Pioneer Diversified High Income Trust, et al.; Notice of Application, 54601-54605 [E9-25422]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 203 / Thursday, October 22, 2009 / Notices SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION [Disaster Declaration #11888 and #11889] Georgia Disaster Number GA–00028 AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Amendment 3. SUMMARY: This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Georgia (FEMA–1858–DR), dated 09/26/2009. Incident: Severe Storms and Flooding. Incident Period: 09/18/2009 through 10/08/2009. Effective Date: 10/08/2009. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 11/25/2009. Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan Application Deadline Date: 06/28/2010. ADDRESSES: Submit completed loan applications to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A. Escobar, Office of Disaster Assistance, U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 3rd Street, SW., Suite 6050, Washington, DC 20416. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The notice of the President’s major disaster declaration for Private Non-Profit organizations in the State of Georgia, dated 09/26/2009, is hereby amended to establish the incident period for this disaster as beginning 09/18/2009 and continuing through 10/08/2009. All other information in the original declaration remains unchanged. James E. Rivera, Acting Associate Administrator for Disaster Assistance. [FR Doc. E9–25417 Filed 10–21–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8025–01–P SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION [Disaster Declaration #11886 and #11887] Georgia Disaster Number GA–00027 dcolon on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Amendment 3. SUMMARY: This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Georgia (FEMA—1858—DR), dated 09/24/2009. Incident: Severe Storms and Flooding. Incident Period: 09/18/2009 and continuing through 10/08/2009. 15:13 Oct 21, 2009 Jkt 220001 (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers 59002 and 59008) James E. Rivera, Acting Associate Administrator for Disaster Assistance. [FR Doc. E9–25418 Filed 10–21–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8025–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Investment Company Act Release No. 28947; File No. 812–13432–02] Pioneer Diversified High Income Trust, et al.; Notice of Application October 16, 2009. (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers 59002 and 59008) VerDate Nov<24>2008 Effective Date: 10/08/2009. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 11/23/2009. EIDL Loan Application Deadline Date: 06/24/2010. ADDRESSES: Submit completed loan applications to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A. Escobar, Office of Disaster Assistance, U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 3rd Street, SW., Suite 6050, Washington, DC 20416. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The notice of the President’s major disaster declaration for the State of Georgia, dated 09/24/2009 is hereby amended to establish the incident period for this disaster as beginning 09/18/2009 and continuing through 10/08/2009. All other information in the original declaration remains unchanged. 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 monthly in any one taxable 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: Pioneer Diversified High Income Trust, Pioneer Floating Rate Trust, Pioneer High Income Trust (collectively, the ‘‘Current Funds’’) and PO 00000 Frm 00067 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 54601 Pioneer Investment Management, Inc. (‘‘PIM’’). DATES: Filing Dates: The application was filed on October 2, 2007 and amended on October 31, 2008, June 4, 2009 and October 14, 2009. 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 9, 2009 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, PIM, 60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109–1820. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura J. Riegel, Senior Counsel, at (202) 551–6873, or Marilyn Mann, Branch Chief, at (202) 551–6821 (Division of Investment Management, Office of Investment Company Regulation). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the application. The complete application may be obtained via the Commission’s Web site by searching for the file number, or for an applicant using the Company name box, at https:// www.sec.gov/search/search.htm, or by calling (202) 551–8090. Applicants’ Representations 1. Each Current Fund is a registered closed-end management investment company organized as a Delaware statutory trust. Each Current Fund (other than Pioneer Diversified High Income Trust) has outstanding one class of common stock and three series of preferred stock. Pioneer Diversified High Income Trust has outstanding one class of common stock. Applicants believe that the shareholders of the Current Funds may prefer an investment vehicle that provides regular/monthly distributions and a steady cash flow through a fixed distribution policy. Applicants request that the order apply to any registered closed-end investment company that in the future is advised by PIM (including any successor in E:\FR\FM\22OCN1.SGM 22OCN1 54602 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 203 / Thursday, October 22, 2009 / Notices dcolon on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES interest) 1 or by an entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control (within the meaning of section 2(a)(9) of the Act) with PIM (any such entity or PIM, the ‘‘Investment Adviser’’) (such investment companies, the ‘‘Future Funds,’’ and together with the Current Funds, the ‘‘Funds’’).2 2. PIM is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. PIM is an indirect whollyowned subsidiary of UniCredit S.p.A, an Italian banking company and global services organization. 