SEC Form N-CSR filed by Nuveen Select Tax Free Income Portfolio

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Nuveen Select

Tax-Free

Income Portfolio

 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

Nuveen Investments

333 West Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

 

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

Mark L. Winget

Nuveen Investments

333 West Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

 

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

 

 

Form is to be used by management investment companies to file reports with the Commission not later than 10 days after the transmission to stockholders of any report that is required to be transmitted to stockholders under Rule under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR The Commission may use the information provided on Form in its regulatory, disclosure review, inspection, and policymaking roles.

A registrant is required to disclose the information specified by Form and the Commission will make this information public. A registrant is not required to respond to the collection of information contained in Form unless the Form displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) control number. Please direct comments concerning the accuracy of the information collection burden estimate and any suggestions for reducing the burden to Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549-0609. The OMB has reviewed this collection of information under the clearance requirements of 44 U.S.C. ss. 3507.

Nuveen Municipal

Closed-End Funds

 

 

 

 

Effective October 13, 2023, Steven Hlavin was added as a portfolio manager. There were no other changes to the portfolio management of the Fund during the reporting period.

Effective October 13, 2023, Stephen Candido, CFA, was added as a portfolio manager. There were no other changes to the portfolio management of the Fund during the reporting period.

As of May 1, 2024, each Fund’s overall complex-level fee begins at a maximum rate of 0.1600% of each Fund’s average daily managed assets, with breakpoints for eligible complex-level assets above $124.3 billion. Therefore, the maximum management fee rate for each Fund is the fund-level fee listed within this report plus 0.1600%.

Refer to the Notes to Financial Statements within this report for further details on the Funds’ management fees.

 

The U.S. economy was relatively resilient amid persistent inflationary pressure and elevated interest rates during the twelve-month period ended March 31, 2024. Gross domestic product rose at an annualized rate of 1.6% in the first quarter of 2024, slowing from 3.4% in the fourth quarter of 2023 and 2.5% in 2023 as a whole (from the 2022 annual level to the 2023 annual level), according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis advance estimate.

Inflation and central banks’ responses to it impacted investor sentiment during the reporting period. The Federal Reserve (Fed) raised the fed funds target rate to 5.25% to 5.50% in July 2023 and has maintained that level at subsequent meetings. During the reporting period, inflation rates continued to run hotter than the target levels set by the Fed and other major central banks, although price pressures moderated significantly from the post-pandemic highs in 2022. While the Fed’s rate hiking cycle (which began in March 2022) caused uncertainty, the Fed’s pause after July 2023 led to expectations that it would begin decreasing rates some time in 2024.

During the reporting period, elevated inflation and higher borrowing costs weighed on some segments of the economy, including the real estate market. Consumer spending, however, has remained more resilient than expected, in part because of a still-strong labor market, another key gauge of the economy’s health. As of March 2024, the unemployment rate was 3.8%, near its pre-pandemic low, with monthly job growth continuing to moderate from the faster pace earlier in the post-pandemic recovery. The strong labor market and wage gains helped the U.S. economy during the reporting period, even as the Fed sought to soften job growth to help curb inflation pressures.

Investors also continued to monitor government funding and deficits during the reporting period. The U.S. government avoided a default scenario after approving an increase to the debt ceiling limit in June 2023. At the same time, the potential for a government shutdown loomed but was ultimately avoided with funding resolutions passed in September and November 2023 and February 2024. Notably, in August 2023, ratings agency Fitch downgraded U.S. debt from AAA to AA+ based on concerns about the U.S.’s growing fiscal debt and reduced confidence in fiscal management.

The broad municipal bond market was impacted by interest rate volatility, economic uncertainty and shifting expectations about the Fed’s monetary policy during the reporting period. Municipal yields rose across the maturity spectrum, despite a steep decline in November-December 2023, when Treasury markets moved sharply to reassess the timing of potential Fed rate cuts and municipal yields followed in kind. The fourth quarter of 2023 saw one of the municipal bonds’ best rallies in several decades, which more than offset negative performance in much of the rest of the reporting period. Municipal credit fundamentals remained strong in the reporting period, and reduced supply issuance continued to be met with healthy demand, which helped municipal credit spreads narrow. This drove stronger performance in bonds lower down the credit ratings spectrum relative to the highest rated paper.

