security on the valuation date based on consideration of any information or factors it deems appropriate. These may include, but are not limited to, recent transactions in comparable securities, information relating to the specific security and developments in the markets.
Foreign equity fair value pricing procedures utilized by the Fund may cause certain
non-U.S.
equity holdings to be fair valued on the basis of fair value factors provided by a pricing service to reflect any significant market movements between the time the Fund values such securities and the earlier closing of foreign markets.
The Fund’s use of fair value pricing may cause the NAV of Fund shares to differ from the NAV that would be calculated using market quotations. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is
possible that the fair value determined for a security may be materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
Fair value is defined as the price that the Fund would expect to receive upon the sale of an investment or expect to 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. The hierarchy of inputs that are used in determining the fair value of the Fund’s investments is summarized below.
|
• |
|
Level 1—quoted prices in active markets for identical investments |
|
• |
|
Level 2—other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar investments,interest rates, credit risk, etc.) |
|
• |
|
Level 3—significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments) |
The inputs or methodology used for valuing investments may or may not be an indication of the risk associated with those investments. Changes in valuation techniques may result in transfers into or out of an assigned level within the disclosure hierarchy.
The following is a summary of the inputs used as of December 31, 2023 in valuing the Fund’s investments carried at value:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Investments (Level 1) |
|
|
Other Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) |
|
|
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) |
|
|
Total |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
32,901,405 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
32,901,405 |
|
|
|
|
2,575,874,753 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
2,575,874,753 |
|
Preferred Securities— Exchange-Traded |
|
|
75,774,917 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
75,774,917 |
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
424,690,518 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
424,690,518 |
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
13,774,350 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
13,774,350 |
|
|
|
|
402,235 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
402,235 |
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
11,468,252 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
11,468,252 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Investments in Securities (a) |
|
$ |
2,652,051,905 |
|
|
$ |
482,834,525 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
3,134,886,430 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest Rate Swap Contracts |
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
57,583,496 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
57,583,496 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Derivative Assets (a) |
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
57,583,496 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
57,583,496 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
(413,008 |
) |
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
(413,008 |
) |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Derivative Liabilities (a) |
|
$ |
(413,008 |
) |
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
(413,008 |
) |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio holdings are disclosed individually on the Schedule of Investments. |
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
Security Transactions and Investment Income
: Security transactions are recorded on trade date. Realized gains and losses on investments sold are recorded on the basis of identified cost. Interest income, which includes the amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts, is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividend income is recorded on the
ex-dividend
date, except for certain dividends on foreign securities, which are recorded as soon as the Fund is informed after the
ex-dividend
date. Distributions from real estate investment trusts (REITs) are recorded as ordinary income, net realized capital gain or return of capital based on information reported by the REITs and management’s estimates of such amounts based on historical information. Distributions from Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) are recorded as income and return of capital based on information reported by the MLPs and management’s estimates of such amounts based on historical information. These estimates are adjusted when the actual source of distributions is disclosed by the REITs and MLPs and actual amounts may differ from the estimated amounts.
: For the purposes of the Statement of Cash Flows, the Fund defines cash as cash, including foreign currency and restricted cash.
Foreign Currency Translation
: The books and records of the Fund are maintained in U.S. dollars. Investment securities and other assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars based upon prevailing exchange rates on the date of valuation. Purchases and sales of investment securities and income and expense items denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars based upon prevailing exchange rates on the respective dates of such transactions. The Fund does not isolate that portion of the results of operations resulting from fluctuations in foreign exchange rates on investments from the fluctuations arising from changes in market prices of securities held. Such fluctuations are included with the net realized and unrealized gain or loss on investments.
Net realized foreign currency transaction gains or losses arise from sales of foreign currencies, (excluding gains and losses on forward foreign currency exchange contracts, which are presented separately, if any) currency gains or losses realized between the trade and settlement dates on securities transactions, and the difference between the amounts of dividends, interest, and foreign withholding taxes recorded on the Fund’s books and the U.S. dollar equivalent of the amounts actually received or paid. Net unrealized foreign currency translation gains and losses arise from changes in the values of assets and liabilities, other than investments in securities, on the date of valuation, resulting from changes in exchange rates. Pursuant to U.S. federal income tax regulations, certain foreign currency gains/losses included in realized and unrealized gains/losses are included in or are a reduction of ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.
The Fund may purchase and write exchange-listed and OTC put or call options on securities, stock indices and other financial instruments for hedging purposes, to enhance portfolio returns and/or reduce overall volatility.
When the Fund writes (sells) an option, an amount equal to the premium received by the Fund is recorded on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as a liability. The amount of the liability is subsequently
to reflect the current market value of the option written. When an option expires, the Fund realizes a gain on the option to the extent of the premium received. Premiums received from writing options which are exercised or closed are added to or offset against the proceeds or amount paid on the transaction to determine the realized gain or loss. If a put option on a security is
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
exercised, the premium reduces the cost basis of the security purchased by the Fund. If a call option is exercised, the premium is added to the proceeds of the security sold to determine the realized gain or loss. The Fund, as writer of an option, bears the market risk of an unfavorable change in the price of the underlying investment. Other risks include the possibility of an illiquid options market or the inability of the counterparties to fulfill their obligations under the contracts.
Put and call options purchased are accounted for in the same manner as portfolio securities. Premiums paid for purchasing options which expire are treated as realized losses. Premiums paid for purchasing options which are exercised or closed are added to the amounts paid or offset against the proceeds on the underlying investment transaction to determine the realized gain or loss when the underlying transaction is executed. The risk associated with purchasing an option is that the Fund pays a premium whether or not the option is exercised. Additionally, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the premium and change in market value should the counterparty not perform under the contract.
Centrally Cleared Interest Rate Swap Contracts
: The Fund uses interest rate swaps in connection with borrowing under its credit agreement. The interest rate swaps are intended to reduce interest rate risk by countering the effect that an increase in short-term interest rates could have on the performance of the Fund’s shares as a result of the floating rate structure of interest owed pursuant to the credit agreement. When entering into interest rate swaps, the Fund agrees to pay the other party to the interest rate swap (which is known as the counterparty) a fixed rate payment in exchange for the counterparty’s agreement to pay the Fund a variable rate payment that was intended to approximate the Fund’s variable rate payment obligation on the credit agreement, the accruals for which would begin at a specific date in the future (the effective date). The payment obligation is based on the notional amount of the swap. Depending on the state of interest rates in general, the use of interest rate swaps could enhance or harm the overall performance of the Fund. Swaps are
daily and changes in the value are recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation).
Immediately following execution of the swap agreement, the swap agreement is novated to a central counterparty (the CCP) and the Fund’s counterparty on the swap agreement becomes the CCP. The Fund is required to interface with the CCP through a broker. Upon entering into a centrally cleared swap, the Fund is required to deposit initial margin with the broker in the form of cash or securities in an amount that varies depending on the size and risk profile of the particular swap. Securities deposited as initial margin are designated on the Schedule of Investments and cash deposited is recorded on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as cash collateral pledged for interest rate swap contracts. The daily change in valuation of centrally cleared swaps is recorded as a receivable or payable for variation margin on interest rate swap contracts in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Any upfront payments paid or received upon entering into a swap agreement would be recorded as assets or liabilities, respectively, in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, and amortized or accreted over the life of the swap and recorded as realized gain (loss) in the Statement of Operations. Payments received from or paid to the counterparty during the term of the swap agreement, or at termination, are recorded as realized gain (loss) in the Statement of Operations.
Swap agreements involve, to varying degrees, elements of market and counterparty risk, and exposure to loss in excess of the related amounts reflected on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Such risks involve the possibility that there will be no liquid market for these agreements, that the
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
counterparty to the agreements may default on its obligation to perform or disagree as to the meaning of contractual terms in the agreements and that there may be unfavorable changes in interest rates.
Dividends and Distributions to Shareholders:
Dividends from net investment income and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP. Dividends from net investment income, if any, are typically declared quarterly and paid monthly. Net realized capital gains, unless offset by any available capital loss carryforward, are typically distributed to shareholders at least annually. Dividends and distributions to shareholders are recorded on the
ex-dividend
date and are automatically reinvested in full and fractional shares of the Fund in accordance with the Fund’s Reinvestment Plan, unless the shareholder has elected to have them paid in cash.
The Fund has a managed distribution policy in accordance with exemptive relief issued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Plan gives the Fund greater flexibility to realize long-term capital gains throughout the year and to distribute those gains on a more regular basis to shareholders. Therefore, regular monthly distributions throughout the year may include a portion of estimated realized long-term capital gains, along with net investment income, short-term capital gains and return of capital, which is not taxable. In accordance with the Plan, the Fund is required to adhere to certain conditions in order to distribute long-term capital gains during the year. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Fund paid distributions from net investment income, net realized gain and tax return of capital.
Distributions Subsequent to December 31, 2023
: The following distributions have been declared by the Fund’s Board of Directors and are payable subsequent to the period end of this report.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Payable Date |
|
|
1/16/24 |
|
|
|
1/31/24 |
|
$0.155 |
2/13/24 |
|
|
|
2/29/24 |
|
$0.155 |
3/12/24 |
|
|
|
3/28/24 |
|
$0.155 |
It is the policy of the Fund to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company (RIC), if such qualification is in the best interest of the shareholders, by complying with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to RICs, and by distributing substantially all of its taxable earnings to its shareholders. Also, in order to avoid the payment of any federal excise taxes, the Fund will distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net realized gains on a calendar year basis. Accordingly, no provision for federal income or excise tax is necessary. Dividend and interest income from holdings in
non-U.S.
securities are recorded net of
non-U.S.
taxes paid. As a result of several court rulings in certain European countries, the tax authorities of France, recently paid the Fund tax reclaims for prior tax withholding. These tax reclaim payments, which include $1,552,370 in interest, are included in Foreign withholding tax reclaims on the Statement of Operations. Security and foreign currency transactions and any gains realized by the Fund on the sale of securities in certain
non-U.S.
markets are subject to
non-U.S.
taxes. The Fund records a liability based on any unrealized gains on securities held in these markets in order to estimate the potential
non-U.S.
taxes due upon the sale of these securities. Management has analyzed the Fund’s tax positions taken on federal and applicable state income tax returns as well as its tax positions in
non-U.S.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
jurisdictions in which it trades for all open tax years and has concluded that as of December 31, 2023, no additional provisions for income tax are required in the Fund’s financial statements. The Fund’s tax positions for the tax years for which the applicable statutes of limitations have not expired are subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service, state departments of revenue and by foreign tax authorities.
Note 2. Investment Management Fees, Administration Fees and Other Transactions with Affiliates
Investment Management Fees:
Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc. serves as the Fund’s investment manager pursuant to an investment management agreement (the investment management agreement). Under the terms of the investment management agreement, the investment manager provides the Fund with
investment decisions and generally manages the Fund’s investments in accordance with the stated policies of the Fund, subject to the supervision of the Board of Directors.
For the services provided to the Fund, the investment manager receives a fee, accrued daily and paid monthly, at the annual rate of 0.85% of the average daily managed assets of the Fund. Managed assets are equal to the net assets plus the amount of any borrowings used for leverage outstanding.
Under subadvisory agreements between the investment manager and each of Cohen & Steers Asia Limited and Cohen & Steers UK Limited (collectively, the subadvisors), affiliates of the investment manager, the subadvisors are responsible for managing the Fund’s investments in certain
non-U.S.
securities. For their services provided under the subadvisory agreements, the investment manager (not the Fund) pays the subadvisors. The investment manager allocates 50% of the investment management fee received from the Fund among itself and each subadvisor based on the portion of the Fund’s average daily managed assets managed by the investment manager and each subadvisor.
: The Fund has entered into an administration agreement with the investment manager under which the investment manager performs certain administrative functions for the Fund and receives a fee, accrued daily and paid monthly, at the annual rate of 0.06% of the average daily managed assets of the Fund. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Fund incurred $1,890,895 in fees under this administration agreement. Additionally, the Fund pays State Street Bank and Trust Company as
co-administrator
under a fund accounting and administration agreement.
Directors’ and Officers’ Fees
: Certain directors and officers of the Fund are also directors, officers and/or employees of the investment manager. The Fund does not pay compensation to directors and officers affiliated with the investment manager except for the Chief Compliance Officer, who received compensation from the investment manager, which was reimbursed by the Fund, in the amount of $22,413 for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Note 3. Purchases and Sales of Securities
Purchases and sales of securities, excluding short-term investments, for the year ended December 31, 2023, totaled $1,228,441,872 and $1,264,749,063, respectively.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
Note 4. Derivative Investments
The following tables present the value of derivatives held at December 31, 2023 and the effect of derivatives held during the year ended December 31, 2023, along with the respective location in the financial statements.
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fair Value |
|
|
|
|
Fair Value |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| |
|
| |
Written Option Contracts—Exchange-Traded (a) |
|
— |
|
|
$ — |
|
|
Written option contracts, at value |
|
$ |
413,008 |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| |
|
| |
Interest Rate Swap Contracts (a) |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|
Payable for variation margin on interest rate swap contracts |
|
|
57,583,496 |
|
|
Not subject to a master netting agreement or another similar arrangement. |
|
Amount represents the cumulative net appreciation (depreciation) on interest rate swap contracts as reported on the Schedule of Investments. The Statement of Assets and Liabilities only reflects the current day variation margin payable to the broker. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Realized Gain (Loss) |
|
|
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Purchased Option Contracts (a) |
|
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) |
|
$ |
(84,756 |
) |
|
$ |
154,595 |
|
|
|
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) |
|
|
4,085,189 |
|
|
|
(120,520 |
) |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Interest Rate Swap Contracts |
|
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) |
|
|
32,485,938 |
|
|
|
(20,910,325 |
) |
|
Purchased option contracts are included in net realized gain (loss) and change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments in securities. |
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
The following summarizes the monthly average volume of the Fund’s option contracts activity for the year ended December 31, 2023:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Purchased Option Contracts |
|
|
Written Option Contracts |
|
Average Notional Amount (a)(b) |
|
$ |
6,357,558 |
|
|
$ |
31,814,778 |
|
|
Notional amount is calculated using the number of contracts multiplied by notional contract size multiplied by the underlying price. |
|
Average notional amounts represent the average for all months in which the Fund had option contracts outstanding at month end. For the period, this represents one month for purchased option contracts and twelve months for written option contracts. |
Note 5. Income Tax Information
The tax character of dividends and distributions paid was as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
For the Year Ended December 31, |
|
|
|
2023 |
|
|
2022 |
|
|
|
$ |
98,934,622 |
|
|
$ |
82,163,091 |
|
|
|
|
50,407,088 |
|
|
|
95,273,979 |
|
|
|
|
29,565,253 |
|
|
|
— |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total dividends and distributions |
|
$ |
178,906,963 |
|
|
$ |
177,437,070 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of December 31, 2023, the tax basis components of accumulated earnings, the federal tax cost and net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) in value of investments held were as follows:
|
|
|
| |
Cost of investments in securities for federal income tax purposes |
|
$ |
2,708,842,387 |
|
| |
|
|
|
Gross unrealized appreciation on investments |
|
$ |
582,017,436 |
|
Gross unrealized depreciation on investments |
|
|
(101,544,792 |
) |
| |
|
|
|
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments |
|
$ |
480,472,644 |
|
| |
|
|
|
As of December 31, 2023, the Fund had temporary book/tax differences primarily attributable to wash sales on portfolio securities, passive foreign investment companies, certain fixed-income securities and partnership investments and permanent book/tax differences primarily attributable to certain fixed-income securities and prior year distribution adjustments. To reflect reclassifications arising from the permanent differences,
paid-in
capital was charged $2,859,333, and total distributable earnings/(accumulated loss) was credited $2,859,333. Net assets were not affected by this reclassification.
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
The Fund is authorized to issue 300 million shares of common stock at a par value of $0.001 per share.
During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Fund issued 140,170 shares of common stock at $3,330,799 for the reinvestment of dividends. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Fund issued 199,582 shares of common stock at $5,174,453 for the reinvestment of dividends.
On December 13, 2022, the Board of Directors approved the continuation of the delegation of its authority to management to effect repurchases, pursuant to management’s discretion and subject to market conditions and investment considerations, of up to 10% of the Fund’s common shares outstanding (Share Repurchase Program) as of January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023.
During the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Fund did not effect any repurchases.
On August 5, 2021, the Fund filed with the SEC an automatically effective shelf registration statement on Form
N-2
allowing for the delayed or continuous offering of up to $225,000,000 aggregate initial offering price of shares of common stock or rights to subscribe for shares of common stock.
On August 9, 2021, the Fund entered into a Distribution Agreement with Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”), pursuant to which the Fund may offer and sell up to 7,750,000 shares of common stock, from time to time, through the Distributor, in transactions that are deemed to be
“at-the
market” as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, and filed a prospectus supplement with respect to such
program. The minimum price on any day at which shares of common stock may be sold will not be less than the then current NAV per common share plus any commissions to be paid to the Distributor. Certain offering costs incurred by the Fund in connection with the shelf offering are recorded as a deferred charge which are amortized over the period such additional common shares are sold, not to exceed one year.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Fund sold 375,370 shares of common stock in the
program and the proceeds from such sales were $9,166,432, net of offering costs and sales charges of $8,061 and $74,026, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2022 the Fund sold 666,896 shares of common stock in the
program and the proceeds from such sales were $17,542,514, net of offering costs and sales charges of $21,775 and $141,721, respectively.
On December 12, 2023, the Board of Directors approved the continuation of the Share Repurchase Program, which allows the Fund to repurchase up to 10% of the Fund’s common shares outstanding as of January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024. There is no assurance that the Fund will repurchase shares in any particular amounts or at all.
The Fund has entered into an amended and restated credit agreement (the credit agreement) with BNP Paribas Prime Brokerage International, Ltd. (BNPP) in which the Fund pays a monthly financing charge based on Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR)-based variable rates. The commitment amount of the credit agreement is $1,160,000,000. The Fund may pay a fee of 0.45% per annum on any
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
, I
NC
.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
unused portion of the credit agreement. BNPP may not change certain terms of the credit agreement except upon 360 days’ notice. Also, if the Fund violates certain conditions, the credit agreement may be terminated. The Fund is required to pledge portfolio securities and/or cash as collateral in an amount up to two times the loan balance outstanding (or more depending on the terms of the credit agreement) and has granted a security interest in the securities pledged to, and in favor of, BNPP as security for the loan balance outstanding. If the Fund fails to meet certain requirements, or maintain other financial covenants required under the credit agreement, the Fund may be required to repay immediately, in part or in full, the loan balance outstanding under the credit agreement, necessitating the sale of portfolio securities at potentially inopportune times. The credit agreement also permits, subject to certain conditions, BNPP to rehypothecate portfolio securities pledged by the Fund up to the amount of the loan balance outstanding and, prior to January 1, 2024, the Fund received a portion of the fees earned by BNPP in connection with the rehypothecation of portfolio securities (the rehypothecation fee). The Fund continues to receive dividends and interest on rehypothecated securities. The Fund also has the right under the credit agreement to recall the rehypothecated securities from BNPP on demand. If BNPP fails to deliver the recalled security in a timely manner, the Fund will be compensated by BNPP for any fees or losses related to the failed delivery or, in the event a recalled security will not be returned by BNPP, the Fund, upon notice to BNPP, may reduce the loan balance outstanding by the amount of the recalled security failed to be returned.
As of December 31, 2023, the Fund had outstanding borrowings of $950,000,000 at a rate of 6.3%. The carrying value of the borrowings approximates fair value. The borrowings are classified as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Fund borrowed an average daily balance of $950,000,000 at a weighted average borrowing cost of 6.0%.
On January 1, 2024, the credit agreement was amended to eliminate the rehypothecation fee and reduce the margin upon which the financing charge is calculated.
The following table sets forth information about the Fund’s outstanding senior securities as of the end of the last ten calendar years.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Total Principal Amount Outstanding |
|
Asset Coverage Per $1,000 of Principal Amount |
12/31/2023 |
|
|
|
$950,000,000 |
|
$3,320 |
12/31/2022 |
|
|
|
$950,000,000 |
|
$3,457 |
12/31/2021 |
|
|
|
$950,000,000 |
|
$3,827 |
12/31/2020 |
|
|
|
$850,000,000 |
|
$3,711 |
12/31/2019 |
|
|
|
$850,000,000 |
|
$4,051 |
12/31/2018 |
|
|
|
$850,000,000 |
|
$3,216 |
12/31/2017 |
|
|
|
$850,000,000 |
|
$3,562 |
12/31/2016 |
|
|
|
$850,000,000 |
|
$3,208 |
12/31/2015 |
|
|
|
$850,000,000 |
|
$3,230 |
12/31/2014 |
|
|
|
$850,000,000 |
|
$3,600 |
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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that provide general indemnifications. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is dependent on claims that may be made against the Fund in the future and, therefore, cannot be estimated; however, based on experience, the risk of material loss from such claims is considered remote.
Note 9. New Accounting Pronouncement
In January 2021, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update
No. 2021-01
(ASU
2021-01),
“Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848)”. Additionally, in December 2022, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update
No. 2022-06
(ASU
2022-06),
“Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848)”. ASU
2022-06
and ASU
2021-01
are updates to ASU
2020-04,
which is in response to concerns about structural risks of interbank offered rates, and particularly the risk of cessation of LIBOR, and the reference rate reform initiatives regulators have undertaken to identify alternative reference rates that are more observable or transaction based and less susceptible to manipulation. ASU
2020-04
provides optional guidance for a limited period of time to ease the potential burden in accounting for (or recognizing the effects of) reference rate reform on financial reporting. ASU
2020-04
is elective and applies to all entities, subject to meeting certain criteria, that have contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued because of reference rate reform. The ASU
2021-01
update clarifies that certain optional expedients and exceptions in Topic 848 for contract modifications and hedge accounting apply to derivatives that are affected by the discounting transition. The ASU
2022-06
update extends the period of time preparers can use the reference rate reform relief guidance by two years. ASU
2022-06
defers the sunset date of Topic 848 from December 31, 2022 to December 31, 2024, after which entities will no longer be permitted to apply the relief in Topic 848. The amendments in these updates are effective immediately through December 31, 2024, for all entities. Management has concluded that ASU
2021-01
or ASU
2022-06
did not have a material impact on the financial statements.
Note 10. Subsequent Events
Management has evaluated events and transactions occurring after December 31, 2023 through the date that the financial statements were issued, and has determined that no additional disclosure in the financial statements is required.
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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of
Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund, Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including the schedule of investments, of Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (the “Fund”) as of December 31, 2023, the related statements of operations and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2023, the statement of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2023, including the related notes, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended December 31, 2023 (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund as of December 31, 2023, 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 ended December 31, 2023 and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended December 31, 2023 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of December 31, 2023 by correspondence with the custodian, transfer agent and brokers; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
We have served as the auditor of one or more investment companies in the Cohen & Steers family of mutual funds since 1991.
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(The following pages are unaudited)
For the calendar year ended December 31, 2023, for individual taxpayers, the Fund designates $103,860,581 as qualified dividend income eligible for reduced tax rates, long-term capital gain distributions of $50,407,088 and short-term capital gain distributions of $17,480,371. In addition, for corporate taxpayers, 42.93% of the ordinary dividends paid qualified for the dividends received deduction (DRD).
The Fund has a dividend reinvestment plan commonly referred to as an “opt-out” plan (the Reinvestment Plan). Each common shareholder who participates in the Reinvestment Plan will have all distributions of dividends and capital gains (Dividends) automatically reinvested in additional common shares by Computershare as agent (the Plan Agent). Shareholders who elect not to participate in the Reinvestment Plan will receive all Dividends in cash paid by check mailed directly to the shareholder of record (or if the shares are held in street or other nominee name, then to the nominee) by the Plan Agent, as dividend disbursing agent. Shareholders whose common shares are held in the name of a broker or nominee should contact the broker or nominee to determine whether and how they may participate in the Reinvestment Plan.
The Plan Agent serves as agent for the shareholders in administering the Reinvestment Plan. After the Fund declares a Dividend, the Plan Agent will, as agent for the shareholders, either: (i) receive the cash payment and use it to buy common shares in the open market, on the NYSE or elsewhere, for the participants’ accounts or (ii) distribute newly issued common shares of the Fund on behalf of the participants.
The Plan Agent will receive cash from the Fund with which to buy common shares in the open market if, on the Dividend payment date, the NAV per share exceeds the market price per share plus estimated brokerage commissions on that date. The Plan Agent will receive the Dividend in newly issued common shares of the Fund if, on the Dividend payment date, the market price per share plus estimated brokerage commissions equals or exceeds the NAV per share of the Fund on that date. The number of shares to be issued will be computed at a per share rate equal to the greater of (i) the NAV or (ii) 95% of the closing market price per share on the payment date.
If the market price per share is less than the NAV on a Dividend payment date, the Plan Agent will have until the last business day before the next ex-dividend date for the common stock, but in no event more than 30 days after the Dividend payment date (as the case may be, the Purchase Period), to invest the Dividend amount in shares acquired in open market purchases. If at the close of business on any day during the Purchase Period on which NAV is calculated the NAV equals or is less than the market price per share plus estimated brokerage commissions, the Plan Agent will cease making open market purchases and the uninvested portion of such Dividends shall be filled through the issuance of new shares of common stock from the Fund at the price set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph.
Participants in the Reinvestment Plan may withdraw from the Reinvestment Plan upon notice to the Plan Agent. Such withdrawal will be effective immediately if received not less than ten days prior to a Dividend record date; otherwise, it will be effective for all subsequent Dividends. If any participant elects to have the Plan Agent sell all or part of his or her shares and remit the proceeds, the Plan Agent is authorized to deduct a $15.00 fee plus $0.10 per share brokerage commissions.
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The Plan Agent’s fees for the handling of reinvestment of Dividends will be paid by the Fund. However, each participant will pay a pro rata share of brokerage commissions incurred with respect to the Plan Agent’s open market purchases in connection with the reinvestment of Dividends. The automatic reinvestment of Dividends will not relieve participants of any income tax that may be payable or required to be withheld on such Dividends.
The Fund reserves the right to amend or terminate the Reinvestment Plan. All correspondence concerning the Reinvestment Plan should be directed to the Plan Agent at 800-432-8224.
A description of the policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities is available (i) without charge, upon request, by calling 866-227-0757, (ii) on our website at cohenandsteers.com or (iii) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, the Fund’s proxy voting record for the most recent
12-month
period ended June 30 is available by August 31 of each year (i) without charge, upon request, by calling 866-227-0757 or (ii) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
Disclosures of the Fund’s complete holdings are required to be made monthly on Form N-PORT, with every third month made available to the public by the SEC 60 days after the end of the Fund’s fiscal quarter. The Fund’s Form N-PORT, is available (i) without charge, upon request, by calling 866-227-0757 or (ii) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
Please note that distributions paid by the Fund to shareholders are subject to recharacterization for tax purposes and are taxable up to the amount of the Fund’s investment company taxable income and net realized gains. Distributions in excess of the Fund’s investment company taxable income and net realized gains are a return of capital distributed from the Fund’s assets. To the extent this occurs, the Fund’s shareholders of record will be notified of the estimated amount of capital returned to shareholders for each such distribution and this information will also be available at cohenandsteers.com. The final tax treatment of all distributions is reported to shareholders on their
1099-DIV
forms, which are mailed after the close of each calendar year. Distributions of capital decrease the Fund’s total assets and, therefore, could have the effect of increasing the Fund’s expense ratio. In addition, in order to make these distributions, the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities at a less than opportune time.
Notice is hereby given in accordance with Rule
23c-1
under the 1940 Act that the Fund may purchase, from time to time, shares of its common stock in the open market.
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The following information in this annual shareholder report is a summary of certain information about the Fund. This information may not reflect all of the changes that have occurred since you purchased the Fund.
Changes to Portfolio Management Team
William F. Scapell has announced his intention to retire from the investment advisor on August 1, 2024. Effective August 1, 2024, William F. Scapell will no longer serve as a portfolio manager of the Fund. Elaine Zaharis-Nikas, Benjamin Morton, Tyler S. Rosenlicht and Thuy Quynh Dang will continue to serve as portfolio managers of the Fund.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
The Fund’s investment objective is total return with emphasis on income. The Fund’s investment objective is considered fundamental and may not be changed without stockholder approval. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Unless otherwise indicated herein, the Fund’s investment policies are considered
non-fundamental
and may be changed by the Fund’s Board of Directors without stockholder approval.
Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its Managed Assets in securities issued by infrastructure companies, which consist of utilities, pipelines, toll roads, airports, railroads, ports, telecommunications companies and other infrastructure companies. Infrastructure companies are companies that derive at least 50% of their revenues from, or have at least 50% of their assets committed to, the:
|
• |
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generation, transmission, sale or distribution of electric energy; |
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• |
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distribution, purification and treatment of water; |
|
• |
|
production, transmission or distribution of natural resources used to produce energy; and |
|
• |
|
provision of communication services, including cable television, satellite, microwave, radio, telephone and other communications media. |
In addition, infrastructure companies are companies that derive at least 50% of their revenues from, or have at least 50% of their assets committed to, the management, ownership and/or operation of infrastructure assets or construction, development or financing of infrastructure assets, such as pipelines, toll roads, airports, railroads or ports. Infrastructure companies also include energy-related companies organized as master limited partnerships and their affiliates.
The Fund pursues its investment objective primarily by investing in securities issued by infrastructure companies, which consist of utilities, pipelines, toll roads, airports, railroads, ports, telecommunications companies and other infrastructure companies. In making investment decisions with respect to common stocks and other equity securities issued by infrastructure companies, the investment manager and subadvisors will rely on a fundamental analysis of each company. Securities will be evaluated for their potential to provide an attractive total return through a combination of current
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income and capital appreciation. The investment manager and subadvisors review each company’s potential for success in light of general economic and industry trends, as well as the company’s quality of management, financial condition, business plan, industry and sector market position, dividend payout ratio, corporate governance and environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. The investment manager and subadvisors utilize a value-oriented approach, and evaluates each company’s valuation on the basis of relative price/cash flow and price/earnings multiples, earnings growth rate, dividend yield, and price/book value, among other metrics. These equity securities can consist of: common stocks; rights or warrants to purchase common stocks; securities convertible into common stocks where the conversion feature represents, in the investment manager’s or subadvisors’ view, a significant element of the securities’ value; preferred stocks; and equity units.
Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its Managed Assets in securities issued by infrastructure companies, which consist of utilities, pipelines, toll roads, airports, railroads, ports, telecommunications companies and other infrastructure companies. This 80% investment policy is
non-fundamental
and may be changed by the Fund’s Board without stockholder approval. However, the Fund will provide stockholders with written notice at least 60 days’ prior to a change in its 80% investment policy. The Fund may not invest more than 25% of its Managed Assets in securities of issuers in any one industry, except for securities in infrastructure companies.
