Proposed Collection; Comment Request, 75391-75392 [2013-29500]

Download as PDF emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 11, 2013 / Notices 482 advertisements that include performance data of open-end funds or insurance company separate accounts offering variable annuity contracts are required to include certain standardized performance information, information about any sales loads or other nonrecurring fees, and a legend warning that past performance does not guarantee future results. Such funds including performance information in rule 482 advertisements are also required to make available to investors month-end performance figures via Web site disclosure or by a toll-free telephone number, and to disclose the availability of the month-end performance data in the advertisement. The rule also sets forth requirements regarding the prominence of certain disclosures, requirements regarding advertisements that make tax representations, requirements regarding advertisements used prior to the effectiveness of the fund’s registration statement, requirements regarding the timeliness of performance data, and certain required disclosures by money market funds. Rule 482 advertisements must be filed with the Commission or, in the alternative, with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (‘‘FINRA’’).3 This information collection differs from many other federal information collections that are primarily for the use and benefit of the collecting agency. Rule 482 contains requirements that are intended to encourage the provision to investors of information that is balanced and informative, particularly in the area of investment performance. The Commission is concerned that in the absence of such provisions fund investors may be misled by deceptive rule 482 advertisements and may rely on less-than-adequate information when determining in which funds they should invest money. As a result, the Commission believes it is beneficial for funds to provide investors with balanced information in fund advertisements in order to allow investors to make better-informed decisions. The Commission estimates that 59,245 responses to rule 482 are filed annually by 3,430 investment companies offering approximately 16,428 portfolios, or approximately 3.6 responses per portfolio annually. The burden associated with rule 482 is presently estimated to be 5.16 hours per 3 See rule 24b–3 under the Investment Company Act (17 CFR 270.24b–3), which provides that any sales material, including rule 482 advertisements, shall be deemed filed with the Commission for purposes of Section 24(b) of the Investment Company Act upon filing with FINRA. VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:00 Dec 10, 2013 Jkt 232001 response. The hourly burden is therefore approximately 305,704 hours.4 The estimate of average burden hours is made solely for the purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act and is not derived from a comprehensive or even a representative survey or study of the costs of Commission rules and forms. The provision of information under rule 482 is necessary to obtain the benefits of the safe harbor offered by the rule. The information provided under rule 482 will not be kept confidential. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. 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 Thomas Bayer, Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Remi Pavlik-Simon, 6432 General Green Way, Alexandria, VA 22312; or send an email to: PRA_ Mailbox@sec.gov. Dated: December 5, 2013. Kevin M. O’Neill, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2013–29501 Filed 12–10–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Proposed Collection; Comment Request Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, Washington, DC 20549–0213. Extension: Rule 17a–6, OMB Control No. 3235–0564, SEC File No. 270–506. 4 59,245 responses × 5.16 hours per response = 305,704 hours. PO 00000 Frm 00063 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 75391 Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501), the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) is soliciting comments on the collections of information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit these existing collections of information to the Office of Management and Budget (‘‘OMB’’) for extension and approval. Section 17(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ‘‘Act’’) generally prohibits affiliated persons of a registered investment company (‘‘fund’’) from borrowing money or other property from, or selling or buying securities or other property to or from, the fund or any company that the fund controls.1 Rule 17a–6 (17 CFR 270.17a– 6) permits a fund and a ‘‘portfolio affiliate’’ (a company that is an affiliated person of the fund because the fund controls the company, or holds five percent or more of the company’s outstanding voting securities) to engage in principal transactions that would otherwise be prohibited under section 17(a) of the Act under certain conditions. A fund may not rely on the exemption in the rule to enter into a principal transaction with a portfolio affiliate if certain prohibited participants (e.g., directors, officers, employees, or investment advisers of the fund) have a financial interest in a party to the transaction. Rule 17a–6 specifies certain interests that are not ‘‘financial interests,’’ including any interest that the fund’s board of directors (including a majority of the directors who are not interested persons of the fund) finds to be not material. A board making this finding is required to record the basis for the finding in its meeting minutes. This recordkeeping requirement is a collection of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (‘‘PRA’’).2 The rule is designed to permit transactions between funds and their portfolio affiliates in circumstances in which it is unlikely that the affiliate would be in a position to take advantage of the fund. In determining whether a financial interest is ‘‘material,’’ the board of the fund should consider whether the nature and extent of the interest in the transaction is sufficiently small that a reasonable person would not believe that the interest affected the determination of whether to enter into the transaction or arrangement or the terms of the transaction or arrangement. The information collection requirements in rule 17a–6 are intended to ensure that 1 15 2 44 E:\FR\FM\11DEN1.SGM U.S.C. 80a–17(a). U.S.C. 3501. 