As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 28, 2023
Securities Act Registration No. 333-[]
Investment Company Act Registration No. 811-21337
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-2
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 ☒
Pre-Effective Amendment No. ☐
Post-Effective Amendment No. ☐
and/or
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT
UNDER
THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 ☒
Amendment No. 5 ☒
Western Asset
Global High Income Fund Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
620 Eighth Avenue, 47th Floor
New York, New York 10018
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(888) 777-0102
(Registrants Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
Jane Trust
Franklin
Templeton
280 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10017
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copies to:
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David W. Blass, Esq.
Ryan P. Brizek, Esq.
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
900 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20001 |
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Marc A. De Oliveira, Esq.
Franklin Templeton 100
First Stamford Place Stamford, CT 06902 |
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the
following box ☐.
If any of the securities being registered on this form will be offered on a delayed or continuous basis
in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction A.2 or a post-effective amendment thereto, check the following
box ☒.
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction B or a post-effective amendment thereto
that will become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box ☐.
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction B to register additional
securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box ☐.
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)
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when declared effective pursuant to Section 8(c) |
If appropriate, check the following box:
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This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed registration statement.
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This form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the
Securities Act and the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering is .
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This Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, and the
Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering is . |
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This Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, and the
Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering is . |
Check each box that appropriately characterizes the Registrant:
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Registered Closed-End Fund
(closed-end company that is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (Investment Company Act)). |
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Business Development Company (closed-end company that intends or has
elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act). |
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Interval Fund (Registered Closed-End Fund or a Business Development
Company that makes periodic repurchase offers under Rule 23c-3 under the Investment Company Act). |
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A.2 Qualified (qualified to register securities pursuant to General Instruction A.2 of this Form).
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Well-Known Seasoned Issuer (as defined by Rule 405 under the Securities Act). |
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Emerging Growth Company (as defined by Rule 12b-2 under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act). |
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If an Emerging Growth Company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended
transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of Securities Act. |
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New Registrant (registered or regulated under the Investment Company Act for less than 12 calendar months
preceding this filing). |
The
Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that the Registration Statement shall thereafter
become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such dates as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said
Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this Preliminary Prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may
not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Preliminary Prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities
in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION DATED DECEMBER 28, 2023
PRELIMINARY BASE PROSPECTUS
$[●]
Western Asset Global High Income Fund Inc.
Common Stock
Subscription Rights to Purchase Common Stock
The Fund.
Western Asset Global High Income Fund Inc., a Maryland corporation (the Fund), is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company.
Investment Objectives. The Funds primary investment objective is high current income. The Funds secondary objective is
total return. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives.
Investment Strategies. Under
normal conditions, the Fund will invest in a global portfolio of securities consisting of below investment grade fixed income securities, emerging market fixed income securities and investment grade fixed income securities. The Fund has broad
discretion to allocate assets among the following segments of the global market for below investment grade and investment grade fixed income securities: corporate bonds, loans, preferred stock, mortgage- and asset-backed securities and sovereign
debt, and derivative instruments of the foregoing securities. The Fund may use a variety of derivative instruments, such as options, futures contracts, swap agreements and credit default swaps, as part of its investment strategies or for hedging or
risk management purposes. If a security is rated by multiple nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs) and receives different ratings, the Fund will treat the security as being rated in the lowest rating category
received from an NRSRO.
The Funds shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (Common Stock), are listed on the
New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the trading or ticker symbol EHI. The net asset value of our Common Stock at the close of business on [●], 2024 was $[●] per share, and the last sale price per
share of our Common Stock on the NYSE on that date was $[●].
Offering. The Fund may offer, from time to time, in one or
more offerings, shares of our Common Stock, which we also refer to as our securities, at prices and on terms to be set forth in one or more Prospectus Supplements to this Prospectus.
We may offer and sell our securities to or through underwriters, through dealers or agents that we designate from time to time, directly to
purchasers, through at-the-market offerings or through a combination of these methods. If an offering of securities involves any underwriters, dealers or agents, then
the applicable Prospectus Supplement will name the underwriters, dealers or agents and will provide information regarding any applicable purchase price, fee, commission or discount arrangements made with those underwriters, dealers or agents or the
basis upon which such amount may be calculated. See Plan of Distribution. We may not sell any of our securities through agents, underwriters or dealers without delivery of a Prospectus Supplement describing the method and terms of the
offering of our securities.
Investment Manager and Subadviser. Franklin Templeton Fund Adviser, LLC (FTFA or the
Manager), the Funds investment manager, supervises the day-to-day management of the Funds portfolio by Western Asset Management Company, LLC
(Western Asset), Western Asset Management Company Limited (Western Asset Limited) and Western Asset Management Company Pte. Ltd. (Western Asset Singapore) and provides administrative and management services to the
Fund.
Investing in the Funds securities involves certain risks. You could lose some or all of your investment. See Risks
beginning on page 44 of this Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor
any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this Prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Prospectus dated , 2024.
Western Asset, the Funds subadviser, is responsible for the
day-to-day portfolio management of the Fund, subject to the supervision of the Funds Board of Directors and the Manager. As of [●], 2023, Western
Assets and its supervised affiliates total assets under management were approximately $[●] billion.
In connection with
Western Assets service to the Fund, Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore provide certain subadvisory services to the Fund relating to currency transactions and investments in non-U.S. dollar
denominated debt securities. The Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc., a global investment management organization operating as Franklin Templeton.
Leverage. The Fund may seek to enhance the level of its current distributions to holders of Common Stock (Common
Stockholders) through the use of leverage. The Fund may use leverage directly at the fund level through borrowings, including loans from certain financial institutions, the use of reverse repurchase agreements and/or the issuance of debt
securities (collectively, Borrowings), and possibly through the issuance of preferred stock (Preferred Stock), in an aggregate amount of up to approximately 33 1/3% of
the Funds total assets less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities (for these purposes, total net assets) immediately after such Borrowings and/or issuances of Preferred Stock. Currently, the Fund has
no intention to issue notes or debt securities or Preferred Stock. In addition, the Fund may enter into additional reverse repurchase agreements and/or use similar investment management techniques that may provide leverage, but which are not subject
to the foregoing 33 1/3% limitation so long as the Fund has covered its commitment with respect to such techniques by segregating liquid assets, entering into offsetting transactions or owning positions covering related obligations. See
Leverage, Description of SharesPreferred Stock and RisksRisks Related to the FundLeverage Risk.
This Prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), using
the shelf registration process. Under the shelf registration process, we may offer, from time to time, separately or together in one or more offerings, the securities described in this Prospectus. The securities may be offered at prices
and on terms described in one or more supplements to this Prospectus. This Prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that we may offer. Each time we use this Prospectus to offer securities, we will provide a Prospectus
Supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The Prospectus Supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this Prospectus. This Prospectus, together with any Prospectus Supplement, sets
forth concisely the information about us that a prospective investor ought to know before investing. You should read this Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement before deciding whether to invest and retain them for future reference. A
Statement of Additional Information, dated , 2024 (the SAI), containing additional information about us, has been filed with the SEC and is
incorporated by reference in its entirety into this Prospectus. You may request a free copy of the SAI (the table of contents of which is on page 89 of this Prospectus), annual and semi-annual reports to stockholders (when available), and
additional information about the Fund by calling (888) 777-0102, by writing to the Fund at 620 Eighth Avenue, 47th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or visiting the Funds website
(http://www.franklintempleton.com/investments/options/closed-end-funds). The information contained in, or accessed through, the Funds website is not part of this
Prospectus. You may also obtain a copy of the SAI (and other information regarding the Fund) from the SECs Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information relating to the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090. Such materials, as well as the Funds annual and semi-annual reports (when available) and other information regarding the Fund, are also available on the SECs website (http://www.sec.gov). You
may also e-mail requests for these documents to publicinfo@sec.gov or make a request in writing to the SECs Public Reference Room, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.
As permitted by regulations adopted by the SEC, the Fund does not intend to mail paper copies of the Funds shareholder reports, unless you
specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Fund or from your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank). Instead, the reports will be made available on a website, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is
posted and provided with a website link to access the report. If you invest through a financial intermediary and you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically (e-delivery), you
will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. If you have not already elected e-delivery, you may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund
electronically by contacting your financial intermediary. You may elect to receive all reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you receive paper
copies of your shareholder reports. That election will apply to all legacy Legg Mason funds held in your account at that financial intermediary. If you are a direct shareholder with the Fund, you can call the Fund at
1-888-888-0151, or write to the Fund by regular mail at P.O. Box 505000, Louisville, KY 40233 or by overnight delivery to
Computershare, 462 South 4th Street, Suite 1600, Louisville, KY 40202 to let the Fund know you wish to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. That election will apply to all legacy Legg Mason funds held in your account held directly with
the fund complex.
Shares of common stock of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at
discounts to their net asset values. If our Common Stock trades at a discount to our net asset value, the risk of loss may increase for purchasers of our Common Stock, especially for those investors who expect to sell their common stock in a
relatively short period after purchasing shares in this offering. See RisksMarket Discount from Net Asset Value Risk.
The Funds securities do not represent a deposit or obligation of, and are not guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank or other insured
depository institution, and are not federally insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other governmental agency.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and any related Prospectus Supplement. We
have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction
where the offer or sale is not permitted or where the person making the offer or sale is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is not permitted to make such offer or sale. You should assume that the information appearing in this
Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement is accurate only as of the respective dates on their front covers, regardless of the time of delivery of this Prospectus, any Prospectus Supplement, or any sale of our securities. Our business, financial
condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
This is only a summary. This summary does not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in the Funds
Common Stock. You should review the more detailed information contained elsewhere in this Prospectus, any related Prospectus Supplements and in the Statement of Additional Information (the SAI), especially the information under the
heading Risks. Unless otherwise indicated or the content otherwise requires, references to we, us and our refer to Western Asset Global High Income Fund Inc.
The Fund |
Western Asset Global High Income Fund Inc., a Maryland corporation (the Fund), is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company.
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The Offering |
The Fund may offer, from time to time, in one or more offerings, up to $[●] of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share (Common Stock), which we also refer to as our securities, at prices and on terms to be set forth in one
or more prospectus supplements (each, a Prospectus Supplement) to this Prospectus. We may also offer subscription rights to purchase our Common Stock. |
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We may offer and sell our securities to or through underwriters, through dealers or agents that we designate from time to time, directly to purchasers, through at-the-market offerings or through a combination of these methods. If an offering of securities involves any underwriters, dealers or agents, then the applicable Prospectus Supplement will name the
underwriters, dealers or agents and will provide information regarding any applicable purchase price, fee, commission or discount arrangements made with those underwriters, dealers or agents or the basis upon which such amount may be calculated. See
Plan of Distribution. We may not sell any of our securities through agents, underwriters or dealers without delivery of a Prospectus Supplement describing the method and terms of the offering of our securities. The offering price per
share of Common Stock will not be less than the net asset value per share of Common Stock at the time we make the offering, exclusive of any underwriting commissions or discounts, provided that rights offerings that meet certain conditions may be
offered at a price below the then current net asset value. See Rights Offerings. |
Who May Want to Invest |
Investors should consider their investment goals, time horizons and risk tolerance before investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not appropriate for all investors, and the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.
The Fund is designed as a long-term investment and not as a trading vehicle. The Fund may be an appropriate investment for investors who are seeking: |
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A portfolio consisting of high-yield corporate debt securities from both U.S. and
non-U.S. corporations; |
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Access to an opportunistic investment strategy; |
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The potential for attractive monthly distributions and capital appreciation; and/or |
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The professional, active management and high-yield experience of Western Asset. |
Investment Objectives and Strategies |
The Funds primary investment objective is high current income. The Funds secondary objective is total return. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives. See The Funds
Investments. |
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Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest: (i) at least 10% and up to 80% of its total assets in (i) below investment grade (high yield) fixed income (debt) securities issued by corporate issuers;
(ii) at least 10% and up to 80% of its assets in emerging market fixed income securities; and (iii) at least 10% and up to 80% of its assets in investment grade fixed income securities. |
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The Fund usually will attempt to maintain a portfolio with a weighted average credit quality rated at least B3 by Moodys Investors Service, Inc. (Moodys) or
B- by S&P Global Ratings and its affiliates(collectively, S&P) or an equivalent rating from any nationally recognized statistical rating organization. If a security is rated by multiple
nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs) and receives different ratings, the Fund will treat the security as being rated in the lowest rating category received from an NRSRO. |
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For temporary defensive purposes and in order to keep the Funds cash fully invested, the Fund may deviate from its investment objectives and policies and invest some or all of its assets in investments of non-corporate issuers, including high-quality, short- term debt securities. In addition, in anticipation of or in response to adverse market conditions, for cash management purposes, or for defensive purposes, the
Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in U.S. government securities, certificates of deposit, repurchase agreements, or short term commercial paper. The Fund may also invest in money market funds, including funds affiliated with FTFA and Western
Asset. |
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As a temporary defensive strategy, the Fund may employ alternative strategies, including investment of all of the Funds assets in securities rated investment grade by any nationally recognized statistical rating
organization, or in unrated securities of comparable quality. |
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It is impossible to predict when, or for how long, the Fund will use these alternative strategies. There can be no assurance that such strategies will be successful. See The Funds Investments Temporary
Defensive Strategies and RisksRisks Related to the FundTemporary Defensive Strategies Risk in this prospectus and Investment Policies and Techniques in the SAI. |
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The Fund may invest up to 20% of its managed assets in all types of equity securities, including common stocks traded on an exchange or in the over the counter market, preferred stocks, warrants, rights, convertible
securities, depositary receipts, trust certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies and real estate investment trusts (REITs). |
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The Fund may invest up to 15% of its managed assets in illiquid securities. |
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The Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in any combination of publicly or privately traded mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. |
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The Fund may invest in zero coupon securities, pay-in-kind bonds and deferred payment securities. |
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The Fund may invest in certain bank obligations, including certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances, and fixed time deposits. |
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The Fund may invest in collateralized debt obligations, collateralized bond obligations and collateralized loan obligations. |
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The average portfolio duration of the Fund will normally be within one to seven years based on the Managers forecast for interest rates. Duration is a measure of the expected life of a debt security that is used
to determine the sensitivity of a securitys price to changes in interest rates. |
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The Fund may not purchase or sell commodities or commodities contracts or oil, gas or mineral programs, but may purchase, sell, or enter into futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward contracts, or
interest rate, securities-related or other hedging instruments, including swap agreements and other derivative instruments. |
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For a more complete discussion of the Funds portfolio composition, see The Funds Investments. |
Leverage |
The Fund may seek to enhance the level of its current distributions to Common Stockholders through the use of leverage. In an effort to mitigate the overall risk of leverage, the Fund does not intend to incur leverage that exceeds 33 1/3% of the Funds total assets less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities (for these purposes, total
net assets) immediately after such Borrowings and/or issuances of Preferred Stock. |
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The Fund may use leverage through borrowings, including loans from certain financial institutions, the use of reverse
repurchase agreements and/or the issuance of debt securities (collectively, Borrowings), and possibly through the issuance of preferred stock (Preferred Stock), in an aggregate amount of up to approximately 33 1/3% of the |
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Funds total net assets immediately after such Borrowings and/or issuances of Preferred Stock. The Fund has a Margin Loan and Security Agreement with Bank of America, N.A. (BofA)
(the BofA Credit Agreement) that allows the Fund to borrow up to an aggregate amount of $120,000,000, and renews daily for a 179-day term unless notice to the contrary is given to the Fund. As of
May 31, 2023, the Fund had $70,000,000 of Borrowings outstanding. In addition, the Fund may enter into additional reverse repurchase agreements and/or use similar investment management techniques that may provide leverage, but which are not
subject to the foregoing 33 1/3% limitation so long as the Fund has covered its commitment with respect to such techniques by segregating liquid assets, entering into offsetting transactions or owning positions covering related obligations. See
Leverage, Description of SharesPreferred Stock and RisksRisks Related to the Fund Leverage Risk. |
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The Fund may borrow for temporary, emergency or other purposes as permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act). Any such indebtedness would be in addition to the combined
direct and implicit leverage ratio of up to 33 1/3% of the Funds total net assets. |
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During periods when the Fund is using leverage through Borrowings or the issuance of Preferred Stock, the fees paid to the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore for advisory services
will be higher than if the Fund did not use leverage because the fees paid will be calculated on the basis of the Funds Managed Assets, which includes the principal amount of the Borrowings and any assets attributable to the issuance of
Preferred Stock. This means that the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore may have a financial incentive to increase the Funds use of leverage. See Leverage and Risks Risks Related
to the FundLeverage Risk. |
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There can be no assurance that the Funds leverage strategy will be successful. The use of leverage creates special risks for Common Stockholders. See Leverage and RisksRisks Related to the
FundLeverage Risk. |
Derivatives |
Generally, derivatives are financial contracts whose values depend upon, or are derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index,
and may relate to individual debt or equity instruments, interest rates, currencies or currency exchange rates and related indexes. The Fund may use a variety of derivative instruments as part of its investment strategies or for hedging or risk
management purposes. Examples of derivative instruments that the fund may use include options contracts, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, credit default swaps and other swap agreements. The Fund may purchase and sell futures
contracts, purchase and sell (or write) exchange-listed and OTC put and call options on securities, financial |
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indices and futures contracts, enter into various interest rate and currency transactions and enter into other similar transactions which may be developed in the future to the extent the
management determines that they are consistent with the funds investment objectives and policies and applicable regulatory requirements. The Fund may use any or all of these techniques at any time, and the use of any particular derivative
transaction will depend on market conditions. |
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Effective August 19, 2022, the Fund began operating under Rule 18f- 4 under the 1940 Act which, among other things, governs the use of derivative investments and certain financing transactions (e.g., reverse
repurchase agreements) by registered investment companies. |
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Among other things, Rule 18f-4 requires funds that invest in derivative instruments beyond a specified limited amount to apply a value at risk (VaR) based limit to
their use of certain derivative instruments and financing transactions and to adopt and implement a derivatives risk management program. Rule 18f-4 may limit the Funds ability to use derivatives as part
of its investment strategy. Using derivatives also can have a leveraging effect and increase Fund volatility. See Leverage and RisksRisks Related to the FundLeverage Risk. |
Distributions |
The Fund distributes its net investment income on a monthly basis and distributes annually any realized capital gains, subject in all respects to authorization by our Board of Directors. |
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We intend to continue to pay monthly distributions to our Common Stockholders. Payment of future distributions is subject to authorization by our Board of Directors, as well as meeting the covenants under our
outstanding notes and credit facility and the asset coverage requirements of the 1940 Act. See Distributions. |
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Unless you elect to receive distributions in cash (i.e., opt out), all of your distributions, including any capital gains distributions on your Common Stock, will be automatically reinvested in additional shares
of Common Stock under the Funds Dividend Reinvestment Plan. See Distributions and Dividend Reinvestment Plan. |
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An affiliate of the Manager has received an exemptive order from the SEC under the 1940 Act facilitating the implementation of a managed distribution policy for certain funds for which it, or one of its affiliates,
provides investment management services, including the Fund. The Fund does not intend to implement a managed distribution policy at this time; however, the Board of Directors may, at the request of the Manager and Western Asset, adopt a managed
distribution policy in the future. See Distributions. |
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The Fund has elected to be treated, and intends to qualify annually, as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of
the Internal |
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Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), which generally relieves the Fund of any liability for federal income tax to the extent its earnings are distributed to shareholders. The
Fund intends to distribute to its shareholders, at least annually, substantially all of its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code, but determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net capital
gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss). |
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The Fund reserves the right to change its distribution policy and the basis for establishing the rate of its monthly distributions at any time and may do so without prior notice to Common Stockholders.
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Investment Manager |
FTFA is the Funds investment manager. The Manager, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, a global investment management organization operating as Franklin Templeton, is a registered investment adviser and provides
administrative and management services to the Fund. In addition, the Manager performs administrative and management services necessary for the operation of the Fund, such as (1) supervising the overall administration of the Fund, including
negotiation of contracts and fees with and the monitoring of performance and billings of the Funds transfer agent, stockholder servicing agents, custodian and other independent contractors or agents; (2) providing certain compliance, Fund
accounting, regulatory reporting and tax reporting services; (3) preparing or participating in the preparation of Board materials, registration statements, proxy statements and reports and other communications to stockholders;
(4) maintaining the Funds existence and (5) during such times as shares are publicly offered, maintaining the registration and qualification of the Funds shares under federal and state laws. As of [●], 2023, the
Managers total assets under management were approximately $[●] billion. Franklin Templeton is a global asset management firm. As of [●], 2023, Franklin Templetons asset management operation had aggregate assets under
management of approximately $[●] trillion. |
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The Manager receives an annual fee, payable monthly, in an amount equal to 0.85% of the Funds average daily Managed Assets. Managed Assets means net assets plus the amount of any Borrowings and assets
attributable to any Preferred Stock that may be outstanding. |
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The Fund will pay all of its offering expenses. The Funds management fees and other expenses are borne by the Common Stockholders. See Summary of Fund Expenses and Management of the Fund.
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Subadviser |
Western Asset, the Funds subadviser, has day-to-day responsibility for managing the Funds direct investments in high-yield products and other permitted
investments, subject to the supervision of the Funds Board of Directors and the Manager. |
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As of [●], 2024, Western Asset and its supervised affiliates had approximately $[●] billion in assets under management. |
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Western Asset receives an annual subadvisory fee, payable monthly, from the Manager in an amount equal to 70% of the management fee paid to the Manager. No fee will be paid by the Fund directly to Western Asset. See
Management of the Fund. |
Non-U.S. Subadvisers |
In connection with Western Assets service to the Fund, Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore provide certain subadvisory services to the Fund pursuant to a subadvisory agreements with Western Asset (the Western Asset Limited
Subadvisory Agreement and the Western Asset Singapore Subadvisory Agreement). Each of Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore is generally responsible for managing investments denominated in currencies other than the U.S.
dollar. |
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Western Asset pays each of Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore a fee for their services at no additional expense to the Fund. Western Asset pays Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore a monthly
subadvisory fee in an amount equal to 100% of the management fee paid to Western Asset on the assets that Western Asset allocates to Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore, respectively, to manage. See Management of the Fund.
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Listing |
The Funds shares of Common Stock are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the trading or ticker symbol EHI. The net asset value of our Common Stock at the close of business on [●],
2024 was $[●] per share, and the last sale price per share of our Common Stock on the NYSE on that date was $[●]. |
Custodian and Transfer Agent |
The Bank of New York Mellon serves as custodian of the Funds assets. Computershare Inc. serves as the Funds transfer agent. See Custodian and Transfer Agent. |
Special Principal Risk Considerations |
An investment in the Funds securities involves various principal risks. The following is a summary of certain of these risks. It is not complete and you should read and consider carefully the more complete list of risks described below
under Risks before purchasing Common Stock in this offering. |
Risks Related to the Fund |
Investment and Market Risk. An investment in the Fund is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire amount that you invest. |
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An investment in our Common Stock is not intended to constitute a complete investment program and should not be viewed as
such. The value of the Funds portfolio securities may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. At any point in time, your securities may be worth less than your original investment. We are
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primarily a long-term investment vehicle and should not be used for short-term trading. |
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Fixed Income Securities Risk. In addition to the risks described elsewhere in this section with respect to valuations and liquidity, fixed income securities, including high-yield securities, are also subject to
certain risks, including: |
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Issuer Risk. The value of fixed income securities may decline for a number of reasons that directly relate
to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuers goods and services. |
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Interest Rate Risk. The market price of the Funds investments will change in response to changes in
interest rates and other factors. During periods of declining interest rates, the market price of fixed income securities generally rises. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the market price of such securities generally declines.
The magnitude of these fluctuations in the market price of fixed income securities is generally greater for securities with longer maturities. Fluctuations in the market price of the Funds securities will not affect interest income derived
from securities already owned by the Fund, but will be reflected in the Funds net asset value. The Fund may utilize certain strategies, including investments in structured notes or interest rate swap or cap transactions, for the purpose of
reducing the interest rate sensitivity of the portfolio and decreasing the Funds exposure to interest rate risk, although there is no assurance that it will do so or that such strategies will be successful. |
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Prepayment Risk. During periods of declining interest rates, the issuer of a security may exercise its
option to prepay principal earlier than scheduled, forcing the Fund to reinvest the proceeds from such prepayment in lower yielding securities, which may result in a decline in the Funds income and distributions to stockholders. This is known
as prepayment or call risk. Debt securities frequently have call features that allow the issuer to redeem the security at dates prior to its stated maturity at a specified price (typically greater than par) only if certain prescribed
conditions are met. An issuer may choose to redeem a debt security if, for example, the issuer can refinance the debt at a lower cost due to declining interest rates or an improvement in the credit standing of the issuer. |
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Reinvestment Risk. Reinvestment risk is the risk that income from the Funds portfolio will decline
if and when the Fund invests the proceeds from matured, traded or called fixed income securities at market interest rates that are below the portfolios current earnings rate. A decline in income could affect the market price of Common Shares
or overall returns. |
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Below Investment Grade (High-Yield or Junk Bond) Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in high-yield debt securities. Debt securities rated below investment grade are commonly referred to as high-yield
securities or junk bonds and are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to the issuers capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligations and involve
major risk exposure to adverse conditions. Debt securities rated C or lower by Moodys, CCC or lower by S&P or CC or lower by Fitch IBCA, Inc. (Fitch) or comparably rated by another NRSRO or, if unrated, determined by Western
Asset to be of comparable quality are considered to have extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment standing, to have a current identifiable vulnerability to default, to be unlikely to have the capacity to pay interest and repay
principal when due in the event of adverse business, financial or economic conditions and/or to be in default or not current in the payment of interest or principal. Ratings may not accurately reflect the actual credit risk associated with a
corporate security. |
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Debt securities rated below investment grade generally offer a higher current yield than that available from higher grade issues, but typically involve greater risk. These securities are especially sensitive to adverse
changes in general economic conditions, to changes in the financial condition of their issuers and to price fluctuation in response to changes in interest rates. During periods of economic downturn or rising interest rates, issuers of below
investment grade instruments may experience financial stress that could adversely affect their ability to make payments of principal and interest and increase the possibility of default. The secondary market for high-yield securities may not be as
liquid as the secondary market for more highly rated securities, a factor which may have an adverse effect on the Funds ability to dispose of a particular security. There are fewer dealers in the market for high-yield securities than for
investment grade obligations. The prices quoted by different dealers may vary significantly, and the spread between the bid and asked price is generally much larger for high-yield securities than for higher quality instruments. Under continuing
adverse market or economic conditions, the secondary market for high-yield securities could contract further, independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer, and these securities may become illiquid. In addition,
adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may also decrease the values and liquidity of below investment grade securities, especially in a market characterized by a low volume of trading.
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Foreign Securities and Emerging Markets Risk. The Funds investments in securities of foreign issuers or issuers
with significant exposure to foreign markets involve additional risk as compared to investment in U.S. securities or issuers with predominantly domestic exposure, such as less liquid, less regulated, less transparent and more
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volatile markets. The markets for some foreign securities are relatively new, and the rules and policies relating to these markets are not fully developed and may change. The value of the
Funds investments may decline because of factors affecting the particular issuer as well as foreign markets and issuers generally, such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, tariffs and tax disputes, reduction of government or
central bank support, inadequate accounting standards, lack of information and political, economic, financial or social instability. Foreign investments may also be adversely affected by U.S. government or international economic sanctions, which
could eliminate the value of an investment. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political, regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or
region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund. |
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The risks of foreign investment are greater for investments in emerging markets. Emerging market country is defined as any country which is, at the time of investment, it is (i) represented in the J.P.
Morgan Emerging Markets Bond Index Global Diversified or the J.P. Morgan Corporate Emerging Market Bond Index Broad or (ii) categorized by the World Bank in its annual categorization as middle- or low-income.
Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully developed, and that can be expected to be less stable, than those of more advanced countries. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and in
price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, that require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons, or that prevent foreign investors from withdrawing their money at will.
An investment in emerging market securities should be considered speculative. |
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Non-U.S. Government, or Sovereign, Debt Securities Risk. The Fund invests in non-U.S. government, or sovereign, debt securities. The ability of a government issuer, especially in an emerging market country, to make timely and complete payments on its debt obligations will be strongly
influenced by the government issuers balance of payments, including export performance, its access to international credits and investments, fluctuations of interest rates and the extent of its foreign reserves. A country whose exports are
concentrated in a few commodities or whose economy depends on certain strategic imports could be vulnerable to fluctuations in international prices of these commodities or imports. To the extent that a country receives payment for its exports in
currencies other than U.S. dollars, its ability to make debt payments denominated in U.S. dollars could be adversely affected. If a government issuer cannot generate sufficient earnings from foreign trade to service its external debt, it may need to
depend on continuing loans and aid from foreign governments, commercial banks, and multinational |
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organizations. There are no bankruptcy proceedings similar to those in the United States by which defaulted non-U.S. government debt may be collected.
Additional factors that may influence a government issuers ability or willingness to service debt include, but are not limited to, a countrys cash flow situation, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is
due, the relative size of its debt service burden to the economy as a whole, and the issuers policy towards the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and other international agencies to which a
government debtor may be subject. |
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Foreign Currency Risk. The value of investments denominated in foreign currencies increases or decreases as the rates of exchange between those currencies and the U.S. dollar change. Currency conversion costs and
currency fluctuations could erase investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates can be volatile, and are affected by factors such as general economic conditions, the actions of the U.S. and foreign governments or central
banks, the imposition of currency controls and speculation. The Fund may be unable or may choose not to hedge its foreign currency exposure. |
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Liquidity Risk. The Fund may invest in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the value at which
the Fund has valued the securities. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to sell. Securities may become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. When the Fund holds illiquid
investments, the portfolio may be harder to value, especially in changing markets, and if the Fund is forced to sell these investments in order to segregate assets or for other cash needs, the Fund may suffer a loss. |
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Common Stock Risk. An adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of a particular
common stock held by the Fund. In addition, the prices of common stocks are sensitive to general movements in the stock market, and a drop in the stock market may depress the prices of common stocks to which the Fund has exposure. Common stock
prices fluctuate for several reasons including changes in investors perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, or when political or economic events affecting an issuer occur. In
addition, common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase. The value of the common stocks in which the Fund may invest will be affected by changes in the stock
markets generally, which may be the result of domestic or international political or economic news, changes in interest rates or changing investor sentiment. At times, stock markets can be volatile and stock prices can change substantially. The
common stocks of smaller companies |
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are more sensitive to these changes than those of larger companies. Common stock risk will affect the Funds net asset value per share, which will fluctuate as the value of the securities
held by the Fund change. |
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Preferred Stock Risk. Generally, the Fund has a greater flexibility to invest in equity securities. Preferred stocks are unique securities that combine some of the characteristics of both common stocks and bonds.
Preferred stocks generally pay a fixed rate of return and are sold on the basis of current yield, like bonds. However, because they are equity securities, preferred stock provides equity ownership of a company, and the income is paid in the form of
dividends. Preferred stocks typically have a yield advantage over common stocks as well as comparably-rated fixed income investments. Preferred stocks are typically subordinated to bonds and other debt instruments in a companys capital
structure, in terms of priority to corporate income, and therefore will be subject to greater credit risk than those debt instruments. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the
issuers board of directors. Preferred stocks also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions. |
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Convertible Securities Risk. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock or other equity
security of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to nonconvertible income securities in that they ordinarily provide
a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than those of common stocks of the same or similar issuers, but lower yields than comparable nonconvertible securities. Similar to traditional fixed income securities, the market values of
convertible securities tend to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, to increase as interest rates decline. However, when the market price of the common stock underlying a convertible security exceeds the conversion price, the
convertible security tends to reflect the market price of the underlying common stock. As the market price of the underlying common stock declines, the convertible security tends to trade increasingly on a yield basis and thus may not decline in
price to the same extent as the underlying common stock. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors also may have an effect on the convertible securitys investment value. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a
corporations capital structure but are usually subordinated to comparable nonconvertible securities. Convertible securities may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible securitys
governing instrument. |
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Risks of Warrants and Rights. Warrants and rights are subject to the same market risks as stocks, but may be more
volatile in price. |
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Warrants and rights do not carry the right to dividends or voting rights with respect to their underlying securities, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. An
investment in warrants or rights may be considered speculative. In addition, the value of a warrant or right does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying security and a warrant or right ceases to have value if it is not exercised
prior to its expiration date. The purchase of warrants or rights involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a warrant or right if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the warrants or
rights expiration. Also, the purchase of warrants and rights involves the risk that the effective price paid for the warrant or right added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed
securitys market price such as when there is no movement in the price of the underlying security. |
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REITs Risk. Investing in REITs involves certain unique risks in addition to those risks associated with investing in the real estate industry in general. An equity or hybrid REIT may be affected by changes in the
value of the underlying properties owned by the REIT. A mortgage or hybrid REIT may be affected by changes in interest rates and the ability of the issuers of its portfolio mortgages to repay their obligations. Mortgage and hybrid REITs are subject
to the risks of accelerated prepayments of mortgage pools or pass-through securities, reliance on short-term financing and more highly leveraged capital structures. REITs are dependent upon the skills of their managers and are not diversified.
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REITs are generally dependent upon maintaining cash flows to repay borrowings and to make distributions to stockholders and are subject to the risk of default by lessees and borrowers. REITs whose underlying assets are
concentrated in properties used by a particular industry, such as healthcare, are also subject to industry related risks. Certain special purpose REITs may invest their assets in specific real estate sectors, such as hotels, nursing
homes or warehouses, and are therefore subject to the risks associated with adverse developments in any such sectors. |
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REITs are subject to management fees and other expenses. Therefore, investments in REITs will cause CRO to bear its proportionate share of the costs of the REITs operations. At the same time, CRO will continue to
pay its own management fees and expenses with respect to all of its assets, including any portion invested in REITs. |
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Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities Risks. Mortgage-backed securities include, among other things,
participation interests in pools of residential mortgage loans purchased from individual |
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lenders by a federal agency or originated and issued by private lenders and involve, among others, the following risks:
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Credit and Market Risks of Mortgage-Backed Securities. Investments by the Fund in fixed rate and floating
rate mortgage-backed securities will entail credit risks (i.e., the risk of non-payment of interest and principal) and market risks (i.e., the risk that interest rates and other factors could cause the value
of the instrument to decline). Many issuers or servicers of mortgage-backed securities may guarantee timely payment of interest and principal on the securities, whether or not payments are made when due on the underlying mortgages. This kind of
guarantee generally increases the quality of a security, but does not mean that the securitys market value and yield will not change. The value of all mortgage-backed securities also may change because of changes in the markets
perception of the creditworthiness of the organization that issues or guarantees them. In addition, an unexpectedly high rate of defaults on the mortgages held by a mortgage pool may limit substantially the pools ability to make payments of
principal or interest to the Fund as a holder of such securities, reducing the values of those securities or in some cases rendering them worthless. The Fund also may purchase securities that are not guaranteed or subject to any credit support.
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Like bond investments, the value of fixed rate mortgage-backed securities will tend to rise when interest rates fall, and fall when rates rise. Floating rate mortgage-backed securities will generally tend to have more
moderate changes in price when interest rates rise or fall, but their current yield will be affected. |
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In addition, the mortgage-backed securities market in general may be adversely affected by changes in governmental legislation or regulation. Factors that could affect the value of a mortgage-backed security include,
among other things, the types and amounts of insurance which an individual mortgage or specific mortgage-backed security carries, the default and delinquency rate of the mortgage pool, the amount of time the mortgage loan has been outstanding, the loan-to-value ratio of each mortgage and the amount of overcollateralization or undercollateralization of the mortgage pool. |
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Asset-backed securities represent participation in, or are secured by and payable from, assets such as installment sales or
loan contracts, leases, credit card receivables, and other categories of receivables. Certain debt instruments may only pay principal at maturity or may only represent the right to receive payments of principal or payments of interest on underlying
pools or mortgages, assets, or government securities, but not both. The value of these types of instruments may change more drastically than debt securities that pay both principal and interest. The Fund may obtain a below market yield or incur a
loss on such instruments during periods of declining interest rates. |
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Principal only and interest only instruments are subject to extension risk. For mortgage derivatives and structured securities that have imbedded leverage features, small changes in interest or
prepayment rates may cause large and sudden price movements. Mortgage derivatives can also become illiquid and hard to value in declining markets. |
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Prepayment, Extension and Redemption Risks of Mortgage- Backed Securities. Mortgage-backed securities may
reflect an interest in monthly payments made by the borrowers who receive the underlying mortgage loans. Although the underlying mortgage loans are for specified periods of time, such as 20 or 30 years, the borrowers can, and historically have, paid
them off sooner. When a prepayment happens, a portion of the mortgage-backed security which represents an interest in the underlying mortgage loan will be prepaid. A borrower is more likely to prepay a mortgage which bears a relatively high rate of
interest. This means that in times of declining interest rates, a portion of the Funds higher yielding securities are likely to be redeemed and the Fund will probably be unable to replace them with securities having as great a yield.
Prepayments can result in lower yields to stockholders. The increased likelihood of prepayment when interest rates decline also limits market price appreciation of mortgage-backed securities. This is known as prepayment risk. Mortgage-backed
securities also are subject to extension risk. Extension risk is the possibility that rising interest rates may cause prepayments to occur at a slower than expected rate. This particular risk may effectively change a security which was considered
short or intermediate term into a long-term security. The values of long-term securities generally fluctuate more widely in response to changes in interest rates than short or intermediate-term securities. In addition, a mortgage-backed security may
be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer. If a mortgage-backed security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund will be required to permit the issuer to redeem or pay-off
the security, which could have an adverse effect on the Funds ability to achieve its investment objective. |
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Liquidity Risk of Mortgage-Backed Securities. The liquidity of mortgage-backed securities varies by type
of security; at certain times the Fund may encounter difficulty in disposing of such investments. Because mortgage-backed securities have the potential to be less liquid than other securities, the Fund may be more susceptible to liquidity risks than
funds that invest in other securities. In the past, in stressed markets, certain types of mortgage-backed securities suffered periods of illiquidity when disfavored by the market. |
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Collateralized Mortgage Obligations. There are certain risks associated specifically with collateralized
mortgage obligations (CMOs). CMOs are debt obligations collateralized by |
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mortgage loans or mortgage pass-through securities. The average life of CMOs is determined using mathematical models that incorporate prepayment assumptions and other factors that involve
estimates of future economic and market conditions. These estimates may vary from actual future results, particularly during periods of extreme market volatility. Further, under certain market conditions, such as those that occurred in 1994, 2007,
2008 and 2009, the average weighted life of certain CMOs may not accurately reflect the price volatility of such securities. For example, in periods of supply and demand imbalances in the market for such securities and/or in periods of sharp
interest rate movements, the prices of CMOs may fluctuate to a greater extent than would be expected from interest rate movements alone. CMOs issued by private entities are not obligations issued or guaranteed by the United States Government, its
agencies or instrumentalities or by any government agency, although the securities underlying a CMO may be subject to a guarantee. Therefore, if the collateral securing the CMO, as well as any third party credit support or guarantees, is
insufficient to make payments when due, the holder could sustain a loss. |
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Adjustable Rate Mortgages. Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) contain maximum and minimum rates
beyond which the mortgage interest rate may not vary over the lifetime of the security. In addition, many ARMs provide for additional limitations on the maximum amount by which the mortgage interest rate may adjust for any single adjustment period.
Alternatively, certain ARMs contain limitations on changes in the required monthly payment. In the event that a monthly payment is not sufficient to pay the interest accruing on an ARM, any excess interest is added to the principal balance of the
mortgage loan, which is repaid through future monthly payments. If the monthly payment for such an instrument exceeds the sum of the interest accrued at the applicable mortgage interest rate and the principal payment required at such point to
amortize the outstanding principal balance over the remaining term of the loan, the excess is used to reduce the then-outstanding principal balance of the ARM. |
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In addition, certain ARMs may provide for an initial fixed, below-market or teaser interest rate. During this initial fixed-rate period, the payment due from the related mortgagor may be less than that of a
traditional loan. However, after the teaser rate expires, the monthly payment required to be made by the mortgagor may increase dramatically when the interest rate on the mortgage loan adjusts. This increased burden on the mortgagor may
increase the risk of delinquency or default on the mortgage loan and in turn, losses on the mortgage-backed security into which that loan has been bundled. |
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Interest and Principal Only Securities Risk. One type of stripped mortgage-backed security pays to one
class all of the interest |
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from the mortgage assets (the interest-only, or IO class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only, or PO class). The yield to maturity
on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the Funds yield to maturity from
these securities. If the assets underlying the IO class experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup fully, or at all, its initial investment in these securities. Conversely, PO class securities tend to
decline in value if prepayments are slower than anticipated. |
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Derivatives Risk. The Fund may utilize a variety of derivative instruments for investment or risk management purposes, such as options, futures contracts, swap agreements and credit default swaps. Generally
derivatives are financial contracts whose value depends on, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index, and may relate to individual debt or equity instruments, interest rates, currencies or currency exchange rates
and related indexes. Derivatives are subject to a number of risks, such as liquidity risk, interest rate risk, credit risk and management risk. Derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the
transaction will not fulfill its contractual obligation. Changes in the credit quality of the companies that serve as the Funds counterparties with respect to its derivative transactions will affect the value of those instruments. By using
derivatives that expose the Fund to counterparties, the Fund assumes the risk that its counterparties could experience financial hardships that could call into question their continued ability to perform their obligations. In addition, in the event
of the insolvency of a counterparty to a derivative transaction, the derivative transaction would typically be terminated at its fair market value. If the Fund is owed this fair market value in the termination of the derivative transaction and its
claim is unsecured, the Fund will be treated as a general creditor of such counterparty, and will not have any claim with respect to the underlying security. As a result, concentrations of such derivatives in any one counterparty would subject the
Fund to an additional degree of risk with respect to defaults by such counterparty. Derivatives also involve the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in the value of a derivative may not correlate perfectly with an
underlying asset, interest rate or index. Suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances and there can be no assurance that the Fund will engage in these transactions to reduce exposure to other risks when that would be
beneficial. If the Fund invests in a derivative instrument, it could lose more than the principal amount invested. Derivative instruments can be illiquid, may disproportionately increase losses and may have a potentially large impact on the
Funds performance. |
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Effective August 19, 2022, the Fund began operating under Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act which, among other things, governs the use of derivative investments and certain financing transactions (e.g., reverse
repurchase agreements) by registered investment companies. Among other things, Rule 18f-4 requires funds that invest in derivative instruments beyond a specified limited amount to apply a VaR based limit to
their use of certain derivative instruments and financing transactions and to adopt and implement a derivatives risk management program. Compliance with Rule 18f-4 by the Fund could, among other things, make
derivatives more costly, limit their availability or utility, or otherwise adversely affect their performance. Rule 18f-4 may limit the Funds ability to use derivatives as part of its investment
strategy. |
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Risks of Futures and Options on Futures. The use by the Fund of futures contracts and options on futures contracts to hedge interest rate risks involves special considerations and risks, as described below:
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Successful use of hedging transactions depends upon Western Assets ability to correctly predict the
direction of changes in interest rates. There can be no assurance that any particular hedging strategy will succeed. |
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There might be imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between the price movements of a futures or option
contract and the movements of the interest rates being hedged. Such a lack of correlation might occur due to factors unrelated to the interest rates being hedged, such as market liquidity and speculative or other pressures on the markets in which
the hedging instrument is traded. |
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Hedging strategies, if successful, can reduce risk of loss by wholly or partially offsetting the negative effect
of unfavorable movements in the interest rates being hedged. However, hedging strategies can also reduce opportunity for gain by offsetting the positive effect of favorable movements in the hedged interest rates. |
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There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular futures contract or option
thereon at any particular time. If the Fund were unable to liquidate a futures contract or an option on a futures contract position due to the absence of a liquid secondary market or the imposition of price limits, it could incur substantial losses.