The Fund may invest up to 25% of its Managed Assets in energy-related MLPs and their affiliates and Canadian royalty trusts.
The Fund may invest in preferred securities and other fixed-income securities issued by any type of company, including traditional preferred securities, hybrid-preferred securities that have investment and economic characteristics of both preferred stock and debt securities and convertible securities.
The Fund is also permitted to invest up to 25% of its Managed Assets, in securities that at the time of investment are rated below investment grade or that are unrated but judged to be below investment grade by the investment manager and subadvisors.
The Fund may invest in foreign securities and emerging market securities. The Fund has no geographic restrictions and expects to invest in infrastructure companies primarily in developed countries, but may invest in securities of infrastructure companies domiciled in emerging market countries. The Fund may invest in securities of
closed-end
funds,
open-end
funds, ETFs and other investment companies, to the extent permitted under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder, or any exemption granted under the 1940 Act. The Fund will generally not invest more than 10% of the Fund’s total assets in the securities of one issuer.
Primary Investment Strategies and Techniques
. Infrastructure companies are companies that derive at least 50% of their revenues from, or have at least 50% of their assets committed to, the:
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generation, transmission, sale or distribution of electric energy; |
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distribution, purification and treatment of water; |
|
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production, transmission or distribution of natural resources used to produce energy; and |
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provision of communication services, including cable television, satellite, microwave, radio, telephone and other communications media. |
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In addition, infrastructure companies are companies that derive at least 50% of their revenues from, or have at least 50% of their assets committed to, the management, ownership and/or operation of infrastructure assets or construction, development or financing of infrastructure assets, such as pipelines, toll roads, airports, railroads or ports. Infrastructure companies also include energy-related companies organized as master limited partnerships and their affiliates.
Telecommunications and Media Companies
. Telecommunications companies in which the Fund may invest include companies principally engaged in the development, manufacture, or sale of communications services or communications equipment or provision of communications services, including cable, satellite and broadcast networks, internet, telephone, wireless voice, data services, video services and other communications media. Media companies invest in, create, own and distribute various forms of printed, visual, audio and interactive content, as well as information databases that they sell or lease to others. Examples include the Internet, newspaper, magazine and book publishers, movie and television studios, advertising agencies and radio and television broadcasters, as well as cable television and direct satellite broadcast system operators. The risks of investing in the telecommunications and media sector includes many of the risks of investing in the utilities sector, including government regulation of rates of return and services that may be offered. Telecommunications products and services also may be subject to rapid obsolescence resulting from changes in consumer tastes, intense competition and strong market reactions to technological development.
. Energy companies in which the Fund may invest include companies in the discovery, development, production or distribution of energy or other natural resources, the development of technologies for the production or efficient use of energy and other natural resources, or the furnishing of related supplies or services. The energy industries can be significantly affected by fluctuations in energy prices and supply and demand of energy fuels, energy conservation, exploration and production spending, the success of exploration projects, tax and other government regulations, weather or meteorological events, world events and economic conditions. The energy industries also may be affected by fluctuations in energy prices, energy conservation, exploration and production spending, government regulations, weather, world events and economic conditions.
. Common stock represents residual ownership interest in issuers and includes rights or warrants to purchase common stocks. Holders of common stocks are entitled to the income and increase in the value of the assets and business of the issuers after all debt obligations and obligations to preferred stockholders are satisfied. Common stocks generally have voting rights. Common stocks fluctuate in price in response to many factors including historical and prospective earnings of the issuer, the value of its assets, general economic conditions, interest rates, investor perceptions and market liquidity. The value of equity securities purchased by the Fund could decline if the financial condition of the companies the Fund invests in declines or if overall market and economic conditions deteriorate. The value of such securities also may decline due to factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or an increase in production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. In addition, their value may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a company or industry, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or generally adverse investor sentiment.
Foreign
(Non-U.S.)
Securities and Depositary Receipts
. The Fund may invest without limit in securities of
non-U.S.
companies, which may be
non-U.S.
dollar-denominated, including securities of companies domiciled in emerging markets. The Fund may also invest in securities of foreign companies
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in the form of ADRs, GDRs and EDRs. Generally, ADRs in registered form are dollar-denominated securities designed for use in the U.S. securities markets, which represent and may be converted into an underlying foreign security. GDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use outside the United States. EDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in the European securities markets. The Fund may invest in foreign issuers in both developed and emerging markets.
Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs)
. An MLP is a publicly traded company organized as a limited partnership or limited liability company and treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. MLPs may derive income and gains from the exploration, development, mining or production, processing, refining, transportation (including pipelines transporting gas, oil, or products thereof), or the marketing of any mineral or natural resources. MLPs generally have two classes of owners, the general partner and limited partners. The general partner of an MLP is typically owned by one or more of the following: a major energy company, an investment fund, or the direct management of the MLP. The general partner may be structured as a private or publicly traded corporation or other entity. The general partner typically controls the operations and management of the MLP through an up to 2% equity interest in the MLP plus, in many cases, ownership of common units and subordinated units. Limited partners own the remainder of the partnership, through ownership of common units, and have a limited role in the partnership’s operations and management.
. There are two basic types of preferred securities, traditional preferred securities and hybrid-preferred securities. Traditional preferred securities are perpetual and equity-like in nature. They may be issued by an entity taxable as a corporation and pay fixed or floating rate dividends. “Preference” means that a company must pay dividends on its preferred securities before paying any dividends on its common stock, and the claims of preferred securities holders are ahead of common stockholders’ claims on assets in a corporate liquidation or bankruptcy. However, these claims are subordinated to more senior creditors, including senior debt holders. Holders of preferred securities usually have no right to vote for corporate directors or on other matters. Preferred securities share many investment characteristics with both common stock and bonds; therefore, the risks and potential rewards of investing in the Fund may at times be similar to the risks of investing in both equity funds and bond funds.
Hybrid-preferred securities are debt instruments that have characteristics similar to those of traditional preferred securities. Hybrid preferred securities may be issued by corporations, generally in the form of interest-bearing notes with preferred securities characteristics, or by an affiliated trust or partnership of the corporation, generally in the form of preferred interests in subordinated debentures or similarly structured securities. The hybrid-preferred securities market consists of both fixed and adjustable coupon rate securities that are either perpetual in nature or have stated maturity dates. Hybrid preferred holders generally have claims to assets in a corporate liquidation that are senior to those of traditional preferred securities but subordinate to those of senior debt holders. Certain subordinated debt and senior debt issues that have preferred characteristics are also considered to be part of the broader preferred securities market.
The Fund may invest in both OTC and exchange-traded preferred securities. OTC issues are often referred to in the industry as “capital securities.”
Floating rate preferred securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the securities. The terms of such securities provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event-based, such as a change in the short-term interest rate. Because of the
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interest rate reset feature, floating rate securities provide the Fund with a certain degree of protection against rising interest rates, although the interest rates of floating rate securities will participate in any declines in interest rates as well.
. Debt securities in which the Fund may invest include fixed-and floating-rate corporate debt securities issued by U.S. and
non-U.S.
corporations, including U.S. dollar-denominated debt obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. corporations, U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign issuers and debt obligations denominated in foreign currencies. Such debt obligations include, among others, bonds, notes, debentures and variable rate demand notes, with the primary difference being their maturities and secured or unsecured status. Such corporate debt securities are fixed-or floating-rate securities issued by businesses to finance their operations. The issuer pays the investor a fixed or variable rate of interest and normally must repay the amount borrowed on or before maturity.
Investment Grade and Below Investment Grade Debt Securities.
The Fund may invest in preferred and debt securities of any maturity, including investment grade securities, below investment grade securities and unrated securities. The Fund is permitted to invest up to 25% of its Managed Assets in securities that at the time of investment are rated below investment grade (lower than
“BBB-”
by S&P or lower than “Baa3” by Moody’s), but no lower than “CCC” by S&P or “Caa” by Moody’s, and, if unrated, determined by the investment manager or the subadvisors to be of comparable quality. The determination of whether a security is deemed investment grade or below investment grade will be determined at the time of investment. A security will be considered to be investment grade if it is rated as such by one NRSRO (for example minimum Baa3 or
BBB-
by Moody’s or S&P, respectively) or, if unrated, is judged to be investment grade by the investment manager or subadvisors. Below investment grade quality securities or securities that are unrated but judged to be below investment grade by the investment manager or subadvisors are commonly referred to as “high yield” or “junk” securities and are regarded as having more speculative characteristics with respect to the payment of interest and repayment of principal. The Fund will not invest in securities that are in default at the time of purchase.
. Convertible securities are hybrid securities that combine the investment characteristics of bonds and common stocks. Convertible securities typically consist of debt or perpetual preferred securities that may be converted within a specified period of time into a certain amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different issuer at a predetermined price. In some cases, conversion may be mandatory. They also include debt securities with warrants or common stock attached and hybrid and synthetic securities combining the features of debt securities and equity securities. Convertible securities entitle the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt, or dividends paid or accrued on preferred stock, until the security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged.
Contingent Capital Securities
. The Fund will not invest in CoCos that have an explicit trigger that is based on the capital level of the issuer. For banks, this trigger is based on the common equity tier 1 capital ratio. For insurance companies, this trigger is based on the solvency ratio. A mandatory conversion might be automatically triggered, for instance, if a company fails to meet the capital minimum described in the security, the company’s regulator makes a determination that the security should convert, or the company receives specified levels of extraordinary public support. Since the common stock of the issuer may not pay a dividend, investors in these instruments could experience a reduced income rate, potentially to zero, and conversion would deepen the subordination of the investor (worsening the Fund’s standing in a bankruptcy). In addition, some CoCos provide for an automatic write-down of capital under such circumstances.
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In one version of a CoCo, the security has loss absorption characteristics whereby the liquidation value of the security may be adjusted downward to below the original par value (even to zero) under certain circumstances. The write-down of the par value would occur automatically and would not entitle the holders to seek bankruptcy of the company. In addition, an automatic write-down could result in a reduced income rate if the dividend or interest payment is based on the security’s par value. Such securities may, but are not required to, provide for circumstances under which the liquidation value may be adjusted back up to par, such as an improvement in capitalization and/or earnings.
Another version of a CoCo provides for mandatory conversion of the security into common shares of the issuer under certain circumstances. Since the common stock of the issuer may not pay a dividend, investors in these instruments could experience a reduced income rate, potentially to zero; and conversion would deepen the subordination of the investor, hence worsening standing in a bankruptcy. In addition, some such instruments have a set stock conversion rate that would cause an automatic write-down if the price of the common stock is below the conversion price on the conversion date.
An automatic write-down or conversion event is typically triggered by a reduction in the capital level of the issuer, but may also be triggered by regulatory actions (
, a change in capital requirements) or by other factors.
Concentration in Infrastructure Industry
. The Fund may not invest more than 25% of its Managed Assets in securities of issuers in any one industry, except for securities of infrastructure companies. In addition, the Fund also may focus its investments in other sectors or industries, such as (but not limited to) energy, industrials, utilities, pipelines, health care and telecommunications. The investment manager and subadvisors retain broad discretion to allocate the Fund’s investments across various sectors and industries.
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies
.
The Fund may invest in stocks, warrants, and other securities of special purpose acquisition companies or similar special purpose entities that pool funds to seek potential acquisition opportunities (SPACs). Unless and until an acquisition meeting the SPAC’s requirements 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. If an acquisition that meets the requirements for the SPAC is not completed within a
pre-established
period of time, the invested funds are returned to the entity’s stockholders. Because SPACs and similar entities have no 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. Some SPACs may pursue acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. In addition, these securities, which are typically traded in the
market, may be considered illiquid, be subject to restrictions on resale and/or may trade at a discount.
. The Fund is authorized to purchase, sell or enter into any derivative contract or option on a derivative contract, transaction or instrument including, without limitation, various interest rate transactions such as swaps, caps, floors or collars, and foreign currency transactions, such as foreign currency forward contracts, futures contracts, options, swaps and other similar transactions in connection with its investments in securities of
non-U.S.
companies. The Fund may, but is not required to, use, without limit, derivatives to seek to generate return, facilitate portfolio management and mitigate risks. The Fund’s primary use of derivative contracts will, however, be to enter into interest rate hedging transactions in order to reduce the interest rate risk inherent in the Fund’s investments, and foreign currency hedging transactions in order to reduce foreign currency exchange rate risks from adverse changes in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies (including to hedge against anticipated future changes which otherwise might
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adversely affect the prices of securities that the Fund may purchase at a later date). Derivative instruments, or “derivatives,” include instruments and contracts that are derived from and are valued in relation to one or more underlying interest rates, currencies, securities, financial benchmarks or indexes and include, without limitation, swap agreements (including credit default swaps), futures contracts, forward contracts, options on futures or forward contracts, listed or OTC put or call options on, or linked to the value of, any security, index or basket of securities, commodity or index or basket of commodities or other reference asset , and structured investments. Fund also may purchase and sell derivative instruments that combine features of these instruments. The Fund may invest in other types of derivatives, structured and similar instruments which are not currently available but which may be developed in the future. Derivatives typically allow an investor to hedge or speculate upon the price movements of a particular interest rate, currency, security, financial benchmark or index at a fraction of the cost of acquiring or borrowing the underlying asset. The value of a derivative depends largely upon price movements in the underlying asset.
An interest rate swap involves the exchange of cash flows based on interest rate specifications and a specified principal amount, often a fixed payment for a floating payment that is linked to an interest rate. In an interest rate cap, one party receives payments at the end of each period in which a specified interest rate on a specified principal amount exceeds an agreed rate; conversely, in an interest rate floor one party may receive payments if a specified interest rate on a specified principal amount falls below an agreed rate. Interest rate collars involve selling a cap and purchasing a floor, or vice versa, to protect a fund against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels.
A foreign currency forward contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency for an agreed price on a future date that is individually negotiated and privately traded by currency traders and their customers. A foreign currency futures contract is an exchange-traded contract for the purchase or sale of a specified foreign currency at a specified price at a future date. A foreign currency swap is an agreement between two parties to exchange principal and interest payments on a loan made in one currency for principal and interest payments of a loan of equal value in another currency. The Fund may enter into a foreign currency forward contract, foreign currency futures contract or foreign currency swap, or purchase a currency option, for example, when it enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency or expects to receive a dividend or interest payment on a portfolio holding, in order to “lock in” the U.S. dollar value of the security or payment. In addition, the Fund may enter into a foreign currency forward contract, futures contract or swap or purchase a currency option in respect of a currency that acts as a proxy for a currency in which the Fund’s portfolio holdings or anticipated holdings are denominated. This second investment practice is generally referred to as “cross-hedging.” The Fund may also conduct its foreign currency exchange transactions on a spot (
, cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market.
The Fund’s transactions in foreign currencies may increase or accelerate the Fund’s recognition of ordinary income and may affect the timing or character of the Fund’s distributions.
Other Investment Companies
. The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including
open-end
funds,
closed-end
funds or ETFs, to the extent permitted under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, and the rules promulgated thereunder, or any exemption granted to the Fund under the 1940 Act. The Fund also may invest in other funds either during periods when it has large amounts of uninvested cash, such as the period shortly after the Fund receives the proceeds of the offering of its common shares, or during periods when there is a shortage of attractive opportunities in the market. An investment in the shares of another fund is subject to the risks associated with that fund’s portfolio securities. To the extent the Fund invests in shares of another fund, Common Stockholders would
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indirectly pay a portion of that fund’s expenses, including advisory fees, brokerage and distribution expenses. These fees and expenses are in addition to the direct expenses of the Fund’s own operations. Common Stockholders would therefore be subject to duplicative expenses to the extent the Fund invests in other funds. The securities of other funds may also be leveraged and will therefore be subject to similar leverage risks to which the Fund is subject. As described in the sections entitled “Use of Leverage” and “Use of Leverage—Leverage Risk,” the NAV and market value of leveraged shares will be more volatile and the yield to stockholders will tend to fluctuate more than the yield generated by unleveraged shares. Other funds may have investment policies that differ from those of the Fund. In addition, to the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Fund will be dependent upon the investment and research abilities of persons other than the investment manager.
Additional Investment Strategies and Techniques
. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its Managed Assets in restricted securities and other investments that may be illiquid (i.e., securities that are not readily marketable). The Board or its delegate has the ultimate authority to determine, to the extent permissible under the Federal securities laws, which securities are liquid or illiquid for purposes of this 10% limitation. The Board has delegated to investment manager and subadvisors the
determination of the illiquidity of any security held by the Fund, although it has retained oversight and ultimate responsibility for such determinations. The Board and/or the investment manager and subadvisors will consider factors such as (i) the nature of the market for a security (including the institutional private resale market; the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security; the amount of time normally needed to dispose of the security; and the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of transfer), (ii) the terms of certain securities or other instruments allowing for the disposition to a third party or the issuer thereof (
, certain repurchase obligations and demand instruments) and (iii) other permissible relevant factors.
Certain securities in which the Fund may invest are Rule 144A Securities. Rule 144A Securities are considered restricted securities because they are not registered for sale to the general public and may only be resold to certain qualified institutional buyers.
. The Fund may invest in the securities of U.S. and
non-U.S.
issuers that are issued through
non-U.S.
offerings without registration with the SEC pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act. Offerings of Regulation S securities may be conducted outside of the United States. Because Regulation S securities are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale, certain Regulation S securities may be considered illiquid.
. The Fund may enter into short sales. The Fund must designate collateral consisting of cash or liquid portfolio securities with a value equal to the current market value of the shorted securities, which is
daily. If the Fund owns an equal amount of such securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for, without payment of any further consideration, securities of the same issuer as, and equal in amount to, the securities sold short (which sales are commonly referred to as short sales against the box), the above requirements are not applicable.
The Fund will buy and sell securities to accomplish its investment objective. The investment policies of the Fund may lead to frequent changes in investments, particularly in periods of rapidly fluctuating interest or currency exchange rates.
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Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Fund, including brokerage commissions or dealer
mark-ups
and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities. The portfolio turnover rate is computed by dividing the lesser of the amount of the securities purchased or securities sold by the average monthly value of securities owned during the year (excluding securities whose maturities at acquisition were one year or less). Higher portfolio turnover may decrease the
after-tax
return to individual investors in the Fund to the extent it results in a decrease of the long term capital gains portion of distributions to stockholders.
. The Fund may lend portfolio securities to broker/dealers or other institutions. The borrower must maintain with the Fund cash or equivalent collateral equal to at least 100% of the market value of the securities loaned. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower pays the lending Fund any dividends or interest paid on the securities. The Fund may invest the collateral and earn additional income or receive an agreed upon amount of interest income from the borrower. Loans are subject to termination at the option of the Fund or the borrower. The Fund may pay reasonable administrative and custodial fees in connection with a loan. The Fund does not have the right to vote securities on loan, but would terminate the loan and regain the right to vote if that were considered important with respect to the investment. The Fund may lose money if a borrower defaults on its obligation to return securities and the value of the collateral held by the Fund is insufficient to replace the loaned securities. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower’s collateral.
Temporary Defensive Positions
. For temporary defensive purposes or to keep cash on hand fully invested, and following an offering of the Fund’s securities pending investment in securities that meet the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its total assets in cash, cash equivalents, government securities and short-term fixed-income securities. When and to the extent the Fund assumes a temporary defensive position, the Fund may not pursue or achieve its investment objective.
The Fund’s cash reserves, held to provide sufficient flexibility to take advantage of new opportunities for investments and for other cash needs, will be invested in money market instruments. Money market instruments in which the Fund may invest its cash reserves will generally consist of high quality short-term debt securities, including, without limitation, obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, repurchase agreements relating to such obligations and commercial paper.
The Fund currently seeks to enhance the level of its distributions and total return through the use of leverage. The Fund may utilize leverage in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its Managed Assets through borrowings, including loans from certain financial institutions and/or the issuance of debt securities (collectively, Borrowings). Under the 1940 Act, the Fund may utilize leverage through (i) Borrowings in an aggregate amount of up to 33 1/3% of the Fund’s Managed Assets immediately after such Borrowings and (ii) the issuance of preferred stock (Preferred Shares) in an aggregate amount of up to 50% of the Fund’s Managed Assets immediately after such issuance. In addition, the Fund may utilize leverage through reverse repurchase agreements (Reverse Repurchase Agreements), in an aggregate amount of up to 50% of the Fund’s Managed Assets. The Fund has no current intention to issue Preferred Shares or enter into Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The Fund also may borrow money as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes, including the payment of dividends and the settlement of securities transactions.
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The Fund may also engage in various derivatives transactions to seek to generate return, facilitate portfolio management and mitigate risks. Certain derivatives transactions effect a form of economic leverage on the Fund’s portfolio and may be subject to the risks associated with the use of leverage. There is no assurance that the Fund will utilize leverage or, if leverage is utilized, that it will be successful. The net asset value of the Fund’s common shares may be reduced by the issuance or incurrence costs of any leverage.
The Fund currently uses leverage in the form of a revolving credit facility (the “Facility”) with BNP Paribas Prime Brokerage International Ltd. (BNPP).
The SEC recently adopted Rule
18f-4
under the 1940 Act relating to a registered investment company’s use of derivatives and certain financing transactions (such as reverse repurchase transactions) that could potentially require the Fund to observe more stringent requirements than are currently imposed by the 1940 Act. Among other things, Rule
18f-4
will require funds that invest in derivative instruments beyond a specified limited amount to apply a
based limit to their use of certain derivative instruments and financing transactions and to adopt and implement a derivatives risk management program. A fund that uses derivative instruments in a limited amount will not be subject to the full requirements of Rule
18f-4.
In connection with the adoption of Rule
18f-4,
funds will no longer be required to comply with the asset segregation framework arising from prior SEC guidance for covering certain derivative instruments and related transactions. The rule may substantially curtail the Fund’s ability to use derivative instruments as part of the Fund’s investment strategy and could ultimately prevent the Fund from being able to achieve its investment goals. Compliance with Rule
18f-4
is required beginning on August 19, 2022. As the Fund comes into compliance, the approach to asset segregation and coverage requirements described herein will be impacted.
Utilization of leverage is a speculative investment technique and involves certain risks to Common Stockholders. These include the possibility of higher volatility of the NAV of and distributions on the common shares and potentially more volatility in the market value of the common shares. So long as the Fund is able to realize a higher net return on its investment portfolio than the then-current cost of any leverage together with other related expenses, the effect of the leverage will be to cause Common Stockholders to realize higher current net investment income than if the Fund were not so leveraged. On the other hand, to the extent that the then-current cost of any leverage, together with other related expenses, approaches the net return on the Fund’s investment portfolio, the benefit of leverage to Common Stockholders will be reduced, and if the then-current cost of any leverage were to exceed the net return on the Fund’s portfolio, the Fund’s leveraged capital structure would result in a lower rate of return to Common Stockholders than if the Fund were not so leveraged. Any decline in the NAV of the Fund’s investments will be borne entirely by Common Stockholders. Therefore, if the market value of the Fund’s portfolio declines, the leverage will result in a greater decrease in NAV to Common Stockholders than if the Fund were not leveraged. Such greater NAV decrease will also tend to cause a greater decline in the market price for the common shares. To the extent that the Fund is required or elects to redeem any Preferred Shares or prepay any Borrowings or Reverse Repurchase Agreements, the Fund may need to liquidate investments to fund such redemptions or prepayments. Liquidation at times of adverse economic conditions may result in capital loss and reduce returns to Common Stockholders.
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In addition, such redemption or prepayment would likely result in the Fund seeking to terminate early all or a portion of any swap or cap transaction and could result in a termination payment by or to the Fund. See “Use of Leverage—Interest Rate Transactions.”
The use by the Fund of leverage through Reverse Repurchase Agreements involves additional risks, including the risk that the market value of the securities that the Fund is obligated to repurchase may decline below the repurchase price. Also, Reverse Repurchase Agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities retained in lieu of sale by the Fund in connection with the Reverse Repurchase Agreement may decline in price. If the buyer of securities under a Reverse Repurchase Agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, such buyer or its trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the Fund’s obligation to repurchase the securities, and the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision. The use by the Fund of leverage through Reverse Repurchase Agreements also would involve the risk that the Fund will be required to sell securities at inopportune times or prices in order to repay leverage and the risk that the counterparty may be unable to return the securities to the Fund.
Interest Rate Transaction
In order to seek to reduce interest rate risk if the Fund engages in leverage through Borrowings, the Fund may enter into interest rate swap or cap transactions as to all or a portion of Fund leverage. In an interest rate swap, the Fund would agree to pay the counterparty a fixed rate payment in exchange for the counterparty agreeing to pay the Fund a variable rate payment that is intended to approximate the Fund’s variable rate payment obligation on leverage. The payment obligation would be based on the notional amount of the swap. In an interest rate cap, the Fund would pay a premium to the counterparty to the interest rate swap and to the extent that a specified variable rate index exceeds a predetermined fixed rate, would receive from the counterparty payments of the difference based on the notional amount of such cap. The Fund would typically use interest rate swaps or caps with the intent to reduce or eliminate the risk that an increase in short-term interest rates could have on the performance of the common shares as a result of leverage. The Fund may choose not to enter into interest rate swap or cap transactions or to enter into them to a limited extent, in which case the Fund would have greater exposure to interest rate risk.
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 Fund’s use of interest rate swaps or caps could enhance or harm the overall performance of the common shares. To the extent there is a decline in interest rates, the value of the interest rate swap or cap could decline, and could result in a decline in the NAV of the common shares. In addition, if short-term interest rates are lower than the Fund’s rate of payment on the interest rate swap, this will reduce the performance of the common shares. If, on the other hand, short-term interest rates are higher than the Fund’s rate of payment on the interest rate swap, this will enhance the performance of the common shares. Buying interest rate caps could enhance the performance of the common shares by providing a maximum leverage expense. Buying interest rate caps could also decrease the net income of the common shares in the event that the premium paid by the Fund to the counterparty exceeds the additional amount the Fund would have been required to pay had it not entered into the cap agreement. The Fund has no current
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intention of selling an interest rate swap or cap. The Fund will not enter into interest rate swap or cap transactions with an aggregate notional amount that exceeds the outstanding amount of the Fund’s leverage.
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 Fund is contractually obligated to make. In addition, if the counterparty to an interest rate swap or cap defaults, the Fund would not be able to use the anticipated net receipts under the swap or cap to offset dividend or interest payments. Depending on whether the Fund would be 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 could negatively impact the performance of the common shares. Although this will not guarantee that the counterparty does not default, the Fund will not enter into an interest rate swap or cap transaction with any counterparty that the investment manager believes does not have the financial resources to honor its obligation under the interest rate swap or cap transaction. Further, the investment manager will continually monitor the financial stability of a counterparty to an interest rate swap or cap transaction in an effort to proactively protect the Fund’s investments. In addition, at the time an interest rate swap or cap transaction reaches its scheduled termination date, there is a risk that the Fund 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 Fund will usually enter into swaps 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 Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. To the extent the Fund is required to maintain holdings of cash or cash equivalents to meet margin or collateral requirements or otherwise support swaps or other derivative transactions entered into by the Fund, the Fund may be unable to invest such cash or cash equivalents, which may negatively affect the Fund’s returns.
If, after the Fund enters into an interest rate swap or cap, short term interest rates decline significantly, the value of the swap or cap may decline by a material amount, which may in turn adversely affect the Fund’s NAV and the market price of the common shares.
The Fund may choose or be required to prepay any Borrowings or principal amounts of Reverse Repurchase Agreements, or redeem some or all of any outstanding Preferred Shares. This redemption or prepayment would likely result in the Fund seeking to terminate early all or a portion of any swap or cap transaction. Such early termination could result in termination payment by or to the Fund.
The Fund may seek to hedge its interest rate exposure and any foreign currency exposure associated with borrowing in
non-U.S.
currencies using other transactions instead of, or in addition to, interest rate swaps and caps, such as other types of derivatives transactions and short sales of securities.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF THE FUND
The Fund is a diversified,
closed-end
management investment company designed primarily as a long-term investment and not as a trading vehicle. The Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program and, due to the uncertainty inherent in all investments, there can be no assurance that the Fund
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will achieve its investment objective. Investing in the Fund’s securities involves a high degree of risk. Before investing in the Fund’s securities, you should be aware of various risks, including those described herein, the risk factors described under the caption “Principal Risks of the Fund” in any applicable Prospectus Supplement, any risk factors set forth in the Fund’s other filings with the SEC, pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, and those described below. Investors should carefully consider such risk factors, together with all of the other information included or incorporated by reference in this Annual Report, before deciding whether to make an investment in the Fund’s securities. The risks set forth below are not the only risks the Fund faces. If any of the adverse events or conditions described below occurs, the Fund’s business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In such case, the Fund’s net asset value, and the trading price of the Fund’s common stock could decline and you may lose all or part of your investment.
Risk of Market Price Discount from Net Asset Value
Shares of
closed-end
investment companies frequently trade at a discount from their NAV. This characteristic is a risk separate and distinct from the risk that NAV could decrease as a result of investment activities. Whether investors will realize gains or losses upon the sale of the shares will depend not upon the Fund’s NAV but entirely upon whether the market price of the shares at the time of sale is above or below the investor’s purchase price for the shares. Because the market price of the shares will be determined by factors such as relative supply of and demand for shares in the market, general market and economic conditions, and other factors beyond the control of the Fund, the investment manager cannot predict whether the common shares will trade at, above or below NAV.
An investment in the Fund is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount that you invest.
An investment in the Fund represents an indirect investment in the securities owned by the Fund. The value of these securities, like other investments, may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. The Fund’s common stock, at any point in time, may be worth less than what was initially invested, even after taking into account the reinvestment of dividends and distributions. See “Use of Leverage—Leverage Risk.”
Infrastructure Companies Risk
Securities and instruments of infrastructure companies are more susceptible to adverse economic or regulatory occurrences affecting their industries. Infrastructure companies may be subject to a variety of factors that may adversely affect their business or operations, including high interest costs in connection with capital construction and improvement programs, high leverage, costs associated with environmental and other regulations, the effects of economic slowdown, surplus capacity, increased competition from other providers of services, uncertainties concerning the availability of fuel at reasonable prices, the effects of energy conservation policies and other factors. Infrastructure companies may also be affected by or subject to:
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high interest costs in connection with capital construction and improvement programs; |
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difficulty in raising capital in adequate amounts on reasonable terms in periods of high inflation and unsettled capital markets; |
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inexperience with and potential losses resulting from a developing deregulatory environment; |
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costs associated with compliance with and changes in environmental and other regulations; |
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regulation or adverse actions by various government authorities; |
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government regulation of rates charged to customers; |
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service interruption due to environmental, operational or other mishaps; |
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the imposition of special tariffs and changes in tax laws, regulatory policies and accounting standards; |
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technological innovations that may render existing plants, equipment or products obsolete; and |
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general changes in market sentiment towards infrastructure and utilities assets. |
Common stocks are subject to special risks. Although common stocks have historically generated higher average returns than fixed-income securities over the long term, common stocks also have experienced significantly more volatility in returns. Common stocks may be more susceptible to adverse changes in market value due to issuer specific events or general movements in the equities markets. A drop in the stock market may depress the price of common stocks held by the Fund. Common stock prices fluctuate for many reasons, including changes to investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, or the occurrence of political or economic events affecting issuers. For example, an adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of common stock in which the Fund has invested; the price of common stock of an issuer may be particularly sensitive to general movements in the stock market; or a drop in the stock market may depress the price of most or all of the common stocks held by the Fund. Also, common stock of an issuer in the Fund’s portfolio may decline in price if the issuer fails to make anticipated dividend payments because, among other reasons, the issuer of the security experiences a decline in its financial condition. The common stocks in which the Fund will invest are typically subordinated to preferred securities, bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital structure in terms of priority to corporate income and assets, and, therefore, will be subject to greater risk than the preferred securities or debt instruments of such issuers. In addition, common stock prices may be sensitive to rising interest rates as the costs of capital rise and borrowing costs increase.