3. Applicants represent that prior to relying on the requested order, the board of trustees (the ‘‘Board’’) of a Fund, including a majority of the Board members who are not ‘‘interested persons’’ of such Fund as defined in section 2(a)(19) of the Act (the ‘‘Independent Trustees’’), shall have requested and considered, and the Investment Adviser shall have provided, information regarding the purpose and terms of a proposed distribution policy, the likely effects of such distribution policy on the Fund’s long-term total return (in relation to market price and net asset value (‘‘NAV’’) per common share) and the relationship between the Fund’s distribution rate on its common shares under the distribution policy and the Fund’s total return (in relation to NAV per share). Applicants state that the Independent Trustees of each Fund also shall have considered what conflicts of interest the Investment Adviser and the affiliated persons of the Investment Adviser and each Fund might have with respect to the adoption or implementation of such distribution policy. Applicants further state that after considering such information the Board, including the Independent Trustees, of each Fund shall approve a distribution policy with respect to each Fund’s common shares (a ‘‘Plan’’) and shall determine that Plan is consistent with the relevant Fund’s investment objectives and in the best interests of such Fund’s common shareholders. 4. Applicants state that the purpose of each Plan would be to permit a 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 1 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 All existing registered closed-end investment companies that currently intend to rely on the requested order are named as applicants. Any Future Fund that relies on the order in the future will comply with the terms and conditions of the order. VerDate Nov<24>2008 15:13 Oct 21, 2009 Jkt 220001 of the 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 the Fund during such year. Applicants represent that the Fund would distribute to its common shareholders a fixed monthly percentage of the market price of the Fund’s common shares at a particular point in time or a fixed monthly percentage of NAV at particular time or a fixed monthly amount under the Plan, any of which percentage or amount may be adjusted from time to time. Applicants state that the minimum annual distribution rate with respect to a Fund’s common shares under each Plan 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 each distribution on the common stock would be at the stated rate then in effect, except for extraordinary distributions and potential increases or decreases in the final distribution 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 Code of 1986 (the ‘‘Code’’) for the calendar year. Applicants expect that over time the distributions with respect to a Fund’s common shares would correlate with that Fund’s total return plus, if applicable, distributions of capital received from such Fund’s portfolio companies. 5. Applicants represent that, prior to the implementation of a Plan, the Board of each Fund shall adopt policies and procedures under rule 38a–1 under the Act that are reasonably designed to ensure that all notices sent to shareholders with distributions under the Plan (each, a ‘‘19(a) Notice’’) include the disclosure required by rule 19a–1 and by condition 2(a) below, and that all other written communications by a Fund or its agents regarding distributions under the Plan include the disclosure required by condition 3(a) below. Applicants state that the Board of each Fund also will adopt policies and procedures that require the Fund to keep records that demonstrate the Fund’s compliance with all of the terms and conditions of the requested order and that are necessary for each Fund to form the basis for, or demonstrate the calculation of, the amounts disclosed in its 19(a) Notices. Applicants’ Legal Analysis 1. Section 19(b) generally makes it unlawful for any registered investment company to make long-term capital PO 00000 Frm 00068 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 gains distributions more than once each year. Rule 19b–1 limits the number of capital gains dividends, as 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 or of any rule under 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 one of the concerns underlying section 19(b) and rule 19b–1 is that shareholders might be unable to distinguish between regular distributions of capital gains and dividends from 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 is included in each Current Fund’s annual report to shareholders and on its IRS Form 1099–DIV, which is sent to each common and preferred shareholder who received distributions during a particular 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 38a1 to ensure that all required notices and disclosures are sent to shareholders. Applicants argue that by providing the information required by section 19(a) and rule 19a–1, the Plan, and the compliance policies and procedures in accordance with rule 38–1, each Fund will ensure that the Fund’s shareholders are provided sufficient information to understand that their periodic distributions are not tied to the Fund’s E:\FR\FM\22OCN1.SGM 22OCN1 dcolon on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 203 / Thursday, October 22, 2009 / Notices net investment income (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 3 set forth below will ensure that prospective shareholders 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 shareholders 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 shares of closed-end funds that are subject to a large upcoming capital gains distribution, adoption of a periodic distribution 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 shares of closed-end funds often trade