 

The Fund’s primary investment objective is current income exempt from regular federal income tax, consistent with the preservation of capital. Its secondary objective is the enhancement of portfolio value. The Fund invests in municipal securities that are exempt from federal income taxes and have varying maturities, targeting an overall intermediate duration profile. The Fund may use inverse floating rate securities to more efficiently implement its investment strategy to create up to 10% effective leverage. Inverse floating rate securities, sometimes referred to as “inverse floaters,” are the residual interest in a tender option bond (TOB) trust. These securities can be used for a variety of reasons, including duration management, income and total return enhancement. NIM had no effective leverage during the reporting period.

The Fund continued to pursue its investment objectives during the reporting period. The Fund modestly increased its exposure to single-family housing bonds, but there were no material changes to the Fund’s overall positioning.

For the twelve months ended March 31, 2024, the Nuveen Select Maturities Municipal Fund (NIM) outperformed the S&P Municipal Bond Intermediate Index. For the purposes of this Performance Commentary, references to relative performance are in comparison to the S&P Municipal Bond Intermediate Index.

During the reporting period, the primary contributor to the Fund’s relative performance was its longer duration and yield curve positioning, particularly an overweight to bonds with durations of 10 years and longer, which benefited from the municipal yield curve flattening. Additional contributors included the Fund’s overweight to lower rated, higher yielding bonds, including A, BBB and non-rated bonds, and overweights to revenue sectors with greater exposures to lower rated bonds, such as transportation, health care, industrial development revenue and tobacco. Corresponding underweights to tax-supported sectors, which lagged because of their primarily high credit quality (AAA and AA rated), were also advantageous. Individual security selection also contributed, including positions in Florida high-speed rail and Brightline Passenger Rail which continued to see ridership growth and expansion of its service, and several Puerto Rico and Illinois positions.

One of the contributors to the Fund’s outperformance was an equity holding in Vistra Vision Corp. (formerly Energy Harbor). The Fund received Energy Harbor common stock in 2020 as part of the bankruptcy restructuring of FirstEnergy Solutions, the predecessor of Energy Harbor and a former holding in the Fund. The stock price rose during the reporting period alongside rising energy prices and greater interest in low-carbon energy sources. On March 6, 2023, Vistra Corp. (NYSE: VST), an integrated retail electricity and power generation company, announced it had executed a definitive agreement with Energy Harbor to merge Energy Harbor into a newly formed subsidiary of Vistra named Vistra Vision. In connection with the transaction, Nuveen Funds and accounts received a combination of cash and shares in Vistra Vision. As Nuveen anticipated, these shares were issued in a private transaction and may have reduced secondary market liquidity. For additional information, please refer to footnotes in the Portfolio of Investments section of this report.

There were no material detractors from relative performance during the reporting period.

The Fund’s primary investment objective is current income exempt from regular federal income tax, consistent with preservation of capital. The Fund invests in municipal securities that are exempt from federal income taxes. The Fund invests primarily in municipal securities that are either rated investment grade at the time of investment, or, if they are unrated, are judged by the manager to be of comparable quality. The Fund may use inverse floating rate securities to more efficiently implement its investment strategy to create up to 10% effective leverage. Inverse floating rate securities, sometimes referred to as “inverse floaters,” are the residual interest in a tender option bond (TOB) trust. These securities can be used for a variety of reasons, including duration management, income and total return enhancement. NXP had no effective leverage during the reporting period.

During the reporting period, the portfolio management team remained focused on pursuing the Fund’s investment objectives and continued to seek opportunities to support the Fund’s income earnings. The Fund modestly extended its overall duration in the fall of 2023 when prevailing interest rates were higher. Otherwise, there were no material changes to the portfolio’s overall positioning.

