Calamos Convertible Opportunities and Income Fund, et al.; Notice of Application, 60733-60737 [E8-24242]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 199 / Tuesday, October 14, 2008 / Notices
12(a) of the Exchange Act specifically,
the Commission receive notification of
any securities that are permitted to trade
on an exchange pursuant to the
temporary exemption under Rule 12a–5.
Without the Rule and the Form, the
Commission would be unable fully to
implement these statutory
responsibilities.
There are currently eleven national
securities exchanges subject to Rule
12a–5. The Commission staff estimates
that there could be one Form 26 filed
every five years. The reporting burdens
are not typically spread evenly among
the exchanges. For purposes of this
analysis of burden, however, the
Commission staff has assumed that each
exchange files an equal number of Form
26 notifications. Each notification
requires approximately 20 minutes to
complete. Accordingly, the Commission
staff estimates the annual aggregate
compliance burden for all respondents
in a given year would be approximately
4 minutes (20 minutes/report × .2
reports/year = 4 minutes), and for each
respondent the annual compliance
burden would be approximately .36
minutes (4 minutes/respondent ÷ 11
respondents = .36 minutes), or .006
hours.
Based on the most recent available
information, the Commission staff
estimates that the cost to respondents of
completing a notification on Form 26 is,
on average, $43.23 per response.
Therefore, the Commission staff
estimates that the total annual related
reporting cost per respondent is $.86
(.02 responses/respondent/year × $43.23
cost/response), for a total annual related
cost to all respondents of $9.46 ($.86
cost/respondent × 11 respondents).
Written comments are invited on: (a)
Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
Commission, including whether the
information shall have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the Commission’s
estimates of the burden of the proposed
collection of information; (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of the information to be collected; and
(d) ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on
respondents, including through the use
of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Consideration will be given to
comments and suggestions submitted in
writing within 60 days of this
publication.
Comments should be directed to
Lewis W. Walker, Acting Director/Chief
Information Officer, Securities and
Exchange Commission, c/o Shirley
Martinson, 6432 General Green Way,
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Alexandria, VA 22312 or send an e-mail
to: PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov.
Dated: October 6, 2008.
Florence E. Harmon,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8–24235 Filed 10–10–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
Proposed Collection; Comment
Request
Upon Written Request, Copy Available
From: Securities and Exchange
Commission, Office of Investor
Education and Advocacy,
Washington, DC 20549–0213.
Extension:
Form N–54A; SEC File No. 270–182; OMB
Control No. 3235–0237.
Notice is hereby given that, pursuant
to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the
‘‘Commission’’) is soliciting comments
on the collection of information
summarized below. The Commission
plans to submit this existing collection
of information to the Office of
Management and Budget for extension
and approval.
• Form N–54A (17 CFR 274.53) under
the Investment Company Act of 1940
(15 U.S.C. 80a–1 et seq.) (the ‘‘Act’’);
Notification of Election to be Subject to
Sections 55 through 65 of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (15
U.S.C. 80a–54 through 64) Filed
Pursuant to Section 54(a) of the Act (15
U.S.C. 80a–53(a)).
Form N–54A is a notification to the
Commission of election to be regulated
as a business development company. A
company making such an election only
has to file a Form N–54A once.
It is estimated that approximately 6
respondents per year file with the
Commission a Form N–54A. Form N–
54A requires approximately 0.5 burden
hours per response resulting from
creating and filing the information
required by the Form. The total burden
hours for Form N–54A would be 3.0
hours per year in the aggregate. The
estimated annual burden of 3.0 hours
represents a decrease of 20.0 hours over
the prior estimate of 23.0 hours. The
decrease in burden hours is attributable
to a decrease in the number of
respondents from 46 to 6.
The estimate of average burden hours
for Form N–54A is made solely for the
purposes of the PRA and is not derived
from a comprehensive or even
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representative survey or study of the
costs of Commission rules and forms.
Written comments are invited on: (a)
Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of the burden of the collection of
information; (c) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information collected; and (d) ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of
information on respondents, including
through the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology. Consideration will be given
to comments and suggestions submitted
in writing within 60 days of this
publication.
Please direct your written comments
to Lewis W. Walker, Acting Director/
CIO, Securities and Exchange
Commission, C/O Shirley Martinson,
6432 General Green Way, Alexandria,
VA 22312; or send an e-mail to:
PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov.
Dated: October 6, 2008.
Florence E. Harmon,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8–24239 Filed 10–10–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No.
28435; 812–13063]
Calamos Convertible Opportunities
and Income Fund, et al.; Notice of
Application
October 7, 2008.
Securities and Exchange
Commission (‘‘Commission’’).
ACTION: Notice of application under
section 6(c) of the Investment Company
Act of 1940 (‘‘Act’’) for an exemption
from section 19(b) of the Act and rule
19b–1 under the Act.
AGENCY:
Summary of Application: Applicants
request an order to permit certain
closed-end investment companies to
make periodic distributions of long-term
capital gains with respect to their
outstanding common stock as frequently
as twelve times each year, and as
frequently as distributions are specified
by or in accordance with the terms of
any outstanding preferred stock that
such investment companies may issue.
Applicants: Calamos Convertible
Opportunities and Income Fund,
Calamos Convertible and High Income
Fund, Calamos Strategic Total Return
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Fund, Calamos Global Total Return
Fund, and Calamos Global Dynamic
Income Fund (collectively, the ‘‘Funds’’)
and Calamos Advisors LLC (the
‘‘Adviser’’).
Filing Dates: January 27, 2004, March
16, 2007 and July 24, 2008.
Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An
order granting the application will be
issued unless the Commission orders a
hearing. Interested persons may request
a hearing by writing to the
Commission’s Secretary and serving
applicants with a copy of the request,
personally or by mail. Hearing requests
should be received by the Commission
by 5:30 p.m. on November 3, 2008, and
should be accompanied by proof of
service on applicants, in the form of an
affidavit or, for lawyers, a certificate of
service. Hearing requests should state
the nature of the writer’s interest, the
reason for the request, and the issues
contested. Persons who wish to be
notified of a hearing may request
notification by writing to the
Commission’s Secretary.
ADDRESSES: Secretary, Securities and
Exchange Commission, 100 F Street,
NE., Washington, DC 20549–1090;
Applicants, 2020 Calamos Court,
Naperville, IL 60563.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Wendy Friedlander, Senior Counsel, at
(202) 551–6837, or James M. Curtis,
Branch Chief, at (202) 551–6825
(Division of Investment Management,
Office of Chief Counsel).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
following is a summary of the
application. The complete application
may be obtained for a fee at the
Commission’s Public Reference Room,
100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC
20549–1520 (telephone (202) 551–5850).