in the marketplace at a discount to the funds’ NAV. Applicants believe that this discount may be reduced for the Funds if they are permitted to pay relatively frequent dividends on their common shares at a consistent rate, whether or not those dividends contain an element of 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 periodic distribution 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 VerDate Nov<24>2008 15:13 Oct 21, 2009 Jkt 220001 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 gains distributions that a fund may make with respect to any one year imposed by rule 19b–1, may prevent the efficient operation of a periodic distribution 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 periodic distribution plan to be funded with returns of capital 3 (to the extent net investment income and realized shortterm 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. 3 Returns of capital as used in the application means return of capital for financial accounting purposes and not for tax accounting purposes. PO 00000 Frm 00069 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 54603 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 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 the 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, dividend rate, 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 section 19(b) and rule 19b–1 to permit each Fund to make 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 shares and as often as specified by or determined in accordance with the terms thereof in respect of its preferred shares. Applicants’ Conditions Applicants agree that any order granting the requested relief will be subject to the following conditions: 1. 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 its Investment Adviser have complied with the conditions to the order, and (ii) a Material Compliance Matter, as defined in rule 38a–1(e)(2) under the Act, has occurred with respect to compliance with such conditions; and (b) review the adequacy of the policies and procedures adopted by the Board no less frequently than annually. 2. Disclosures to Fund Shareholders (a) Each 19(a) Notice disseminated to the holders of the Fund’s common shares, in addition to the information required by section 19(a) and rule 19a– 1: E:\FR\FM\22OCN1.SGM 22OCN1 54604 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 203 / Thursday, October 22, 2009 / Notices dcolon on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES (i) Will provide, in a tabular or graphical format: (1) The amount of the distribution, on a per share basis, together with the amounts of such distribution amount, on a per 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; (2) The fiscal year-to-date cumulative amount of distributions, on a per share basis, together with the amounts of such cumulative amount, on a per 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; (3) The average annual total return in relation to the change in NAV for the 5year 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 ended immediately 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 (4) 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 (ii) Will include the following disclosure: (1) ‘‘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’’; (2) ‘‘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 VerDate Nov<24>2008 15:13 Oct 21, 2009 Jkt 220001 confused with ‘yield’ or ‘income’ ’’; 4 and (3) ‘‘The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this 19(a) Notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for 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 19(a) 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 shareholders under rule 30e– 1 under the Act, the Fund will: (i) Describe the terms of the Plan (including the fixed amount or fixed percentage of the distributions and the frequency of the distributions); (ii) Include the disclosure required by condition 2(a)(ii)(1) above; (iii) State, if applicable, that the Plan provides that the Board may amend or terminate the Plan at any time without prior notice to Fund shareholders; and (iv) Describe any reasonably foreseeable circumstances that might cause the Fund to terminate the Plan and any reasonably foreseeable consequences of such termination; and (c) Each report provided to shareholders under rule 30e–1 under the Act 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. 3. Disclosure to Shareholders, Prospective Shareholders and Third Parties (a) The Fund will include the information contained in the relevant 19(a) Notice, including the disclosure required by condition 2(a)(ii) above, in any written communication (other than a communication on 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 shareholder, 4 The disclosure in this condition 2(a)(ii)(2) will be included only if the current distribution or the fiscal year-to-date cumulative distributions are estimated to include a return of capital. PO 00000 Frm 00070 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 prospective common shareholder or third-party information provider; (b) The Fund will issue, contemporaneously with the issuance of any 19(a) Notice, a press release containing the information in the 19(a) Notice and will file with the Commission the information contained in such 19(a) Notice, including the disclosure required by condition 2(a)(ii) above, as an exhibit to its next filed Form N–CSR; and (c) The Fund will post prominently a statement on its (or the Investment Adviser’s) Web site containing the information in each 19(a) Notice, including the disclosure required by condition 2(a)(ii) above, and will maintain such information on such Web site for at least 24 months. 4. 