Concentration in Infrastructure Companies Risk
Because the Fund will invest 25% or more of its total assets in infrastructure companies, it will be more susceptible to adverse economic or regulatory occurrences affecting these companies. These companies may be adversely affected by, among others, changes in government regulation, world events and economic conditions.
Preferred Securities Risk
There are various risks associated with investing in preferred securities, including those described below. In addition, the
on-going
COVID-19
outbreak has increased certain risks associated with investing in preferred securities. The impact of the
COVID-19
outbreak could persist for years to come
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and the full impact to financial markets is not yet known. See “Geopolitical Risk” below for additional information regarding the
COVID-19
outbreak.
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Deferral and Omission Risk. Preferred securities may include provisions that permit the issuer, at its discretion, to defer or omit distributions for a stated period without any adverse consequences to the issuer. In certain cases, deferring or omitting distributions may be mandatory. If the Fund owns a preferred security that is deferring its distributions, the Fund may be required to report income for tax purposes although it has not yet received such income. In addition, recent changes in bank regulations may increase the likelihood for issuers to defer or omit distributions. |
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Credit and Subordination Risk. Credit risk is the risk that a preferred security in the Fund’s portfolio will decline in price or the issuer of the security will fail to make dividend, interest or principal payments when due because the issuer experiences a decline in its financial status. Preferred securities are generally subordinated to bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital structure in terms of having priority to corporate income, claims to corporate assets and liquidation payments, and therefore will be subject to greater credit risk than more senior debt instruments. |
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Interest rate risk is the risk that preferred securities will decline in value because of changes in market interest rates. When market interest rates rise, the market value of such securities generally will fall, and therefore the Fund may underperform during periods of rising interest rates. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates than would normally be the case due to the current period of historically low rates, the effect of government monetary policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives and recent inflationary price movements. Preferred securities without maturities or with longer periods before maturity may be more sensitive to interest rate changes. |
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Prepayment and Extension Risk. Prepayment risk is the risk that changes in interest rates, credit spreads or other factors will result in the call (repayment) of a preferred security more quickly than expected, such that the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in lower yielding securities, or that expectations of such early call will negatively impact the market price of the security. Extension risk is the risk that changes in the interest rates or credit spreads may result in diminishing call expectations, which can cause prices to fall. |
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Floating-Rate and Securities Risk. The market value of floating-rate securities is a reflection of discounted expected cash flows based on expectations for future interest rate resets. The market value of such securities may fall in a declining interest rate environment and may also fall in a rising interest rate environment if there is a lag between the rise in interest rates and the reset. This risk may also be present with respect to securities in which the Fund may invest. A secondary risk associated with declining interest rates is the risk that income earned by the Fund on floating-rate and securities will decline due to lower coupon payments on floating-rate securities. |
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Call, Reinvestment and Income Risk. During periods of declining interest rates, an issuer may be able to exercise an option to redeem its issue at par earlier than scheduled which is generally known as call risk. Recent regulatory changes may increase call risk with respect to certain types of preferred securities. If this occurs, the Fund may be forced to reinvest in lower yielding securities. This is known as reinvestment risk. Preferred securities frequently have call |
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features that allow the issuer to repurchase the security prior to its stated maturity. An issuer may redeem preferred securities if the issuer can refinance the preferred securities at a lower cost due to declining interest rates or an improvement in the credit standing of the issuer, or in the event of regulatory changes affecting the capital treatment of a security. Another risk associated with a declining interest rate environment is that the income from the Fund’s portfolio may decline over time when the Fund invests the proceeds from new share sales at market rates that are below the portfolio’s current earnings rate. |
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Certain preferred securities may be substantially less liquid than many other securities, such as common stocks or U.S. government securities. Illiquid securities involve the risk that the securities will not be able to be sold at the time desired by the Fund or at prices approximating the value at which the Fund is carrying the securities on its books. |
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Limited Voting Rights Risk. Generally, traditional preferred securities offer no voting rights with respect to the issuer unless preferred dividends have been in arrears for a specified number of periods, at which time the preferred security holders may elect a number of directors to the issuer’s board of directors. Generally, once all the arrearages have been paid, the preferred security holders no longer have voting rights. Hybrid-preferred security holders generally have no voting rights. |
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Special Redemption Rights. In certain varying circumstances, an issuer of preferred securities may redeem the securities prior to a specified date. For instance, for certain types of preferred securities, a redemption may be triggered by a change in U.S. federal income tax or securities laws. As with call provisions, a redemption by the issuer may have a negative impact on the return of the security held by the Fund. See “Call, Reinvestment and Income Risk” above and “Regulatory Risk” below. |
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From time to time, preferred securities, including hybrid-preferred securities, have been, and may in the future be, offered having features other than those described herein. The Fund reserves the right to invest in these securities if the investment manager believes that doing so would be consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and policies. Since the market for these instruments would be new, the Fund may have difficulty disposing of them at a suitable price and time. In addition to limited liquidity, these instruments may present other risks, such as high price volatility. |
There are special risks associated with investing in debt securities, including:
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Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a security will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due because the issuer of the security experiences a decline in its financial status. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. |
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Interest rate risk is the risk that debt securities will decline in value because of changes in market interest rates. When market interest rates rise, the market value of such securities generally will fall, and therefore the Fund may underperform during periods of rising interest rates. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates than would normally be the case due to the current period of historically low rates, the effect of government |
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monetary policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives and recent inflationary price movements. Debt securities with longer periods before maturity may be more sensitive to interest rate changes. |
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Prepayment and Extension Risk. Prepayment risk is the risk that changes in interest rates, credit spreads or other factors will result in the call (repayment) of a debt security more quickly than expected, such that the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in lower yielding securities, or that expectations of such early call will negatively impact the market price of the security. Extension risk is the risk that changes in the interest rates or credit spreads may result in diminishing call expectations, which can cause prices to fall. |
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Call risk is the risk that, during a period of falling interest rates, the issuer may redeem a security by repaying it early, which may reduce the Fund’s income if the proceeds are reinvested at lower interest rates. |
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Certain debt securities may be substantially less liquid than many other securities, such as common stocks or U.S. government securities. Illiquid securities involve the risk that the securities will not be able to be sold at the time desired by the Fund or at prices approximating the value at which the Fund is carrying the securities on its books. |
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Convertible Securities Risk. The market value of a convertible security performs like that of a regular debt security; that is, if market interest rates rise, the value of a convertible security usually falls. In addition, convertible securities are subject to the risk that the issuer will not be able to pay interest or dividends when due, and their market value may change based on changes in the issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of the issuer’s creditworthiness. Because it derives a portion of its value from the common stock into which it may be converted, a convertible security is also subject to the same types of market and issuer risk as apply to the underlying common stock. |
Below Investment Grade and Unrated Securities Risk
Securities rated below investment grade are regarded as having predominately speculative characteristics with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal, and these bonds are commonly referred to as “high yield” securities or “junk” securities. These securities are subject to a greater risk of default. The prices of these lower grade securities are more sensitive to negative developments, such as a decline in the issuer’s revenues or a general economic downturn, than are the prices of higher grade securities. Lower grade securities tend to be less liquid than investment grade securities. The market values of lower grade securities tend to be more volatile than investment grade securities.
Lower-rated securities, or equivalent unrated securities, may be considered speculative with respect to the issuer’s continuing ability to make principal and interest payments. Analysis of the creditworthiness of issuers of lower-rated securities may be more complex than for issuers of higher quality debt securities, and the Fund’s ability to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may, to the extent the Fund is invested in lower-rated securities, be more dependent upon such creditworthiness analysis than would be the case if the Fund were investing in higher quality securities. An issuer of these securities may have a currently identifiable vulnerability to default and the issuer may be in default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or interest.
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The secondary markets in which lower-rated securities are traded may be less liquid than the market for higher grade securities. Less liquidity in the secondary trading markets could adversely affect the price at which the Fund could sell a particular lower-rated security when necessary to meet liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event, such as a deterioration in the creditworthiness of the issuer, and could adversely affect and cause large fluctuations in the NAV of the Fund’s shares. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions may decrease the values and liquidity of lower rated securities.
It is reasonable to expect that any adverse economic conditions could disrupt the market for lower-rated securities, have an adverse impact on the value of those securities and adversely affect the ability of the issuers of those securities to repay principal or interest on those securities. New laws and proposed new laws may adversely impact the market for lower-rated securities.
NRSROs are private services that provide ratings of the credit quality of debt obligations, including convertible securities. Ratings assigned by a NRSRO are not absolute standards of credit quality and do not evaluate market risks or the liquidity of securities. NRSROs may fail to make timely changes in credit ratings and an issuer’s current financial condition may be better or worse than a rating indicates. NRSROs may be paid by the companies whose securities they analyze and grade. To the extent that the issuer of a security pays an NRSRO for the analysis of its security, an inherent conflict of interest may exist that could affect the reliability of the rating. The Fund will not necessarily sell a security when its rating is reduced below what its rating was at the time of purchase. The investment manager does not rely solely on credit ratings, and develops its own analysis of issuer credit quality. The ratings of a security may change over time. S&P, Moody’s and Fitch monitor and evaluate the ratings assigned to securities on an ongoing basis. As a result, securities held by the Fund could receive a higher rating (which would tend to increase their value) or a lower rating (which would tend to decrease their value) during the period in which they are held.
The Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in unrated securities (securities which are not rated by an NRSRO) if the investment manager determines that investment in the securities is consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and policies. Unrated securities may be less liquid than comparable rated securities and involve the risk that the investment manager may not accurately evaluate the security’s comparative credit rating. If a security is unrated, the investment manager will assign a rating using its own analysis of issuer quality. Because the Fund may invest in high yield and/or unrated securities, the Fund’s success in achieving its investment objective may depend more heavily on the investment manager’s analysis than if the Fund invested exclusively in higher-quality and rated securities. The investment manager will attempt to reduce the risks of investing in lower rated or unrated securities through active portfolio management, credit analysis and attention to current developments and trends in the economy and the financial markets.
Contingent Capital Securities Risk
CoCos, sometimes referred to as contingent convertible securities, are debt or preferred securities with loss absorption characteristics built into the terms of the security for the benefit of the issuer, for example, an automatic write-down of principal or a mandatory conversion into common stock of the issuer under certain circumstances, such as the issuer’s capital ratio falling below a certain level. CoCos may be subject to an automatic write-down (
., the automatic write-down of the principal amount or value of the securities, potentially to zero, and the cancellation of the securities) under certain
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circumstances, which could result in the Fund losing a portion or all of its investment in such securities. In addition, the Fund may not have any rights with respect to repayment of the principal amount of the securities that has not become due or the payment of interest or dividends on such securities for any period from (and including) the interest or dividend payment date falling immediately prior to the occurrence of such automatic write-down. An automatic write-down could also result in a reduced income rate if the dividend or interest payment is based on the security’s par value. If a CoCo provides for mandatory conversion of the security into common shares of the issuer under certain circumstances, such as an adverse event, the Fund could experience a reduced income rate, potentially to zero, as a result of the issuer’s common shares not paying a dividend. In addition, a conversion event would likely be the result of or related to the deterioration of the issuer’s financial condition (
., such as a decrease in the issuer’s capital ratio) and status as a going concern, so the market price of the issuer’s common shares received by the Fund may have declined, perhaps substantially, and may continue to decline, which may adversely affect the Fund’s NAV. Further, the issuer’s common shares would be subordinate to the issuer’s other security classes and therefore worsen the Fund’s standing in a bankruptcy proceeding. In March 2023, a Swiss regulator required a write-down of outstanding CoCos to zero notwithstanding the fact that the equity shares continued to exist and have economic value. It is currently unclear whether regulators of issuers in other jurisdictions will take similar actions. Notwithstanding these risks, the Fund intends to continue to invest in CoCos issued by Swiss companies and by companies in other jurisdictions. In addition, most CoCos are considered to be “high yield” or “junk” securities and are therefore subject to the risks of investment in below investment grade securities.
It will often be difficult to predict when, if at all, an automatic write-down or conversion event will occur. Accordingly, the trading behavior of CoCos may not follow the trading behavior of other types of debt and preferred securities. Any indication that an automatic write-down or conversion event may occur can be expected to have a material adverse effect on the market price of the CoCos. CoCos are a relatively new form of security and the full effects of an automatic write-down or conversion event have not been experienced broadly in the marketplace. The occurrence of an automatic write-down or conversion event may be unpredictable and the potential effects of such event on the Fund’s yield, NAV and/or market price may be adverse.
Foreign
(Non-U.S.)
and Emerging Market Securities Risk
Investing in foreign securities involves certain risks not involved in domestic investments, including, but not limited to:
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future foreign economic, financial, political and social developments; |
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the possible imposition of exchange controls or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions; |
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less governmental supervision; |
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less publicly available information about foreign companies due to less rigorous disclosure and accounting standards or regulatory practices; |
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high and volatile rates of inflation; |
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Foreign currency devaluation; |
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fluctuating interest rates; and |
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different accounting, auditing and financial record-keeping standards and requirements. |
Investments in foreign securities, especially in emerging market countries, will expose the Fund to the direct or indirect consequences of political, social or economic changes in the countries that issue the securities or in which the issuers are located. Political developments in foreign countries or the United States may at times subject such countries to sanctions from the U.S. government, foreign governments and/or international institutions that could negatively affect the Fund’s investments in issuers located in, doing business in, or with assets in such countries. Certain countries in which the Fund may invest, especially emerging market countries, have historically experienced, and may continue to experience, high rates of inflation, high interest rates, exchange rate fluctuations, large amounts of external debt, balance of payments and trade difficulties and extreme poverty and unemployment. Many of these countries are also characterized by political uncertainty and instability. The cost of servicing external debt will generally be adversely affected by rising international interest rates because many external debt obligations bear interest at rates which are adjusted based upon international interest rates. In addition, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is a risk of:
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the possibility of expropriation of assets; |
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difficulty in obtaining or enforcing a court judgment; |
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economic, political or social instability; and |
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diplomatic developments that could affect investments in those countries. |
In addition, individual foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as:
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growth of gross domestic product; |
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balance of payments position. |
To the extent the Fund’s investments are focused in a geographic region or country, the Fund will be subject, to a greater extent than if the Fund’s assets were less geographically focused, to the risks of adverse changes in that region or country. In addition, certain investments in foreign securities also may be subject to foreign withholding or other taxes, which would reduce the Fund’s return on those securities.
The Fund may hold foreign securities of developed market issuers and emerging market issuers. Investing in securities of companies in emerging markets may entail special risks relating to potential economic, political or social instability and the risks of expropriation, nationalization, confiscation, trade sanctions or embargoes, exchange controls, the imposition of restrictions on foreign investment, the lack of hedging instruments, and restrictions on repatriation of capital invested or from problems in security registration or settlement and custody. Furthermore, custody practices and regulations abroad may offer less protection to investors, such as the Fund, and the Fund may be limited in its ability to enforce contractual rights or obligations. Emerging securities markets and exchanges are substantially
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smaller, less developed, less liquid, more volatile and subject to less governmental supervision than the major securities markets. The limited size of emerging securities markets and limited trading value compared to the volume of trading in U.S. securities could cause prices to be erratic for reasons apart from factors that affect the quality of the securities. For example, limited market size may cause prices to be unduly influenced by traders who control large positions. Adverse publicity and investors’ perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the value and liquidity of portfolio securities, especially in these markets. Many emerging market countries have experienced substantial, and in some periods extremely high, rates of inflation for many years. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates and corresponding currency devaluations have had and may continue to have negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain emerging market countries.
As a result of these potential risks, the investment manager may determine that, notwithstanding otherwise favorable investment criteria, it may not be practicable or appropriate to invest in a particular country. The Fund may invest in countries in which foreign investors, including the investment manager, have had no or limited prior experience.
Foreign Currency and Currency Hedging Risk
Although the Fund will report its NAV and pay dividends in U.S. dollars, foreign securities often are purchased with and make interest and dividend payments in foreign currencies. Therefore, the Fund’s investments in foreign securities will be subject to foreign currency risk, which means that the Fund’s NAV could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates, intervention (or the failure to intervene) by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks or supranational entities such as the International Monetary Fund, or by the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the United States or abroad. These fluctuations may have a significant adverse impact on the value of the Fund’s portfolio and/or the level of Fund distributions made to Common Stockholders. Certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal, dividends and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.
The Fund may (but is not required to) engage in investments that are designed to hedge the Fund’s foreign currency risks, including foreign currency forward contracts, foreign currency futures contracts, put and call options on foreign currencies and foreign currency swaps. Such transactions may reduce returns or increase volatility, perhaps substantially. While these practices will be entered into to seek to manage these risks, these practices may not prove to be successful or may have the effect of limiting the gains from favorable market movements.
Foreign currency forward contracts, foreign currency futures contracts, OTC options on foreign currencies and foreign currency swaps are subject to the risk of default by the counterparty and can be illiquid. These currency hedging transactions, as well as the futures contracts and exchange-listed options in which the Fund may invest, are subject to many of the risks of, and can be highly sensitive to changes in the value of, the related currency or other reference asset. As such, a small investment could have a potentially large impact on the Fund’s performance. Whether or not the Fund engages in currency hedging transactions, the Fund may experience a decline in the value of its portfolio securities, in U.S. dollar terms, due solely to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. Use of currency hedging
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transactions may cause the Fund to experience losses greater than if the Fund had not engaged in such transactions.
The Fund’s transactions in foreign currencies may increase or accelerate the Fund’s recognition of ordinary income and may affect the timing or character of the Fund’s distributions.
If the price of the underlying stock does not rise above the exercise price before the warrant expires, the warrant generally expires without any value and the Fund loses any amount it paid for the warrant. Thus, investments in warrants may involve substantially more risk than investments in common stock. Warrants may trade in the same markets as their underlying stock; however, the price of the warrant does not necessarily move with the price of the underlying stock.
The failure to exercise subscription rights to purchase common stock would result in the dilution of the Fund’s interest in the issuing company. The market for such rights is not well developed, and, accordingly, the Fund may not always realize full value on the sale of rights.
Gains on options transactions depend on the investment manager’s ability to predict correctly the direction of stock prices, indexes, interest rates, and other economic factors, and unanticipated changes may cause poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not engaged in such transactions. A rise in the value of the security or index underlying a call option written by the Fund exposes the Fund to possible loss or loss of opportunity to realize appreciation in the value of any portfolio securities underlying or otherwise related to the call option. By writing a put option, the Fund assumes the risk of a decline in the underlying security or index. There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund seeks to close out an option position, and for certain options not traded on an exchange no market usually exists. Trading could be interrupted, for example, because of supply and demand imbalances arising from a lack of either buyers or sellers, or an options exchange could suspend trading after the price has risen or fallen more than the maximum specified by the exchange. Although the Fund may be able to offset to some extent any adverse effects of being unable to liquidate an option position, that Fund may experience losses in some cases as a result of such inability, may not be able to close its position and, in such an event would be unable to control its losses.
Interest rate risk is the risk that fixed-income securities, such as preferred and debt securities, and to a lesser extent dividend-paying common stocks, will decline in value because of changes in market interest rates. When market interest rates rise, the market value of such securities generally will fall.
During periods of declining interest rates, an issuer may be able to exercise an option to prepay principal earlier than scheduled which is generally known as call or prepayment risk. If this occurs, the Fund may be forced to reinvest in lower yielding securities. This is known as reinvestment risk. Preferred and debt securities frequently have call features that allow the issuer to repurchase the security prior to its stated maturity. An issuer may redeem an obligation if the issuer can refinance the debt at a lower cost due to declining interest rates or an improvement in the credit standing of the issuer. During periods of rising interest rates, the average life of certain types of securities may be extended because
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of slower than expected principal payments. This may lock in a below market interest rate, increase the security’s duration and reduce the value of the security. This is known as extension risk. Market interest rates for investment grade fixed-income securities in which the Fund will invest have recently declined significantly below the recent historical average rates for such securities. This decline may have increased the risk that these rates will rise in the future (which would cause the value of the Fund’s net assets to decline) and the degree to which asset values may decline in such events; however, historical interest rate levels are not necessarily predictive of future interest rate levels, although there have recently been inflationary price movements that suggest a future rise in interest rates is more likely.
Convertible Securities Risk
Although to a lesser extent than with nonconvertible fixed-income securities, the market value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, tends to increase as interest rates decline. In addition, because of the conversion feature, the market value of convertible securities tends to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying common stock. A unique feature of convertible securities is that as the market price of the underlying common stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade increasingly on a yield basis, and so may not experience market value declines to the same extent as the underlying common stock. When the market price of the underlying common stock increases, the prices of the convertible securities tend to rise as a reflection of the value of the underlying common stock. While no securities investments are without risk, investments in convertible securities generally entail less risk than investments in common stock of the same issuer.
MLPs and Energy Investments Risks
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. An investment in MLPs involves risks that differ from a similar investment in equity securities, such as common stock, of a corporation. Holders of equity securities issued by MLPs have the rights typically afforded to limited partners in a limited partnership. As compared to common stockholders of a corporation, holders of such equity securities have more limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the partnership. There are certain tax risks associated with an investment in certain MLP units (described further under “Tax Risk” below). Additionally, conflicts of interest may exist among common unit holders, subordinated unit holders and the general partner or managing member of an MLP; for example, a conflict may arise as a result of incentive distribution payments. |
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. Certain MLPs in which the Fund may invest depend upon their parent or sponsor entities for the majority of their revenues. If their parent or sponsor entities fail to make such payments or satisfy their obligations, the revenues and cash flows of such MLPs and ability of such MLPs to make distributions to unit holders, such as the Fund, would be adversely affected. |
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General Equity Securities Risk . Equity securities issued by MLPs also are subject to the risks associated with all equity investments, including the risk that the value of such securities will fall due to general market or economic conditions, perceptions regarding the industries in which the issuers of securities held by the Fund participate, changes in interest rates, and the particular circumstances and performance of particular companies whose securities the Fund holds. The price of an equity security of an issuer may be particularly sensitive to general |
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movements in the stock market, or a drop in the stock market may depress the price of most or all of the equity securities held by the Fund. In addition, equity securities of MLPs and MLP affiliates held by the Fund may decline in price if the issuer fails to make anticipated distributions or dividend payments because, among other reasons, the issuer experiences a decline in its financial condition. |
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. MLP subordinated units are MLP units that are subordinate in the capital structure to common units. The Fund will typically purchase MLP subordinated units through negotiated transactions directly with affiliates of MLPs and institutional holders of such units or will purchase newly-issued subordinated units directly from MLPs. Holders of MLP subordinated units are typically entitled to receive minimum quarterly distributions (MQDs) after payments to holders of common units have been satisfied and prior to incentive distributions to the general partner or managing member. MLP subordinated units do not typically provide arrearage rights. MLP subordinated units typically are convertible to MLP common units at a ratio. The price of MLP subordinated units is typically tied to the price of the corresponding MLP common unit, less a discount. The size of the discount depends upon a variety of factors, including the likelihood of conversion, the length of time remaining until conversion and the size of the block of subordinated units being purchased or sold. |
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. Debt securities issued by MLPs are subject to the risks associated with all debt investments, including interest rate risk, credit risk and lower rated securities risk. Interest rate risk is the risk that bond prices will decline because of rising interest rates. Credit risk is the risk that a security in the Fund’s portfolio will decline in price or the issuer will fail to make dividend, interest or principal payments when due because the issuer of the security experiences a decline in its financial status. Lower rated securities generally involve greater volatility of price and risk of loss of income and principal, and may be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than higher grade securities. |
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MLP Affiliates and MLP I-Shares . Affiliates of MLPs, such as general partners or managing members of MLPs, may issue equity securities in which the Fund may invest. Many issuers of such equity securities are treated as C corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes and such securities therefore will have different tax characteristics than securities of QPTPs. MLP I-Shares are securities issued by MLP affiliates that use the proceeds from the sale of MLP I-Shares to purchase limited partnership interests in the MLP in the form of MLP i-units. Securities of MLP affiliates and MLP I-Shares represent an indirect investment in the equity securities of MLPs. Prices and volatilities of the securities of MLP affiliates and MLP I-Shares tend to correlate to the price of MLP common units. Holders of the securities of MLP affiliates and MLP I-Shares are therefore subject to the same risks as holders of equity securities of MLPs. |
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. An investment in the shares of another fund is subject to the risks associated with that fund’s portfolio securities. To the extent the Fund invests in shares of another fund, Fund stockholders would indirectly pay a portion of that fund’s expenses, including advisory fees, brokerage and other distribution expenses. These fees and expenses are in addition to the direct expenses of the Fund’s own operations. |
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. An ETN is typically an unsecured, unsubordinated debt security issued by a sponsoring institution, which may include a government entity, financial institution or corporation. ETNs are subject to the credit risk of the sponsoring institution as well as market risk. ETNs that track the |
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performance of MLPs or MLP indices are also subject to the risks applicable to investments in MLPs. |
The Fund will be subject to more risks related to the energy sector than if the Fund were more broadly diversified over numerous sectors of the economy. A downturn in the energy sector of the economy could have a larger impact on the Fund than on an investment company that does not concentrate in the sector. At times, the performance of securities of companies in the energy sector has lagged the performance of other sectors or the broader market as a whole. Recent uncertainty in the energy markets has had an adverse effect on energy-related securities, including MLPs, and it is unclear when these markets may stabilize. In addition, there are several specific risks associated with investments in the energy sector, including the following:
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Fluctuations in commodity prices may impact the volume of commodities transported, processed, stored or distributed. |
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Reduced volumes of natural gas or other energy commodities available for transporting, processing, storing or distributing may affect the profitability of MLPs and Energy Investments. |
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Slowdowns in new construction and acquisitions can limit growth potential. |
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A sustained reduced demand for crude oil, natural gas and refined petroleum products that could adversely affect revenues and cash flows. |
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Depletion of the natural gas reserves or other commodities if not replaced, which could impact the ability of MLPs and Energy Investments to make distributions. |
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Changes in the regulatory environment could adversely affect the profitability of MLPs and Energy Investments. |
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Extreme weather or other natural disasters could impact the value of MLPs and Energy Investments. |
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Rising interest rates which could result in a higher cost of capital and divert investors into other investment opportunities. |
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Threats of attack by terrorists on energy assets could impact the market for MLPs and Energy Investments. |
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Weakening energy market fundamentals may increase counterparty risk and impact MLP profitability. Specifically, energy companies suffering financial distress may be able to abrogate contracts with MLPs, decreasing or eliminating sources of revenue. |
Interest Rate Risk to MLPs and Energy Investments
Rising interest rates could increase the costs of capital thereby increasing operating costs and reducing the ability of MLPs and other entities operating in the energy sector to carry out acquisitions or expansions in a cost-effective manner. As a result, rising interest rates could negatively affect the financial performance of MLPs and other entities operating in the energy sector. Rising interest rates may also impact the price of the securities of MLPs and other entities operating in the energy sector as the yields on alternative investments increase. These risks may be greater in the current market environment because certain interest rates are at historically low levels.
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MLPs and other entities operating in the energy sector are also subject to risks that are specific to the industry within that sector they serve. These sectors include pipelines, gathering and processing, midstream, exploration and production, propane, coal and marine shipping.
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies Risk
The Fund may invest in stock, warrants, and other securities of special purpose acquisition companies or similar special purpose entities that pool funds to seek potential acquisition opportunities (“SPACs”). Unless and until an acquisition meeting the SPAC’s requirements 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. If an acquisition that meets the requirements for the SPAC is not completed within a
pre-established
period of time, the invested funds are returned to the entity’s stockholders. Because SPACs and similar entities have no 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. Some SPACs may pursue acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. In addition, these securities, which are typically traded in the
market, may be considered illiquid, be subject to restrictions on resale, and/or may trade at a discount.
Derivatives and Hedging Transactions Risk
The Fund’s use of derivatives, including for the purpose of hedging interest rate or foreign currency risks, presents risks different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in traditional securities. In certain types of derivatives transactions the Fund could lose the entire amount of its investment; in other types of derivatives transactions the potential loss is theoretically unlimited. Although both OTC and exchange-traded derivatives markets may experience lack of liquidity, OTC
non-standardized
derivatives transactions are generally less liquid than exchange-traded instruments. In addition, the liquidity of a secondary market in an exchange-traded derivative contract may be adversely affected by “daily price fluctuation limits” established by the exchanges which once reached, would prevent the liquidation of open positions. If it is not possible to close an open derivative position entered into by the Fund, the Fund may be required to make cash payments of variation (or
margin and, if the Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell portfolio securities to meet variation margin requirements at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. The inability to close derivatives transactions positions also could have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability to effectively hedge its portfolio. Derivatives transactions entered into to seek to manage the risks of the Fund’s portfolio of securities may have the effect of limiting gains from otherwise favorable market movements. The use of derivatives transactions may result in losses greater than if they had not been used.
Derivatives transactions can be highly volatile and involve various types and degrees of risk, depending upon the characteristics of the particular derivative, 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. Derivatives transactions may entail investment exposures that are greater than their cost would suggest, meaning that a small investment in derivatives could have a large potential impact on the Fund’s performance, effecting a form of investment leverage on the Fund’s portfolio. In certain types of derivatives transactions the Fund could lose the entire amount of its investment; in other types of derivatives transactions the potential loss is theoretically unlimited.