Applicants’ Representations
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1. The Funds are registered closedend investment companies organized as
Delaware statutory trusts.1 The common
stock issued by each Fund is listed and
traded on the New York Stock
Exchange. The Funds had issued
auction rate preferred (‘‘ARP’’) stock,
most of which they have redeemed;
applicants are exploring means to
redeem the remaining outstanding ARP
1 Applicants request that any order issued
granting the relief requested in the application also
apply to any closed-end investment company that
in the future: (a) Is advised by the Adviser
(including any successor in interest) or by any
entity controlling, controlled by, or under common
control (within the meaning of section 2(a)(9) of the
Act) with the Adviser; and (b) complies with the
terms and conditions of the requested order. A
successor in interest is limited to entities that result
from a reorganization into another jurisdiction or a
change in the type of business organization.
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stock. In the future, applicants may
issue other preferred stock. Applicants
believe that the Funds’ common
stockholders desire current income
periodically and may favor a fixed
distribution policy.
2. The Adviser is registered under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and is
responsible for the overall management
of each Fund.
3. Applicants represent that Board of
Trustees (the ‘‘Board’’) of each of the
Funds, including a majority of the
members who were not ‘‘interested
persons’’ of the Fund as defined in
Section 2(a)(19) of the Act (the
‘‘Independent Trustees’’), requested,
and the Adviser provided, such
information as was reasonably necessary
to an informed determination of
whether the Board should adopt a
proposed distribution plan. In
particular, the Board and the
Independent Trustees reviewed
information regarding the purpose and
terms of a proposed distribution policy,
the likely effects of such policy on such
Fund’s long-term total return (in
relation to market price and net asset
value (‘‘NAV’’) per common share) and
the relationship between such Fund’s
distribution rate on its common stock
under the policy and such Fund’s total
return (in relation to net asset value per
share); whether the rate of distribution
would exceed such Fund’s expected
total return in relation to its NAV per
share; and any foreseeable material
effects of such policy on such Fund’s
long-term total return (in relation to
market price and NAV per share). The
Independent Trustees also considered
what conflicts of interest the Adviser
and the affiliated persons of the Adviser
and each such Fund might have with
respect to the adoption or
implementation of such policy. After
considering such information the Board,
including the Independent Trustees, of
each Fund approved a distribution
policy with respect to its common stock
(the ‘‘Plan’’) and determined that such
Plan is consistent with such Fund’s
investment objectives and in the best
interests of such Fund’s common
stockholders.
4. Applicants state that the purpose of
the Plan of each Fund is to permit such
Fund to distribute, over the course of
each year, through periodic
distributions as nearly equal as
practicable and any required special
distributions, an amount closely
approximating the total taxable income
of such Fund during such year and, if
so determined by its Board, all or a
portion of the returns of capital paid by
portfolio companies to such Fund
during such year. Applicants represent
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that under the Plan of each Fund, each
such Fund would distribute to its
respective common stockholders a fixed
monthly percentage of the market price
of such Fund’s common stock at a
particular point in time or a fixed
monthly percentage of NAV per share at
a particular time or a fixed monthly
amount, any of which may be adjusted
from time to time. Applicants represent
that under each Plan, the minimum
annual distribution rate with respect to
such Fund’s common stock would be
independent of the Fund’s performance
during any particular period but would
be expected to correlate with the Fund’s
performance over time. Applicants
explain that, except for extraordinary
distributions and potential increases or
decreases in the final dividend periods
in light of the Fund’s performance for
the entire calendar year and to enable
the Fund to comply with the
distribution requirements of Subchapter
M of the Internal Revenue of 1986 (the
‘‘Code’’) for the calendar year, each
distribution on the common stock
would be at the stated rate then in
effect. Applicants expect that over time
the NAV distribution rate with respect
to a Fund’s common stock will
approximately equal that Fund’s total
return on NAV.
5. Applicants state that prior to
relying on the order requested in this
application and implementing the Plan,
the Board of each Fund will approve
and adopt policies and procedures
under Rule 38a–1 that are reasonably
designed to ensure that all notices
required to be sent to the Fund’s
shareholders pursuant to Section 19(a)
of the Act, Rule 19a–1 thereunder and
condition II below, and all other written
communications by a Fund or its agents
regarding distributions under the Plan
(‘‘Notices’’) comply with condition II
below, and all other written
communications by a Fund or its agents
regarding distributions under the Plan
include the disclosure required by
condition III below. Applicants state
that the Board of each Fund also will
adopt policies and procedures that will
require the Fund to keep records that
demonstrate the Fund’s compliance
with all of the conditions of the
requested order and that are necessary
for such Fund to form the basis for, and
demonstrate the calculation of, the
amounts disclosed in its Notices.
Applicants’ Legal Analysis
1. Section 19(b) generally makes it
unlawful for any registered investment
company (‘‘fund’’) to make long-term
capital gains distributions more than
once each year. Rule 19b–1 limits the
number of capital gains dividends, as
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defined in section 852(b)(3)(C) of the
Code (‘‘distributions’’), that a fund may
make with respect to any one taxable
year to one, plus a supplemental ‘‘clean
up’’ distribution made pursuant to
section 855 of the Code not exceeding
10% of the total amount distributed for
the year, plus one additional capital
gain dividend made in whole or in part
to avoid the excise tax under section
4982 of the Code.
2. Section 6(c) provides that the
Commission may, by order upon
application, conditionally or
unconditionally exempt any person,
security, or transaction, or any class or
classes of persons, securities or
transactions, from any provision of the
Act, if and to the extent that the
exemption is necessary or appropriate
in the public interest and consistent
with the protection of investors and the
purposes fairly intended by the policy
and provisions of the Act.
3. Applicants state that the one of the
concerns underlying section 19(b) and
rule 19b–1 is that stockholders might be
unable to differentiate between regular
distributions of capital gains and
distributions of investment income.
Applicants state, however, that rule
19a–1 effectively addresses this concern
by requiring that a separate statement
showing the sources of a distribution
(e.g., estimated net income, net shortterm capital gains, net long-term capital
gains and/or return of capital)
accompany any distributions (or the
confirmation of the reinvestment of
distributions) estimated to be sourced in
part from capital gains or capital.
Applicants state that the same
information also is included in each
Fund’s annual reports to stockholders
and on its IRS Form 1099–DIV, which
is sent to each common and preferred
stockholder who received distributions
during the year.