 

 

For the twelve months ended March 31, 2024, the Nuveen Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio (NXP) outperformed the S&P Municipal Bond Index. For the purposes of this Performance Commentary, references to relative performance are in comparison to the S&P Municipal Bond Index.

During the reporting period, the primary contributor to the Fund’s relative performance was its longer duration and yield curve positioning, particularly its overweight to bonds with durations of 10 years and longer, which benefited from the municipal yield curve flattening. The Fund also benefited from an overweight and security selection in the dedicated tax sector, where the Fund held long duration bonds that outperformed, and an overweight and security selection in the other transportation sector, where a position in the Florida high-speed rail, Brightline Passenger Rail, was a top contributor. Brightline continued to see ridership growth and expansion of its service. Additionally, the Fund’s overweights to lower rated, higher yielding credit (primarily A, BBB and BB rated) helped drive outperformance as credit spreads narrowed.

One of the contributors to the Fund’s outperformance was an equity holding in Vistra Vision and its predecessor Energy Harbor. The Fund received Energy Harbor common stock in 2020 as part of the bankruptcy restructuring of FirstEnergy Solutions, the predecessor of Energy Harbor and a former holding in the Fund. The stock price rose during the reporting period alongside rising energy prices and greater interest in low-carbon energy sources. On March 6, 2023, Vistra Corp. (NYSE: VST), an integrated retail electricity and power generation company, announced it had executed a definitive agreement with Energy Harbor to merge Energy Harbor into a newly formed subsidiary of Vistra named Vistra Vision. In connection with the transaction, Nuveen Funds and accounts received a combination of cash and shares in Vistra Vision. As Nuveen anticipated, these shares were issued in a private transaction and may have reduced secondary market liquidity. For additional information, please refer to footnotes in the Portfolio of Investments section of this report.

Partially offsetting the Fund’s outperformance were its holdings in non-rated bonds, which were considerably shorter duration than the index and detracted from relative performance because shorter-duration bonds lagged longer-duration structures. The Fund’s underweight to the industrial development revenue sector also detracted, as the sector performed well during the reporting period.

 

 

 

The following information regarding the Funds’ distributions is current as of March 31, 2024. Each Fund’s distribution levels may vary over time based on each Fund’s investment activity and portfolio investment value changes.

During the current reporting period, each Fund’s distributions to common shareholders were as shown in the accompanying table.

 

 

Each Fund sought to pay regular monthly dividends out of its net investment income at a rate that reflected its past and projected net income performance. To permit each Fund to maintain a more stable monthly dividend, the Fund paid dividends at a rate that may be more or less than the amount of net income actually earned by the Fund during the period. Distributions to common shareholders are determined on a tax basis, which may differ from amounts recorded in the accounting records. In instances where the monthly dividend exceeds the earned net investment income, the Fund reported a negative undistributed net ordinary income. Refer to the Notes to Financial Statements for additional information regarding the amounts of undistributed net ordinary income and undistributed net capital gains and the character of the actual distributions paid by the Fund during the period.

On October 23, 2023, the Funds’ Board of Trustees (the “Board”) updated each Fund’s distribution policy. Effective for distributions payable on December 1, 2023, each Fund’s distribution policy, which may be changed by the Board, is to make regular monthly cash distributions to holders of its common shares (stated in terms of a fixed cents per common share dividend distribution rate which may be set from time to time). The Fund intends to distribute all or substantially all of its net investment income through its regular monthly distribution and to distribute realized capital gains at least annually. In addition, in any monthly period, to maintain its declared per common share distribution amount, the Fund may distribute more or less than its net investment income during the period. In the event the Fund distributes more than its net investment income during any yearly period, such distributions may also include realized gains and/or a return of capital. To the extent that a distribution includes a return of capital the NAV per share may erode. If the Fund’s distribution includes anything other than net investment income, the Fund will provide a notice to shareholders of its best estimate of the distribution sources at that the time of the distribution. These estimates may not match the final tax characterization (for the full year’s distributions) contained forms after the end of the year.