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The market for many derivatives is, or suddenly can become, illiquid. Changes in liquidity may result in significant, rapid and unpredictable changes in the prices for derivatives transactions. The Fund could experience losses if it were unable to liquidate a derivative position because of an illiquid secondary market. Although both OTC and exchange-traded derivatives markets may experience lack of liquidity, OTC
non-standardized
derivatives transactions are generally less liquid than exchange-traded instruments. The illiquidity of the derivatives markets may be due to various factors, including congestion, disorderly markets, limitations on deliverable supplies, the participation of speculators, government regulation and intervention, and technical and operational or system failures. In addition, the liquidity of a secondary market in an exchange-traded derivative contract may be adversely affected by “daily price fluctuation limits” established by the exchanges which limit the amount of fluctuation in an exchange-traded contract price during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in the contract, no trades may be entered into at a price beyond the limit, thus preventing the liquidation of open positions. Prices have in the past moved beyond the daily limit on a number of consecutive trading days. If it is not possible to close an open derivative position entered into by the Fund, the Fund would continue to be required to make cash payments of variation (or
margin in the event of adverse price movements. In such a situation, if the Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell portfolio securities to meet variation margin requirements at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. The absence of liquidity may also make it more difficult for the Fund to ascertain a market value for such instruments. The inability to close derivatives transactions positions also could have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability to effectively hedge its portfolio.
Successful use of derivatives transactions also is subject to the ability of the investment manager to predict correctly movements in the direction of the relevant market and, to the extent the transaction is entered into for hedging purposes, to ascertain the appropriate correlation between the transaction being hedged and the price movements of the derivatives. Derivatives transactions entered into to seek to manage the risks of the Fund’s portfolio of securities may have the effect of limiting gains from otherwise favorable market movements. The use of derivatives transactions may result in losses greater than if they had not been used (and a loss on a derivatives transaction position may be larger than the gain in a portfolio position being hedged), may require the Fund to sell or purchase portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices other than current market values, may limit the amount of appreciation the Fund can realize on an investment, or may cause the Fund to hold a security that it might otherwise sell. Amounts paid by the Fund as premiums and cash or other assets held as collateral with respect to derivatives transactions may not otherwise be available to the Fund for investment purposes. The use of currency transactions can result in the Fund incurring losses as a result of the imposition of exchange controls, political developments, government intervention or failure to intervene, suspension of settlements or the inability of the Fund to deliver or receive a specified currency.
The Fund may enter into swap, cap or other transactions to attempt to protect itself from increasing interest or dividend expenses resulting from increasing short-term interest rates on any leverage it incurs or increasing interest rates on securities held in its portfolio. A decline in interest rates may result in a decline in the value of the transaction, which may result in a decline in the NAV of the Fund. A sudden and dramatic decline in interest rates may result in a significant decline in the NAV of the Fund. Depending on the state of interest rates in general, the use of interest rate hedging transactions could enhance or harm the overall performance of the common shares.
In the event the Fund enters into forward currency contracts for hedging purposes, the Fund will be subject to currency exchange rates risk. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over
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short periods of time and also can be affected unpredictably by intervention of U.S. or foreign governments or central banks, or the failure to intervene, or by currency controls or political developments in the United States or abroad. The Fund’s success in these transactions will depend principally on the ability of the investment manager to predict accurately future foreign currency exchange rates.
The Fund’s investments in forward currency contracts and interest rate swaps would subject the Fund to risks specific to derivatives transactions, including: the imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets of the Fund, which creates the possibility that the loss on such instruments may be greater than the gain in the value of the underlying assets in the Fund’s portfolio; the loss of principal; the possible default of the other party to the transaction; and illiquidity of the derivative investments. Furthermore, the ability to successfully use derivative instruments depends on the ability of the investment manager to predict pertinent market movements, which cannot be assured. Thus, the use of derivative instruments for hedging, currency or interest rate management, or other purposes may result in losses greater than if they had not been used.
Structured notes and other related instruments carry risks similar to those of more traditional derivatives such as futures, forward and option contracts. However, structured instruments may entail a greater degree of market risk and volatility than other types of debt obligations.
The Fund will be subject to credit risk with respect to the counterparties to certain derivatives transactions entered into by the Fund. Derivatives may be purchased on established exchanges or through privately negotiated OTC transactions. Each party to an OTC derivative bears the risk that the counterparty will default.
If a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under a derivative contract due to financial difficulties, the Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery under the derivative contract in bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding. The Fund may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances. The counterparty risk for cleared derivatives transactions is generally lower than for uncleared OTC derivatives transactions since generally a clearing organization becomes substituted for each counterparty to a cleared derivative contract and, in effect, guarantees the parties’ performance under the contract as each party to a trade looks only to the clearing house for performance of financial obligations. However, there can be no assurance that the clearing house, or its members, will satisfy their obligations to the Fund.
The U.S. government has enacted legislation that provides for regulation of the derivatives market, including clearing, margin, reporting, and registration requirements. The European Union (and some other countries) have adopted similar requirements, which affect the Fund when it enters into a derivatives transaction with a counterparty subject to those requirements. Since these requirements are evolving, their impact on the Fund remains unclear. See also “Regulatory Risk” below.
The U.S. government has proposed and adopted multiple regulations that could have a long-lasting impact on the Fund and on the mutual fund industry in general. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) final rules, related requirements and amendments to modernize reporting and disclosure, along with other potential upcoming regulations, could, among other things, restrict the Fund’s ability to engage in transactions and/or increase overall expenses of the Fund. In addition to
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Rule 18f-4, which governs the way derivatives are used by registered investment companies, the SEC, Congress, various exchanges and regulatory and self-regulatory authorities, both domestic and foreign, have undertaken reviews of the use of derivatives by registered investment companies, which could affect the nature and extent of instruments used by the Fund. The Fund and the instruments in which it invests may be subject to new or additional regulatory constraints in the future. While the full extent of all of these regulations is still unclear, these regulations and actions may adversely affect both the Fund and the instruments in which the Fund invests and its ability to execute its investment strategy. For example, climate change regulation (such as decarbonization legislation, other mandatory controls to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, or related disclosure requirements) could significantly affect the Fund or its investments by, among other things, increasing compliance costs or underlying companies’ operating costs and capital expenditures. Similarly, regulatory developments in other countries may have an unpredictable and adverse impact on the Fund.
Other Investment Companies Risk
To the extent the Fund invests a portion of its assets in investment companies, including
open-end
funds,
closed-end
funds, ETFs and other types of pooled investment funds, those assets will be subject to the risks of the purchased investment companies’ portfolio securities, and a stockholder in the Fund will bear not only his or her proportionate share of the Fund’s expenses, but also indirectly the expenses of the purchased investment companies, including advisory fees, brokerage and distribution expenses. These fees and expenses are in addition to the direct expenses of the Fund’s own operations. The Fund’s stockholders would therefore be subject to duplicative expenses to the extent the Fund invests in other investment companies. Risks associated with investments in
closed-end
funds also generally include the risks described in this Annual Report associated with the Fund’s structure as a
closed-end
investment company, including market risk, leverage risk, risk of market price discount from NAV and risk of anti-takeover provisions. In addition, investments in
closed-end
funds may be subject to dilution risk, which is the risk that strategies employed by a
closed-end
fund, such as rights offerings, may, under certain circumstances, have the effect of reducing its share price and the Fund’s proportionate interest. In addition, restrictions under the 1940 Act may limit the Fund’s ability to invest in other investment companies to the extent desired.
The SEC adopted Rule
12d1-4,
which permits an investment company to invest in other investment companies beyond the statutory limits, subject to certain conditions, rescinded certain SEC exemptive orders permitting investments in excess of the statutory limits and withdrew certain related SEC staff
no-action
letters effective January 19, 2022. As of now, investment companies are no longer able to rely on the aforementioned exemptive orders and
no-action
letters, and are subject instead to Rule
12d1-4
and other applicable rules under Section 12(d)(1), which may affect the Fund’s ability to redeem its investments in other investment companies, make such investments less attractive, cause the Fund to incur losses, realize taxable gains distributable to stockholders, incur greater or unexpected expenses or experience other adverse consequences.
In addition, investments in other investment companies may be subject to the following risks:
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The Fund’s investments in other funds are subject to the ability of the managers of those funds to achieve the funds’ investment objective. |
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. Strategies employed by a closed-end fund, such as rights offerings, may, under certain circumstances, have the effect of reducing its share price and the Fund’s proportionate interest. |
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Foreign Fund Risk. Risks associated with investments in non-U.S. funds may be different than those of investments in U.S. funds. Non-U.S. funds are subject to different regulatory regimes that may be less rigorous than in the United States in areas such as governance and financial reporting requirements. There also may be less publicly available information about such funds, and investments in these funds may carry special tax consequences. In addition, non-U.S. funds are generally subject to the risks of investing in other types of foreign securities. |
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Business Development Companies (BDCs) Risk. Investments in closed-end funds that are BDCs may be subject to a high degree of risk. BDCs typically invest in small and medium-sized companies that may not have access to public equity markets for capital raising. As a result, a BDC’s portfolio typically will include a substantial amount of securities purchased in private placements, and the portfolio may carry risks similar to those of a private equity or venture capital fund. Securities that are not publicly registered may be difficult to value and may be difficult to sell at a price representative of their intrinsic value. |
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. An ETF that is based on a specific index, whether securities, commodities or a combination of the two, may not be able to replicate and maintain exactly the composition and relative weighting of securities in the index. An ETF also incurs certain expenses not incurred by its applicable index. The market value of an ETF share may differ from its NAV; the share may trade at a premium or discount to its NAV, which may be due to, among other things, differences in the supply and demand in the market for the share and the supply and demand in the market for the underlying assets of the ETF. In addition, certain securities that are part of the index tracked by an ETF may, at times, be unavailable, which may impede the ETF’s ability to track its index. An ETF that utilizes leverage can, at times, be relatively illiquid, which can affect whether its share price approximates NAV. As a result of using leverage, a leveraged ETF is subject to the risk of failure in the futures and options markets it uses to obtain leverage and the risk that a counterparty will default on its obligations, which can result in a loss to the Fund. |
Restricted and Illiquid Securities Risk
Illiquid securities are securities that are not readily marketable and may include some restricted securities, which are securities that may not be resold to the public without an effective registration statement under the Securities Act or, if they are unregistered, may be sold only in a privately negotiated transaction or pursuant to an exemption from registration. Illiquid investments involve the risk that the securities will not be able to be sold at the time desired by the Fund or at prices approximating the value at which the Fund is carrying the securities on its books. Restricted securities and illiquid securities are often more difficult to value and the sale of such securities often requires more time and results in higher brokerage charges or dealer discounts and other selling expenses than does the sale of liquid securities trading on national securities exchanges or in the OTC markets. Contractual restrictions on the resale of securities result from negotiations between the issuer and purchaser of such securities and therefore vary substantially in length and scope. To dispose of a restricted security that the Fund has a contractual right to sell, the Fund may first be required to cause the security to be registered. A considerable period may elapse between a decision to sell the securities and the time when the Fund would be permitted to sell, during which time the Fund would bear market risks.
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The Fund currently seeks to enhance the level of its distributions and total return through the use of leverage. Certain other investment strategies, such as short sales or the use of derivatives, may also be considered a form of economic leverage and may be subject to the risks associated with the use of leverage. Leverage is a speculative technique and there are special risks and costs associated with leveraging. There is no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be successful. Leverage involves risks and special considerations for Common Stockholders, including (i) the likelihood of greater volatility of NAV, market price and dividend rate of the common shares than a comparable portfolio without leverage; (ii) the risk that fluctuations in the interest or dividend rates that the Fund must pay on any leverage will reduce the return on the holders of the common shares; (iii) the effect of leverage in a declining market, which is likely to cause a greater decline in the NAV of the common shares than if the Fund were not leveraged, which may result in a greater decline in the market price of the common shares; and (iv) leverage may increase operating costs, which may reduce total return. Because the Fund utilizes leverage, the fees paid to the investment manager for investment advisory and management services are higher than if the Fund did not utilize leverage because the fees paid are calculated based on the Fund’s Managed Assets, which include the principal amount of outstanding Borrowings the liquidation preference of Preferred Shares, if any, and the proceeds of any Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may borrow in foreign currencies, which will expose the Fund to foreign currency risk. See “—Foreign Currency and Currency Hedging Risk.” Any such exposure is subject to the risk that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency in which the Fund has borrowed, in which case the Fund will be worse off than if it had borrowed in U.S. dollars. Similar risks may apply if the Fund engages in leveraging transactions through the use of derivatives.
Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the real value of the Fund’s shares and distributions thereon can decline. In addition, during any periods of rising inflation, dividend and interest rates on any preferred equity or debt securities issued by the Fund would likely increase, which would tend to further reduce returns to common stockholders. Recently, there have been inflationary price movements.
Loans
O
f Portfolio Securities
Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements and the Fund’s investment restrictions, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to securities broker-dealers or financial institutions, provided that such loans are callable at any time by the Fund, and are at all times collateralized in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements. The advantage of such loans is that the Fund continues to receive the income on the loaned securities while at the same time earning interest on the cash amounts deposited as collateral, which will be invested in short term obligations. The Fund will not lend its portfolio securities if such loans are not permitted by the laws or regulations of any state in which its shares are qualified for sale.
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The Fund may invest in preferred securities or other securities, the Federal income tax treatment of which may not be clear or may be subject to recharacterization by the IRS. It could be more difficult for the Fund to comply with the tax requirements applicable to RICs if the tax characterization of the Fund’s investments or the tax treatment of the income from such investments were successfully challenged by the IRS.
In addition, the rules dealing with the U.S. federal income taxation are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the IRS and the U.S. Treasury Department.
As an actively managed portfolio, the value of the Fund’s investments could decline because the financial condition of an issuer may change (due to such factors as management performance, reduced demand or overall market changes), financial markets may fluctuate or overall prices may decline, or the investment manager’s investment techniques could fail to achieve the Fund’s investment objective or negatively affect the Fund’s investment performance.
Potential Conflicts of Interest Risk
The investment manager, the subadvisors and their affiliates are involved worldwide with a broad spectrum of financial services and asset management activities and may engage in the ordinary course of business in activities in which their interests or the interests of their clients may conflict with those of the Fund. The investment manager, the subadvisors and their affiliates may provide investment management services to other funds and discretionary managed accounts that follow an investment program similar to that of the Fund. Subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, the investment manager, the subadvisors and their affiliates intend to engage in such activities and may receive compensation from third parties for their services. Neither the investment manager, the subadvisors nor their affiliates are under any obligation to share any investment opportunity, idea or strategy with the Fund. As a result, other accounts of the investment manager, the subadvisors and their affiliates may compete with the Fund for appropriate investment opportunities. The results of the Fund’s investment activities, therefore, may differ from those of other accounts managed by the investment manager, the subadvisors or their affiliates, and it is possible that the Fund could sustain losses during periods in which one or more of the proprietary or other accounts managed by the investment manager, the subadvisors or their affiliates achieve profits. The investment manager and the subadvisors have informed the Fund’s Board of Directors that the investment professionals associated with the investment manager and subadvisors are actively involved in other investment activities not concerning the Fund and will not be able to devote all of their time to the Fund’s business and affairs. The investment manager, the subadvisors and their affiliates have adopted policies and procedures designed to address potential conflicts of interests and to allocate investments among the accounts managed by the investment manager, the subadvisors and their affiliates in a fair and equitable manner.
Dependence on Key Personnel Risk
The investment manager and the subadvisors are dependent upon the experience and expertise of certain key personnel in providing services with respect to the Fund’s investments. If the investment
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manager or subadvisors were to lose the services of these individuals, its ability to service the Fund could be adversely affected. As with any managed fund, the investment manager or subadvisors might not be successful in selecting the best-performing securities or investment techniques for the Fund’s portfolio and the Fund’s performance may lag behind that of similar funds. In addition, the performance of the Fund may also depend on the experience and expertise of individuals who become associated with the investment manager or subadvisors in the future.
The Fund may engage in portfolio trading when considered appropriate, but short-term trading will not be used as the primary means of achieving the Fund’s investment objectives. There are no limits on portfolio turnover, and investments may be sold without regard to length of time held when, in the opinion of the investment manager or the subadvisors, investment considerations warrant such action. A higher portfolio turnover rate results in correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transactional expenses that are borne by the Fund. High portfolio turnover may result in the realization of net short-term capital gains by the Fund that, when distributed to Common Stockholders, would be taxable to such stockholders as ordinary income.
Certain provisions of the Fund’s Charter could have the effect of limiting the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or to modify its structure. The provisions may have the effect of depriving common stockholders of an opportunity to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing market prices and may have the effect of inhibiting conversion of the Fund to an
open-end
investment company. These include provisions for staggered terms of office for Directors, removal of Directors, super-majority voting requirements for merger, consolidation, liquidation, termination and asset sale transactions, amendments to the Charter and conversion to
open-end
status. Additionally, any stockholder proposing the nomination or election of a person as a Director must supply significant amounts of information designed to enable verification of whether such person is qualified for such office.
Occurrence of global events similar to those in recent years, such as war (including Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine), terrorist attacks, natural or environmental disasters, country instability, infectious disease epidemics or pandemics, such as that caused by COVID-19, market instability, debt crises and downgrades, embargoes, tariffs, sanctions and other trade barriers and other governmental trade or market control programs, the potential exit of a country from its respective union and related geopolitical events, may result in market volatility and may have long-lasting impacts on U.S. and global economies and financial markets. Supply chain disruptions or significant changes in the supply or prices of commodities or other economic inputs may have material and unexpected effects on both global securities markets and individual countries, regions, sectors, companies or industries. Events occurring in one region of the world may negatively impact industries and regions that are not otherwise directly impacted by the events. Additionally, those events, as well as other changes in foreign and domestic political and economic conditions, could adversely affect individual issuers or related groups of issuers, securities markets, interest rates, secondary trading, credit ratings, inflation, investor sentiment and other factors affecting the value of the Fund’s investments.
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Although the long-term economic fallout of COVID-19 is difficult to predict, it has contributed to, and may continue to contribute to, market volatility, inflation and systemic economic weakness. COVID-19 and efforts to contain its spread may also exacerbate other pre-existing political, social, economic, market and financial risks. In addition, the U.S. government and other central banks across Europe, Asia, and elsewhere announced and/or adopted economic relief packages in response to COVID-19. The end of any such program could cause market downturns, disruptions and volatility, particularly if markets view the ending as premature. The U.S. federal government ended the COVID-19 public emergency declaration on May 11, 2023, however, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to continue and the risk that new variants of COVID-19 may emerge remains. Therefore the economic outlook, particularly for certain industries and businesses, remains inherently uncertain.
On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom (UK) withdrew from the European Union (EU) (referred to as Brexit). An agreement between the UK and the EU governing their future trade relationship became effective January 1, 2021. Brexit has resulted in volatility in European and global markets and could have potentially significant negative long-term impacts on financial markets in the UK and throughout Europe.
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine significantly amplifying already existing geopolitical tensions. The United States and many other countries have instituted various economic sanctions against Russia, Russian individuals and entities and Belarus. The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions imposed and other punitive actions taken (including any Russian retaliatory responses to such sanctions and actions), and resulting disruptions in Europe and globally cannot be predicted, but could be significant and have a severe adverse effect on the global economy, securities markets and commodities markets globally, including through global supply chain disruptions, increased inflationary pressures and reduced economic activity. Ongoing conflicts in the Middle East could have similar negative impacts. To the extent the Fund has exposure to the energy sector, the Fund may be especially susceptible to these risks. Furthermore, in March 2023, the shut-down of certain financial institutions raised economic concerns over disruption in the U.S. banking system. There can be no certainty that the actions taken by the U.S. government to strengthen public confidence in the U.S. banking system will be effective in mitigating the effects of financial institution failures on the economy and restoring public confidence in the U.S. banking system. These disruptions may also make it difficult to value the Fund’s portfolio investments and cause certain of the Fund’s investments to become illiquid. The strengthening or weakening of the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies may, among other things, adversely affect the Fund’s investments denominated in non-U.S. dollar currencies. It is difficult to predict when similar events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have, and the duration of those effects.
Regulation and Government Intervention Risk
The global financial crisis led the U.S. government and certain foreign governments to take a number of unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial institutions and segments of the financial markets that experienced extreme volatility, and in some cases a lack of liquidity, including through direct purchases of equity and debt securities. Federal, state and other governments and certain foreign governments and their regulatory agencies or self-regulatory organizations may take legislative and regulatory actions that affect the regulation of the instruments in which the Fund invests,
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or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that are unforeseeable. Such legislation or regulation may change the way in which the Fund is regulated and could limit or preclude the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.
The SEC and its staff are also reportedly engaged in various initiatives and reviews that seek to improve and modernize the regulatory structure governing investment companies. These efforts appear to be focused on risk identification and controls in various areas, including embedded leverage through the use of derivatives and other trading practices, cybersecurity, liquidity, valuation, enhanced regulatory and public reporting requirements and the evaluation of systemic risks. Any new rules, guidance or regulatory initiatives resulting from these efforts could increase the Fund’s expenses and impact its returns to stockholders or, in the extreme case, impact or limit its use of various portfolio management strategies or techniques and adversely impact the Fund.
In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, there appears to be a renewed popular, political and judicial focus on finance related consumer protection. Financial institution practices are also subject to greater scrutiny and criticism generally. In the case of transactions between financial institutions and the general public, there may be a greater tendency toward strict interpretation of terms and legal rights in favor of the consuming public, particularly where there is a real or perceived disparity in risk allocation and/or where consumers are perceived as not having had an opportunity to exercise informed consent to the transaction. In the event of conflicting interests between retail investors holding common shares of a
closed-end
investment company such as the Fund and a large financial institution, a court may similarly seek to strictly interpret terms and legal rights in favor of retail investors.
Changes enacted by the current presidential administration could significantly impact the regulation of financial markets in the United States. Areas subject to potential change, amendment or repeal include trade and foreign policy, corporate tax rates, energy and infrastructure policies, the environment and sustainability, criminal and social justice initiatives, immigration, healthcare and the oversight of certain federal financial regulatory agencies and the Federal Reserve. Certain of these changes can, and have, been effectuated through executive order. For example, the current administration has taken steps to address the
COVID-19
pandemic, rejoin the Paris climate accord of 2015, cancel the Keystone XL pipeline and change immigration enforcement priorities. Other potential changes that could be pursued by the current presidential administration could include an increase in the corporate income tax rate; changes to regulatory enforcement priorities; and spending on clean energy and infrastructure. It is not possible to predict which, if any, of these actions will be taken or, if taken, their effect on the economy, securities markets or the financial stability of the United States. The Fund may be affected by governmental action in ways that are not foreseeable, and there is a possibility that such actions could have a significant adverse effect on the Fund and its ability to achieve its investment objective
With the increased use of technologies such as the Internet and the dependence on computer systems to perform necessary business functions, the Fund and its service providers (including the investment manager and subadvisors) may be susceptible to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks and/or other technological malfunctions. In general, cyber-attacks are deliberate, but unintentional events may have similar effects. Cyber-attacks include, among others, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, preventing legitimate users from accessing
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information or services on a website, releasing confidential information without authorization, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems for purposes of misappropriating assets and causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing
Successful cyber-attacks against, or security breakdowns of, the Fund, the investment manager, the subadvisors or a custodian, transfer agent, or other affiliated or third-party service provider may adversely affect the Fund or its stockholders. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with the processing of stockholder transactions, affect the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private stockholder information or confidential Fund information, impede trading, cause reputational damage, and subject the Fund to regulatory fines, penalties or financial losses, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and additional compliance costs. Furthermore, as a result of breaches in cyber security or other operational and technology disruptions or failures, an exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities or an entire market, which may result in the Fund being, among other things, unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments or unable to accurately price its investments. While the Fund has established business continuity plans and systems designed to prevent cyber-attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Similar types of cyber security risks also are present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause the Fund’s investment in such securities to lose value.
Each of the Fund, the investment manager and subadvisors may have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber-attacks or security or technology breakdowns affecting the Fund’s third-party service providers. While the Fund has established business continuity plans and systems designed to prevent or reduce the impact of cyber-attacks, such plans and systems are subject to inherent limitations.
Risks of Securities Linked to the Real Estate Market
The Fund may invest in securities of real estate companies. The Fund does not invest in real estate directly, but is subject to the risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate. These risks include:
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declines in the value of real estate; |
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risks related to general and local economic conditions; |
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possible lack of availability of mortgage funds; |
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extended vacancies of properties; |
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increases in property taxes and operating expenses; |
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losses due to costs resulting from the clean-up of environmental problems; |
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liability to third parties for damages resulting from environmental problems; |
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casualty or condemnation losses; |
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changes in neighborhood values and the appeal of properties to tenants; |
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changes in interest rates; |
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financial condition of tenants, buyers and sellers of real estate; |
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quality of maintenance, insurance and management services; |
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failure of borrowers to repay their loans; |
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early payment or restricting of mortgage loans; |
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slower mortgage origination; and |
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rising construction costs. |
Thus, the value of the Fund’s common stock may change at different rates compared to the value of shares of a registered investment company with investments in a mix of different industries and will depend on the general condition of the economy. An economic downturn could have a material adverse effect on the real estate markets and on real estate companies in which the Fund invests, which in turn could result in the Fund not achieving its investment objectives.
Special Risks to Holders of Common Shares
. If the Fund determines to conduct a rights offering to subscribe for common shares, holders of common shares may experience dilution or accretion of the aggregate net asset value of their common shares. Such dilution or accretion will depend upon whether (i) such stockholders participate in the rights offering and (ii) the Fund’s net asset value per common share is above or below the subscription price on the expiration date of the rights offering.
Stockholders who do not exercise their subscription rights may, at the completion of such an offering, own a smaller proportional interest in the Fund than if they exercised their subscription rights. As a result of such an offering, a stockholder may experience dilution in net asset value per share if the subscription price per share is below the net asset value per share on the expiration date. If the subscription price per share is below the net asset value per share of the Fund’s shares on the expiration date, a stockholder will experience an immediate dilution of the aggregate net asset value of such stockholder’s shares if the stockholder does not participate in such an offering and the stockholder will experience a reduction in the net asset value per share of such stockholder’s shares whether or not the stockholder participates in such an offering. The Fund cannot state precisely the extent of this dilution (if any) if the stockholder does not exercise such stockholder’s subscription rights because the Fund does not know what the net asset value per share will be when the offer expires or what proportion of the subscription rights will be exercised.
. The Fund currently uses financial leverage for investment purposes by borrowing from BNPP and is also permitted to use other types of financial leverage, such as through the issuance of debt securities or preferred shares and borrowing from other financial institutions. As provided in the 1940 Act and subject to certain exceptions, the Fund may issue additional senior securities (which may be stock, such as preferred shares, and/or securities representing debt) only if immediately after such issuance the value of the Fund’s total assets, less certain ordinary course liabilities, exceeds 300% of
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the amount of the debt outstanding and exceeds 200% of the amount of preferred shares and debt outstanding. As of December 31, 2023, the amount of leverage represented approximately 30% of the Fund’s Managed Assets.
The Fund’s leveraged capital structure creates special risks not associated with unleveraged funds having a similar investment objectives and policies. These include the possibility of greater loss and the likelihood of higher volatility of the net asset value of the Fund. Such volatility may increase the likelihood of the Fund having to sell investments in order to meet its obligations to make principal or interest payments on borrowings, or to repay borrowings, when it may be disadvantageous to do so. The Fund’s use of leverage may require it to sell portfolio investments at inopportune times in order to raise cash to deleverage so as to maintain required asset coverage amounts or comply with the mandatory redemption terms of any outstanding preferred shares. The use of leverage magnifies both the favorable and unfavorable effects of price movements in the investments made by the Fund. To the extent that the Fund employs leverage in its investment operations, the Fund is subject to substantial risk of loss. The Fund cannot assure you that borrowings or the issuance of preferred shares will result in a higher yield or return to the holders of the common shares. Also, since the Fund utilizes leverage, a decline in net asset value could affect the ability of the Fund to make common share distributions and such a failure to make distributions could result in the Fund ceasing to qualify as a RIC under the Code.
Any decline in the net asset value of the Fund’s investments would be borne entirely by the holders of common shares. Therefore, if the market value of the Fund’s portfolio declines, the leverage will result in a greater decrease in net asset value to the holders of common shares than if the Fund were not leveraged. This greater net asset value decrease will also tend to cause a greater decline in the market price for the common shares. The Fund might be in danger of failing to maintain the required asset coverage of its borrowings or, in an extreme case, the Fund’s current investment income might not be sufficient to meet the interest requirements on the borrowings. In order to counteract such an event, the Fund might need to liquidate investments in order to fund a repayment of some or all of the borrowings.
.
Assuming that leverage in the form of Borrowings represent 30% of the Fund’s Managed Assets and charge interest or involve payment at a rate set by an interest rate transaction at an annual rate of 6.3% (rate at December 31, 2023), the income generated by the Fund’s portfolio (net of estimated expenses) must exceed 1.9% in order to cover such interest payments or payment rates and other expenses specifically related to leverage. Of course, these numbers are merely estimates, used for illustration. Actual interest, or payment rates may vary frequently and may be significantly higher or lower than the rate estimated above. The following table is furnished in response to requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC). It is designed to illustrate the effect of leverage on common share total return, assuming investment portfolio total returns (comprised of net investment income of the Fund, realized gains or losses of the Fund and changes in the value of the securities held in the Fund’s portfolio) of –10%, –5%, 0%, 5% and 10%. These assumed investment portfolio returns are hypothetical figures and are not necessarily indicative of the investment portfolio returns experienced or expected to be experienced by the Fund. The table assumes leverage in an aggregate amount equal to 30% of the Fund’s managed assets.
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Assumed Portfolio Total Return |
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–10 |
% |
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–5 |
% |
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0 |
% |
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5 |
% |
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10 |
% |
Common Share Total Return |
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(17.0 |
)% |
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(9.8 |
)% |
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(2.7 |
)% |
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4.4 |
% |
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11.6 |
% |
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Common share total return is comprised of two elements –the net investment income of the Fund after paying expenses, including interest expenses on the Fund’s Borrowings as described above and dividend payments on any preferred shares issued by the Fund, and gain and losses on the value of the securities the Fund owns. As required by the rules of the SEC, the table assumes the Fund is more likely to suffer capital losses than to enjoy capital appreciation. For example, to assume a total return of 0%, the Fund must assume that the income it receives on its investments is entirely offset by losses in the value of those securities.
. As described above in “Principal Risks of the Fund—Market Discount Risk,” common shares of
closed-end
funds often trade at a discount to their net asset values and the Fund’s common shares may trade at such a discount. This risk may be greater for investors expecting to sell their common shares of the Fund soon after completion of a public offering. The common shares of the Fund are designed primarily for long term investors and investors in common shares should not view the Fund as a vehicle for trading purposes.
Special Risks of Subscription Rights
. There is a risk that changes in market conditions may result in the underlying common shares purchasable upon exercise of the subscription rights being less attractive to investors at the conclusion of the subscription period. This may reduce or eliminate the value of the subscription rights. Investors who receive subscription rights may find that there is no market to sell rights they do not wish to exercise. If investors exercise only a portion of the rights, the number of common shares issued may be reduced, and the common shares may trade at less favorable prices than larger offerings for similar securities.