4. Applicants further state that each
Fund will make the additional
disclosures required by the conditions
set forth below, and each of them will
adopt compliance policies and
procedures in accordance with rule
38a–1 to ensure that all required Notices
and disclosures are sent to stockholders.
Applicants argue that by providing the
information required by section 19(a)
and rule 19a–1, and by complying with
the procedures adopted under each Plan
and the conditions listed below, the
Funds would ensure that each Fund’s
stockholders are provided sufficient
information to understand that their
periodic distributions are not tied to the
Fund’s NAV (which for this purpose is
the Fund’s taxable income other than
from capital gains) and realized capital
gains to date, and may not represent
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yield or investment return. Applicants
also state that compliance with each
Fund’s compliance procedures and
condition III set forth below will ensure
that prospective stockholders and third
parties are provided with the same
information. Accordingly, applicants
assert that continuing to subject the
Funds to section 19(b) and rule 19b–1
would afford stockholders no extra
protection.
5. Applicants note that section 19(b)
and rule 19b–1 also were intended to
prevent certain improper sales practices,
including, in particular, the practice of
urging an investor to purchase shares of
a fund on the basis of an upcoming
capital gains dividend (‘‘selling the
dividend’’), where the dividend would
result in an immediate corresponding
reduction in NAV and would be in
effect a taxable return of the investor’s
capital. Applicants assert that the
‘‘selling the dividend’’ concern should
not apply to closed-end investment
companies, such as the Funds, which do
not continuously distribute shares.
According to Applicants, if the
underlying concern extends to
secondary market purchases of stock of
closed-end funds that are subject to a
large upcoming capital gains
distribution, adoption of a Plan actually
helps minimize the concern by
avoiding, through periodic
distributions, any buildup of large endof-the-year distributions.
6. Applicants also note that common
stock of closed-end funds that invest
primarily in equity securities often
trades in the marketplace at a discount
to its NAV. Applicants believe that this
discount may be reduced for closed-end
funds that pay relatively frequent
distributions on their common stock at
a consistent rate, whether or not those
distributions contain an element of
long-term capital gain.
7. Applicants assert that the
application of rule 19b–1 to a Plan
actually could have an undesirable
influence on portfolio management
decisions. Applicants state that, in the
absence of an exemption from rule 19b–
1, the implementation of a Plan imposes
pressure on management (i) not to
realize any net long-term capital gains
until the point in the year that the fund
can pay all of its remaining distributions
in accordance with rule 19b–1, and (ii)
not to realize any long-term capital
gains during any particular year in
excess of the amount of the aggregate
pay-out for the year (since as a practical
matter excess gains must be distributed
and accordingly would not be available
to satisfy pay-out requirements in
following years), notwithstanding that
purely investment considerations might
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favor realization of long-term gains at
different times or in different amounts.
Applicants thus assert that the
limitation on the number of capital gain
distributions that a fund may make with
respect to any one year imposed by rule
19b–1, may prevent the efficient
operation of a Plan whenever that fund’s
realized net long-term capital gains in
any year exceed the total of the periodic
distributions that may include such
capital gains under the rule.
8. In addition, Applicants assert that
rule 19b–1 may cause fixed regular
periodic distributions under a Plan to be
funded with returns of capital 2 (to the
extent net investment income and
realized short-term capital gains are
insufficient to fund the distribution),
even though realized net long-term
capital gains otherwise could be
available. To distribute all of a fund’s
long-term capital gains within the limits
in rule 19b–1, a fund may be required
to make total distributions in excess of
the annual amount called for by its Plan,
or to retain and pay taxes on the excess
amount. Applicants thus assert that the
requested order would minimize these
effects of rule 19b–1 by enabling the
Funds to realize long-term capital gains
as often as investment considerations
dictate without fear of violating rule
19b–1.
9. Applicants state that Revenue
Ruling 89–81 under the Code requires
that a fund that has both common stock
and preferred stock outstanding
designate the types of income, e.g.,
investment income and capital gains, in
the same proportion as the total
distributions distributed to each class
for the tax year. To satisfy the
proportionate designation requirements
of Revenue Ruling 89–81, whenever a
fund has realized a long-term capital
gain with respect to a given tax year, the
fund must designate the required
proportionate share of such capital gain
to be included in common and preferred
stock dividends. Applicants state that
although rule 19b–1 allows a fund some
flexibility with respect to the frequency
of capital gains distributions, a fund
might use all of the exceptions available
under the rule for a tax year and still
need to distribute additional capital
gains allocated to the preferred stock to
comply with Revenue Ruling 89–81.
10. Applicants assert that the
potential abuses addressed by section
19(b) and rule 19b–1 do not arise with
respect to preferred stock issued by a
closed-end fund. Applicants assert that
such distributions are fixed or
2 Returns of capital as used in the application
means return of capital for financial accounting
purposes and not for tax accounting purposes.
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determined in periodic auctions by
reference to short-term interest rates
rather than by reference to performance
of the issuer and Revenue Ruling 89–81
determines the proportion of such
distributions that are comprised of longterm capital gains.
11. Applicants also submit that the
‘‘selling the dividend’’ concern is not
applicable to preferred stock, which
entitles a holder to no more than a
periodic dividend at a fixed rate or the
rate determined by the market, and, like
a debt security, is priced based upon its
liquidation value, credit quality, and
frequency of payment. Applicants state
that investors buy preferred shares for
the purpose of receiving payments at the
frequency bargained for, and do not
expect the liquidation value of their
shares to change.
12. Applicants request an order under
section 6(c) granting an exemption from
the provisions of section 19(b) and rule
19b–1 to permit each Fund’s common
stock to distribute periodic capital gains
dividends (as defined in section
852(b)(3)(C) of the Code) as often as
monthly in any one taxable year in
respect of its common stock and as often
as specified by or determined in
accordance with the terms thereof in
respect of its preferred shares.3
Applicants’ Conditions
Applicants agree that, with respect to
each Fund seeking to rely on the order,
the order will be subject to the following
conditions:
I. Compliance Review and Reporting.
The Fund’s chief compliance officer
will: (a) Report to the Fund’s Board, no
less frequently than once every three
months or at the next regularly
scheduled quarterly Board meeting,
whether (i) the Fund and the Adviser
have complied with the conditions in
the requested order, and (ii) a Material
Compliance Matter, as defined in rule
38a–1(e)(2), has occurred with respect to
compliance with such conditions; and
(b) review the adequacy of the policies
and procedures adopted by the Fund no
less frequently than annually.