The Nuveen Closed-End Funds’ monthly and quarterly periodic distributions to shareholders are posted on www.nuveen.com and can be found on Nuveen’s enhanced closed-end fund resource page, which is at https://www.nuveen.com/resource-center-

 

 

closed-end-funds, along with other Nuveen closed-end fund product updates. To ensure timely access to the latest information, shareholders may use a subscribe function, which can be activated at this web page (https://www.nuveen.com/subscriptions).

The Nuveen Closed-End Funds’ monthly and quarterly periodic distributions to shareholders are posted on www.nuveen.com and can be found on Nuveen’s enhanced closed-end fund resource page which is at https://www.nuveen.com/resource-center-closedend funds, along with other Nuveen closed-end fund product updates. To ensure timely access to the latest information, shareholders may use a subscribe function, which can be activated at this web page (https://www.nuveen.com/subscriptions).

 

 

During the current reporting period, NXP sold common shares through its Shelf Offering at a weighted average premium to their NAV per common share as shown in the accompanying table.

 

Refer to Notes to Financial Statements, for further details of Shelf Offerings and each Fund’s transactions

The Funds’ Board of Trustees reauthorized an open-market share repurchase program, allowing each Fund to repurchase and retire an aggregate of up to approximately 10% of its outstanding common shares.

During the current reporting period, the Funds did not repurchase any of their outstanding common shares. As of March 31, 2024, (and since the inception of the Funds’ repurchase programs), each Fund has cumulatively repurchased and retired its outstanding common shares as shown in the accompanying table.

 

As of March 31, 2024, the Funds’ common share prices were trading at a premium/(discount) to their common share NAVs and trading at an average premium/(discount) to NAV during the current reporting period, as follows:

 

 

An index containing bonds in the S&P Municipal Bond Index that mature between 3 and 15 years. Index returns assume reinvestment of distributions, but do not reflect any applicable sales charges or management fees.

 

Refer to the Glossary of Terms Used in this Report for further definition of the terms used within this section.

 

 

Performance data shown represents past performance and does not predict or guarantee future results. Current performance may be higher or lower than the data shown. Returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that shareholders may have to pay on Fund distributions or upon the sale of Fund shares. Returns at NAV are net of Fund expenses, and assume reinvestment of distributions. Comparative index return information is provided for the Fund’s shares at NAV only. Indexes are not available for direct investment.

 

Growth of an Assumed $10,000 Investment as of March 31, 2024 -

 

 

 

For financial reporting purposes, the ratings disclosed are the highest rating given by one of the following national rating agencies: Standard & Poor’s Group, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or Fitch, Inc. This treatment of split-rated securities may differ from that used for other purposes, such as for Fund investment policies. Credit ratings are subject to change. AAA, AA, A and BBB are investment grade ratings; BB, B, CCC, CC, C and D are below-investment grade ratings. Holdings designated N/R are not rated by these national rating agencies.

 

Fund Allocation (% of net assets)
Municipal Bonds			95.1%
Common Stocks			3.3%
Asset-Backed and Mortgage-Backed Securities			0.4%
Short-Term Municipal Bonds			3.5%
Other Assets & Liabilities, Net			(2.3)%
Net Assets			100%

Bond Credit Quality (% of total investment exposure)
U.S. Guaranteed			3.6%
AAA			10.5%
AA			32.1%
A			23.2%
BBB			10.9%
BB or Lower			7.2%
N/R (not rated)			9.2%
N/A (not applicable)			3.3%
Total			100%

Portfolio Composition (% of total investments)
Tax Obligation/General			16.6%
Transportation			15.8%
Utilities			14.0%
Housing/Single Family			11.5%
Tax Obligation/Limited			10.9%
Health Care			10.8%
U.S. Guaranteed			3.6%
Other			13.2%
Common Stocks			3.2%
Asset-Backed and Mortgage-Backed Securities			0.4%
Total			100%