. As a result of any offering of subscription rights (each, an “Offer”), it is anticipated that even if stockholders fully exercise their rights, they should expect to incur immediate economic dilution and, if they do not exercise all of their rights, they will incur voting dilution. Further, both the sales load and the expenses associated with such an offering paid by the Fund will immediately reduce the NAV of each common stockholder’s common shares. To the extent that the number of common shares outstanding after an Offer will have increased proportionately more than the increase in the size of the Fund’s net assets, stockholders will, at the completion of the Offer, experience immediate dilution of NAV. In addition, if the subscription price for an Offer is less than the Fund’s NAV per common share as of the expiration date of an Offer, stockholders would experience additional immediate dilution of NAV as a result of the Offer. If the Subscription Price is substantially less than the current NAV per common share at the expiration of an Offer, such dilution could be substantial. It is anticipated that the existing common stockholders will experience immediate dilution even if they fully exercise their rights. In addition, whether or not stockholders exercise their rights, they will experience a dilution of NAV of the common shares because they will indirectly bear the expenses of the Offer, which include, among other items, SEC registration fees, printing expenses and the fees assessed by service providers (including the cost of the Fund’s counsel and independent registered public accounting firm). This dilution of NAV will disproportionately affect common stockholders who do not exercise their rights. The Fund cannot state precisely the amount of any decrease because it is not known at this time how many common shares will be subscribed for or what the NAV or market price of the Fund’s common shares will be on the expiration date of an Offer or what the subscription price will be.
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In addition to the economic dilution described above, if stockholders do not exercise all of their rights, they will incur voting dilution as a result of an Offer. This voting dilution will occur because such
non-exercising
stockholders will own a smaller proportionate interest in the Fund after the Offer than they owned prior to the Offer.
HOW THE FUND MANAGES RISK
The Fund has adopted certain investment limitations designed to limit investment risk that are fundamental and may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a “majority of the outstanding” (as defined below) common shares and, if issued, Preferred Shares voting as a single class, and the approval of the holders of a majority of the Preferred Shares voting as a separate class. Under these limitations, the Fund may not: (1) issue senior securities (including borrowing money for other than temporary purposes) except in conformity with the limits set forth in the 1940 Act or pursuant to exemptive relief therefrom, or pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets other than to secure such issuances or borrowings or in connection with permitted investment strategies; (2) act as an underwriter of securities issued by other persons; (3) generally directly purchase or sell real estate; (4) make loans to other persons except through the lending of securities held by it; or (5) invest more than 25% of its total assets in securities of issuers in any one industry (except as discussed herein). Further information about and exceptions to these limitations are contained herein under “Investment Restrictions.” For these purposes, a “majority of the outstanding” shares means the lesser of (a) 67% of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities present at a stockholder meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities are present or represented by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities.
The Fund may become subject to guidelines that are more limiting than its investment restrictions in order to obtain and maintain ratings from NRSROs on any Preferred Shares that it issues. The Fund does not anticipate that such guidelines would have a material adverse effect on the Common Stockholders or the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. See herein under “Investment Restrictions” for a complete list of the fundamental and
non-fundamental
investment policies of the Fund.
Management of Investment Portfolio and Capital Structure to Limit Leverage Risk
The Fund may take certain actions if short-term interest rates increase or market conditions otherwise change (or the Fund anticipates such an increase or change) and the Fund has incurred leverage which begins (or is expected) to adversely affect Common Stockholders. In order to attempt to offset such a negative impact of leverage on Common Stockholders, the Fund may attempt to shorten the average maturity of its overall investment portfolio or may reduce its Borrowings or any Reverse Repurchase Agreements or extend the maturity of any outstanding Preferred Shares. The Fund may also attempt to reduce the leverage by redeeming or otherwise purchasing any Preferred Shares. As explained above under “Use of Leverage—Leverage Risk,” the success of any such attempt to limit leverage risk depends on the investment manager’s ability to accurately predict interest rate or other market changes. Because of the difficulty of making such predictions, the Fund may never attempt to manage its capital structure in the manner described in this paragraph.
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The Fund may enter into derivative transactions to manage risk. See “Principal Risks of the Fund—Derivatives Risk.”
Limitations on Borrowings, Preferred Shares and Reverse Repurchase Agreements
The Fund is limited under Section 18 of the 1940 Act in the level of Borrowings it may incur and the amount of Preferred Shares it may issue to 33 1/3% and 50%, respectively, of its Managed Assets. See “Description of Shares—Preferred Shares—Limited Issuance of Preferred Shares and Borrowings.” A Reverse Repurchase Agreement would not be subject to the limitations imposed by Section 18 of the 1940 Act. As a result, if the Fund enters into Reverse Repurchase Agreements, it would be permitted to leverage more of its assets than would be permissible through the use of Borrowings and/or the issuance of Preferred Shares. The Fund’s financing, however, obtainable through Reverse Repurchase Agreements is not expected to exceed 33 1/3% of the Fund’s Managed Assets. To the extent the Fund enters into Reverse Repurchase Agreements, the Fund will “cover” its exposure under the Reverse Repurchase Agreements by designating on its books and records liquid instruments having a value not less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest). In connection with the adoption of Rule 18f–4, on August 19, 2022 funds will no longer be required to comply with the asset segregation framework arising from prior SEC guidance for covering certain derivative instruments and related transactions. The Fund has no current intention to utilize leverage through the issuance of Preferred Shares or the use of Reverse Repurchase Agreements. See “Use of Leverage.”
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES, POLICIES AND RISKS
Foreign (Non-U.S.) Securities
The Fund may invest in foreign
(non-U.S.)
securities. Investing in securities issued by foreign companies involves considerations and possible risks not typically associated with investing in securities issued by domestic corporations. The values of foreign investments are affected by changes in currency rates or exchange control regulations, application of foreign tax laws, including withholding or other taxes, changes in governmental administration or economic or monetary policy (in the United States or abroad) or changed circumstances in dealings between nations. Costs are incurred in connection with conversions between various currencies. In addition, foreign brokerage commissions are generally higher than in the United States, and foreign securities markets may be less liquid, more volatile and subject to less governmental supervision than in the United States. Investments in foreign countries could be affected by other factors not present in the United States, including expropriation, confiscatory taxation, lack of uniform accounting and auditing standards and potential difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations which could extend settlement periods.
Investments in foreign securities, especially in emerging market countries, will expose the Fund to the direct or indirect consequences of political, social or economic changes in the countries that issue the securities in which the Fund invests or in which the issuers are located. Certain countries in which the Fund may invest, especially emerging market countries, have historically experienced, and may continue to experience, high rates of inflation, high interest rates, exchange rate fluctuations, large amounts of external debt, balance of payments and trade difficulties, and extreme poverty and unemployment. Many of these countries are also characterized by political uncertainty and instability.
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The cost of servicing external debt will generally be adversely affected by rising international interest rates because many external debt obligations bear interest at rates that are adjusted based upon international interest rates. In addition, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is a risk of:
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the possibility of expropriation of assets; |
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difficulty in obtaining or enforcing a court judgment; |
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economic, political or social instability; and |
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diplomatic developments that could affect investments in those countries. |
Continuing uncertainty as to the status of the Euro and the European Monetary Union and the potential for certain countries to withdraw from the institution has created significant volatility in currency and financial markets generally. Any partial or complete dissolution of the European Union (“EU”) could have significant adverse effects on currency and financial markets, and on the values of the Fund’s investments. In June 2016, the United Kingdom approved a referendum to leave the EU. Significant uncertainty remains in the market regarding the ramifications of that development, and the range and potential implications of possible political, regulatory, economic and market outcomes are difficult to predict.
The Fund may invest in sponsored and unsponsored ADRs, GDRs and similar depositary receipts. ADRs, typically issued by a financial institution (a depositary), evidence ownership interests in a security or a pool of securities issued by a foreign company and deposited with the depositary. Prices of ADRs are quoted in U.S. dollars, and ADRs are traded in the United States. GDRs are receipts issued outside the United States, typically by
non-United
States banks and trust companies, that evidence ownership of either foreign or domestic securities. Generally, GDRs, in bearer form, are designated for use outside the United States. Ownership of ADRs and GDRs entails similar investment risks to direct ownership of foreign securities traded outside the U.S., including increased market liquidity, currency, political, information and other risks. Income and gains earned by the Fund in respect of foreign securities may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes, which will reduce the Fund’s return on such securities.
There are two basic types of preferred securities. The first, sometimes referred to herein as traditional preferred securities, consists of preferred stock issued by an entity taxable as a corporation. Preferred stocks are considered equity securities. The second basic type is referred to herein as hybrid-preferred securities.
Traditional Preferred Securities.
Traditional preferred securities pay fixed or floating dividends to investors and have “preference” over common stock in the payment of dividends and in the liquidation of a company’s assets. This means that a company must pay dividends on preferred stock before paying any dividends on its common stock. In order to be payable, distributions on such preferred securities must be declared by the issuer’s board of directors. Income payments on certain preferred securities currently outstanding are cumulative, causing dividends and distributions to accumulate even if not declared by the board of directors or otherwise made payable. In such a case, all accumulated dividends must be paid before any dividend on the common stock can be paid. However, some traditional preferred stocks are
non-cumulative,
in which case dividends do not accumulate and need
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not ever be paid. The Fund may invest in
non-cumulative
preferred securities, whereby the issuer does not have an obligation to make up any arrearages to its stockholders. Should an issuer of a
non-cumulative
preferred stock held by the Fund determine not to pay dividends on such stock, the amount of dividends the Fund pays may be adversely affected. There is no assurance that dividends or distributions on the traditional preferred securities in which the Fund invests will be declared or otherwise made payable. Preferred stockholders usually have no right to vote for corporate directors or on other matters. Shares of traditional preferred securities have a liquidation preference that generally equals the original purchase price at the date of issuance. The market value of preferred securities may be affected by favorable and unfavorable changes impacting companies in the utilities and financial services sectors, which are prominent issuers of preferred securities, and by actual and anticipated changes in tax laws, such as changes in corporate income tax rates. Because the claim on an issuer’s earnings represented by traditional preferred securities may become onerous when interest rates fall below the rate payable on such securities, the issuer may redeem the securities. Thus, in declining interest rate environments in particular, the Fund’s holdings of higher rate-paying fixed rate preferred securities may be reduced and the Fund may be unable to acquire securities of comparable credit quality paying comparable rates with the redemption proceeds.
Floating-rate and
preferred securities may be traditional preferred or hybrid-preferred securities. Floating-rate preferred securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the securities. The terms of such securities provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event-based, such as a change in the short-term interest rate. Because of the interest rate reset feature, floating-rate securities provide the Fund with a certain degree of protection against rising interest rates, although the interest rates of floating-rate securities will participate in any declines in interest rates as well. Similarly, a
security may be less price-sensitive to rising interest rates (or yields), because it has a rate of payment that is fixed for a certain period (typically five, ten or thirty years when first issued), after which period a floating-rate of payment applies. The Fund may invest significantly in both floating-rate and
preferred securities.
Corporate stockholders of a regulated investment company (RIC) such as the Fund generally are permitted to claim the dividends received deduction (DRD) with respect to that portion of their distributions from the RIC attributable to amounts received by the RIC that qualify for the DRD, provided such amounts are properly reported by the RIC and certain holding period requirements are met at both the RIC and stockholder level. However, not all traditional preferred securities pay dividends that are eligible for the DRD.
Individual stockholders of a RIC such as the Fund generally may be eligible to treat as qualified dividend income (QDI) that portion of their distributions from the RIC attributable to QDI received and reported as such by the RIC, provided certain holding period requirements are met at both the RIC and stockholder level. However, not all traditional preferred securities will provide significant benefits under the rules relating to QDI.
Hybrid-Preferred Securities.
Hybrid-preferred securities are typically issued by corporations, generally in the form of interest-bearing notes with preferred securities characteristics, as described below, or by an affiliated business trust of a corporation, generally in the form of beneficial interests in
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subordinated debentures or similarly structured securities. The hybrid-preferred securities market consists of both fixed-and adjustable-coupon rate securities that are either perpetual in nature or have stated maturity dates.
Hybrid-preferred securities are typically junior and fully subordinated liabilities of an issuer or the beneficiary of a guarantee that is junior and fully subordinated to the other liabilities of the guarantor. In addition, hybrid-preferred securities typically permit an issuer to defer the payment of income for 18 months or more without triggering an event of default. Generally, the maximum deferral period is five years. Because of their subordinated position in the capital structure of an issuer, the ability to defer payments for extended periods of time without default consequences to the issuer, and certain other features (such as restrictions on common dividend payments by the issuer or ultimate guarantor when full cumulative payments on the trust preferred securities have not been made), these hybrid-preferred securities are often treated as close substitutes for traditional preferred securities, both by issuers and investors. Hybrid-preferred securities have many of the key characteristics of equity because of their subordinated position in an issuer’s capital structure and because their quality and value are heavily dependent on the profitability of the issuer rather than on any legal claims to specific assets or cash flows. Hybrid-preferred securities include, but are not limited to, trust originated preferred securities; monthly income preferred securities; quarterly income bond securities; quarterly income debt securities; quarterly income preferred securities; corporate trust securities; public income notes; and other hybrid-preferred securities.
Hybrid-preferred securities are typically issued with a final maturity date, although some are perpetual in nature. In certain instances, a final maturity date may be extended and/or the final payment of principal may be deferred at the issuer’s option for a specified time without default. No redemption can typically take place unless all cumulative payment obligations have been met, although issuers may be able to engage in open-market repurchases without regard to whether all payments have been paid.
Many hybrid-preferred securities are issued by trusts or other special purpose entities established by operating companies and are not direct obligations of the operating company. At the time the trust or special purpose entity sells such preferred securities to investors, it purchases debt of the operating company (with terms comparable to those of the trust or special purpose entity securities), which enables the operating company to deduct the interest paid on the debt held by the trust or special purpose entity for tax purposes. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, holders of the trust preferred securities generally are treated as owning beneficial interests in the underlying debt of the operating company held by the trust or special purpose entity, and payments on the hybrid-preferred securities are treated as interest rather than dividends. As such, payments on the hybrid-preferred securities are not eligible for the DRD or the reduced rates of tax that may apply to QDI. The trust or special purpose entity would be a holder of the operating company’s debt and would have priority with respect to the operating company’s earnings and profits over the operating company’s holders of common shares (Common Stockholders), but would typically be subordinated to other classes of the operating company’s debt. Typically a preferred share has a rating that is slightly below that of its corresponding operating company’s senior debt securities.
Within the category of hybrid-preferred securities are senior debt instruments that trade in the broader preferred securities market. These debt instruments, which are sources of long-term capital for the issuers, have structural features similar to preferred stock such as maturities ranging from 30 years to perpetuity, call features, exchange listings and the inclusion of accrued interest in the trading price.
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Similar to other hybrid-preferred securities, these debt instruments usually do not offer equity capital treatment. Corporate trust securities (CORTS
®
) and public income notes (PINES
®
) are two examples of senior debt instruments which are structured and trade as hybrid-preferred securities.
The Fund may invest in other types of preferred securities, including preferred securities that are not currently in use and which may or may not be illiquid. The Fund may also engage in derivatives transactions that are intended to provide economic exposure similar to investments in preferred securities. The Fund may invest in preferred securities denominated in U.S. or foreign
(non-U.S.)
currencies.
In addition to investing in preferred securities, the Fund may invest in fixed-and floating-rate corporate debt securities. Other debt securities in which the Fund may invest include investments in debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities or a
non-U.S.
Government or its agencies or instrumentalities, mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, collateralized mortgage obligations and municipal securities. Debt securities may pay fixed or variable rates of interest. Bonds and other debt securities generally are issued by corporations and other issuers to borrow money from investors.
Corporate Debt Obligations
. The Fund may invest in investment grade or below investment grade U.S. dollar-denominated debt obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. corporations or U.S. commercial banks, U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign issuers and debt obligations of foreign issuers denominated in foreign currencies. Such debt obligations include, among others, bonds, notes, debentures and variable rate demand notes. In choosing corporate debt securities on behalf of the Fund, the investment manager may consider (i) general economic and financial conditions; (ii) the specific issuer’s (a) business and management, (b) cash flow, (c) earnings coverage of interest and dividends, (d) ability to operate under adverse economic conditions, (e) fair market value of assets, and (f) in the case of foreign issuers, unique political, economic or social conditions applicable to such issuer’s country, and (iii) other considerations deemed appropriate.
U.S. Government Obligations
. The Fund may invest in U.S. Government obligations. Obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities include bills, notes and bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury, as well as “stripped” or “zero coupon” U.S. Treasury obligations representing future interest or principal payments on U.S. Treasury notes or bonds. Stripped securities are sold at a discount to their “face value,” and may exhibit greater price volatility than interest-bearing securities because investors receive no payment until maturity.
Obligations of certain agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. Other obligations of certain agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to U.S. Government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer were to default, the Fund might not be able to recover their investment from the U.S. Government.
Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities
. Mortgage-backed securities are mortgage-related securities issued or guaranteed either by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities or issued by
non-government
entities. Mortgage-related securities represent pools of
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mortgage loans assembled for sale to investors by various government agencies, as well as by
non-government
issuers such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers and private mortgage insurance companies. Although certain mortgage-related securities are guaranteed by a third party or otherwise similarly secured, the market value of the security, which may fluctuate, is not guaranteed.
Other asset-backed securities are structured like mortgage-backed securities, but instead of mortgage loans or interests in mortgage loans, the underlying assets may include such items as motor vehicle installment sales or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, and receivables from credit card agreements and from sales of personal property. Regular payments received in respect of such securities include both interest and principal. Asset-backed securities typically have no U.S. Government backing. Additionally, the ability of an issuer of asset-backed securities to enforce its security interest in the underlying assets may be limited.
If the Fund purchases a mortgage-backed or other asset-backed security at a premium, that portion may be lost if there is a decline in the market value of the security whether resulting from changes in interest rates or prepayments in the underlying collateral. As with other interest-bearing securities, the prices of such securities are inversely affected by changes in interest rates. Although the value of a mortgage-backed or other asset-backed security may decline when interest rates rise, the converse is not necessarily true, since in periods of declining interest rates the mortgages and loans underlying the securities are prone to prepayment, thereby shortening the average life of the security and shortening the period of time over which income at the higher rate is received.
When interest rates are rising, the rate of prepayment tends to decrease, thereby lengthening the period of time over which income at the lower rate is received. For these and other reasons, a mortgage-backed or other asset-backed security’s average maturity may be shortened or lengthened as a result of interest rate fluctuations and, therefore, it is not possible to predict accurately the security’s return.
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMOs)
. The Fund may invest in CMOs. A CMO is a hybrid between a mortgage-backed bond and a mortgage pass-through security. A CMO is a type of mortgage-backed security that creates separate classes with varying maturities and interest rates, called tranches. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, semi-annually.
CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by the U.S. Government, and their income streams. CMOs are structured into multiple classes, each bearing a different stated maturity date. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the prepayment experience of the collateral. CMOs provide for a modified form of call protection through a de facto breakdown of the underlying pool of mortgages according to how quickly the loans are repaid. Monthly payment of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including prepayments, is first returned to investors holding the shortest maturity class. Investors holding the longer maturity classes receive principal only after the first class has been retired. An investor is partially guarded against a sooner than desired return of principal because of the sequential payments.
In a typical CMO transaction, an issuer issues multiple series (
Series A, B, C and Z) of CMO bonds (Bonds). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates (“Collateral”). The Collateral is pledged to a third party trustee as security for the
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Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in the following order: Series A, B, C and Z. The Series A, B, and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on a Series Z Bond is accrued and added to principal and a like amount is paid as principal on the Series A, B, or C Bond currently being paid off. Only after the Series A, B, and C Bonds are paid in full does the Series Z Bond begin to receive payment. With some CMOs, the issuer serves as a conduit to allow loan originators (primarily builders or savings and loan associations) to borrow against their loan portfolios.
. The Fund may invest in “Municipal Securities,” which includes debt obligations of states, territories or possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities. Municipal Securities are issued to obtain funds for various public purposes, including the construction of a wide range of public facilities such as airports, bridges, highways, housing, hospitals, mass transportation, schools, streets and water and sewer works. Other public purposes for which Municipal Securities may be issued include the refunding of outstanding obligations, obtaining funds for general operating expenses and lending such funds to other public institutions and facilities. In addition, certain types of industrial development bonds are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to obtain funds to provide for the construction, equipment, repair or improvement of privately operated housing facilities, airport, mass transit, industrial, port or parking facilities, air or water pollution control facilities and certain local facilities for water supply, gas, electricity sewage or solid waste disposal. The principal and interest payments for industrial development bonds or pollution control bonds are often the sole responsibility of the industrial user and therefore may not be backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. Such obligations are considered to be Municipal Securities provided that the interest paid thereon, in the opinion of bond counsel, qualifies as exempt from U.S. federal income tax. The Fund does not anticipate meeting the requirements under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code) to pass through income from municipal securities as tax free to the Fund’s stockholders.
The two major classifications of Municipal Securities are bonds and notes. Bonds may be further classified as “general obligation” or “revenue” issues. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer’s pledge of its full faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds are payable from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities, and in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source, but not from the general taxing power. Tax exempt industrial development bonds are in most cases revenue bonds and do not generally carry the pledge of the credit of the issuing municipality. Notes are short term instruments which usually mature in less than two years. Most notes are general obligations of the issuing municipalities or agencies and are sold in anticipation of a bond sale, collection of taxes or receipt of other revenues. There are, of course, variations in the risks associated with Municipal Securities, both within a particular classification and between classifications.
Senior Secured Floating Rate Loans
. The Fund may invest in senior secured floating-rate loans (“Senior Loans”). Senior Loans generally are made to corporations, partnerships and other business entities (“Borrowers”) which operate in various industries and geographical regions. Senior Loans, which typically hold the most senior position in a Borrower’s capital structure, pay interest at rates that are
re-determined
periodically on the basis of a floating base lending rate, such as the London Inter-bank Offered Rate (LIBOR), plus a premium. This floating-rate feature should help to minimize changes in the principal value of the Senior Loans resulting from interest rate changes. The Fund may invest in Senior Loans that are below investment grade quality and are speculative investments that are subject to credit risk.
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Senior Loans in which the Fund may invest may not be rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), will not be registered with the SEC or any state securities commission and generally will not be listed on any national securities exchange. Therefore, the amount of public information available about Senior Loans will be limited, and the performance of the Fund’s investments in Senior Loans will be more dependent on the analytical abilities of the investment manager than would be the case for investments in more widely rated, registered or exchange-listed securities. In evaluating the creditworthiness of Borrowers, the investment manager may consider, and may rely in part, on analyses performed by others. Moreover, certain Senior Loans will be subject to contractual restrictions on resale and, therefore, will be illiquid.
. The Fund may invest in certificates of deposits, time deposits, and bankers’ acceptances from U.S. or foreign banks, including certificates of deposit (
, Eurodollar CDs) and time deposits (
Eurodollar time deposits) of foreign branches of domestic banks. A time deposit is a
non-negotiable
receipt issued by a bank in exchange for the deposit of funds. Like a certificate of deposit, it earns a specified rate of interest over a definite period of time; however, it cannot be traded in the secondary market.
Inflation-Linked Fixed-Income Securities.
The Fund may invest in inflation-linked fixed-income securities. Inflation-linked fixed-income securities are securities which have a principal value that is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. If an index measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will typically be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. In the case of Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, also known as TIPS, repayment of original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury. The market for TIPS may be less developed or liquid, and more volatile, than certain other securities markets. There can be no assurance that the inflation index used in these securities (
, the Consumer Price Index) will accurately measure the real rate of inflation. For inflation-linked bonds that do not provide a similar guarantee, the adjusted principal value of the inflation-linked bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal.
Such bonds may also be issued by or related to sovereign governments of developed countries, by countries deemed to be emerging markets, and inflation-linked bonds issued by or related to companies or other entities not affiliated with governments. Because of their inflation adjustment feature, inflation-linked bonds typically have lower yields than conventional fixed-rate bonds. In addition, inflation-linked bonds also normally decline in price when real interest rates rise. In the event of deflation, in which prices decline over time, the principal and income of inflation-linked bonds would likely decline, resulting in losses to the Fund.
The Fund’s investments in inflation-linked debt securities can cause the Fund to accrue income for tax purposes without a corresponding receipt of cash, which, because no cash is received at the time of accrual, may require the Fund to sell assets (including when not advantageous to do so) to satisfy the Fund’s distribution requirements.
Credit Ratings and Unrated Securities
NRSROs are private services that provide ratings of the credit quality of debt obligations, including convertible securities. Appendix B describes the various ratings assigned to debt obligations by S&P, Moody’s and Fitch. Ratings assigned by an NRSRO are not absolute standards of credit quality and do
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not evaluate market risks or the liquidity of securities. NRSROs may fail to make timely changes in credit ratings and an issuer’s current financial condition may be better or worse than a rating indicates. NRSROs may be paid by the companies whose securities they analyze and grade. To the extent that the issuer of a security pays an NRSRO for the analysis of its security, an inherent conflict of interest may exist that could affect the reliability of the rating. The Fund will not necessarily sell a security when its rating is reduced below its rating at the time of purchase. The investment manager does not rely solely on credit ratings, and develops its own analysis of issuer credit quality. The ratings of a debt security may change over time. S&P, Moody’s and Fitch monitor and evaluate the ratings assigned to securities on an ongoing basis. As a result, securities held by the Fund could receive a higher rating (which would tend to increase their value) or a lower rating (which would tend to decrease their value) during the period in which they are held.
The Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in unrated securities (securities which are not rated by an NRSRO) if the investment manager determines that the securities are of comparable quality to rated securities that the Fund may purchase. Unrated securities may be less liquid than comparable rated securities and involve the risk that the investment manager may not accurately evaluate the security’s comparative credit rating. Because the Fund may invest in high yield and/or unrated securities, the Fund’s success in achieving its investment objective may depend more heavily on the investment manager’s analysis than if the Fund invested exclusively in higher-quality and rated securities. The investment manager will attempt to reduce the risks of investing in lower rated or unrated debt instruments through active portfolio management, credit analysis and attention to current developments and trends in the economy and the financial markets. In determining whether to retain or sell such a security, the investment manager may consider such factors as investment manager’s assessment of the credit quality of the issuers of such security, the price at which such security could be sold and the rating, if any, assigned to such security by other NRSROs.
Short-Term Fixed-Income Securities
For temporary defensive purposes or to keep cash on hand fully invested, and following the offering of the common shares pending investment in securities that meet the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its total assets in cash, cash equivalents, government securities and short-term fixed-income securities. Short-term fixed-income investments are defined to include, without limitation, the following:
(1) U.S. Government securities, including bills, notes and bonds differing as to maturity and rates of interest that are either issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities. U.S. Government securities include securities issued by (a) the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration, and Government National Mortgage Association, whose securities are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; (b) the Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, and Tennessee Valley Authority, whose securities are supported by the right of the agency to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (c) the Federal National Mortgage Association, whose securities are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; and (d) the Student Loan Marketing Association, whose securities are supported only by its credit. While the U.S. Government provides financial support to such U.S.
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Government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given that it always will do so since it is not so obligated by law. The U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities do not guarantee the market value of their securities. Consequently, the value of such securities may fluctuate.
(2) Certificates of deposit issued against funds deposited in a bank or a savings and loan association. Such certificates are for a definite period of time, earn a specified rate of return, and are normally negotiable. The issuer of a certificate of deposit agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the certificate on the date specified thereon. Certificates of deposit purchased by the Fund may not be fully insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
(3) Repurchase agreements, which involve purchases of debt securities. At the time the Fund purchases securities pursuant to a repurchase agreement, it simultaneously agrees to resell and redeliver such securities to the seller, who also simultaneously agrees to buy back the securities at a fixed price and time. This assures a predetermined yield for the Fund during its holding period, since the resale price is always greater than the purchase price and reflects an agreed-upon market rate. Such actions afford an opportunity for the Fund to invest temporarily available cash. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements only with respect to obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities; certificates of deposit; or bankers’ acceptances in which the Fund may invest. Repurchase agreements may be considered loans to the seller, collateralized by the underlying securities. The risk to the Fund is limited to the ability of the seller to pay the agreed-upon sum on the repurchase date; in the event of default, the repurchase agreement provides that the Fund is entitled to sell the underlying collateral. If the value of the collateral declines after the agreement is entered into, and if the seller defaults under a repurchase agreement when the value of the underlying collateral is less than the repurchase price, the Fund could incur a loss of both principal and interest. The investment manager monitors the value of the collateral at the time the action is entered into and at all times during the term of the repurchase agreement. The investment manager does so in an effort to determine that the value of the collateral always equals or exceeds the agreed-upon repurchase price to be paid to the Fund. If the seller were to be subject to a Federal bankruptcy proceeding, the ability of the Fund to liquidate the collateral could be delayed or impaired because of certain provisions of the bankruptcy laws.
(4) Commercial paper, which consists of short-term unsecured promissory notes, including variable rate master demand notes issued by corporations to finance their current operations. Master demand notes are direct lending arrangements between the Fund and a corporation. There is no secondary market for such notes. However, they are redeemable by the Fund at any time.
The investment manager will consider the financial condition of the corporation (
earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios) and will continuously monitor the corporation’s ability to meet all of its financial obligations, because the Fund’s liquidity might be impaired if the corporation were unable to pay principal and interest on demand. Investments in commercial paper will typically be limited to commercial paper rated in the two highest categories at the time of purchase by a major NRSRO or are unrated but determined to be of comparable quality by the investment manager and which mature within one year of the date of purchase or carry a variable or floating rate of interest.
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A Canadian royalty trust is a trust whose securities are listed on a Canadian stock exchange and which controls an underlying company whose business is the acquisition, exploitation, production and sale of oil and natural gas. These trusts generally pay out to unitholders the majority of the cash flow that they receive from the production and sale of underlying oil and natural gas reserves. The amount of distributions paid on a Canadian royalty trust’s units will vary from time to time based on production levels, commodity prices, royalty rates and certain expenses, deductions and costs, as well as on the distribution payout ratio policy adopted. As a result of distributing the bulk of their cash flow to unitholders, the ability of a Canadian royalty trust to finance internal growth through exploration is limited. Therefore, Canadian royalty trusts typically grow through acquisition of additional oil and gas properties or producing companies with proven reserves of oil and gas, funded through the issuance of additional equity or, where the trust is able, additional debt.
The royalty trusts in which UTF may invest are heavily invested in oil and gas and are not diversified. Potential growth may be sacrificed because revenue is passed on to a royalty trust’s unit holders (such as the Fund), rather than reinvested in the business. Royalty trusts generally do not guarantee minimum distributions or even return of capital. If the assets underlying a royalty trust do not perform as expected, the royalty trust may reduce or even eliminate distributions. The declaration of such distributions generally depends upon various factors, including the operating performance and financial condition of the royalty trust and general economic conditions. An investment in a Canadian royalty trust also could be affected by changes in the Canadian tax treatment of royalty trusts.