11DEN1 emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES 75392 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 11, 2013 / Notices Commission staff can review, in the course of its compliance and examination functions, the basis for a board of director’s finding that the financial interest of an otherwise prohibited participant in a party to a transaction with a portfolio affiliate is not material. Based on staff discussions with fund representatives, we estimate that funds currently do not rely on the exemption from the term ‘‘financial interest’’ with respect to any interest that the fund’s board of directors (including a majority of the directors who are not interested persons of the fund) finds to be not material. Accordingly, we estimate that annually there will be no principal transactions under rule 17a–6 that will result in a collection of information. The Commission requests authorization to maintain an inventory of one burden hour to ease future renewals of rule 17a–6’s collection of information analysis should funds rely on this exemption to the term ‘‘financial interest’’ as defined in rule 17a–6. The estimate of burden hours is made solely for the purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act. The estimate is not derived from a comprehensive or even a representative survey or study of the costs of Commission rules. Complying with this collection of information requirement is necessary to obtain the benefit of relying on rule 17a–6. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. 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 Thomas Bayer/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, C/O Remi Pavlik-Simon, 6432 General Green Way, Alexandria, VA 22312; or send an email to: PRA_ Mailbox@sec.gov. VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:00 Dec 10, 2013 Jkt 232001 Dated: December 5, 2013. Kevin M. O’Neill, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2013–29500 Filed 12–10–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Investment Company Act Release No. 30819; 812–13825] American Beacon Funds, et al.; Notice of Application December 5, 2013. Securities and Exchange Commission (‘‘Commission’’). ACTION: Notice of an application under section 6(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (‘‘Act’’) for an exemption from section 15(a) of the Act and rule 18f–2 under the Act, as well as from certain disclosure requirements. AGENCY: Applicants request an order that would permit them to enter into and materially amend subadvisory agreements without shareholder approval and would grant relief from certain disclosure requirements. The order would supersede a prior order (‘‘Prior Order’’).1 APPLICANTS: American Beacon Funds and American Beacon Select Funds (collectively, the ‘‘Trusts’’) and American Beacon Advisors, Inc. (‘‘American Beacon’’ and collectively, ‘‘Applicants’’). DATES: Filing Dates: The application was filed on September 20, 2010, and amended on December 10, 2012, March 13, 2013 and November 1, 2013. 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 December 27, 2013, and should be accompanied by proof of service on the 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: Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary, U.S. Securities and Exchange SUMMARY OF APPLICATION: 1 Investment Company Act Rel. Nos. 21995 (May 30, 1996) (notice) and 22040 (Jun. 25, 1996) (order). PO 00000 Frm 00064 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549–1090. Applicants: 4151 Amon Carter Blvd., MD 2450, Fort Worth, TX 76155. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean E. Minarick, Senior Counsel, at (202) 551–6811, or Daniele Marchesani, Branch Chief, at (202) 551–6821 (Division of Investment Management, Chief Counsel’s Office). 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 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 Trust is organized as a Massachusetts business trust and is registered under the Act as an open-end management investment company. The Trusts currently offer separate series (each a ‘‘Fund’’), each of which has its own investment objectives, policies and restrictions.2 A Manager registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (‘‘Advisers Act’’) will serve as the investment adviser to each Fund pursuant to a separate investment management agreement (each a ‘‘Management Agreement’’ and collectively, the ‘‘Management Agreements’’) with the Fund. Each Management Agreement was or will be approved by each respective Fund’s shareholders and the relevant Trust’s board of trustees (the ‘‘Board’’), including a majority of the trustees who are not ‘‘interested persons,’’ as defined in section 2(a)(19) of the Act, of the Trust or the Manager (‘‘Independent Trustees’’). The terms of each Management Agreement comply with sections 15(a) and 15(c) of the Act and 2 All existing registered investment companies that currently intend to rely on the order are named as Applicants. Applicants request relief with respect to the existing and future Funds of the Trusts and any other existing or future registered open-end management investment company or series thereof that: (a) Is advised by American Beacon or any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with American Beacon (each, a ‘‘Manager’’) or its successors; (b) uses the manager of managers structure described in the application; and (c) complies with the terms and conditions of the application (each a ‘‘Sub-Advised Fund’’ and collectively, the ‘‘Sub-Advised Funds’’). For purposes of the requested order, ‘‘successor’’ is limited to an entity or entities that result from a reorganization into another jurisdiction or a change in the type of business organization. If the name of any Sub-Advised Fund contains the name of a SubAdviser (as defined below), the name of the Manager that serves as the primary adviser to the Sub-Advised Fund will precede the name of the Sub-Adviser. E:\FR\FM\11DEN1.SGM 11DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 11, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75391-75392]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-29500]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange 
Commission, Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, Washington, DC 
20549-0213.