The Fund would continue to be subject to market risk with respect to the position. |
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There is no assurance that the Fund will use hedging transactions. For example, if the Fund determines that the
cost of hedging will exceed the potential benefit to the Fund, the Fund will not enter into such transactions. |
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Credit Default Swap Risk. The Fund may invest in credit default swap transactions for hedging or investment purposes. Credit default swap agreements involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the
reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk and credit risk. The buyer in a credit default contract is obligated to pay the
seller a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract, provided that no event of default on an underlying reference obligation has occurred. If an event of default occurs, the seller must pay the buyer the full notional
value, or par value, of the reference obligation through either physical settlement or cash settlement. The Fund may be either the buyer or seller in a credit default swap transaction. If the Fund is a buyer and no event of default
occurs, the Fund will have made a series of periodic payments and recover nothing of monetary value. However, if an event of default occurs, the Fund (if the buyer) will receive the full notional value of the reference obligation either through a
cash payment in exchange for the asset or a cash payment in addition to owning the reference assets. As a seller, the Fund receives a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the contract, which typically is between six months and five years,
provided that there is no event of default. The sale of a credit default swap is a form of leverage. The Fund currently segregates assets on the Funds records in the form of cash, cash equivalents or liquid securities in an amount equal to the
notional value of the credit default swaps of which it is the seller or otherwise covers such obligations. If such assets are not fully segregated or otherwise covered by the Fund, the use of credit default swap transactions could then be considered
senior securities for purposes of the 1940 Act. Recent market developments related to credit default swaps have prompted increased scrutiny with respect to these instruments. As a result of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection
Act, credit default swaps may in the future be subject to increased regulation. Such regulation may limit the Funds ability to use credit default swaps. Although the Fund will seek to realize gains by writing credit default swaps that increase
in value, to realize gains on writing credit default swaps, an active secondary market for such instruments must exist or the Fund must otherwise be able to close out these transactions at advantageous times. If no such secondary market exists or
the Fund is otherwise unable to close out these transactions at advantageous times, writing credit default swaps may not be profitable for the Fund. |
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The market for credit default swaps has become more volatile in recent years as the creditworthiness of certain counterparties
has been questioned and/or downgraded. If a counterpartys credit becomes significantly impaired, multiple requests for collateral posting in a short period of time could increase the risk that the Fund may not receive adequate collateral. The
Fund may exit its obligations under a credit default swap only by terminating the contract and paying applicable |
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breakage fees, or by entering into an offsetting credit default swap position, which may cause the Fund to incur more losses. |
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Repurchase Agreements Risk. Subject to its investment objective and policies, the Fund may invest in repurchase agreements for leverage or investment purposes. Repurchase agreements typically involve the
acquisition by the Fund of debt securities from a selling financial institution such as a bank, savings and loan association or broker-dealer. The agreement provides that the Fund will sell the securities back to the institution at a fixed time in
the future. The Fund does not bear the risk of a decline in the value of the underlying security unless the seller defaults under its repurchase obligation. In the event of the bankruptcy or other default of a seller of a repurchase agreement, the
Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying securities and losses, including (1) possible decline in the value of the underlying security during the period in which the Fund seeks to enforce its rights thereto;
(2) possible lack of access to income on the underlying security during this period; and (3) expenses of enforcing its rights. While repurchase agreements involve certain risks not associated with direct investments in debt securities, the Fund
follows procedures approved by the Funds Board of Directors that are designed to minimize such risks. These procedures include effecting repurchase transactions only with large, well-capitalized and well-established financial institutions
whose financial condition will be continually monitored by Western Asset. In addition, as described above, the value of the collateral underlying the repurchase agreement will be at least equal to the repurchase price, including any accrued interest
earned on the repurchase agreement. In the event of a default or bankruptcy by a selling financial institution, the Fund generally will seek to liquidate such collateral. However, the exercise of the Funds right to liquidate such collateral
could involve certain costs or delays and, to the extent that proceeds from any sale upon a default of the obligation to repurchase were less than the repurchase price, the Fund could suffer a loss. |
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Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk. The Funds use of reverse repurchase agreements involves many of the same
risks involved in the Funds use of leverage, as the proceeds from reverse repurchase agreements generally will be invested in additional securities. There is a risk that the market value of the securities acquired in the reverse repurchase
agreement may decline below the price of the securities that the Fund has sold but remains obligated to repurchase. In addition, there is a risk that the market value of the securities retained by the Fund may decline. If the buyer of securities
under a reverse repurchase agreement were to file for bankruptcy or experience insolvency, the Fund may be adversely affected. Also, in entering into reverse repurchase agreements, the Fund would bear the risk of loss to the extent that the proceeds
of the reverse repurchase agreement are less than the value of the underlying securities. In addition, due to the interest costs associated with reverse repurchase agreements |
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transactions, the Funds net asset value will decline, and, in some cases, the Fund may be worse off than if it had not used such instruments. |
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Senior Loans Risk. The Fund may invest in first lien senior secured loans (Senior Loans) issued by banks, other financial institutions, and other investors to corporations, partnerships, limited
liability companies and other entities to finance leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, mergers, acquisitions, stock repurchases, debt refinancings and, to a lesser extent, for general operating and other purposes. An investment in Senior Loans
involves risk that the borrowers under Senior Loans may default on their obligations to pay principal or interest when due. In the event a borrower fails to pay scheduled interest or principal payments on a Senior Loan held by the Fund, the Fund
will experience a reduction in its income and a decline in the market value of the Senior Loan, which will likely reduce dividends and lead to a decline in the net asset value of the Fund. If the Fund acquires a Senior Loan from another lender, for
example, by acquiring a participation, the Fund may also be subject to credit risk with respect to that lender. |
|
The Fund will generally invest in Senior Loans that are secured with specific collateral. However, there can be no assurance that liquidation of collateral would satisfy the borrowers obligation in the event of non-payment or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In the event of the bankruptcy of a borrower, the Fund could experience delays and limitations on its ability to realize the benefits of the
collateral securing the Senior Loan. Senior Loans are typically structured as floating rate instruments in which the interest rate payable on the obligation fluctuates with interest rate changes. As a result, the yield on Senior Loans will generally
decline in a falling interest rate environment causing the Fund to experience a reduction in the income it receives from a Senior Loan. Senior Loans are generally of below investment grade quality and may be unrated at the time of investment; are
generally not registered with the SEC or state securities commissions; and are generally not listed on any securities exchange. In addition, the amount of public information available on Senior Loans is generally less extensive than that available
for other types of assets. |
|
Second Lien Loans Risk. Second senior secured lien loans (Second Lien Loans) generally are subject to
similar risks as those associated with investments in Senior Loans. Because Second Lien Loans are subordinated or unsecured and thus lower in priority of payment to Senior Loans, they are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the
borrower and property securing the loan or debt, if any, may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to the senior secured obligations of the borrower. This risk is generally higher for subordinated unsecured loans or debt,
which are not backed by a security interest in any specific collateral. Second Lien Loans |
21
|
generally have greater price volatility than Senior Loans and may be less liquid. There is also a possibility that originators will not be able to sell participations in Second Lien Loans, which
would create greater credit risk exposure for the holders of such loans. Second Lien Loans share the same risks as other below investment grade securities. |
|
Loan Participations and Assignments Risk. The Fund may invest in participations in loans or assignments of all or a portion of loans from third parties. In connection with purchasing participations, the Fund
generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the loan, nor any rights of set-off against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly
benefit from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender that is selling the participation. In the event of the
insolvency of the lender selling a participation, the Fund may be treated as a general creditor of the lender and may not benefit from any set-off between the lender and the borrower. Certain participations
may be structured in a manner designed to avoid purchasers of participations being subject to the credit risk of the lender with respect to the participation, but even under such a structure, in the event of the lenders insolvency, the
lenders servicing of the participation may be delayed and the assignability of the participation impaired. The Fund will acquire participations only if the lender interpositioned between the Fund and the borrower is determined by Western Asset
to be creditworthy. |
|
Smaller Company Risk. The general risks associated with income-producing securities are particularly pronounced for securities issued by companies with smaller market capitalizations. These companies may have
limited product lines, markets or financial resources or they may depend on a few key employees. As a result, they may be subject to greater levels of credit, market and issuer risk. Securities of smaller companies may trade less frequently and in
lesser volume than more widely held securities and their values may fluctuate more sharply than other securities. Companies with medium-sized market capitalizations may have risks similar to those of smaller
companies. |
|
Management Risk. The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. Western Asset, Western Asset Singapore and Western Asset (together with Western Singapore, the Non-U.S. Subadvisers and individually, each a Non-U.S. Subadviser) and each individual investment professional may not be successful in selecting the
best performing securities or investment techniques, and the Funds performance may lag behind that of similar funds. |
|
Potential Conflicts of Interest Risk. FTFA, Western Asset, the Non-U.S. Subadvisers (together with FTFA and Western
Asset, the |
22
|
Managers) and the Funds investment professionals have interests which may conflict with the interests of the Fund. In particular, FTFA also manages, and Western Asset serves as
subadviser to, another closed-end investment company listed on the NYSE that has an investment objective and investment strategies that are substantially similar to the Fund. Further, the Managers may at some
time in the future manage and/or advise other investment funds or accounts with the same investment objective and strategies as the Fund. As a result, the Managers and the Funds investment professionals may devote unequal time and attention to
the management of the Fund and those other funds and accounts, and may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities as might be the case if they were to devote substantially more attention
to the management of the Fund. The Managers and the Funds investment professionals may identify a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and accounts, and the opportunity may be allocated among these several
funds and accounts, which may limit the Funds ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity. Additionally, transaction orders may be aggregated for multiple accounts for purpose of execution, which may cause the price or
brokerage costs to be less favorable to the Fund than if similar transactions were not being executed concurrently for other accounts. At times, an investment professional may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some
accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the investment professional may place separate transactions
for one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and accounts. For example, an investment professional may
determine that it would be in the interest of another account to sell a security that the Fund holds, potentially resulting in a decrease in the market value of the security held by the Fund. |
|
Rating Agency Risk. Credit ratings are issued by rating agencies which are private services that provide ratings of the
credit quality of debt obligations, including convertible securities. Ratings assigned by a rating agency are not absolute standards of credit quality and do not evaluate market risks or the liquidity of securities. Rating agencies may fail to make
timely changes in credit ratings and an issuers current financial condition may be better or worse than a rating indicates. In addition, in recent years there have been instances in which the initial rating assigned by a rating agency to a
security failed to take account of adverse economic developments which subsequently occurred, leading to losses that were not anticipated based on the initial rating. To the extent that the issuer of a security pays a rating agency for the analysis
of its security, an inherent conflict of interest may exist that could affect the reliability of the rating. The ratings of a debt security may change over time. As a |
23
|
result, debt instruments held by the Fund could receive a higher rating or a lower rating during the period in which they are held. The Fund will not necessarily sell a security when its rating
is reduced below its rating at the time of purchase. |
Investments in mortgage-related securities may involve
particularly high levels of risk under current market conditions.
|
Inflation/Deflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of certain assets or income from the Funds investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As
inflation increases, the real value of the Common Stock and distributions on the Common Stock can decline. In addition, during any periods of rising inflation, the dividend rates or borrowing costs associated with the Funds use of leverage
would likely increase, which would tend to further reduce returns to stockholders. Deflation risk is the risk that prices throughout the economy decline over timethe opposite of inflation. Deflation may have an adverse effect on the
creditworthiness of issuers and may make issuer defaults more likely, which may result in a decline in the value of the Funds portfolio. |
|
Counterparty Risk. If an issuer or guarantor of a security held by the Fund or a counterparty to a financial contract with the Fund defaults or its credit is downgraded, or is perceived to be less creditworthy,
or if the value of the assets underlying a security declines, the value of your investment will typically decline. Changes in actual or perceived creditworthiness may occur quickly. The Fund could be delayed or hindered in its enforcement of rights
against an issuer, guarantor or counterparty. Subordinated securities are more likely to suffer a credit loss than non-subordinated securities of the same issuer and will be disproportionately affected by a
default, downgrade or perceived decline in creditworthiness. |
|
When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery Transactions Risk. The Fund may purchase fixed income securities on a when-issued basis, and may purchase or sell those securities for delayed delivery. When-issued and
delayed-delivery transactions occur when securities are purchased or sold by the Fund with payment and delivery taking place in the future to secure an advantageous yield or price. Securities purchased on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis may
expose the Fund to counterparty risk of default as well as the risk that securities may experience fluctuations in value prior to their actual delivery. The Fund will not accrue income with respect to a when-issued or delayed-delivery security prior
to its stated delivery date. Purchasing securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis can involve the additional risk that the price or yield available in the market when the delivery takes place may not be as favorable as that obtained in
the transaction itself. |
|
Leverage Risk. The Fund may use leverage through borrowings, including loans from certain financial institutions and/or
the issuance |
24
|
of debt securities, and through the issuance of preferred stock. The Fund may use leverage through borrowings in an aggregate amount of up to approximately 33 1/3% of the Funds total assets
less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities (for these purposes, total net assets) immediately after such borrowings. Furthermore, the Fund may use leverage through the issuance of preferred stock in an
aggregate amount of liquidation preference attributable to the preferred stock combined with the aggregate amount of any borrowings of up to approximately 50% of the Funds total net assets immediately after such issuance. The value of your
investment may be more volatile if the Fund borrows or uses instruments, such as derivatives, that have a leveraging effect on the Funds portfolio. The Fund may also have to sell assets at inopportune times to satisfy its obligations created
by the use of leverage or derivatives. The use of leverage is considered to be a speculative investment practice and may result in the loss of a substantial amount, and possibly all, of the Funds assets. In addition, the Funds portfolio
will be leveraged if it exercises its right to delay payment on a redemption, and losses will result if the value of the Funds assets declines between the time a redemption request is deemed to be received by the Fund and the time the Fund
liquidates assets to meet redemption requests. |
|
Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Funds annual portfolio turnover rate may vary greatly from year to year. Changes to the investments of the Fund may be made regardless of the length of time particular
investments have been held. A high portfolio turnover rate may result in increased transaction costs for the Fund in the form of increased dealer spreads and other transactional costs, which may have an adverse impact on the Funds performance.
In addition, high portfolio turnover may result in the realization of net short-term capital gains by the Fund which, when distributed to stockholders, will be taxable as ordinary income. A high portfolio turnover may increase the Funds
current and accumulated earnings and profits, resulting in a greater portion of the Funds distributions being treated as a dividend to the Funds stockholders. The portfolio turnover rate of the Fund will vary from year to year, as well
as within a given year. |
|
Temporary Defensive Strategies Risk. When Western Asset anticipates unusual market or other conditions, the Fund may temporarily depart from its principal investment strategies as a defensive measure and invest
all or a portion of its assets in obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities; other investment grade debt securities; investment grade commercial paper; certificates of deposit and bankers acceptances; repurchase
agreements with respect to any of the foregoing investments or any other fixed income securities that Western Asset considers consistent with this strategy. To the extent that the Fund invests defensively, it may not achieve its investment
objectives. |
25
|
Market Discount from Net Asset Value Risk. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount from their net asset value. This risk is separate and
distinct from the risk that the Funds net asset value could decrease as a result of its investment activities and may be a greater risk to investors expecting to sell their Common Shares in a relatively short period. Whether investors will
realize gains or losses upon the sale of Common Shares will depend not upon the Funds net asset value but upon whether the market price of Common Shares at the time of sale is above or below the investors purchase price for Common
Shares. Because the market price of Common Shares will be determined by factors such as relative supply of and demand for Common Shares in the market, general market and economic conditions and other factors beyond the control of the Fund, the Fund
cannot predict whether Common Shares will trade at, above or below net asset value. The Common Shares are designed primarily for long-term investors and you should not view the Fund as a vehicle for trading purposes. |
|
Anti-Takeover Provisions Risk. The charter (the Charter) and bylaws (the Bylaws) of the Fund include provisions that are designed to limit the ability of other entities or persons to
acquire control of the Fund for short-term objectives, including by converting the Fund to open-end status or changing the composition of the Board, that may be detrimental to the Funds ability to
achieve its primary investment objective of seeking high current income. The Bylaws also contain a provision providing that the Board of Directors has adopted a resolution to opt in the Fund to the provisions of the Maryland Control Share
Acquisition Act (MCSAA). There can be no assurance, however, that such provisions will be sufficient to deter professional arbitrageurs that seek to cause the Fund to take actions that may not be consistent with its investment objective
or aligned with the interests of long-term shareholders, such as liquidating debt investments prior to maturity, triggering taxable events for shareholders and decreasing the size of the Fund. See Certain Provisions in the Charter and
Bylaws and Certain Provisions in the Charter and BylawsMaryland Control Share Acquisition Act. (MCSAA). Such provisions may limit the ability of shareholders to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing
market prices by discouraging an investor from seeking to obtain control of the Fund. There can be no assurance, however, that such provisions will be sufficient to deter professional investors that seek to cause the Fund to take actions that may
not be aligned with the interests of long-term shareholders in order to allow the professional investor to arbitrage the Funds market price. See Certain Provisions in the Charter and Bylaws and Certain Provisions in the
Charter and BylawsMaryland Control Share Acquisition Act. |
|
Market Events Risk. The market values of securities or other assets will fluctuate, sometimes sharply and
unpredictably, due to factors such as economic events, governmental actions or intervention, |
26
|
actions taken by the U.S. Federal Reserve or foreign central banks, market disruptions caused by trade disputes or other factors, political developments, armed conflicts, economic sanctions and
countermeasures in response to sanctions, major cybersecurity events, the global and domestic effects of widespread or local health, weather or climate events, and other factors that may or may not be related to the issuer of the security or other
asset. Economies and financial markets throughout the world are increasingly interconnected. Economic, financial or political events, trading and tariff arrangements, public health events, terrorism, wars, natural disasters and other circumstances
in one country or region could have profound impacts on global economies or markets. As a result, whether or not the fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to the countries or markets directly affected, the
value and liquidity of the funds investments may be negatively affected. Following Russias invasion of Ukraine, Russian stocks lost all, or nearly all, of their market value. Other securities or markets could be similarly affected by
past or future geopolitical or other events or conditions. Furthermore, events involving limited liquidity, defaults, non-performance or other adverse developments that affect one industry, such as the
financial services industry, or concerns or rumors about any events of these kinds, have in the past and may in the future lead to market-wide liquidity problems, may spread to other industries, and could negatively affect the value and liquidity of
the funds investments. |
|
The long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent variants on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers is not known. Some sectors of the economy and
individual issuers have experienced or may experience particularly large losses. Periods of extreme volatility in the financial markets, reduced liquidity of many instruments, increased government debt, inflation, and disruptions to supply chains,
consumer demand and employee availability, may continue for some time. The U.S. government and the Federal Reserve, as well as certain foreign governments and central banks, took extraordinary actions to support local and global economies and the
financial markets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This and other government intervention into the economy and financial markets may not work as intended, and have resulted in a large expansion of
government deficits and debt, the long term consequences of which are not known. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic, and measures taken to mitigate its effects, could result in disruptions to the services
provided to the fund by its service providers. |
|
Raising the ceiling on U.S. government debt has become increasingly politicized. Any failure to increase the total amount that
the U.S. government is authorized to borrow could lead to a default on U.S. government obligations, with unpredictable consequences for economies and markets in the U.S. and elsewhere. Recently, inflation
|
27
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and interest rates have increased and may rise further. These circumstances could adversely affect the value and liquidity of the funds investments, impair the funds ability to
satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the funds performance. |
|
The United States and other countries are periodically involved in disputes over trade and other matters, which may result in tariffs, investment restrictions and adverse impacts on affected companies and securities.
For example, the United States has imposed tariffs and other trade barriers on Chinese exports, has restricted sales of certain categories of goods to China, and has established barriers to investments in China. Trade disputes may adversely affect
the economies of the United States and its trading partners, as well as companies directly or indirectly affected and financial markets generally. The United States government has prohibited U.S. persons from investing in Chinese companies
designated as related to the Chinese military. These and possible future restrictions could limit the funds opportunities for investment and require the sale of securities at a loss or make them illiquid. Moreover, the Chinese government is
involved in a longstanding dispute with Taiwan that has included threats of invasion. If the political climate between the United States and China does not improve or continues to deteriorate, if China were to attempt unification of Taiwan by force,
or if other geopolitical conflicts develop or get worse, economies, markets and individual securities may be severely affected both regionally and globally, and the value of the funds assets may go down |
|
LIBOR Risk. The Funds investments, payment obligations, and financing terms may be based on floating rates, such
as the London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR, which was the offered rate for short-term Eurodollar deposits between major international banks. In 2017, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced its intention to
cease compelling banks to provide the quotations needed to sustain LIBOR after 2021. In addition, global regulators have announced that, with limited exceptions, no new LIBOR-based contracts should be entered into after 2021. Actions by regulators
have resulted in the establishment of alternative reference rates to LIBOR in most major currencies. In March 2022, the U.S. federal government enacted legislation to establish a process for replacing LIBOR in certain existing contracts that do not
already provide for the use of a clearly defined or practicable replacement benchmark rate as described in the legislation. Generally speaking, for contracts that do not contain a fallback provision as described in the legislation, a benchmark
replacement recommended by the Federal Reserve Board effectively automatically replaced the USD LIBOR benchmark in the contract upon LIBORs cessation at the end of June 2023. The recommended benchmark replacement is based on the Secured
Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, including certain spread adjustments and benchmark replacement conforming changes. Various financial
|
28
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industry groups have been planning for the transition away from LIBOR, but there remains uncertainty regarding the impact of the transition from LIBOR on the Funds transactions and the
financial markets generally. The transition away from LIBOR may lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets that rely on LIBOR and may adversely affect the Funds performance. The transition may also result in a reduction in the
value of certain LIBOR-based investments held by the Fund or reduce the effectiveness of related transactions such as hedges. Any such effects of the transition away from LIBOR, as well as other unforeseen effects, could result in losses for the
Fund. |
|
Valuation Risk. The sales price the Fund could receive for any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Funds valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or
volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. These differences may increase significantly and affect Fund investments more broadly during periods of market volatility. The Funds ability to value its investments may be
impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third party service providers. The valuation of the Funds investments involves subjective judgment. |
|
Operational Risk. The valuation of the Funds investments may be negatively impacted because of the operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors and human errors, inadequate or failed
internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in personnel, and errors caused by third party service providers or trading counterparties. It is not possible to identify all of the operational risks that may affect the
Fund or to develop processes and controls that completely eliminate or mitigate the occurrence of such failures. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result. |
|
Cybersecurity Risk. Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, Fund or proprietary information, cause the Fund, FTFA, Western Asset
and the Non-U.S. Subadvisers and/or their service providers to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging
shares or receiving distributions. The Fund, FTFA, Western Asset and the Non-U.S. Subadvisers have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and
such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund, FTFA, Western Asset or the Non-U.S. Subadvisers. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund
and its shareholders, and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these
securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents. |
29
SUMMARY OF FUND EXPENSES
The purpose of the following table and example is to help you understand all fees and expenses holders of Common Stock would bear directly or indirectly. The
table below is based on the capital structure of the Fund as of November 30, 2023 (except as noted below), and assumes the issuance of $75 million of additional shares of Common Stock.
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SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES |
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Sales Load (percentage of offering price) |
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|
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%(1) |
Offering Expenses Borne by the Fund (percentage of offering price) |
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%(2) |
Dividend Reinvestment Plan Per Transaction Fee to Sell Shares Obtained Pursuant to the
Plan |
|
$ |
5.00 |
(3) |
TOTAL TRANSACTION EXPENSES (as a percentage of offering price)(4) |
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|
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|
|
|
|
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Percentage of Net Assets Attributable to shares of Common Stock (Assumes Leverage is
Used) |
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ANNUAL EXPENSES |
|
|
|
|
Management Fees(5) |
|
|
1.23% |
|
Interest Payment on Borrowed
Funds(6) |
|
|
2.89% |
|
Other Expenses(7) |
|
|
0.24% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL ANNUAL EXPENSES |
|
|
4.36% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
The sales load will apply only if the securities to which this Prospectus relates are sold to or through
underwriters. In such case, a corresponding Prospectus Supplement will disclose the applicable sales load. |
(2) |
The related Prospectus Supplement will disclose the estimated amount of offering expenses, the offering price
and the offering expenses borne by the Fund as a percentage of the offering price. |
(3) |
Common Stockholders will pay brokerage charges if they direct the Plan Agent (defined below) to sell Common
Stock held in a dividend reinvestment account. See Dividend Reinvestment Plan. There are no fees charged to stockholders for participating in the Funds dividend reinvestment plan. However, stockholders participating in the plan
that elect to sell their shares obtained pursuant to the plan would pay $5.00 per transaction to sell shares. |
(4) |
The related Prospectus Supplement will disclose the offering price and the total stockholder transaction
expenses as a percentage of the offering price. |
(5) |
The Manager receives an annual fee, payable monthly, in an amount equal to 0.85% of the Funds average
daily Managed Assets. Managed Assets means net assets plus the amount of any borrowings and assets attributable to any preferred stock that may be outstanding. For the purposes of this table, we have assumed that the Fund has utilized
leverage in an aggregate amount of 30% of its Managed Assets (the actual average amount of Borrowings during the fiscal period ended November 30, 2023). If the Fund were to use leverage in excess of 30% of its Managed Assets, the management
fees shown would be higher. |
(6) |
For the purposes of this table, we have assumed that the Fund has utilized Borrowings in an aggregate amount of
30% of its Managed Assets (which equals the average level of leverage for the Funds fiscal period ended November 30, 2023). The expenses and rates associated with leverage may vary as and when Borrowings or issuances of Preferred Stock
are made. |
(7) |
Estimated based on amounts annualized fiscal year to date November 30, 2023. |
30
Example1
The following example illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would pay on a $1,000 investment in Common Stock, assuming (i) Total
Annual Expenses of 4.36% of net assets attributable to Common Stock (which assumes the Funds use of leverage in an aggregate amount equal to 30% of the Funds Managed Assets) and (ii) a 5% annual return:
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1 Year |
|
|
3 Years |
|
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5 Years |
|
|
10 Years |
|
$ |
44 |
|
|
$ |
132 |
|
|
$ |
222 |
|
|
$ |
450 |
|
1 |
The example above should not be considered a representation of future expenses. Actual expenses may be higher
or lower than those shown. The example assumes that all dividends and distributions are reinvested at net asset value. Actual expenses may be greater or less than those assumed. Moreover, the Funds actual rate of return may be greater or less
than the hypothetical 5% return shown in the example. |
31
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Funds financial performance. Unless otherwise noted, the
information in this table has been derived from and should be read in conjunction with the Funds financial statements and the notes thereto. The financial information for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018
and 2017 have been audited by [●], the independent registered accounting firm of the Fund. [●] reports on such financial statements, together with the financial statements of the Fund, is contained in the Funds Annual Report and is
incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and the SAI. The information for the years prior to the fiscal year ended 2017 was audited by the Funds prior independent registered public accounting firm.
For a common share of capital stock outstanding throughout each year ended May 31, unless otherwise noted:
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2023(1) |
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2022(1) |
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2021(1) |
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2020(1) |
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2019(1) |
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2018(1) |
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Net asset value, beginning of period |
|
$ |
[●] |
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$ |
[●] |
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$ |
[●] |
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$ |
[●] |
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$ |
[●] |
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$ |
[●] |
|
Income (loss) from operations: |
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Net investment income |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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Total income from operations |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
|
Less distributions from: |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
|
Net investment income |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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Net realized gains |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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Return of capital |
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[●] |
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[●] |
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Total distributions |
|
|
[●] |
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|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
Net asset value, end of period |
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
Market price, end of period |
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
Total return, based on
NAV(3,4) |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
Total return, based on Market
Price(5) |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
Net assets, end of period (millions) |
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
Ratios to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross expenses |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
Net expenses |
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
Net investment income |
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
Supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loan Outstanding, End of Period (000s) |
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
Asset Coverage Ratio for Loan
Outstanding(8) |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
Asset Coverage, per $1,000 Principal Amount of Loan Outstanding(8) |
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
Weighted Average Loan (000s) |
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
Weighted Average Interest Rate on Loan |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
(1) |
Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method. |
32
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2017(1) |
|
|
2016 |
|
|
2015 |
|
|
2014 |
|
Net asset value, beginning of year |
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
Income (loss) from operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income |
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) |
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
Total income (loss) from operations |
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
Less distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income |
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
Net realized gains |
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
Total distributions |
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
Net asset value, end of year |
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
Market price, end of year |
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
Total return, based on
NAV(2,3) |
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
Total return, based on Market
Price(4) |
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
Net assets, end of year (000s) |
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
Ratios to average net assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross expenses |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
Net expenses(6) |
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
Net investment income |
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
|
|
[●] |
|
Portfolio turnover rate |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
Supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loans Outstanding, End of Year (000s) |
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
Asset Coverage for Loan Outstanding |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
Weighted Average Loan (000s) |
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
Weighted Average Interest Rate on Loans |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
|
|
[●] |
% |
(1) |
Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method. |
33
SENIOR SECURITIES
As of the end of the Funds last fiscal year, the Fund had a revolving credit facility with a financial institution described below. The
table below sets forth the senior securities outstanding as of the end of the Funds fiscal years or periods ended 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
[To come.]
34
THE FUND
The Fund is a non-diversified, closed-end management
investment company registered under the 1940 Act. The Fund was incorporated as a Maryland corporation on April 16, 2003, pursuant to the Charter. The Funds principal executive office is located at 620 Eighth Avenue, 47th Floor, New York,
New York 10018, and its telephone number is (888) 777-0102.
35
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless otherwise specified in a Prospectus Supplement, the Fund intends to invest the net proceeds of any offering of its securities in
accordance with its investment objective and policies as stated herein. It is currently anticipated that the Fund will be able to invest substantially all of the net proceeds in accordance with its investment objective and policies within three
months after the completion of any offering. Pending such investment, it is anticipated that the proceeds will be primarily invested in short-term money market instruments. The Fund may also invest in U.S. government securities.
36
MARKET AND NET ASSET VALUE INFORMATION
The Funds currently outstanding Common Stock is listed on the NYSE under the symbol EHI. Our Common Stock commenced trading
on the NYSE on July 28, 2003.
Our Common Stock has traded both at a premium and at a discount in relation to the Funds net
asset value per share. Although our Common Stock has traded at a premium to net asset value, we cannot assure that this will occur after any offering or that the Common Stock will not trade at a discount in the future. Our issuance of additional
Common Stock may have an adverse effect on prices in the secondary market for our Common Stock by increasing the number of shares of Common Stock available, which may create downward pressure on the market price for our Common Stock. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount to net asset value. See RisksMarket Discount from Net Asset Value Risk.
The following table sets forth for each of the periods indicated the range of high and low closing sale price of our Common Stock and the quarter-end sale price, each as reported on the NYSE, the net asset value per share of Common Stock and the premium or discount to net asset value per share at which our shares were trading. Net asset value is
generally determined on each business day that the NYSE is open for business. See Net Asset Value for information as to the determination of our net asset value.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quarterly Closing Sale Price |
|
|
Quarter-End Closing |
|
|
|
High |
|
|
Low |
|
|
Sale Price |
|
|
Net Asset Value Per Share of Common Stock(1) |
|
|
Premium/ (Discount) of Quarter-End Sale Price to Net Asset Value(2) |
|
Fiscal Year 2022 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
August 31, 2021 |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
November 30, 2021 |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
February 28, 2022 |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
May 31, 2022 |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
Fiscal Year 2023 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
August 31, 2022 |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
November 30, 2022 |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
February 28, 2023 |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
May 31, 2023 |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
|
|
[ |
●] |
Source of
market prices: Bloomberg.
(1) |
Net asset value per share is determined as of close of business on the last day of the relevant quarter and
therefore may not reflect the net asset value per share on the date of the high and low closing sales prices, which may or may not fall on the last day of the quarter. Net asset value per share is calculated as described in Net Asset
Value. |
(2) |
Calculated as of the quarter-end closing sales price divided by the quarter-end net asset value. |
On [●], 2024, the last reported sale price of our
Common Stock on the NYSE was $[●], which represented a premium of approximately [●]% to the net asset value per share reported by us on that date.
As of December 31, 2023, we had approximately [●] million shares of Common Stock outstanding and we had net assets applicable to
Common Stockholders of approximately [●] billion.
37
THE FUNDS INVESTMENTS
Investment Objectives
The
Funds primary investment objective is high current income. The Funds secondary objective is total return. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives.
This section provides additional information about the Funds investments and certain portfolio management techniques the Fund may use.
More information about the Funds investments and portfolio management techniques and the associated risks is included in the SAI.
Investment
Strategies
Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest: (i) at least 10% and up to 80% of its total assets in
(i) below investment grade (high yield) fixed income (debt) securities issued by corporate issuers; (ii) at least 10% and up to 80% of its assets in emerging market fixed income securities; and (iii) at least 10% and up to 80% of its
assets in investment grade fixed income securities
The Fund usually will attempt to maintain a portfolio with a weighted average credit
quality rated at least B3 by Moodys or B- by S&P or an equivalent rating from any nationally recognized statistical rating organization. If a security is rated by multiple NRSROs and receives
different ratings, the Fund will treat the security as being rated in the lowest rating category received from an NRSRO.
The Fund may
invest up to 20% of its managed assets in all types of equity securities, including common stocks traded on an exchange or in the over the counter market, preferred stocks, warrants, rights, convertible securities, depositary receipts, trust
certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies and REITs
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its managed
assets in illiquid securities.
The Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in any combination of publicly or privately traded
mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs.
The Fund may invest in zero coupon securities, pay-in-kind bonds and deferred payment securities.
The Fund may invest in certain bank
obligations, including certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances, and fixed time deposits.
The Fund may invest in collateralized
debt obligations, collateralized bond obligations and collateralized loan obligations.
The average portfolio duration of the Fund will
normally be within one to seven years based on the Managers forecast for interest rates. Duration is a measure of the expected life of a debt security that is used to determine the sensitivity of a securitys price to changes in interest
rates.
The Fund may not purchase or sell commodities or commodities contracts or oil, gas or mineral programs, but may purchase, sell, or
enter into futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward contracts, or interest rate, securities-related or other hedging instruments, including swap agreements and other derivative instruments.
Percentage Limitations
Percentage
limitations described in this prospectus are as of the time of investment by the Fund and may be exceeded on a going-forward basis as a result of credit rating downgrades or market value fluctuations of the Funds portfolio securities.
38
Derivatives Risk Management
The Fund may utilize a variety of derivative instruments for investment or risk management purposes, such as options, futures contracts, swap
agreements and credit default swaps. Generally derivatives are financial contracts whose value depends on, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index, and may relate to individual debt or equity instruments,
interest rates, currencies or currency exchange rates and related indexes. Effective August 19, 2022, the Fund began operating under Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act which, among other things, governs the
use of derivative investments and certain financing transactions (e.g., reverse repurchase agreements) by registered investment companies. Among other things, Rule 18f-4 requires funds that invest in
derivative instruments beyond a specified limited amount to apply a VaR based limit to their use of certain derivative instruments and financing transactions and to adopt and implement a derivatives risk management program. Compliance with Rule 18f-4 by the Fund could, among other things, make derivatives more costly, limit their availability or utility, or otherwise adversely affect their performance. Rule 18f-4 may
limit the Funds ability to use derivatives as part of its investment strategy.
Portfolio Composition
Additional information regarding the Funds investment policies, restrictions and portfolio investments is contained in the SAI.
Temporary Defensive Strategies
For temporary defensive purposes and in order to keep the Funds cash fully invested, the Fund may deviate from its investment objectives
and policies and invest some or all of its assets in investments of non-corporate issuers, including high-quality, short-term debt securities. In addition, in anticipation of or in response to adverse market
conditions, for cash management purposes, or for defensive purposes, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in U.S. government securities, certificates of deposit, repurchase agreements, or short term commercial paper. The Fund may also invest
in money market funds, including funds affiliated with FTFA and Western Asset.
As a temporary defensive strategy, the Fund may employ
alternative strategies, including investment of all of the Funds assets in securities rated investment grade by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization, or in unrated securities of comparable quality.
It is impossible to predict when, or for how long, the Fund will use these alternative strategies. There can be no assurance that such
strategies will be successful.
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund does not have a formal portfolio turnover policy and does not intend to adopt one. Although the Fund generally intends to hold most of
its securities until maturity, it may, from time to time, sell any of its securities as part of its overall management of its investment portfolio. When investments are realized, Western Asset will reinvest proceeds therefrom in the Funds
target assets. Depending on market conditions, Western Asset will also make opportunistic dispositions of the Funds investments in its target assets. Frequent trading also increases transaction costs, which could detract from the Funds
performance.
Regulation as a Commodity Pool
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the CFTC) subjects advisers to registered investment companies to regulation by the CFTC
if a fund that is advised by the investment adviser either (i) invests, directly or indirectly, more than a prescribed level of its liquidation value in CFTC-regulated futures, options and swaps (CFTC Derivatives), or
(ii) markets itself as providing investment exposure to such instruments. To the extent
39
the Fund uses CFTC Derivatives, it intends to do so below such prescribed levels and will not market itself as a commodity pool or a vehicle for trading such instruments. Accordingly,
the Manager has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term commodity pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) pursuant to Rule 4.5 under the CEA. The Manager is not, therefore, subject to registration or
regulation as a commodity pool operator under the CEA in respect of the Fund
Fundamental Investment Policies
The Funds (i) investment objectives and (ii) the specified investment restrictions listed in the SAI, are considered
fundamental and may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act). A majority of the outstanding voting securities means (i) 67% or more of the
Funds outstanding voting securities present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the Funds outstanding voting securities are present or represented by proxy at the meeting or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding voting
securities, whichever of (i) or (ii) is less. See Investment Restrictions in the SAI for a complete list of the fundamental investment policies of the Fund.
40
LEVERAGE
The Fund may seek to enhance the level of its current distributions to Common Stockholders through the use of leverage.
The Fund may use leverage through Borrowings, and through the issuance of shares of Preferred Stock. The Fund may use leverage through
Borrowings in an aggregate amount of up to approximately 331/3% of the Funds total net assets immediately after such Borrowings.
Furthermore, the Fund may use leverage through the issuance of Preferred Stock in an aggregate amount of liquidation preference attributable to the Preferred Stock combined with the aggregate amount of any Borrowings of up to approximately 50% of
the Funds total net assets immediately after such issuance. The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements and use similar investment management techniques that may provide leverage, but which are not subject to the foregoing 331/3% limitation so long as the Fund has covered its commitment with respect to such techniques by segregating or earmarking liquid assets,
entering into offsetting transactions or owning positions covering related obligations. The Fund entered into the BofA Credit Agreement with the BofA. The BofA Credit Agreement allows the Fund to borrow up to an aggregate amount of $120,000,000 and
renews daily for a 179-day term unless notice to the contrary is given to the Fund. The Fund pays interest on borrowings calculated based on SOFR plus applicable margin. To the extent of the borrowing
outstanding, the Fund is required to maintain collateral in a special custody account at the Funds custodian on behalf of BofA. The BofA Credit Agreement contains customary covenants that, among other things, may limit the Funds ability
to pay distributions in certain circumstances, incur additional debt, change certain material investment policies and engage in certain transactions, including mergers and consolidations, and require asset coverage ratios in addition to those
required by the 1940 Act. In addition, the BofA Credit Agreement may be subject to early termination under certain conditions and may contain other provisions that could limit the Funds ability to utilize borrowing under the agreement. At
May 31, 2023, the Fund had $70,000,000 of borrowings outstanding.
The Fund operates under Rule
18f-4 under the 1940 Act which, among other things, governs the use of derivative investments and certain financing transactions (e.g., reverse repurchase agreements) by registered investment companies. Among
other things, Rule 18f-4 requires funds that invest in derivative instruments beyond a specified limited amount to apply a VaR based limit to their use of certain derivative instruments and financing
transactions and to adopt and implement a derivatives risk management program. Compliance with Rule 18f-4 by the Fund could, among other things, make derivatives more costly, limit their availability or
utility, or otherwise adversely affect their performance. Rule 18f-4 may limit the Funds ability to use derivatives as part of its investment strategy. Using derivatives also can have a leveraging effect
and increase Fund volatility.
Currently, the Fund has no intention to use leverage through the issuance of notes or debt securities or
Preferred Stock, but circumstances may arise such that the Fund may choose to issue Preferred Stock. Borrowings (and any Preferred Stock) will have seniority over Common Stock. Any Borrowings and Preferred Stock (if issued) will leverage your
investment in Common Stock. Holders of Common Stock will bear the costs associated with any Borrowings, and if the Fund issues Preferred Stock, Common Stockholders will bear the offering costs of the Preferred Stock issuance. The Board of Directors
of the Fund may authorize the use of leverage through Borrowings and Preferred Stock without the approval of the Common Stockholders.
Changes in the value of the Funds portfolio securities, including costs attributable to Borrowings or Preferred Stock, will be borne
entirely by the holders of the Common Stock. If there is a net decrease (or increase) in the value of the Funds investment portfolio, the leverage will decrease (or increase) the net asset value per share of Common Stock to a greater extent
than if the Fund were not leveraged. During periods when the Fund is using leverage through Borrowings or the issuance of Preferred Stock the fees paid to the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore for advisory
services will be higher than if the Fund did not use leverage because the fees paid will be calculated on the basis of the Funds Managed Assets, which includes the principal amount of the Borrowings and any assets attributable to the issuance
of Preferred Stock. This means that the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore may have a financial incentive to increase the Funds use of leverage.
41
Under the 1940 Act, the Fund generally is not permitted to issue commercial paper or notes or
borrow unless immediately after the borrowing or commercial paper or note issuance the value of the Funds total assets less liabilities other than the principal amount represented by commercial paper, notes or borrowings is at least 300% of
such principal amount. In addition, the Fund is not permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on its Common Stock unless, at the time of such declaration, the value of the Funds total assets, less liabilities other than the
principal amount represented by commercial paper, notes or borrowings, is at least 300% of such principal amount after deducting the amount of such dividend or distribution. If the Fund borrows, the Fund intends, to the extent possible, to prepay
all or a portion of the principal amount of any outstanding commercial paper, notes or borrowing to the extent necessary to maintain the required asset coverage. Failure to maintain certain asset coverage requirements could result in an event of
default and entitle the debt holders to elect a majority of the Board of Directors.
Utilization of leverage is a speculative investment
technique and involves certain risks to the holders of Common Stock. These include the possibility of higher volatility of the net asset value of the Common Stock and potentially more volatility in the market value of, and distributions on, the
Common Stock. So long as the Fund is able to realize a higher net return on its investment portfolio than the then-current cost of any leverage together with other related expenses, the effect of the leverage will be to cause holders of Common Stock
to realize a higher rate of return than if the Fund were not so leveraged. On the other hand, to the extent that the then-current cost of any leverage, together with other related expenses, approaches the net return on the Funds investment
portfolio, the benefit of leverage to holders of Common Stock will be reduced, and if the then-current cost of any leverage together with related expenses were to exceed the net return on the Funds portfolio, the Funds leveraged capital
structure would result in a lower rate of return to holders of Common Stock than if the Fund were not so leveraged. There can be no assurance that the Funds leveraging strategy will be successful.
Under the 1940 Act, the Fund is not permitted to issue Preferred Stock unless immediately after such issuance the value of the Funds
asset coverage is at least 200% of the liquidation value of the outstanding Preferred Stock (i.e., such liquidation value may not exceed 50% of the Funds asset coverage less all liabilities other than borrowings).
In addition, the Fund is not permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on its Common Stock unless, at the time of such
declaration, the value of the Funds asset coverage less liabilities other than borrowings satisfies the above-referenced 200% coverage requirement. If Preferred Stock is issued, the Fund intends, to the extent possible, to purchase or redeem
Preferred Stock from time to time to the extent necessary in order to maintain coverage of at least 200%.
If Preferred Stock is
outstanding, two of the Funds Directors will be elected by the holders of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class. The remaining Directors of the Fund will be elected by holders of Common Stock and Preferred Stock voting together as a
single class. In the unlikely event that the Fund fails to pay dividends on the Preferred Stock for two years, holders of Preferred Stock would be entitled to elect a majority of the Directors of the Fund. The failure to pay dividends or make
distributions could result in the Fund ceasing to qualify for taxation as a regulated investment company under the Code, which could have a material adverse effect on the value of the Common Stock.
The Fund may be subject to certain restrictions imposed either by guidelines of a lender, if the Fund borrows from a lender, or by one or more
rating agencies which may issue ratings for Preferred Stock or debt securities. These guidelines may impose asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed on the Fund by the 1940 Act. It is not
anticipated that these covenants or guidelines will impede the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore from managing the Funds portfolio in accordance with the Funds investment objectives and policies.
In addition to other considerations, to the extent that the Fund believes that the covenants and guidelines required by the rating agencies would impede its ability to meet its investment objectives, or if the Fund is unable to obtain its desired
rating on Preferred Stock or debt securities, the Fund will not issue Preferred Stock or debt securities.
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Effects of Leverage
The Fund may borrow up to an aggregate amount of $120,000,000 under its revolving credit agreement. As of May 31, 2023, the Fund had
$70,000,000 of Borrowings outstanding per this credit agreement.
The following table is furnished in response to requirements of the SEC.
It is designed to illustrate the effect of leverage on Common Stock total return, assuming investment portfolio total returns (comprised of income and changes in the value of securities held in the Funds portfolio) of -10%, -5%, 0%, 5% and 10%. These assumed investment portfolio returns are hypothetical figures and are not necessarily indicative of the investment portfolio returns
experienced or expected to be experienced by the Fund. See Risks.
The table further reflects the issuance of leverage
representing [●]% of the Funds net assets, net of expenses, the Funds currently projected annual interest on its leverage of [●]%.
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Assumed Portfolio Total Return (Net of Expenses) |
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-10% |
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-5% |
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0% |
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5% |
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10% |
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Common Stock Total Return |
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[●]% |
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[●]% |
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[●]% |
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[●]% |
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[●]% |
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Common Stock Total Return is composed of two elements: the Common Stock dividends paid by the Fund (the amount
of which is largely determined by the net investment income of the Fund after paying dividends or interest on its leverage) and gains or losses on the value of the securities the Fund owns. As required by SEC rules, the table above assumes that the
Fund is more likely to suffer capital losses than to enjoy capital appreciation. For example, to assume a total return of 0% the Fund must assume that the interest it receives on its debt security investments is entirely offset by losses in the
value of those investments.
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RISKS
The Fund is a non-diversified, closed-end management
investment company designed primarily as a long-term investment and not as a trading vehicle. The Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program and, due to the uncertainty inherent in all investments, there can be no assurance that the
Fund will achieve its investment objectives. The Funds performance and the value of its investments will vary in response to changes in interest rates, inflation, the financial condition of a securitys issuer, ratings on a security and
other market factors. Your securities at any point in time may be worth less than you invested, even after taking into account the reinvestment of Fund dividends and distributions. Below are the principal risks associated with an investment in the
Fund.
Investment and Market Risk
An investment in the Fund is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire amount that you invest.
An investment in our Common Stock is not intended to constitute a complete investment program and should not be viewed as such. The value of
the Funds portfolio securities may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. At any point in time, your securities may be worth less than your original investment. We are primarily a long-term investment vehicle and should not be
used for short-term trading.
Fixed Income Securities Risk
In addition to the risks described elsewhere in this section with respect to valuations and liquidity, fixed income securities, including
high-yield securities, are also subject to certain risks, including:
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Issuer Risk. The value of fixed income securities may decline for a number of reasons that directly
relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuers goods and services. |
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Interest Rate Risk. The market price of the Funds investments will change in response to
changes in interest rates and other factors. During periods of declining interest rates, the market price of fixed income securities generally rises. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the market price of such securities generally
declines. The magnitude of these fluctuations in the market price of fixed income securities is generally greater for securities with longer maturities. Fluctuations in the market price of the Funds securities will not affect interest income
derived from securities already owned by the Fund, but will be reflected in the Funds net asset value. The Fund may utilize certain strategies, including investments in structured notes or interest rate swap or cap transactions, for the
purpose of reducing the interest rate sensitivity of the portfolio and decreasing the Funds exposure to interest rate risk, although there is no assurance that it will do so or that such strategies will be successful. |
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Prepayment Risk. During periods of declining interest rates, the issuer of a security may exercise
its option to prepay principal earlier than scheduled, forcing the Fund to reinvest the proceeds from such prepayment in lower yielding securities, which may result in a decline in the Funds income and distributions to stockholders. This is
known as prepayment or call risk. Debt securities frequently have call features that allow the issuer to redeem the security at dates prior to its stated maturity at a specified price (typically greater than par) only if certain
prescribed conditions are met. An issuer may choose to redeem a debt security if, for example, the issuer can refinance the debt at a lower cost due to declining interest rates or an improvement in the credit standing of the issuer.