The Fund may, but is not required to, use derivative instruments to seek to generate return, facilitate portfolio management and mitigate risks. The Fund may also enter into derivatives transactions, including, among others, interest rate and other swap transactions, and other transactions to manage the Fund’s duration. In an interest rate swap, the Fund agrees to pay to the counterparty a fixed rate payment in exchange for the counterparty agreeing to pay to the Fund a variable rate payment that is intended to approximate the Fund’s variable rate payment obligation on the preferred shares it has issued or any variable rate borrowing it has incurred. The payment obligation would be based on the notional amount of the swap. In an interest rate cap, the Fund pays a premium to the counterparty to the interest rate swap, and to the extent that a specified variable rate index exceeds a predetermined fixed rate, receives from the counterparty payments of the difference based on the notional amount of such cap.
The Fund may enter into derivatives transactions, including, among others, interest rate and other swap transactions, denominated in or that provide exposure to foreign currencies for hedging, duration management or portfolio management purposes. The Fund may also enter into forward currency contracts to hedge all or a portion of the Fund’s foreign currency exposure in the event the Fund borrows or holds securities denominated in, or has exposure to, foreign
(non-U.S.)
currencies.
The Fund may also enter into exchange-listed and OTC put and call options on securities (including securities of investment companies and baskets of securities), indexes, and other financial instruments; purchase and sell financial futures contracts and options thereon; various interest rate
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transactions, such as swaps, caps, floors or collars or credit transactions; equity index, total return and credit default swaps; forward contracts; and structured investments. In addition, the Fund may enter into various currency transactions, such as forward currency contracts, currency futures contracts, currency swaps or options on currency or currency futures. The Fund also may purchase and sell derivative instruments that combine features of these instruments. The Fund may invest in other types of derivatives, structured and similar instruments that are not currently available but that may be developed in the future.
Derivatives transactions can be highly volatile and involve various types and degrees of risk, depending upon the characteristics of the particular derivative, 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. Derivatives transactions may entail investment exposures that are greater than their cost would suggest, meaning that a small investment in derivatives could have a large potential impact on the Fund’s performance, effecting a form of investment leverage on the Fund’s portfolio. In certain types of derivatives transactions the Fund could lose the entire amount of its investment; in other types of derivatives transactions the potential loss is theoretically unlimited.
The market for many derivatives is, or suddenly can become, illiquid. Changes in liquidity may result in significant, rapid and unpredictable changes in the prices for derivatives transactions. The Fund could experience losses if it were unable to liquidate a derivative position because of an illiquid secondary market. Successful use of derivatives transactions also is subject to the ability of the investment manager to predict correctly movements in the direction of the relevant market and, to the extent the transaction is entered into for hedging purposes, to ascertain the appropriate correlation between the transaction being hedged and the price movements of the derivatives. Derivatives transactions entered into to seek to manage the risks of the Fund’s portfolio of securities may have the effect of limiting gains from otherwise favorable market movements. The use of derivatives transactions may result in losses greater than if they had not been used (and a loss on a derivatives transaction may be larger than the gain in a portfolio position being hedged), may require the Fund to sell or purchase portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices other than current market values, may limit the amount of appreciation the Fund can realize on an investment, or may cause the Fund to hold a security that it might otherwise sell. Amounts paid by the Fund as premiums and cash or other assets held as collateral with respect to derivatives transactions may not otherwise be available to the Fund for investment purposes.
The use of currency transactions can result in the Fund incurring losses as a result of the imposition of exchange controls, political developments, government intervention or failure to intervene, suspension of settlements or the inability of the Fund to deliver or receive a specified currency.
The Fund will be subject to credit risk with respect to the counterparties to certain derivatives transactions entered into by the Fund. Derivatives may be purchased on established exchanges or through privately negotiated transactions referred to as OTC derivatives. Exchange-traded derivatives generally are guaranteed by the clearing agency which is the issuer or counterparty to such derivatives. However, many futures exchanges and boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day and once the daily limit has been reached in a particular contract no trades may be made that day at a price beyond that limit or trading may be suspended. There also is no assurance that sufficient trading interest to create a liquid secondary
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market on an exchange will exist at any particular time and no such secondary market may exist or may cease to exist. Each party to an OTC derivative bears the risk that the counterparty will default. If a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under a derivative contract, the Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery under the derivative contract, particularly if the counterparty becomes subject to a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding. The Fund may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances.
New regulatory requirements may also limit the flexibility of the Fund to protect its interests in the event of an insolvency of a derivatives counterparty. In the event of a counterparty’s (or its affiliate’s) insolvency, the Fund’s ability to exercise remedies, such as the termination of transactions, netting of obligations and realization on collateral, could be stayed or eliminated under new special resolution regimes adopted in the United States, the European Union and various other jurisdictions. Such regimes provide government authorities with broad authority to intervene when a financial institution is experiencing financial difficulty. In particular, with respect to counterparties who are subject to such proceedings in the European Union, the liabilities of such counterparties to the Fund could be reduced, eliminated, or converted to equity in such counterparties (sometimes referred to as a “bail in”).
The U.S. government has enacted legislation that provides for regulation of the derivatives market, including clearing, margin, reporting, and registration requirements. The European Union (and some other countries) have adopted similar requirements, which affect the Fund when it enters into a derivatives transaction with a counterparty subject to those requirements. Since these requirements are evolving, their impact on the Fund remains unclear.
These and other new rules and regulations could, among other things, further restrict the Fund’s ability to engage in, or increase the cost to the Fund of, derivatives transactions, for example, by making some types of derivatives no longer available to the Fund or otherwise limiting liquidity. These rules and regulations are relatively new and evolving, so their full impact on the Fund and the financial system is not yet known. While these rules and regulations and central clearing of some derivatives transactions are designed to reduce systemic risk (
the risk that the interdependence of large derivatives dealers could cause them to suffer liquidity, solvency or other challenges simultaneously), there is no assurance that they will achieve that result, and in the meantime, as noted below, central clearing and related requirements expose the Fund to new kinds of costs and risks.
The investment manager is registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a commodity pool operator (CPO). However, with respect to the Fund, the investment manager has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the CPO under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (CEA), pursuant to Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Rule 4.5. Accordingly, the investment manager, with respect to the Fund, is not subject to registration or regulation as a CPO under the CEA. To remain eligible for the exclusion, the Fund is limited in its ability to use certain financial instruments regulated under the CEA (“commodity interests”), including futures and options on futures and certain swaps transactions.
Additionally, the Fund’s intention to qualify as a RIC under the Code will potentially limit the extent to which the Fund can engage in certain derivatives transactions.
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Some derivatives transactions, including certain interest rate swaps, are required to be centrally cleared, and a party to a cleared derivatives transaction is subject to the credit/counterparty risk of the clearing house and the clearing member through which it holds its cleared position (its “clearing broker”), rather than the credit/counterparty risk of its original counterparty to the derivative transaction. Credit/counterparty risk of market participants with respect to derivatives that are centrally cleared is concentrated in a few clearing houses, and it is not clear how an insolvency proceeding of a clearing house would be conducted and what impact an insolvency of a clearing house would have on the financial system. A clearing member is obligated by contract and by applicable regulation to segregate all funds received from customers with respect to cleared derivatives transactions from the clearing member’s proprietary assets. However, all funds and other property received by a clearing broker from its customers generally are held by the clearing broker on a commingled basis in an omnibus account, and the clearing broker may invest those funds in certain instruments permitted under the applicable regulations. The assets of the Fund might not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of the Fund’s clearing broker, because the Fund may under certain circumstances be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds segregated on behalf of the clearing broker’s customers for a relevant account class. Also, the clearing member is required to transfer to the clearing organization the amount of margin required by the clearing organization for cleared derivatives, which amounts generally are held in an omnibus account at the clearing organization for all customers of the clearing member. Regulations promulgated by the CFTC require that the clearing member notify the clearing house of the amount of initial margin provided by the clearing member to the clearing organization that is attributable to each customer. However, if the clearing member does not provide accurate reporting, the Fund is subject to the risk that a clearing organization will use the Fund’s assets held in an omnibus account at the clearing organization to satisfy payment obligations of a defaulting customer of the clearing member to the clearing organization. In addition, clearing members generally provide to the clearing organization the net amount of variation margin required for cleared swaps for all of its customers in the aggregate, rather than the gross amount of each customer. The Fund is therefore subject to the risk that a clearing organization will not make variation margin payments owed to the Fund if another customer of the clearing member has suffered a loss and is in default, and the risk that the Fund will be required to provide additional variation margin to the clearing house before the clearing house will move the Fund’s cleared derivatives transactions to another clearing member. In addition, if another of the customers of the Fund’s clearing member fails to meet its obligations to that clearing member, under certain circumstances the clearing member could default on its obligations to the clearinghouse and the Fund’s assets held by the clearing member could consequently become inaccessible for an indefinite period or could ultimately prove not to be recoverable. If a clearing member does not comply with the applicable regulations or its agreement with the Fund, or in the event of fraud or misappropriation of customer assets by a clearing member, the Fund could have only an unsecured creditor claim in an insolvency of the clearing member with respect to the margin held by the clearing member.
Some types of cleared derivatives are required to be executed on an exchange or on a swap execution facility (SEF). A SEF is a trading platform where multiple market participants can execute derivatives by accepting bids and offers made by multiple other participants in the platform. While this execution requirement is designed to increase transparency and liquidity in the cleared derivatives market, trading on a SEF can create additional costs and risks for the Fund. For example, SEFs typically
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charge fees, and if the Fund executes derivatives on a SEF through a broker intermediary, the intermediary may impose fees as well. Also, the Fund may indemnify a SEF, or a broker intermediary who executes cleared derivatives on a SEF on the Fund’s behalf, against any losses or costs that may be incurred as a result of the Fund’s transactions on the SEF.
Foreign Currency and Currency Hedging Transactions
In order to hedge against foreign currency exchange rate risks from adverse changes in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies (including to hedge against anticipated future changes which otherwise might adversely affect the prices of securities that the Fund intends to purchase at a later date), the Fund may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts (forward contracts), foreign currency futures contracts (foreign currency futures) and foreign currency swap agreements (foreign currency swaps), as well as purchase put or call options on foreign currencies, as described below. The Fund also may enter into options on currency futures contracts and is not limited to entering into currency transactions for hedging purposes. The Fund may also conduct its foreign currency exchange transactions on a spot (
, cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market.
A forward currency contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency for an agreed price on a future date that is individually negotiated and privately traded by currency traders and their customers. A foreign currency future is an exchange-traded contract for the purchase or sale of a specified foreign currency at a specified price at a future date. A foreign currency swap is an agreement between two parties to exchange principal and interest payments on a notional amount in one currency for principal and interest payments on a notional amount in another currency. The Fund may enter into a foreign currency forward contract, foreign currency futures contract or foreign currency swap, or purchase a currency option, for example, when it enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency or expects to receive a dividend or interest payment on a portfolio holding, in order to “lock in” the U.S. dollar value of the security or payment. In addition, the Fund may enter into a foreign currency forward contract, futures contract or swap or purchase a currency option in respect of a currency that acts as a proxy for a currency in which the Fund’s portfolio holdings or anticipated holdings are denominated. This second investment practice is generally referred to as “cross-hedging.” Because in connection with the Fund’s foreign currency transactions an amount of that Fund’s assets equal to the amount of that Fund’s current commitment will be segregated to be used to pay for the commitment, the Fund expects to have cash or other liquid assets available that are sufficient to cover any commitments under these transactions. The segregated assets will be
on a daily basis.
The Fund may enter into a forward contract to attempt to minimize the risk to the Fund from adverse changes in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies. Forward contracts may limit potential gain from a positive change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies. Unanticipated changes in currency prices may result in poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not engaged in such contracts.
The Fund may enter into exchange-traded foreign currency futures for the purchase or sale for future delivery of foreign currencies. U.S. exchange-traded futures are regulated by the CFTC. This investment technique will be used only to hedge against anticipated future changes in exchange rates which otherwise might adversely affect the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities or adversely affect the prices of securities that the Fund intends to purchase at a later date.
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Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts
The Fund may purchase and sell financial futures contracts and options on such contracts. A financial futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a specific security or financial instrument at a particular price on a stipulated future date. Although some financial futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying securities or instruments, in most cases these obligations are closed out before the settlement date. The closing of a contractual obligation may be accomplished by purchasing or selling an identical offsetting futures contract. Other financial futures contracts by their terms call for cash settlements.
The Fund may also buy and sell index futures contracts with respect to any stock or bond index traded on a recognized stock exchange or board of trade. An index futures contract is a contract to buy or sell units of an index on a specified future date at a price agreed upon when the contract is made. The stock index futures contract specifies that no delivery of the actual stocks making up the index will take place. Instead, settlement in cash must occur upon the termination of the contract, with the settlement being the difference between the contract price and the actual level of the stock index at the expiration of the contract. In addition, the Fund may enter into foreign currency futures contracts as described under “Foreign Currency and Currency Hedging Transactions.”
At the time the Fund purchases or sells a futures contract, it will designate on its records cash or liquid portfolio securities it believes to be adequate to ensure that it has sufficient liquid assets to meet its obligations under the contract. Depending on the nature of the transaction, the amounts that are designated may be based on the notional value of the futures contract or on the daily
obligation under the futures contract and may be reduced by amounts on deposit with the broker. Alternatively, the Fund may “cover” its position by owning an offsetting position.
The Fund may use financial futures contracts and related options for hedging and
non-hedging
purposes, for example to enhance total return or provide market exposure pending the investment of cash balances. The Fund may lose the expected benefit of transactions in financial contracts if currency exchange rates or securities prices change in an unanticipated manner. Such unanticipated changes in currency exchange rates or securities prices may also result in poorer overall performance than if the Fund had not entered into any futures transactions.
When purchasing stocks or bonds, the buyer acquires ownership in the security, however purchasers of futures contracts are not entitled to ownership of the underlying asset until and unless they decide to accept delivery at expiration of the contract. In practice, delivery of the underlying asset to satisfy a futures contract rarely occurs because most futures traders use the liquidity of the central marketplace to sell their futures contract before expiration.
The futures clearinghouse marks every futures contract to market at the end of each trading day, to ensure that the outstanding futures obligations are limited to the
change in price from one day for any given futures contract. This process of
is designed to prevent losses from accumulating in any futures account. Therefore, if the Fund’s futures positions have declined in value, the Fund may be required to post additional margin to cover this decline. Alternatively, if the Fund’s futures positions have increased in value, this increase will be credited to the Fund’s account. Futures contracts, when entered into directly by the Fund on a qualified board or exchange, as defined in the Code, are taxed on the
basis applicable to section 1256 contracts.
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Futures contracts also are subject to the following risks:
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Some futures exchanges impose on each futures contract traded on that exchange a maximum permissible price movement for each trading session. If the maximum permissible price movement is achieved on any trading day, no more trades may be executed above (or below, if the price has moved downward) that limit. If the Fund wishes to execute a trade outside the daily permissible price movement, it would be prevented from doing so by exchange rules, and would have to wait for another trading session to execute its transaction. |
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. Despite the daily price limits on various futures exchanges, the price volatility of futures contracts has been historically greater than that for traditional securities such as stocks and bonds. To the extent that the Fund invests in futures contracts, the assets of the Fund, and therefore the prices of Fund shares, may be subject to greater volatility. |
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. In connection with futures contracts and options on futures contracts, the Fund typically posts margin directly to a futures commission merchant (FCM), who is expected typically to re-hypothecate the margin to an exchange or clearinghouse. Prior to re-hypothecation, such margin may be held by the FCM in commingled accounts with margin from other clients of the FCM, but must be segregated from the FCM’s proprietary funds. The margin maintained by the FCM is not subject to the same regulatory protections provided by bank custody arrangements. If margin is posted to the FCM and re-hypothecated, neither the Fund nor the FCM to whom the margin was posted will have custody of the margin. If margin posted by the Fund is not maintained with the Fund’s custodian, the Fund is fully exposed to the fraud and unsecured credit risk of the FCM to whom the margin is posted. |
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To the extent the Fund engages in futures transactions, it will be exposed to the credit risk of the central clearinghouse on which the futures contract is cleared and to the credit/counterparty risk of its FCM. If the Fund’s FCM becomes bankrupt or insolvent, or otherwise defaults on its obligations to the Fund, the Fund may not receive all amounts owed to it in respect of its trading, even if the clearinghouse fully discharges all of its obligations. The CEA requires an FCM to segregate all funds received from its customers with respect to regulated futures transactions from such FCM’s proprietary funds. If an FCM were not to do so to the full extent required by law, the assets of an account might not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of an FCM. Furthermore, in the event of an FCM’s bankruptcy, the Fund may under certain circumstances be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds segregated on behalf of an FCM’s combined customer accounts, even if certain property held by an FCM is specifically traceable to the Fund. It is possible that the Fund would be unable to recover from the FCM’s estate the full amount of its funds on deposit with such FCM and owing to the Fund. Such situations could arise due to various factors, or a combination of factors, including inadequate FCM capitalization, inadequate controls on customer trading and inadequate customer capital. In addition, in the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of a clearinghouse, the Fund might experience a loss of funds deposited through its FCM as margin with the clearing house, a loss of unrealized profits on its open positions and the loss of funds owed to it as realized profits on closed positions. Such a bankruptcy or insolvency might also cause a substantial delay before the Fund could obtain the return of funds owed to it by an FCM who is a member of such clearing house. |
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. Speculative position limits prescribe the maximum net long or short futures contract and options positions which any person or group may hold or control in particular futures contracts. Most futures contracts and options on futures contracts traded on exchanges located in the United States are subject to speculative position limits established either by the CFTC or the relevant exchange. In addition, the CFTC recently finalized a rule which, once effective, will materially expand the scope of contracts subject to federal limits to include additional futures and options and certain swaps. Such regulations may adversely affect the investment manager’s ability to maintain positions in certain futures contracts and related options and swaps for the Fund. Generally, no speculative position limits are in effect with respect to the trading of spot currency and forward contracts. |
All trading accounts owned or managed by the investment manager will be combined for the purposes of speculative position limits. With respect to trading in futures subject to such limits, the investment manager may reduce the size of the positions that would otherwise be taken in such futures and not trade certain futures to avoid exceeding such limits. Such modification, if required, could adversely affect the operations and profitability of the Fund. In addition, the inability of the investment manager to make intended trades or transactions on behalf of the Fund may cause the Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities.
The Fund may enter into short sales. The Fund must designate collateral consisting of cash or liquid portfolio securities with a value equal to the current market value of the shorted securities, which is
daily. If the Fund owns an equal amount of such securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for, without payment of any further consideration, securities of the same issuer as, and equal in amount to, the securities sold short (which sales are commonly referred to as short sales against the box), the above requirements are not applicable.
The Fund may, but is not required to, use, without limit, various swap transactions described herein to seek to generate return, facilitate portfolio management and mitigate risks. Although the investment manager may seek to use derivatives transactions to further the Fund’s investment objective(s), no assurance can be given that they will achieve this result.
Swap agreements are two party
contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors that agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a “notional amount,”
., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a “basket” of credit default swaps or securities representing a particular index. The “notional amount” of the swap agreement is only used as a basis upon which to calculate the obligations that the parties to a swap agreement have agreed to exchange. Some types of swap transactions are required to be centrally cleared. See “Cleared Derivatives”.
Swap agreements will tend to shift investment exposure from one type of investment to another. For example, if the Fund agreed to exchange payments in U.S. dollars for payments in a foreign currency,
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the swap agreement would tend to decrease the Fund’s exposure to U.S. interest rates and increase its exposure to foreign currency and interest rates. Depending on how they are used, swap agreements may increase or decrease the overall volatility of the Fund’s investments and its share price and yield. Caps and floors have an effect similar to buying or writing options.
Most swap agreements entered into are cash settled and calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a “net basis.” Thus, the Fund’s current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement generally will be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the “net amount”). The Fund’s current obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Fund) and any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed to a swap counterparty will be covered by the segregation of permissible liquid assets of the Fund.
Specific swap agreements that the Fund may enter into include, but are not limited to, foreign currency swaps (discussed above under “Foreign Currency Transactions and Currency Hedging Transactions”); index swaps; interest rate swaps (including interest rate locks, caps, floors and collars); credit default swaps; and total return swaps (including equity swaps).
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An interest rate swap agreement involves the exchange of cash flows based on interest rate specifications and a specified principal amount, often a fixed payment for a floating payment that is linked to an interest rate. In an interest rate cap one party receives payments at the end of each period in which a specified interest rate on a specified principal amount exceeds an agreed rate; conversely, in an interest rate floor one party may receive payments if a specified interest rate on a specified principal amount falls below an agreed rate. Interest rate collars involve selling a cap and purchasing a floor, or vice versa, to protect the Fund against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels. |
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Credit default swap agreements and similar agreements may have as reference obligations debt securities that are or are not currently held by the Fund. The protection “buyer” in a credit default contract may be obligated to pay the protection “seller” an upfront payment or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the “par value” (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller will be required to deliver net cash amount generally representing the difference between the market value of the reference obligation and the par value of the reference obligation, if the swap is cash settled. |
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In a total return or “equity” swap agreement, one party makes payments based on a set rate, either fixed or variable, while the other party makes payments based on the return of an underlying asset, which includes both the income it generates and any capital gains. The underlying reference asset of a total return swap may include an individual security, an equity index, loans or bonds. |
The Fund may invest in investments that may be illiquid (
., securities that are not readily marketable). For the Fund, illiquid securities include, among others, securities that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
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Limitations on resale may have an adverse effect on the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices. The Fund might also have to register such restricted securities in order to dispose of them, resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of securities.
In recent years, however, a large institutional market has developed for certain securities that are not registered under the Securities Act, including repurchase agreements, commercial paper, foreign securities, municipal securities and corporate bonds and notes. Institutional investors depend on an efficient institutional market in which the unregistered security can be readily resold or on an issuer’s ability to honor a demand for repayment. The fact that there are contractual or legal restrictions on resale to the general public or to certain institutions may not be indicative of the liquidity of such investments.
Rule 144A under the Securities Act allows a broader institutional trading market for securities otherwise subject to restriction on resale to the general public. Rule 144A establishes a safe harbor from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of resales of certain securities to qualified institutional buyers, which generally creates a more liquid market for securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A than other types of restricted securities.
The Board has delegated to the investment manager the
determination of the illiquidity of any security held by the Fund, although it has retained general oversight and ultimate responsibility for such determinations. The Board and/or the investment manager will consider factors such as (i) the nature of the market for a security (including the institutional private resale market; the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security; the amount of time normally needed to dispose of the security; and the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of transfer), (ii) the terms of certain securities or other instruments allowing for the disposition to a third party or the issuer thereof (
., certain repurchase obligations and demand instruments) and (iii) other permissible relevant factors.
The Fund’s cash reserves, held to provide sufficient flexibility to take advantage of new opportunities for investments and for other cash needs, will generally be invested in money market instruments. If the investment manager has difficulty finding an adequate number of undervalued equity securities, all or any portion of the Fund’s assets may also be invested temporarily in money market instruments. For temporary defensive purposes or to keep cash on hand fully invested, and following the offering of the common shares pending investment in securities that meet the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its total assets in cash, cash equivalents, government securities and short-term fixed-income securities.
Money market instruments in which the Fund may invest its cash reserves will generally consist of high quality short-term debt securities, including, without limitation, obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, repurchase agreements relating to such obligations and commercial paper.
Repurchase agreements may be entered into with member banks of the Federal Reserve System or primary dealers (as designated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York) in U.S. Government
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securities. Other acceptable money market instruments include commercial paper rated by any NRSRO, such as Moody’s or S&P, certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances issued by domestic banks having total assets in excess of one billion dollars and money market mutual funds.
In entering into a repurchase agreement for the Fund, the investment manager will evaluate and monitor the creditworthiness of the counterparty. In the event that a counterparty should default on its repurchase obligation, the Fund might suffer a loss to the extent that the proceeds from the sale of the collateral were less than the repurchase price. If the counterparty becomes bankrupt, the Fund might be delayed, or may incur costs or possible losses of principal and income, in selling the collateral.
The Fund may lend portfolio securities to broker/dealers or other institutions. The borrower must maintain with the Fund cash or equivalent collateral equal to at least 100% of the market value of the securities loaned. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower pays the Fund any dividends or interest paid on the securities. The Fund may invest the collateral and earn additional income or receive an agreed upon amount of interest income from the borrower. Loans are subject to termination at the option of the Fund or the borrower. The Fund may pay reasonable administrative and custodial fees in connection with a loan. The Fund does not have the right to vote securities on loan, but would terminate the loan and regain the right to vote if that were considered important with respect to the investment. The Fund may lose money if a borrower defaults on its obligation to return securities and the value of the collateral held by the Fund is insufficient to replace the loaned securities. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower’s collateral.
New regulations require certain bank-regulated counterparties and certain of their affiliates to include in certain financial contracts, including many securities lending agreements, terms that delay or restrict the rights of counterparties, such as the Funds, to terminate such agreements, foreclose upon collateral, exercise other default rights or restrict transfers of credit support in the event that the counterparty and/or its affiliates are subject to certain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings. It is possible that these new requirements, as well as potential additional government regulation and other developments in the market, could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to terminate existing securities lending agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements in the event the counterparty or its affiliate becomes subject to a resolution or insolvency proceeding.
Other Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including shares of
open-end,
management investment companies (commonly called mutual funds),
closed-end
funds and ETFs. The Fund also may invest in other investment companies either during periods when it has large amounts of uninvested cash, such as the period shortly after the Fund receives the proceeds of the offering of its common shares, or during periods when there is a shortage of attractive opportunities in the market. As a stockholder in an investment company, the Fund would bear its ratable share of that investment company’s expenses, and would remain subject to payment of the Fund’s investment management and other fees and expenses with respect to assets so invested. Holders of common shares (“Common Stockholders”) would therefore be subject to duplicative expenses to the extent the Fund invests in other investment companies. The securities of other investment companies may also be leveraged and will therefore be subject to the same leverage risks to which the Fund is subject. As described herein in
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the sections entitled “Use of Leverage” and “Use of Leverage—Leverage Risk,” the NAV and market value of leveraged shares will be more volatile and the yield to stockholders will tend to fluctuate more than the yield generated by unleveraged shares. Investment companies may have investment policies that differ from those of the Fund. In addition, to the extent the Fund invests in other investment companies, the Fund will be dependent upon the investment and research abilities of persons other than the investment manager.
The Fund’s investments in other investment companies may be limited by provisions of the 1940 Act that restrict the aggregate amount the Fund (and in some cases, its affiliated persons) can invest in any one investment company or any series thereof.
ETFs are
open-end
investment companies whose shares are listed for trading on a national securities exchange or the NASDAQ National Market System. Some ETF shares provide investment results that are intended to correspond to the price and yield performance of the component securities of a securities index, while others are actively managed. ETFs are subject to a number of risks, generally corresponding to the risks of the securities in which they invest. Individual shares of an ETF are generally not redeemable at their NAV, but trade on an exchange during the day at prices that are normally close to, but not the same as, their NAV. ETF shares may trade at a discount or premium to their NAV. There is no assurance that an active trading market will be maintained for the shares of an ETF or that market prices of the shares of an ETF will be close to their NAVs.
Portfolio Trading and Turnover Rate
The Fund may engage in portfolio trading when considered appropriate, but short-term trading will not be used as the primary means of achieving the Fund’s investment objective. There are no limits on portfolio turnover, and investments may be sold without regard to length of time held when, in the opinion of the investment manager, investment considerations warrant such action. A higher portfolio turnover rate results in correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transactional expenses that are borne by the Fund. High portfolio turnover may result in the realization of net short-term capital gains by the Fund that, when distributed to Common Stockholders, would be taxable to such stockholders as ordinary income.
Fundamental Investment Restrictions
The Fund has adopted certain investment limitations limiting the following activities except as specifically authorized. Under these limitations, the Fund may not:
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Issue senior securities (including borrowing money for other than temporary purposes) except in conformity with the limits set forth in the 1940 Act; or pledge its assets other than to secure such issuances or borrowings or in connection with permitted investment strategies; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund may borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets for temporary purposes; |
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Act as an underwriter of securities issued by other persons, except insofar as the Fund may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the disposition of securities; |
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Purchase or sell real estate, mortgages on real estate or commodities, except that the Fund may invest in securities of companies that deal in real estate or are engaged in the real estate business, including REITs, and securities secured by real estate or interests therein and the Fund may hold and sell real estate or mortgages on real estate acquired through default, liquidation, or other distributions of an interest in real estate as a result of the Fund’s ownership of such securities; |
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Purchase or sell commodities or commodity futures contracts, except that the Fund may invest in financial futures contracts, options thereon and such similar instruments; |
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Make loans to other persons except through the lending of securities held by it (but not to exceed a value of one-third of total assets), through repurchase agreements, and by the purchase of debt securities; |
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Invest more than 25% of its Managed Assets in securities of issuers in any one industry, except for securities in infrastructure companies; |
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Pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets other than to secure such issuances or borrowings or in connection with permitted investment strategies; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund may borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets for temporary purposes. |
The investment restrictions above have been adopted as fundamental policies of the Fund. Under the 1940 Act, a fundamental policy may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a “majority of the outstanding” voting securities of the Fund.
Non-Fundamental
Investment Restrictions
Non-fundamental
policies may be changed by the Fund’s Board without stockholder approval. Currently, the Fund may not:
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Invest in oil, gas or other mineral exploration programs, development programs or leases, except that the Fund may purchase securities of companies engaging in whole or in part in such activities. |
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Acquire or retain securities of any investment company, except that the Fund may (a) acquire securities of investment companies up to the limits permitted by Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, or any exemption granted under the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder, and (b) through the acquisition of securities of any investment company as part of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction. |
The investment restrictions above have been adopted as fundamental policies of the Fund. Under the 1940 Act, a fundamental policy may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a “majority of the outstanding” common shares and Preferred Shares voting together as a single class, and of the holders of a “majority of the outstanding” Preferred Shares voting as a separate class. When used with respect to particular shares of the Fund, a “majority of the outstanding” shares means (i) 67% or more of the shares present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the shares are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the shares, whichever is less. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund is not permitted to issue Preferred Shares unless immediately after the issuance the value of the Fund’s total assets less liabilities other than borrowing is at least 200% of the liquidation value of the
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outstanding Preferred Shares (
such liquidation value may not exceed 50% of the Fund’s total assets less liabilities other than borrowing). In addition, the Fund is not permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on its common shares unless, at the time of such declaration, the value of the Fund’s total assets less liabilities other than borrowing is at least 200% of such liquidation value. If Preferred Shares are issued, the Fund intends, to the extent possible, to purchase or redeem Preferred Shares from time to time to the extent necessary in order to maintain coverage of any Preferred Shares of at least 200%. If the Fund has Preferred Shares outstanding, two of the Fund’s Directors will be elected by the holders of Preferred Shares, voting separately as a class. The remaining Directors of the Fund will be elected by holders of common shares and Preferred Shares voting together as a single class. In the event the Fund failed to pay dividends on Preferred Shares for two years, Preferred Stockholders would be entitled to elect a majority of the Directors of the Fund.