States and Territories 1 (% of total municipal bonds)
Illinois			8.6%
California			8.5%
Texas			7.0%
New York			6.4%
Ohio			6.1%
Wisconsin			4.5%
New Jersey			4.2%
Pennsylvania			3.7%
Colorado			3.7%
Florida			3.5%
Louisiana			3.1%
Puerto Rico			2.8%
Washington			2.3%
Oklahoma			2.2%
Michigan			2.1%
Tennessee			2.1%
North Carolina			2.0%
Georgia			1.8%
Indiana			1.8%
Alabama			1.4%
Nebraska			1.3%
Kentucky			1.3%
Arizona			1.3%
District of Columbia			1.3%
Connecticut			1.3%
Other			15.7%
Total			100%

 

 

Refer to the Glossary of Terms Used in this Report for further definition of the terms used within this section.

 

 

Performance data shown represents past performance and does not predict or guarantee future results. Current performance may be higher or lower than the data shown. Returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that shareholders may have to pay on Fund distributions or upon the sale of Fund shares. Returns at NAV are net of Fund expenses, and assume reinvestment of distributions. Comparative index return information is provided for the Fund’s shares at NAV only. Indexes are not available for direct investment.

 

Growth of an Assumed $10,000 Investment as of March 31, 2024 -

 

 

 

For financial reporting purposes, the ratings disclosed are the highest rating given by one of the following national rating agencies: Standard & Poor’s Group, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or Fitch, Inc. This treatment of split-rated securities may differ from that used for other purposes, such as for Fund investment policies. Credit ratings are subject to change. AAA, AA, A and BBB are investment grade ratings; BB, B, CCC, CC, C and D are below-investment grade ratings. Holdings designated N/R are not rated by these national rating agencies.

 

Fund Allocation (% of net assets)
Municipal Bonds			98.6%
Common Stocks			0.9%
Other Assets & Liabilities, Net			0.5%
Net Assets			100%

Bond Credit Quality (% of total investment exposure)
U.S. Guaranteed			4.6%
AAA			7.2%
AA			44.2%
A			28.7%
BBB			6.5%
BB or Lower			2.7%
N/R (not rated)			5.2%
N/A (not applicable)			0.9%
Total			100%

Portfolio Composition (% of total investments)
Tax Obligation/Limited			27.8%
Tax Obligation/General			20.2%
Transportation			19.5%
Health Care			9.9%
Education and Civic Organizations			8.4%
Utilities			7.3%
U.S. Guaranteed			4.6%
Other			1.4%
Common Stocks			0.9%
Total			100%

States and Territories 1 (% of total municipal bonds)
California			17.2%
Colorado			8.8%
Illinois			8.5%
Texas			8.1%
New Jersey			5.5%
Washington			5.2%
Massachusetts			4.6%
Idaho			3.9%
New York			3.8%
Arizona			3.0%
Florida			3.0%
Oregon			2.7%
Connecticut			2.7%
Missouri			2.7%
Puerto Rico			2.5%
Michigan			1.6%
Guam			1.5%
District of Columbia			1.5%
Indiana			1.4%
Nebraska			1.3%
Other			10.5%
Total			100%

 

 

Nuveen Select Maturities Municipal Fund and Nuveen Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio:

We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities of Nuveen Select Maturities Municipal Fund and Nuveen Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio (the Funds), including the portfolios of investments, as of March 31, 2024, the related statements of operations for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the years in the two year period then ended, and the related notes (collectively, the financial statements) and the financial highlights for each of the years in the five year period then ended. In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Funds as of March 31, 2024, the results of their operations for the year then ended, the changes in their net assets for each of the years in the two year period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the years in the five year period then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Funds’ management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights 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 Funds in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights 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 and financial highlights, 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 and financial highlights. Such procedures also included confirmation of securities owned as of March 31, 2024, by correspondence with custodians and brokers; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. 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 and financial highlights. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ KPMG LLP

We have served as the auditor of one or more Nuveen investment companies since 2014.

Chicago, Illinois

May 24, 2024