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Reinvestment Risk. Reinvestment risk is the risk that income from the Funds portfolio will
decline if and when the Fund invests the proceeds from matured, traded or called fixed income securities at market interest rates that are below the portfolios current earnings rate. A decline in income could affect the market price of Common
Shares or overall returns. |
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Below Investment Grade (High-Yield or Junk Bond) Securities Risk
The Fund may invest in high-yield debt securities. Debt securities rated below investment grade are commonly referred to as
high-yield securities or junk bonds and are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to the issuers capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the
obligations and involve major risk exposure to adverse conditions. Debt securities rated C or lower by Moodys, CCC or lower by S&P or CC or lower by Fitch or comparably rated by another NRSRO or, if unrated, determined by Western Asset to
be of comparable quality are considered to have extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment standing, to have a current identifiable vulnerability to default, to be unlikely to have the capacity to pay interest and repay principal
when due in the event of adverse business, financial or economic conditions and/or to be in default or not current in the payment of interest or principal. Ratings may not accurately reflect the actual credit risk associated with a corporate
security.
Debt securities rated below investment grade generally offer a higher current yield than that available from higher grade
issues, but typically involve greater risk. These securities are especially sensitive to adverse changes in general economic conditions, to changes in the financial condition of their issuers and to price fluctuation in response to changes in
interest rates. During periods of economic downturn or rising interest rates, issuers of below investment grade instruments may experience financial stress that could adversely affect their ability to make payments of principal and interest and
increase the possibility of default. The secondary market for high-yield securities may not be as liquid as the secondary market for more highly rated securities, a factor which may have an adverse effect on the Funds ability to dispose of a
particular security. There are fewer dealers in the market for high-yield securities than for investment grade obligations. The prices quoted by different dealers may vary significantly, and the spread between the bid and asked price is generally
much larger for high-yield securities than for higher quality instruments. Under continuing adverse market or economic conditions, the secondary market for high-yield securities could contract further, independent of any specific adverse changes in
the condition of a particular issuer, and these securities may become illiquid. In addition, adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may also decrease the values and liquidity of below investment
grade securities, especially in a market characterized by a low volume of trading.
Default, or the markets perception that an
issuer is likely to default, could reduce the value and liquidity of securities held by the Fund, thereby reducing the value of your investment in the Funds Common Stock. In addition, default may cause the Fund to incur expenses in seeking
recovery of principal or interest on its portfolio holdings. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a portfolio company, the Fund may lose its entire investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less
than its original investment. Among the risks inherent in investments in a troubled entity is the fact that it frequently may be difficult to obtain information as to the true financial condition of such issuer. Western Assets judgment about
the credit quality of an issuer and the relative value of its securities may prove to be wrong. Investments in below investment grade securities may present special tax issues for the Fund to the extent that the issuers of these securities default
on their obligations pertaining thereto, and the U.S. federal income tax consequences to the Fund as a holder of such distressed securities may not be clear.
Foreign Securities and Emerging Markets Risk
The Funds investments in securities of foreign issuers or issuers with significant exposure to foreign markets involve additional risk as
compared to investment in U.S. securities or issuers with predominantly domestic exposure, such as less liquid, less regulated, less transparent and more volatile markets. The markets for some foreign securities are relatively new, and the rules and
policies relating to these markets are not fully developed and may change. The value of the Funds investments may decline because of factors affecting the particular issuer as well as foreign markets and issuers generally, such as unfavorable
or unsuccessful government actions, tariffs and tax disputes, reduction of government or central bank support, inadequate accounting standards, lack of information and political, economic, financial or social instability. Foreign investments may
also be adversely affected by U.S. government or international economic sanctions, which
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could eliminate the value of an investment. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in a single country or only a few countries in a particular geographic region, economic, political,
regulatory or other conditions affecting such country or region may have a greater impact on Fund performance relative to a more geographically diversified fund.
The risks of foreign investment are greater for investments in emerging markets. Emerging market country is defined as any country
which is, at the time of investment, it is (i) represented in the J.P. Morgan Emerging Markets Bond Index Global Diversified or the J.P. Morgan Corporate Emerging Market Bond Index Broad or (ii) categorized by the World Bank in its annual
categorization as middle-or low-income. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully developed, and that can be expected to be less stable, than those of more
advanced countries. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and in price volatility. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, that require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign
persons, or that prevent foreign investors from withdrawing their money at will. An investment in emerging market securities should be considered speculative.
Non-U.S. Government, or Sovereign, Debt Securities Risk
The Fund invests in non-U.S. government, or sovereign, debt securities. The ability of a government
issuer, especially in an emerging market country, to make timely and complete payments on its debt obligations will be strongly influenced by the government issuers balance of payments, including export performance, its access to international
credits and investments, fluctuations of interest rates and the extent of its foreign reserves. A country whose exports are concentrated in a few commodities or whose economy depends on certain strategic imports could be vulnerable to fluctuations
in international prices of these commodities or imports. To the extent that a country receives payment for its exports in currencies other than U.S. dollars, its ability to make debt payments denominated in U.S. dollars could be adversely affected.
If a government issuer cannot generate sufficient earnings from foreign trade to service its external debt, it may need to depend on continuing loans and aid from foreign governments, commercial banks, and multinational organizations. There are no
bankruptcy proceedings similar to those in the United States by which defaulted non-U.S. government debt may be collected. Additional factors that may influence a government issuers ability or
willingness to service debt include, but are not limited to, a countrys cash flow situation, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of its debt service burden to the economy as a whole,
and the issuers policy towards the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and other international agencies to which a government debtor may be subject.
Foreign Currency Risk
The value
of investments denominated in foreign currencies increases or decreases as the rates of exchange between those currencies and the U.S. dollar change. Currency conversion costs and currency fluctuations could erase investment gains or add to
investment losses. Currency exchange rates can be volatile, and are affected by factors such as general economic conditions, the actions of the U.S. and foreign governments or central banks, the imposition of currency controls and speculation. The
Fund may be unable or may choose not to hedge its foreign currency exposure.
Liquidity Risk
The Fund may invest in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days in the ordinary
course of business at approximately the value at which the Fund has valued the securities. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to sell. Securities may become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during
periods of market turmoil. When the Fund holds illiquid investments, the portfolio may be harder to value, especially in changing markets, and if the Fund is forced to sell these investments in order to segregate assets or for other cash needs, the
Fund may suffer a loss.
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Common Stock Risk
An adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of a particular common stock held by the Fund. In addition, the
prices of common stocks are sensitive to general movements in the stock market, and a drop in the stock market may depress the prices of common stocks to which the Fund has exposure. Common stock prices fluctuate for several reasons including
changes in investors perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, or when political or economic events affecting an issuer occur. In addition, common stock prices may be
particularly sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase. The value of the common stocks in which the Fund may invest will be affected by changes in the stock markets generally, which may be the
result of domestic or international political or economic news, changes in interest rates or changing investor sentiment. At times, stock markets can be volatile and stock prices can change substantially. The common stocks of smaller companies are
more sensitive to these changes than those of larger companies. Common stock risk will affect the Funds net asset value per share, which will fluctuate as the value of the securities held by the Fund change.
Preferred Stock Risk
Generally,
the Fund has a greater flexibility to invest in equity securities. Preferred stocks are unique securities that combine some of the characteristics of both common stocks and bonds. Preferred stocks generally pay a fixed rate of return and are sold on
the basis of current yield, like bonds. However, because they are equity securities, preferred stock provides equity ownership of a company, and the income is paid in the form of dividends. Preferred stocks typically have a yield advantage over
common stocks as well as comparably-rated fixed income investments. Preferred stocks are typically subordinated to bonds and other debt instruments in a companys capital structure, in terms of priority to corporate income, and therefore will
be subject to greater credit risk than those debt instruments. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuers board of directors. Preferred stocks also may be subject to
optional or mandatory redemption provisions.
Convertible Securities Risk
A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed
amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to nonconvertible income
securities in that they ordinarily provide a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than those of common stocks of the same or similar issuers, but lower yields than comparable nonconvertible securities. Similar to traditional fixed
income securities, the market values of convertible securities tend to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, to increase as interest rates decline. However, when the market price of the common stock underlying a convertible security
exceeds the conversion price, the convertible security tends to reflect the market price of the underlying common stock. As the market price of the underlying common stock declines, the convertible security tends to trade increasingly on a yield
basis and thus may not decline in price to the same extent as the underlying common stock. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors also may have an effect on the convertible securitys investment value. Convertible securities rank
senior to common stock in a corporations capital structure but are usually subordinated to comparable nonconvertible securities. Convertible securities may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the
convertible securitys governing instrument.
Risks of Warrants and Rights
Warrants and rights are subject to the same market risks as stocks, but may be more volatile in price. Warrants and rights do not carry the
right to dividends or voting rights with respect to their underlying securities, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. An investment in warrants or rights may be considered speculative. In addition, the value of a warrant
or right does not necessarily change with the value of
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the underlying security and a warrant or right ceases to have value if it is not exercised prior to its expiration date. The purchase of warrants or rights involves the risk that the Fund could
lose the purchase value of a warrant or right if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the warrants or rights expiration. Also, the purchase of warrants and rights involves the risk that the effective
price paid for the warrant or right added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed securitys market price such as when there is no movement in the price of the underlying security.
REITs Risk
Investing in REITs
involves certain unique risks in addition to those risks associated with investing in the real estate industry in general. An equity or hybrid REIT may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying properties owned by the REIT. A mortgage or
hybrid REIT may be affected by changes in interest rates and the ability of the issuers of its portfolio mortgages to repay their obligations. Mortgage and hybrid REITs are subject to the risks of accelerated prepayments of mortgage pools or
pass-through securities, reliance on short-term financing and more highly leveraged capital structures. REITs are dependent upon the skills of their managers and are not diversified.
REITs are generally dependent upon maintaining cash flows to repay borrowings and to make distributions to stockholders and are subject to the
risk of default by lessees and borrowers. REITs whose underlying assets are concentrated in properties used by a particular industry, such as healthcare, are also subject to industry related risks. Certain special purpose REITs may
invest their assets in specific real estate sectors, such as hotels, nursing homes or warehouses, and are therefore subject to the risks associated with adverse developments in any such sectors.
REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are also subject to interest rate risks. When interest rates decline, the value of a REITs investment
in fixed rate obligations can be expected to rise, but mortgages are often refinanced, which may reduce the yield on investments in mortgage REITs. Rising interest rates may cause REIT investors to demand a higher annual yield, which may, in turn,
cause a decline in the market price of the equity securities issued by a REIT. Rising interest rates also generally increase the costs of obtaining financing, which could cause the value of a REITs investment in fixed rate obligations can be
expected to decline. If the REIT invests in adjustable rate mortgage loans (the interest rates on which are reset periodically), yields on a REITs investments in such loans will gradually align themselves to reflect changes in market interest
rates. This causes the value of such investments to fluctuate less dramatically in response to interest rate fluctuations than would investments in fixed rate obligations.
REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume and maybe subject to more abrupt or erratic
price movements than larger company securities. In addition to these risks, REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the trusts or by the quality of any credit they extend. Further, REITs are dependent upon
management skills and generally may not be diversified. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation.
REITs are subject to management fees and other expenses. Therefore, investments in REITs will cause CRO to bear its proportionate share of the
costs of the REITs operations. At the same time, CRO will continue to pay its own management fees and expenses with respect to all of its assets, including any portion invested in REITs.
Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities Risks
Mortgage-backed securities include, among other things, participation interests in pools of residential mortgage loans purchased from
individual lenders by a federal agency or originated and issued by private lenders and involve, among others, the following risks:
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Credit and Market Risks of Mortgage-Backed Securities. Investments by the Fund in fixed rate and
floating rate mortgage-backed securities will entail credit risks (i.e., the risk of non-payment of interest |
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and principal) and market risks (i.e., the risk that interest rates and other factors could cause the value of the instrument to decline). Many issuers or servicers of mortgage-backed securities
may guarantee timely payment of interest and principal on the securities, whether or not payments are made when due on the underlying mortgages. This kind of guarantee generally increases the quality of a security, but does not mean that the
securitys market value and yield will not change. The value of all mortgage-backed securities also may change because of changes in the markets perception of the creditworthiness of the organization that issues or guarantees them. In
addition, an unexpectedly high rate of defaults on the mortgages held by a mortgage pool may limit substantially the pools ability to make payments of principal or interest to the Fund as a holder of such securities, reducing the values of
those securities or in some cases rendering them worthless. The Fund also may purchase securities that are not guaranteed or subject to any credit support. |
Like bond investments, the value of fixed rate mortgage-backed securities will tend to rise when interest rates fall, and fall when rates
rise. Floating rate mortgage-backed securities will generally tend to have more moderate changes in price when interest rates rise or fall, but their current yield will be affected.
In addition, the mortgage-backed securities market in general may be adversely affected by changes in governmental legislation or regulation.
Factors that could affect the value of a mortgage-backed security include, among other things, the types and amounts of insurance which an individual mortgage or specific mortgage-backed security carries, the default and delinquency rate of the
mortgage pool, the amount of time the mortgage loan has been outstanding, the loan-to-value ratio of each mortgage and the amount of overcollateralization or
undercollateralization of the mortgage pool.
Asset-backed securities represent participation in, or are secured by and payable from,
assets such as installment sales or loan contracts, leases, credit card receivables, and other categories of receivables. Certain debt instruments may only pay principal at maturity or may only represent the right to receive payments of principal or
payments of interest on underlying pools or mortgages, assets, or government securities, but not both. The value of these types of instruments may change more drastically than debt securities that pay both principal and interest. The Fund may obtain
a below market yield or incur a loss on such instruments during periods of declining interest rates. Principal only and interest only instruments are subject to extension risk. For mortgage derivatives and structured securities that have imbedded
leverage features, small changes in interest or prepayment rates may cause large and sudden price movements. Mortgage derivatives can also become illiquid and hard to value in declining markets.
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Prepayment, Extension and Redemption Risks of Mortgage-Backed Securities. Mortgage-backed
securities may reflect an interest in monthly payments made by the borrowers who receive the underlying mortgage loans. Although the underlying mortgage loans are for specified periods of time, such as 20 or 30 years, the borrowers can, and
historically have, paid them off sooner. When a prepayment happens, a portion of the mortgage-backed security which represents an interest in the underlying mortgage loan will be prepaid. A borrower is more likely to prepay a mortgage which bears a
relatively high rate of interest. This means that in times of declining interest rates, a portion of the Funds higher yielding securities are likely to be redeemed and the Fund will probably be unable to replace them with securities having as
great a yield. Prepayments can result in lower yields to stockholders. The increased likelihood of prepayment when interest rates decline also limits market price appreciation of mortgage-backed securities. This is known as prepayment risk.
Mortgage-backed securities also are subject to extension risk. Extension risk is the possibility that rising interest rates may cause prepayments to occur at a slower than expected rate. This particular risk may effectively change a security which
was considered short or intermediate term into a long-term security. The values of long-term securities generally fluctuate more widely in response to changes in interest rates than short or intermediate-term securities. In addition, a
mortgage-backed security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer. If a mortgage-backed security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund will be required to permit the issuer to redeem or
pay-off the security, which could have an adverse effect on the Funds ability to achieve its investment objective. |
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Liquidity Risk of Mortgage-Backed Securities. The liquidity of mortgage-backed securities
varies by type of security; at certain times the Fund may encounter difficulty in disposing of such investments. Because mortgage-backed securities have the potential to be less liquid than other securities, the Fund may be more susceptible to
liquidity risks than funds that invest in other securities. In the past, in stressed markets, certain types of mortgage-backed securities suffered periods of illiquidity when disfavored by the market. |
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Collateralized Mortgage Obligations. There are certain risks associated specifically with
collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs). CMOs are debt obligations collateralized by mortgage loans or mortgage pass-through securities. The average life of CMOs is determined using mathematical models that incorporate prepayment
assumptions and other factors that involve estimates of future economic and market conditions. These estimates may vary from actual future results, particularly during periods of extreme market volatility. Further, under certain market conditions,
such as those that occurred in 1994, 2007, 2008 and 2009, the average weighted life of certain CMOs may not accurately reflect the price volatility of such securities. For example, in periods of supply and demand imbalances in the market for such
securities and/or in periods of sharp interest rate movements, the prices of CMOs may fluctuate to a greater extent than would be expected from interest rate movements alone. CMOs issued by private entities are not obligations issued or guaranteed
by the United States Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or by any government agency, although the securities underlying a CMO may be subject to a guarantee. Therefore, if the collateral securing the CMO, as well as any third party credit
support or guarantees, is insufficient to make payments when due, the holder could sustain a loss. |
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Adjustable Rate Mortgages. Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) contain maximum and minimum
rates beyond which the mortgage interest rate may not vary over the lifetime of the security. In addition, many ARMs provide for additional limitations on the maximum amount by which the mortgage interest rate may adjust for any single adjustment
period. Alternatively, certain ARMs contain limitations on changes in the required monthly payment. In the event that a monthly payment is not sufficient to pay the interest accruing on an ARM, any excess interest is added to the principal balance
of the mortgage loan, which is repaid through future monthly payments. If the monthly payment for such an instrument exceeds the sum of the interest accrued at the applicable mortgage interest rate and the principal payment required at such point to
amortize the outstanding principal balance over the remaining term of the loan, the excess is used to reduce the then-outstanding principal balance of the ARM. |
In addition, certain ARMs may provide for an initial fixed, below-market or teaser interest rate. During this initial fixed-rate
period, the payment due from the related mortgagor may be less than that of a traditional loan. However, after the teaser rate expires, the monthly payment required to be made by the mortgagor may increase dramatically when the interest
rate on the mortgage loan adjusts. This increased burden on the mortgagor may increase the risk of delinquency or default on the mortgage loan and in turn, losses on the mortgage-backed security into which that loan has been bundled.
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Interest and Principal Only Securities Risk. One type of stripped mortgage-backed security pays to
one class all of the interest from the mortgage assets (the interest-only, or IO class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only, or PO class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is
extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the Funds yield to maturity from these securities. If
the assets underlying the IO class experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup fully, or at all, its initial investment in these securities. Conversely, PO class securities tend to decline in value if
prepayments are slower than anticipated. |
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Derivatives Risk
The Fund may utilize a variety of derivative instruments for investment or risk management purposes, such as options, futures contracts, swap
agreements and credit default swaps. Generally derivatives are financial contracts whose value depends on, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index, and may relate to individual debt or equity instruments,
interest rates, currencies or currency exchange rates and related indexes. Derivatives are subject to a number of risks, such as liquidity risk, interest rate risk, credit risk and management risk. Derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk,
which is the risk that the other party in the transaction will not fulfill its contractual obligation. Changes in the credit quality of the companies that serve as the Funds counterparties with respect to its derivative transactions will
affect the value of those instruments. By using derivatives that expose the Fund to counterparties, the Fund assumes the risk that its counterparties could experience financial hardships that could call into question their continued ability to
perform their obligations. In addition, in the event of the insolvency of a counterparty to a derivative transaction, the derivative transaction would typically be terminated at its fair market value. If the Fund is owed this fair market value in
the termination of the derivative transaction and its claim is unsecured, the Fund will be treated as a general creditor of such counterparty, and will not have any claim with respect to the underlying security. As a result, concentrations of such
derivatives in any one counterparty would subject the Fund to an additional degree of risk with respect to defaults by such counterparty. Derivatives also involve the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in the value of
a derivative may not correlate perfectly with an underlying asset, interest rate or index. Suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances and there can be no assurance that the Fund will engage in these transactions to
reduce exposure to other risks when that would be beneficial. If the Fund invests in a derivative instrument, it could lose more than the principal amount invested. Derivative instruments can be illiquid, may disproportionately increase losses and
may have a potentially large impact on the Funds performance.
Effective August 19, 2022, the Fund began operating under Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act which, among other things, governs the use of derivative investments and certain financing transactions (e.g., reverse repurchase agreements) by registered investment companies. Among other
things, Rule 18f-4 requires funds that invest in derivative instruments beyond a specified limited amount to apply a VaR based limit to their use of certain derivative instruments and financing transactions
and to adopt and implement a derivatives risk management program. Compliance with Rule 18f-4 by the Fund could, among other things, make derivatives more costly, limit their availability or utility, or
otherwise adversely affect their performance. Rule 18f-4 may limit the Funds ability to use derivatives as part of its investment strategy.
Risks of Futures and Options on Futures
The use by the Fund of futures contracts and options on futures contracts to hedge interest rate risks involves special considerations and
risks, as described below:
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Successful use of hedging transactions depends upon Western Assets ability to correctly predict the
direction of changes in interest rates. There can be no assurance that any particular hedging strategy will succeed. |
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There might be imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between the price movements of a futures or option
contract and the movements of the interest rates being hedged. Such a lack of correlation might occur due to factors unrelated to the interest rates being hedged, such as market liquidity and speculative or other pressures on the markets in which
the hedging instrument is traded. |
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Hedging strategies, if successful, can reduce risk of loss by wholly or partially offsetting the negative effect
of unfavorable movements in the interest rates being hedged. However, hedging strategies can also reduce opportunity for gain by offsetting the positive effect of favorable movements in the hedged interest rates. |
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There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular futures contract or option
thereon at any particular time. If the Fund were unable to liquidate a futures contract or an |
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option on a futures contract position due to the absence of a liquid secondary market or the imposition of price limits, it could incur substantial losses. The Fund would continue to be subject
to market risk with respect to the position. |
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There is no assurance that the Fund will use hedging transactions. For example, if the Fund determines that the
cost of hedging will exceed the potential benefit to the Fund, the Fund will not enter into such transactions. |
Credit Default
Swap Risk
The Fund may invest in credit default swap transactions for hedging or investment purposes. Credit default swap
agreements involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk and credit risk. The
buyer in a credit default contract is obligated to pay the seller a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract, provided that no event of default on an underlying reference obligation has occurred. If an event
of default occurs, the seller must pay the buyer the full notional value, or par value, of the reference obligation through either physical settlement or cash settlement. The Fund may be either the buyer or seller in a credit default
swap transaction. If the Fund is a buyer and no event of default occurs, the Fund will have made a series of periodic payments and recover nothing of monetary value. However, if an event of default occurs, the Fund (if the buyer) will receive the
full notional value of the reference obligation either through a cash payment in exchange for the asset or a cash payment in addition to owning the reference assets. As a seller, the Fund receives a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the
contract, which typically is between six months and five years, provided that there is no event of default. The sale of a credit default swap is a form of leverage. The Fund currently segregates assets on the Funds records in the form of cash,
cash equivalents or liquid securities in an amount equal to the notional value of the credit default swaps of which it is the seller or otherwise covers such obligations. If such assets are not fully segregated or otherwise covered by the Fund, the
use of credit default swap transactions could then be considered senior securities for purposes of the 1940 Act. Recent market developments related to credit default swaps have prompted increased scrutiny with respect to these instruments. As a
result of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, credit default swaps may in the future be subject to increased regulation. Such regulation may limit the Funds ability to use credit default swaps. Although the Fund will
seek to realize gains by writing credit default swaps that increase in value, to realize gains on writing credit default swaps, an active secondary market for such instruments must exist or the Fund must otherwise be able to close out these
transactions at advantageous times. If no such secondary market exists or the Fund is otherwise unable to close out these transactions at advantageous times, writing credit default swaps may not be profitable for the Fund.
The market for credit default swaps has become more volatile in recent years as the creditworthiness of certain counterparties has been
questioned and/or downgraded. If a counterpartys credit becomes significantly impaired, multiple requests for collateral posting in a short period of time could increase the risk that the Fund may not receive adequate collateral. The Fund may
exit its obligations under a credit default swap only by terminating the contract and paying applicable breakage fees, or by entering into an offsetting credit default swap position, which may cause the Fund to incur more losses.
Repurchase Agreements Risk
Subject to its investment objective and policies, the Fund may invest in repurchase agreements for leverage or investment purposes. Repurchase
agreements typically involve the acquisition by the Fund of debt securities from a selling financial institution such as a bank, savings and loan association or broker-dealer. The agreement provides that the Fund will sell the securities back to the
institution at a fixed time in the future. The Fund does not bear the risk of a decline in the value of the underlying security unless the seller defaults under its repurchase obligation. In the event of the bankruptcy or other default of a seller
of a repurchase agreement, the Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying securities and losses, including (1) possible decline in the
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value of the underlying security during the period in which the Fund seeks to enforce its rights thereto; (2) possible lack of access to income on the underlying security during this period;
and (3) expenses of enforcing its rights. While repurchase agreements involve certain risks not associated with direct investments in debt securities, the Fund follows procedures approved by the Funds Board of Directors that are designed
to minimize such risks. These procedures include effecting repurchase transactions only with large, well-capitalized and well-established financial institutions whose financial condition will be continually monitored by Western Asset. In addition,
as described above, the value of the collateral underlying the repurchase agreement will be at least equal to the repurchase price, including any accrued interest earned on the repurchase agreement. In the event of a default or bankruptcy by a
selling financial institution, the Fund generally will seek to liquidate such collateral. However, the exercise of the Funds right to liquidate such collateral could involve certain costs or delays and, to the extent that proceeds from any
sale upon a default of the obligation to repurchase were less than the repurchase price, the Fund could suffer a loss.
Reverse Repurchase
Agreements Risk
The Funds use of reverse repurchase agreements involves many of the same risks involved in the Funds
use of leverage, as the proceeds from reverse repurchase agreements generally will be invested in additional securities. There is a risk that the market value of the securities acquired in the reverse repurchase agreement may decline below the price
of the securities that the Fund has sold but remains obligated to repurchase. In addition, there is a risk that the market value of the securities retained by the Fund may decline. If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement were
to file for bankruptcy or experience insolvency, the Fund may be adversely affected. Also, in entering into reverse repurchase agreements, the Fund would bear the risk of loss to the extent that the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement are
less than the value of the underlying securities. In addition, due to the interest costs associated with reverse repurchase agreements transactions, the Funds net asset value will decline, and, in some cases, the Fund may be worse off than if
it had not used such instruments.
Senior Loans Risk
The Fund may invest in first lien senior secured loans (Senior Loans) issued by banks, other financial institutions, and other
investors to corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies and other entities to finance leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, mergers, acquisitions, stock repurchases, debt refinancings and, to a lesser extent, for general operating and
other purposes. An investment in Senior Loans involves risk that the borrowers under Senior Loans may default on their obligations to pay principal or interest when due. In the event a borrower fails to pay scheduled interest or principal payments
on a Senior Loan held by the Fund, the Fund will experience a reduction in its income and a decline in the market value of the Senior Loan, which will likely reduce dividends and lead to a decline in the net asset value of the Fund. If the Fund
acquires a Senior Loan from another lender, for example, by acquiring a participation, the Fund may also be subject to credit risk with respect to that lender.
The Fund will generally invest in Senior Loans that are secured with specific collateral. However, there can be no assurance that liquidation
of collateral would satisfy the borrowers obligation in the event of non-payment or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In the event of the bankruptcy of a borrower, the Fund could
experience delays and limitations on its ability to realize the benefits of the collateral securing the Senior Loan. Senior Loans are typically structured as floating rate instruments in which the interest rate payable on the obligation fluctuates
with interest rate changes. As a result, the yield on Senior Loans will generally decline in a falling interest rate environment causing the Fund to experience a reduction in the income it receives from a Senior Loan. Senior Loans are generally of
below investment grade quality and may be unrated at the time of investment; are generally not registered with the SEC or state securities commissions; and are generally not listed on any securities exchange. In addition, the amount of public
information available on Senior Loans is generally less extensive than that available for other types of assets.
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Second Lien Loans Risk
Second senior secured lien loans (Second Lien Loans) generally are subject to similar risks as those associated with investments in
Senior Loans. Because Second Lien Loans are subordinated or unsecured and thus lower in priority of payment to Senior Loans, they are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and property securing the loan or debt, if any,
may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to the senior secured obligations of the borrower. This risk is generally higher for subordinated unsecured loans or debt, which are not backed by a security interest in any specific
collateral. Second Lien Loans generally have greater price volatility than Senior Loans and may be less liquid. There is also a possibility that originators will not be able to sell participations in Second Lien Loans, which would create greater
credit risk exposure for the holders of such loans. Second Lien Loans share the same risks as other below investment grade securities.
Loan
Participations and Assignments Risk
The Fund may invest in participations in loans or assignments of all or a portion of loans
from third parties. In connection with purchasing participations, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the loan, nor any rights of
set-off against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the credit risk
of both the borrower and the lender that is selling the participation. In the event of the insolvency of the lender selling a participation, the Fund may be treated as a general creditor of the lender and may not benefit from any set-off between the lender and the borrower. Certain participations may be structured in a manner designed to avoid purchasers of participations being subject to the credit risk of the lender with respect to the
participation, but even under such a structure, in the event of the lenders insolvency, the lenders servicing of the participation may be delayed and the assignability of the participation impaired. The Fund will acquire participations
only if the lender interpositioned between the Fund and the borrower is determined by Western Asset to be creditworthy.
Smaller Company Risk
The general risks associated with income-producing securities are particularly pronounced for securities issued by companies with
smaller market capitalizations. These companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources or they may depend on a few key employees. As a result, they may be subject to greater levels of credit, market and issuer risk.
Securities of smaller companies may trade less frequently and in lesser volume than more widely held securities and their values may fluctuate more sharply than other securities. Companies with medium-sized
market capitalizations may have risks similar to those of smaller companies.
Management Risk
The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. Western Asset, Western Asset Singapore and
Western Asset (together with Western Singapore, the Non-U.S. Subadvisers and individually, each a Non-U.S. Subadviser) and each individual
investment professional may not be successful in selecting the best performing securities or investment techniques, and the Funds performance may lag behind that of similar funds.
Potential Conflicts of Interest Risk
FTFA, Western Asset, the Non-U.S. Subadvisers (together with FTFA and Western Asset, the
Managers) and the Funds investment professionals have interests which may conflict with the interests of the Fund. In particular, FTFA also manages, and Western Asset serves as subadviser to, another
closed-end investment company listed on the NYSE that has an investment objective and investment strategies that are substantially similar to the Fund. Further, the Managers may at some time in the future
manage and/or advise other investment
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funds or accounts with the same investment objective and strategies as the Fund. As a result, the Managers and the Funds investment professionals may devote unequal time and attention to
the management of the Fund and those other funds and accounts, and may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities as might be the case if they were to devote substantially more attention
to the management of the Fund. The Managers and the Funds investment professionals may identify a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and accounts, and the opportunity may be allocated among these several
funds and accounts, which may limit the Funds ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity. Additionally, transaction orders may be aggregated for multiple accounts for purpose of execution, which may cause the price or
brokerage costs to be less favorable to the Fund than if similar transactions were not being executed concurrently for other accounts. At times, an investment professional may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some
accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the investment professional may place separate transactions
for one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and accounts. For example, an investment professional may
determine that it would be in the interest of another account to sell a security that the Fund holds, potentially resulting in a decrease in the market value of the security held by the Fund.
Rating Agency Risk
Credit ratings
are issued by rating agencies which are private services that provide ratings of the credit quality of debt obligations, including convertible securities. Ratings assigned by a rating agency are not absolute standards of credit quality and do not
evaluate market risks or the liquidity of securities. Rating agencies may fail to make timely changes in credit ratings and an issuers current financial condition may be better or worse than a rating indicates. In addition, in recent years
there have been instances in which the initial rating assigned by a rating agency to a security failed to take account of adverse economic developments which subsequently occurred, leading to losses that were not anticipated based on the initial
rating. To the extent that the issuer of a security pays a rating agency for the analysis of its security, an inherent conflict of interest may exist that could affect the reliability of the rating. The ratings of a debt security may change over
time. As a result, debt instruments held by the Fund could receive a higher rating or a lower rating during the period in which they are held. The Fund will not necessarily sell a security when its rating is reduced below its rating at the time of
purchase.
Investments in mortgage-related securities may involve particularly high levels of risk under current market conditions.
Inflation/Deflation Risk
Inflation risk is the risk that the value of certain assets or income from the Funds investments will be worth less in the future as
inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the real value of the Common Stock and distributions on the Common Stock can decline. In addition, during any periods of rising inflation, the dividend rates or borrowing costs
associated with the Funds use of leverage would likely increase, which would tend to further reduce returns to stockholders. Deflation risk is the risk that prices throughout the economy decline over timethe opposite of inflation.
Deflation may have an adverse effect on the creditworthiness of issuers and may make issuer defaults more likely, which may result in a decline in the value of the Funds portfolio.
Counterparty Risk
If an issuer or
guarantor of a security held by the Fund or a counterparty to a financial contract with the Fund defaults or its credit is downgraded, or is perceived to be less creditworthy, or if the value of the assets underlying a security declines, the value
of your investment will typically decline. Changes in actual or perceived
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creditworthiness may occur quickly. The Fund could be delayed or hindered in its enforcement of rights against an issuer, guarantor or counterparty. Subordinated securities are more likely to
suffer a credit loss than non-subordinated securities of the same issuer and will be disproportionately affected by a default, downgrade or perceived decline in creditworthiness.
When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery Transactions Risk
The Fund may purchase fixed income securities on a when-issued basis, and may purchase or sell those securities for delayed delivery.
When-issued and delayed-delivery transactions occur when securities are purchased or sold by the Fund with payment and delivery taking place in the future to secure an advantageous yield or price. Securities purchased on a when-issued or
delayed-delivery basis may expose the Fund to counterparty risk of default as well as the risk that securities may experience fluctuations in value prior to their actual delivery. The Fund will not accrue income with respect to a when-issued or
delayed-delivery security prior to its stated delivery date. Purchasing securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis can involve the additional risk that the price or yield available in the market when the delivery takes place may not be as
favorable as that obtained in the transaction itself.
Leverage Risk
The Fund may use leverage through borrowings, including loans from certain financial institutions and/or the issuance of debt securities, and
through the issuance of preferred stock. The Fund may use leverage through borrowings in an aggregate amount of up to approximately 33 1/3% of the Funds total assets less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities
(for these purposes, total net assets) immediately after such borrowings. Furthermore, the Fund may use leverage through the issuance of preferred stock in an aggregate amount of liquidation preference attributable to the preferred stock
combined with the aggregate amount of any borrowings of up to approximately 50% of the Funds total net assets immediately after such issuance. The value of your investment may be more volatile if the Fund borrows or uses instruments, such as
derivatives, that have a leveraging effect on the Funds portfolio. The Fund may also have to sell assets at inopportune times to satisfy its obligations created by the use of leverage or derivatives. The use of leverage is considered to be a
speculative investment practice and may result in the loss of a substantial amount, and possibly all, of the Funds assets. In addition, the Funds portfolio will be leveraged if it exercises its right to delay payment on a redemption, and
losses will result if the value of the Funds assets declines between the time a redemption request is deemed to be received by the Fund and the time the Fund liquidates assets to meet redemption requests.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
The
Funds annual portfolio turnover rate may vary greatly from year to year. Changes to the investments of the Fund may be made regardless of the length of time particular investments have been held. A high portfolio turnover rate may result in
increased transaction costs for the Fund in the form of increased dealer spreads and other transactional costs, which may have an adverse impact on the Funds performance. In addition, high portfolio turnover may result in the realization of
net short-term capital gains by the Fund which, when distributed to stockholders, will be taxable as ordinary income. A high portfolio turnover may increase the Funds current and accumulated earnings and profits, resulting in a greater portion
of the Funds distributions being treated as a dividend to the Funds stockholders. The portfolio turnover rate of the Fund will vary from year to year, as well as within a given year.
Temporary Defensive Strategies Risk
When Western Asset anticipates unusual market or other conditions, the Fund may temporarily depart from its principal investment strategies as
a defensive measure and invest all or a portion of its assets in obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities; other investment grade debt securities; investment grade
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commercial paper; certificates of deposit and bankers acceptances; repurchase agreements with respect to any of the foregoing investments or any other fixed income securities that Western
Asset considers consistent with this strategy. To the extent that the Fund invests defensively, it may not achieve its investment objectives.
Market Discount from Net Asset Value Risk
Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount from their net asset value.
This risk is separate and distinct from the risk that the Funds net asset value could decrease as a result of its investment activities and may be a greater risk to investors expecting to sell their Common Shares in a relatively short period.
Whether investors will realize gains or losses upon the sale of Common Shares will depend not upon the Funds net asset value but upon whether the market price of Common Shares at the time of sale is above or below the investors purchase
price for Common Shares. Because the market price of Common Shares will be determined by factors such as relative supply of and demand for Common Shares in the market, general market and economic conditions and other factors beyond the control of
the Fund, the Fund cannot predict whether Common Shares will trade at, above or below net asset value. The Common Shares are designed primarily for long-term investors and you should not view the Fund as a vehicle for trading purposes.
Anti-Takeover Provisions
The
Funds Charter and Bylaws include provisions that are designed to limit the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund for short-term objectives, including by converting the Fund to
open-end status or changing the composition of the Board, that may be detrimental to the Funds ability to achieve its primary investment objective of seeking high current income. The Bylaws also contain
a provision providing that the Board of Directors has adopted a resolution to opt in the Fund to the provisions of the MCSAA. There can be no assurance, however, that the provisions of the MCSAA will be sufficient to deter professional arbitrageurs
that seek to cause the Fund to take actions that may not be consistent with its investment objective or aligned with the interests of long-term shareholders, such as liquidating debt investments prior to maturity, triggering taxable events for
shareholders and decreasing the size of the Fund. See Certain Provisions in the Charter and Bylaws and Certain Provisions in the Charter and BylawsMaryland Control Share Acquisition Act. (MCSAA). Such
provisions may limit the ability of shareholders to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging an investor from seeking to obtain control of the Fund. There can be no assurance, however, that such provisions will be
sufficient to deter professional investors that seek to cause the Fund to take actions that may not be aligned with the interests of long-term shareholders in order to allow the professional investor to arbitrage the Funds market price. See
Certain Provisions in the Charter and Bylaws and Certain Provisions in the Charter and BylawsMaryland Control Share Acquisition Act.
In determining to opt in to the MCSAA, the Board of Directors considered its fiduciary obligations to the Fund. In particular, the Board of
Directors considered whether the interests of a short-term professional investor seeking to arbitrage the Funds market price would be consistent with the interests of shareholders that invested in the Fund due to its investment objective of
seeking high current income. In order to seek to allow the Fund to achieve its investment objective for those long-term shareholders, the Board of Directors determined that it would be in the best interests of the Fund to opt in to the MCSAA. In
making this decision, the Board of Directors considered a decision in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, which had the effect of allowing a closed-end fund organized in Maryland to remain
opted in to the MCSAA notwithstanding a counterclaim alleging that the funds decision to opt in to the MCSAA violated Section 18(i) of the 1940 Act. A recent decision by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York,
however, held that certain Funds that opted into the MCSAA violated Section 18(i) of the 1940 Act. That decision is incompatible with the prior decision in Maryland federal court that allowed a registered
closed-end fund organized as a Maryland corporation to remain opted into the MCSAA, resulting in a circuit split on the issue. There is a risk that a court could follow the reasoning of the New York federal
court, as opposed to the decision of the Maryland federal court, when determining whether a closed-end fund organized in Maryland can opt in to the MCSAA. In addition, current litigation in Maryland state
court will consider the same question of whether a registered
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closed-end fund organized as a Maryland corporation can opt into the MCSAA without violating Section 18(i) of the 1940 Act.
Market Events Risk
The market
values of securities or other assets will fluctuate, sometimes sharply and unpredictably, due to factors such as economic events, governmental actions or intervention, actions taken by the U.S. Federal Reserve or foreign central banks, market
disruptions caused by trade disputes or other factors, political developments, armed conflicts, economic sanctions and countermeasures in response to sanctions, major cybersecurity events, the global and domestic effects of widespread or local
health, weather or climate events, and other factors that may or may not be related to the issuer of the security or other asset. Economies and financial markets throughout the world are increasingly interconnected. Economic, financial or political
events, trading and tariff arrangements, public health events, terrorism, wars, natural disasters and other circumstances in one country or region could have profound impacts on global economies or markets. As a result, whether or not the fund
invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to the countries or markets directly affected, the value and liquidity of the funds investments may be negatively affected. Following Russias invasion of Ukraine,
Russian stocks lost all, or nearly all, of their market value. Other securities or markets could be similarly affected by past or future geopolitical or other events or conditions. Furthermore, events involving limited liquidity, defaults, non-performance or other adverse developments that affect one industry, such as the financial services industry, or concerns or rumors about any events of these kinds, have in the past and may in the future lead to
market-wide liquidity problems, may spread to other industries, and could negatively affect the value and liquidity of the funds investments.
The long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent variants on economies, markets,
industries and individual issuers is not known. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced or may experience particularly large losses. Periods of extreme volatility in the financial markets, reduced liquidity of many
instruments, increased government debt, inflation, and disruptions to supply chains, consumer demand and employee availability, may continue for some time. The U.S. government and the Federal Reserve, as well as certain foreign governments and
central banks, took extraordinary actions to support local and global economies and the financial markets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This and other government intervention into the economy and
financial markets may not work as intended, and have resulted in a large expansion of government deficits and debt, the long term consequences of which are not known. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic, and
measures taken to mitigate its effects, could result in disruptions to the services provided to the fund by its service providers.
Raising the ceiling on U.S. government debt has become increasingly politicized. Any failure to increase the total amount that the U.S.
government is authorized to borrow could lead to a default on U.S. government obligations, with unpredictable consequences for economies and markets in the U.S. and elsewhere. Recently, inflation and interest rates have increased and may rise
further. These circumstances could adversely affect the value and liquidity of the funds investments, impair the funds ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the funds performance.
The United States and other countries are periodically involved in disputes over trade and other matters, which may result in tariffs,
investment restrictions and adverse impacts on affected companies and securities. For example, the United States has imposed tariffs and other trade barriers on Chinese exports, has restricted sales of certain categories of goods to China, and has
established barriers to investments in China. Trade disputes may adversely affect the economies of the United States and its trading partners, as well as companies directly or indirectly affected and financial markets generally. The United States
government has prohibited U.S. persons from investing in Chinese companies designated as related to the Chinese military. These and possible future restrictions could limit the funds opportunities for investment and require the sale of
securities at a loss or make them illiquid. Moreover, the Chinese government is involved in a longstanding dispute with Taiwan that has included threats of invasion. If the political climate between the United States and China does not improve or
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continues to deteriorate, if China were to attempt unification of Taiwan by force, or if other geopolitical conflicts develop or get worse, economies, markets and individual securities may be
severely affected both regionally and globally, and the value of the funds assets may go down
LIBOR Risk
The Funds investments, payment obligations, and financing terms may be based on floating rates, such as the London Interbank Offered
Rate, or LIBOR, which was the offered rate for short-term Eurodollar deposits between major international banks. In 2017, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced its intention to cease compelling banks to provide
the quotations needed to sustain LIBOR after 2021. In addition, global regulators have announced that, with limited exceptions, no new LIBOR-based contracts should be entered into after 2021. Actions by regulators have resulted in the establishment
of alternative reference rates to LIBOR in most major currencies. In March 2022, the U.S. federal government enacted legislation to establish a process for replacing LIBOR in certain existing contracts that do not already provide for the use of a
clearly defined or practicable replacement benchmark rate as described in the legislation. Generally speaking, for contracts that do not contain a fallback provision as described in the legislation, a benchmark replacement recommended by the Federal
Reserve Board effectively automatically replaced the USD LIBOR benchmark in the contract upon LIBORs cessation at the end of June 2023. The recommended benchmark replacement is based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, including certain spread adjustments and benchmark replacement conforming changes. Various financial industry groups have been planning for the transition away from LIBOR, but there remains uncertainty regarding
the impact of the transition from LIBOR on the Funds transactions and the financial markets generally. The transition away from LIBOR may lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets that rely on LIBOR and may adversely affect the
Funds performance. The transition may also result in a reduction in the value of certain LIBOR-based investments held by the Fund or reduce the effectiveness of related transactions such as hedges. Any such effects of the transition away from
LIBOR, as well as other unforeseen effects, could result in losses for the Fund.
Valuation Risk
The sales price the Fund could receive for any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Funds valuation of the investment,
particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. These differences may increase significantly and affect Fund investments more broadly during periods of market volatility. The
Funds ability to value its investments may be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third party service providers. The valuation of the Funds investments involves subjective judgment.
Operational Risk
The valuation of
the Funds investments may be negatively impacted because of the operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors and human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes
in personnel, and errors caused by third party service providers or trading counterparties. It is not possible to identify all of the operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls that completely eliminate or
mitigate the occurrence of such failures. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.
Cybersecurity Risk
Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, Fund or proprietary
information, cause the Fund, FTFA, Western Asset and the Non-U.S. Subadvisers and/or their service providers to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund
investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving
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distributions. The Fund, FTFA, Western Asset and the Non-U.S. Subadvisers have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting
third party service providers, and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund, FTFA, Western Asset or the Non-U.S. Subadvisers. Cybersecurity incidents may
result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity
risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.
60
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
Directors and Officers
The overall
management of the business and affairs of the Fund is vested in the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors approves all significant agreements between the Fund and persons or companies furnishing services to the Fund. The day-to-day operation of the Fund is delegated to the officers of the Fund, the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore, subject always to the
investment objectives, restrictions and policies of the Fund and to the general supervision of the Board of Directors. Certain Directors and officers of the Fund are affiliated with Franklin Templeton, the parent corporation of the Manager, Western
Asset, Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore. All of the Funds executive officers hold similar offices with some or all of the other funds advised by the Manager.