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The business and affairs of the Fund are managed under the direction of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors approves all significant agreements between the Fund and persons or companies furnishing services to it, including the Fund’s agreements with its investment manager, administrator,
co-administrator,
custodian and transfer agent. The management of the Fund’s
operations is delegated to its officers, the investment manager, administrator and
co-administrator,
subject always to the investment objective and policies of the Fund and to the general supervision of the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors and officers of the Fund and their principal occupations during at least the past five years are set forth below. The statement of additional information (SAI) contains additional information about the directors as of the date thereof and additional information about the directors is also included in the Fund’s most recent proxy statement, which are available, without charge, upon request by calling 866-277-0757.
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Director, Chair |
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Until Next Election of Directors |
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Chief Executive Officer since 2022 and President since 2003 of Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc. (CSCM), and Chief Executive Officer since 2022 and President since 2004 of Cohen & Steers, Inc. (CNS). Chief Investment Officer of CSCM from 2003 to 2019. Prior to that, Senior Vice President and Director of Investment Research of CSCM. |
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Since 2014 |
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Director |
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Until Next Election of Directors |
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Chief Operating Officer of CSCM since 2003 and CNS since 2004. President and Chief Executive Officer of the Funds from 2005 to 2021. |
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20 |
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Since 2021 |
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Director |
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Until Next Election of Directors |
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CFA; From 2006 to 2011, President and Chief Executive Officer of DWS Funds and Managing Director of Deutsche Asset Management. |
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20 |
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Since 2011 |
(table continued on next page)
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Director |
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Until Next Election of Directors |
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20 |
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Since 1993 |
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Director |
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Until Next Election of Directors |
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CFA; Advisor to SigFig (a registered investment advisor) from July 2018 to July 2022; Chief Investment Officer at Wells Fargo Private Bank from 2004 to 2014 and Chief Investment Officer of the Wealth, Brokerage and Retirement group at Wells Fargo & Company from 2011 to 2014; former Member and Chair, Claritas Advisory Committee at the CFA Institute from 2013 to 2015; former Adjunct Professor and Executive-In-Residence, Bethel University, 2015 to 2022; former Board Member and Investment Committee Member, Bethel University Foundation, 2010 to 2022; former Corporate Executive Board Member of the National Chief Investment Officers Circle, 2010 to 2015; former Member of the Board of Governors of the University of Wisconsin Foundation, River Falls, 1996 to 2004; U.S. Army Veteran, Gulf War. |
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20 |
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Since 2015 |
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Director |
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Until Next Election of Directors |
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Philadelphia Office Managing Partner, KPMG LLP from 2006 to 2015; Partner in Charge, KPMG Pennsylvania Audit Practice from 2002 to 2008; President, Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) from 2014 to 2015; Member, PICPA Board of Directors from 2012 to 2016; Member, Council of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) from 2013 to 2017; Member, Board of Trustees of AICPA Foundation from 2015 to 2020; Board Member and Audit Committee Chairman of inTEST Corporation since 2020; Chairman of the Advisory Board of Centri Consulting LLC since 2022. |
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20 |
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Since 2015 |
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Director |
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Until Next Election of Directors |
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President, Untap Potential since 2013; Senior Managing Director, TIAA-CREF, from 2011 to 2013; National Head of Wealth Management, TIAA- CREF, from 2008 to 2011; President, Bank of America Private Bank from 2005 to 2008; Executive Vice President, Fleet Private Clients Group, from 2003 to 2004. |
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Since 2015 |
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Director |
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Until Next Election of Directors |
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President and CIO of Ledge Harbor Management since 2016; Investment Committee Member of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation since 2015; Member of the Advisory Board of Northeast Dutchess Fund since 2016; former Independent Director of Cartica Management, LLC, 2015 to 2022; formerly worked at Bessemer Trust Company from 1999 to 2014; Frank Russell Company from 1996 to 1999; Union Bank of Switzerland from 1993 to 1996; Credit Suisse from 1990 to 1993; Hambros International Venture Capital Fund from 1988 to 1989. |
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20 |
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Since 2017 |
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Director |
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Until Next Election of Directors |
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CFA; Member, Capital Southwest Board of Directors since 2021; Member, Thomas Jefferson University Board of Trustees since 2020; and its insurance subsidiary board, Partners Insurance Company, Inc., since 2023 Managing Director, Public Investments Department, Northwestern Mutual Investment Management Company, LLC from 2012 to 2019; former Member, Milwaukee Film, LLC Board of Directors from 2016 to 2019. |
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Since 2021 |
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The address for each Director is 1166 Avenue of the Americas, 30 th Floor, New York, NY 10036. |
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On March 12, 2008, the Board of Directors adopted a mandatory retirement policy stating a Director must retire from the Board on December 31 st of the year in which he or she turns 75 years of age. |
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The length of time served represents the year in which the Director was first elected or appointed to any fund in the Cohen & Steers Fund Complex. |
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“Interested persons,” as defined in the 1940 Act, on the basis of their affiliation with the Advisor (Interested Directors). |
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The officers of the Fund (other than Mr. Harvey, whose biography is provided above), their address, their year of birth and their principal occupations for at least the past five years are set forth below.
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Principal Occupation During At Least the Past 5 Years |
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President and Chief Executive Officer |
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Executive Vice President of CSCM since 2014. Prior to that, Senior Vice President of CSCM since 2006. |
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Since 2006 |
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Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer |
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Senior Vice President of CSCM since 2019. Prior to that, Vice President of CSCM since 2015. |
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Since 2015 |
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Secretary and Chief Legal Officer |
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Senior Vice President of CSCM since 2019. Prior to that, Vice President of CSCM since 2013. |
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Since 2015 |
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Chief Compliance Officer and Vice President |
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Senior Vice President of CSCM since 2019. Prior to that, Managing Director at Mirae Asset Securities (USA) Inc. since 2017. |
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Since 2019 |
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Vice President |
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Executive Vice President of CSCM since 2019. Prior to that, Senior Vice President of CSCM since 2010. |
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Since 2013 |
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Vice President |
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Senior Vice President of CSCM since 2018. Prior to that, Vice President of CSCM since 2015. |
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Since 2015 |
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Vice President |
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Vice President of CSCM since 2011. |
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Since 2022 |
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Vice President |
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Executive Vice President of CSCM since 2014. Prior to that, Senior Vice President of CSCM since 2003. |
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Since 2004 |
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Vice President |
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Senior Vice President of CSCM since 2007. |
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Since 2008 |
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The address of each officer is 1166 Avenue of the Americas, 30 th Floor, New York, NY 10036. |
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Officers serve one-year terms. The length of time served represents the year in which the officer was first elected as an officer of any fund in the Cohen & Steers fund complex. All of the officers listed above are officers of one or more of the other funds in the complex. |
C
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NFRASTRUCTURE
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Cohen & Steers Privacy Policy
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Facts |
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What Does Cohen & Steers Do With Your Personal Information? |
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Why? |
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Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do. |
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What? |
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The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include: • Social Security number and account balances • Transaction history and account transactions • Purchase history and wire transfer instructions |
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How? |
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All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons Cohen & Steers chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing. |
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Reasons we can share your personal information |
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Does Cohen & Steers share? |
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Can you limit this sharing? |
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For our everyday business purposes— such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or reports to credit bureaus |
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Yes |
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No |
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For our marketing purposes— to offer our products and services to you |
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Yes |
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No |
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For joint marketing with other financial companies— |
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No |
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We don’t share |
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For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes— information about your transactions and experiences |
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No |
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We don’t share |
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For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes— information about your creditworthiness |
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No |
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We don’t share |
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For our affiliates to market to you— |
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No |
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We don’t share |
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For non-affiliates to market to you— |
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No |
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We don’t share |
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Questions? Call 866-227-0757 |
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Cohen & Steers Privacy Policy—(Continued)
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Who we are |
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Who is providing this notice? |
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Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc., Cohen & Steers Asia Limited, Cohen & Steers Japan Limited, Cohen & Steers UK Limited, Cohen & Steers Ireland Limited, Cohen & Steers Singapore Private Limited, Cohen & Steers Securities, LLC, Cohen & Steers Private Funds and Cohen & Steers Open and Closed-End Funds (collectively, Cohen & Steers). |
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What we do |
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How does Cohen & Steers protect my personal information? |
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To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings. We restrict access to your information to those employees who need it to perform their jobs, and also require companies that provide services on our behalf to protect your information. |
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How does Cohen & Steers collect my personal information? |
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We collect your personal information, for example, when you: • Open an account or buy securities from us • Provide account information or give us your contact information • Make deposits or withdrawals from your account We also collect your personal information from other companies. |
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Why can’t I limit all sharing? |
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Federal law gives you the right to limit only: • sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes—information about your creditworthiness • affiliates from using your information to market to you • sharing for non-affiliates to market to you State law and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing. |
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Definitions |
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Affiliates |
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Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies. • Cohen & Steers does not share with affiliates. |
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Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies. • Cohen & Steers does not share with non-affiliates. |
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Joint marketing |
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A formal agreement between non-affiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you. • Cohen & Steers does not jointly market. |
C
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Cohen & Steers Open-End Mutual Funds
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
R
EALTY
S
HARES
• |
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Designed for investors seeking total return, investing primarily in U.S. real estate securities |
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Symbols: CSJAX, CSJCX, CSJIX, CSRSX, CSJRX, CSJZX |
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
R
EAL
E
STATE
S
ECURITIES
F
UND
• |
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Designed for investors seeking total return, investing primarily in U.S. real estate securities |
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Symbols: CSEIX, CSCIX, CREFX, CSDIX, CIRRX, CSZIX |
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NSTITUTIONAL
R
EALTY
S
HARES
• |
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Designed for institutional investors seeking total return, investing primarily in U.S. real estate securities |
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
G
LOBAL
R
EALTY
S
HARES
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Designed for investors seeking total return, investing primarily in global real estate equity securities |
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Symbols: CSFAX, CSFCX, CSSPX, GRSRX, CSFZX |
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
I
NTERNATIONAL
R
EALTY
F
UND
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Designed for investors seeking total return, investing primarily in international (non-U.S.) real estate securities |
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Symbols: IRFAX, IRFCX, IRFIX, IRFRX, IRFZX |
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
R
EAL
A
SSETS
F
UND
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Designed for investors seeking total return and the maximization of real returns during inflationary environments by investing primarily in real assets |
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Symbols: RAPAX, RAPCX, RAPIX, RAPRX, RAPZX |
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
P
REFERRED
S
ECURITIES
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Designed for investors seeking total return (high current income and capital appreciation), investing primarily in preferred and debt securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies |
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Symbols: CPXAX, CPXCX, CPXFX, CPXIX, CPRRX, CPXZX |
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
L
OW
D
URATION
P
REFERRED
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Designed for investors seeking high current income and capital preservation by investing in low-duration preferred and other income securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies |
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Symbols: LPXAX, LPXCX, LPXFX, LPXIX, LPXRX, LPXZX |
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
MLP & E
NERGY
O
PPORTUNITY
F
UND
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Designed for investors seeking total return, investing primarily in midstream energy master limited partnership (MLP) units and related stocks |
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Symbols: MLOAX, MLOCX, MLOIX, MLORX, MLOZX |
C
OHEN
& S
TEERS
G
LOBAL
I
NFRASTRUCTURE
F
UND
• |
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Designed for investors seeking total return, investing primarily in global infrastructure securities |
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Symbols: CSUAX, CSUCX, CSUIX, CSURX, CSUZX |
Distributed by Cohen & Steers Securities, LLC.
Please consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of any Cohen & Steers U.S. registered
open-end
fund carefully before investing. A summary prospectus and prospectus containing this and other information can be obtained by calling
or by visiting cohenandsteers.com. Please read the summary prospectus and prospectus carefully before investing.
C
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& S
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I
NFRASTRUCTURE
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Director, Chair and Vice President
President and Chief Executive Officer
Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
Secretary and Chief Legal Officer
Chief Compliance Officer and Vice President
Investment Manager and Administrator
Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc.
1166 Avenue of the Americas, 30
th
Floor
Co-administrator
and Custodian
State Street Bank and Trust Company
One Congress Street, Suite 1
1211 Avenue of the Americas
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New York Stock Exchange Symbol: |
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UTF |
Website: cohenandsteers.com
This report is for shareholder information. This is not a prospectus intended for use in the purchase or sale of Fund shares. Performance data quoted represent past performance. Past performance is no guarantee of future results and your investment may be worth more or less at the time you sell your shares.
Stop traditional mail delivery;
receive your shareholder reports
and prospectus online.
Sign up at cohenandsteers.com
Cohen & Steers
Infrastructure
Fund (UTF)
UTFAR
Item 2. Code of Ethics.
The Registrant has adopted a code of ethics as defined in Item 2 of Form N-CSR (the “Code of Ethics”) that applies to its Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer. The Code of Ethics was in effect during the reporting period. In December 2023, the Registrant amended the Code of Ethics to make immaterial stylistic updates. The Registrant has not granted any waiver, including an implicit waiver, from a provision of the Code of Ethics, as described in Form N-CSR, during the reporting period. A current copy of the Code of Ethics is available on the Registrant’s website at https://assets.cohenandsteers.com/assets/content/uploads/Code_of_Ethics_for_Principal_Executive_and_Principal_Financial_Officers_of_the_Funds.pdf. Upon request, a copy of the Code of Ethics can be obtained free of charge by calling 800-330-7348 or writing to the Secretary of the Registrant, 1166 Avenue of the Americas, 30th Floor, New York, NY 10036.
Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.
The Registrant’s board has determined that Gerald J. Maginnis qualifies as an audit committee financial expert based on his years of experience in the public accounting profession. The Registrant’s board has determined that Michael G. Clark qualifies as an audit committee financial expert based on his years of experience in the public accounting profession and the investment management and financial services industry. The Registrant’s board has determined that Ramona Rogers-Windsor qualifies as an audit committee financial expert based on her years of experience in the investment management and financial services industry. Each of Messrs. Maginnis and Clark and Ms. Rogers-Windsor is a member of the board’s audit committee, and each is independent as such term is defined in Form N-CSR.
Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
(a) – (d) Aggregate fees billed to the Registrant for the last two fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 for professional services rendered by the Registrant’s principal accountant were as follows:
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2023 |
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2022 |
Audit Fees |
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$56,464 |
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$55,148 |
Audit-Related Fees |
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$0 |
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$0 |
Tax Fees |
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$23,660 |
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$23,083 |
All Other Fees |
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$0 |
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$0 |
Tax fees were billed in connection with tax compliance services, including the preparation and review of federal and state tax returns and the computation of corporate and franchise tax amounts.
(e)(1) The Registrant’s audit committee is required to pre-approve audit and non-audit services performed for the Registrant by the principal accountant. The audit committee also is required to pre-approve non-audit services performed by the Registrant’s principal accountant for the Registrant’s investment advisor (not including any sub-advisor whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment advisor) and/or to any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Registrant’s investment advisor that provides ongoing services to the Registrant, if the engagement for services relates directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Registrant.
The audit committee may delegate pre-approval authority to one or more of its members who are independent members of the board of directors of the Registrant. The member or members to whom such authority is delegated shall report any pre-approval decisions to the audit committee at its next scheduled meeting. The audit committee may not delegate its responsibility to pre-approve services to be performed by the Registrant’s principal accountant to the investment advisor.
(e)(2) No services included in (b) – (d) above were approved by the audit committee pursuant to paragraphs (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.
(f) Not applicable.
(g) For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the aggregate fees billed by the Registrant’s principal accountant for non-audit services rendered to the Registrant and for non-audit services rendered to the Registrant’s investment advisor (not including any sub-advisor whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment advisor) and/or to any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Registrant’s investment advisor that provides ongoing services to the Registrant were:
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2023 |
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2022 |
Registrant |
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$23,660 |
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$23,083 |
Investment Advisor |
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$0 |
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$0 |
(h) The Registrant’s audit committee considered whether the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to the Registrant’s investment advisor (not including any sub-advisor whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment advisor) and/or to any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Registrant’s investment advisor that provides ongoing services to the Registrant that were not required to be pre-approved pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X was compatible with maintaining the principal accountant’s independence.
(i) Not applicable.
(j) Not applicable.
Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.
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. The members of the committee are Gerald J. Maginnis (chairman), Michael G. Clark and Ramona Rogers-Windsor.
Item 6. Schedule of Investments.
Included in Item 1 above.
Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.
The Registrant has delegated voting of proxies in respect of portfolio holdings to Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc. (“C&S”), in accordance with the policies and procedures set forth below.
COHEN & STEERS CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.
STATEMENT OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES REGARDING THE VOTING OF SECURITIES
This statement sets forth the policies and procedures that Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc., and its affiliated advisors (“Cohen & Steers”, “we” or “us”) follow in exercising voting rights with respect to securities held in its client portfolios. All proxy-voting rights that are exercised by Cohen & Steers shall be subject to this Statement of Policy and Procedures.
General Proxy Voting Guidelines
Objectives
Voting rights are an important component of corporate governance. Cohen & Steers has three overall objectives in exercising voting rights:
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Responsibility. Cohen & Steers shall seek to ensure that there is an effective means in place to hold companies accountable for their actions. While management must be accountable to its board, the board must be accountable to a company’s shareholders. Although accountability can be promoted in a variety of ways, protecting shareholder voting rights may be among our most important tools. |
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Rationalizing Management and Shareholder Concerns. Cohen & Steers seeks to ensure that the interests of a company’s management and board are aligned with those of the company’s shareholders. In this respect, compensation must be structured to reward the creation of shareholder value. |
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Shareholder Communication. Since companies are owned by their shareholders, Cohen & Steers seeks to ensure that management effectively communicates with its owners about the company’s business operations and financial performance. It is only with effective communication that shareholders will be able to assess the performance of management and to make informed decisions on when to buy, sell or hold a company’s securities. |
General Principles
In exercising voting rights, Cohen & Steers shall conduct itself in accordance with the general principles set forth below.
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The ability to exercise a voting right with respect to a security is a valuable right and, therefore, must be viewed as part of the asset itself. |
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In exercising voting rights, Cohen & Steers shall engage in a careful evaluation of issues that may materially affect the rights of shareholders and the value of the security. |
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Consistent with general fiduciary duties, the exercise of voting rights shall always be conducted with reasonable care, prudence and diligence. |
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In exercising voting rights on behalf of clients, Cohen & Steers shall conduct itself in the same manner as if Cohen & Steers were the beneficial owner of the securities. |
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To the extent reasonably possible, Cohen & Steers shall participate in each shareholder voting opportunity. |
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Voting rights shall not automatically be exercised in favor of management-supported proposals. |
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Cohen & Steers, and its officers and employees, shall never accept any item of value in consideration of a favorable proxy vote. |
General Guidelines
Set forth below are general guidelines that Cohen & Steers shall follow in exercising proxy voting rights:
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Prudence. In making a proxy voting decision, Cohen & Steers shall give appropriate consideration to all relevant facts and circumstances, including the value of the securities to be voted and the likely effect any vote may have on that value. Since voting rights must be exercised on the basis of an informed judgment, investigation shall be a critical initial step. |
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Third Party Views. While Cohen & Steers may consider the views of third parties, Cohen & Steers shall never base a proxy voting decision solely on the opinion of a third party. Rather, decisions shall be based on a reasonable and good faith determination as to how best to maximize shareholder value. |
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Shareholder Value. Just as the decision whether to purchase or sell a security is a matter of judgment, determining whether a specific proxy resolution will increase the market value of a security is a matter of judgment as to which informed parties may differ. In determining how a proxy vote may affect the economic value of a security, Cohen & Steers shall consider both short-term and long-term views about a company’s business and prospects, especially in light of our projected holding period on the stock (e.g., Cohen & Steers may discount long-term views on a short-term holding). |
Specific Guidelines
Board and Director Proposals
Election of Directors
Voting for Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections
Votes on director nominees are made on a case-by-case basis using a “mosaic” approach, where all factors are considered and no single factor is determinative. In evaluating director nominees, Cohen & Steers considers the following factors:
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Whether the nominee attended less than 75 percent of the board and committee meetings without a valid excuse for the absences; |
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Whether the nominee is an inside or affiliated outside director and sits on the audit, compensation, or nominating committees and/or the full board serves as the audit, compensation, or nominating committees or the company does not have one of these committees; |
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Whether the board ignored a significant shareholder proposal that was approved by a majority of the votes cast in the previous year; |
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Whether the board, without shareholder approval, instituted a new poison pill plan, extended an existing plan, or adopted a new plan upon the expiration of an existing plan during the past year; |
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Whether the nominee is the chairman or CEO of a publicly-traded company who serves on more than two (2) public company boards; |
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In the case of nominees other than the chairman or CEO, whether the nominee serves on more than four (4) public company boards; |
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If the nominee is an incumbent director, the length of tenure taking into account tenure limits recommended by local corporate governance codes1; |
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Whether the nominee has a material related party transaction or a material conflict of interest with the company; |
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Whether the nominee (or the entire board) has a record of making poor corporate or strategic decisions or has demonstrated an overall lack of good business judgment; |
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Material failures of governance, stewardship, or fiduciary responsibilities at the company; |
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Materials failures of risk oversight including, but not limited to: |
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Large or serial fines from regulatory bodies; |
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Demonstrably poor risk oversight of environmental and social issues, including climate change; |
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Significant adverse legal judgments or settlements; |
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Hedging of company stock by employees or directors of a company; or |
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Significant pledging of company stock in the aggregate by officers or directors of a company; |
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Whether the board has oversight of material climate-related risks and opportunities including, but not limited to: |
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The transition and physical risks the company faces related to climate change on its operations and investments in terms of the impact on its business and financial condition, including the company’s related disclosures; |
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How the board identifies, measures and manages such risks; and |
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The board’s oversight of climate-related risk as a part of governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets; |
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Actions related to a nominee’s service on other boards that raise substantial doubt about such nominee’s ability to effectively oversee management and serve the best interests of shareholders at any company; and |
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In the case of a nominee that is the chair of the nominating committee (or other directors on a case-by-case basis), whether the company’s board lacks diversity including, but not limited to, diversity of gender, ethnicity, race and background. |
Voting for Director Nominees in Contested Elections
Votes in a contested election of directors are evaluated on a case-by-case basis considering the long-term financial performance of the company relative to its industry management’s track record, the qualifications of the nominees and other relevant factors.
1 |
For example, in the UK, independent directors of publicly traded companies with tenure exceeding nine (9) years are reclassified as non-independent unless the company can explain why they remain independent. |
Board Composition and Gender Diversity
Cohen & Steers encourages companies to continue to evolve diversity and inclusion practices. Cohen & Steers generally votes against the chair of the nominating committee (or other directors on a case-by-case basis) at companies where the post-election board contains no female directors if the board has not included a female director during the last 12 months and the company has not articulated a plan to include a qualified female nominee.
Non-Disclosure of Board Nominees
Cohen & Steers generally votes against the election of director nominees if the names of the nominees are not disclosed prior to the meeting. However, Cohen & Steers recognizes that companies in certain emerging markets may have legitimate reasons for not disclosing nominee names. In such cases, if a company discloses a legitimate reason why such nominee names have not been disclosed, Cohen & Steers may vote for the nominees even if nominee names are not disclosed.
Majority Vote Requirement for Directors (SP)2
Cohen & Steers generally votes for proposals asking the board to amend the company’s governance documents (charter or bylaws) to provide that director nominees will be elected by the affirmative vote of the majority of votes cast.
Separation of Chairman and CEO (SP)
Cohen & Steers generally votes for proposals to separate the CEO and chairman positions. However, Cohen & Steers does recognize that under certain circumstances, it may be in the company’s best interest for the CEO and chairman positions to be held by one person.
Independent Chairman (SP)
Cohen & Steers reviews on a case-by-case basis proposals requiring the chairman’s position to be filled by an independent director taking into account the company’s current board leadership and governance structure, company performance, and any other factors that may be relevant.
Lead Independent Director (SP)
In cases where the CEO and chairman roles are combined or the chairman is not independent, Cohen & Steers votes for the appointment of a lead independent director.
Board Independence (SP)
Cohen & Steers believes that boards should have a majority of independent directors. Therefore, Cohen & Steers vote for proposals that require the board to be comprised of a majority of independent directors.
In general, Cohen & Steers considers a director independent if the director satisfies the independence definition set forth in local corporate governance codes and/or the applicable listing standards of the exchange on which the company’s stock is listed.
In addition, Cohen & Steers generally considers a director independent if the director has no significant financial, familial or other ties with the company that may pose a conflict and has not been employed by the company in an executive capacity.
Board Size (SP)
Cohen & Steers generally votes for proposals to limit the size of the board to 15 members or less.
2 |
“SP” refers to a shareholder proposal. |
Classified Boards (SP)
Cohen & Steers generally votes in favor of proposals to declassify boards of directors. In voting on proposals to declassify a board of directors, Cohen & Steers evaluates all facts and circumstances, including whether: (i) the current management and board have a history of making good corporate and strategic decisions and (ii) the proposal is in the best interests of shareholders.
Tiered Boards (non-U.S.)
Cohen & Steers votes in favor of unitary boards as opposed to tiered board structures. Cohen & Steers believes that unitary boards offer flexibility while, with a tiered structure, there is a risk of upper tier directors becoming remote from the business, while lower tier directors become deprived of contact with outsiders of wider experience. No director should be excluded from the requirement to submit him/herself for re-election on a regular basis.
Independent Committees (SP)
Cohen & Steers votes for proposals requesting that a board’s audit, compensation and nominating committees consist only of independent directors.
Adoption of a Board with Audit Committee Structure (JAPAN)
Cohen & Steers votes for article amendments to adopt a board with an audit committee structure unless the structure obstructs shareholders’ ability to submit proposals on income allocation related issues or the company already has a 3-committee (U.S. style) structure.
Non-Disclosure of Board Compensation
Cohen & Steers generally votes against the election of director nominees at companies if the compensation paid to such directors is not disclosed prior to the meeting. However, Cohen & Steers recognizes that companies in certain emerging markets may have legitimate reasons for not disclosing such compensation. In such cases, if a company discloses a legitimate reason why such compensation should not be disclosed, Cohen & Steers may vote for the nominees even if compensation is not disclosed.
Director and Officer Indemnification and Liability Protection
Cohen & Steers votes in favor of proposals providing indemnification for directors and officers for acts conducted in the normal course of business that is consistent with the laws of the jurisdiction of formation. Cohen & Steers also vote in favor of proposals that expand coverage for directors and officers where, despite an unsuccessful legal defense, the director or officer acted in good faith and in the best interests of the company. Cohen & Steers votes against proposals that would expand indemnification beyond coverage of legal expenses to coverage of acts, such as gross negligence, that are violations of fiduciary obligations.
Directors’ Liability (non-U.S.)
These proposals ask shareholders to give discharge from responsibility for all decisions made during the previous financial year. Depending on the country, this resolution may or may not be legally binding, may not release the board from its legal responsibility, and does not necessarily eliminate the possibility of future shareholder action (although it does make such action more difficult to pursue).
Cohen & Steers will generally vote for the discharge of directors, including members of the management board and/or supervisory board, unless the board is not fulfilling its fiduciary duties as evidenced by:
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A lack of oversight or actions by board members that amount to malfeasance or poor supervision, such as operating in private or company interest rather than in shareholder interest; |
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Any legal issues (e.g., civil/criminal) aimed to hold the board liable for past or current actions that constitute a breach of trust, such as price fixing, insider trading, bribery, fraud, or other illegal actions; or |
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Other egregious governance issues where shareholders are likely to bring legal action against the company or its directors. |
Directors’ Contracts (non-U.S.)
Best market practice about the appropriate length of directors’ service contracts varies by jurisdiction. As such, Cohen & Steers votes these proposals on a case-by-case basis taking into account the best interests of the company and its shareholders and local market practice.
Compensation Proposals
Votes on Executive Compensation. “Say-on-Pay” votes are determined on a case-by-case basis taking into account the reasonableness of the company’s compensation structure and the adequacy of the disclosure.
Cohen & Steers generally votes against in circumstances where there are an unacceptable number of problematic pay practices including:
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Poor linkage between executive pay and company performance and profitability; |
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The presence of objectionable structural features in the compensation plan, such as excessive perquisites, golden parachutes, tax-gross up provisions, and automatic benchmarking of pay in the top half of the peer group; and |
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A lack of proportionality in the plan relative to the company’s size and peer group. |
Additional Disclosure of Executive and Director Pay (SP). Cohen & Steers generally votes for shareholder proposals that seek additional disclosure of executive and director pay information.
Frequency of Shareholder Votes on Executive Compensation. Cohen & Steers generally votes for annual shareholder advisory votes to approve executive compensation.
Golden Parachutes. In general, Cohen & Steers votes against golden parachutes because they impede potential takeovers that shareholders should be free to consider. Cohen & Steers opposes the use of employment agreements that result in excessive cash payments and generally withhold our vote at the next shareholder meeting for directors who approved golden parachutes.
In the context of an acquisition, merger, consolidation, or proposed sale, Cohen & Steers votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to approve golden parachute payments. Factors that may result in a vote against include:
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Potentially excessive severance payments; |
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Agreements that include excessive excise tax gross-up provisions; |
• |
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Single-trigger payments upon a change in control (“CIC”), including cash payments and the acceleration of performance-based equity despite the failure to achieve performance measures; |
• |
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Single-trigger vesting of equity based on a definition of change in control that requires only shareholder approval of the transaction (rather than consummation); |
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Recent amendments or other changes that may make packages so attractive as to encourage transactions that may not be in the best interests of shareholders; or |
• |
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The company’s assertion that a proposed transaction is conditioned on shareholder approval of the golden parachute advisory vote. |
Non-Executive Director Remuneration (non-U.S.). Cohen & Steers evaluates these proposals on a case-by-case basis taking into account the remuneration mix and the adequacy of the disclosure. Cohen & Steers believes that non-executive directors should be compensated with a mix of cash and equity to align their interests with the interests of shareholders. The details of such remuneration should be fully disclosed and provided with sufficient time for us to consider our vote.
Approval of Annual Bonuses for Directors and Statutory Auditors (JAPAN). Cohen & Steers generally supports the payment of annual bonuses to directors and statutory auditors except in cases of scandals or extreme underperformance.