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II. Disclosures to Fund Stockholders:
A. Each Notice to the holders of the
fund’s common stock, in addition to the
information required by section 19(a)
and rule 19a–1:
1. Will provide, in a tabular or
graphical format:
3 Applicants state that a future fund that relies on
the requested order will satisfy each of the
representations in the application except that such
representations will be made in respect of actions
by the Board of such future fund and will be made
at a future time.
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(a) The amount of the distribution, on
a per common share basis, together with
the amounts of such distribution
amount, on a per common share basis
and as a percentage of such distribution
amount, from estimated: (A) Net
investment income; (B) net realized
short-term capital gains; (C) net realized
long-term capital gains; and (D) return
of capital or other capital source;
(b) the fiscal year-to-date cumulative
amount of distributions, on a per
common share basis, together with the
amounts of such cumulative amount, on
a per common share basis and as a
percentage of such cumulative amount
of distributions, from estimated: (A) Net
investment income; (B) net realized
short-term capital gains; (C) net realized
long-term capital gains; and (D) return
of capital or other capital source;
(c) the average annual total return in
relation to the change in NAV for the
5-year period (or, if the Fund’s history
of operations is less than five years, the
time period commencing immediately
following the Fund’s first public
offering) ending on the last day of the
month prior to the most recent
distribution record date compared to the
current fiscal period’s annualized
distribution rate expressed as a
percentage of NAV as of the last day of
the month prior to the most recent
distribution record date; and
(d) the cumulative total return in
relation to the change in NAV from the
last completed fiscal year to the last day
of the month prior to the most recent
distribution record date compared to the
fiscal year-to-date cumulative
distribution rate expressed as a
percentage of NAV as of the last day of
the month prior to the most recent
distribution record date.
Such disclosure shall be made in a
type size at least as large and as
prominent as the estimate of the sources
of the current distribution; and
2. will include the following
disclosure:
(a) ‘‘You should not draw any
conclusions about the Fund’s
investment performance from the
amount of this distribution or from the
terms of the Fund’s Plan’’;
(b) ‘‘The Fund estimates that it has
distributed more than its income and
net realized capital gains; therefore, a
portion of your distribution may be a
return of capital. A return of capital may
occur for example, when some or all of
the money that you invested in the
Fund is paid back to you. A return of
capital distribution does not necessarily
reflect the Fund’s investment
performance and should not be
confused with ‘yield’ or ‘income’ ’’; and
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(c) ‘‘The amounts and sources of
distributions reported in this Notice are
only estimates and are not being
provided for tax reporting purposes. The
actual amounts and sources of the
amounts for [accounting and] tax
reporting purposes will depend upon
the Fund’s investment experience
during the remainder of its fiscal year
and may be subject to changes based on
tax regulations. The Fund will send you
a Form 1099–DIV for the calendar year
that will tell you how to report these
distributions for federal income tax
purposes.’’
Such disclosure shall be made in a
type size at least as large as and as
prominent as any other information in
the Notice and placed on the same page
in close proximity to the amount and
the sources of the distribution.
B. On the inside front cover of each
report to stockholders under rule
30e–1 under the Act, the Fund will:
1. Describe the terms of the Plan
(including the fixed amount or fixed
percentage of the distributions and the
frequency of the distributions);
2. include the disclosure required by
condition II.A.2.a above;
3. state, if applicable, that the Plan
provides that the Board may amend or
terminate the Plan at any time without
prior notice to Fund stockholders; and
4. describe any reasonably foreseeable
circumstances that might cause the
Fund to terminate the Plan and any
reasonably foreseeable consequences of
such termination.
C. Each report provided to
stockholders under rule 30e–1 and each
prospectus filed with the Commission
on Form N–2 under the Act, will
provide the Fund’s total return in
relation to changes in NAV in the
financial highlights table and in any
discussion about the Fund’s total return.
III. Disclosure to Stockholders,
Prospective Stockholders and Third
Parties:
A. The Fund will include the
information contained in the relevant
Notice, including the disclosure
required by condition II.A.2 above, in
any written communication (other than
a Form 1099) about the Plan or
distributions under the Plan by the
Fund, or agents that the Fund has
authorized to make such
communication on the Fund’s behalf, to
any Fund common stockholder,
prospective common stockholder or
third-party information provider;
B. The Fund will issue,
contemporaneously with the issuance of
any Notice, a press release containing
the information in the Notice and will
file with the Commission the
E:\FR\FM\14OCN1.SGM
14OCN1
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 199 / Tuesday, October 14, 2008 / Notices
information contained in such Notice,
including the disclosure required by
condition II.A.2 above, as an exhibit to
its next filed Form N–CSR; and
C. The Fund will post prominently a
statement on its (or its adviser’s) Web
site containing the information in each
Notice, including the disclosure
required by condition II.A.2 above, and
will maintain such information on such
Web site for at least 24 months.
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
IV. Delivery of 19(a) Notices to
Beneficial Owners:
If a broker, dealer, bank or other
person (‘‘financial intermediary’’) holds
common stock issued by the Fund in
nominee name, or otherwise, on behalf
of a beneficial owner, the Fund: (a) Will
request that the financial intermediary,
or its agent, forward the Notice to all
beneficial owners of the Fund’s shares
held through such financial
intermediary; (b) will provide, in a
timely manner, to the financial
intermediary, or its agent, enough
copies of the Notice assembled in the
form and at the place that the financial
intermediary, or its agent, reasonably
requests to facilitate the financial
intermediary’s sending of the Notice to
each beneficial owner of the Fund’s
stock; and (c) upon the request of any
financial intermediary, or its agent, that
receives copies of the Notice, will pay
the financial intermediary, or its agent,
the reasonable expenses of sending the
Notice to such beneficial owners.