Investment Manager
Franklin Templeton
Fund Adviser, LLC, located at 280 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017, serves as the Funds investment manager. The Manager is a registered investment adviser and provides administrative and management services to the Fund. As of [●],
2023, the Managers total assets under management were approximately $[●] billion. The Manager is a wholly owned subsidiary of Franklin Templeton. Franklin Templeton is a global asset management firm. As of [●], 2023, Franklin
Templetons asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $[●] trillion.
Subadviser
Western Asset Management Company, LLC, located at 385 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91101, serves as the Funds
subadviser. Western Asset, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Templeton, is a registered investment adviser and has day-to-day responsibility for managing the
Funds direct investments in high-yield securities and other permitted investments, subject to the supervision of the Funds Board of Directors and the Manager.
As of [●], 20[●], Western Asset and its investment advisory affiliates over which Western Asset has operational responsibility, or
its supervised affiliates, had approximately $[●] billion in assets under management.
However, investors should be aware that the
investments made by the Fund and the results achieved by the Fund at any given time are not expected to be the same as those made by other funds for which Western Asset acts as investment adviser, including funds with names, investment objectives
and policies similar to the Fund.
Non-U.S. Subadvisers
In connection with Western Assets service to the Fund, Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore provide certain subadvisory
services pursuant to the Western Asset Limited Subadvisory Agreement. Western Asset Limited was founded in 1984 and has offices at 10 Exchange Square, Primrose Street, London EC2A2EN. Western Asset Singapore was established in 2000 and has offices
at 1 George Street #23-01, Singapore 049145.
Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore
are generally responsible for managing investments denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars, including the related portions of Western Assets broader portfolios, as well as servicing these relationships. Western Asset Limited and
Western Asset Singapore undertake investment-related activities including investment management, research and analysis and securities settlement.
61
While Western Asset will remain ultimately responsible for investment decisions relating to the
Funds portfolio, Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore provide certain subadvisory services to the Fund relating to currency transactions and investments in non-U.S. dollar-denominated
securities and related foreign currency instruments.
Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore are registered investment advisers
and are affiliates of Franklin Templeton, the Manager and Western Asset.
Investment Management Agreement and
Sub-Advisory Agreement
Investment Management Agreement
Under the Funds management agreement with the Manager (the Investment Management Agreement), subject to the supervision and
direction of the Funds Board, the Manager is delegated the responsibility of managing the Funds portfolio in accordance with the Funds stated investment objectives and policies, making investment decisions for the Fund and placing
orders to purchase and sell securities. The Manager performs administrative and management services necessary for the operation of the Fund, such as (1) supervising the overall administration of the Fund, including negotiation of contracts and
fees with and the monitoring of performance and billings of the Funds transfer agent, stockholder servicing agents, custodian and other independent contractors or agents; (2) providing certain compliance, Fund accounting, regulatory
reporting and tax reporting services; (3) preparing or participating in the preparation of materials for the Funds Board of Directors, registration statements, proxy statements and reports and other communications to stockholders;
(4) maintaining the Funds existence and (5) maintaining the registration and qualification of the Funds shares under federal and (if required) state laws.
The Manager also provides the office space, facilities, equipment and personnel necessary to perform the following services for the Fund: SEC
compliance, including record keeping, reporting requirements and registration statements and proxies; supervision of Fund operations, including coordination of functions of the transfer agent, custodian, accountants, counsel and other parties
performing services or operational functions for the Fund; and certain administrative and clerical services, including certain accounting services and maintenance of certain books and records.
The Investment Management Agreement will continue in effect, unless otherwise terminated, until July 31, 2024 and then will continue from
year to year provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Funds Board of Directors or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) and (b) in either
event, by a majority of the Directors of the Fund who are not interested persons of the Fund within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act (the Independent Directors) with such Independent Directors casting
votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Investment Management Agreement provides that the Manager may render services to others. The Investment Management Agreement is terminable without penalty on not more than 60 days nor
less than 30 days written notice by the Fund when authorized either by a vote of holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) or by a vote of a
majority of the Funds Directors, or by the Manager on not less than 90 days written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Investment Management Agreement provides that neither the Manager nor its
personnel or affiliates shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of security transactions for the Fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad
faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of its or their obligations and duties.
Other than the cash management services it
provides for certain equity funds, the Manager does not provide day-to-day portfolio management services. Rather, portfolio management for the Fund is provided by
Western Asset.
62
Western Asset Sub-Advisory Agreement
Western Asset provides services to the Fund pursuant to a subadvisory agreement between the Manager Western Asset (the Subadvisory
Agreement). Under the Subadvisory Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the Funds Board of Directors and the Manager, Western Asset will manage the Funds portfolio in accordance with the Funds investment
objectives and policies, make investment decisions for the Fund, place orders to purchase and sell securities, and employ professional portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research services to the Fund.
The Subadvisory Agreement for the Fund will continue in effect, unless otherwise terminated, until July 31, 2024 and then will continue
from year to year provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Board of Directors or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event,
by a majority of the Independent Directors with such Independent Directors casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Board of Directors or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940
Act) may terminate the Subadvisory Agreement without penalty, in each case on not more than 60 days nor less than 30 days written notice to Western Asset. Western Asset may terminate the subadvisory agreement on 90 days written
notice to the Fund and the Manager. The Manager and Western Asset may terminate the Subadvisory Agreement upon their mutual written consent. The Subadvisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.
Western Asset Subadvisory Agreement
Western Asset Limited provides services to the Fund pursuant to a subadvisory agreement between Western Asset Limited and Western Asset. The
Western Asset Limited Subadvisory Agreement provides that, subject to the supervision and direction of the Funds Board of Directors and the Manager, Western Asset Limited will manage the Funds portfolio in accordance with the Funds
investment objectives and policies, make investment decisions for the Fund, place orders to purchase and sell securities and employ professional portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research services to the Fund.
The Western Asset Limited Subadvisory Agreement for the Fund will continue in effect, unless otherwise terminated, until July 31, 2024
and then will continue from year to year provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Board of Directors or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and
(b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Directors with such Independent Directors casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Board of Directors or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund
(as defined in the 1940 Act) may terminate the Western Asset Limited Subadvisory Agreement without penalty, in each case on not more than 60 days nor less than 30 days written notice to Western Asset Limited. Western Asset Limited may
terminate the Western Asset Limited Subadvisory Agreement on 90 days written notice to the Fund and Western Asset. Western Asset and Western Asset Limited may terminate the Western Asset Limited Subadvisory Agreement upon their mutual written
consent. The Western Asset Limited Subadvisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.
Western Asset
Singapore Subadvisory Agreement
Western Asset Singapore provides services to the Fund pursuant to a subadvisory agreement between
Western Asset Singapore and Western Asset. The Western Asset Singapore Subadvisory Agreement provides that, subject to the supervision and direction of the Funds Board of Directors and the Manager, Western Asset Limited will manage the
Funds portfolio in accordance with the Funds investment objectives and policies, make investment decisions for the Fund, place orders to purchase and sell securities and employ professional portfolio managers and securities analysts who
provide research services to the Fund.
63
The Western Asset Singapore Subadvisory Agreement for the Fund will continue in effect, unless
otherwise terminated, until July 31, 2024 and then will continue from year to year provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Board of Directors or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of
the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Directors with such Independent Directors casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Board of Directors or a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) may terminate the Western Asset Singapore Subadvisory Agreement without penalty, in each case on not more than 60 days nor less than 30 days written notice to Western
Asset Limited. Western Asset Singapore may terminate the Western Asset Singapore Subadvisory Agreement on 90 days written notice to the Fund and Western Asset. Western Asset and Western Asset Singapore may terminate the Western Asset Singapore
Subadvisory Agreement upon their mutual written consent. The Western Asset Singapore Subadvisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.
Advisory Fees
For its services, the Fund
has agreed to pay the Manager an annual fee, payable monthly, in an amount equal to 0.85% of the Funds average daily Managed Assets.
Western Asset receives an annual subadvisory fee from the Manager, payable monthly, in an amount equal to 70% of the management fee paid to
the Manager. No advisory fee will be paid by the Fund directly to Western Asset.
Western Asset pays Western Asset Limited and Western
Asset Singapore a fee for their services at no additional expense to the Fund. Western Asset pays Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore a monthly subadvisory fee in an amount equal to 100% of the management fee paid to Western Asset on
the assets that Western Asset allocates to Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore to manage.
The basis for the Board of
Directors approval of the continuance of the Investment Management Agreement, Subadvisory Agreement, Western Asset Limited Subadvisory Agreement and Western Asset Singapore Subadvisory Agreement is provided in the Funds annual or
semi-annual stockholder report for the periods during which such continuance occurs. The basis for subsequent continuations of such agreements will be provided in annual or semi-annual reports to stockholders for the periods during which such
continuations occur.
Subadviser Philosophy
Western Assets high-yield portfolios are constructed using top-down economic and industry
knowledge integrated with bottom-up fundamental credit research. Portfolio managers combine Western Assets economic assessment along with industry sector insights from its dedicated research staff to
derive the general framework for portfolio construction. This framework provides the foundation for how the portfolio will be positioned with respect to risk (aggressive, neutral, conservative) as well as identifying sector overweights and
underweights. Risk and weightings are formally re-visited on a monthly basis, but informally evaluated on a continual basis.
Once the general framework of the portfolio has been established, the bottom-up process provides the
basis for populating the targeted industry weightings through individual credit selection.
Western Asset adheres to a rigorous sell
discipline. Credits are considered for sale when they satisfy one of three objectives: the security meets or exceeds its respective relative value target, the risk associated with holding the security no longer justifies the expected return, or a
material change has been made to the original investment premise that affects its fundamental valuation. In situations where a company is experiencing a perceived rapid credit deterioration (i.e., it breaks below a
pre-determined price threshold), a team approach is employed to implement an immediate and comprehensive review within 24 hours. The goal of these reviews is to quickly allocate the necessary resources needed
to make a timely and informed re-assessment of Western Assets position and determine the appropriate course of action.
64
Integrated Team Approach
Western Assets fixed income discipline emphasizes a team approach that unites groups of specialists dedicated to different market
sectors. A team of investment professionals at Western Asset has daily responsibility for the management of the portfolio and for the implementation of the investment process. The investment responsibilities of each sector group are distinct, yet
results are derived from the constant interaction that unites the specialty groups into a cohesive investment management team. The sector teams are comprised of Western Assets senior portfolio managers, research analysts, and an in-house economist who are highly skilled and experienced in all major areas of the fixed income market. They exchange views on a daily basis and meet more formally twice each month to review Western Assets
economic outlook and investment strategy. This structure seeks to ensure that client portfolios benefit from a consensus that draws on the expertise of all team members.
Subadviser Investment Process
Western
Assets high-yield portfolio construction process begins with Western Assets view regarding the global macroeconomic environment. Western Assets view is determined by the U.S. Broad Strategy Committee. This Committee includes
Western Assets senior portfolio managers, the heads of the various fixed-income asset classes and senior officers of Western Asset. This Committee discusses debates and determines Western Assets broad market portfolio strategies while
considering various inputs including central bank policies, strength of the economy, direction of interest rates and shape of the yield curve.
The Global Credit Committee (GCC) considers the output of the U.S. Broad Strategy Committee particularly as it relates to setting
the overall risk profile for credit portfolios as well as when considering gaining non-benchmark sector exposure, if allowed by a funds guidelines. The members of the GCC include the heads of the various
credit asset classes including U.S. high-yield, U.S. investment-grade, U.S. bank loan, emerging market credit, non-U.S. high-yield and non-U.S. investment-grade credit.
The GCC meets monthly, or as needed, with the primary objectives of rating the relative value characteristics of the credit asset classes and providing guidance as to a portfolios relative risk profile.
Western Assets high-yield portfolio managers consider the outputs of both the U.S. Broad Strategy and GCC within the context of industry
sector insights from the dedicated credit research staff to derive the general framework for portfolio construction. This framework provides the foundation for how the portfolio will be positioned with respect to risk (aggressive, neutral,
conservative) as well as identifying sector overweights and underweights. Risk and weightings are formally re-visited on a monthly basis, discussed in regular weekly meetings and evaluated on a continual basis
with additional ad-hoc meetings being held should market conditions require. At this point in the process, Western Assets credit portfolio managers, analysts, traders, portfolio analysts and risk
management combine efforts in the bottom-up process that attempts to discern relative value in the market place.
Western Assets bottom-up process provides the basis for populating the targeted industry
weightings through individual credit issuer selection. Bottom-up fundamental issuer level credit research and analysis is performed by Western Assets dedicated high-yield analysts, with an average of 25
years of experience. Western Assets credit analysts conduct onsite visits, management interviews, review financial statements, attend industry/issuer conferences (those held for the benefit of both fixed-income and equity investors), make
projections and consult relevant reference material to aid in the fundamental credit research process. Western Assets credit analysts are located on the trading desk and are exposed to market pricing throughout the course of the day. Western
Assets credit analysts provide relative value analysis as part of their overall fundamental review. Armed with the results of their fundamental analysis, pricing grids on each part of the capital structure for each issuer within the industry
and full knowledge as to covenant features of each issue the credit analysts are positioned to make relative value recommendations that are supported by their work and presented to the credit team. The recommendations of buy/hold or sell are based
on the analysts view after conducting relative value
65
analysis on all major issuers within the industry and identifying those issuers that offer, and those that do not, compelling risk adjusted opportunities.
With the general framework determined and specific issuer opportunities identified, the credit team is ready to fund the portfolio. The
portfolio managers will work with the traders and risk management in an effort to construct a portfolio that conforms to the desired strategic structure and incorporates the issuer and issue recommendations of the research analysts. Risk management
is fully integrated in the investment process. Risk managers dedicated to the high-yield strategy meet with the portfolio managers regularly to formally review portfolio risk, sources of risk, concentrations, correlations and recent trading activity
as well as other metrics. Risk managers and portfolio managers meet informally on a frequent basis for multiple reasons including for the purpose of reviewing scenario analysis to consider the impact on risk metrics of trades under consideration.
Investment Management Team
Set
forth below is information regarding the team of professionals at Western Asset responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Fund. Western Asset utilizes
a team approach, with decisions derived from interaction among various investment management sector specialists. The sector teams are comprised of Western Assets senior portfolio managers, research analysts and an in-house economist. Under this team approach, management of client fixed income portfolios will reflect a consensus of interdisciplinary views.
|
|
|
Name, Address and Title |
|
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5
Years |
S. Kenneth Leech Western Asset
385 East Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91101 |
|
Responsible for the day-to-day management with other members of the Funds portfolio management team;
Co-Chief Investment Officer of Western Asset from 1998 to 2008 and since 2014; Senior Advisor/Chief Investment Officer Emeritus of Western Asset from 2008-2013; Co-
Chief Investment Officer of Western Asset from 2013-2014. |
Michael C. Buchanan Western Asset
385 East Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91101 |
|
Responsible for the day-to-day management with other members of the Funds portfolio management team;
Co-Chief Investment Officer of Western Asset since 2023; employed by Western Asset Management as an investment professional for at least the past five years; Managing Director and head of U.S. Credit Products
from 2003-2005 at Credit Suisse Asset Management. |
Ryan K. Brist Western Asset
385 East Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91101 |
|
Responsible for the day-to-day management with other members of the Funds portfolio management team; Head of U.S. Investment Grade
Credit of Western Asset since 2009; Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager at Logan Circle Partners, L.P. from 2007-2009; Co-Chief Investment Officer and Senior Portfolio Manager at Delaware
Investment Advisors from 2000-2007 |
Christopher F. Kilpatrick Western Asset
385 East Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91101
|
|
Responsible for the day-to-day management with other
members of the Funds portfolio management team; employed by Western Asset Management as an investment professional for at least the past five years. |
Chia-Liang Lian Western Asset
385 East Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91101 |
|
Responsible for the day-to-day management with other members of the Funds portfolio management team; employed by Western Asset
Management as an investment professional since 2011; Prior to joining Western Asset, Mr. Lian spent approximately six years with the Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO), where he served as Head of Emerging Asia Portfolio
Management. |
66
Additional information about the portfolio managers compensation, other accounts managed by
them and other information is provided in the SAI.
Control Persons
A control person is a person who beneficially owns more than 25% of the voting securities of a company. The Fund currently has no control
person.
67
NET ASSET VALUE
The Fund determines the net asset value of its Common Stock on each day the NYSE is open for business, as of the close of the customary
trading session (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time), or any earlier closing time that day. The Fund determines the net asset value per share of Common Stock by dividing the value of the Funds securities, cash and other assets (including the
value of derivatives and interest accrued but not collected) less all its liabilities (including accrued expenses, the liquidation preference of any outstanding preferred stock and dividends payable) by the total number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding. Securities are valued at the mean between the last quoted bid and asked prices provided by an independent pricing service that are based on transactions in corporate obligations, quotations from corporate bond dealers, market
transactions in comparable securities and various other relationships between securities. The Fund values portfolio securities for which market quotations are readily available at the last reported sales price or official closing price on the
primary market or exchange on which they trade. Under the Funds valuation policies and procedures, which were adopted by the Board, the Funds short-term investments are valued at amortized cost when the security has 60 days or less to
maturity. Determination of the Common Stocks net asset value is made in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
The Fund values all other securities and assets at their fair value. If events occur that materially affect the value of a security between
the time trading ends on the security and the close of the customary trading session of the NYSE, the Fund may value the security at its fair value as determined in good faith by or under the supervision of the Board of Directors of the Fund. The
effect of using fair value pricing is that the Common Stocks net asset value will be subject to the judgment of the Board of Directors or its designee instead of being determined by the market.
Any swap transaction that the Fund enters into may, depending on the applicable interest rate environment, have a positive or negative value
for purposes of calculating net asset value. Any cap transaction that the Fund enters into may, depending on the applicable interest rate environment, have no value or a positive value. In addition, accrued payments to the Fund under such
transactions will be assets of the Fund and accrued payments by the Fund will be liabilities of the Fund.
The Funds Board of
Directors has adopted valuation policies and procedures in accordance with SEC Rule 2a-5. The Manager has been designated as the valuation designee and is responsible for the oversight of the daily valuation
process. The Manager is assisted by the Global Fund Valuation Committee. The Global Fund Valuation Committee is responsible for making fair value determinations, evaluating the effectiveness of the Funds pricing policies, and reporting to the
Manager and the Board of Directors. When determining the reliability of third party pricing information for investments owned by the Fund, the Global Fund Valuation Committee, among other things, conducts due diligence reviews of pricing vendors,
monitors the daily change in prices and reviews transactions among market participants.
For each portfolio security that has been fair
valued pursuant to the policies adopted by the Board of Directors, the fair value price is compared against the last available and next available market quotations. The Global Fund Valuation Committee reviews the results of such back testing monthly
and fair valuation occurrences are reported to the Board of Directors quarterly.
The Fund uses valuation techniques to measure fair value
that are consistent with the market approach and/or income approach, depending on the type of security and the particular circumstance. The market approach uses prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving
identical or comparable securities. The income approach uses valuation techniques to discount estimated future cash flows to present value.
68
DISTRIBUTIONS
We have paid distributions to Common Stockholders every month since inception. The following table sets forth information about distributions
we paid to our Common Stockholders during the past three fiscal years, percentage participation by Common Stockholders in our dividend reinvestment program and reinvestments and related issuances of additional shares of Common Stock as a result of
such participation (the information in the table is unaudited):
[To come.]
A distribution by the Fund consisting of a return of capital should not be considered a dividend yield or total return of an investment in the
Funds Common Stock. Common Stockholders who receive the payment of a distribution consisting of a return of capital may be under the impression that they are receiving net profits when they are not. Stockholders should not assume that the
source of a distribution from the Fund is net profits.
Unless a Common Stockholder elects to receive distributions in cash (i.e., opt
out), all of such Common Stockholders distributions, including any capital gains distributions on Common Stock, will be automatically reinvested in additional shares of Common Stock under the Funds Dividend Reinvestment Plan. All
distributions, prior to payment, will be authorized by the Funds Board of Directors. See Dividend Reinvestment Plan.
69
DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN
Unless you elect to receive distributions in cash (i.e., opt-out), all dividends, including any
capital gain dividends and return of capital distributions, on your Common Stock will be automatically reinvested by Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as agent for the stockholders (the Plan Agent), in additional shares of Common Stock
under the Funds Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the Plan). You may elect not to participate in the Plan by contacting the Plan Agent. If you do not participate, you will receive all cash distributions paid by check mailed directly to
you by Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as dividend paying agent.
If you participate in the Plan, the number of shares of Common Stock
you will receive will be determined as follows:
(1) If the market price of the Common Stock (plus $0.03 per share
commission) on the payment date (or, if the payment date is not a NYSE trading day, the immediately preceding trading day) is equal to or exceeds the net asset value per share of the Common Stock at the close of trading on the NYSE on the payment
date, the Fund will issue new Common Stock at a price equal to the greater of
(a) the net asset value per share at the
close of trading on the NYSE on the payment date or
(b) 95% of the market price per share of the Common Stock on the
payment date.
(2) If the net asset value per share of the Common Stock exceeds the market price of the Common Stock (plus
$0.03 per share commission) at the close of trading on the NYSE on the payment date, the Plan Agent will receive the dividend or distribution in cash and will buy Common Stock in the open market, on the NYSE or elsewhere, for your account as soon as
practicable commencing on the trading day following the payment date and terminating no later than the earlier of (a) 30 days after the dividend or distribution payment date, or (b) the payment date for the next succeeding dividend or
distribution to be made to the stockholders; except when necessary to comply with applicable provisions of the federal securities laws. If during this period: (i) the market price (plus $0.03 per share commission) rises so that it equals or
exceeds the net asset value per share of the Common Stock at the close of trading on the NYSE on the payment date before the Plan Agent has completed the open market purchases or (ii) if the Plan Agent is unable to invest the full amount
eligible to be reinvested in open market purchases, the Plan Agent will cease purchasing Common Stock in the open market and the Fund shall issue the remaining Common Stock at a price per share equal to the greater of (a) the net asset value
per share at the close of trading on the NYSE on the day prior to the issuance of shares for reinvestment or (b)95% of the then current market price per share.
Common Stock in your account will be held by the Plan Agent in non-certificated form. Any proxy you
receive will include all shares of Common Stock you have received under the Plan.
You may withdraw from the Plan (i.e., opt-out) by notifying the Plan Agent in writing at 462 South 4th Street, Suite 1600, Louisville, KY 40202 or by calling the Plan Agent at 1-888-888-0151. Such withdrawal will be effective immediately if notice is received by the Plan Agent not less than ten business days prior to any dividend or distribution record date; otherwise such
withdrawal will be effective as soon as practicable after the Plan Agents investment of the most recently declared dividend or distribution on the Common Stock.
Plan participants who sell their shares will be charged a service charge (currently $5.00 per transaction) and the Plan Agent is authorized to
deduct brokerage charges actually incurred from the proceeds (currently $0.05 per share commission). There is no service charge for reinvestment of your dividends or distributions in Common Stock. However, all participants will pay a pro rata share
of brokerage commissions incurred by the Plan Agent when it makes open market purchases. Because all dividends and distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional shares of Common Stock, this allows you to add to your investment through
dollar cost averaging, which may lower the average cost of your Common Stock over time. Dollar cost averaging is a technique for lowering the average cost per share over time if the Funds net asset value declines. While dollar cost averaging
has definite advantages, it cannot assure profit or protect against loss in declining markets.
70
Automatically reinvesting dividends and distributions does not mean that you do not have to pay
income taxes due upon receiving dividends and distributions. Investors will be subject to income tax on amounts reinvested under the Plan.
The Fund reserves the right to amend or terminate the Plan if, in the judgment of the Board of Directors, the change is warranted. The Plan
may be terminated, amended or supplemented by the Fund upon notice in writing mailed to stockholders at least 30 days prior to the record date for the payment of any dividend or distribution by the Fund for which the termination or amendment is to
be effective. Upon any termination, you will be sent cash for any fractional share of Common Stock in your account. You may elect to notify the Plan Agent in advance of such termination to have the Plan Agent sell part or all of your Common Stock on
your behalf. Additional information about the Plan and your account may be obtained from the Plan Agent at 462 South 4th Street, Suite 1600, Louisville, KY 40202 or by calling the Plan Agent at 1-888-888-0151.
71
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
Common Stock
As of [●], 2024, we
had approximately [●] million shares of Common Stock outstanding. All Common Stock offered pursuant to this Prospectus and any related Prospectus Supplement will be, upon issuance, duly authorized, fully paid and nonassessable, and will have
no pre-emptive, conversion or appraisal rights or rights to cumulative voting. All Common Stock offered pursuant to this Prospectus and any related Prospectus Supplement will be of the same class and will have
identical rights, as described below.
The Charter authorizes the issuance of 100,000,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per
share. All shares of Common Stock have equal rights with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation. Common Stock will, when issued, be fully paid and nonassessable, and will have no preemptive or conversion
rights or rights to cumulative voting.
The Funds Common Stock is listed on the NYSE under the trading or ticker symbol
EHI. The Fund intends to hold annual meetings of stockholders so long as the Common Stock is listed on a national securities exchange and such meetings are required as a condition to such listing. The Fund must continue to meet the NYSE
requirements in order for the Common Stock to remain listed. Maryland law also requires the Fund to hold annual meetings each year.
Unlike open-end funds, closed-end funds, like the Fund, do not
continuously offer shares and do not provide daily redemptions. Rather, if a stockholder determines to buy additional shares of Common Stock or sell shares of Common Stock already held, the stockholder may do so by trading on the NYSE through a
broker or otherwise. Shares of closed-end funds may frequently trade on an exchange at prices lower than net asset value. The market value of the Common Stock may be influenced by such factors as dividend
levels (which are in turn affected by expenses), call protection, dividend stability, portfolio credit quality, net asset value, relative demand for and supply of such Common Stock in the market, general market and economic conditions, and other
factors beyond the control of the Fund. The Fund cannot assure you that the Common Stock will trade at a price equal to or higher than net asset value in the future. The Funds Common Stock is designed primarily for long-term investors, and
investors in Common Stock should not view the Fund as a vehicle for trading purposes. See Repurchase of Fund Shares.
Each
outstanding share of Common Stock entitles the holder to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of Common Stockholders, including the election of Directors. Except as provided with respect to any other class or series, the Common Stockholders
will possess the exclusive voting power. Each director shall be elected by a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of directors. There is no cumulative voting in the election of Directors, which means that the holders of a
majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock can elect all of the Directors then standing for election, and the holders of the remaining shares of Common Stock will not be able to elect any Directors.
Preferred Stock
The Charter provides
that the Funds Board of Directors may classify and issue Preferred Stock with rights as determined by the Board of Directors, by action of the Board of Directors without the approval of the Common Stockholders. We do not currently have any
authorized shares of Preferred Stock. Common Stockholders have no preemptive right to purchase any Preferred Stock that might be issued.
The Fund may elect to issue Preferred Stock as part of its leverage strategy. The Fund currently expects to issue leverage, which may include
Preferred Stock, representing up to 33 1/3% of the Funds total net assets immediately after the leverage is issued. The Board of
Directors also reserves the right to authorize the Fund to issue Preferred Stock to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, which currently limits the aggregate liquidation
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preference of all outstanding Preferred Stock plus the principal amount of any outstanding leverage consisting of debt to 50% of the value of the Funds total assets less liabilities and
indebtedness of the Fund (other than leverage consisting of Preferred Stock). However, under current conditions it is unlikely that the Fund will issue Preferred Stock. Although the terms of any Preferred Stock, including dividend rate, liquidation
preference and redemption provisions, will be set forth in articles supplementary classifying and designating such Preferred Stock, the Fund believes that it is likely that the liquidation preference, voting rights and redemption provisions of the
Preferred Stock may be similar to those stated below.
Liquidation Preference
In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Fund, the holders of Preferred Stock will be
entitled to receive a preferential liquidating distribution, which is expected to equal the original purchase price per share of Preferred Stock plus accrued and unpaid dividends, whether or not declared, before any distribution of assets is made to
Common Stockholders. After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distribution to which they are entitled, the holders of Preferred Stock will not be entitled to any further participation in any distribution of assets by the Fund.
Voting Rights
The
1940 Act requires that the holders of any Preferred Stock, voting separately as a single class, have the right to elect at least two directors at all times. The remaining directors will be elected by holders of Common Stock and Preferred Stock,
voting together as a single class. In addition, subject to the prior rights, if any, of the holders of any other class of senior securities outstanding, the holders of any Preferred Stock have the right to elect a majority of the directors of the
Fund if at any time two years of dividends on any Preferred Stock are unpaid. The 1940 Act also requires that, in addition to any approval by the stockholders that might otherwise be required, the approval of the holders of a majority of any
outstanding Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class, would be required to: (i) adopt any plan of reorganization that would adversely affect the Preferred Stock and (ii) take any action requiring a vote of security holders under
Section 13(a) of the 1940 Act, including, among other things, changes in the Funds subclassification as a closed-end investment company or changes in its fundamental investment restrictions. See
Certain Provisions in the Charter and Bylaws. As a result of these voting rights, the Funds ability to take any such actions may be impeded to the extent that there are any shares of Preferred Stock outstanding. Except as otherwise
indicated in this prospectus and except as otherwise required by applicable law or the Charter, holders of Preferred Stock will have equal voting rights with Common Stockholders (one vote per share, unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act) and
will vote together with Common Stockholders as a single class.
The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding
Preferred Stock, voting as a separate class, will be required to amend, alter or repeal any of the preferences, rights or powers of holders of Preferred Stock so as to affect materially and adversely such preferences, rights or powers, or to
increase or decrease the authorized number of shares of Preferred Stock. The class vote of holders of Preferred Stock described above will in each case be in addition to any other vote required to authorize the action in question.
Redemption, Purchase and Sale of Preferred Stock by the Fund
The terms of any Preferred Stock issued are expected to provide that: (i) they are redeemable by the Fund in whole or in part at the
original purchase price per share plus accrued dividends per share; (ii) the Fund may tender for or purchase Preferred Stock; and (iii) the Fund may subsequently resell any shares so tendered for or purchased. Any redemption or purchase of
Preferred Stock by the Fund will reduce any leverage applicable to the Common Stock, while any resale of shares by the Fund will increase that leverage.
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The discussion above describes the possible offering of Preferred Stock by the Fund. If the Board
of Directors determines to proceed with such an offering, the terms of the Preferred Stock may be the same as, or different from, the terms described above, subject to applicable law and the Funds Charter. The Board of Directors, without the
approval of the Common Stockholders, may authorize an offering of Preferred Stock or may determine not to authorize such an offering, and may fix the terms of the Preferred Stock to be offered.
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CERTAIN PROVISIONS IN THE CHARTER AND BYLAWS
The Fund has provisions in its Charter and Bylaws that could have the effect of limiting the ability of other entities or persons to acquire
control of the Fund, to cause it to engage in certain transactions or to modify its structure. These provisions could have the effect of depriving stockholders of opportunities to sell their Common Stock at a premium over the then-current market
price of the Common Stock. At the Funds first annual meeting of stockholders, the Board of Directors was divided into three classes, having initial terms ending at the first, second and third annual meeting of stockholders thereafter,
respectively. Thus, at each annual meeting of stockholders, the term of one class will expire and Directors will be elected to serve in that class for terms ending at the third annual meeting of stockholders following their election. This provision
could delay for up to two years the replacement of a majority of the Board of Directors. A Director may be removed from office only for cause and then only by a vote of the holders of at least 75% of the votes entitled to be cast for the election of
Directors.
The Bylaws provide that with respect to any annual or special meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be
conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, the business must be pursuant to the Funds notice of meeting, by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or properly
brought by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record at the record date set by the Board of Directors for the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting, at the time of giving of notice by the stockholder as
provided in the Bylaws and at the time of the annual meeting (and any postponement or adjournment thereof), who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complied with the advance notice procedures of the Bylaws. To be properly brought before a
special meeting, the business must be pursuant to the Funds notice of meeting. Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors may be properly brought before a special meeting of stockholders by or at the direction of the
Board of Directors or, if the special meeting has been called in accordance with the Bylaws for the purpose of electing directors, properly brought by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record at the record date set by the Board of Directors for
the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to vote at the special meeting, at the time of giving of notice by the stockholder as provided in the Bylaws and at the time of the special meeting (and any postponement or adjournment thereof), who
is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complied with the advance notice procedures of the Bylaws.
The affirmative vote of at least
75% of the entire Board of Directors is required to authorize the conversion of the Fund from a closed-end to an open-end investment company, or any Charter amendments
related thereto. Such conversion or amendment also requires the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of the votes entitled to be cast thereon by the stockholders of the Fund unless it is approved by a vote of at least 75% of the
Continuing Directors (as defined below), in which event such conversion requires the approval of the holders of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast thereon by the stockholders of the Fund. A Continuing Director is any member of
the Board of Directors of the Fund who (i) is not a person or affiliate of a person, other than an investment company advised by the Manager or any of its affiliates, who enters or proposes to enter into a Business Combination (as defined
below) with the Fund (an Interested Party) and (ii) who has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Fund for a period of at least 12 months, or has been a member of the Board of Directors since April 17, 2003, or is a
successor of a Continuing Director who is unaffiliated with an Interested Party and is recommended to succeed a Continuing Director by a majority of the Continuing Directors then on the Board of Directors of the Fund. To amend the Charter to change
any of the provisions of the first paragraph under this heading, or this paragraph, the Charter requires the affirmative vote of at least 75% of the entire Board of Directors and at least 75% of the votes entitled to be cast by stockholders.
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The affirmative votes of at least 75% of the entire Board of Directors and the holders of at
least (i) 80% of the votes entitled to be cast thereon by the stockholders of the Fund and (ii) in the case of a Business Combination, 66
2/3% of the votes entitled to be cast thereon by the stockholders of the Fund other than votes held by an Interested Party who is (or whose
affiliate is) a party to a Business Combination (as defined below) or an affiliate or associate of the Interested Party, are required to authorize any of the following transactions:
(i) a merger, consolidation or statutory share exchange of the Fund with or into any other person;
(ii) an issuance or transfer by the Fund (in one or a series of transactions in any
12-month period) of any securities of the Fund to any person or entity for cash, securities or other property (or combination thereof) having an aggregate fair market value of $1,000,000 or more, excluding
issuances or transfers of debt securities of the Fund, sales of securities of the Fund in connection with a public offering, issuances of securities of the Fund pursuant to a dividend reinvestment plan adopted by the Fund, issuances of securities of
the Fund upon the exercise of any stock subscription rights distributed by the Fund and portfolio transactions effected by the Fund in the ordinary course of business;
(iii) the sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition by the Fund (in one or a series of
transactions in any 12-month period) to or with any person or entity of any assets of the Fund having an aggregate fair market value of $1,000,000 or more except for portfolio transactions (including pledges
of portfolio securities in connection with borrowings) effected by the Fund in the ordinary course of its business (transactions within clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above being known individually as a Business Combination);
(iv) the voluntary liquidation or dissolution of the Fund or an amendment to the Charter to terminate the Funds
existence; or
(v) unless the 1940 Act or federal law requires a lesser vote, any stockholder proposal as to specific
investment decisions made or to be made with respect to the Funds assets as to which stockholder approval is required under federal or Maryland law.
However, the stockholder vote described above will not be required with respect to the foregoing transactions (other than those set forth in
(v) above) if they are approved by a vote of at least 75% of the Continuing Directors. In that case, if Maryland law requires stockholder approval, the affirmative vote of a majority of votes entitled to be cast thereon shall be required.
The Charter and Bylaws contain provisions the effect of which is to prevent matters, including nominations of Directors, from being considered
at an annual meeting of stockholders where the Fund has not received notice of the matters generally at least 120 but no more than 150 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement for the preceding years annual
meeting.
Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision eliminating the liability of its directors and
officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or active and deliberate dishonesty that is established by a final
judgment and is material to the cause of action. The Charter contains such a provision that eliminates such liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law. In addition, the Fund has provisions in its Charter and Bylaws that authorize the
Fund, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, to indemnify any present or former Director or officer from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her
status as a present or former Director or officer of the Fund and to pay or reimburse their reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. Pursuant to the Bylaws, absent a court determination that an officer or Director seeking
indemnification was not liable on the merits or guilty of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office, the decision by the Fund to indemnify such person will be based
upon the reasonable determination of independent counsel or nonparty Independent Directors, after review of the facts, that such officer or Director is not guilty of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the
duties involved in the conduct of his office.
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Reference is made to the Charter and Bylaws of the Fund, on file with the SEC, for the full text
of these provisions. These provisions could have the effect of depriving stockholders of an opportunity to sell their Common Stock at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging a third party from seeking to obtain control of the Fund in
a tender offer or similar transaction. These provisions, however, offer several possible advantages. They may require persons seeking control of the Fund to negotiate with its management regarding the price to be paid for the Common Stock required
to obtain such control, they promote continuity and stability and they enhance the Funds ability to pursue long-term strategies that are consistent with its investment objectives.
Maryland Business Combination Act
The Maryland Business Combination Act will not be applicable to the Fund as a registered closed-end
investment company unless and until its Board of Directors adopts a resolution to be subject to the statute, provided that the resolution will not be effective with respect to a business combination with any person who has become an
interested stockholder before the time that the resolution is adopted. Under the Maryland Business Combination Act, business combinations between a Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder or an affiliate of an interested
stockholder are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. These business combinations include a merger, consolidation, share exchange, or, in circumstances specified
in the statute, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities. An interested stockholder is defined as:
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any person who beneficially owns ten percent or more of the voting power of the corporations shares; or
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an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time within the
two-year period prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of ten percent or more of the voting power of the then outstanding voting stock of the corporation. |
A person is not an interested stockholder under the statute if the board of directors approved in advance the transaction by which he
otherwise would have become an interested stockholder.
After the five-year prohibition, any business combination between the Maryland
corporation and an interested stockholder generally must be recommended by the board of directors of the corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:
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80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation; and
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2/3% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting stock of the corporation other than shares held by the interested stockholder
with whom or with whose affiliate the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder. |
These super-majority vote requirements do not apply if the corporations Common Stockholders receive a minimum price, as defined under
Maryland law, for their shares in the form of cash or other consideration in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its shares. The statute permits various exemptions from its provisions, including business combinations
that are exempted by the board of directors prior to the time that the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder.
The
Maryland Business Combination Act may discourage others from trying to acquire control of the Fund and increase the difficulty of consummating any offer.
Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act
The Fund has elected, by resolution unanimously adopted by the Board of Directors of the Fund, to be subject to the MCSAA. The MCSAA provides
that a holder of control shares of a Maryland corporation acquired
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in a control share acquisition will not be entitled to vote its control shares except to the extent approved by a vote of two-thirds of the votes entitled
to be cast on the matter (i.e., entitled to vote on the restoration of voting rights for the holder of the control shares). Shares owned by the acquiror, by officers or by directors who are employees of the corporation are excluded from
shares entitled to vote on the matter. Control shares are voting shares of stock which, if aggregated with all other shares of stock owned by the acquiror or in respect of which the acquiror is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power
(except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquiror to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of voting power:
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one-tenth or more but less than
one-third, |
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one-third or more but less than a majority, or |
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a majority or more of all voting power. |
Control shares do not include shares the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained stockholder
approval as described above. A control share acquisition means the acquisition of control shares, subject to certain exceptions.
A person
who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition may compel the board of directors of the corporation to call a special meeting of stockholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the holder of control
shares. The right to compel the calling of a special meeting is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including an undertaking to pay the expenses of the meeting. If no request for a meeting is made, the corporation may itself present
the question at any stockholders meeting.
If voting rights for the holder of control shares are not approved at the meeting or if the
acquiring person does not deliver an acquiring person statement as required by the statute, then the corporation may redeem for fair value any or all of the control shares, except those for which voting rights have previously been approved, subject
to compliance with the 1940 Act. The right of the corporation to redeem control shares is subject to certain conditions and limitations. Fair value is determined, without regard to the absence of voting rights for the holder of control shares, as of
the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquiror or, if a meeting of stockholders at which the voting rights of the shares are considered and not approved is held, as of the date of such meeting. If voting rights for the holder of
control shares are approved at a stockholders meeting and the acquiror becomes entitled to vote a majority of the shares entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair value of the shares as determined for purposes
of appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share paid by the acquiror in the control share acquisition.
The MCSAA
does not apply (a) to shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or share exchange if the Fund is a party to the transaction, (b) to shares acquired under the satisfaction of a pledge or other security interest created in good faith and
not for the purpose of circumventing the MCSAA, or (c) to acquisitions of shares approved or exempted by a provision contained in the Charter or Bylaws of the Fund and adopted at any time before the acquisition of the shares. Shareholders
(together with any associated persons (as defined in the MCSAA)) that own less than ten percent of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors are not affected by the restrictions under the MCSAA. In addition, the Bylaws
provide that the MCSAA will not apply to any acquisition or proposed acquisition of shares of the Fund by any company that, in accordance with the 1940 Act or SEC exemptive order or other regulatory relief or guidance, votes the shares held by it in
the same proportion as the vote of all other holders of such security or all securities.
The MCSAA is designed to discourage others from
trying to acquire control of the Fund for short-term objectives, including by converting the Fund to open-end status or changing the composition of the Board, that may be detrimental to the Funds ability
to achieve its primary investment objective of providing current income. Such provisions may limit the ability of stockholders to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging a third party from seeking to obtain
control of the Fund. There can be no assurance, however, that such provisions will be sufficient to deter activist investors that seek to cause the Fund to take actions that may not be aligned with the interests of long-term stockholders.
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REPURCHASE OF FUND SHARES
The Fund is a closed-end investment company, and as such the Common Stockholders do not have the right
to cause the Fund to redeem their Common Stock. Instead, liquidity will be provided through trading in the open market. Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 23(c) of the 1940 Act that the Fund may purchase at market prices from
time to time shares of its Common Stock in the open market but is under no obligation to do so.
On November 16, 2015, the Fund
announced that its Board of Directors had authorized the Fund to repurchase in the open market up to approximately 10% of the Funds outstanding Common Stock when the Funds shares are trading at a discount to net asset value. The Board
has directed management of the Fund to repurchase shares of Common Stock at such times and in such amounts as management reasonably believes may enhance stockholder value. The Fund is under no obligation to purchase shares at any specific discount
levels or in any specific amounts. During the fiscal year ended May 31, 2023, the Fund did not repurchase any shares.
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CERTAIN UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The discussion below and certain disclosure in the SAI provide general tax information related to an investment in the Funds Common
Stock. Because tax laws are complex and often change, shareholders should consult their tax advisors about the tax consequences of an investment in the Common Stock. Unless otherwise noted, the following tax discussion applies only to U.S.
shareholders that hold the Common Stock as capital assets. A U.S. shareholder is a Common Stockholder who is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, (i) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a U.S.
corporation, (iii) a trust if it (a) is subject to the primary supervision of a court in the United States and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) has made a valid
election to be treated as a U.S. person, or (iv) any estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source.
The Fund has elected to be treated, and intends to qualify each taxable year, as a regulated investment company (a RIC) under
Subchapter M of the Code. To qualify under Subchapter M for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally accorded to RICs, the Fund must, among other things: (1) distribute to its shareholders in each taxable year at least 90% of
the sum of its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code, but determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and its net tax-exempt income; (2) derive in each
taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from (a) dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including
but not limited to gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies; and (b) net income derived from interests in certain publicly traded partnerships
that are treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes and that derive less than 90% of their gross income from the items described in (a) above (each a Qualified Publicly Traded Partnership); and (3) diversify
its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of each taxable year of the Fund (a) at least 50% of the value of the Funds total assets is represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, the
securities of other RICs and other securities, with such other securities limited, with respect to any one issuer, to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the value of the Funds total assets, and to not more than 10% of the outstanding
voting securities of such issuer, and (b) not more than 25% of the value of the Funds total assets is represented by the securities (other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other RICs) of (I) any one issuer,
(II) any two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses, or (III) any one or more Qualified Publicly Traded Partnerships. As a
RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its investment company taxable income and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, that it distributes in each
taxable year to its shareholders. The Fund intends to distribute to its shareholders, at least annually, substantially all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain.
If the Fund fails to satisfy as of the close of any quarter the asset diversification test referred to in the preceding paragraph, it will
have 30 days to cure the failure by, for example, selling securities that are the source of the violation. Other cure provisions are available in the Code for a failure to satisfy the asset diversification test, but any such cure provision may
involve the payment of a penalty excise tax.
If the Fund failed to qualify for the favorable tax treatment accorded to RICs in any
taxable year, the Fund would be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates on its taxable income (including distributions of net capital gain), even if such income were distributed to its shareholders, and all distributions out of
earnings and profits would be taxed to shareholders as ordinary dividend income. Such distributions generally would be eligible (i) to be treated as qualified dividend income in the case of individual and other noncorporate
shareholders and (ii) for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. To qualify again to be taxed as a RIC in a subsequent year, the Fund would be required to distribute to its shareholders its earnings and profits
attributable to non-RIC years reduced by an interest charge on 50% of such earnings and profits payable by the Fund to the Internal Revenue Service (the IRS). In addition, if the Fund failed to
qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, then the Fund would be required to elect to
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recognize and pay tax on any net built-in gain (the excess of aggregate gain, including items of income, over aggregate loss that would have been realized
if the Fund had been liquidated) or, alternatively, be subject to taxation on such built-in gain recognized for a period of 5 years, in order to qualify as a RIC in a subsequent year.
A RIC that fails to distribute, by the close of each calendar year, an amount at least equal to the sum of 98% of its ordinary taxable income
for such calendar year and 98.2% of its capital gain net income (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the one-year period ending on October 31 of such calendar year, plus any shortfalls from any
prior years required distribution, is liable for a 4% excise tax on the portion of the undistributed amounts of such income that are less than the required distributions. For these purposes, the Fund will be deemed to have distributed any
income or gain on which it paid U.S. federal income tax.
Distributions to Common Stockholders by the Fund of ordinary income, and of net
short-term capital gains, if any, realized by the Fund will generally be taxable to Common Stockholders as ordinary income to the extent such distributions are paid out of the Funds current or accumulated earnings and profits. Distributions,
if any, of net capital gains properly reported as capital gain dividends will be taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of the length of time the Common Stockholder has owned Common Stock. A distribution of an amount in excess of
the Funds current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) will be treated by a Common Stockholder as a return of capital which will be applied against and reduce the Common Stockholders
basis in his or her Common Stock. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds the Common Stockholders basis in his or her Common Stock, the excess will be treated by the Common Stockholder as gain from a sale or exchange of
the Common Stock. Distributions paid by the Fund generally will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction allowed to corporations or for the reduced rates applicable to certain qualified dividend income received by non-corporate Common Stockholders.