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 19(a) 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 19(a) 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 19(a) Notice to each beneficial owner of the Fund’s shares; and (c) upon the request of any financial intermediary, or its agent, that receives copies of the 19(a) Notice, will pay the financial intermediary, or its agent, the reasonable expenses of sending the 19(a) Notice to such beneficial owners. 5. Additional Board Determinations for Funds Whose Shares Trade at a Premium If: (a) The Fund’s common shares have traded on the stock exchange that they primarily trade on 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 shares 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- E:\FR\FM\22OCN1.SGM 22OCN1 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 203 / Thursday, October 22, 2009 / Notices dcolon on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES 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: (i) 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: (1) Will request and evaluate, and the Investment 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; (2) Will determine whether continuation, or continuation after amendment, of the Plan is consistent with the Fund’s investment objective(s) and policies and is in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders, after considering the information in condition 5(b)(i)(1) above; including, without limitation: (A) Whether the Plan is accomplishing its purpose(s); (B) The reasonably foreseeable material 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 shares; and (C) The Fund’s current distribution rate, as described in condition 5(b) above, compared with the Fund’s average annual taxable income or total return over the 2-year period, as described in condition 5(b), or such longer period as the Board deems appropriate; and (3) Based upon that determination, will approve or disapprove the continuation, or continuation after amendment, of the Plan; and (ii) The Board will record the information considered by it, including its consideration of the factors listed in condition 5(b)(i)(2) above, 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. 6. Public Offerings The Fund will not make a public offering of the Fund’s common shares other than: (a) A rights offering below NAV to holders of the Fund’s common shares; (b) An offering in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan, merger, consolidation, acquisition, spin-off or reorganization of the Fund; or VerDate Nov<24>2008 15:13 Oct 21, 2009 Jkt 220001 (c) An offering other than an offering described in conditions 6(a) and 6(b) above, provided that, with respect to such other offering: (i) The Fund’s annualized distribution rate for the six months ending on the last day of the month ended immediately prior to the most recent distribution record date,5 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; 6 and (ii) 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 by or determined in accordance with the terms of any outstanding preferred stock as such Fund may issue. 7. Amendments to Rule 19b–1 The requested order 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, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. E9–25422 Filed 10–21–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P 5 If the Fund has been in operation for less than six months, the measured period will begin immediately following the Fund’s first public offering. 6 If the Fund has been in operation for less than five years, the measured period will begin immediately following the Fund’s first public offering. PO 00000 Frm 00071 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 54605 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34–60826; File No. SR–BX– 2009–062] Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX BX; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend Rule 7015 Governing Access Services To Add an Additional Service and Related Fee, and To Make a Technical Change October 14, 2009. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2 notice is hereby given that on October 5, 2009, NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc. (‘‘BX’’) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule change as described in Items I and II below, which Items have been prepared by BX. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule from interested persons. I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change BX proposes to amend Rule 7015 to make a new service, TradeInfo BX, available to members and charge a related fee. The text of the proposed rule change is below. Proposed new language is italicized and proposed deletions are in brackets. 7015. Access Services The following charges are assessed by the Exchange for ports to establish connectivity to the NASDAQ OMX BX Equities Market, as well as ports to receive data from the NASDAQ OMX BX Equities Market: • $400 per month for each port pair, other than Multicast ITCH® data feed pairs, for which the fee is $1000 per month. [Additional OUCH port pairs beyond 15 are at no cost for the months of May, June and July 2009. For August 2009, OUCH port pairs beyond 15 will be assessed a pro rata charge on the basis of the number of trading days during the month during which the antiinternalization functionality introduced by Equity Rule 4757(a)(3) is available to market participants.] • Internet Ports: An additional $200 per month for each Internet port that requires additional bandwidth. • TradeInfo BX is available to Members for a fee of $95 per user per month. * * * * * 1 15 2 17 E:\FR\FM\22OCN1.SGM U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). CFR 240.19b–4. 22OCN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 203 (Thursday, October 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54601-54605]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-25422]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Investment Company Act Release No. 28947; File No. 812-13432-02]