Extension:
    Rule 17a-6, OMB Control No. 3235-0564, SEC File No. 270-506.

    Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501), the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(the ``Commission'') is soliciting comments on the collections of 
information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit these 
existing collections of information to the Office of Management and 
Budget (``OMB'') for extension and approval.
    Section 17(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ``Act'') 
generally prohibits affiliated persons of a registered investment 
company (``fund'') from borrowing money or other property from, or 
selling or buying securities or other property to or from, the fund or 
any company that the fund controls.\1\ Rule 17a-6 (17 CFR 270.17a-6) 
permits a fund and a ``portfolio affiliate'' (a company that is an 
affiliated person of the fund because the fund controls the company, or 
holds five percent or more of the company's outstanding voting 
securities) to engage in principal transactions that would otherwise be 
prohibited under section 17(a) of the Act under certain conditions. A 
fund may not rely on the exemption in the rule to enter into a 
principal transaction with a portfolio affiliate if certain prohibited 
participants (e.g., directors, officers, employees, or investment 
advisers of the fund) have a financial interest in a party to the 
transaction. Rule 17a-6 specifies certain interests that are not 
``financial interests,'' including any interest that the fund's board 
of directors (including a majority of the directors who are not 
interested persons of the fund) finds to be not material. A board 
making this finding is required to record the basis for the finding in 
its meeting minutes. This recordkeeping requirement is a collection of 
information under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (``PRA'').\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 80a-17(a).
    \2\ 44 U.S.C. 3501.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The rule is designed to permit transactions between funds and their 
portfolio affiliates in circumstances in which it is unlikely that the 
affiliate would be in a position to take advantage of the fund. In 
determining whether a financial interest is ``material,'' the board of 
the fund should consider whether the nature and extent of the interest 
in the transaction is sufficiently small that a reasonable person would 
not believe that the interest affected the determination of whether to 
enter into the transaction or arrangement or the terms of the 
transaction or arrangement. The information collection requirements in 
rule 17a-6 are intended to ensure that

[[Page 75392]]

Commission staff can review, in the course of its compliance and 
examination functions, the basis for a board of director's finding that 
the financial interest of an otherwise prohibited participant in a 
party to a transaction with a portfolio affiliate is not material.
    Based on staff discussions with fund representatives, we estimate 
that funds currently do not rely on the exemption from the term 
``financial interest'' with respect to any interest that the fund's 
board of directors (including a majority of the directors who are not 
interested persons of the fund) finds to be not material. Accordingly, 
we estimate that annually there will be no principal transactions under 
rule 17a-6 that will result in a collection of information.
    The Commission requests authorization to maintain an inventory of 
one burden hour to ease future renewals of rule 17a-6's collection of 
information analysis should funds rely on this exemption to the term 
``financial interest'' as defined in rule 17a-6.
    The estimate of burden hours is made solely for the purposes of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act. The estimate is not derived from a 
comprehensive or even a representative survey or study of the costs of 
Commission rules. Complying with this collection of information 
requirement is necessary to obtain the benefit of relying on rule 17a-
6. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid control number.
    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 Thomas Bayer/Chief 
Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, C/O Remi 
Pavlik-Simon, 6432 General Green Way, Alexandria, VA 22312; or send an 
email to: PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov.

    Dated: December 5, 2013.
Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-29500 Filed 12-10-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
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