Distributions will be treated in the manner described above
regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or invested in additional Common Stock pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Plan. Common Stockholders receiving distributions in the form of additional Common Stock will be treated as
receiving a distribution in the amount of cash that they would have received if they had elected to receive the distribution in cash, unless the Fund issues additional Common Stock with a fair market value equal to or greater than net asset value,
in which case such Common Stockholders will be treated as receiving a distribution in the amount of the fair market value of the distributed Common Stock. The additional Common Stock received by a Common Stockholder pursuant to the Dividend
Reinvestment Plan will have a new holding period commencing on the day following the day on which the Common Stock is credited to the Common Stockholders account.
Although dividends generally will be treated as distributed when paid, dividends declared in October, November or December, payable to
shareholders of record on a specified date in one of those months, and paid during the following January, will be treated as having been distributed by the Fund (and received by shareholders) on December 31 of the year in which declared.
The Fund may elect to retain its net capital gain or a portion thereof for investment and be taxed at corporate rates on the amount retained.
In such case, the Fund may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a written notice to its shareholders, who will be treated as if each received a distribution of its pro rata share of such gain, with the result that each
Common Stockholder will (i) be required to report its pro rata share of such gain on its tax return as long-term capital gain, (ii) receive a refundable tax credit for its pro rata share of tax paid by the Fund on the gain and
(iii) increase the tax basis for its Common Stock by an amount equal to the deemed distribution less the tax credit.
In general, the
sale, exchange or other disposition of Common Stock will result in capital gain or loss to Common Stockholders. A Common Stockholders gain or loss generally will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the Common Stock has been held for more
than one year. Present law taxes both long-and short-term capital gains of corporations at the rates applicable to ordinary income. For non-corporate taxpayers, however, long-term
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capital gains are currently eligible for reduced rates of taxation. Losses realized by a holder on the sale, exchange or other disposition of Common Stock held for six months or less are treated
as long-term capital losses to the extent of any distribution of long-term capital gain received (or amounts designated as undistributed capital gains) with respect to such Common Stock. In addition, no loss will be allowed on the sale, exchange or
other disposition of Common Stock if the Common Stockholder acquires (including pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Plan) or enters into a contract or option to acquire securities that are substantially identical to such Common Stock within 30
days before or after the disposition. In such case, the basis of the securities acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.
The Fund may be required to withhold from all distributions and redemption proceeds payable to U.S. shareholders who fail to provide the Fund
with their correct taxpayer identification numbers or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. Certain shareholders specified in the Code generally are exempt from such backup
withholding. This backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be refunded or credited against a Common Stockholders U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
If a shareholder is a nonresident alien individual, a foreign trust or estate or a foreign corporation, as defined for U.S. federal
income tax purposes (other than such a shareholder whose ownership of Common Stock is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business), certain dividends received by such shareholder from the Fund may be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax.
To the extent that Fund distributions consist of ordinary dividends that are subject to withholding, the applicable withholding agent will generally be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax at the rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may be
determined in accordance with any applicable treaty). However, dividends paid by the Fund that are interest-related dividends or short-term capital gain dividends will generally be exempt from such withholding, in each case
to the extent the Fund properly reports such dividends to shareholders. For these purposes, interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends generally represent distributions of interest or short-term capital gains that would not
have been subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at the source if received directly by a non-U.S. shareholder, and that satisfy certain other requirements. Net capital gain dividends (that is, distributions
of the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) distributed by the Fund to a non-U.S. shareholder will not be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax.
The Fund may be required to withhold from distributions to non-U.S. shareholders that are otherwise
exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax (or taxable at a reduced treaty rate) unless the non-U.S. shareholder certifies his or her foreign status under penalties of perjury or otherwise establishes an
exemption.
Under Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code (such Sections commonly referred to as FATCA), a 30% U.S. federal
withholding tax may apply to any dividends that the Fund pays to (i) a foreign financial institution (as specifically defined in the Code), whether such foreign financial institution is the beneficial owner or an intermediary,
unless such foreign financial institution agrees to verify, report and disclose its United States account holders (as specifically defined in the Code) and meets certain other specified requirements or (ii) a non-financial foreign entity, whether such non-financial foreign entity is the beneficial owner or an intermediary, unless such entity provides a certification that the
beneficial owner of the payment does not have any substantial United States owners or provides the name, address and taxpayer identification number of each such substantial United States owner and certain other specified requirements are met. In
certain cases, the relevant foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity may qualify for an exemption from, or be deemed to be in compliance with, these rules. In addition, foreign financial
institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing FATCA may be subject to different rules. You should consult your own tax advisor regarding FATCA and whether it may be relevant to your
ownership and disposition of Common Stock.
The foregoing tax discussion is for general information only. The provisions of the Code and
regulations thereunder presently in effect as they directly govern the taxation of the Fund and its Common Stockholders are
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subject to change by legislative or administrative action, and any such change may be retroactive. The foregoing does not represent a detailed description of the U.S. federal income tax
considerations relevant to special classes of taxpayers including, without limitation, financial institutions, insurance companies, partnerships or other pass-through entities (or investors therein), U.S. shareholders whose functional
currency is not the U.S. dollar, tax-exempt organizations, dealers in securities or currencies, traders in securities that elect mark to market treatment, or persons that will hold Common Stock as a
position in a straddle, hedge or as part of a constructive sale for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition, this discussion does not address U.S. federal estate or gift taxes or the application of the
Medicare tax on net investment income or the U.S. federal alternative minimum tax. Shareholders are advised to consult with their own tax advisors for more detailed information concerning federal income tax matters.
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may sell our Common Stock, including to existing Common Stockholders in a rights offering, from time to time under this Prospectus and any
related Prospectus Supplement in any one or more of the following ways (1) directly to one or more purchasers (including to existing Common Stockholders in a rights offering), (2) through agents for the period of their appointment,
(3) to underwriters as principals for resale to the public, (4) to dealers as principals for resale to the public, (5) through at-the-market
transactions or (6) pursuant to our Dividend Reinvestment Plan.
Our securities may be sold from time to time in one or more
transactions at a fixed price or fixed prices, which may change; at prevailing market prices at the time of sale; prices related to prevailing market prices; at varying prices determined at the time of sale; or at negotiated prices. Our securities
may be sold other than for cash, including in exchange transactions for non-control securities, or may be sold for a combination of cash and securities. The Prospectus Supplement will describe the method of
distribution of our securities offered therein. In the case of a rights offering, the applicable Prospectus Supplement will set forth the number of our Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of each right and the other terms of such rights
offering.
Each Prospectus Supplement relating to an offering of our securities will state the terms of the offering, including:
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the names of any agents, underwriters or dealers; |
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any sales loads, underwriting discounts and commissions or agency fees and other items constituting
underwriters or agents compensation; |
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any discounts, commissions, fees or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers or agents;
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the public offering or purchase price of the offered securities and the estimated net proceeds we will receive
from the sale; and |
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any securities exchange on which the offered securities may be listed. |
Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.
Direct Sales
We may sell our securities
directly to, and solicit offers from, purchasers, including institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters as defined in the Securities Act for any resales of the securities. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be
involved. We may use electronic media, including the internet, to sell offered securities directly. We will describe the terms of any of those sales in a Prospectus Supplement.
Distribution Through Agents
We may offer
and sell our securities on a continuous basis through agents that we designate. We will name any agent involved in the offer and sale and describe any commissions payable by us in the Prospectus Supplement. Unless otherwise indicated in the
Prospectus Supplement, the agents will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of their appointment.
Offers to purchase our
securities may be solicited directly by the issuer or by agents designated by the issuer from time to time. Any such agent, who may be deemed to be an underwriter as the term is defined in the Securities Act, involved in the offer or sale of the
offered securities in respect of which this Prospectus is delivered will be named, and any commissions payable by the issuer to such agent set forth, in a Prospectus Supplement.
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Distribution Through Underwriters
We may offer and sell our securities from time to time to one or more underwriters who would purchase the securities as principal for resale to
the public either on a firm commitment or best efforts basis. If we sell our securities to underwriters, we will execute an underwriting agreement with them at the time of the sale and will name them in the Prospectus Supplement. In connection with
these sales, the underwriters may be deemed to have received compensation from us in the form of underwriting discounts and commissions. The underwriters also may receive commissions from purchasers of our securities for whom they may act as agent.
Unless otherwise stated in the Prospectus Supplement, the underwriters will not be obligated to purchase our securities unless the conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement are satisfied, and if the underwriters purchase any of the
securities, they will be required to purchase all of the offered securities. In the event of default by any underwriter, in certain circumstances, the purchase commitments may be increased among the
non-defaulting underwriters or the underwriting agreement may be terminated. The underwriters may sell the offered securities to or through dealers, and those dealers may receive discounts, concessions or
commissions from the underwriters as well as from the purchasers for whom they may act as agent. Sales of the offered securities by underwriters may be in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price
or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The Prospectus Supplement will describe the method of reoffering by the underwriters. The Prospectus Supplement will also describe the discounts and commissions to be allowed or paid to the
underwriters, if any, all other items constituting underwriting compensation, and the discounts and commissions to be allowed or paid to dealers, if any. If a Prospectus Supplement so indicates, we may grant the underwriters an option to purchase
additional shares of our securities at the public offering price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions, within a specified number of days from the date of the Prospectus Supplement, to cover any overallotments.
Distribution Through Dealers
We may
offer and sell our securities from time to time to one or more dealers who would purchase the securities as principal. The dealers then may resell the offered securities to the public at fixed or varying prices to be determined by those dealers at
the time of resale. We will set forth the names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction in the Prospectus Supplement.
Distribution Through At-the-Market Offerings
We may engage in at-the-market offerings to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market, on an exchange or otherwise, in accordance with Rule 415(a)(4). An at-the-market offering may be through one or more underwriters or dealers acting as principal or agent for us.
General Information
Agents,
underwriters, or dealers participating in an offering of our securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts and commissions received by them and any profit realized by them on resale of the offered securities for whom they may act as
agent, may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act.
We may offer to sell our securities either at
a fixed price or at prices that may vary, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices, or at negotiated prices.
If indicated in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, we may authorize underwriters or other persons acting as our agents to solicit offers by
certain institutions to purchase securities from us pursuant to contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date. Institutions with which these contracts may be made include: commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension
funds, educational and charitable institutions and others, but in all cases these institutions must be approved by us. The obligations of any purchaser under any
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contract will be subject only to those conditions described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. The underwriters and the other agents will not have any responsibility for the validity or
performance of the contracts. The applicable Prospectus Supplement will describe the commission payable for solicitation of those contracts.
In connection with any offering of the securities in an underwritten transaction, the underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize,
maintain, or otherwise affect the market price of the Common Stock. Those transactions may include overallotment, entering stabilizing bids, effecting syndicate covering transactions, and reclaiming selling concessions allowed to an underwriter or a
dealer.
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An overallotment in connection with an offering creates a short position in the offered securities for the
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An underwriter may place a stabilizing bid to purchase an offered security for the purpose of pegging, fixing, or
maintaining the price of that security. |
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Underwriters may engage in syndicate covering transactions to cover overallotments or to stabilize the price of
the offered securities by bidding for, and purchasing, the offered securities or any other securities in the open market in order to reduce a short position created in connection with the offering. |
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The managing underwriter may impose a penalty bid on a syndicate member to reclaim a selling concession in
connection with an offering when offered securities originally sold by the syndicate member are purchased in syndicate covering transactions or otherwise. |
Any of these activities may stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities above independent market levels. The underwriters are not
required to engage in these activities, and may end any of these activities at any time.
Any underwriters that are qualified market
makers on the NYSE may engage in passive market making transactions in our securities on the NYSE in accordance with Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), during the business day prior to
the pricing of the offering, before the commencement of offers or sales of the common stock. Passive market makers must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified as passive market makers. In general, a passive market
maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for such security; if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market makers bid, however, the passive market makers bid must then be lowered
when certain purchase limits are exceeded. Passive market making may stabilize the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
We will not require underwriters or dealers to make a market in the Common Stock. Any underwriters to whom the offered securities are sold for
offering and sale may make a market in the offered securities, but the underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market-making at any time without notice.
Under agreements entered into with us, underwriters and agents may be entitled to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities,
including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution for payments the underwriters or agents may be required to make. The underwriters, agents, and their affiliates may engage in financial or other business transactions with us and our
subsidiaries, if any, in the ordinary course of business.
The aggregate offering price specified on the cover of this Prospectus relates
to the offering of the securities not yet issued as of the date of this Prospectus. The place and time of delivery for the offered securities in respect of which this Prospectus is delivered are set forth in the accompanying Prospectus Supplement.
To the extent permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, the underwriters may from time to time
act as a broker or dealer and receive fees in connection with the execution of our portfolio transactions after the underwriters have ceased to be underwriters and, subject to certain restrictions, each may act as a broker while it is an
underwriter.
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A Prospectus and accompanying Prospectus Supplement in electronic form may be made available on
the websites maintained by the underwriters. The underwriters may agree to allocate our securities for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Such allocations of our securities for internet distributions will be made on the same basis as
other allocations. In addition, our securities may be sold by the underwriters to securities dealers who resell securities to online brokerage account holders.
Dividend Reinvestment Plan
We may issue
and sell shares of Common Stock pursuant to our Plan.
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CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT
The custodian of the assets of the Fund is The Bank of New York Mellon, 225 Liberty Street, New York, New York 10286. The custodian performs
custodial, fund accounting and portfolio accounting services. The Funds transfer, stockholder services and dividend paying agent is Computershare Inc., 462 South 4th Street, Suite 1600, Louisville, KY 40202.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters in connection with the securities will be passed upon for the Fund by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP,
Washington, D.C. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP may rely as to certain matters of Maryland law on the opinion of Venable LLP, Baltimore, Maryland.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
As noted above, this prospectus is part of a registration statement filed with the SEC. Pursuant to the final rule and form amendments adopted
by the SEC on April 8, 2020, the Fund is permitted to incorporate by reference certain information filed with the SEC, which means that the Fund can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The
information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and later information that the Fund files with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information.
The documents listed below, and any reports and other documents subsequently filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 30(b)(2) under the 1940 Act
and Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the termination of the offering will be incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and deemed to be part of this Prospectus from the date of the filing of such reports and
documents:
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the Funds Statement of Additional Information, dated [●], 2024, filed with the accompanying
Prospectus; |
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the Funds Semi-Annual Report on Form N-CSRS, filed on January
[●], 2024; |
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the Funds Annual
Report on Form N-CSR, filed on July 31, 2023; |
You may obtain
copies of any information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, at no charge, by calling toll-free (888) 777-0102 or by writing to the Fund at 620 Eighth Avenue, 47th Floor, New York, NY 10018. The
Funds periodic reports filed pursuant to Section 30(b)(2) of the 1940 Act and Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as well as this Prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information, are available on the Funds website http://www.franklintempleton.com/investments/options/closed-end-funds. In addition, the SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov, free of charge, that contains these reports,
the Funds proxy and information statements, and other information relating to the Fund.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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The information in
this Prospectus Supplement is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities
and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED DECEMBER 28, 2023
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration Statement No. 333-[●]
FORM OF PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(to Prospectus
dated , 20[●])
Western Asset
Global High Income Fund Inc.
Up to [●] Shares of
Common Stock
The Fund.
Western Asset Global High Income Fund Inc., a Maryland corporation (the Fund), is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company.
Investment Objectives. The Funds primary investment objective is high current income. The Funds secondary objective is total
return. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives.
Investment Strategies. Under normal
conditions, the Fund will invest in a global portfolio of securities consisting of below investment grade fixed income securities, emerging market fixed income securities and investment grade fixed income securities. The Fund has broad discretion to
allocate assets among the following segments of the global market for below investment grade and investment grade fixed income securities: corporate bonds, loans, preferred stock, mortgage- and asset-backed securities and sovereign debt, and
derivative instruments of the foregoing securities. The Fund may use a variety of derivative instruments, such as options, futures contracts, swap agreements and credit default swaps, as part of its investment strategies or for hedging or risk
management purposes. If a security is rated by multiple nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs) and receives different ratings, the Fund will treat the security as being rated in the lowest rating category
received from an NRSRO. This Prospectus Supplement, together with the accompanying Prospectus dated , 20[●] sets forth the information that you
should know before investing.
The Funds shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (Common Stock), are listed on
the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the trading or ticker symbol EHI. The net asset value of our Common Stock at the close of business
on , 20[●] was $ per share, and the last sale price
per share of our Common Stock on the NYSE on that date was $ .
You should read this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus (which includes a Statement of Additional Information,
dated , 20[●] (the SAI), incorporated by reference in its entirety therein, containing additional information about us, which has been
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)), before deciding whether to invest and retain it for future reference. You may request a free copy of the SAI (the table of contents of which is on page 89 of the accompanying
Prospectus), annual and semi-annual reports to stockholders (when available), and additional information about the Fund by calling (888) 777-0102, by writing to the Fund at 620 Eighth Avenue, 47th Floor, New
York, NY 10018 or visiting the Funds website (http://www.franklintempleton.com/investments/options/closed-end-funds). The information contained in, or accessed
through, the Funds website is not part of this Prospectus. You may also obtain a copy of the SAI (and other information regarding the Fund) from the SECs Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information relating to the Public
Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090. Such materials, as well as the Funds annual and semi-annual reports (when available) and other information regarding the Fund, are
also available on the SECs website (http://www.sec.gov). You may also e-mail requests for these documents to publicinfo@sec.gov or make a request in writing to the SECs Public Reference Room, 100 F
Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.
Investing in the Funds securities involves certain risks. You could lose some or all
of your investment. See beginning on page [●] of the accompanying Prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange
Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this Prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
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Sales load(2) |
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[We have granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional shares of our Common Stock at the
public offering price, less the underwriting discount, to cover over-allotments, if any, within days from the date of this Prospectus Supplement. If the underwriters exercise the option in full, the total underwriting discount will be
$ , and the proceeds, before expenses, to us will be $ .]
[Underwriter(s)]
This Prospectus
Supplement is dated , 20[●].
The Funds securities do not represent a deposit or obligation of, and are not guaranteed or
endorsed by, any bank or other insured depository institution, and are not federally insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other governmental agency.
Capitalized terms used herein that are not otherwise defined shall have the meanings assigned to them in the accompanying Prospectus.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus
Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus. This Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus set forth certain information about us that a prospective investor should carefully consider before making an investment in our securities. This
Prospectus Supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering, also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying Prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus. The Prospectus gives more
general information, some of which may not apply to this offering. If the description of this offering varies between
this Prospectus Supplement
and the accompanying Prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in this Prospectus Supplement; provided that if any statement in one of these documents is
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inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date and incorporated by reference into the Prospectus or Prospectus Supplement, the statement in the incorporated document having
the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information.
If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer to sell these
securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted or where the person making the offer or sale is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is not permitted to make such offer or sale. The information contained in or
incorporated by reference in this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus is accurate only as of the respective dates on their front covers, regardless of the time of delivery of this Prospectus Supplement, the accompanying Prospectus,
or the sale of the securities. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.
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CAUTIONARY NOTICE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Prospectus Supplement, the accompanying Prospectus and the SAI contain forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements
of historical facts included in this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus that address activities, events or developments that we expect, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements
including, in particular, the statements about our plans, objectives, strategies and prospects regarding, among other things, our financial condition, results of operations and business. We have identified some of these forward-looking statements
with words like believe, may, could, might, forecast, possible, potential, project, will, should, expect,
intend, plan, predict, anticipate, estimate, approximate or continue and other words and terms of similar meaning and the negative of such terms. Such
forward-looking statements may be contained in this Prospectus Supplement as well as in the accompanying Prospectus and the SAI. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations about future events affecting us and are subject to
uncertainties and factors relating to our operations and business environment, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Many factors mentioned in our discussion in this Prospectus Supplement and the
accompanying Prospectus, including the risks outlined under Risks in the accompanying Prospectus, will be important in determining future results. In addition, several factors that could materially affect our actual results are the
ability of the securities in which we invest to achieve their objectives, the timing and amount of distributions and dividends from the securities in which we intend to invest, the dependence of our future success on the general economy and its
impact on the industries in which we invest and other factors discussed in our periodic filings with the SEC.
Although we believe that
the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, we do not know whether our expectations will prove correct. They can be affected by inaccurate assumptions we might make or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. The
factors identified above are believed to be important factors, but not necessarily all of the important factors, that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Unpredictable or unknown
factors could also have material adverse effects on us. Since our actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements, we cannot give any assurance that any of
the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if any of them do, what impact they will have on our results of operations and financial condition. All forward-looking statements included in this Prospectus Supplement, the
accompanying Prospectus or the SAI are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of such
documents. We do not undertake any obligation to update, amend or clarify these forward-looking statements or the risk factors contained therein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under the
federal securities laws. The forward-looking statements in this Prospectus Supplement, the accompanying Prospectus and the SAI are excluded from the safe harbor protection provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
1933 Act).
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PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY
This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere in this prospectus supplement (the Prospectus Supplement) and the
accompanying prospectus (the Prospectus). This summary provides an overview of selected information and does not contain all of the information you should consider before investing in our common stock (the Common Stock). You
should read carefully the entire Prospectus Supplement, the accompanying Prospectus, including the section entitled Risks, the statement of additional information incorporated by reference into the Prospectus (the SAI) and
the financial statements and related notes, before making an investment decision.
The Fund |
Western Asset Global High Income Fund Inc., a Maryland corporation (the Fund), is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company.
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Investment Objectives and Strategies |
The Funds primary investment objective is high current income. The Funds secondary objective is total return. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives. See The Funds
Investments. |
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Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest: (i) at least 10% and up to 80% of its total assets in (i) below investment grade (high yield) fixed income (debt) securities issued by corporate issuers;
(ii) at least 10% and up to 80% of its assets in emerging market fixed income securities; and (iii) at least 10% and up to 80% of its assets in investment grade fixed income securities |
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The Fund usually will attempt to maintain a portfolio with a weighted average credit quality rated at least B3 by Moodys or B- by S&P or an equivalent rating from any
nationally recognized statistical rating organization. If a security is rated by multiple nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs) and receives different ratings, the Fund will treat the security as being rated in
the lowest rating category received from an NRSRO. |
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For temporary defensive purposes and in order to keep the Funds cash fully invested, the Fund may deviate from its investment objectives and policies and invest some or all of its assets in investments of non-corporate issuers, including high-quality, short-term debt securities. In addition, in anticipation of or in response to adverse market conditions, for cash management purposes, or for defensive purposes, the
Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in U.S. government securities, certificates of deposit, repurchase agreements, or short term commercial paper. The Fund may also invest in money market funds, including funds affiliated with FTFA and Western
Asset. |
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As a temporary defensive strategy, the Fund may employ alternative strategies, including investment of all of the Funds
assets in securities rated investment grade by any nationally recognized |
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statistical rating organization, or in unrated securities of comparable quality. |
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It is impossible to predict when, or for how long, the Fund will use these alternative strategies. There can be no assurance that such strategies will be successful. |
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The Fund may invest up to 20% of its managed assets in all types of equity securities, including common stocks traded on an exchange or in the over the counter market, preferred stocks, warrants, rights, convertible
securities, depositary receipts, trust certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies and real estate investment trusts (REITs). |
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The Fund may invest up to 15% of its managed assets in illiquid securities. |
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The Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in any combination of publicly or privately traded mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. |
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The Fund may invest in zero coupon securities, pay-in-kind bonds and deferred payment securities. |
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The Fund may invest in certain bank obligations, including certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances, and fixed time deposits. |
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The Fund may invest in collateralized debt obligations, collateralized bond obligations and collateralized loan obligations. |
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The average portfolio duration of the Fund will normally be within one to seven years based on the Managers forecast for interest rates. Duration is a measure of the expected life of a debt security that is used
to determine the sensitivity of a securitys price to changes in interest rates. |
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The Fund may not purchase or sell commodities or commodities contracts or oil, gas or mineral programs, but may purchase, sell, or enter into futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward contracts, or
interest rate, securities-related or other hedging instruments, including swap agreements and other derivative instruments. |
The Investment Manager |
The Manager is the Funds investment manager. The Manager, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc., a global investment
management organization operating as Franklin Templeton, is a registered investment adviser and provides administrative and management services to the Fund. In addition, the Manager performs administrative and management services necessary for the
operation of the Fund, such as (1) supervising the overall administration of the Fund, including negotiation of contracts and |
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fees with and the monitoring of performance and billings of the Funds transfer agent, stockholder servicing agents, custodian and other independent contractors or agents; (2) providing
certain compliance, Fund accounting, regulatory reporting and tax reporting services; (3) preparing or participating in the preparation of Board materials, registration statements, proxy statements and reports and other communications to
stockholders; (4) maintaining the Funds existence and (5) during such times as shares are publicly offered, maintaining the registration and qualification of the Funds shares under federal and state laws. As of
, , the Managers total assets under management were approximately $
billion. Franklin Templeton is a global asset management firm. As of , , Franklin Templetons asset
management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $ billion. |
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The Manager receives an annual fee, payable monthly, in an amount equal to 0.85% of the Funds average daily Managed Assets. Managed Assets means net assets plus the amount of any borrowings and assets
attributable to any preferred stock that may be outstanding. |
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The Fund will pay all of its offering expenses. The Funds management fees and other expenses are borne by the Common Stockholders. See Summary of Fund Expenses and Management of the Fund.
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Subadviser |
Western Asset Management Company LLC, the Funds subadviser, has day-to-day responsibility for managing the Funds direct investments in high yield
products and other permitted investments, subject to the supervision of the Funds Board of Directors and the Manager. |
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As of , , Western Asset and its supervised affiliates had approximately
$ billion in assets under management. |
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Western Asset receives an annual subadvisory fee, payable monthly, from the Manager in an amount equal to 70% of the management fee paid to the Manager. No fee will be paid by the Fund directly to Western Asset. See
Management of the Fund. |
Non-U.S. Subadviser |
In connection with Western Assets service to the Fund, Western Asset Management Company Limited (Western Asset Limited) and Western Asset Management Pte. Ltd (Western Asset Singapore) provide certain subadvisory
services to the Fund pursuant to a subadvisory agreement with Western Asset (the Western Asset Limited Subadvisory Agreement and the Western Asset Singapore Subadvisory Agreement). Western Asset Limited and Western Asset
Singapore are generally responsible for managing investments denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. |
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Western Asset pays Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore a fee for their services at no additional expense to the Fund. Western Asset pays Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore a monthly
subadvisory fee in an amount equal to 100% of the management fee paid to Western Asset on the assets that Western Asset allocates to Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore to manage. See Management of the Fund.
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The Offering |
Common Stock offered: shares |
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Shares outstanding after the offering: shares |
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Shares outstanding after the offering: shares |
Risks |
See Risks beginning on page 44 of the accompanying Prospectus for a discussion of factors you should consider carefully before deciding to invest in the Funds Common Stock. |
S-9
SUMMARY OF FUND EXPENSES
The purpose of the following table and example is to help you understand all fees and expenses holders of Common Stock would bear directly or
indirectly. The table below is based on the capital structure of the Fund as of (except as noted below), adjusted for the issuance of $ million additional shares of common stock.
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SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES |
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Sales Load (percentage of offering price) |
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%(1) |
Offering Expenses Borne by the Fund (percentage of offering price) |
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%(2) |
Dividend Reinvestment Plan Per Transaction Fee to Sell Shares Obtained Pursuant to the
Plan |
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$ |
5.00 |
(3) |
TOTAL TRANSACTION EXPENSES (as a percentage of offering price)(4) |
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Percentage of Net Assets Attributable to shares of Common Stock (Assumes Leverage is Used) |
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ANNUAL EXPENSES |
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Management Fees(5) |
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% |
Interest Payment on Borrowed
Funds(6) |
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% |
Other Expenses(7) |
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% |
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Annual Expenses (exclusive of current and deferred income tax expense) |
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% |
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Current/Deferred Income Tax
Expense(8) |
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% |
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TOTAL ANNUAL EXPENSES (including current and deferred income tax expense) |
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% |
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(1) |
The sales load will apply only if the securities to which this Prospectus relates are sold to or through
underwriters. In such case, a corresponding Prospectus Supplement will disclose the applicable sales load. |
(2) |
The related Prospectus Supplement will disclose the estimated amount of offering expenses, the offering price
and the offering expenses borne by the Fund as a percentage of the offering price. |
(3) |
Common Stockholders will pay brokerage charges if they direct the Plan Agent (defined below) to sell Common
Stock held in a dividend reinvestment account. See Dividend Reinvestment Plan. There are no fees charged to stockholders for participating in the Funds dividend reinvestment plan. However, stockholders participating in the Plan
that elect to sell their shares obtained pursuant to the plan would pay $5.00 per transaction to sell shares. |
(4) |
The related Prospectus Supplement will disclose the offering price and the total stockholder transaction
expenses as a percentage of the offering price. |
(5) |
The Manager receives an annual fee, payable monthly, in an amount equal to 0.85% of the Funds average
daily Managed Assets. Managed Assets means net assets plus the amount of any borrowings and assets attributable to any preferred stock that may be outstanding. For the purposes of this table, we have assumed that the Fund has utilized
Borrowings in an aggregate amount of % of its Managed Assets (after their issuance). If the Fund were to use financial leverage in excess of % of its
Managed Assets, the management fees shown would be higher. |
S-10
(6) |
Based on the Funds outstanding Borrowings as
of of $ million, which represented financial leverage of %
of the Funds Managed Assets. The expenses and rates associated with leverage may vary as and when Borrowings are made. |
(7) |
Estimated based on amounts incurred in the period
ended . |
(8) |
For the period ended , we recorded
$ of current/deferred income tax expense. The net income tax benefit is not reflected in the Funds expense ratio. The Fund has recorded a deferred income tax expense in
prior years and may record such expense in future years. |
Example
The following example illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would pay on a $1,000 investment in Common Stock, assuming (i) Total
Annual Expenses of % of net assets attributable to Common Stock (which assumes the Funds use of leverage in an aggregate amount equal to % of
the Funds Managed Assets) and (ii) a 5% annual return*:
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1 Year |
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3 Years |
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5 Years |
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10 Years |
$ |
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$ |
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$ |
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$ |
* |
The example above should not be considered a representation of future expenses. Actual expenses may be higher
or lower than those shown. The example assumes that all dividends and distributions are reinvested at net asset value. Actual expenses may be greater or less than those assumed. Moreover, the Funds actual rate of return may be greater or less
than the hypothetical 5% return shown in the example. |
S-11
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless otherwise specified in a Prospectus Supplement, the Fund intends to invest the net proceeds of any offering of its securities in
accordance with its investment objective and policies as stated herein. It is currently anticipated that the Fund will be able to invest substantially all of the net proceeds in accordance with its investment objective and policies within three
months after the completion of any offering. Pending such investment, it is anticipated that the proceeds will be primarily invested in short-term money market instruments. The Fund may also invest in U.S. government securities.
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth our capitalization (i) as of , 20[ ] and (ii) as adjusted to give effect to
the issuance of the shares of common stock offered hereby. As indicated below, Common Stockholders will bear the offering costs associated with this offering.
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Actual |
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As Adjusted |
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(Unaudited) |
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Cash |
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Total Debt: |
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Senior Secured Notes |
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Loan Payable |
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Net Assets: |
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Common Stock ($0.001 par value per share, 100,000,000 shares authorized, shares issued and
outstanding (actual), shares issued and outstanding (as adjusted) and issued and outstanding (as further adjusted)) |
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Paid-in capital in excess of par value |
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Accumulated net investment loss, net of income taxes |
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Accumulated net realized gain on investments, net of income taxes |
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Net unrealized gains on investments, net of income taxes |
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Total Net Assets |
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S-12
DISTRIBUTIONS
We have paid distributions to Common Stockholders every month since inception. The following table sets forth information about distributions
we paid to our Common Stockholders, percentage participation by Common Stockholders in our dividend reinvestment program and reinvestments and related issuances of additional shares of Common Stock as a result of such participation (the information
in the table is unaudited):
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Distribution Payable Date
to Common Stockholders |
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Amount of Distribution
Per Share |
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Percentage
of Common Stockholders Electing to Participate in Dividend Reinvestment Program |
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Amount
of Corresponding Reinvestment through Dividend Reinvestment Program |
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Additional Shares of Common
Stock Issued through Dividend Reinvestment Program |
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Unless a Common Stockholder elects to receive distributions in cash (i.e., opt out), all of such Common
Stockholders distributions, including any capital gains distributions on Common Stock, will be automatically reinvested in additional shares of Common Stock under the Funds Dividend Reinvestment Plan. See Dividend Reinvestment
Plan.
S-13
MARKET AND NET ASSET VALUE INFORMATION
The Funds currently outstanding Common Stock is listed on the NYSE under the symbol EHI. Our Common Stock commenced trading
on the NYSE on .
Our Common Stock has
traded both at a premium and at a discount in relation to the Funds net asset value per share. Although our Common Stock has traded at a premium to net asset value, we cannot assure that this will occur after any offering or that the Common
Stock will not trade at a discount in the future. Our issuance of additional Common Stock may have an adverse effect on prices in the secondary market for our Common Stock by increasing the number of shares of Common Stock available, which may
create downward pressure on the market price for our Common Stock. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount to net asset value. See RisksMarket Discount from Net
Asset Value Risk.
The following table sets forth for each of the periods indicated the range of high and low closing sale price of
our Common Stock and the quarter-end sale price, each as reported on the NYSE, the net asset value per share of Common Stock and the premium or discount to net asset value per share at which our shares were
trading. Net asset value is generally determined on each business day that the NYSE is open for business. See Net Asset Value for information as to the determination of our net asset value.
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Quarterly Closing Sale Price |
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Quarter-End Closing |
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High |
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Low |
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Sale Price |
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Net Asset Value Per Share of Common Stock(1) |
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Premium/ (Discount) of Quarter-End Sale Price to Net Asset Value(2) |
Fiscal Year 20[ ] |
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Source of
market prices: Bloomberg.
(1) |
Net asset value per share is determined as of close of business on the last day of the relevant quarter and
therefore may not reflect the net asset value per share on the date of the high and low closing sales prices, which may or may not fall on the last day of the quarter. Net asset value per share is calculated as described in Net Asset
Value. |
(2) |
Calculated as of the quarter-end closing sales price divided by the quarter-end net asset value. |
On , the last reported sale price of our
Common Stock on the NYSE was $ , which represented a of
approximately % to the net asset value per share reported by us on that date.
As
of , we had approximately million shares of Common Stock
outstanding and we had net assets attributable to Common Stockholders of approximately $ billion.
S-14
UNDERWRITING/PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
[TO BE FURNISHED AT TIME OF OFFERING]
S-15
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters in connection with the securities will be passed upon for the Fund by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP,
Washington, D.C. and for the underwriters by . Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP may rely as to certain matters of Maryland law on the opinion of
Venable LLP, Baltimore, Maryland.
S-16
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The audited financial statements included in the annual report to the Funds shareholders for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2023 and
together with the report of [●] for the Funds annual report, are incorporated herein by reference to the Funds annual report to shareholders. The unaudited financial statements for the six months ended November 30, 2023 are
included in the semi-annual report to the Funds shareholders for the period ended November 30, 2023 and are incorporated herein by the Funds semi-annual report to shareholders. All other portions of the annual report and semi-annual
report to shareholders are not incorporated herein by reference and are not part of the registration statement, the SAI, the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
[●] serves as the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm of the Fund and audits the financial statements of the Fund. [●]
is located at [●].
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act and the 1940 Act, and are required to file reports (including our annual
and semi-annual reports), proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our most recent shareholder report filed with the SEC is for the period
ended . Such reports, proxy statements and other information, as well as the registration statement and the amendments, exhibits and schedules thereto,
can be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC in Washington, D.C. Information about the operation of the public reference facilities may be obtained by calling the SEC at (202)
551-8090. Copies of such material may also be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. You can obtain the same information free
of charge from the SECs website at www.sec.gov. You may also e-mail requests for these documents to publinfo@sec.gov or make a request in writing to the SECs Public Reference Section, 100 F Street,
N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549
This Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus do not contain all of the
information in our registration statement, including amendments, exhibits, and schedules. Statements in this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus about the contents of any contract or other document are not necessarily complete and
in each instance reference is made to the copy of the contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, each such statement being qualified in all respects by this reference. Additional information about us can be found
in our Registration Statement (including amendments, exhibits, and schedules) on Form N-2 filed with the SEC. The SEC maintains a web site (www.sec.gov) that contains our Registration Statement, other
documents incorporated by reference, and other information we have filed electronically with the SEC, including proxy statements and reports filed under the Exchange Act.
S-17
[●] Shares
Western Asset Global High Income Fund Inc.
Common Stock
$[●] per Share
PROSPECTUS
SUPPLEMENT
[Underwriter(s)]
[●], 202[●]
The information in this Preliminary Prospectus Supplement is not complete and may be
changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Prospectus Supplement is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting offers to buy these
securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED DECEMBER 28, 2023
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|
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT |
|
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5) |
(To Prospectus dated [●], 20[●]) |
|
Registration Statement No. 333-[●] |
WESTERN ASSET GLOBAL HIGH INCOME FUND INC.
[●] Rights for [●] Shares of Common Stock
Subscription Rights to Acquire Shares of Common Stock
Western Asset Global High Income Fund Inc. (the Fund, we, us or our) is issuing subscription
rights (the Rights) to our common stockholders (the Common Stockholders) to purchase additional shares of common stock (Common Stock).
The Fund is a non-diversified, closed-end management
investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act). . The Funds primary investment objective is high current income. The Funds secondary objective is total return. The
Funds investment adviser is Franklin Templeton Fund Adviser, LLC (the Manager).
The shares of Common Stock are listed
on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EHI. Common Stockholders of record on [●], 20[●] (the Record Date) will receive [●] Rights for each share of Common Stock held. [These
Rights are transferable and will allow the holders thereof to purchase additional shares of Common Stock. The Rights will be listed for trading on the [●] under the symbol [●] during the course of the Rights offering.]
On [●], 20[●] (the last trading date prior to the Common Stock trading ex-Rights), the
last reported net asset value per share of the Common Stock was $[●] and the last reported sales price per share of Common Stock on the NYSE was $[●].
An investment in the Fund is not appropriate for all investors. We cannot assure you that the Funds investment objectives will be
achieved. You should read this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus before deciding whether to invest in the Common Stock and retain it for future reference. The Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus contain
important information about the Fund. Material that has been incorporated by reference, including the Funds audited annual financial statements, and other information about the Fund can be obtained from the Fund by calling 1-888-777-0102, writing to the Fund at 620 Eighth Avenue, 47th Floor, New York, NY
10018, accessing the Funds website at www.franklintempleton.com/investments/options/closed-end-funds or from the Securities and Exchange Commissions
(SEC) website (http://www.sec.gov). For additional information all holders of Rights should contact the Information Agent, [●], at [●]. Common Stockholders please call toll-free at [●] (banks and brokers please call
[●]) or please send written requests to [●].
Investing in Common Stock through Rights involves certain risks that are
described in the Special Characteristics and Risks of the Rights Offering section of this Prospectus Supplement.
Internet Delivery of Fund Reports Unless You Request Paper Copies: As permitted by regulations adopted by the SEC, the Fund does not
intend to mail paper copies of the Funds stockholder reports, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Fund or from your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank). Instead, the reports will be made
available on a website, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report. If you invest through a financial intermediary and you already elected to receive stockholder reports
electronically (e-delivery), you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. If you have not already elected e-delivery, you may
elect to receive stockholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically by contacting your financial intermediary. You may elect to receive all reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you
can contact your financial intermediary to request that you receive paper
copies of your stockholder reports. That election will apply to all Franklin Templeton Funds held in your account at that financial intermediary. If you are a direct stockholder with the Fund,
you can call the Fund at 1-888-888-0151, or write to the Fund by regular mail at P.O. Box 505000, Louisville, KY 40233 or by
overnight delivery to Computershare, 462 South 4th Street, Suite 1600, Louisville, KY 40202 to let the Fund know you wish to receive paper copies of your stockholder reports. That election will apply to all Franklin Templeton Funds held in your
account held directly with the fund complex.
SHAREHOLDERS WHO DO NOT FULLY EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS MAY, AT THE COMPLETION OF THE
OFFERING, OWN A SMALLER PROPORTIONAL INTEREST IN THE FUND THAN IF THEY EXERCISED THEIR RIGHTS. AS A RESULT OF THE OFFERING YOU MAY EXPERIENCE SUBSTANTIAL DILUTION OF THE AGGREGATE NET ASSET VALUE OF YOUR COMMON STOCK DEPENDING UPON WHETHER THE
FUNDS NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE OF COMMON STOCK IS ABOVE OR BELOW THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE ON THE EXPIRATION DATE. ALL COSTS OF THE OFFERING WILL BE BORNE BY THE FUND, AND INDIRECTLY BY CURRENT STOCKHOLDERS WHETHER THEY EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS OR
NOT. RIGHTS EXERCISED BY A STOCKHOLDER ARE IRREVOCABLE.
ANY COMMON STOCK ISSUED AS A RESULT OF THE RIGHTS OFFERING WILL NOT BE
RECORD DATE SHARES FOR THE FUNDS MONTHLY DISTRIBUTION TO BE PAID ON [●], 20[●] AND WILL NOT BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE SUCH DISTRIBUTION.
NEITHER THE SEC NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THESE SECURITIES OR DETERMINED IF THIS PROSPECTUS
SUPPLEMENT IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
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Per Share |
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Total |
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Estimated subscription price of Common Stock to stockholders exercising Rights(1) |
|
$ |
[ |
●] |
|
$ |
[ |
●] |
Underwriting discounts and
commissions(2) |
|
$ |
[ |
●] |
|
$ |
[ |
●] |
Estimated proceeds, before expenses, to the
Fund(3) |
|
$ |
[ |
●] |
|
$ |
[ |
●] |
(1) |
The estimated Subscription Price to the public is based upon [●]% of the last reported sales price of the
Funds shares of Common Stock on the NYSE on [●], 20[●]. |
(2) |
For additional underwriting compensation information, please see Plan of Distribution.
|
(3) |
Before deduction of expenses related to the Rights offering, which are estimated approximately at $[●].
Any offering expenses are paid indirectly by stockholders. Such fees and expenses will immediately reduce the net asset value per share of each share of Common Stock purchased by an investor in the Rights offering. The indirect expenses of the
offering that stockholders will pay are estimated to be $[●] in the aggregate and $[●] per share. The amount of proceeds to the Fund net of any fees and expenses of the offering are estimated to be $[●] in the aggregate and
$[●] per share. Stockholders will not directly bear any offering expenses. |
The shares of Common Stock are expected to be ready
for delivery in book-entry form through the Depository Trust Company on or about [●], 20[●][, unless extended. If the offering is extended, the shares of Common Stock are expected to be ready for delivery in book-entry form through the
Depository Trust Company on or about [●], 20[●].]
The date of this Prospectus Supplement is [●],
20[●].
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus. The Fund has not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. The Fund is not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not
permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date of this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus, respectively.
This Prospectus Supplement will be amended to reflect material changes to the information contained herein and will be delivered to stockholders. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those
dates. In this Prospectus Supplement and in the accompanying Prospectus, unless otherwise indicated, Fund, us, our and we refer to Western Asset Global High Income Fund Inc., a Maryland corporation.
This Prospectus Supplement also includes trademarks owned by other persons.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prospectus Supplement
S-iii
Prospectus
S-iv
CAUTIONARY NOTICE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Prospectus Supplement, the accompanying Prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information (SAI) contain
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the words may, will, intend, expect, estimate, continue, plan,
anticipate, and similar terms and the negative of such terms. Such forward-looking statements may be contained in this Prospectus Supplement as well as in the accompanying Prospectus and in the SAI. By their nature, all forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Several factors that could materially affect our actual results are the performance of the portfolio of
securities we hold, the price at which our shares will trade in the public markets and other factors discussed in our periodic filings with the SEC.
Although we believe that the expectations expressed in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results could differ materially
from those projected or assumed in our forward-looking statements. Our future financial condition and results of operations, as well as any forward-looking statements, are subject to change and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties, such
as those disclosed in the Risks section of the accompanying Prospectus and Special Characteristics and Risks of the Rights Offering in this Prospectus Supplement. All forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by
reference in this Prospectus Supplement or the accompanying Prospectus, or in the SAI, are made as of the date of this Prospectus Supplement or the accompanying Prospectus or SAI, as the case may be. Except for our ongoing obligations under the
federal securities laws, we do not intend, and we undertake no obligation, to update any forward-looking statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this Prospectus Supplement, the accompanying Prospectus and the SAI are excluded from the
safe harbor protection provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act).
Currently
known risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations include, but are not limited to, the factors described in the Risks and Special Considerations section of the accompanying Prospectus as well
as in the Special Characteristics and Risks of the Rights Offering section of this Prospectus Supplement. We urge you to review carefully those sections for a more detailed discussion of the risks of an investment in the Common Stock.