Pioneer Diversified High Income Trust, et al.; Notice of 
Application

October 16, 2009.
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.

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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 monthly in any one taxable 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: Pioneer Diversified High Income Trust, Pioneer Floating 
Rate Trust, Pioneer High Income Trust (collectively, the ``Current 
Funds'') and Pioneer Investment Management, Inc. (``PIM'').

DATES:  Filing Dates: The application was filed on October 2, 2007 and 
amended on October 31, 2008, June 4, 2009 and October 14, 2009.

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 9, 2009 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, PIM, 60 State Street, 
Boston, Massachusetts 02109-1820.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura J. Riegel, Senior Counsel, at 
(202) 551-6873, or Marilyn Mann, Branch Chief, at (202) 551-6821 
(Division of Investment Management, Office of Investment Company 
Regulation).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the 
application. The complete application may be obtained via the 
Commission's Web site by searching for the file number, or for an 
applicant using the Company name box, at https://www.sec.gov/search/search.htm, or by calling (202) 551-8090.

Applicants' Representations

    1. Each Current Fund is a registered closed-end management 
investment company organized as a Delaware statutory trust. Each 
Current Fund (other than Pioneer Diversified High Income Trust) has 
outstanding one class of common stock and three series of preferred 
stock. Pioneer Diversified High Income Trust has outstanding one class 
of common stock. Applicants believe that the shareholders of the 
Current Funds may prefer an investment vehicle that provides regular/
monthly distributions and a steady cash flow through a fixed 
distribution policy. Applicants request that the order apply to any 
registered closed-end investment company that in the future is advised 
by PIM (including any successor in

[[Page 54602]]

interest) \1\ or by an entity controlling, controlled by, or under 
common control (within the meaning of section 2(a)(9) of the Act) with 
PIM (any such entity or PIM, the ``Investment Adviser'') (such 
investment companies, the ``Future Funds,'' and together with the 
Current Funds, the ``Funds'').\2\
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    \1\ 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\ All existing registered closed-end investment companies that 
currently intend to rely on the requested order are named as 
applicants. Any Future Fund that relies on the order in the future 
will comply with the terms and conditions of the order.
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    2. PIM is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment 
Advisers Act of 1940. PIM is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of 
UniCredit S.p.A, an Italian banking company and global services 
organization.
    3. Applicants represent that prior to relying on the requested 
order, the board of trustees (the ``Board'') of a Fund, including a 
majority of the Board members who are not ``interested persons'' of 
such Fund as defined in section 2(a)(19) of the Act (the ``Independent 
Trustees''), shall have requested and considered, and the Investment 
Adviser shall have provided, information regarding the purpose and 
terms of a proposed distribution policy, the likely effects of such 
distribution policy on the Fund's long-term total return (in relation 
to market price and net asset value (``NAV'') per common share) and the 
relationship between the Fund's distribution rate on its common shares 
under the distribution policy and the Fund's total return (in relation 
to NAV per share). Applicants state that the Independent Trustees of 
each Fund also shall have considered what conflicts of interest the 
Investment Adviser and the affiliated persons of the Investment Adviser 
and each Fund might have with respect to the adoption or implementation 
of such distribution policy. Applicants further state that after 
considering such information the Board, including the Independent 
Trustees, of each Fund shall approve a distribution policy with respect 
to each Fund's common shares (a ``Plan'') and shall determine that Plan 
is consistent with the relevant Fund's investment objectives and in the 
best interests of such Fund's common shareholders.
    4. Applicants state that the purpose of each Plan would be to 
permit a 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 the 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 the Fund during such year. Applicants represent that the 
Fund would distribute to its common shareholders a fixed monthly 
percentage of the market price of the Fund's common shares at a 
particular point in time or a fixed monthly percentage of NAV at 
particular time or a fixed monthly amount under the Plan, any of which 
percentage or amount may be adjusted from time to time. Applicants 
state that the minimum annual distribution rate with respect to a 
Fund's common shares under each Plan 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 each distribution on the common stock would be at the stated rate 
then in effect, except for extraordinary distributions and potential 
increases or decreases in the final distribution 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 Code of 1986 (the ``Code'') for the calendar year. 
Applicants expect that over time the distributions with respect to a 
Fund's common shares would correlate with that Fund's total return 
plus, if applicable, distributions of capital received from such Fund's 
portfolio companies.
    5. Applicants represent that, prior to the implementation of a 
Plan, the Board of each Fund shall adopt policies and procedures under 
rule 38a-1 under the Act that are reasonably designed to ensure that 
all notices sent to shareholders with distributions under the Plan 
(each, a ``19(a) Notice'') include the disclosure required by rule 19a-
1 and by condition 2(a) below, and that all other written 
communications by a Fund or its agents regarding distributions under 
the Plan include the disclosure required by condition 3(a) below. 
Applicants state that the Board of each Fund also will adopt policies 
and procedures that require the Fund to keep records that demonstrate 
the Fund's compliance with all of the terms and conditions of the 
requested order and that are necessary for each Fund to form the basis 
for, or demonstrate the calculation of, the amounts disclosed in its 
19(a) Notices.