V. Additional Board Determinations for
Funds Whose Stock Trades at a
Premium:
If:
A. The Fund’s common stock has
traded on the exchange on which it
primarily trades at the time in question
at an average premium to NAV equal to
or greater than 10%, as determined on
the basis of the average of the discount
or premium to NAV of the Fund’s
common stock as of the close of each
trading day over a 12-week rolling
period (each such 12-week rolling
period ending on the last trading day of
each week); and
B. The Fund’s annualized distribution
rate for such 12-week rolling period,
expressed as a percentage of NAV as of
the ending date of such 12-week rolling
period, is greater than the Fund’s
average annual total return in relation to
the change in NAV over the 2-year
period ending on the last day of such
12-week rolling period; then:
1. At the earlier of the next regularly
scheduled meeting or within four
months of the last day of such 12-week
rolling period, the Board, including a
majority of the Independent Trustees:
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:37 Oct 10, 2008
Jkt 217001
(a) Will request and evaluate, and the
Adviser will furnish, such information
as may be reasonably necessary to make
an informed determination of whether
the Plan should be continued or
continued after amendment;
(b) will determine whether
continuation, or continuation after
amendment, of the Plan is consistent
with the Fund’s investment objective(s)
and policies and in the best interests of
the Fund and its stockholders, after
considering the information in
condition V.B.1.a above; including,
without limitation:
(1) Whether the Plan is accomplishing
its purpose(s);
(2) the reasonably foreseeable effects
of the Plan on the Fund’s long-term total
return in relation to the market price
and NAV of the Fund’s common stock;
and
(3) the Fund’s current distribution
rate, as described in condition V.B
above, compared to with the Fund’s
average annual total return over the 2year period, as described in condition
V.B, or such longer period as the Board
deems appropriate; and
(c) based upon that determination,
will approve or disapprove the
continuation, or continuation after
amendment, of the Plan; and
2. The Board will record the
information considered by it and the
basis for its approval or disapproval of
the continuation, or continuation after
amendment, of the Plan in its meeting
minutes, which must be made and
preserved for a period of not less than
six years from the date of such meeting,
the first two years in an easily accessible
place.
VI. Public Offerings:
60737
1 percentage point greater than the
Fund’s average annual total return for
the 5-year period ending on such date; 5
and
2. the transmittal letter accompanying
any registration statement filed with the
Commission in connection with such
offering discloses that the Fund has
received an order under section 19(b) to
permit it to make periodic distributions
of long-term capital gains with respect
to its common stock as frequently as
twelve times each year, and as
frequently as distributions are specified
in accordance with the terms of any
outstanding preferred stock that such
Fund may issue.
VII. Amendments to Rule 19b–1:
The requested relief will expire on the
effective date of any amendment to rule
19b–1 that provides relief permitting
certain closed-end investment
companies to make periodic
distributions of long-term capital gains
with respect to their outstanding
common stock as frequently as twelve
times each year.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Investment Management, under delegated
authority.
Florence E. Harmon,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8–24242 Filed 10–10–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release Nos. 33–8975; 34–58747; File No.
4–573]
SEC Study of Mark to Market
Accounting
The Fund will not make a public
offering of the Fund’s common stock
other than:
A. A rights offering below NAV to
holders of the Fund’s common stock;
B. an offering in connection with a
dividend reinvestment plan, merger,
consolidation, acquisition, spin-off or
reorganization of the Fund; or
C. an offering other than an offering
described in conditions VI.A and VI.B
above, unless, with respect to such other
offering:
1. the Fund’s average annual
distribution rate for the six months
ending on the last day of the month
ended immediately prior to the most
recent distribution record date,4
expressed as a percentage of NAV per
share as of such date, is no more than
SUMMARY: The Securities and Exchange
Commission is requesting public
comment related to the study to be
conducted by the Commission under the
Emergency Economic Stabilization Act
of 2008 of ‘‘mark-to-market’’ accounting
applicable to financial institutions,
including depository institutions.
4 If the fund has been in operation fewer than two
years, the measured period will being immediately
following the fund’s first public offering.
5 If the Fund has been in operation fewer than five
years, the measured period will begin immediately
following the Fund’s first public offering.
PO 00000
Frm 00066
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Securities and Exchange
Commission.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Request for comment.
Comments should be received on
or before November 13, 2008.
DATES:
Comments may be
submitted by any of the following
methods:
ADDRESSES:
E:\FR\FM\14OCN1.SGM
14OCN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 199 (Tuesday, October 14, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60733-60737]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24242]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No. 28435; 812-13063]
Calamos Convertible Opportunities and Income Fund, et al.; Notice
of Application
October 7, 2008.
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').
ACTION: Notice of application under section 6(c) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (``Act'') for an exemption from section 19(b) of
the Act and rule 19b-1 under the Act.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Summary of Application: Applicants request an order to permit
certain closed-end investment companies to make periodic distributions
of long-term capital gains with respect to their outstanding common
stock as frequently as twelve times each year, and as frequently as
distributions are specified by or in accordance with the terms of any
outstanding preferred stock that such investment companies may issue.
Applicants: Calamos Convertible Opportunities and Income Fund,
Calamos Convertible and High Income Fund, Calamos Strategic Total
Return
[[Page 60734]]
Fund, Calamos Global Total Return Fund, and Calamos Global Dynamic
Income Fund (collectively, the ``Funds'') and Calamos Advisors LLC (the
``Adviser'').
Filing Dates: January 27, 2004, March 16, 2007 and July 24, 2008.
Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An order granting the
application will be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing.
Interested persons may request a hearing by writing to the Commission's
Secretary and serving applicants with a copy of the request, personally
or by mail. Hearing requests should be received by the Commission by
5:30 p.m. on November 3, 2008, and should be accompanied by proof of
service on applicants, in the form of an affidavit or, for lawyers, a
certificate of service. Hearing requests should state the nature of the
writer's interest, the reason for the request, and the issues
contested. Persons who wish to be notified of a hearing may request
notification by writing to the Commission's Secretary.
ADDRESSES: Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street,
NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090; Applicants, 2020 Calamos Court,
Naperville, IL 60563.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wendy Friedlander, Senior Counsel, at
(202) 551-6837, or James M. Curtis, Branch Chief, at (202) 551-6825
(Division of Investment Management, Office of Chief Counsel).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the
application. The complete application may be obtained for a fee at the
Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC
20549-1520 (telephone (202) 551-5850).
Applicants' Representations
1. The Funds are registered closed-end investment companies
organized as Delaware statutory trusts.\1\ The common stock issued by
each Fund is listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The
Funds had issued auction rate preferred (``ARP'') stock, most of which
they have redeemed; applicants are exploring means to redeem the
remaining outstanding ARP stock. In the future, applicants may issue
other preferred stock. Applicants believe that the Funds' common
stockholders desire current income periodically and may favor a fixed
distribution policy.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Applicants request that any order issued granting the relief
requested in the application also apply to any closed-end investment
company that in the future: (a) Is advised by the Adviser (including
any successor in interest) or by any entity controlling, controlled
by, or under common control (within the meaning of section 2(a)(9)
of the Act) with the Adviser; and (b) complies with the terms and
conditions of the requested order. A successor in interest is
limited to entities that result from a reorganization into another
jurisdiction or a change in the type of business organization.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. The Adviser is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of
1940 and is responsible for the overall management of each Fund.