S-v
SUMMARY OF THE TERMS OF THE RIGHTS OFFERING
Terms of the Rights Offering |
One transferable subscription right (a Right) will be issued for each share of common stock of the Fund (Common Stock) held on the record date. Rights are expected to trade on the [●] under the symbol
[●]. The Rights will allow Common Stockholders to subscribe for new shares of Common Stock of the Fund. [●] shares of Common Stock of the Fund are outstanding as of [●], 20[●]. [●] Rights will be required to
purchase one share of Common Stock. Shares of the Fund, as a closed-end fund, can trade at a discount to net asset value. Upon exercise of the Rights offering, Fund shares [are expected to] [may] issued at a
price below net asset value per share of Common Stock. [An over-subscription privilege will be offered, [subject to the right of the Board of Directors of the Fund (the Board) to eliminate the over-subscription privilege.] [●]
shares of Common Stock of the Fund will be issued if all Rights are exercised. See Terms of the Rights Offering. Any shares of Common Stock issued as a result of the Rights offering will not be record date shares for the Funds
monthly distribution to be paid on [●], 20[●] and will not be entitled to receive such distribution. The exercise of rights by a stockholder is irrevocable. |
Amount Available for Primary Subscription |
Approximately $[●], before expenses. |
Title |
Subscription Rights to Acquire Shares of Common Stock |
Subscription Price |
The final subscription price per share of Common Stock (the Subscription Price) will be determined based upon a formula equal to [●]% of the average of the last reported sales price per share of the Funds Common Stock on
the NYSE on the Expiration Date (as defined below) and each of the [four] preceding trading days (the Formula Price). If, however, the Formula Price is less than [●]% of the net asset value per share of Common Stock at the close of
trading on the NYSE on the Expiration Date, then the Subscription Price will be [●]% of the Funds net asset value per share of Common Stock at the close of trading on the NYSE on that day. See Terms of the Rights Offering.
|
Record Date |
Rights will be issued to holders of record of the Funds Common Stock as of the close of business on [●], 20[●] (the Record Date). See Terms of the Rights Offering. |
Number of Rights Issued |
One Right will be issued in respect of each share of Common Stock of the Fund outstanding as of the close of business on the Record Date. See Terms of the Rights Offering. |
Number of Rights Required to Purchase One Share of Common Stock |
A holder of Rights may purchase [●] shares of Common Stock of the Fund for every [●] Rights exercised. The number of Rights to be
|
S-6
|
issued to a stockholder as of the close of business on the Record Date will be rounded up to the nearest number of Rights evenly divisible by [●]. See Terms of the Rights
Offering. |
Over-Subscription Privilege |
Holders of shares of Common Stock as of the close of business on the Record Date (Record Date Stockholders) who fully exercise all Rights initially issued to them are entitled to buy those shares of Common Stock, referred to as
primary oversubscription shares, that were not purchased by other Rights holders at the same Subscription Price. If enough primary over-subscription shares are available, all such requests will be honored in full. If the requests for
primary over-subscription shares exceed the primary over-subscription shares available, the available primary oversubscription shares will be allocated pro rata among those fully exercising Record Date Stockholders who over-subscribe based on the number of Rights originally issued to them by the Fund. Shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to the primary over-subscription privilege are subject to allotment. Rights acquired in
the secondary market may not participate in the primary over-subscription privilege. |
|
[In addition, the Fund, in its sole discretion, may determine to issue additional shares of Common Stock at the same Subscription Price in an amount of up to [●]% of the shares issued pursuant to the primary
subscription, referred to as secondary over-subscription shares. Should the Fund determine to issue some or all of the secondary over-subscription shares, they will be allocated only among
Record Date Stockholders who submitted over-subscription requests. Secondary over-subscription shares will be allocated pro rata among those fully exercising Record Date Stockholders who over-subscribe based on the number of Rights originally issued
to them by the Fund. Rights acquired in the secondary market may not participate in the secondary over-subscription privilege.] |
|
Notwithstanding the above, the Board has the right in its absolute discretion to eliminate the primary over-subscription privilege and/or secondary over-subscription privilege (together, the over-subscription
privilege) if it considers it to be in the best interest of the Fund to do so. The Board may make that determination at any time, without prior notice to Rights holders or others, up to and including the fifth day following the Expiration Date
(as defined below). See Over-Subscription Privilege. |
|
Any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to the over-subscription privilege will be shares registered under the Prospectus. |
Transfer of Rights |
[The Rights will be transferable. See Terms of the Rights Offering, Sales by Rights Agent and Method of Transferring Rights.] |
Subscription Period |
The Rights may be exercised at any time after issuance and prior to expiration of the Rights (the Subscription Period), which will be
|
S-7
|
[5:00 PM Eastern Time] on [●], 20[●] (the Expiration Date), unless otherwise extended. See Terms of the Rights Offering and Method of Exercise of
Rights. The Rights offering may be terminated [or extended] by the Fund at any time for any reason before the Expiration Date. If the Fund terminates the rights offering, the Fund will issue a press release announcing such termination and will
direct the Rights Agent (defined below) to return, without interest, all subscription proceeds received to such stockholders who had elected to purchase shares of Common Stock. |
Offering Expenses |
The expenses of the Rights offering are expected to be approximately $[●] and will be borne by the Fund (and indirectly by holders of the Funds shares of Common Stock). See Use of Proceeds. |
Sale of Rights |
[The Rights are transferable until the completion of the Subscription Period and will be admitted for trading on the [●] under the symbol [●]. Although no assurance can be given that a market for the Rights will develop,
trading in the Rights on the [●] is expected to begin two Business Days prior to the Record Date and may be conducted until the close of trading on the last [●] trading day prior to the Expiration Date. For purposes of this Prospectus
Supplement, a Business Day shall mean any day on which trading is conducted on the [●]. |
|
The value of the Rights, if any, will be reflected by their market price on the [●]. Rights may be sold by individual holders through their broker or financial advisor or may be submitted to the Rights Agent
(defined below) for sale. Any Rights submitted to the Rights Agent for sale must be received by the Rights Agent prior to [5:00 PM, Eastern Time], on or before [●], 20[●], [●] Business Days prior to the Expiration Date (or, if the
subscription period is extended, prior to [5:00 PM, Eastern Time], on the [●] Business Day prior to the extended Expiration Date). |
|
Rights that are sold will not confer any right to acquire any shares of Common Stock in any over-subscription, and any Record Date Stockholder who sells any Rights will not be eligible to participate in the
over-subscription privilege, if any. |
|
Trading of the Rights on the [●] will be conducted on a when-issued basis until and including the date on which the Subscription Certificates (as defined below) are mailed to Record Date Stockholders of record and
thereafter will be conducted on a regular-way basis until and including the last [●] trading day prior to the completion of the Subscription Period. The shares of Common Stock are expected to begin
trading ex-Rights one Business Day prior to the Record Date. |
|
If the Rights Agent receives Rights for sale in a timely manner, the Rights Agent will use its best efforts to sell the Rights
on the [●]. The |
S-8
|
Rights Agent will also attempt to sell any Rights attributable to stockholders of record whose addresses are outside the United States, or who have an APO or FPO address. See Foreign
Restrictions. The Rights Agent will attempt to sell such Rights, including by first offering such Rights to the Dealer Manager for purchase by the Dealer Manager at the then-current market price on the [●]. The Rights Agent will offer
Rights to the Dealer Manager before attempting to sell them on the [●]. |
|
Any commissions will be paid by the selling Rights holders. Neither the Fund nor the Rights Agent will be responsible if Rights cannot be sold and neither has guaranteed any minimum sales price for the Rights. If the
Rights can be sold, sales of these Rights will be deemed to have been effected at the weighted average price received by the Rights Agent on the day such Rights are sold, less any applicable brokerage commissions, taxes and other expenses (i.e.,
costs incidental to the sale of Rights). |
|
For a discussion of actions that may be taken by [●] (the Dealer Manager) to seek to facilitate the trading market for Rights and the placement of shares of Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of
Rights, including the purchase of Rights and the sale during the Subscription Period by the Dealer Manager of Common Stock acquired through the exercise of Rights and the terms on which such sales will be made, see Plan of Distribution.
|
|
Stockholders are urged to obtain a recent trading price for the Rights on the [●] from their broker, bank, financial advisor or the financial press. |
|
Banks, broker-dealers and trust companies that hold shares of Common Stock for the accounts of others are advised to notify those persons that purchase Rights in the secondary market that such Rights will not
participate in any over-subscription privilege. See Terms of the Rights Offering and Sales by Rights Agent.] |
Use of Proceeds |
The Fund estimates the net proceeds of the Rights offering to be approximately $[●]. This figure is based on the Subscription Price per share of Common Stock of $[●] ([●]% of the last reported sales price of the Funds
Common Stock on the NYSE on [●], 20[●]) and assumes all new shares of Common Stock offered are sold and that the expenses related to the Rights offering estimated at approximately $[●] are paid. |
|
The Manager anticipates that investment of the proceeds will be made in accordance with the Funds investment objectives
and policies as appropriate investment opportunities are identified, which is expected to be substantially completed in approximately three months; however, the identification of appropriate investment opportunities pursuant to the Funds
investment style or changes in market conditions may cause the investment period to extend as long as six |
S-9
|
months. Pending such investment, the proceeds will be held in cash and/or high quality short term debt securities and instruments. Depending on market conditions and operations, a portion of the
cash held by the Fund, including any proceeds raised from the offering, may be used to pay distributions in accordance with the Funds distribution policy and may be a return of capital. A return of capital is a return to investors of a portion
of their original investment in the Fund. In general terms, a return of capital would involve a situation in which a Fund distribution (or a portion thereof) represents a return of a portion of a stockholders investment in the Fund, rather
than making a distribution that is funded from the Funds earned income or other profits. Although return of capital distributions may not be currently taxable, such distributions would decrease the basis of a stockholders shares (but not
below zero), and therefore, may increase a stockholders tax liability for capital gains upon a sale of shares, even if sold at a loss to the stockholders original investment. See Use of Proceeds. |
Taxation/ERISA |
See Taxation and Employee Benefit Plan and IRA Considerations. |
Rights Agent |
[●]. See Rights Agent. |
Information Agent |
[●]. See Information Agent. |
S-10
DESCRIPTION OF THE RIGHTS OFFERING
Terms of the Rights Offering
The Fund is
issuing to Record Date Stockholders Rights to subscribe for shares of Common Stock of the Fund. Each Record Date Stockholder is being issued one transferable Right for each share of Common Stock owned on the Record Date. The Rights entitle the
holder to acquire, at a subscription price per share of Common Stock (the Subscription Price) determined based upon a formula equal to [●]% of the average of the last reported sales price of the Funds shares of Common Stock
on the NYSE on the Expiration Date (as defined below) and each of the [four] preceding trading days (the Formula Price), [●] new shares of Common Stock for each [●] Rights held. If, however, the Formula Price is less than
[●]% of the net asset value per share of Common Stock at the close of trading on the NYSE on the Expiration Date, then the Subscription Price will be [●]% of the Funds net asset value per share of Common Stock at the close of
trading on the NYSE on that day. The estimated Subscription Price to the public of $[●] is based upon [●]% of the last reported sales price of the Funds shares of Common Stock on the NYSE on [●], 20[●]. Fractional
shares will not be issued upon the exercise of the Rights. Accordingly, shares of Common Stock may be purchased only pursuant to the exercise of Rights in integral multiples of [●]. The number of Rights to be issued to a Record Date
Stockholder will be rounded up to the nearest number of Rights evenly divisible by [●]. In the case of shares of Common Stock held of record by Cede & Co. (Cede), as nominee for the Depository Trust Company
(DTC), or any other depository or nominee, the number of Rights issued to Cede or such other depository or nominee will be adjusted to permit rounding up (to the nearest number of Rights evenly divisible by [●]) of the Rights to be
received by beneficial owners for whom it is the holder of record only if Cede or such other depository or nominee provides to the Fund on or before the close of business on [●], 20[●] written representation of the number of Rights
required for such rounding. Rights may be exercised at any time during the period (the Subscription Period) which commences on [●], 20[●], and ends at [5:00 PM Eastern Time] on [●], 20[●] (the Expiration
Date), unless otherwise extended. Shares of the Fund, as a closed-end fund, can trade at a discount to net asset value. Upon exercise of the Rights offering, Fund shares [are expected to] [may] be issued
at a price below net asset value per share of Common Stock. The right to acquire one share of Common Stock for each [●] Rights held during the Subscription Period (or any extension of the Subscription Period) at the Subscription Price will be
referred to in the remainder of this Prospectus Supplement as the Rights offering. Rights will expire on the Expiration Date and thereafter may not be exercised. Any share of Common Stock issued as a result of the Rights
offering will not be Record Date shares for the Funds monthly distribution to be paid on [●], 20[●] and will not be entitled
to receive such distribution.
The Fund has entered into a dealer manager agreement with the Dealer Manager that allows the Dealer
Manager to take actions to seek to facilitate the trading market for Rights and the placement of shares of Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of Rights. Those actions are expected to involve the Dealer Manager purchasing and exercising Rights
during the Subscription Period at prices determined at the time of such exercise, which are expected to vary from the Subscription Price. See Plan of Distribution for additional information.
Rights may be evidenced by subscription certificates or may be uncertificated and evidenced by other appropriate documentation (i.e., a
rights card distributed to registered stockholders in lieu of a subscription certificate) (Subscription Certificates). The number of Rights issued to each holder will be stated on the Subscription Certificate delivered to the holder. The
method by which Rights may be exercised and shares of Common Stock paid for is set forth below in Method of Exercise of Rights, Payment for Shares and Plan of Distribution. A holder of Rights will have no right to
rescind a purchase after [●] (the Rights Agent) has received payment. See Payment for Shares below. It is anticipated that the shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to an exercise of Rights will be listed on the
[●].
[Holders of Rights [who are Record Date Stockholders] are entitled to subscribe for additional shares of Common Stock at the
same Subscription Price pursuant to the over-subscription privilege, subject to certain
S-11
limitations, allotment and the right of the Board to eliminate the primary oversubscription privilege [or secondary] over-subscription privilege. See Over-Subscription Privilege
below.]
For purposes of determining the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be acquired pursuant to the Rights offering,
broker-dealers, trust companies, banks or others whose shares are held of record by Cede or by any other depository or nominee will be deemed to be the holders of the Rights that are held by Cede or such other depository or nominee on their behalf.
[The Rights are transferable until the completion of the Subscription Period and will be admitted for trading on the [●] under the
symbol [●]. Assuming a market exists for the Rights, the Rights may be purchased and sold through usual brokerage channels and also sold through the Rights Agent. Although no assurance can be given that a market for the Rights will
develop, trading in the Rights on the [●] is expected to begin two Business Days prior to the Record Date and may be conducted until the close of trading on the last [●] trading day prior to the Expiration Date. Trading of the Rights on
the [●] is expected to be conducted on a when-issued basis until and including the date on which the Subscription Certificates are mailed to Record Date Stockholders of record and thereafter is expected to be conducted on a regular way basis
until and including the last [●] trading day prior to the Expiration Date. The method by which Rights may be transferred is set forth below under Method of Transferring Rights. The shares of Common Stock are expected to begin
trading ex-Rights one Business Day prior to the Record Date as determined and announced by the [●].] The Rights offering may be terminated or extended by the Fund at any time for any reason before the
Expiration Date. If the Fund terminates the Rights offering, the Fund will issue a press release announcing such termination and will direct the Rights Agent to return, without interest, all subscription proceeds received to such stockholders who
had elected to purchase shares of Common Stock.
Nominees who hold shares of the Funds Common Stock for the account of others, such
as banks, broker-dealers, trustees or depositories for securities, should notify the respective beneficial owners of such shares of Common Stock as soon as possible to ascertain such beneficial owners intentions and to obtain instructions with
respect to the Rights. If the beneficial owner so instructs, the nominee should complete the Subscription Certificate and submit it to the Rights Agent with proper payment. In addition, beneficial owners of the Common Stock or Rights held through
such a nominee should contact the nominee and request the nominee to effect transactions in accordance with such beneficial owners instructions.
[Participants in the Funds Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the Plan) will be issued Rights in respect of the shares of Common
Stock held in their accounts in the Plan. Participants wishing to exercise these Rights must exercise the Rights in accordance with the procedures set forth in Method of Exercise of Rights and Payment for Shares.]
Conditions of the Rights Offering
The
rights offering is being made in accordance with the 1940 Act without stockholder approval. The staff of the SEC has interpreted the 1940 Act as not requiring stockholder approval of a transferable rights offering to purchase shares of Common Stock
at a price below the then current net asset value so long as certain conditions are met, including: (i) a good faith determination by a funds board that such offering would result in a net benefit to existing stockholders; (ii) the
offering fully protects stockholders preemptive rights and does not discriminate among stockholders (except for the possible effect of not offering fractional rights); (iii) management uses its best efforts to ensure an adequate trading market
in the rights for use by stockholders who do not exercise such rights; and (iv) the ratio of a transferable rights offering does not exceed one new share for each three rights held.
S-12
Important Dates to Remember
[Please note that the dates in the table below may change if the rights offering is extended.]
|
|
|
Event |
|
Date |
Record Date |
|
[●] 20[●] |
Subscription Period |
|
[●] 20[●] through [●], 20[●] |
Expiration Date* |
|
[●] 20[●] |
Payment for Guarantees Delivery Due* |
|
[●] 20[●] |
Issuance Date |
|
[●] 20[●] |
Confirmation Date |
|
[●] 20[●] |
* |
A stockholder exercising Rights must deliver to the Rights Agent by [5:00 PM Eastern Time] on [●],
20[●] (unless the offer is extended) either (a) a Subscription Certificate and payment for shares of Common Stock or (b) a notice of guaranteed delivery and payment for shares of Common Stock. |
|
Unless the offer is extended. |
[Over-Subscription Privilege
The Board
has the right in its absolute discretion to eliminate the over-subscription privilege with respect to primary over-subscription shares and secondary over-subscription shares if it considers it to be in the best interest of the Fund to do so. The
Board may make that determination at any time, without prior notice to Rights holders or others, up to and including the fifth day following the Expiration Date. If the primary over-subscription privilege is not eliminated, it will operate as set
forth below.
Rights holders [who are Record Date Stockholders and who fully exercise their Rights] are entitled to subscribe for
additional shares of Common Stock at the same Subscription Price pursuant to the over-subscription privilege, subject to certain limitations and subject to allotment.
[Record Date Stockholders who fully exercise all Rights initially issued to them] are entitled to buy those shares of Common Stock, referred
to as primary over-subscription shares, that were not purchased by other holders of Rights at the same Subscription Price. If enough primary over-subscription shares are available, all such
requests will be honored in full. If the requests for primary over-subscription shares exceed the primary over-subscription shares available, the available primary over-subscription shares will be allocated pro rata among those fully exercising
[Record Date Stockholders] who over-subscribe based on the number of Rights originally issued to them by the Fund. Shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to the over-subscription privilege are subject to allotment.
[In addition, the Fund, in its sole discretion, may determine to issue additional shares of Common Stock at the same Subscription Price in an
amount of up to [ ]% of the shares issued pursuant to the primary subscription, referred to as secondary over-subscription shares. Should the Fund determine to issue some or all of the secondary over-subscription
shares, they will be allocated only among Record Date Stockholders who submitted over-subscription requests. Secondary over-subscription shares will be allocated pro rata among those fully exercising Record Date Stockholders who over-subscribe based
on the number of Rights originally issued to them by the Fund. Rights acquired in the secondary market may not participate in the over-subscription privilege.]
Record Date Stockholders who are fully exercising their Rights during the Subscription Period should indicate, on the Subscription Certificate
that they submit with respect to the exercise of the Rights issued to them, how many shares of Common Stock they are willing to acquire pursuant to the over-subscription privilege. Rights acquired in the secondary market may not participate in the
over-subscription privilege.
S-13
To the extent sufficient shares of Common Stock are not available to fulfill all
over-subscription requests, unsubscribed shares of Common Stock (the Excess Shares) will be allocated pro rata among those Record Date Stockholders who over-subscribe based on the number of Rights issued to them by the Fund. The
allocation process may involve a series of allocations in order to assure that the total number of shares of Common Stock available for over-subscriptions is distributed on a pro rata basis.
The formula to be used in allocating the Excess Shares is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders Record Date Position |
|
|
X |
|
|
|
Excess Shares Remaining |
|
Total Record Date Position of All Over-Subscribers |
Banks, broker-dealers, trustees and other nominee holders of Rights will be required to certify to the Rights
Agent, before any over-subscription privilege may be exercised with respect to any particular beneficial owner, as to the aggregate number of Rights exercised during the Subscription Period and the number of
shares of Common Stock subscribed for pursuant to the over-subscription privilege by such beneficial owner and that such beneficial owners subscription was exercised in full. Nominee holder over-subscription forms and beneficial owner
certification forms will be distributed to banks, broker-dealers, trustees and other nominee holders of Rights with the Subscription Certificates. [Nominees should also notify holders purchasing Rights in the secondary market that such Rights may
not participate in the over-subscription privilege.]
The Fund will not otherwise offer or sell any shares of Common Stock that are not
subscribed for pursuant to the primary subscription, the primary over-subscription privilege or the secondary over-subscription privilege pursuant to the Rights offering.]
[Sales by Rights Agent
Holders of Rights
who are unable or do not wish to exercise any or all of their Rights may instruct the Rights Agent to sell any unexercised Rights. The Subscription Certificates representing the Rights to be sold by the Rights Agent must be received prior to [5:00
PM, Eastern Time], on [●], 20[●], five Business Days prior to the Expiration Date (or, if the subscription period is extended, prior to [5:00 PM, Eastern Time], on the fifth Business Day prior to the extended Expiration Date). Upon the
timely receipt of the appropriate instructions to sell Rights, the Rights Agent will use its best efforts to complete the sale and will remit the proceeds of sale, net of any commissions, to the holders. The Rights Agent will also attempt to sell
any Rights attributable to stockholders of record whose addresses are outside the United States, or who have an APO or FPO address. The selling Rights holder will pay all brokerage commissions incurred by the Rights Agent. These sales may be
effected by the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent will automatically attempt to sell any unexercised Rights that remain unclaimed as a result of Subscription Certificates being returned by the postal authorities as undeliverable as of the [●]
Business Day prior to the Expiration Date. The Rights Agent will attempt to sell such Rights, including by first offering such Rights to the Dealer Manager for purchase by the Dealer Manager at the then-current market price on the [●]. The
Rights Agent will offer Rights to the Dealer Manager before attempting to sell them on the [●], which may affect the market price for Rights on the [●] and reduce the number of Rights available for purchase on the [●], thereby
reducing the ability of new investors to participate in the offering. These sales will be made net of commissions, taxes and any other expenses paid on behalf of the nonclaiming holders of Rights. Proceeds from those sales will be held by
Computershare LLC in its capacity as the Funds transfer agent, for the account of the nonclaiming holder of Rights until the proceeds are either claimed or escheated. There can be no assurance that the Rights Agent will be able to complete the
sale of any of these Rights and neither the Fund nor the Rights Agent has guaranteed any minimum sales price for the Rights. All of these Rights will be sold at the market price, if any, through an exchange or market trading the Rights. If the
Rights can be sold, sales of the Rights will be deemed to have been effected at the weighted average price received by the Rights Agent on the day such Rights are sold, less any applicable brokerage commissions, taxes and other expenses.]
S-14
[Dealer Manager
[●] (the Dealer Manager), a registered broker-dealer, may also act on behalf of its clients to purchase or sell Rights in the
open market and may receive commissions from its clients for such services. Holders of Rights attempting to sell any unexercised Rights in the open market through a broker-dealer other than the Dealer Manager may be charged a different commission
and should consider the commissions and fees charged by the broker-dealer prior to selling their Rights on the open market. The Dealer Manager is not expected to purchase Rights as principal for its own account in order to seek to facilitate the
trading market for Rights or otherwise. See Plan of Distribution for additional information.]
[Sale of Rights
The Rights are transferable and will be admitted for trading on the [●] under the symbol [●]. Although no assurance can
be given that a market for the Rights will develop, trading in the Rights on the [●] is expected to begin two Business Days prior to the Record Date and may be conducted until the close of trading on the last [●] trading day prior to the
Expiration Date.
The value of the Rights, if any, will be reflected by the market price. Rights may be sold by individual holders or may
be submitted to the Rights Agent for sale. Any Rights submitted to the Rights Agent for sale must be received by the Rights Agent prior to [5:00 PM, Eastern Time], on [●], 20[●], five Business Days prior to the Expiration Date (or, if
the subscription period is extended, prior to [5:00 PM, Eastern Time], on the [●] Business Day prior to the extended Expiration Date).
[Rights that are sold will not confer any right to acquire any Common Stock in any primary over-subscription privilege or secondary
over-subscription privilege, if any, and any Record Date Stockholder who sells any Rights will not be eligible to participate in the primary oversubscription privilege or secondary over-subscription privilege, if any.]
Trading of the Rights on the [●] will be conducted on a when-issued basis until and including the date on which the Subscription
Certificates (as defined below) are mailed to Record Date Stockholders of record and thereafter will be conducted on a regular-way basis until and including the last [●] trading day prior to the
Expiration Date. The shares of Common Stock are expected to begin trading ex-Rights one Business Day prior to the Record Date.
Stockholders are urged to obtain a recent trading price for the Rights on the [●] from their broker, bank, financial advisor or the
financial press.]
[Method of Transferring Rights
The Rights evidenced by a single Subscription Certificate may be transferred in whole by endorsing the Subscription Certificate for transfer in
accordance with the accompanying instructions. A portion of the Rights evidenced by a single Subscription Certificate (but not fractional Rights) may be transferred by delivering to the Rights Agent a Subscription Certificate properly endorsed for
transfer, with instructions to register the portion of the Rights evidenced thereby in the name of the transferee (and to issue a new Subscription Certificate to the transferee evidencing the transferred Rights). In this event, a new Subscription
Certificate evidencing the balance of the Rights will be issued to the Rights holder or, if the Rights holder so instructs, to an additional transferee.
Holders wishing to transfer all or a portion of their Rights (but not fractional Rights) should promptly transfer such Rights to ensure that:
(i) the transfer instructions will be received and processed by the Rights Agent, (ii) a new Subscription Certificate will be issued and transmitted to the transferee or transferees with respect to transferred Rights, and to the holder
with respect to retained Rights, if any, and (iii) the Rights evidenced by the new Subscription Certificates may be exercised or sold by the recipients thereof prior to the
S-15
Expiration Date. Neither the Fund nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to a transferee or holder of Rights if Subscription Certificates are not received in time for exercise or sale
prior to the Expiration Date.
Except for the fees charged by the Rights Agent (which will be paid by the Fund as described below), all
commissions, fees and other expenses (including brokerage commissions and transfer taxes) incurred in connection with the purchase, sale, transfer or exercise of Rights will be for the account of the holder of the Rights, and none of these
commissions, fees or expenses will be borne by the Fund or the Rights Agent.
The Fund anticipates that the Rights will be eligible for
transfer through, and that the exercise of the Rights may be effected through, the facilities of DTC (Rights exercised through DTC are referred to as DTC Exercised Rights).]
Rights Agent
The Rights Agent is
[●]. The Rights Agent will receive from the Fund an amount estimated to be $[●], comprised of the fee for its services and the reimbursement for certain expenses related to the Rights offering. The stockholders of the Fund will
indirectly pay such amount.
Information Agent
INQUIRIES BY ALL HOLDERS OF RIGHTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO: THE INFORMATION AGENT, [●]; HOLDERS PLEASE CALL TOLL-FREE AT [●]; BANKS
AND BROKERS PLEASE CALL [●].
Method of Exercise of Rights
Rights may be exercised by completing and signing the Subscription Certificate and mailing it in the envelope provided, or otherwise delivering
the completed and signed Subscription Certificate to the Rights Agent, together with payment for the shares of Common Stock as described below under Payment for Shares. Rights may also be exercised through the broker of a holder of
Rights, who may charge the holder of Rights a servicing fee in connection with such exercise. See Plan of Distribution for additional information regarding the purchase and exercise of Rights by the Dealer Manager.
Completed Subscription Certificates and payment must be received by the Rights Agent prior to [5:00 PM Eastern Time], on the Expiration Date
(unless payment is effected by means of a notice of guaranteed delivery as described below under Payment for Shares). Your broker, bank, trust company or other intermediary may impose a deadline for exercising Rights earlier than [5:00
PM, Eastern Time], on the Expiration Date. The Subscription Certificate and payment should be delivered to the Rights Agent at the following address:
If
By Mail:
Western Asset Global High Income Fund Inc.
[●]
If By Overnight Courier:
Western Asset Global High Income Fund Inc.
[●]
S-16
Payment for Shares
Holders of Rights who acquire shares of Common Stock in the Rights offering may choose between the following methods of payment:
|
1. |
A holder of Rights can send the Subscription Certificate, together with payment in the form of a check (which
must include the name of the stockholder on the check) for the shares of Common Stock subscribed for in the Rights offering and, if eligible, for any additional shares of Common Stock subscribed for pursuant to the over-subscription privilege, to
the Rights Agent based on the Subscription Price. To be accepted, the payment, together with the executed Subscription Certificate, must be received by the Rights Agent at one of the addresses noted above prior to [5:00 PM Eastern Time] on the
Expiration Date. The Rights Agent will deposit all share purchase checks received by it prior to the final due date into a segregated account pending proration and distribution of shares of Common Stock. The Rights Agent will not accept cash as a
means of payment for shares of Common Stock. |
|
2. |
Alternatively, a subscription will be accepted by the Rights Agent if, prior to [5:00 PM Eastern Time] on the
Expiration Date, the Rights Agent has received a written notice of guaranteed delivery by mail or email from a bank, trust company, or a NYSE member, guaranteeing delivery of a properly completed and executed Subscription Certificate. In order for
the notice of guarantee to be valid, full payment for the shares of Common Stock at the Subscription Price must be received with the notice. The Rights Agent will not honor a notice of guaranteed delivery unless a properly completed and executed
Subscription Certificate is received by the Rights Agent by the close of business on the [second] Business Day after the Expiration Date. The notice of guaranteed delivery must be emailed to the Rights Agent at [●] or delivered to the Rights
Agent at one of the addresses noted above. |
A PAYMENT PURSUANT TO THIS METHOD MUST BE IN UNITED STATES DOLLARS BY CHECK
(WHICH MUST INCLUDE THE NAME OF THE SHAREHOLDER ON THE CHECK) DRAWN ON A BANK LOCATED IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES, MUST BE PAYABLE TO WESTERN ASSET GLOBAL HIGH INCOME FUND INC. AND MUST ACCOMPANY AN EXECUTED SUBSCRIPTION CERTIFICATE TO BE
ACCEPTED.
The method and timing of payment for shares of Common Stock acquired by the Dealer Manager through the exercise of Rights is
described under Plan of Distribution.
If a holder of Rights who acquires shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Rights
offering does not make payment of all amounts due, the Fund reserves the right to take any or all of the following actions: (i) find other purchasers for such subscribed-for and unpaid-for shares of Common Stock; (ii) apply any payment actually received by it toward the purchase of the greatest whole number of shares of Common Stock which could be acquired by such holder upon exercise
of the Rights or any over-subscription privilege; (iii) sell all or a portion of the shares of Common Stock purchased by the holder, in the open market, and apply the proceeds to the amounts owed; and (iv) exercise any and all other rights
or remedies to which it may be entitled, including, without limitation, the right to set off against payments actually received by it with respect to such subscribed shares of Common Stock and to enforce the relevant guarantee of payment.
Any payment required from a holder of Rights must be received by the Rights Agent prior to [5:00 PM Eastern Time] on the Expiration Date.
Issuance and delivery of the shares of Common Stock purchased are subject to collection of checks.
Within [●] Business Days
following the Expiration Date (the Confirmation Date), a confirmation will be sent by the Rights Agent to each holder of Rights (or, if the shares of Common Stock are held by Cede or any other depository or nominee, to Cede or such other
depository or nominee), showing (i) the number of shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to the Subscription, (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock, if any,
S-17
acquired pursuant to the over-subscription privilege, and (iii) the per share and total purchase price for the shares of Common Stock. Any payment required from a holder of Rights must be
received by the Rights Agent on or prior to the Expiration Date. Any excess payment to be refunded by the Fund to a holder of Rights, or to be paid to a holder of Rights as a result of sales of Rights on its behalf by the Rights Agent, will be
mailed by the Rights Agent to the holder within [●] Business Days after the Expiration Date.
A holder of Rights will have no right
to rescind a purchase after the Rights Agent has received payment either by means of a notice of guaranteed delivery or a check, which must include the name of the stockholder on the check.
Upon acceptance of a subscription, all funds received by the Rights Agent shall be held by the Rights Agent as agent for the Fund and
deposited in one or more bank accounts. Such funds may be invested by the Rights Agent in: bank accounts, short term certificates of deposit, bank repurchase agreements, and disbursement accounts with commercial banks meeting certain standards. The
Rights Agent may receive interest, dividends or other earnings in connection with such deposits or investments.
Holders, such as
broker-dealers, trustees or depositories for securities, who hold shares of Common Stock for the account of others, should notify the respective beneficial owners of the shares of Common Stock as soon as possible to ascertain such beneficial
owners intentions and to obtain instructions with respect to the Rights. If the beneficial owner so instructs, the record holder of the Rights should complete Subscription Certificates and submit them to the Rights Agent with the proper
payment. In addition, beneficial owners of shares of Common Stock or Rights held through such a holder should contact the holder and request that the holder effect transactions in accordance with the beneficial owners instructions. [Banks,
broker-dealers, trustees and other nominee holders that hold shares of Common Stock of the Fund for the accounts of others are advised to notify those persons that purchase Rights in the secondary market that such Rights may not participate in any
oversubscription privilege offered.]
THE INSTRUCTIONS ACCOMPANYING THE SUBSCRIPTION CERTIFICATES SHOULD BE READ CAREFULLY AND
FOLLOWED IN DETAIL. DO NOT SEND SUBSCRIPTION CERTIFICATES TO THE FUND.
THE METHOD OF DELIVERY OF SUBSCRIPTION CERTIFICATES AND PAYMENT OF
THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE TO THE RIGHTS AGENT WILL BE AT THE ELECTION AND RISK OF THE RIGHTS HOLDERS, BUT IF SENT BY MAIL IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE CERTIFICATES AND PAYMENTS BE SENT BY REGISTERED MAIL, PROPERLY INSURED, WITH RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED,
AND THAT A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF DAYS BE ALLOWED TO ENSURE DELIVERY TO THE RIGHTS AGENT AND CLEARANCE OF PAYMENT PRIOR TO [5:00 PM EASTERN TIME], ON THE EXPIRATION DATE. BECAUSE UNCERTIFIED PERSONAL CHECKS MAY TAKE AT LEAST FIVE BUSINESS DAYS TO
CLEAR, YOU ARE STRONGLY URGED TO PAY, OR ARRANGE FOR PAYMENT, BY MEANS OF A CERTIFIED OR CASHIERS CHECK, WHICH MUST INCLUDE THE NAME OF THE SHAREHOLDER ON THE CHECK.
All questions concerning the timeliness, validity, form and eligibility of any exercise of Rights will be determined by the Fund, whose
determinations will be final and binding. The Fund in its sole discretion may waive any defect or irregularity, or permit a defect or irregularity to be corrected within such time as it may determine, or reject the purported exercise of any Right.
Subscriptions will not be deemed to have been received or accepted until all irregularities have been waived or cured within such time as the Fund determines in its sole discretion. Neither the Fund nor the Rights Agent will be under any duty to
give notification of any defect or irregularity in connection with the submission of Subscription Certificates or incur any liability for failure to give such notification.
S-18
Foreign Restrictions
Subscription Certificates will only be mailed to Record Date Stockholders of record whose addresses are within the United States (other than an
APO or FPO address). Because the Rights offering will not be registered in any jurisdiction other than the United States, the Rights Agent will attempt to sell all of the Rights issued to stockholders of record outside of these jurisdictions and
remit the net proceeds, if any, to such stockholders of record. If the Rights can be sold, sales of these Rights will be deemed to have been effected at the weighted average price received by the Rights Agent on the day the Rights are sold, less any
applicable brokerage commissions, taxes and other expenses.
Notice of Net Asset Value Decline
The Fund has, pursuant to the SECs regulatory requirements, undertaken to suspend the Rights offering until the Fund amends this
Prospectus Supplement if, after [●], 20[●] (the date of this Prospectus Supplement), the Funds net asset value declines more than 10% from the Funds net asset value as of that date. In that event, the Expiration Date will be
extended and the Fund will notify Record Date Stockholders of record of any such decline and permit Rights holders to cancel their exercise of Rights.
Employee Benefit Plan and IRA Considerations
Employee benefit plans that are subject to the fiduciary duty provisions of the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended (ERISA) (including, without limitation, pension and profit-sharing plans) and plans that are subject to Section 4975 of the Code (including, without limitation, IRAs and Keogh plans) (each, a Plan), may purchase
Shares. ERISA, for example, imposes certain responsibilities on persons who are fiduciaries with respect to an ERISA-covered Plan, including, without limitation, the duties of prudence and diversification, as well as the need to avoid non-exempt prohibited transactions. Because the Fund is registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act, the underlying assets of the Fund will not be considered to be plan assets of any Plan
investing in the Fund for purposes of the fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction rules under Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code. Thus, neither the Fund nor the Manager will be a fiduciary, within the meaning
of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code with respect to the assets of any Plan that becomes a Stockholder, solely as a result of the Plans investment in the Fund.
The provisions of ERISA are subject to extensive and continuing administrative and judicial interpretation and review. The discussion of ERISA
contained herein is general in nature and may be affected by future regulations and rulings. Potential investors should consult their legal advisers regarding the consequences under ERISA, the Code or other applicable law of an investment by a Plan
in the Fund.
S-19
TABLE OF FEES AND EXPENSES
The following tables are intended to assist you in understanding the various costs and expenses directly or indirectly associated with
investing in our shares of Common Stock as a percentage of net assets attributable to shares of Common Stock. Amounts are for the current fiscal year after giving effect to anticipated net proceeds of the Rights offering, assuming that we incur the
estimated offering expenses.
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SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES |
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Sales Load (percentage of offering price) |
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%(1) |
Offering Expenses Borne by the Fund (percentage of offering price) |
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|
|
%(2) |
Dividend Reinvestment Plan Per Transaction Fee to Sell Shares Obtained Pursuant to the
Plan |
|
$ |
5.00 |
(3) |
TOTAL TRANSACTION EXPENSES (as a percentage of offering price)(4) |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percentage of
Net Assets
Attributable to
Shares of Common
Stock |
|
ANNUAL EXPENSES |
|
|
|
|
Management Fees(5) |
|
|
[●] |
% |
Interest Payment on Borrowed
Funds(6) |
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|
[●] |
% |
Other Expenses(7) |
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[●] |
% |
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|
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|
TOTAL ANNUAL EXPENSES |
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|
[●] |
% |
(1) |
The sales load will apply only if the securities to which this Prospectus relates are sold to or through
underwriters. In such case, a corresponding Prospectus Supplement will disclose the applicable sales load. |
(2) |
The related Prospectus Supplement will disclose the estimated amount of offering expenses, the offering price
and the offering expenses borne by the Fund as a percentage of the offering price. |
(3) |
Common Stockholders will pay brokerage charges if they direct the Plan Agent (defined below) to sell shares of
Common Stock held in a dividend reinvestment account. See Dividend Reinvestment Plan. There are no fees charged to stockholders for participating in the Funds dividend reinvestment plan. However, stockholders participating in the
plan that elect to sell their shares obtained pursuant to the plan would pay $5.00 per transaction to sell shares. |
(4) |
The related Prospectus Supplement will disclose the offering price and the total stockholder transaction
expenses as a percentage of the offering price. |
(5) |
The Manager receives an annual fee, payable monthly, in an amount equal to 0.85% of the Funds average
daily Managed Assets. Managed Assets means net assets plus the amount of any borrowings and assets attributable to any preferred stock that may be outstanding. For the purposes of this table, we have assumed that the Fund has utilized
leverage in an aggregate amount of [●]% of its net assets (the actual average amount of Borrowings during the period fiscal year ended May 31, 20[●]). If the Fund were to use leverage in excess of [●]% of its net assets, the
management fees shown would be higher. |
(6) |
For the purposes of this table, we have assumed that the Fund has utilized Borrowings in an aggregate amount of
[●]% of its net assets (which equals the average level of leverage for the Funds fiscal year ended May 31, 20[●]). The expenses and rates associated with leverage may vary as and when Borrowings or issuances of Preferred Stock
are made. |
(7) |
Estimated based on amounts incurred in the period ended May 31, 20[●]. |
The purpose of the table above and the examples below is to help you understand all fees and expenses that you, as a holder of Common Stock,
would bear directly or indirectly.
S-20
Example
The following example illustrates the expenses you would pay on a $1,000 investment in shares of Common Stock, assuming a 5% annual portfolio
total return.*
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1 Year |
|
|
3 Years |
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|
5 Years |
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10 Years |
|
Total Expenses Incurred |
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$ |
|
|
|
$ |
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|
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$ |
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$ |
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* |
The example should not be considered a representation of future expenses. The example assumes that the amounts
set forth in the Table of Fees and Expenses table are accurate and that all distributions are reinvested at net asset value. Actual expenses may be greater or less than those assumed. Moreover, the Funds actual rate of return may be greater or
less than the hypothetical 5% return shown in the example. |
S-21
USE OF PROCEEDS
The Fund estimates the net proceeds of the Rights offering to be approximately $[●], based on the estimated Subscription Price per share
of Common Stock of $[●] ([●]% of the last reported sales price of the Funds shares of Common Stock on the NYSE on [●], 20[●]), assuming all new shares of Common Stock offered are sold and that the expenses related to
the Rights offering estimated at approximately $[●] are paid.
The Manager expects that it will initially invest the proceeds of the
offering in high quality short term debt securities and instruments. The Manager anticipates that the investment of the proceeds will be made in accordance with the Funds investment objectives and policies as appropriate investment
opportunities are identified, which is expected to be substantially completed within three months; however, the identification of appropriate investment opportunities pursuant to the Funds investment style or changes in market conditions may
cause the investment period to extend as long as six months. Depending on market conditions and operations, a portion of the cash held by the Fund, including any proceeds raised from the Rights offering, may be used to pay distributions in
accordance with the Funds distribution policy and may be a return of capital. A return of capital is a return to investors of a portion of their original investment in the Fund. In general terms, a return of capital would involve a situation
in which a Fund distribution (or a portion thereof) represents a return of a portion of a stockholders investment in the Fund, rather than making a distribution that is funded from the Funds earned income or other profits. Although
return of capital distributions may not be currently taxable, such distributions would decrease the basis of a stockholders shares (but not below zero), and therefore, may increase a stockholders tax liability for capital gains upon a
sale of shares, even if sold at a loss to the stockholders original investment.
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth the unaudited capitalization of the Fund as of [●], 20[●] and its adjusted capitalization
assuming the shares of Common Stock available in the Rights offering discussed in this Prospectus Supplement had been issued.
[To be provided.]
S-22
PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK
The following table sets forth for the quarters indicated, the high and low sale prices on the NYSE per share of our Common Stock and the net
asset value and the premium or discount from net asset value per share at which the shares of Common Stock were trading, expressed as a percentage of net asset value, at each of the high and low sale prices provided.
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NAV per Common Share on Date of Market Price(1) |
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NYSE Market Price per Common Share(2) |
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Premium/ (Discount) on Date of Market Price(3) |
|
Trading |
During Quarter Ended |
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High |
|
Low |
|
High |
|
Low |
|
High |
|
Low |
|
Volume |
[November 30, 20[●]] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ] |
[July 31, 20[●]] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ] |
[May 31, 20[●]] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ] |
[February 28, 20[●]] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ] |
[November 30, 20[●]] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ] |
[July 31, 2020] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ] |
[May 31, 20[●]] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ] |
[February 28, 20[●]] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ] |
[November 30, 20[●]] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ] |
[July 31, 20[●]] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ] |
[May 31, 20[●]] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ] |
[February 28, 20[●]] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ] |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ]% |
|
[ ] |
(1) |
Based on the Funds computations. |
(3) |
Based on the Funds computations. |
On [●], 20[●], the last reported net asset value per share of Common Stock was $[●] and the last reported sales price per
Common Stock on the NYSE was $[●].
S-23
SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS AND RISKS OF THE RIGHTS OFFERING
Risk is inherent in all investing. Therefore, before investing in the shares of Common Stock, you should consider the risks
associated with such an investment carefully. See Risks in the Prospectus. The following summarizes some of the matters that you should consider before investing in the Fund through the Rights offering:
Dilution. Record Date Stockholders who do not fully exercise their Rights will, at the completion of the Rights offering, own a smaller
proportional interest in the Fund than owned prior to the Rights offering. The completion of the Rights offering will result in immediate voting dilution for such stockholders. Further, both the sales load and the expenses associated with the Rights
offering will immediately reduce the net asset value of each outstanding share of Common Stock. In addition, if the Subscription Price is less than the net asset value per share of Common Stock as of the Expiration Date, the completion of this
Rights offering will result in an immediate dilution of the net asset value per share of Common Stock for all existing Common Stockholders (i.e., will cause the net asset value per Common Stock to decrease). It is anticipated that existing Common
Stockholders will experience immediate dilution even if they fully exercise their Rights. Such dilution is not currently determinable because it is not known how many shares of Common Stock will be subscribed for, what the net asset value per share
of Common Stock or market price of the share of Common Stock will be on the Expiration Date or what the Subscription Price per share of Common Stock will be. If the Subscription Price is substantially less than the current net asset value per share
of Common Stock, this dilution could be substantial. The Fund will pay expenses associated with the Rights offering, estimated at approximately $[●]. In addition, the Fund has agreed to pay a dealer manager fee (sales load) equal to [●]%
of the Subscription Price per share of Common Stock issued pursuant to the exercise of Rights (including pursuant to the Over-Subscription Privilege). The Fund, not investors, pays the sales load, which is ultimately borne by all Common
Stockholders. All of the costs of the Rights offering will be borne by the Fund (and indirectly by the Funds Common Stockholders). See Table of Fees and Expenses in this Prospectus Supplement and Summary of Fund
Expenses in the accompanying Prospectus for more information.