Applicants' Legal Analysis

    1. Section 19(b) generally makes it unlawful for any registered 
investment company to make long-term capital gains distributions more 
than once each year. Rule 19b-1 limits the number of capital gains 
dividends, as 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 or of any 
rule under 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 one of the concerns underlying section 
19(b) and rule 19b-1 is that shareholders might be unable to 
distinguish between regular distributions of capital gains and 
dividends from 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 is included in each Current Fund's annual report to 
shareholders and on its IRS Form 1099-DIV, which is sent to each common 
and preferred shareholder who received distributions during a 
particular 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 shareholders. Applicants argue that by providing the information 
required by section 19(a) and rule 19a-1, the Plan, and the compliance 
policies and procedures in accordance with rule 38-1, each Fund will 
ensure that the Fund's shareholders are provided sufficient information 
to understand that their periodic distributions are not tied to the 
Fund's

[[Page 54603]]

net investment income (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 3 set forth below will ensure that prospective shareholders 
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 shareholders 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 shares of closed-end funds that are subject to a 
large upcoming capital gains distribution, adoption of a periodic 
distribution 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 shares of closed-end funds 
often trade in the marketplace at a discount to the funds' NAV. 
Applicants believe that this discount may be reduced for the Funds if 
they are permitted to pay relatively frequent dividends on their common 
shares at a consistent rate, whether or not those dividends contain an 
element of 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 periodic distribution 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 gains distributions that a fund may make with respect to any 
one year imposed by rule 19b-1, may prevent the efficient operation of 
a periodic distribution 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 periodic distribution plan to be 
funded with returns of capital \3\ (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.
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    \3\ 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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    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 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 the 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, dividend rate, 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 section 19(b) and rule 19b-1 to permit each Fund to make 
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 shares and as often as specified by or determined in accordance 
with the terms thereof in respect of its preferred shares.

Applicants' Conditions

    Applicants agree that any order granting the requested relief will 
be subject to the following conditions:

1. 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 
its Investment Adviser have complied with the conditions to the order, 
and (ii) a Material Compliance Matter, as defined in rule 38a-1(e)(2) 
under the Act, has occurred with respect to compliance with such 
conditions; and (b) review the adequacy of the policies and procedures 
adopted by the Board no less frequently than annually.

2. Disclosures to Fund Shareholders

    (a) Each 19(a) Notice disseminated to the holders of the Fund's 
common shares, in addition to the information required by section 19(a) 
and rule 19a-1:

[[Page 54604]]