3. Applicants represent that Board of Trustees (the ``Board'') of
each of the Funds, including a majority of the members who were not
``interested persons'' of the Fund as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of
the Act (the ``Independent Trustees''), requested, and the Adviser
provided, such information as was reasonably necessary to an informed
determination of whether the Board should adopt a proposed distribution
plan. In particular, the Board and the Independent Trustees reviewed
information regarding the purpose and terms of a proposed distribution
policy, the likely effects of such policy on such Fund's long-term
total return (in relation to market price and net asset value (``NAV'')
per common share) and the relationship between such Fund's distribution
rate on its common stock under the policy and such Fund's total return
(in relation to net asset value per share); whether the rate of
distribution would exceed such Fund's expected total return in relation
to its NAV per share; and any foreseeable material effects of such
policy on such Fund's long-term total return (in relation to market
price and NAV per share). The Independent Trustees also considered what
conflicts of interest the Adviser and the affiliated persons of the
Adviser and each such Fund might have with respect to the adoption or
implementation of such policy. After considering such information the
Board, including the Independent Trustees, of each Fund approved a
distribution policy with respect to its common stock (the ``Plan'') and
determined that such Plan is consistent with such Fund's investment
objectives and in the best interests of such Fund's common
stockholders.
4. Applicants state that the purpose of the Plan of each Fund is to
permit such Fund to distribute, over the course of each year, through
periodic distributions as nearly equal as practicable and any required
special distributions, an amount closely approximating the total
taxable income of such Fund during such year and, if so determined by
its Board, all or a portion of the returns of capital paid by portfolio
companies to such Fund during such year. Applicants represent that
under the Plan of each Fund, each such Fund would distribute to its
respective common stockholders a fixed monthly percentage of the market
price of such Fund's common stock at a particular point in time or a
fixed monthly percentage of NAV per share at a particular time or a
fixed monthly amount, any of which may be adjusted from time to time.
Applicants represent that under each Plan, the minimum annual
distribution rate with respect to such Fund's common stock would be
independent of the Fund's performance during any particular period but
would be expected to correlate with the Fund's performance over time.
Applicants explain that, except for extraordinary distributions and
potential increases or decreases in the final dividend periods in light
of the Fund's performance for the entire calendar year and to enable
the Fund to comply with the distribution requirements of Subchapter M
of the Internal Revenue of 1986 (the ``Code'') for the calendar year,
each distribution on the common stock would be at the stated rate then
in effect. Applicants expect that over time the NAV distribution rate
with respect to a Fund's common stock will approximately equal that
Fund's total return on NAV.
5. Applicants state that prior to relying on the order requested in
this application and implementing the Plan, the Board of each Fund will
approve and adopt policies and procedures under Rule 38a-1 that are
reasonably designed to ensure that all notices required to be sent to
the Fund's shareholders pursuant to Section 19(a) of the Act, Rule 19a-
1 thereunder and condition II below, and all other written
communications by a Fund or its agents regarding distributions under
the Plan (``Notices'') comply with condition II below, and all other
written communications by a Fund or its agents regarding distributions
under the Plan include the disclosure required by condition III below.
Applicants state that the Board of each Fund also will adopt policies
and procedures that will require the Fund to keep records that
demonstrate the Fund's compliance with all of the conditions of the
requested order and that are necessary for such Fund to form the basis
for, and demonstrate the calculation of, the amounts disclosed in its
Notices.
Applicants' Legal Analysis
1. Section 19(b) generally makes it unlawful for any registered
investment company (``fund'') to make long-term capital gains
distributions more than once each year. Rule 19b-1 limits the number of
capital gains dividends, as
[[Page 60735]]
defined in section 852(b)(3)(C) of the Code (``distributions''), that a
fund may make with respect to any one taxable year to one, plus a
supplemental ``clean up'' distribution made pursuant to section 855 of
the Code not exceeding 10% of the total amount distributed for the
year, plus one additional capital gain dividend made in whole or in
part to avoid the excise tax under section 4982 of the Code.
2. Section 6(c) provides that the Commission may, by order upon
application, conditionally or unconditionally exempt any person,
security, or transaction, or any class or classes of persons,
securities or transactions, from any provision of the Act, if and to
the extent that the exemption is necessary or appropriate in the public
interest and consistent with the protection of investors and the
purposes fairly intended by the policy and provisions of the Act.
3. Applicants state that the one of the concerns underlying section
19(b) and rule 19b-1 is that stockholders might be unable to
differentiate between regular distributions of capital gains and
distributions of investment income. Applicants state, however, that
rule 19a-1 effectively addresses this concern by requiring that a
separate statement showing the sources of a distribution (e.g.,
estimated net income, net short-term capital gains, net long-term
capital gains and/or return of capital) accompany any distributions (or
the confirmation of the reinvestment of distributions) estimated to be
sourced in part from capital gains or capital. Applicants state that
the same information also is included in each Fund's annual reports to
stockholders and on its IRS Form 1099-DIV, which is sent to each common
and preferred stockholder who received distributions during the year.
4. Applicants further state that each Fund will make the additional
disclosures required by the conditions set forth below, and each of
them will adopt compliance policies and procedures in accordance with
rule 38a-1 to ensure that all required Notices and disclosures are sent
to stockholders. Applicants argue that by providing the information
required by section 19(a) and rule 19a-1, and by complying with the
procedures adopted under each Plan and the conditions listed below, the
Funds would ensure that each Fund's stockholders are provided
sufficient information to understand that their periodic distributions
are not tied to the Fund's NAV (which for this purpose is the Fund's
taxable income other than from capital gains) and realized capital
gains to date, and may not represent yield or investment return.
Applicants also state that compliance with each Fund's compliance
procedures and condition III set forth below will ensure that
prospective stockholders and third parties are provided with the same
information. Accordingly, applicants assert that continuing to subject
the Funds to section 19(b) and rule 19b-1 would afford stockholders no
extra protection.
5. Applicants note that section 19(b) and rule 19b-1 also were
intended to prevent certain improper sales practices, including, in
particular, the practice of urging an investor to purchase shares of a
fund on the basis of an upcoming capital gains dividend (``selling the
dividend''), where the dividend would result in an immediate
corresponding reduction in NAV and would be in effect a taxable return
of the investor's capital. Applicants assert that the ``selling the
dividend'' concern should not apply to closed-end investment companies,
such as the Funds, which do not continuously distribute shares.
According to Applicants, if the underlying concern extends to secondary
market purchases of stock of closed-end funds that are subject to a
large upcoming capital gains distribution, adoption of a Plan actually
helps minimize the concern by avoiding, through periodic distributions,
any buildup of large end-of-the-year distributions.