If you do not exercise all of your Rights, you may own a smaller
proportional interest in the Fund when the Rights offering is over. In addition, you will experience an immediate dilution of the aggregate net asset value per share of Common Stock if you do not participate in the Rights offering and will
experience a reduction in the net asset value per share of Common Stock whether or not you exercise your Rights, if the Subscription Price is below the Funds net asset value per share of Common Stock on the Expiration Date, because:
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|
the offered shares of Common Stock are being sold at less than their current net asset value;
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you will indirectly bear the expenses of the Rights offering; and |
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|
the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding after the Rights offering will have increased proportionately
more than the increase in the amount of the Funds net assets. |
On the other hand, if the Subscription Price is
above the Funds net asset value per share of Common Stock on the Expiration Date, you may experience an immediate accretion of the aggregate net asset value per share of your share of Common Stock even if you do not exercise your Rights and an
immediate increase in the net asset value per share of Common Stock whether or not you participate in the Rights offering, because:
|
|
|
the offered Common Stock are being sold at more than their current net asset value after deducting the expenses
of the Rights offering; and |
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|
the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding after the Rights offering will have increased proportionately
less than the increase in the amount of the Funds net assets. |
[Furthermore, if you do not participate in the
secondary over-subscription, if it is available, your percentage ownership will also be diluted.] The Fund cannot state precisely the amount of any dilution because it is not
S-24
known at this time what the net asset value per share of Common Stock will be on the Expiration Date or what proportion of the Rights will be exercised. The impact of the Rights offering on net
asset value (NAV) per share of Common Stock is shown by the following examples, assuming the Rights offering is fully subscribed and a $[●] Subscription Price:
Scenario 1: (assumes net asset value per share is above subscription price)(1)
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NAV(2) |
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[ |
●] |
Subscription Price(3) |
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[ |
●] |
Reduction in NAV ($)(4) |
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|
[ |
●] |
Reduction in NAV (%) |
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|
[ |
●] |
[Scenario 2: (assumes net asset value per share is below subscription
price)(1)
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|
NAV(2) |
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[ |
●] |
Subscription Price(3) |
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|
[ |
●] |
Increase in NAV ($)(4) |
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|
[ |
●] |
Increase in NAV (%) |
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|
[ |
●] |
(1) |
Both examples assume the full Primary Subscription [and Secondary Over-Subscription Privilege] are exercised.
Actual amounts may vary due to rounding. |
(2) |
For illustrative purposes only; reflects the Funds net asset value per share of Common Stock as of
[●], 20[●]. It is not known at this time what the net asset value per share of Common Stock will be on the Expiration Date. |
(3) |
For illustrative purposes only; reflects an estimated Subscription Price of $[●] based upon [●]% of
the last reported sales price of the Funds shares of Common Stock on the NYSE on [●], 20[●]. It is not known at this time what the Subscription Price will be on the Expiration Date. |
(4) |
Assumes $[●] in estimated offering expenses. |
If you do not wish to exercise your Rights, you should consider selling them as set forth in this Prospectus Supplement. Any cash you receive
from selling your Rights may serve as partial compensation for any possible dilution of your interest in the Fund. The Fund cannot give assurance, however, that a market for the Rights will develop or that the Rights will have any marketable value.
[The Funds largest stockholders could increase their percentage ownership in the Fund through the exercise of the primary
subscription and over-subscription privilege.]
Risks of Investing in Rights. Shares of
closed-end funds such as the Fund frequently trade at a discount to net asset value. If the Formula Price is less than [●]% of net asset value on the Expiration Date, then the Subscription Price will
likely be greater than the market price of a share of Common Stock on that date. In addition, the Formula Price, even if above [●]% of net asset value, may be still above the market price of a share of Common Stock on the Expiration Date. If
either event occurs, the Rights will have no value, and a person who exercises Rights will experience an immediate loss of value.
Leverage. Leverage creates a greater risk of loss, as well as a potential for more gain, for the shares of Common Stock than if
leverage were not used. Following the completion of the Rights offering, the Funds amount of leverage outstanding will decrease. The leverage of the Fund as of [●], 20[●] was approximately [●]% of the Funds net assets.
After the completion of the Rights offering, the amount of leverage outstanding is expected to decrease to approximately [●]% of the Funds net assets. The use of leverage for investment purposes creates opportunities for greater total
returns but at the same time increases risk. When leverage is employed, the net asset value and market price of the shares of Common Stock and the yield to holders of shares of Common
S-25
Stock may be more volatile. Any investment income or gains earned with respect to the amounts borrowed in excess of the interest due on the borrowing will augment the Funds income.
Conversely, if the investment performance with respect to the amounts borrowed fails to cover the interest on such borrowings, the value of the Funds shares of Common Stock may decrease more quickly than would otherwise be the case, and
distributions on the Common Stock could be reduced or eliminated. Interest payments and fees incurred in connection with such borrowings will reduce the amount of net income available for distribution to holders of the shares of Common Stock.
Because the fee paid to the Manager is calculated on the basis of the Funds net assets, which include the proceeds of leverage, the
dollar amount of the management fee paid by the Fund to the Manager will be higher (and the Manager will be benefited to that extent) when leverage is used. The Manager will use leverage only if it believes such action would result in a net benefit
to the Funds stockholders after taking into account the higher fees and expenses associated with leverage (including higher management fees).
The Funds leveraging strategy may not be successful.
Increase in Share Price Volatility; Decrease in Share Price. The Rights offering may result in an increase in trading of the shares of
Common Stock, which may increase volatility in the market price of the Common Stock. The Rights offering may result in an increase in the number of stockholders wishing to sell their shares of Common Stock, which would exert downward price pressure
on the price of shares of Common Stock.
Under-Subscription. It is possible that the Rights offering will not be fully subscribed.
Under-subscription of the Rights offering would have an impact on the net proceeds of the Rights offering and whether the Fund achieves any benefits.
S-26
TAXATION
The following is a general summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the Rights offering to Record Date Stockholders who are
U.S. persons for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The following summary supplements the discussion set forth in the accompanying Prospectus and SAI and is subject to the qualifications and assumptions set forth therein. The discussion set forth
herein does not constitute tax advice and potential investors are urged to consult their own tax advisers to determine the tax consequences of investing in the Fund.
Please refer to the Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations section in the Funds Prospectus and SAI for a
description of the consequences of investing in the shares of Common Stock of the Fund. Special tax considerations relating to this Rights offering are summarized below:
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|
The value of a Right will not be includible in the income of a Common Stockholder at the time the Right is
issued. |
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|
The basis of the Rights issued to a Common Stockholder will be zero, and the basis of the Common Stock with
respect to which the Rights were issued (the Old Common Stock) will not change, unless either (i) the fair market value of the Rights on the date of distribution is at least 15% of the fair market value of the Old Common Stock, or
(ii) such Common Stockholder affirmatively elects (in the manner set out in Treasury Regulations under the Code) to allocate to the Rights a portion of the basis of the Old Common Stock. In the case of clause (i) or (ii) above, such Common
Stockholder must generally allocate the basis of the Old Common Stock between the Old Common Stock and the Rights in proportion to their fair market values on the date of distribution, but as discussed below, the basis of the Old Common Stock may be
allocated to a Right only if the Right is sold or exercised. |
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The basis of a Right purchased will generally be its purchase price. |
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A Common Stockholders holding period in a Right issued includes the holding period of the Old Common Stock.
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A Common Stockholder will not recognize a loss if a Right distributed to such Common Stockholder expires
unexercised because the basis of the Old Common Stock may be allocated to a Right only if the Right is sold or exercised. If a Right that has been purchased in the market expires unexercised, there will be a recognized loss equal to the basis of the
Right. |
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Any gain or loss on the sale of a Right will be a capital gain or loss if the Right is held as a capital asset
(which in the case of a Right issued to Record Date Stockholders will depend on whether the Old Common Stock is held as a capital asset), and will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the holding period is deemed to exceed one year.
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No gain or loss will be recognized by a Common Stockholder upon the exercise of a Right, and the basis of any
Common Stock acquired upon exercise (the New Common Stock) will equal the sum of the basis, if any, of the Right and the subscription price for the New Common Stock. The holding period for the New Common Stock will begin on the date when
the Right is exercised (or, in the case of a Right purchased in the market, potentially the day after the date of exercise). |
The foregoing is a general and brief summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the Rights offering, and applies with respect
to U.S. federal income taxation only. Other tax issues such as state and local taxation may apply. The foregoing discussion is based upon present provisions of the Code, the regulations promulgated thereunder, and judicial and administrative ruling
authorities, all of which are subject to change or differing interpretations (possibly with retroactive effect). Investors are urged to consult their own tax advisors to determine the tax consequences of the Rights offering and investing in the
Fund.
S-27
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Distribution Arrangements
[●] will
act as Dealer Manager for this Rights offering. Under the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the Dealer Manager Agreement among the Dealer Manager, the Fund and the Manager, the Dealer Manager will provide financial structuring and
solicitation services in connection with the Rights offering and will solicit the exercise of Rights and participation in the over-subscription privilege. The Rights offering is not contingent upon any number of Rights being exercised. The Dealer
Manager will also be responsible for forming and managing a group of selling broker-dealers (each a Selling Group Member and collectively the Selling Group Members), whereby each Selling Group Member will enter into a Selling
Group Agreement with the Dealer Manager to solicit the exercise of Rights and to sell shares of Common Stock purchased by the Selling Group Member from the Dealer Manager. In addition, the Dealer Manager will enter into a Soliciting Dealer Agreement
with other soliciting broker-dealers (each a Soliciting Dealer and collectively the Soliciting Dealers) to solicit the exercise of Rights. See Compensation to Dealer Manager for a discussion of fees and
other compensation to be paid to the Dealer Manager, Selling Group Members and Soliciting Dealers in connection with the Rights offering.
The Fund and the Manager have each agreed to indemnify the Dealer Manager for losses arising out of certain liabilities, including liabilities
under the Securities Act. The Dealer Manager Agreement also provides that the Dealer Manager will not be subject to any liability to the Fund in rendering the services contemplated by the Dealer Manager Agreement except for any act of willful
misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence of the Dealer Manager or reckless disregard by the Dealer Manager of its obligations and duties under the Dealer Manager Agreement.
In order to seek to facilitate the trading market in the Rights for the benefit of non-exercising
stockholders, and the placement of the shares of Common Stock to new or existing investors pursuant to the exercise of the Rights, the Dealer Manager Agreement provides for special arrangements with the Dealer Manager. Under these arrangements, the
Dealer Manager is expected to purchase Rights on the [●], as well as Rights received by the Rights Agent for sale by Record Date Stockholders and offered to the Dealer Manager and unexercised Rights of Record Date Stockholders whose record
addresses are outside the United States that are held by the Subscription Agent and for which no instructions are received. The number of rights, if any, purchased by the Dealer Manager will be determined by the Dealer Manager in its sole
discretion. The Dealer Manager is not obligated to purchase Rights or shares of Common Stock as principal for its own account to facilitate the trading market for Rights or for investment purposes. Rather, its purchases are expected to be closely
related to interest in acquiring shares of Common Stock generated by the Dealer Manager through its marketing and soliciting activities. The Dealer Manager intends to exercise Rights purchased by it during the Subscription Period but prior to the
Expiration Date. The Dealer Manager may exercise those Rights at its option on one or more dates, which are expected to be prior to the Expiration Date. The subscription price for the shares of Common Stock issued through the exercise of Rights by
the Dealer Manager prior to the Expiration Date will be the greater of [●]% of the last reported sale price of a share of Common Stock on the NYSE on the date of exercise or [●]% of the last reported net asset value of a share of Common
Stock on the date prior to the date of exercise. The price and timing of these exercises are expected to differ from those described herein for the Rights offering. The subscription price will be paid to the Fund and the dealer manager fee with
respect to such proceeds will be paid by the Fund on the applicable settlement date(s) of such exercise(s).
In connection with the
exercise of Rights and receipt of shares of Common Stock, the Dealer Manager intends to offer those shares of Common Stock for sale to the public and/or through a group of selling members it has established. The Dealer Manager may set the price for
those shares of Common Stock at any price that it determines, in its sole discretion. The Dealer Manager has advised that the price at which such shares of Common Stock are offered is expected to be at or slightly below the closing price of the
shares of Common Stock on the NYSE on the date the Dealer Manager exercises Rights. No portion of the amount paid to the Dealer Manager or to a selling group member from the sale of shares of Common Stock in this manner will be paid to
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the Fund. If the sales price of the shares of Common Stock is greater than the subscription price paid by the Dealer Manager for such shares of Common Stock plus the costs to purchase Rights for
the purpose of acquiring those shares of Common Stock, the Dealer Manager will receive a gain. Alternatively, if the sales price of the shares of Common Stock is less than the subscription price for such shares of Common Stock plus the costs to
purchase Rights for the purpose of acquiring those shares of Common Stock, the Dealer Manager will incur a loss. The Dealer Manager will pay a concession to selling group members in an amount equal to approximately [●]% of the aggregate price
of the shares of Common Stock sold by the respective selling group member. Neither the Fund nor the Manager has a role in setting the terms, including the sales price, on which the Dealer Manager offers for sale and sells shares of Common Stock it
has acquired through purchasing and exercising Rights or the timing of the exercise of Rights or sales of shares of Common Stock by the Dealer Manager. Persons who purchase shares of Common Stock from the Dealer Manager or the selling group will
purchase shares at a price set by the Dealer Manager, which may be more or less than the Subscription Price, and at a time set by the Dealer Manager, which is expected to be prior to the Expiration Date.
The Dealer Manager may purchase Rights as principal or act as agent on behalf of its clients for the resale of such Rights. The Dealer Manager
may realize gains (or losses) in connection with the purchase and sale of Rights and the sale of shares of Common Stock, although such transactions are intended by the Dealer Manager to facilitate the trading market in the Rights and the placement
of the shares of Common Stock to new or existing investors pursuant to the exercise of the Rights. Any gains (or losses) realized by the Dealer Manager from the purchase and sale of Rights and the sale of shares of Common Stock is independent of and
in addition to its fee as Dealer Manager. The Dealer Manager has advised that any such gains (or losses) are expected to be immaterial relative to its fee as Dealer Manager.
Since neither the Dealer Manager nor persons who purchase shares of Common Stock from the Dealer Manager or members of the selling group were
Record Date Stockholders, they would not be able to participate in the over-subscription privilege.
Persons who purchase Common Stock
from the Dealer Manager or the selling group will not purchase shares at the Subscription Price based on the formula price mechanism through which shares of Common Stock will be sold in the Rights Offering. Instead, those persons will purchase
shares Common Stock at a price set by the Dealer Manager, which may be more or less than the Subscription Price, and will not have the uncertainty of waiting for the determination of the Subscription Price on the Expiration Date.
There is no limit on the number of Rights the Dealer Manager can purchase or exercise. Shares of Common Stock acquired by the Dealer Manager
pursuant to the exercise of Rights acquired by it will reduce the number of shares of Common Stock available pursuant to the over-subscription privilege, perhaps materially, depending on the number of Rights purchased and exercised by the Dealer
Manager.
Although the Dealer Manager can seek to facilitate the trading market for Rights as described above, investors can acquire
shares of Common Stock at the Subscription Price by acquiring Rights on the [●] and exercising them in the method described above under Description of the Rights Method of Exercise of Rights and Description of the
RightsPayment for Shares.
In the ordinary course of their businesses, the Dealer Manager and/or its affiliates may engage in
investment banking or financial transactions with the Fund, the Manager and their affiliates. In addition, in the ordinary course of their businesses, the Dealer Manager and/or its affiliates may, from time to time, own securities of the Fund or its
affiliates.
The principal business address of the Dealer Manager is [●].
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Compensation to Dealer Manager
Pursuant to the Dealer Manager Agreement, the Fund has agreed to pay the Dealer Manager a fee for its financial structuring and solicitation
services equal to [●]% of the Subscription Price per share of Common Stock for each share of Common Stock issued pursuant to the exercise of Rights, including the over-subscription privilege.
The Dealer Manager will reallow to Selling Group Members in the Selling Group to be formed and managed by the Dealer Manager selling fees
equal to [●]% of the Subscription Price for each share of Common Stock issued pursuant to the Rights offering or the over-subscription privilege as a result of their selling efforts. In addition, the Dealer Manager will reallow to Soliciting
Dealers that have executed and delivered a Soliciting Dealer Agreement and have solicited the exercise of Rights, solicitation fees equal to [●]% of the Subscription Price for each share of Common Stock issued pursuant to the exercise of
Rights as a result of their soliciting efforts, subject to a maximum fee based on the number of shares of Common Stock held by such Soliciting Dealer through DTC on the Record Date. Fees will be paid to the broker-dealer designated on the applicable
portion of the subscription certificates or, in the absence of such designation, to the Dealer Manager.
In addition, the Fund, has agreed
to pay the Dealer Manager an amount up to $[●] as a partial reimbursement of its expenses incurred in connection with the Rights offering, including reasonable
out-of-pocket fees and expenses, if any and not to exceed $[●], incurred by the Dealer Manager, Selling Group Members, Soliciting Dealers and other brokers,
dealers and financial institutions in connection with their customary mailing and handling of materials related to the Rights offering to their customers. No other fees will be payable by the Fund or the Manager to the Dealer Manager in connection
with the Rights offering.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters in connection with the securities will be passed upon for the Fund by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP,
Washington, D.C. and for the underwriters by . Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP may rely as to certain matters of Maryland law on the opinion of
Venable LLP, Baltimore, Maryland.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The audited financial statements included in the annual report to the Funds shareholders for the fiscal year ended May 31,
20[●] and together with the report of [●] for the Funds annual report, are incorporated herein by reference to the Funds annual report to shareholders. All other portions of the annual report to shareholders are not
incorporated herein by reference and are not part of the registration statement, the SAI, the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement.
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The information in this Statement of Additional Information is not complete and may be
changed. We may not sell these securities until the Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Statement of Additional Information is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an
offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION DATED DECEMBER 28, 2023
WESTERN ASSET GLOBAL HIGH INCOME FUND INC.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Western Asset
Global High Income Fund Inc. (the Fund) is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company.
This Statement of Additional Information relating to the Funds common stock, par value $0.001 per share (Common Stock),
which we also refer to as our securities, does not constitute a prospectus, but should be read in conjunction with the Funds prospectus relating thereto dated , 2024, and
as it may be supplemented (the Prospectus). This Statement of Additional Information does not include all information that a prospective investor should consider before purchasing the Funds securities, and investors should obtain
and read the Funds Prospectus prior to purchasing such securities. A copy of the Funds Prospectus, annual and semi-annual reports (when available) and additional information about the Fund may be obtained without charge by calling (888) 777-0102, by writing to the Fund at 620 Eighth Avenue, 47th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or by visiting the Funds website
(http://www.franklintempleton.com/investments/options/closed-end-funds). The information contained in, or accessed through, the Funds website is not part of the
Funds Prospectus or this Statement of Additional Information. Prospective investors may also obtain a copy of the Funds Prospectus on the Securities and Exchange Commissions website (http://www.sec.gov). Capitalized terms used but
not defined in this Statement of Additional Information have the meanings ascribed to them in the Prospectus.
This Statement of
Additional Information is dated , 2024.
TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES
The Funds primary investment objective is to maximize current income. As a secondary objective, the Fund seeks capital appreciation to
the extent consistent with its objective of seeking to maximize current income. There can be no assurance the Fund will achieve its investment objectives.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The following restrictions, along with the Funds investment objectives, are the Funds only fundamental policiesthat is,
policies that cannot be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Funds outstanding voting securities (a 1940 Act Vote). For the purposes of the foregoing, a majority of the Funds outstanding
voting securities means the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding shares are represented or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares. The other policies and investment
restrictions are not fundamental polices of the Fund and may be changed by the Funds Board of Directors (the Board of Directors) without stockholder approval. Except with respect to the Funds ability to borrow under
subparagraph (7) below, if a percentage restriction set forth below is adhered to at the time a transaction is effected, later changes in percentage resulting from any cause other than actions by the Fund will not be considered a violation.
Under its fundamental restrictions:
(1) The Fund may not concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of
industries, as that term is used in the 1940 Act.
(2) The Fund may not borrow money or issue any senior security,
except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
(3) The Fund may not make loans, except to the extent permitted under
the 1940 Act.
(4) The Fund may not act as an underwriter of securities of other issuers, except to the extent that in
connection with the disposition of portfolio securities, it may be deemed to be an underwriter under the federal securities laws.
(5) The Fund may not purchase or sell real estate, although it may purchase securities secured by real estate or interests
therein, or securities issued by companies which invest in real estate, or interests therein.
(6) The Fund may not invest
for the purpose of exercising control over management of any company.
(7) The Fund may not purchase or sell commodities or
commodities contracts or oil, gas or mineral programs, but may purchase, sell, or enter into futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward contracts, or interest rate, securities-related or other hedging instruments, including swap
agreements and other derivative instruments.
With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth in subparagraph
(1), the 1940 Act does not define what constitutes concentration in an industry. The SEC staff has taken the position that investment of 25% or more of a funds total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal
activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. A fund that invests a significant percentage of its total assets in a single industry
may be particularly susceptible to adverse events affecting that industry and may be more risky than a fund that does not concentrate in an industry. The policy above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from
time to time. In addition, the term industry will be interpreted to include a related group of industries. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or
instrumentalities (including, for the avoidance of doubt, U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities); securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions;
securities of foreign governments; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the
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foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry. There also will be no limit on investment in issuers domiciled in a single jurisdiction or country. The policy also will
be interpreted to give broad authority to the Fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries or groups of industries. The Fund has been advised by the staff of the SEC that the staff currently views securities issued by a foreign
government to be in a single industry for purposes of calculating applicable limits on concentration.
With respect to the limitation
regarding the issuance of senior securities set forth in subparagraph (2) above, senior securities are defined as any bond, debenture, note, or similar obligation or instrument constituting a security and evidencing indebtedness,
and any stock of a class having priority over any other class as to distribution of assets or payment of dividends.
The ability of a closed-end fund to issue senior securities is severely circumscribed by complex regulatory constraints under the 1940 Act that restrict, for instance, the amount, timing and form of senior securities that may be
issued. Certain portfolio management techniques, such as credit default swaps, the purchase of securities on margin, short sales or the writing of puts on portfolio securities, may be considered senior securities unless appropriate steps are taken
to segregate the Funds assets or otherwise cover its obligations. To the extent the Fund covers its commitment under these transactions, including by the segregation of liquid assets, equal in value to the amount of the Funds commitment,
such instrument will not be considered a senior security by the Fund and therefore will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by the Fund.
Under the 1940 Act, a senior security does not include any promissory note or evidence of indebtedness where such loan is for
temporary purposes only and in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of the total assets of the issuer at the time the loan is made. A loan is presumed to be for temporary purposes if it is repaid within sixty days and is not extended or renewed.
With respect to the limitation regarding making loans to other persons set forth in subparagraph (3) above, the 1940 Act does not
prohibit a fund from making loans; however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one third of their total assets, except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. A repurchase
agreement is an agreement to purchase a security, coupled with an agreement to sell that security back to the original seller on an agreed-upon date at a price that reflects current interest rates. The SEC frequently treats repurchase agreements as
loans.
With respect to the limitation regarding underwriting the securities of other issuers set forth in subparagraph (4) above, a
technical provision of the Securities Act deems certain persons to be underwriters if they purchase a security from an issuer and later sell it to the public. Although it is not believed that the application of this Securities Act
provision would cause a fund to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy set forth in subparagraph (3) will be interpreted not to prevent the Fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio
securities, regardless of whether the Fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act. Under the Securities Act, an underwriter may be liable for material omissions or misstatements in an issuers registration statement or
prospectus.
With respect to the limitation regarding real estate set forth in subparagraph (5) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit
a fund from owning real estate. Investing in real estate may involve risks, including that real estate is generally considered illiquid and may be difficult to value and sell. Owners of real estate may be subject to various liabilities, including
environmental liabilities. The policy above will be interpreted not to prevent the Fund from investing in real estate-related companies, companies whose businesses consist in whole or in part of investing in real estate, instruments (like mortgages)
that are secured by real estate or interests therein, or real estate investment trust securities.
With respect to the limitation
regarding the purchase or sale of commodities, commodity futures contracts or commodity options set forth in subparagraph (7) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning
2
commodities, whether physical commodities and contracts related to physical commodities (such as oil or grains and related futures contracts), or financial commodities and contracts related to
financial commodities (such as currencies and, possibly, currency futures). The value of commodities and commodity-related instruments may be extremely volatile and may be affected either directly or indirectly by a variety of factors. There also
may be storage charges and risks of loss associated with physical commodities.
INVESTMENT POLICIES AND
TECHNIQUES
The following information supplements the discussion of the Funds investment objectives, policies, and techniques
that are described in the Prospectus.
Under normal conditions, the Fund will invest in a global portfolio of securities consisting of
below investment grade fixed income securities, emerging market fixed income securities and investment grade fixed income securities. The Fund has broad discretion to allocate assets among the following segments of the global market for below
investment grade and investment grade fixed income securities: corporate bonds, loans, preferred stock, mortgage- and asset-backed securities and sovereign debt, and derivative instruments of the foregoing securities. The Fund may use a variety of
derivative instruments, such as options, futures contracts, swap agreements and credit default swaps, as part of its investment strategies or for hedging or risk management purposes. If a security is rated by multiple nationally recognized
statistical rating organizations (NRSROs) and receives different ratings, the Fund will treat the security as being rated in the lowest rating category received from an NRSRO.
As used throughout the Funds Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information, Managed Assets means net assets plus
the amount of any borrowings and assets attributable to any preferred stock that may be outstanding.
Alternative Strategies and Temporary Defensive
Positions
At times the Funds portfolio manager may judge that conditions in the securities markets make pursuing the Funds
typical investment strategy inconsistent with the best interest of its shareholders. At such times, the portfolio manager may temporarily use alternative strategies, primarily designed to reduce fluctuations in the value of the Funds assets.
In implementing these defensive strategies, the Fund may invest without limit in securities that the portfolio manager believes present less risk to the Fund, including equity securities, debt and fixed income securities, preferred stocks, U.S.
government and agency obligations, cash or money market instruments, certificates of deposit, demand and time deposits, bankers acceptance or other securities the portfolio manager considers consistent with such defensive strategies, such as,
but not limited to, options or futures. During periods in which such strategies are used, the duration of the Fund may diverge from the duration range for the Fund disclosed in its Prospectus (if applicable). It is impossible to predict when, or for
how long, the Fund will use these alternative strategies. As a result of using these alternative strategies, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
Bank Obligations
The Fund may invest in
all types of bank obligations, including certificates of deposit (CDs), time deposits and bankers acceptances. CDs are short-term negotiable obligations of commercial banks. Time deposits
are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Bankers acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers
usually in connection with international transactions.
U.S. commercial banks organized under federal law are supervised and examined by
the Comptroller of the Currency and are required to be members of the Federal Reserve System and to be insured by the Federal Deposit
3
Insurance Corporation (the FDIC). U.S. banks organized under state law are supervised and examined by state banking authorities, but are members of the Federal Reserve System only if
they elect to join. Most state banks are insured by the FDIC (although such insurance may not be of material benefit to the Fund, depending upon the principal amount of CDs of each bank held by the Fund) and are subject to federal examination and to
a substantial body of federal law and regulation. As a result of federal and state laws and regulations, U.S. branches of U.S. banks are, among other things, generally required to maintain specified levels of reserves, and are subject to other
supervision and regulation designed to promote financial soundness. Banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors, such as interest rate changes and adverse developments in the market for real estate. Fiscal and monetary policy
and general economic cycles can affect the availability and cost of funds, loan demand and asset quality and thereby impact the earnings and financial conditions of banks.
Obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks, such as CDs and time deposits, may be general obligations of the parent bank in addition to the
issuing branch, or may be limited by the terms of a specific obligation and governmental regulation. Such obligations are subject to different risks than are those of U.S. banks or U.S. branches of foreign banks. These risks relate to foreign
economic and political developments, foreign governmental restrictions that may adversely affect payment of principal and interest on the obligations, foreign exchange controls and foreign withholding and other taxes on interest income. Foreign
branches of U.S. banks and foreign branches of foreign banks are not necessarily subject to the same or similar regulatory requirements that apply to U.S. banks, such as mandatory reserve requirements, loan limitations and accounting, auditing and
financial recordkeeping requirements. In addition, less information may be publicly available about a foreign branch of a U.S. bank or about a foreign bank than about a U.S. bank.
Obligations of U.S. branches of foreign banks may be general obligations of the parent bank, in addition to the issuing branch, or may be
limited by the terms of a specific obligation and by federal and state regulation as well as governmental action in the country in which the foreign bank has its head office. A U.S. branch of a foreign bank with assets in excess of $1 billion
may or may not be subject to reserve requirements imposed by the Federal Reserve System or by the state in which the branch is located if the branch is licensed in that state. In addition, branches licensed by the Comptroller of the Currency and
branches licensed by certain states (State Branches) may or may not be required to: (a) pledge to the regulator, by depositing assets with a designated bank within the state; and (b) maintain assets within the state in an
amount equal to a specified percentage of the aggregate amount of liabilities of the foreign bank payable at or through all of its agencies or branches within the state. The deposits of State Branches may not necessarily be insured by the FDIC. In
addition, there may be less publicly available information about a U.S. branch of a foreign bank than about a U.S. bank.
Borrowings
The Fund may engage in borrowing transactions to raise additional cash to be invested by the Fund in other securities or instruments in an
effort to increase the Funds investment returns, or for temporary or emergency purposes. Reverse repurchase agreements may be considered to be a type of borrowing.
When the Fund invests borrowing proceeds in other securities, the Fund will be at risk for any fluctuations in the market value of the
securities in which the proceeds are invested. Like other leveraging risks, this makes the value of an investment in the Fund more volatile and increases the Funds overall investment exposure. In addition, if the Funds return on its
investment of the borrowing proceeds does not equal or exceed the interest that the Fund is obligated to pay under the terms of a borrowing, engaging in these transactions will lower the Funds return.
The Fund may be required to liquidate portfolio securities at a time when it would be disadvantageous to do so in order to make payments with
respect to its borrowing obligations. Interest on any Borrowings will be an expense to the Fund and will reduce the value of the Funds shares. The Fund may borrow on a secured or on an unsecured basis. If the Fund enters into a secured
borrowing arrangement, a portion of the Funds assets will be used as collateral. During the term of the borrowing, the Fund will remain at risk for any fluctuations in the
4
market value of these assets in addition to any securities purchased with the proceeds of the loan. In addition, the Fund may be unable to sell the collateral at a time when it would be
advantageous to do so, which could result in lower returns. The Fund would also be subject to the risk that the lender may file for bankruptcy, become insolvent, or otherwise default on its obligations to return the collateral to the Fund. In the
event of a default by the lender, there may be delays, costs and risks of loss involved in the Funds exercising its rights with respect to the collateral or those rights may be limited by other contractual agreements or obligations or by
applicable law.
The 1940 Act requires the Fund to maintain an asset coverage of at least 300% of the amount of its
borrowings, provided that in the event that the Funds asset coverage falls below 300%, the Fund is required to reduce the amount of its borrowings so that it meets the 300% asset coverage threshold within three days (not including Sundays and
holidays). Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the Funds total assets, minus liabilities other than borrowings and other senior securities, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Although complying with this guideline
would have the effect of limiting the amount that the Fund may borrow, it does not otherwise mitigate the risks of entering into borrowing transactions.
Convertible Securities
Convertible
securities are fixed income securities (usually debt or preferred stock) that may be converted or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common shares or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a
specified price or formula. A convertible security entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt or the dividend paid on preferred stock until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before
conversion or exchange, convertible securities ordinarily provide a stream of income with generally higher yields than those of common shares of the same or similar issuers, but lower than the yield of nonconvertible debt. However, there can be no
assurance of current income because the issuers of the convertible securities may default on their obligations. Convertible securities are usually subordinated to comparable nonconvertible debt or preferred stock, but rank senior to common shares in
a corporations capital structure.
The value of a convertible security is generally related to (1) its yield in comparison with
the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege and/or (2) its worth, at market value, if converted or exchanged into the underlying common shares. A convertible security may be subject
to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible securitys governing instrument, which may be less than the ultimate conversion or exchange value.
Convertible securities are subject both to the stock market risk associated with equity securities and to the credit and interest rate risks
associated with fixed income securities. As the market price of the equity security underlying a convertible security falls, the convertible security tends to trade on the basis of its yield and other fixed income characteristics. As the market
price of such equity security rises, the convertible security tends to trade on the basis of its equity conversion features. Investments in convertible securities generally entail less risk than investments in common shares of the same issuer.
Synthetic Convertible Securities
A
synthetic convertible security is comprised of two distinct securities that together resemble convertible securities in certain respects. Synthetic convertible securities are created by
combining non-convertible bonds or preferred shares with common shares, warrants or stock call options. The options that will form elements of synthetic convertible securities will be listed on a
securities exchange. The two components of a synthetic convertible security, which will be issued with respect to the same entity, generally are not offered as a unit, and may be purchased and sold by the Fund at different times. Synthetic
convertible securities differ from convertible securities in certain respects, including that each component of a synthetic convertible security has a separate market value and responds differently to market fluctuations. Investing in synthetic
convertible securities involves the risk normally involved in holding the securities comprising the synthetic convertible security.
5
Custodial Receipts
The Fund may acquire custodial receipts or certificates underwritten by securities dealers or banks that evidence ownership of future interest
payments, principal payments or both on certain municipal obligations. The underwriter of these certificates or receipts typically purchases municipal obligations and deposits the obligations in an irrevocable trust or custodial account with a
custodian bank, which then issues receipts or certificates that evidence ownership of the periodic unmatured coupon payments and the final principal payment on the obligations. Although under the terms of a custodial receipt, the Fund would be
typically authorized to assert its rights directly against the issuer of the underlying obligation, the Fund could be required to assert through the custodian bank those rights as may exist against the underlying issuer. Thus, in the event the
underlying issuer fails to pay principal and/or interest when due, the Fund may be subject to delays, expenses and risks that are greater than those that would have been involved if the Fund had purchased a direct obligation of the issuer. In
addition, in the event that the trust or custodial account in which the underlying security has been deposited is determined to be an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the yield on the underlying security
would be reduced by any entity-level corporate taxes paid by such entity.
Custodial receipts may also evidence ownership of future
interest payments, principal payments or both on certain U.S. government obligations. Such obligations are held in custody by a bank on behalf of the owners. Custodial receipts are generally not considered obligations of the U.S. government for
purposes of securities laws.
Cybersecurity Risks
With the increased use of technologies such as mobile devices and Web-based or
cloud applications, and the dependence on the Internet and computer systems to conduct business, the Fund is susceptible to operational, information security and related risks. In general, cybersecurity incidents can result from
deliberate attacks or unintentional events (arising from external or internal sources) that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption, physical damage to a computer or network system or lose operational capacity.
Cybersecurity attacks include, but are not limited to, infection by malicious software, such as malware or computer viruses or gaining unauthorized access to digital systems, networks or devices that are used to service the Funds operations
(e.g., through hacking, phishing or malicious software coding) or other means for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cybersecurity attacks may
also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on the Funds websites (i.e.,
efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). In addition, authorized persons could inadvertently or intentionally release confidential or proprietary information stored on the Funds systems.
Cybersecurity incidents affecting the Funds Manager, subadvisers, other service providers to the Fund or its shareholders (including,
but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially
resulting in financial losses to both the Fund and its shareholders, interference with the Funds ability to calculate its net asset value, impediments to trading, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business and the Fund to process
transactions, violations of applicable privacy and other laws (including the release of private shareholder information) and attendant breach notification and credit monitoring costs, regulatory fines, penalties, litigation costs, reputational
damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, forensic investigation and remediation costs, and/or additional compliance costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cybersecurity incidents affecting issuers of securities in which the
Fund invests, counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies and other financial institutions
(including financial intermediaries and other service providers) and other parties. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to safeguard against and reduce the risk of any cybersecurity incidents in the future. In addition to
administrative, technological and procedural safeguards, the Manager and Western Asset have established business continuity
6
plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent or reduce the impact of, such cybersecurity incidents. However, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including
the possibility that certain risks have not been identified, as well as the rapid development of new threats. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems put in place by its service providers or any other third parties
whose operations may affect the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.
Debt and Fixed
Income Securities
The Fund may invest in a variety of debt and fixed income securities, which may be issued by governmental, corporate
or other issuers. Debt securities may pay fixed, floating or variable rates of interest or interest at a rate contingent upon some other factor. Variable rate securities reset at specified intervals, while floating rate securities reset whenever
there is a change in a specified index rate. In most cases, these reset provisions reduce the effect of market interest rates on the value of the security. However, some securities do not track the underlying index directly, but reset based on
formulas that can produce an effect similar to leveraging; others may provide for interest payments that vary inversely with market rates. The market prices of these securities may fluctuate significantly when interest rates change.
These securities share principal risks. For example, the level of interest income generated by the Funds fixed income investments may
decline due to a decrease in market interest rates. Thus, when fixed income securities mature or are sold, they may be replaced by lower-yielding investments. Also, their values fluctuate with changes in interest rates. A decrease in interest rates
will generally result in an increase in the value of the Funds fixed income investments. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the value of the Funds fixed income investments will generally decline. However, a change in
interest rates will not have the same impact on all fixed rate securities. For example, the magnitude of these fluctuations will generally be greater when the Funds duration or average maturity is longer. In addition, certain fixed income
securities are subject to credit risk, which is the risk that an issuer of securities will be unable to pay principal and interest when due, or that the value of the security will suffer because investors believe the issuer is unable to pay.
Fixed Income Securities Ratings. Securities rated in the fourth highest ratings category by a NRSRO, such as those rated BBB by
S&P, or Baa by Moodys, and unrated securities of comparable quality, are generally regarded as having adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal but may have some speculative characteristics. Securities rated below the fourth
highest ratings category by an NRSRO, including those rated below Baa by Moodys or BBB by S&P, and unrated securities of comparable quality, are generally considered below investment grade, and may have speculative
characteristics, including a greater possibility of default or bankruptcy of the issuers of such securities, market price volatility based upon interest rate sensitivity, questionable creditworthiness and relative liquidity of the secondary trading
market. Changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity for lower rated securities to make principal and interest payments, including a greater possibility of default or bankruptcy of the issuer,
than is the case for high rated securities. Appendix A to this SAI contains further information concerning the rating categories of NRSROs and their significance.
DerivativesGenerally
A derivative
is a financial instrument that has a value based on, or derived from, the value of one or more underlying reference assets or instruments or measures of value or interest rates (underlying instruments), such as a security, a commodity, a
currency, an index, an interest rate or a currency exchange rate. A derivative can also have a value based on the likelihood that an event will or will not occur. The Fund may engage in a variety of transactions using derivatives, including without
limitation futures, options, forwards, interest rate swaps and other swaps (including buying and selling credit default swaps and options on credit default swaps), foreign currency futures, forwards and options, and futures contracts, warrants and
other synthetic instruments that are intended to provide economic exposure to particular securities, assets or issuers or to be used as a hedging
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technique. The Fund may use one or more types of these instruments without limit. The Fund reserves the ability to enter into other similar transactions which may be developed in the future to
the extent Western Asset determines that they are consistent with the Funds investment objectives and policies and applicable regulatory requirements.
The Fund may use derivatives for any purpose, including but not limited to, in order to seek to enhance income, yield or return, as a
substitute for investing directly in a security or asset, or as a hedging technique in order to seek to manage risk in the Funds portfolio. The Fund may choose not to make use of derivatives for a variety of reasons, and no assurance can be
given that any derivatives strategy employed will be successful. The Funds use of derivative instruments may be limited from time to time by applicable law and regulation, availability or by policies adopted by the Board or Manager.
The Fund may utilize multiple derivative instruments and combinations of derivative instruments to seek to adjust the risk and return
characteristics of its overall position. Combined positions will typically contain elements of risk that are present in each of its component transactions. It is possible that the combined position will not achieve its intended goal and will instead
increase losses or risk to the Fund. Because combined positions involve multiple trades, they result in higher transaction costs and may be more difficult to open and close out.
The Fund may enter into derivatives with standardized terms that have no or few special or unusual components, which are generally traded on
an exchange, as well as derivatives with more complex features, singly or in combination. Non-standardized derivatives are generally traded OTC. OTC derivatives may be standardized or have customized
features and may have limited or no liquidity. The Funds derivatives contracts may be centrally cleared or settled bilaterally directly with a counterparty. The Funds derivatives contracts may be cash settled or physically settled.
In addition to the instruments and strategies discussed in this section, additional opportunities in connection with derivatives and other
similar or related techniques may become available to the Fund as a result of the development of new techniques, the development of new derivative instruments or a regulatory authority changing the range of permitted transactions. The Fund may
utilize these opportunities and techniques to the extent that they are consistent with the Funds investment objectives and permitted by its investment limitations and applicable law and regulation. These opportunities and techniques may
involve risks different from or in addition to those summarized herein.
Risks of Derivatives Generally. The use of derivatives
involves special considerations and risks, certain of which are summarized below, and may result in losses to the Fund. In general, derivatives may increase the volatility of the Fund and may involve a small amount of cash to establish the
derivative position relative to the magnitude of the risk or exposure assumed. Even a small investment in derivatives may magnify or otherwise increase investment losses to the Fund.
Market risk. Derivatives can be complex, and their success depends in part upon the portfolio managers ability to forecast
correctly future market or other trends or occurrences or other financial or economic factors or the value of the underlying instrument. Even if the portfolio managers forecasts are correct, other factors may cause distortions or dislocations
in the markets that result in losses or otherwise unsuccessful transactions. Derivatives may behave in unexpected ways, especially in abnormal or volatile market conditions. The market value of the derivative itself or the market value of underlying
instruments may change in a way that is adverse to the Funds interest. There is no assurance that the use of derivatives will be advantageous to the Fund or that the portfolio manager will use derivatives to hedge appropriately.
Illiquidity risk. The Funds ability to exit a derivative position depends on the existence of a liquid market or, in the absence
of such a market, the ability and willingness of the other party to the transaction (the counterparty) to enter into a transaction closing out the position. If there is no market or the Fund is not
8
successful in its negotiations, the Fund may not be able to sell or unwind the derivative position at an advantageous or anticipated time or price. This may also be the case if the counterparty
becomes insolvent or otherwise defaults under the derivative transaction. The Fund may be required to make delivery of portfolio securities or other underlying instruments in order to close out a position or to sell portfolio securities or assets at
a disadvantageous time or price in order to obtain cash to close out the position. While a position remains open, the Fund continues to be subject to investment risk on a derivative. The Fund may or may not be able to take other actions or enter
into other transactions, including hedging transactions, to limit or reduce its exposure under the derivative. Illiquidity risk may be enhanced if a derivative transaction is particularly large. Certain derivatives, including certain OTC options and
swaps, may be considered illiquid and therefore subject to the Funds limitation on illiquid investments.
Leverage risk.
Certain derivative transactions may have a leveraging effect on the Fund, meaning that the Fund can obtain significant investment exposure in return for meeting a relatively small margin or other investment requirement. An adverse change in the
value of an underlying instrument can result in losses substantially greater than the amount required to establish the derivative position. When the Fund engages in transactions that have a leveraging effect, the value of the Fund is likely to be
more volatile and certain other risks also are likely to be compounded. This is because leverage generally magnifies the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of an investment. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss,
regardless of the size of the initial investment.
Margin risk. Certain derivatives require the Fund to make margin payments, a
form of security deposit intended to protect against nonperformance of the derivative contract. The Fund may have to post additional margin if the value of the derivative position changes in a manner adverse to the Fund or if collateral provided by
the Fund to secure its performance under the derivative contract decreases in value. Derivatives may be difficult to value, which may result in increased payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to the Fund. If the Fund has
insufficient cash to meet additional margin requirements, it might need to sell assets or liquidate its derivative position at a disadvantageous time or price.
Speculation risk. Derivatives used for non-hedging purposes may result in losses that
are not offset by increases in the value of portfolio holdings or declines in the cost of securities or other assets to be acquired. In the event that the Fund uses a derivative as an alternative to purchasing or selling other investments or in
order to obtain desired exposure to an index or market, the Fund will be exposed to the same risks as are incurred in purchasing or selling the other investments directly, as well as the risks of the derivative transaction itself, such as market
risk and counterparty credit risk.
Cover risk. As described below, the Fund may be required to maintain segregated assets as
cover, or make margin payments when it takes positions in derivatives involving obligations to third parties (i.e., derivatives other than purchased options). If the Fund were unable to close out its positions in such derivatives, it
might be required to continue to maintain such assets or accounts or make such payments until the position expired or matured. These requirements might impair the Funds ability to sell a portfolio security or make an investment at a time when
it would otherwise be favorable to do so, or require that the Fund sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time.
Counterparty
risk. Certain derivatives involve the risk of loss resulting from the actual or potential insolvency or bankruptcy of the counterparty or the failure by the counterparty to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the
contract. In the event of default by a counterparty, the Fund may have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction, which may be limited by applicable law in the case of the counterpartys bankruptcy. The Fund may
not be able to recover amounts owed to it by an insolvent counterparty.
Operational risk. There may be incomplete or erroneous
documentation or inadequate collateral or margin, or transactions may fail to settle. The Fund may have only contractual remedies in the event of a counterparty default, and there may be delays, costs or disagreements as to the meaning of
contractual terms and litigation in enforcing those remedies.
9
Uncleared OTC risk. Uncleared OTC derivative transactions, such as options, swaps,
forward contracts, and options on foreign currencies, are entered into directly with counterparties or financial institutions acting as market makers, rather than being traded on exchanges or other trading platforms. Because uncleared OTC
derivatives and other transactions are traded between counterparties based on contractual relationships, the Fund is subject to the credit risk of the counterparty rather than that of the clearinghouse and clearing broker. Although the Fund intends
to enter into such transactions only with counterparties which the Fund believes to be creditworthy, there can be no assurance that a counterparty will not default and that the Fund will not sustain a loss on a transaction as a result. Information
available on counterparty creditworthiness may be incomplete or outdated, thus reducing the ability to anticipate counterparty defaults. The Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under an uncleared OTC derivative in the
event of the default or bankruptcy of the counterparty. To the extent a counterpartys obligations are not fully secured by collateral, then the Fund is essentially an unsecured creditor of the counterparty. If the counterparty defaults, the
Fund will have contractual remedies, but there is no assurance that a counterparty will be able to meet its obligations pursuant to such contracts or that, in the event of default, the Fund will succeed in enforcing contractual remedies.
Counterparty credit risk still exists even if a counterpartys obligations are secured by collateral because the Funds interest in collateral may not be perfected or additional collateral may not be promptly posted as required.
Counterparty credit risk also may be more pronounced if a counterpartys obligations exceed the amount of collateral held by the Fund (if any), the Fund is unable to exercise its interest in collateral upon default by the counterparty, or if
the termination value of the instrument varies significantly from the marked-to-market value of the instrument.