    (i) Will provide, in a tabular or graphical format:
    (1) The amount of the distribution, on a per share basis, together 
with the amounts of such distribution amount, on a per 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;
    (2) The fiscal year-to-date cumulative amount of distributions, on 
a per share basis, together with the amounts of such cumulative amount, 
on a per 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;
    (3) 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 
ended immediately 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
    (4) 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
    (ii) Will include the following disclosure:
    (1) ``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'';
    (2) ``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' ''; \4\ and
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    \4\ The disclosure in this condition 2(a)(ii)(2) will be 
included only if the current distribution or the fiscal year-to-date 
cumulative distributions are estimated to include a return of 
capital.
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    (3) ``The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this 
19(a) Notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax 
reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for 
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 19(a) 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 shareholders under 
rule 30e-1 under the Act, the Fund will:
    (i) Describe the terms of the Plan (including the fixed amount or 
fixed percentage of the distributions and the frequency of the 
distributions);
    (ii) Include the disclosure required by condition 2(a)(ii)(1) 
above;
    (iii) State, if applicable, that the Plan provides that the Board 
may amend or terminate the Plan at any time without prior notice to 
Fund shareholders; and
    (iv) Describe any reasonably foreseeable circumstances that might 
cause the Fund to terminate the Plan and any reasonably foreseeable 
consequences of such termination; and
    (c) Each report provided to shareholders under rule 30e-1 under the 
Act 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.

3. Disclosure to Shareholders, Prospective Shareholders and Third 
Parties

    (a) The Fund will include the information contained in the relevant 
19(a) Notice, including the disclosure required by condition 2(a)(ii) 
above, in any written communication (other than a communication on 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 shareholder, prospective common 
shareholder or third-party information provider;
    (b) The Fund will issue, contemporaneously with the issuance of any 
19(a) Notice, a press release containing the information in the 19(a) 
Notice and will file with the Commission the information contained in 
such 19(a) Notice, including the disclosure required by condition 
2(a)(ii) above, as an exhibit to its next filed Form N-CSR; and
    (c) The Fund will post prominently a statement on its (or the 
Investment Adviser's) Web site containing the information in each 19(a) 
Notice, including the disclosure required by condition 2(a)(ii) above, 
and will maintain such information on such Web site for at least 24 
months.

4. 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 
19(a) 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 19(a) 
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 19(a) Notice to each beneficial 
owner of the Fund's shares; and (c) upon the request of any financial 
intermediary, or its agent, that receives copies of the 19(a) Notice, 
will pay the financial intermediary, or its agent, the reasonable 
expenses of sending the 19(a) Notice to such beneficial owners.

5. Additional Board Determinations for Funds Whose Shares Trade at a 
Premium

    If:
    (a) The Fund's common shares have traded on the stock exchange that 
they primarily trade on 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 shares 
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-

[[Page 54605]]

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:
    (i) 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:
    (1) Will request and evaluate, and the Investment 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;
    (2) Will determine whether continuation, or continuation after 
amendment, of the Plan is consistent with the Fund's investment 
objective(s) and policies and is in the best interests of the Fund and 
its shareholders, after considering the information in condition 
5(b)(i)(1) above; including, without limitation:
    (A) Whether the Plan is accomplishing its purpose(s);
    (B) The reasonably foreseeable material 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 shares; and
    (C) The Fund's current distribution rate, as described in condition 
5(b) above, compared with the Fund's average annual taxable income or 
total return over the 2-year period, as described in condition 5(b), or 
such longer period as the Board deems appropriate; and
    (3) Based upon that determination, will approve or disapprove the 
continuation, or continuation after amendment, of the Plan; and
    (ii) The Board will record the information considered by it, 
including its consideration of the factors listed in condition 
5(b)(i)(2) above, 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.

6. Public Offerings

    The Fund will not make a public offering of the Fund's common 
shares other than:
    (a) A rights offering below NAV to holders of the Fund's common 
shares;
    (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 6(a) 
and 6(b) above, provided that, with respect to such other offering:
    (i) The Fund's annualized distribution rate for the six months 
ending on the last day of the month ended immediately prior to the most 
recent distribution record date,\5\ 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; \6\ and
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    \5\ If the Fund has been in operation for less than six months, 
the measured period will begin immediately following the Fund's 
first public offering.
    \6\ If the Fund has been in operation for less than five years, 
the measured period will begin immediately following the Fund's 
first public offering.
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    (ii) 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 by or determined in 
accordance with the terms of any outstanding preferred stock as such 
Fund may issue.

7. Amendments to Rule 19b-1

    The requested order 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,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-25422 Filed 10-21-09; 8:45 am]
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