6. Applicants also note that common stock of closed-end funds that
invest primarily in equity securities often trades in the marketplace
at a discount to its NAV. Applicants believe that this discount may be
reduced for closed-end funds that pay relatively frequent distributions
on their common stock at a consistent rate, whether or not those
distributions contain an element of long-term capital gain.
7. Applicants assert that the application of rule 19b-1 to a Plan
actually could have an undesirable influence on portfolio management
decisions. Applicants state that, in the absence of an exemption from
rule 19b-1, the implementation of a Plan imposes pressure on management
(i) not to realize any net long-term capital gains until the point in
the year that the fund can pay all of its remaining distributions in
accordance with rule 19b-1, and (ii) not to realize any long-term
capital gains during any particular year in excess of the amount of the
aggregate pay-out for the year (since as a practical matter excess
gains must be distributed and accordingly would not be available to
satisfy pay-out requirements in following years), notwithstanding that
purely investment considerations might favor realization of long-term
gains at different times or in different amounts. Applicants thus
assert that the limitation on the number of capital gain distributions
that a fund may make with respect to any one year imposed by rule 19b-
1, may prevent the efficient operation of a Plan whenever that fund's
realized net long-term capital gains in any year exceed the total of
the periodic distributions that may include such capital gains under
the rule.
8. In addition, Applicants assert that rule 19b-1 may cause fixed
regular periodic distributions under a Plan to be funded with returns
of capital \2\ (to the extent net investment income and realized short-
term capital gains are insufficient to fund the distribution), even
though realized net long-term capital gains otherwise could be
available. To distribute all of a fund's long-term capital gains within
the limits in rule 19b-1, a fund may be required to make total
distributions in excess of the annual amount called for by its Plan, or
to retain and pay taxes on the excess amount. Applicants thus assert
that the requested order would minimize these effects of rule 19b-1 by
enabling the Funds to realize long-term capital gains as often as
investment considerations dictate without fear of violating rule 19b-1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Returns of capital as used in the application means return
of capital for financial accounting purposes and not for tax
accounting purposes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Applicants state that Revenue Ruling 89-81 under the Code
requires that a fund that has both common stock and preferred stock
outstanding designate the types of income, e.g., investment income and
capital gains, in the same proportion as the total distributions
distributed to each class for the tax year. To satisfy the
proportionate designation requirements of Revenue Ruling 89-81,
whenever a fund has realized a long-term capital gain with respect to a
given tax year, the fund must designate the required proportionate
share of such capital gain to be included in common and preferred stock
dividends. Applicants state that although rule 19b-1 allows a fund some
flexibility with respect to the frequency of capital gains
distributions, a fund might use all of the exceptions available under
the rule for a tax year and still need to distribute additional capital
gains allocated to the preferred stock to comply with Revenue Ruling
89-81.
10. Applicants assert that the potential abuses addressed by
section 19(b) and rule 19b-1 do not arise with respect to preferred
stock issued by a closed-end fund. Applicants assert that such
distributions are fixed or
[[Page 60736]]
determined in periodic auctions by reference to short-term interest
rates rather than by reference to performance of the issuer and Revenue
Ruling 89-81 determines the proportion of such distributions that are
comprised of long-term capital gains.
11. Applicants also submit that the ``selling the dividend''
concern is not applicable to preferred stock, which entitles a holder
to no more than a periodic dividend at a fixed rate or the rate
determined by the market, and, like a debt security, is priced based
upon its liquidation value, credit quality, and frequency of payment.
Applicants state that investors buy preferred shares for the purpose of
receiving payments at the frequency bargained for, and do not expect
the liquidation value of their shares to change.
12. Applicants request an order under section 6(c) granting an
exemption from the provisions of section 19(b) and rule 19b-1 to permit
each Fund's common stock to distribute periodic capital gains dividends
(as defined in section 852(b)(3)(C) of the Code) as often as monthly in
any one taxable year in respect of its common stock and as often as
specified by or determined in accordance with the terms thereof in
respect of its preferred shares.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Applicants state that a future fund that relies on the
requested order will satisfy each of the representations in the
application except that such representations will be made in respect
of actions by the Board of such future fund and will be made at a
future time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Applicants' Conditions
Applicants agree that, with respect to each Fund seeking to rely on
the order, the order will be subject to the following conditions:
I. Compliance Review and Reporting.
The Fund's chief compliance officer will: (a) Report to the Fund's
Board, no less frequently than once every three months or at the next
regularly scheduled quarterly Board meeting, whether (i) the Fund and
the Adviser have complied with the conditions in the requested order,
and (ii) a Material Compliance Matter, as defined in rule 38a-1(e)(2),
has occurred with respect to compliance with such conditions; and (b)
review the adequacy of the policies and procedures adopted by the Fund
no less frequently than annually.
II. Disclosures to Fund Stockholders:
A. Each Notice to the holders of the fund's common stock, in
addition to the information required by section 19(a) and rule 19a-1:
1. Will provide, in a tabular or graphical format:
(a) The amount of the distribution, on a per common share basis,
together with the amounts of such distribution amount, on a per common
share basis and as a percentage of such distribution amount, from
estimated: (A) Net investment income; (B) net realized short-term
capital gains; (C) net realized long-term capital gains; and (D) return
of capital or other capital source;
(b) the fiscal year-to-date cumulative amount of distributions, on
a per common share basis, together with the amounts of such cumulative
amount, on a per common share basis and as a percentage of such
cumulative amount of distributions, from estimated: (A) Net investment
income; (B) net realized short-term capital gains; (C) net realized
long-term capital gains; and (D) return of capital or other capital
source;
(c) the average annual total return in relation to the change in
NAV for the 5-year period (or, if the Fund's history of operations is
less than five years, the time period commencing immediately following
the Fund's first public offering) ending on the last day of the month
prior to the most recent distribution record date compared to the
current fiscal period's annualized distribution rate expressed as a
percentage of NAV as of the last day of the month prior to the most
recent distribution record date; and
(d) the cumulative total return in relation to the change in NAV
from the last completed fiscal year to the last day of the month prior
to the most recent distribution record date compared to the fiscal
year-to-date cumulative distribution rate expressed as a percentage of
NAV as of the last day of the month prior to the most recent
distribution record date.