Equity Compensation Plans. Votes on proposals related to compensation plans are determined on a case-by-case basis taking into account plan features and equity grant practices, where positive factors may counterbalance negative factors (and vice versa), as evaluated based on three pillars:
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Plan Cost: the total estimated cost of the company’s equity plans relative to industry/market cap peers measured by the company’s estimated shareholder value transfer (SVT) in relation to peers, considering: |
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• |
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SVT based on new shares requested plus shares remaining for future grants, plus outstanding unvested/unexercised grants; and |
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• |
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SVT based only on new shares requested plus shares remaining for future grants. |
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• |
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Automatic single-trigger award vesting upon a CIC; |
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• |
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Discretionary vesting authority; |
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• |
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Liberal share recycling on various award types; and |
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• |
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Minimum vesting period for grants made under the plan. |
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• |
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The company’s three year burn rate relative to its industry/market cap peers; |
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• |
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Vesting requirements for most recent CEO equity grants (3-year look-back); |
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• |
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The estimated duration of the plan based on the sum of shares remaining available and the new shares requested divided by the average annual shares granted in the prior three years; |
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• |
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The proportion of the CEO’s most recent equity grants/awards subject to performance conditions; |
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• |
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Whether the company maintains a claw-back policy; and |
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• |
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Whether the company has established post exercise/vesting shareholding requirements. |
Cohen & Steers generally votes against compensation plan proposals if the combination of factors indicates that the plan, overall is not, in the interests of shareholders, or if any of the following apply:
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Awards may vest in connection with a liberal CIC; |
• |
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The plan would permit re-pricing or cash buyout of underwater options without shareholder approval; |
• |
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The plan is a vehicle for problematic pay practices or a pay-for-performance disconnect; or |
• |
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Any other plan features that are determined to have a significant negative impact on shareholder interests. |
Equity Compensation Plans (non-U.S.). Cohen & Steers evaluates these proposals on a case-by-case basis. Share option plans should be clearly explained and fully disclosed to both shareholders and participants and put to shareholders for approval. Each director’s share options should be detailed, including exercise prices, expiration dates and the market price of the shares at the date of exercise. They should take into account appropriate levels of dilution. Options should vest in reference to challenging performance criteria, which are disclosed in advance. Share options should be fully expensed so that shareholders can assess their true cost to the company. The assumptions and methodology behind the expensing calculation should also be disclosed to shareholders.
Long-Term Incentive Plans (non-U.S.). A long-term incentive plan refers to any arrangement, other than deferred bonuses and retirement benefit plans, which require one or more conditions in respect of service and/or performance to be satisfied over more than one financial year.
Cohen & Steers evaluates these proposals on a case-by-case basis. Cohen & Steers generally votes in favor of plans with robust incentives and challenging performance criteria that are fully disclosed to shareholders in advance and vote against plans that are excessive or contain easily achievable performance metrics or where there is excessive discretion delegated to remuneration committees. Cohen & Steers would expect remuneration committees to explain why criteria are considered to be challenging and how they align the interests of shareholders with the interests of the plan participants. Cohen & Steers will also vote against proposals that lack sufficient disclosure.
Transferable Stock Options. Cohen & Steers evaluates on a case-by-case basis proposals to grant transferable stock options or otherwise permit the transfer of outstanding stock options, including the cost of the proposal and alignment with shareholder interests.
Approval of Cash or Cash-and-Stock Bonus Plans. Cohen & Steers votes to approve cash or cash-and-stock bonus plans that seek to exempt executive compensation from limits on deductibility imposed by Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Employee Stock Purchase Plans. Cohen & Steers votes for the approval of employee stock purchase plans, although Cohen & Steers generally believes the discounted purchase price should not exceed 15% of the current market price.
401(k) Employee Benefit Plans. Cohen & Steers votes for proposals to implement a 401(k) savings plan for employees.
Pension Arrangements (non-U.S.). Cohen & Steers evaluates these proposals on a case-by-case basis. Pension arrangements should be transparent and cost-neutral to shareholders. Cohen & Steers believes it is inappropriate for executives to participate in pension arrangements that are materially different than those offered to other employees (such as continuing to participate in a final salary arrangement when employees have been transferred to a money purchase plan). One-off payments into individual director’s pension plans, changes to pension entitlements, and waivers concerning early retirement provisions must be fully disclosed and justified to shareholders.
Stock Ownership Requirements (SP). Cohen & Steers supports proposals requiring senior executives and directors to hold a minimum amount of stock in a company (often expressed as a percentage of annual compensation), which may include restricted stock or restricted stock units.
Stock Holding Periods (SP). Cohen & Steers generally votes against proposals requiring executives to hold stock received upon option exercise for a specific period of time.
Recovery of Incentive Compensation (SP). Cohen & Steers generally votes for proposals to recover incentive bonuses or other incentive payments made to senior executives if it is later determined that fraud, misconduct, or negligence significantly contributed to a restatement of financial results that led to the award of incentive compensation.
Capital Structure Changes and Anti-Takeover Proposals
Increase to Authorized Shares. Cohen & Steers generally votes for increases in authorized shares, provided that the increase is not greater than three times the number of shares outstanding and reserved for issuance (including shares reserved for stock-related plans and securities convertible into common stock, but not shares reserved for any poison pill plan).
Blank Check Preferred Stock. Cohen & Steers generally votes against proposals authorizing the creation of new classes of preferred stock without specific voting, conversion, distribution and other rights, and proposals to increase the number of authorized blank check preferred shares. Cohen & Steers may vote in favor of these proposals if Cohen & Steers receives reasonable assurances that (i) the preferred stock was
authorized by the board for legitimate capital formation purposes and not for anti-takeover purposes, and (ii) no preferred stock will be issued with voting power that is disproportionate to the economic interests of the preferred stock. These representations should be made either in the proxy statement or in a separate letter from the company to us.
Pre-Emptive Rights. Cohen & Steers generally votes against the issuance of equity shares with pre-emptive rights. However, Cohen & Steers may vote for shareholder pre-emptive rights where such pre-emptive rights are necessary taking into account the best interests of the company’s shareholders. In addition, we acknowledge that international local practices may call for shareholder pre-emptive rights when a company seeks authority to issue shares (e.g., UK authority for the issuance of only up to 5% of outstanding shares without pre-emptive rights). While Cohen & Steers prefers that companies be permitted to issue shares without pre-emptive rights, in deference to international local practices, Cohen & Steers will approve issuance requests with pre-emptive rights.
Dual Class Capitalizations. Because classes of common stock with unequal voting rights limit the rights of certain shareholders, Cohen & Steers votes against the adoption of a dual or multiple class capitalization structure. Cohen & Steers supports the one-share, one-vote principle for voting.
Restructurings/Recapitalizations. Cohen & Steers reviews proposals to increase common and/or preferred shares and to issue shares as part of a debt restructuring plan on a case-by-case basis. In voting, Cohen & Steers considers the following:
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Dilution: how much will the ownership interest of existing shareholders be reduced, and how extreme will dilution to any future earnings be? |
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Change in control: will the transaction result in a change in control of the company? |
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Bankruptcy: generally approve proposals that facilitate debt restructurings unless there are clear signs of self-dealing or other abuses. |
Share Repurchase Programs. Cohen & Steers generally votes in favor of such programs where the repurchase would be in the long-term best interests of shareholders and where we believe that this is a good use of the company’s cash.
Cohen & Steers will vote against such programs when shareholders’ interests could be better served by deployment of the cash for alternative uses, or where the repurchase is a defensive maneuver or an attempt to entrench management.
Targeted Share Placements (SP). Cohen & Steers votes these proposals on a case-by-case basis. These proposals ask companies to seek shareholder approval before placing 10% or more of their voting stock with a single investor. The proposals are typically in reaction to the placement of a large block of voting stock in an employee stock option plan, parent capital fund or with a single friendly investor, with the aim of protecting the company against a hostile tender offer.
Shareholder Rights Plans. Cohen & Steers reviews proposals to ratify shareholder rights plans (poison pills) on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration the length of the plan.
Shareholder Rights Plans (JAPAN). Cohen & Steers reviews proposals on a case-by-case basis examining not only the features of the plan itself but also factors including share price movements, shareholder composition, board composition, and the company’s announced plans to improve shareholder value.
Reincorporation Proposals. Proposals to change a company’s jurisdiction of incorporation are examined on a case-by-case basis. When evaluating such proposals, Cohen & Steers reviews management’s rationale for the proposal, changes to the charter/bylaws, and differences in the applicable laws governing the companies.
Voting on State Takeover Statutes (SP). Cohen & Steers reviews on a case-by-case basis proposals to opt in or out of state takeover statutes (including control share acquisition statutes, control share cash-out
statutes, freeze-out provisions, fair price provisions, stakeholder laws, poison pill endorsements, severance pay and labor contract provisions and disgorgement provisions). In voting on these proposals, Cohen & Steers takes into account whether the proposal is in the long-term best interests of the company and whether it would be in the best interests of the company to thwart a shareholder’s attempt to control the board of directors.
Mergers and Corporate Restructurings
Mergers and Acquisitions. Votes on mergers and acquisitions are considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the anticipated financial and operating benefits, offer price (cost vs. premium), prospects of the combined companies, how the deal was negotiated and changes in corporate governance and their impact on shareholder rights.
Cohen & Steers votes against proposals that require a super-majority of shareholders to approve a merger or other significant business combination.
Nonfinancial Effects of a Merger or Acquisition. Some companies have proposed charter provisions that specify that the board of directors may examine the nonfinancial effects of a merger or acquisition on the company. This provision would allow the board to evaluate the impact a proposed change in control would have on employees, host communities, suppliers and/or others. Cohen & Steers generally vote against proposals to adopt such charter provisions. Directors should base their decisions solely on the financial interests of the shareholders.
Spin-offs. Cohen & Steers evaluates spin-offs on a case-by-case basis taking into account the tax and regulatory advantages, planned use of sale proceeds, market focus, and managerial incentives.
Asset Sales. Cohen & Steers evaluates asset sales on a case-by-case basis taking into account the impact on the balance sheet/working capital, value received for the assets, and potential elimination of diseconomies.
Liquidations. Cohen & Steers evaluates liquidations on a case-by-case basis taking into account management’s efforts to pursue other alternatives, appraisal value of the assets, and the compensation plan for executives managing the liquidation.
Issuance of Debt (non-U.S.). Cohen & Steers evaluates these proposals on a case-by-case basis. Reasons for increased bank borrowing powers are numerous and varied, including allowing for normal growth of the company, the financing of acquisitions, and allowing increased financial leverage. Management may also attempt to borrow as part of a takeover defense. Cohen & Steers generally votes in favor of proposals that will enhance a company’s long-term prospects. Cohen & Steers votes against any uncapped or poorly-defined increase in bank borrowing powers or borrowing limits, issuances that would result in the company reaching an unacceptable level of financial leverage or a material reduction in shareholder value, or where such borrowing is expressly intended as part of a takeover defense.
Ratification of Auditors
Cohen & Steers generally votes for proposals to ratify auditors, auditor remuneration and/or proposals authorizing the board to fix audit fees, unless:
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an auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company, and is therefore not independent; |
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there is reason to believe that the independent auditor has rendered an opinion that is neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position; |
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the name of the proposed auditor and/or fees paid to the audit firm are not disclosed by the company prior to the meeting; |
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the auditors are being changed without explanation; or |
• |
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fees paid for non-audit related services are excessive and/or exceed fees paid for audit services or limits set by local best practice recommendations or law. |
Where fees for non-audit services include fees related to significant one-time capital structure events, initial public offerings, bankruptcy emergence, and spinoffs, and the company makes public disclosure of the amount and nature of those fees, then such fees may be excluded from the non-audit fees considered in determining whether non-audit related fees are excessive.
Auditor Rotation
Cohen & Steers evaluates auditor rotation proposals on a case-by-case basis taking into account the following factors: the tenure of the audit firm; establishment and disclosure of a review process whereby the auditor is regularly evaluated for both audit quality and competitive pricing; length of the rotation period advocated in the proposal; and any significant audit related issues.
Auditor Indemnification
Cohen & Steers generally votes against auditor indemnification and limitation of liability. However, Cohen & Steers recognizes there may be situations where indemnification and limitations on liability may be appropriate.
Annual Accounts and Reports (non-U.S.)
Annual reports and accounts should be detailed and transparent and should be submitted to shareholders for approval in a timely manner as prescribed by law. They should meet accepted reporting standards such as those prescribed by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).
Cohen & Steers generally approves proposals relating to the adoption of annual accounts provided that:
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• |
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The report has been examined by an independent external accountant and the accuracy of material items in the report is not in doubt; |
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• |
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The report complies with legal and regulatory requirements and best practice provisions in local markets; |
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the company discloses which portion of the remuneration paid to the external accountant relates to auditing activities and which portion relates to non-auditing advisory assignments; |
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A report on the implementation of risk management and internal control measures is incorporated, including an in-control statement from company management; |
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A report should include a statement of compliance with relevant codes of best practice for markets where they exist (e.g., for UK companies a statement of compliance with the Corporate Governance Code should be made, together with detailed explanations about any area(s) of non-compliance); |
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A conclusive response is given to all queries from shareholders; and |
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Other concerns about corporate governance have not been identified. |
Appointment of Internal Statutory Auditor (JAPAN)
Cohen & Steers evaluates these proposals on a case-by-case basis taking into account the work history of each nominee. If the nominee is designated as independent but has worked the majority of his or her career for one of the company’s major shareholders, lenders, or business partners, Cohen & Steers considers the nominee affiliated and will withhold support.
Shareholder Access and Voting Proposals
Proxy Access. Cohen & Steers reviews proxy access proposals on a case-by-case basis taking into account the parameters of proxy access use in light of a company’s specific circumstances. Cohen & Steers generally supports proposals that provide shareholders with a reasonable opportunity to use the right without stipulating overly restrictive or onerous parameters for use and also provide assurances that the mechanism will not be subject to abuse by short-term investors, investors without a substantial investment in the company or investors seeking to take control of the board.
Bylaw Amendments. Cohen & Steers votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals requesting companies grant shareholders the ability to amend bylaws. Similar to proxy access, Cohen & Steers generally supports proposals that provide assurances that this right will not be subject to abuse by short-term investors or investors without a substantial investment in a company.
Reimbursement of Proxy Solicitation Expenses (SP). In the absence of compelling reasons, Cohen & Steers will generally not support such proposals.
Shareholder Ability to Call Special Meetings (SP). Cohen & Steers votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals requesting companies amend their governance documents (bylaws and/or charter) in order to allow shareholders to call special meetings.
Shareholder Ability to Act by Written Consent (SP). Cohen & Steers generally votes against proposals to allow or facilitate shareholder action by written consent to provide reasonable protection of minority shareholder rights.
Shareholder Ability to Alter the Size of the Board. Cohen & Steers generally votes for proposals that seek to fix the size of the board and vote against proposals that give the board the ability to alter the size of the board without shareholder approval. While Cohen & Steers recognizes the importance of such proposals, these proposals may be set forth in order to promote the agenda(s) of certain special interest groups and could be disruptive to management of the company.
Cumulative Voting (SP). Having the ability to cumulate votes for the election of directors (i.e., to cast more than one vote for a director) generally increases shareholders’ rights to effect change in the management of a company. However, Cohen & Steers acknowledges that cumulative voting promotes special candidates who may not represent the interests of all, or even a majority, of shareholders. Therefore, when voting on proposals to institute cumulative voting, Cohen & Steers evaluates all facts and circumstances surrounding such proposal and generally vote against cumulative voting where the company has good corporate governance practices in place, including majority voting for director elections and a de-classified board.
Supermajority Vote Requirements (SP). Cohen & Steers generally supports proposals that seek to lower supermajority voting requirements.
Confidential Voting. Cohen & Steers votes for proposals requesting that companies adopt confidential voting, use independent tabulators, and use independent inspectors of election as long as such proposals permit management to request that dissident groups honor its confidential voting policy in the case of proxy contests.
Virtual Shareholder Meetings (SP). Cohen & Steers generally votes for management proposals allowing for the convening of shareholder meetings by electronic means, so long as they do not preclude in-person meetings and companies allow for comparable rights and opportunities for shareholders to participate electronically as they would have during an in-person meeting.
Date/Location of Meeting (SP). Cohen & Steers votes against shareholder proposals to change the date or location of the shareholders’ meeting.
Adjourn Meeting if Votes Are Insufficient. Cohen & Steers generally votes against open-end requests for adjournment of a shareholder meeting. However, where management specifically states the reason for requesting an adjournment and the requested adjournment is necessary to permit a proposal that would otherwise be supported under this policy to be carried out, the adjournment request will be supported.
Disclosure of Shareholder Proponents (SP). Cohen & Steers votes for shareholder proposals requesting that companies disclose the names of shareholder proponents. Shareholders may wish to contact the proponents of a shareholder proposal for additional information.
Environmental and Social Proposals
Cohen & Steers believes that well-managed companies should be identifying, evaluating and assessing environmental and social issues and, where material to its business, managing exposure to environmental and social risks related to these issues. When considering management or shareholder proposals relating to these issues, because of the diverse nature of environmental and social proposals, Cohen & Steers evaluates these proposals on a case-by-case basis. The principles guiding our evaluation of these proposals include, but are not limited to:
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The current level of publicly available disclosure from the company or other publicly available sources, including if the company already discloses similar information through existing reports or policies; |
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Whether implementation of a proposal is likely to enhance or protect shareholder value; |
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Whether a proposal can be implemented at a reasonable cost; |
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Whether the information requested concerns business issues that relate to a meaningful percentage of the company’s business; |
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The degree to which the company’s stated position on the issues raised in the proposal could affect its reputation or sales; |
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Whether the company has already responded in some appropriate manner to the request embodied in the proposal; |
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What other companies in the relevant industry have done in response to the issue addressed in the proposal; and |
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Whether implementation would reveal proprietary or confidential information that could place the company at a competitive disadvantage. |
Environmental Proposals (SP). Cohen & Steers acknowledges that environmental considerations can pose significant investment risks and opportunities. Therefore, Cohen & Steers generally votes in favor of proposals requesting a company disclose information that will aid in the determination of material environmental issues impacting the company and, where material to its business, how the company is managing exposure to environmental risks related to these issues, taking into consideration the following factors:
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The general factors listed above; and |
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Whether the issues presented have already been effectively dealt with through governmental regulation or legislation; |
In particular in relation to climate-related risk and opportunities material to its business, we expect companies to help their investors understand how they may be impacted by such risk and opportunities, and how these factors are considered within strategy in a manner consistent with the company’s business model and sector. The principles guiding our evaluation of these proposals are:
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The general factors listed above; |
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The transition and physical risks the company faces related to climate change on its operations and investment in terms of the impact on its business and financial condition, including the company’s related disclosures; |
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How the company identifies, measures and manages such risks; and |
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The company’s approach to climate-related risk as part of governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets. |
Social Proposals (SP). Cohen & Steers acknowledges that social considerations can pose significant risks and opportunities. There, Cohen & Steers generally votes in favor of proposals requesting a company disclose information that will aid in the determination of material social issues impacting the company and, where material to its business, how the company is managing exposure to social risks related to these issues.
Cohen & Steers believes board and workforce diversity are beneficial to the decision-making process and can enhance long-term profitability. Therefore, Cohen & Steers generally votes in favor of proposals that seek to increase board and workforce diversity including, but not limited to, diversity of gender, ethnicity, race and background. Cohen & Steers votes all other social proposals on a case-by-case basis, including, but not limited to, proposals related to political and charitable contributions, lobbying, and gender equality and the gender pay gap.
Miscellaneous Proposals
Bundled Proposals. Cohen & Steers reviews on a case-by-case basis bundled or “conditioned” proposals. For items that are conditioned upon each other, Cohen & Steers examines the benefits and costs of the bundled items. In instances where the combined effect of the conditioned items is not in shareholders’ best interests, Cohen & Steers votes against such proposals. If the combined effect is positive, Cohen & Steers supports such proposals. In the case of bundled director proposals, Cohen & Steers will vote for the entire slate only if Cohen & Steers would have otherwise voted for each director on an individual basis.
Other Business. Cohen & Steers generally votes against proposals to approve other business where Cohen & Steers cannot determine the exact nature of the proposal(s) to be voted on.
Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Investment Companies.
Information pertaining to the portfolio managers of the Registrant, as of March 8, 2024, is set forth below.
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William F. Scapell • Vice President • Portfolio manager since inception |
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Executive Vice President of C&S since 2014. Prior to that, Senior Vice President of C&S since 2003. |
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Ben Morton • Vice President • Portfolio manager since 2009 |
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Executive Vice President of C&S since 2019. Prior to that, Senior Vice President of C&S since 2010. |
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Elaine Zaharis-Nikas • Portfolio manager since 2012 |
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Senior Vice President of C&S since 2014. Prior to that, Vice President of C&S since 2005 |
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Tyler Rosenlicht • Vice President • Portfolio Manager since 2022 |
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Senior Vice President of C&S since 2018. Prior to that, Vice President of C&S since 2015. |
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Thuy Quynh Dang • Vice President • Portfolio Manager since 2022 |
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Vice President of C&S since 2011. |
C&S utilizes a team-based approach in managing the Registrant. Mr. Morton, directs and supervises the execution of the Registrant’s investment strategy, and leads and guides the other members of the team. Mr. Scapell and Ms. Zaharis-Nikas manage the Registrant’s preferred securities investments.
Each portfolio manager listed above manages other investment companies and/or investment vehicles and accounts in addition to the Registrant. The following tables show, as of December 31, 2023, the number of other accounts each portfolio manager managed in each of the listed categories and the total assets in the accounts managed within each category. The portfolio managers do not receive performance-based fees with respect to any of the registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles or other accounts that they manage.
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William F. Scapell |
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Number of accounts |
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Total assets |
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• Registered investment companies |
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13 |
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$ |
17,316,030,458 |
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• Other pooled investment vehicles |
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16 |
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$ |
3,022,141,466 |
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• Other accounts |
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23 |
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$ |
3,059,241,045 |
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Ben Morton |
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Number of accounts |
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Total assets |
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• Registered investment companies |
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4 |
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$ |
1,819,795,737 |
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• Other pooled investment vehicles |
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15 |
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$ |
1,569,729,890 |
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• Other accounts |
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21 |
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$ |
3,372,849,136 |
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Elaine Zaharis-Nikas |
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Number of accounts |
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Total assets |
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• Registered investment companies |
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11 |
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$ |
14,534,149,145 |
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• Other pooled investment vehicles |
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15 |
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$ |
2,992,498,179 |
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• Other accounts |
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20 |
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$ |
2,542,143,053 |
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Tyler Rosenlicht |
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Number of accounts |
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Total assets |
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• Registered investment companies |
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3 |
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$ |
1,784,759,842 |
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| |
• Other pooled investment vehicles |
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14 |
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$ |
1,449,415,249 |
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• Other accounts |
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19 |
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$ |
3,156,652,965 |
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| |
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| |
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Thuy Quynh Dang |
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Number of accounts |
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Total assets |
|
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• Registered investment companies |
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1 |
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$ |
817,437,032 |
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| |
• Other pooled investment vehicles |
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14 |
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$ |
1,449,415,249 |
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| |
• Other accounts |
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17 |
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$ |
3,015,455,179 |
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Share Ownership. The following table indicates the dollar range of securities of the Registrant owned by the Registrant’s portfolio managers as of December 31, 2023:
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| |
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Dollar Range of Securities Owned |
William F. Scapell |
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None |
Ben Morton |
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$10,001-$50,000 |
Elaine Zaharis-Nikas |
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None |
Tyler Rosenlicht |
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None |
Thuy Quynh Dang |
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None |
Conflicts of Interest. It is possible that conflicts of interest may arise in connection with the portfolio manager’s management of the Registrant’s investments on the one hand and the investments of other accounts or vehicles for which the portfolio managers are responsible on the other. For example, a portfolio manager may have conflicts of interest in allocating management time, resources and investment opportunities among the Registrant and the other accounts or vehicles he advises. In addition, due to differences in the investment strategies or restrictions among the Registrant and the other accounts, a portfolio manager may take action with respect to another account that differs from the action taken with respect to the Registrant.
In some cases, another account managed by a portfolio manager may provide more revenue to the Registrant’s investment advisor. While this may appear to create additional conflicts of interest for the portfolio manager in the allocation of management time, resources and investment opportunities, the investment advisor strives to ensure that portfolio managers endeavor to exercise their discretion in a manner that is equitable to all interested persons. In this regard, in the absence of specific account-related impediments (such as client-imposed restrictions or lack of available cash), it is the policy of the investment advisor to allocate investment ideas pro rata to all accounts with the same primary investment objective.
In addition, certain of the portfolio managers may from time to time manage one or more accounts on behalf of the Registrant’s investment advisor and its affiliated companies (the “CNS Accounts”). Certain securities held and traded in the CNS Accounts also may be held and traded in one or more client accounts. It is the policy of the Advisor however not to put the interests of the CNS Accounts ahead of the interests of client accounts. The Advisor may aggregate orders of client accounts with those of the CNS Accounts; however, under no circumstances will preferential treatment be given to the CNS Accounts. For all orders involving the CNS Accounts, purchases or sales will be allocated prior to trade placement, and orders that are only partially filled will be allocated across all accounts in proportion to the shares each account, including the CNS Accounts, was designated to receive prior to trading. As a result, it is expected that the CNS Accounts will receive the same average price as other accounts included in the aggregated order. Shares will not be allocated or re-allocated to the CNS Accounts after trade execution or after the average price is known. In the event so few shares of an order are executed that a pro-rata allocation is not practical, a rotational system of allocation may be used; however, the CNS Accounts will never be part of that rotation or receive shares of a partially filled order other than on a pro-rata basis.
Because certain CNS Accounts are managed with a cash management objective, it is possible that a security will be sold out of the CNS Accounts but continue to be held for one or more client accounts. In situations when this occurs, such security will remain in a client account only if the portfolio manager, acting in its reasonable judgment and consistent with its fiduciary duties, believes this is appropriate for, and consistent with the objectives and profile of, the client account.
Advisor Compensation Structure. Compensation of the investment advisor’s portfolio managers and other investment professionals has three primary components: (1) a base salary, (2) an annual cash bonus and (3) annual stock-based compensation consisting generally of restricted stock units of the investment advisor’s parent, CNS. The investment advisor’s investment professionals, including the portfolio managers, also receive certain retirement, insurance and other benefits that are broadly available to all of its employees. Compensation of the investment advisor’s investment professionals is reviewed primarily on an annual basis.
Method to Determine Compensation. The Registrant’s investment advisor compensates its portfolio managers based primarily on the total return performance of funds and accounts managed by the portfolio manager versus appropriate peer groups or benchmarks. C&S uses a variety of benchmarks to evaluate each portfolio managers’ performance for compensation purposes, including the FTSE Global Core Infrastructure 50/50 Net Tax Index, the ICE BofA Fixed-Rate Preferred Securities Index, the S&P 500 Index and other broad based indexes based on the asset classes managed by each portfolio manager. In evaluating the performance of a portfolio manager, primary emphasis is normally placed on one- and three-year performance, with secondary consideration of performance over longer periods of time. Performance is evaluated on a pre-tax and pre-expense basis. In addition to rankings within peer groups of funds on the basis of absolute performance, consideration may also be given to risk-adjusted performance. For funds and accounts with a primary investment objective of high current income, consideration will also be given to the fund’s and account’s success in achieving this objective. For portfolio managers responsible for multiple funds and accounts, investment performance is evaluated on an aggregate basis. The investment advisor has three funds or accounts with performance-based advisory fees. Portfolio managers are also evaluated on the basis of their success in managing their dedicated team of analysts. Base compensation for portfolio managers of the Advisor varies in line with the portfolio manager’s seniority and position with the firm.
Salaries, bonuses and stock-based compensation are also influenced by the operating performance of the Registrant’s investment advisor and CNS. While the annual salaries of the investment advisor’s portfolio managers are fixed, cash bonuses and stock based compensation may fluctuate significantly from year to year, based on changes in manager performance and other factors.
Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.
None.
Note: On December 12, 2023, the Board of Directors of the Fund approved continuation of the delegation of its authority to management to effect repurchases, pursuant to management’s discretion and subject to market conditions and investment considerations, of up to 10% of the Fund’s common shares outstanding (“Share Repurchase Program”) as of January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.
Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
There have been no material changes to the procedures by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the Registrant’s Board implemented after the Registrant last provided disclosure in response to this Item.
Item 11. Controls and Procedures.
(a) |
The Registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures are reasonably designed to ensure 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, based upon such officers’ evaluation of these controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report. |
(b) |
There were no changes in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the 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) |
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Registrant had the following dollar amounts of income and fees/compensation related to its securities lending activities: |
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Total |
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Gross income from securities lending activities |
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$1,989,484 |
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Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services |
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Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split |
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$596,845 |
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Fees paid for cash collateral management services (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) that are not included in the revenue split |
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— |
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Administrative fees that are not included in the revenue split |
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— |
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Indemnification fee not included in the revenue split |
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— |
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Rebates paid to borrowers; |
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— |
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Other fees relating to the securities lending program not included in the revenue split |
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— |
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Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities and related services |
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$596,845 |
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Net income from securities lending activities |
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$1,392,639 |
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(b) |
During the Registrants most recent fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, BNP Paribas (“BNPP”) served as the Registrant’s securities lending agent. |
As a securities lending agent, BNPP is responsible for the implementation and administration of the Registrant’s securities lending program. Pursuant to its respective Securities Lending Agreement (“Securities Lending Agreement”) with the Registrant, BNPP, as a general matter, performs various services, including the following:
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• |
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Monitoring daily the value of the loaned securities and collateral (i.e., the collateral posted by the party borrowing); |
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• |
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Negotiation of loan terms; |
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• |
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Selection of securities to be loaned; |
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• |
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Recordkeeping and account servicing; |
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• |
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Monitoring of dividend activity and material proxy votes relating to loaned securities, and; |
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• |
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Arranging for return of loaned securities to the Registrant at loan termination. |
BNPP is compensated for the above-described services from its securities lending revenue split. The table above shows what the Registrant earned and the fees and compensation it paid in connections with its securities lending activities during its most recent fiscal year.
Item 13. Exhibits.
(a)(1) Not applicable.
(a)(2) Certifications of principal executive officer and principal financial officer as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
(a)(3) Not applicable.
(a)(4) Not applicable.
(b) Certifications of principal executive officer and principal financial officer as required by Rule 30a-2(b) under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
(c) Registrant’s notices to shareholders pursuant to Registrant’s exemptive order granting an exemption from Section 19(b) of the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder regarding distributions pursuant to the Registrant’s Managed Distribution Plan.
(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.
COHEN & STEERS INFRASTRUCTURE FUND, INC.
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By: |
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/s/ James Giallanza |
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Name: James Giallanza Title: Principal Executive Officer (President and Chief Executive Officer) |
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Date: |
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March 8, 2024 |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
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By: |
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/s/ James Giallanza |
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Name: James Giallanza Title: Principal Executive Officer (President and Chief Executive Officer) |
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By: |
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/s/ Albert Laskaj |
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Name: Albert Laskaj Title: Principal Financial Officer (Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer) |
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Date: |
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March 8, 2024 |