Such disclosure shall be made in a type size at least as large and
as prominent as the estimate of the sources of the current
distribution; and
2. will include the following disclosure:
(a) ``You should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's
investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the
terms of the Fund's Plan'';
(b) ``The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its
income and net realized capital gains; therefore, a portion of your
distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur
for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the
Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not
necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be
confused with `yield' or `income' ''; and
(c) ``The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this
Notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting
purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for [accounting
and] tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment
experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject
to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form
1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these
distributions for federal income tax purposes.''
Such disclosure shall be made in a type size at least as large as
and as prominent as any other information in the Notice and placed on
the same page in close proximity to the amount and the sources of the
distribution.
B. On the inside front cover of each report to stockholders under
rule 30e-1 under the Act, the Fund will:
1. Describe the terms of the Plan (including the fixed amount or
fixed percentage of the distributions and the frequency of the
distributions);
2. include the disclosure required by condition II.A.2.a above;
3. state, if applicable, that the Plan provides that the Board may
amend or terminate the Plan at any time without prior notice to Fund
stockholders; and
4. describe any reasonably foreseeable circumstances that might
cause the Fund to terminate the Plan and any reasonably foreseeable
consequences of such termination.
C. Each report provided to stockholders under rule 30e-1 and each
prospectus filed with the Commission on Form N-2 under the Act, will
provide the Fund's total return in relation to changes in NAV in the
financial highlights table and in any discussion about the Fund's total
return.
III. Disclosure to Stockholders, Prospective Stockholders and Third
Parties:
A. The Fund will include the information contained in the relevant
Notice, including the disclosure required by condition II.A.2 above, in
any written communication (other than a Form 1099) about the Plan or
distributions under the Plan by the Fund, or agents that the Fund has
authorized to make such communication on the Fund's behalf, to any Fund
common stockholder, prospective common stockholder or third-party
information provider;
B. The Fund will issue, contemporaneously with the issuance of any
Notice, a press release containing the information in the Notice and
will file with the Commission the
[[Page 60737]]
information contained in such Notice, including the disclosure required
by condition II.A.2 above, as an exhibit to its next filed Form N-CSR;
and
C. The Fund will post prominently a statement on its (or its
adviser's) Web site containing the information in each Notice,
including the disclosure required by condition II.A.2 above, and will
maintain such information on such Web site for at least 24 months.
IV. Delivery of 19(a) Notices to Beneficial Owners:
If a broker, dealer, bank or other person (``financial
intermediary'') holds common stock issued by the Fund in nominee name,
or otherwise, on behalf of a beneficial owner, the Fund: (a) Will
request that the financial intermediary, or its agent, forward the
Notice to all beneficial owners of the Fund's shares held through such
financial intermediary; (b) will provide, in a timely manner, to the
financial intermediary, or its agent, enough copies of the Notice
assembled in the form and at the place that the financial intermediary,
or its agent, reasonably requests to facilitate the financial
intermediary's sending of the Notice to each beneficial owner of the
Fund's stock; and (c) upon the request of any financial intermediary,
or its agent, that receives copies of the Notice, will pay the
financial intermediary, or its agent, the reasonable expenses of
sending the Notice to such beneficial owners.
V. Additional Board Determinations for Funds Whose Stock Trades at a
Premium:
If:
A. The Fund's common stock has traded on the exchange on which it
primarily trades at the time in question at an average premium to NAV
equal to or greater than 10%, as determined on the basis of the average
of the discount or premium to NAV of the Fund's common stock as of the
close of each trading day over a 12-week rolling period (each such 12-
week rolling period ending on the last trading day of each week); and
B. The Fund's annualized distribution rate for such 12-week rolling
period, expressed as a percentage of NAV as of the ending date of such
12-week rolling period, is greater than the Fund's average annual total
return in relation to the change in NAV over the 2-year period ending
on the last day of such 12-week rolling period; then:
1. At the earlier of the next regularly scheduled meeting or within
four months of the last day of such 12-week rolling period, the Board,
including a majority of the Independent Trustees:
(a) Will request and evaluate, and the Adviser will furnish, such
information as may be reasonably necessary to make an informed
determination of whether the Plan should be continued or continued
after amendment;
(b) will determine whether continuation, or continuation after
amendment, of the Plan is consistent with the Fund's investment
objective(s) and policies and in the best interests of the Fund and its
stockholders, after considering the information in condition V.B.1.a
above; including, without limitation:
(1) Whether the Plan is accomplishing its purpose(s);
(2) the reasonably foreseeable effects of the Plan on the Fund's
long-term total return in relation to the market price and NAV of the
Fund's common stock; and
(3) the Fund's current distribution rate, as described in condition
V.B above, compared to with the Fund's average annual total return over
the 2-year period, as described in condition V.B, or such longer period
as the Board deems appropriate; and
(c) based upon that determination, will approve or disapprove the
continuation, or continuation after amendment, of the Plan; and
2. The Board will record the information considered by it and the
basis for its approval or disapproval of the continuation, or
continuation after amendment, of the Plan in its meeting minutes, which
must be made and preserved for a period of not less than six years from
the date of such meeting, the first two years in an easily accessible
place.
VI. Public Offerings:
The Fund will not make a public offering of the Fund's common stock
other than:
A. A rights offering below NAV to holders of the Fund's common
stock;
B. an offering in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan,
merger, consolidation, acquisition, spin-off or reorganization of the
Fund; or
C. an offering other than an offering described in conditions VI.A
and VI.B above, unless, with respect to such other offering:
1. the Fund's average annual distribution rate for the six months
ending on the last day of the month ended immediately prior to the most
recent distribution record date,\4\ expressed as a percentage of NAV
per share as of such date, is no more than 1 percentage point greater
than the Fund's average annual total return for the 5-year period
ending on such date; \5\ and
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\4\ If the fund has been in operation fewer than two years, the
measured period will being immediately following the fund's first
public offering.
\5\ If the Fund has been in operation fewer than five years, the
measured period will begin immediately following the Fund's first
public offering.
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2. the transmittal letter accompanying any registration statement
filed with the Commission in connection with such offering discloses
that the Fund has received an order under section 19(b) to permit it to
make periodic distributions of long-term capital gains with respect to
its common stock as frequently as twelve times each year, and as
frequently as distributions are specified in accordance with the terms
of any outstanding preferred stock that such Fund may issue.
VII. Amendments to Rule 19b-1:
The requested relief will expire on the effective date of any
amendment to rule 19b-1 that provides relief permitting certain closed-
end investment companies to make periodic distributions of long-term
capital gains with respect to their outstanding common stock as
frequently as twelve times each year.
For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management,
under delegated authority.
Florence E. Harmon,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-24242 Filed 10-10-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P