Non-U.S. derivatives risk. Derivative transactions may be conducted OTC
outside of the United States or traded on foreign exchanges or other trading platforms. Such transactions may not be regulated as effectively as similar transactions in the United States, may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees
and are subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the price of, foreign securities or currencies. The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by (1) other foreign political, legal and economic
factors, (2) lesser availability than in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions, (3) delays in the Funds ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets
during non-business hours in the United States, (4) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms, procedures, margin requirements, fees, taxes or other charges than in the United
States and (5) lower levels of volume and liquidity relative to United States derivatives markets.
Currency derivatives risk.
Currency related transactions may be negatively affected by government exchange controls, blockages, and manipulations. Exchange rates may be influenced by factors extrinsic to a countrys economy. Also, there is no systematic reporting of last
sale information with respect to foreign currencies. As a result, the information on which trading in currency derivatives is based may not be as complete as, and may be delayed beyond, comparable data for other types of transactions.
Turnover risk. Use of derivatives involves transaction costs, which may be significant. The Fund may be required to sell or purchase
investments in connection with derivative transactions, potentially increasing the Funds portfolio turnover rate and transaction costs. Use of derivatives also may increase the amount of taxable income to shareholders.
Risks Associated with Hedging with Derivatives. Derivative linked hedging strategies may fail to achieve their intended objectives,
which may reduce the Funds return. Successful use of derivatives to hedge positions depends on the correlation between the price of the derivative and the price of the hedged asset. Derivatives hedging involves basis risk, or the
risk that changes in the value of the derivative transaction will correlate imperfectly with changes in value of the hedged asset.
For
example, the Fund may attempt to protect against declines in the value of the Funds portfolio assets by entering into a variety of derivatives transactions, including selling futures contracts, entering into swaps or purchasing puts on indices
or futures contracts (short hedging). To the extent the short hedge derivative transaction fails to perfectly offset declines in the value of hedged Fund assets, the value of the Funds assets would decline, and the short hedge would not hedge
or mitigate the loss in the value of the assets.
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If the Fund has used derivatives to hedge or otherwise reduce the Funds risk exposure to a
particular position and then disposes of that position at a time at which it cannot also settle, terminate or close out the corresponding hedge position, this may create net short investment exposure. Certain short derivative positions
involve investment leverage, and the amount of the Funds potential loss is theoretically unlimited.
The Fund can use derivative
instruments to establish a position in the market as a temporary substitute for the purchase of individual securities or other assets (long hedging) by buying futures contracts and/or calls on such futures contracts, indices or on securities or
other assets, or entering into swaps. It is possible that when the Fund does so the market might decline. If the Fund then decides not to invest in the assets because of concerns that the market might decline further or for other reasons, the Fund
will realize a loss on the hedge position that is not offset by a reduction in the price of the asset the Fund had intended to purchase.
Risk of Government Regulation of Derivatives. The regulation of derivatives transactions and funds that engage in such transactions is
an evolving area of law and is subject to modification by government and judicial action. It is impossible to fully predict the effects of new and existing legislation and regulation, but the effects could be substantial and adverse. Additional
regulation could, among other things, make derivatives more costly, limit their availability or utility, otherwise adversely affect their performance or disrupt markets. Such regulation may limit or prevent the Fund from using derivatives as part of
its investment strategy and could ultimately prevent the Fund from being able to achieve its investment goals. Limitations or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which the Fund engages in derivative transactions could also prevent the
Fund from using derivatives, adversely affect pricing or other factors relating to derivatives or adversely affect the availability of certain investments.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Dodd-Frank Act) has mandated broad changes to the OTC
derivatives market and granted significant authority to the SEC and the CFTC to regulate OTC derivatives markets. Pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act and related regulations, OTC derivatives transactions are subject to comprehensive regulation, including
mandatory clearing, margin and reporting requirements, among others. Similar regulations are being adopted in other jurisdictions around the world. While the new rules and regulations are designed to reduce systemic risk (i.e., the risk that the
interdependence of large derivatives dealers could cause them to suffer liquidity, solvency or other challenges simultaneously), there is no assurance that they will achieve that result, and the ultimate impact of the regulations remains unclear.
Additional regulation of derivatives may make derivatives more costly, limit their availability or utility, otherwise adversely affect their performance or disrupt markets.
Additionally, new regulations may result in increased uncertainty about counterparty risk and may limit the flexibility of the Fund to protect
its interests in the event of an insolvency of a derivatives counterparty. In the event of a counterpartys (or its affiliates) insolvency, the Funds ability to exercise remedies, such as the termination of transactions, netting of
obligations and realization on collateral, could be stayed or eliminated under the rules of the applicable exchange or clearing corporation or under new special resolution regimes adopted in the United States, the European Union and various other
jurisdictions. Such regimes provide government authorities with broad authority to intervene when a financial institution is experiencing financial difficulty. In particular, with respect to counterparties who are subject to such proceedings in the
European Union, the liabilities of such counterparties to the Fund could be reduced, eliminated, or converted to equity in such counterparties (sometimes referred to as a bail in).
Cover. The Funds use of derivatives may create financial obligations to third parties which if not covered could be construed as
senior securities (as defined in the 1940 Act). To the extent that the Fund determined that such obligations may be deemed to create senior securities, the Fund intends to segregate or earmark liquid assets or otherwise
cover such obligations. The Fund may cover such obligations using methods that are currently or in the future permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or orders issued by the SEC thereunder and to the extent
deemed appropriate by the Fund, interpretations and guidance of the SEC staff.
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The Fund segregates with its custodian or otherwise earmarks cash, cash equivalents or liquid
assets in an amount the Fund believes to be adequate to ensure that it has sufficient liquid assets to meet its obligations under its derivatives contracts, or the Fund may engage in other measures to cover its obligations with respect
to such transactions. The amounts that are segregated or earmarked may be based on the derivatives notional value or on the
daily mark-to-market obligation under the derivatives contract and may be reduced by amounts on deposit with the applicable broker or counterparty to the
derivatives transaction. The Fund may segregate or earmark amounts in addition to the amounts described above. For example, if the Fund writes a physically settled put option, it may segregate or earmark liquid assets equal to the exercise price of
the option, less margin on deposit, or hold the underlying instrument directly; if the Fund writes a cash settled put option, it may segregate or earmark liquid assets equal to the amount the option is in the money (meaning the difference between
the exercise price of the option and the current market price of the underlying instrument, when the exercise price of the option is higher than the market price of the underlying instrument), marked to market on a daily basis, less margin on
deposit. Alternatively, the Fund may, in certain circumstances, enter into an offsetting position rather than segregating or designating liquid assets (e.g., the Fund may cover a written put option with a purchased put option with the same or higher
exercise price or cover a written call option with a purchased call option with the same or lower exercise price).
Effective
August 19, 2022, the Fund began operating under Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act which, among other things, governs the use of derivative investments and certain financing transactions (e.g., reverse
repurchase agreements) by registered investment companies. Among other things, Rule 18f-4 requires funds that invest in derivative instruments beyond a specified limited amount to apply a VaR based limit to
their use of certain derivative instruments and financing transactions and to adopt and implement a derivatives risk management program. Compliance with Rule 18f-4 by the Fund could, among other things, make
derivatives more costly, limit their availability or utility, or otherwise adversely affect their performance. Rule 18f-4 may limit the Funds ability to use derivatives as part of its investment
strategy.
Foreign Currency Instruments and Hedging Strategies
The Fund may use options and futures contracts on foreign currencies and forward currency contracts and currency swap agreements (collectively,
Currency Instruments), in order to seek to hedge against movements in the values of the foreign currencies in which the Funds securities are denominated or in order to seek to enhance the Funds return or yield. The Fund may
also use such investments in order to seek to establish a short position or to obtain exposure to a market that would be more costly or difficult to access with other types of investments, such as bonds or currency. The Fund may also engage in
foreign currency transactions on a spot (cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market at the time of the transaction. The Fund may determine not to hedge, and the Fund may be completely unhedged at any point in time. In cases
when a particular currency is difficult to hedge or difficult to hedge against the U.S. dollar, the Fund may seek to hedge against price movements in that currency by entering into transactions using Currency Instruments on another currency or a
basket of currencies, the value of which the portfolio manager believes will have a high degree of positive correlation to the value of the currency being hedged. The risk that movements in the price of the Currency Instrument will not correlate
perfectly with movements in the price of the currency subject to the hedging transaction is magnified when this strategy is used.
Currency Instruments Risks. In addition to the risks found under DerivativesRisks of Derivatives Generally, Currency
Instruments are subject to the following risks:
The value of Currency Instruments depends on the value of the underlying foreign currency
relative to the U.S. dollar. Because foreign currency transactions occurring in the interbank market might involve substantially larger amounts than those involved in the Funds use of such Currency Instruments, the Fund could be disadvantaged
by having to deal in the odd lot market (generally consisting of transactions of less than $1 million) for the underlying foreign currencies at prices that are less favorable than for round lots. There is no systematic reporting of last sale
information for foreign currencies or any regulatory requirement that quotations available through dealers or other
12
market sources be firm or revised on a timely basis. Quotation information generally is representative of very large transactions in the interbank market and thus might not reflect odd-lot transactions where rates might be less favorable. The interbank market in foreign currencies is a
global, round-the-clock market. To the extent the U.S. options or futures markets are closed while the markets for the underlying currencies remain open,
significant price and rate movements might take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the U.S. markets for the Currency Instruments until they reopen.
Settlement of hedging transactions involving foreign currencies might be required to take place within the country issuing the underlying
currency. Thus, the Fund might be required to accept or make delivery of the underlying foreign currency in accordance with any U.S. or foreign regulations regarding the maintenance of foreign banking arrangements by U.S. residents and might be
required to pay any fees, taxes and charges associated with such delivery assessed in the issuing country.
Forward Currency Contracts
The Fund may enter into forward currency contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars or another
currency at a future date and at a price set by the parties to the forward currency contract. Forward currency contracts are traded directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers (such as the Fund).
The Fund may purchase a forward currency contract to lock in the U.S. dollar price of a security denominated in a foreign currency that the
Fund intends to acquire (a long hedge). The Fund may sell a forward currency contract to lock in the U.S. dollar equivalent of the proceeds from the anticipated sale of a security, dividend or interest payment denominated in a foreign currency (a
short hedge). A position hedge is when the Fund owns a security denominated in, for example, euros and to protect against a possible decline in the euros value, the Fund enters into a forward currency contract to sell euros in
return for U.S. dollars. A position hedge tends to offset both positive and negative currency fluctuations but would not offset changes in security values caused by other factors. A proxy hedge is when the Fund owns a
security denominated in, for example, euros and to protect against a possible decline in the euros value, the Fund enters into a forward currency contract to sell a currency expected to perform similarly to the euro in return for U.S. dollars.
A proxy hedge could offer advantages in terms of cost, yield or efficiency, but generally would not hedge currency exposure as effectively as a position hedge to the extent the proxy currency does not perform similarly to the targeted
currency. The Fund could, in fact, lose money on both legs of the hedge, i.e., between the euro and proxy currency, and between the proxy currency and the dollar. The Fund also may use forward currency contracts to attempt to enhance return or
yield. The Fund could use forward currency contracts to increase its exposure to foreign currencies that the portfolio manager believes might rise in value relative to the U.S. dollar, or shift its exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one
country to another. For example, if the Funds portfolio manager believes that the U.S. dollar will increase in value relative to the euro, the Fund could write a forward contract to buy U.S. dollars in three months at the current price in
order to sell those U.S. dollars for a profit if the U.S. dollar does in fact appreciate in value relative to the euro. The cost to the Fund of engaging in forward currency contracts varies with factors such as the currency involved, the length of
the contract period and the market conditions then prevailing. Because forward currency contracts are usually entered into on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved. When the Fund enters into a forward currency contract, it relies on
the counterparty to make or take delivery of the underlying currency at the maturity of the contract. Failure by the counterparty to do so would result in the loss of any expected benefit of the transaction.
The precise matching of forward currency contract amounts, and the value of the securities involved generally will not be possible because the
value of such securities, measured in the foreign currency, will change after the forward currency contract has been established. Thus, the Fund may need to purchase or sell foreign currencies in the spot (i.e., cash) market to the extent
such foreign currencies are not covered by forward currency contracts. The projection of short-term currency market movements is extremely difficult, and the successful execution of a short-term hedging strategy is highly uncertain.
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Successful use of forward currency contracts depends on the portfolio managers skill in
analyzing and predicting currency values, among other factors. Forward currency contracts may substantially change the Funds exposure to changes in currency exchange rates and could result in losses to the Fund if currencies do not perform as
the portfolio manager anticipates. There is no assurance that the portfolio managers use of forward currency contracts will be advantageous to the Fund or that the portfolio manager will hedge at an appropriate time.
Non-deliverable Forwards. The consummation of a deliverable foreign exchange
forward requires the actual exchange of the principal amounts of the two currencies in the contract (i.e., settlement on a physical basis). Forward currency contracts in which the Fund may engage also
include non-deliverable forwards (NDFs). NDFs are cash-settled, short-term forward contracts on foreign currencies (each a Reference Currency) that are non-convertible and that may be thinly traded or illiquid. NDFs involve an obligation to pay an amount equal to the difference between the prevailing market exchange rate for the Reference Currency and
the agreed upon exchange rate, with respect to an agreed notional amount. NDFs are subject to many of the risks associated with derivatives in general and forward currency transactions, including risks associated with fluctuations in foreign
currency and the risk that the counterparty will fail to fulfill its obligations.
Under the Dodd-Frank Act, NDFs are classified as
swaps and are therefore subject to the full panoply of CFTC swap regulations under the Dodd-Frank Act. Although NDFs have historically been traded OTC, in the future, pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, they may be subject to mandatory
clearing. For more information on central clearing and trading of cleared swaps, see Swaps below. Non-centrally-cleared NDFs are subject to mandatory minimum margin requirements for
uncleared swaps. Deliverable foreign exchange forwards that solely involve the exchange of two different currencies on a specific future date at a fixed rate agreed upon by the parties are not considered swaps and accordingly are not
subject to many of the regulations that apply to NDFs.
Futures Contracts and Options on Future Contracts
Generally, a futures contract is an exchange-traded, standardized agreement that obligates the seller of the contract to deliver a specified
quantity of an underlying instrument, such as a security, currency or commodity, to the purchaser of the contract, who has the obligation to take delivery of the underlying instrument, at a specified price and date. In the case of futures on
indices, the two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the level of the index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the contract originally was written.
Options on futures give the purchaser the right to assume a position in a futures contract at the specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option.
Futures contracts, by their terms, have stated expirations and, at a specified point in time prior to expiration, trading in a futures
contract for the current delivery month will cease. As a result, an investor wishing to maintain exposure to a futures contract with the nearest expiration must close out the position in the expiring contract and establish a new position in the
contract for the next delivery month, a process referred to as rolling. The process of rolling a futures contract can be profitable or unprofitable depending in large part on whether the futures price for the subsequent delivery month is
less than or more than the price of the expiring contract.
Futures contracts may be used for hedging
and non-hedging purposes, such as to simulate full investment in the underlying instrument while retaining a cash balance for portfolio management purposes, as a substitute for direct investment in
the underlying instrument, to facilitate trading, to reduce transaction costs, or to seek higher investment returns (e.g., when a futures contract or option is priced more attractively than the underlying instrument). In addition, futures strategies
can be used to manage the average duration of the Funds fixed income portfolio, if applicable. The Fund may sell a debt futures contract or a call option thereon or purchase a put option on that futures contract to attempt to shorten the
portfolios average duration. Alternatively, the Fund may buy a debt futures contract or a call option thereon or sell a put option thereon to attempt to lengthen the portfolios average duration.
At the inception of a futures contract the Fund is required to deposit initial margin with a futures commission merchant
(FCM) in an amount at least equal to the amount designated by the futures exchange.
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Margin must also be deposited when writing a call or put option on a futures contract, in accordance with applicable exchange rules. Unlike margin in securities transactions, initial margin on
futures contracts does not represent a borrowing, but rather is in the nature of a performance bond or good-faith deposit that is required to be returned to the Fund at the termination of the transaction if all contractual obligations have been
satisfied. Under certain circumstances, such as periods of high volatility, the Fund may be required by an exchange to increase the level of its initial margin payment, and initial margin requirements might be increased generally in the future by
regulatory action.
In addition to initial margin payments, during the life of the transaction variation margin or
settlement variation payments are made to and from the FCM as the value of the margin and the underlying derivative transaction varies, a process known
as marking-to-market. Variation margin is intended to represent a daily settlement of the Funds obligations to or from an FCM. When the Fund
purchases an option on a futures contract, the premium paid plus transaction costs is all that is at risk. However, there may be circumstances when the purchase of an option on a futures contract would result in a loss to the Fund when the use of a
futures contract would not, such as when there is no movement in the value of the assets or currencies being hedged. In that case, the Fund would lose the premium it paid for the option plus transaction costs. In contrast, when the Fund purchases or
sells a futures contract or writes a call or put option thereon, it is subject to daily variation margin calls that could be substantial in the event of adverse price movements. If the Fund has insufficient cash to meet daily variation margin
requirements, it might need to sell securities at a time when such sales are disadvantageous.
Although some futures and options on
futures call for making or taking delivery of the underlying instrument, generally those contracts are closed out prior to delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures or options (involving the same instrument and delivery month).
If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the Fund realizes a gain, or if it is more, the Fund realizes a loss. If an offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a gain, or if it is
less, the Fund realizes a loss. The Fund will also bear transaction costs for each contract, which will be included in these calculations. Positions in futures and options on futures may be closed only on an exchange or board of trade that provides
a secondary market. However, there can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for a particular contract at a particular time. In such event, it may not be possible to close a futures contract or options position.
Under certain circumstances, futures exchanges may establish daily limits on the amount that the price of a futures contract or an option on a
futures contract can vary from the previous days settlement price; once that limit is reached, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond the limit. Daily price limits do not limit potential losses because prices could move to the daily
limit for several consecutive days with little or no trading, thereby preventing liquidation of unfavorable positions. If the Fund were unable to liquidate a futures contract or an option on a futures position due to the absence of a liquid
secondary market, the imposition of price limits or otherwise, it could incur substantial losses. The Fund would continue to be subject to market risk with respect to the position. In addition, except in the case of purchased options, the Fund would
continue to be required to make daily variation margin payments and might be required to maintain the position being hedged by the future or option or to segregate cash or securities (or designate these assets on its books as segregated).
Among other factors, successful use of futures contracts and related options depends upon the ability of the portfolio manager to assess
movements in the direction of prices of securities, commodities, measures of value, or interest or exchange rates, which requires different skills and techniques than assessing the value of individual securities. Moreover, futures contracts relate
not to the current price level of the underlying instrument, but to the anticipated price level at some point in the future; accordingly trading of stock index futures may not reflect the trading of the securities that are used to formulate the
index or even actual fluctuations in the index itself. There is, in addition, the risk that movements in the price of the futures contract will not correlate with the movements in the prices of the securities being hedged. Price distortions in the
marketplace, resulting from increased participation by speculators in the futures market (among other things), may also impair the correlation between movements in the prices of futures contracts and movements in the prices of the hedged securities.
If the price of
15
the futures contract moves less than the price of securities that are the subject of the hedge, the hedge will not be fully effective; but if the price of the securities being hedged has moved in
an unfavorable direction, the Fund would be in a better position than if it had not hedged at all. If the price of the securities being hedged has moved in a favorable direction, this advantage may be partially offset by losses on the futures
position.
Positions in futures contracts may be closed out only on an exchange or board of trade that provides a market for such futures
contracts. Although the Fund intends to purchase and sell futures only on exchanges or boards of trade where there appears to be a liquid market, there is no assurance that such a market will exist for any particular contract at any particular time.
In such event, it may not be possible to close a futures position and, in the event of adverse price movements, the Fund would continue to be required to make variation margin payments. Options have a limited life and thus can be disposed of only
within a specific time period.
Purchasers of options on futures contracts pay a premium in cash at the time of purchase which, in the
event of adverse price movements, could be lost. Sellers of options on futures contracts must post initial margin and are subject to additional margin calls that could be substantial in the event of adverse price movements. Because of the low margin
deposits required, futures trading involves a high degree of leverage; as a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss, or gain, to the Fund. In addition, the Funds activities
in the futures markets may result in a higher portfolio turnover rate and additional transaction costs in the form of added brokerage commissions. In addition, applicable position limits may affect the hedging and investment activities of
participants in derivatives markets and in the markets for the assets underlying such derivatives contracts, which could reduce the liquidity and adversely affect the pricing of derivatives contracts impacted by such position limits, thereby
adversely affecting the performance of the Fund.
As noted above, exchanges may impose limits on the amount by which the price of a
futures contract or related option is permitted to change in a single day. If the price of a contract moves to the limit for several consecutive days, the Fund may be unable during that time to close its position in that contract and may have to
continue making payments of variation margin. The Fund may also be unable to dispose of securities or other instruments being used as cover during such a period. The CFTC and domestic exchanges have also established speculative position
limits on the maximum speculative position that any person, or group of persons acting in concert, may hold or control in particular contracts and certain related swaps. Under current regulations, other accounts managed by the Manager or, if
applicable, the subadviser are combined with the positions held by the Fund under the Managers or, if applicable, the subadvisers management for position limit purposes. This trading could preclude additional trading by the Fund in such
contracts.
When the Fund engages in futures transactions, it will also be exposed to the credit risk of its FCM. If the Funds FCM
becomes bankrupt or insolvent, or otherwise defaults on its obligations to the Fund, the Fund may not receive all amounts owed to it in respect of its trading, even if the clearinghouse fully discharges all of its obligations. If an FCM were not to
appropriately segregate client assets to the full extent required by the CEA, the Fund might not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of an FCM. In the event of an FCMs bankruptcy, the Fund would be limited to recovering only a
pro rata share of all available funds segregated on behalf of an FCMs combined customer accounts, even if certain property held by an FCM is specifically traceable to the Fund (for example, U.S. Treasury bills deposited by the Fund). Such
situations could arise due to various factors, or a combination of factors, including inadequate FCM capitalization, inadequate controls on customer trading and inadequate customer capital. In addition, in the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency
of a clearinghouse, the Fund might experience a loss of funds deposited through its FCM as margin with the clearinghouse, a loss of unrealized profits on its open positions and the loss of funds owed to it as realized profits on closed positions.
Such a bankruptcy or insolvency might also cause a substantial delay before the Fund could obtain the return of funds owed to it by an FCM who is a member of such clearinghouse.
Options
A call option gives the
purchaser the right to buy, and obligates the writer to sell, a specified amount or value of a particular underlying asset or interest (such as a specified security, commodity, currency, interest rate, currency
16
exchange rate or index) at an agreed-upon price (strike price). A put option gives the purchaser the right to sell, and obligates the writer to buy, a specified amount or value of a
particular underlying asset or interest at an agreed-upon price. An American-style option may be exercised at any time during the term of the option, while a European-style option may be exercised only at the expiration of the option. Purchasers of
options pay an amount, known as a premium, to the option writer in exchange for the right granted under the option contract.
The value of
an option position will reflect, among other things, the current market value of the underlying instrument, the time remaining until expiration, the relationship of the strike price to the market price of the underlying instrument, the historical
price volatility of the underlying instrument and general market conditions. If the purchaser does not exercise the option, it will expire and the purchaser will have only lost the premium paid. If a secondary market exists, a purchaser or the
writer may terminate a put option position prior to its exercise by selling it in the secondary market at its current price. The Fund will pay a brokerage commission each time it buys or sells an option. Such commissions may be higher than those
that would apply to direct purchases or sales of the underlying instrument.
Exchange-traded options in the United States are issued by a
clearing organization affiliated with the exchange on which the option is listed and are standardized with respect to the underlying instrument, expiration date, contract size and strike price. In contrast, OTC options (options not traded on
exchanges) are contracts between the Fund and a counterparty (usually a securities dealer or a bank) with no clearing organization guarantee. The terms of OTC options generally are established through negotiation with the other party to the option
contract (the counterparty). For a discussion on options on futures see Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts.
Put Options. In return for receipt of the premium, the writer of a put option assumes the obligation to pay the strike price for the
options underlying instrument if the buyer exercises the option. A put writer would generally expect to profit, although its gain would be limited to the amount of the premium it received, if the underlying instruments price remains
greater than or equal to the strike price. If the underlying instruments price falls below the strike price, the put writer would expect to suffer a loss. The buyer of a put option can expect to realize a gain if the underlying
instruments price falls enough to offset the cost of purchasing the option. Any losses suffered by the buyer would be limited to the amount of the premium plus related transaction costs.
Optional delivery standby commitments are a type of put that gives the buyer of an underlying instrument the right to sell the underlying
instrument back to the seller on specified terms to induce a purchase of the underlying instrument.
Call Options. In return for
the receipt of the premium, the writer of a call option assumes the obligation to sell the underlying instrument at the strike price to the buyer upon exercise of the option. A call writer would generally expect to profit, although its gain would be
limited to the amount of the premium it received, if the option goes unexercised, which typically occurs when the underlying instruments price remains less than or equal to the strike price. If the underlying instruments prices were to
rise above the strike price, the writer of the call option would generally expect to suffer a loss, which is theoretically unlimited. A call buyers maximum loss is the premium paid for the call option, whereas the buyers maximum profit
is theoretically unlimited.
Straddles. A long straddle is the purchase of a call and a put option with the same expiration date
and relating to the same underlying instrument where the strike price of the put is less than or equal to the strike price of the call. The Fund may enter into a long straddle when its portfolio manager believes that the underlying instruments
price will move significantly during the term of the options. A short straddle is a combination of a call and a put written on the same underlying instrument with the same expiration date where the strike price of the put is less than or equal to
the strike price of the call. In a covered short straddle, the underlying instrument is considered cover for both the put and the call that the Fund has written. The Fund may enter into a short straddle when the portfolio manager believes that it is
unlikely that underlying instruments prices will experience volatility during the term of the options.
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Options on Indices. Puts and calls on indices are similar to puts and calls on other
underlying instruments except that all settlements are in cash and gains or losses depend on changes in the level of the index rather than on price movements of individual underlying instruments. The writer of a call on an index receives a premium
and the obligation to pay the purchaser an amount of cash equal to the difference between the closing level of the index and the strike price times a specified multiple (multiplier), if the closing level of the index is greater than the
strike price of the call. The writer of a put on an index receives a premium and the obligation to deliver to the buyer an amount of cash equal to the difference between the closing level of the index and strike price times the multiplier if the
closing level is less than the strike price.
Options on Indices Risk. The risks of investment in options on indices may be greater
than options on securities and other instruments. Because index options are settled in cash, when the Fund writes a call on an index it generally cannot provide in advance for other underlying instruments because it may not be practical for the call
writer to hedge its potential settlement obligations by acquiring and holding the underlying securities. The Fund can offset some of the risk of writing a call index option by holding a diversified portfolio of securities similar to those on which
the underlying index is based. However, the Fund cannot, as a practical matter, acquire and hold a portfolio containing exactly the same securities as underlie the index and, as a result, bears a risk that the value of the securities held will vary
from the value of the index.
If the Fund exercises an index option before the closing index value for that day is available, there is the
risk that the level of the underlying index may subsequently change. If such a change causes the exercised option to
fall out-of-the-money, the Fund will be required to pay the difference between the closing index value and the strike
price of the option (times the applicable multiplier) to the assigned writer.
Timing Risk. The hours of trading for options may
not conform to the hours during which the underlying instrument are traded. To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying instrument, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets
that cannot be reflected in the options markets. Options are marked to market daily and their value will be affected by changes in the value of the underlying instrument, changes in the dividend rates of the underlying securities, an increase in
interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the stock market and the underlying instrument and the remaining time to the options expiration. Additionally, the exercise price of an option may be adjusted downward before the
options expiration as a result of the occurrence of certain corporate or other events affecting the underlying instrument, such as extraordinary dividends, stock splits, merger or other extraordinary distributions or events. A reduction in the
exercise price of an option would reduce the Funds capital appreciation potential on an underlying instrument.
Swaps
Generally, a swap agreement involves the exchange between two parties of their respective commitments to pay or receive cash flows, e.g., an
exchange of floating rate payments for fixed-rate payments. Swaps may be negotiated bilaterally and traded OTC (OTC swaps) or, for certain types of swaps, must be executed through a centralized exchange or trading platform and be cleared through a
regulated clearinghouse (cleared swaps). Swaps include but are not limited to, interest rate swaps, total return swaps, index swaps, inflation indexed swaps, currency swaps, credit default swaps and options on swaps or swaptions.
OTC swap agreements can be individually negotiated and structured to include exposure to a variety of different types of investments (such as
individual securities, baskets of securities and securities indices) or market factors. The swap returns are generally calculated with respect to a notional amount, that is, the nominal or face amount used to calculate the payments to be made
between the parties to the OTC swap.
The Fund may enter into one or more swap agreements for hedging
or non-hedging purposes, including but not limited to, to enhance returns, increase liquidity, protect against currency and security price fluctuations, manage duration and gain exposure to certain
markets or securities in a more cost-efficient manner.
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When the Fund enters into a swap agreement on a net basis, the net amount of the excess, if any,
of the Funds obligations over its entitlements with respect to each swap will be accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash, cash equivalent or liquid assets having an aggregate market value at least equal to the accrued excess will be
segregated in an account with the Funds custodian that satisfies the requirements of the 1940 Act. The Fund will take similar action with respect to its total obligations under any swaps that are not entered into on a net basis and with
respect to any caps or floors that are written by the Fund.
Depending on their structure, swap agreements may increase or decrease the
overall volatility of the Funds investments and its share price and yield and may affect the Funds exposure to long- or short-term interest rates (in the United States or abroad), foreign currency values, mortgage-backed security values,
corporate borrowing rates or other market factors such as security prices or inflation rates.
Swap agreements used for hedging purposes
may shift the Funds investment exposure from one type of investment to another. For example, if the Fund agrees to exchange payments in U.S. dollars for payments in foreign currency, the swap agreement would tend to decrease the Funds
exposure to U.S. interest rates and increase its exposure to foreign currency and interest rates.
The absence of a central exchange or
market for swap transactions may lead, in some instances, to difficulties in trading and valuation, especially in the event of market disruptions.
Cleared Swaps. Recent legislation and implementing regulations require certain swaps to be cleared through a regulated clearinghouse.
Although this clearing mechanism is generally intended to reduce counterparty credit risk, it may disrupt or limit the swap market and may result in swaps being more difficult to trade or value. As swaps become more standardized, the Fund may not be
able to enter into swaps that meet its investment needs. The Fund also may not be able to find a clearinghouse willing to accept a swap for clearing. In the context of a cleared swap, a clearing broker will act as intermediary on behalf of the fund,
and a central clearing organization will be the counterparty to the transaction. The Fund will assume the risk that the clearing broker or clearing organization may be unable to perform its obligations.
When the Fund enters into a cleared swap transaction, the Fund is subject to the credit and counterparty risk of the clearing house and the
clearing broker through which it holds its cleared position. Counterparty risk of market participants with respect to centrally cleared swaps is concentrated in a few clearing houses, and it is not clear how an insolvency proceeding of a clearing
house would be conducted and what impact an insolvency of a clearing house would have on the financial system. A clearing broker is obligated by contract and by applicable law and regulation to segregate all funds received from customers with
respect to cleared derivatives transactions from the clearing members proprietary assets. However, all funds and other property received by a clearing broker from its customers generally are held by the clearing broker on a commingled basis in
an omnibus account, and the clearing member may invest those funds in certain instruments permitted under the applicable regulations. The assets of the Fund might not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy or default of the Funds
clearing member, because the Fund would be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds segregated on behalf of the clearing brokers customers for a relevant account class. In addition, the clearing member is required to
transfer to the clearing organization the amount of margin required by the clearing organization, which amounts generally are held in an omnibus account at the clearing organization for all customers of the clearing broker. Regulations promulgated
by the CFTC require that the clearing broker notify the clearing house of the amount of initial margin provided by the clearing broker to the clearing organization that is attributable to each customers cleared swaps positions. However, if the
clearing broker does not provide accurate reporting, the Fund is subject to the risk that a clearing organization will use the Funds assets held in an omnibus account at the clearing organization to satisfy payment obligations of a defaulting
customer of the clearing broker to the clearing organization. In addition, clearing brokers generally provide to the clearing organization the net amount of variation margin required for cleared swaps for all of its customers in the aggregate,
rather than the gross amount of each customer. The Fund is therefore subject to the risk that a clearing organization will not make variation margin payments owed to the Fund if another customer of the clearing
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broker has suffered a loss and is in default, and the risk that the Fund will be required to provide additional variation margin to the clearing house before the clearing house will move the
Funds cleared derivatives transactions to another clearing broker. In addition, if a clearing broker does not comply with the applicable regulations or its agreement with the Fund, or in the event of fraud or misappropriation of customer
assets by a clearing member, the Fund could have only an unsecured creditor claim in an insolvency of the clearing broker with respect to the margin held by the clearing broker.
In some ways, centrally cleared swaps arrangements are less favorable to the Fund than OTC swaps arrangements. For example, the Fund may be
required to provide greater amounts of margin for cleared swaps than for OTC swaps. In addition, in contrast to OTC swaps, following a period of notice to the Fund, a clearing broker generally can require termination or transfer of existing cleared
swaps at any time or increase applicable margin requirements above the margin that the clearing member broker previously required. Clearing houses also have broad rights to increase margin requirements for existing transactions or to terminate
transactions at any time. Any increase in margin requirements or termination by the clearing member or the clearing house could interfere with the ability of the Fund to pursue its investment strategy. Further, any increase in margin requirements by
a clearing broker could also expose the Fund to greater credit risk of its clearing broker, because margin for cleared swaps in excess of clearing house margin requirements typically is held by the clearing broker. While the documentation in place
between the Fund and its clearing brokers generally provides that the clearing broker will accept for clearing all transactions submitted for clearing that are within credit limits (specified in advance) for the Fund, the Fund is still subject to
the risk that no clearing member and clearing house will be willing or able to clear a transaction. In those cases, the transaction might have to be terminated, and the Fund could lose some or all of the benefit of the transaction, including loss of
an increase in the value of the transaction and/or loss of hedging protection offered by the transaction. In addition, the documentation governing the relationship between the Fund and its clearing brokers is developed by the clearing brokers and
generally is less favorable to the Fund than typical uncleared swap documentation. For example, this documentation generally includes a one-way indemnity by the Fund in favor of the clearing member,
indemnifying the clearing broker against losses it incurs in connection with acting as the Funds clearing broker, and the documentation typically does not give the Fund any rights to exercise remedies if the clearing broker defaults or becomes
insolvent.
Some types of cleared swaps are required to be executed on an exchange or on a swap execution facility (SEF). A
SEF is a trading platform where multiple market participants can execute swaps by accepting bids and offers made by multiple other participants in the platform. While this execution requirement is designed to increase transparency and liquidity in
the cleared swap market, trading on a SEF can create additional costs and risks for the Fund. For example, SEFs typically charge fees, and if the Fund executes swaps on a SEF through a broker intermediary, the intermediary may impose fees as well.
In addition, the Fund may be obligated to a SEF, or a broker intermediary who executes cleared swaps on a SEF on the Funds behalf, against any losses or costs that may be incurred as a result of the Funds transactions on the SEF.
The Fund may enter into swap transactions with certain counterparties pursuant to master netting agreements. A master netting agreement
provides that all swaps entered into between the Fund and that counterparty shall be regarded as parts of an integral agreement. If amounts are payable on a particular date in the same currency in respect of more than one swap transaction, the
amount payable shall be the net amount. In addition, the master netting agreement may provide that if one party defaults generally or on any swap, the counterparty can terminate all outstanding swaps with that party. As a result, to the extent the
Fund enters into master netting agreements with a counterparty, the Fund may be required to terminate a greater number of swap agreements than if it had not entered into such an agreement in the event of a counterparty default, which may result in
losses to the Fund.
Interest Rate Swaps, Caps and Floors. Interest rate swaps are agreements between two parties to exchange
interest rate payment obligations. Typically, one partys obligation is based on a fixed interest rate while the other partys obligation is based on an interest rate that fluctuates with changes in a designated benchmark. An
20
interest rate cap transaction entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index exceeds a predetermined value, to receive payments on a notional amount from the party selling the cap.
An interest rate floor transaction entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index falls below a predetermined value, to receive payments on a notional amount from the party selling the floor. A collar combines elements of buying a cap
and a floor. Caps and floors have an effect similar to buying or writing options. Caps and floors typically have lower liquidity than swaps.
Options on Swaps (Swaptions). A swaption is a contract that gives the counterparty the right, but not the obligation to
enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. The Fund may write (sell) and purchase put and call swaptions. Swaptions are generally
subject to the same risks involved in the use of options and swaps. Depending on the terms of the option agreement, the Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swaption than it will incur when it purchases a swaption.
When the Fund purchases a swaption, only the amount of premium the Fund paid is at risk should the option expire unexercised. However, when a Fund writes a swaption, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms
of the underlying agreement, which may result in losses to the Fund in excess of the premium it received.
Credit Default Swaps and
Related Investments. The Fund may enter into credit default swap contracts for investment purposes and to add leverage to its investment portfolio. In these transactions, the Fund is generally required to pay the par (or other agreed-upon) value
of a referenced debt obligation to the counterparty in the event of a default on, restructuring or downgrade of the debt obligation and/or a similar credit event. In return, the Fund would receive from the counterparty a periodic stream of payments
over the term of the contract provided that no credit event has occurred. If no credit event occurs, the Fund would keep the stream of payments and would have no payment obligations. As the seller, the Fund would effectively add leverage to its
portfolio because, in addition to its net assets, the Fund would be subject to potential loss of the par (or other agreed-upon) value it had undertaken to pay following the occurrence of a credit event. Credit default swap contracts involve special
risks and may result in losses to the Fund. Credit default swaps may in some cases be illiquid, and they may increase the Funds aggregate market and credit risk since the Fund has exposure to both the issuer of the referenced obligation and
the counterparty to the credit default swap and any custodian. As there is no central exchange or market for certain credit default swap transactions, they may be difficult to trade or value, especially in the event of market disruptions. It is
possible that developments in the swap market, including new or modified government regulation, could adversely affect the Funds ability to terminate existing credit default swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such
agreements.
The Fund may also purchase credit default swap contracts to attempt to hedge against the risk of default of debt obligations
held in its portfolio, in which case the Fund would function as the counterparty referenced in the preceding paragraph. This would involve the risk that the investment may expire worthless and would only generate income in the event of an actual
default or other credit event in relation to the obligor under the referenced obligation (or, as applicable, a credit downgrade or other indication of financial instability). It would also involve credit riskthat the seller may fail to satisfy
its payment obligations to the Fund in the event of a default.
The Fund may invest in credit default swap index products that provide
exposure to multiple credits. The Fund can either buy the index (take on credit exposure) or sell the index (pass credit exposure to a counterparty). Such investments are subject to the associated risks with investments in credit default swaps
discussed above.
Regulation as a Commodity Pool
The CFTC subjects advisers to registered investment companies to regulation by the CFTC if a fund that is advised by the investment adviser
either (i) invests, directly or indirectly, more than a prescribed level of its liquidation value in CFTC Derivatives, or (ii) markets itself as providing investment exposure to such instruments. To the extent the Fund uses CFTC
Derivatives, it intends to do so below such prescribed levels and
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will not market itself as a commodity pool or a vehicle for trading such instruments. Accordingly, the Manager has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term commodity
pool operator under the CEA pursuant to Rule 4.5 under the CEA. The Manager is not, therefore, subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator under the CEA in respect of the Fund.
Distressed Debt Securities
Distressed
debt securities are debt securities that are purchased in the secondary market and are the subject of bankruptcy proceedings or otherwise in default as to the repayment of principal and/or interest at the time of acquisition by the Fund or are rated
in the lower rating categories (Ca or lower by Moodys and CC or lower by S&P) or, if unrated, are in the judgment of the portfolio manager of equivalent quality. Investment in distressed debt securities is speculative and involves
significant risk. The risks associated with high yield securities are heightened when investing in distressed debt securities.
The Fund
may make such investments when the portfolio manager believes it is reasonably likely that the issuer of the distressed debt securities will make an exchange offer or will be the subject of a plan of reorganization pursuant to which the Fund will
receive new securities (e.g., equity securities) and/or other assets. However, there can be no assurance that such an exchange offer will be made or that such a plan of reorganization will be adopted. In addition, a significant period of time may
pass between the time at which the Fund makes its investment in distressed debt securities and the time that any such exchange offer or plan of reorganization is completed. During this period, it is unlikely that the Fund will receive any interest
payments on the distressed debt securities, the Fund will be subject to significant uncertainty as to whether the exchange offer or plan will be completed and the Fund may be required to bear extraordinary expenses to protect or recover its
investment. Even if an exchange offer is made or a plan of reorganization is adopted with respect to the distressed debt securities held by the Fund, there can be no assurance that the securities or other assets received by the Fund in connection
with such exchange offer or plan of reorganization will not have a lower value or income potential than may have been anticipated when the investment was made. Moreover, any securities received by the Fund upon completion of an exchange offer or
plan of reorganization may be restricted as to resale. As a result of the Funds participation in negotiations with respect to any exchange offer or plan of reorganization with respect to an issuer of distressed debt securities, the Fund may be
restricted from disposing of such securities.
Duration
For the simplest fixed income securities, duration indicates the average time at which the securitys cash flows are to be
received. For simple fixed income securities with interest payments occurring prior to the payment of principal, duration is always less than maturity. For example, a current coupon bullet bond with a maturity of 3.5 years (i.e., a bond
that pays interest at regular intervals and that will have a single principal payment of the entire principal amount in 3.5 years) might have a duration of approximately three years. In general, the lower the stated or coupon rate of interest of a
fixed income security, the closer its duration will be to its final maturity; conversely, the higher the stated or coupon rate of interest of a fixed income security, the shorter its duration will be compared to its final maturity.
Determining duration becomes more complex when fixed income security features like floating or adjustable coupon payments, optionality (for
example, the right of the issuer to prepay or call the security), and structuring (for example, the right of the holders of certain securities to receive priority as to the issuers cash flows) are considered. The calculation of effective
duration attempts to take into account optionality and other complex features. Generally, the longer the effective duration of a security, the greater will be the expected change in the percentage price of the security with respect to a change
in the securitys own yield. By way of illustration, a security with an effective duration of 3.5 years might normally be expected to go down in price by 35 bps if its yield goes up by 10 bps, while another security with an effective duration
of 4.0 years might normally be expected to go down in price by 40 bps if its yield goes up by 10 bps. The assumptions that are made about a securitys features and options when calculating effective duration may prove to be incorrect. For
example, many mortgage pass-through securities may
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have stated final maturities of 30 years, but current prepayment rates, which can vary widely under different economic conditions, may have a large influence on the pass-through securitys
response to changes in yield. In these situations, the Funds portfolio manager may consider other analytical techniques that seek to incorporate the securitys additional features into the determination of its response to changes in its
yield.
A security may change in price for a variety of reasons. For example, floating rate securities may have final maturities of ten or
more years, but their effective durations will tend to be very short. If there is an adverse credit event, or a perceived change in the issuers creditworthiness, these securities could experience a far greater negative price movement than
would be predicted by the change in the securitys yield in relation to its effective duration. As a result, investors should be aware that effective duration is not an exact measurement and may not reliably predict a securitys price
sensitivity to changes in yield or interest rates.
Equity Securities
Equity securities include exchange-traded and OTC common and preferred stocks, warrants and rights, and securities convertible into
common shares. Equity securities fluctuate in price based on changes in a companys financial condition and overall market and economic conditions. The value of a particular security may decline due to factors that affect a particular industry
or industries, such as an increase in production costs, competitive conditions or labor shortages; or due to general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings,
changes in interest or currency rates or generally adverse investor sentiment. The value of an equity security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. The value of a
companys equity securities may deteriorate because of a variety of factors, including disappointing earnings reports by the issuer, unsuccessful products or services, loss of major customers, major litigation against the issuer or changes in
government regulations affecting the issuer or the competitive environment.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)
ETFs are ownership interests in investment companies, unit investment trusts, depositary receipts and other pooled investment vehicles that are
traded on an exchange and that hold a portfolio of securities or other financial instruments (the Underlying Assets). The Underlying Assets are typically selected to correspond to the securities that comprise a particular broad based
sector or international index, or to provide exposure to a particular industry sector or asset class, including precious metals or other commodities. Short ETFs seek a return similar to the inverse, or a multiple of the inverse, of a
reference index. Short ETFs carry additional risks because their Underlying Assets may include a variety of financial instruments, including futures and options on futures, options on securities and securities indices, swap agreements and forward
contracts, and a short ETF may engage in short sales. An ETFs losses on short sales are potentially unlimited; however, the Funds risk would be limited to the amount it invested in the ETF. Certain ETFs are actively managed by a
portfolio manager or management team that makes investment decisions on Underlying Assets without seeking to replicate the performance of a reference index or industry sector or asset class.
Unlike shares of typical open-end management investment companies or unit investment trusts,
shares of ETFs are designed to be traded throughout the trading day and bought and sold based on market price rather than net asset value. Shares can trade at either a premium or discount to net asset value. The portfolios held by ETFs are typically
publicly disclosed on each trading day and an approximation of actual net asset value is disseminated throughout the trading day. Because of this transparency, the trading prices of ETFs tend to closely track the actual net asset value of the
Underlying Assets and the ETF will generally gain or lose value depending on the performance of the Underlying Assets. In the future, as new products become available, the Fund may invest in ETFs that do not have this same level of transparency and,
therefore, may be more likely to trade at a larger discount or premium to actual net asset values.
Gains or losses on the Funds
investment in ETFs will ultimately depend on the purchase and sale price of the ETF. An active trading market for an ETFs shares may not develop or be maintained and trading of an ETFs
23
shares may be halted if the listing exchanges officials deem such action appropriate, the shares are delisted from the exchange or the activation of market-wide circuit breakers
(which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halts stock trading generally. The performance of an ETF will be reduced by transaction and other expenses, including fees paid by the ETF to service providers. Investors in ETFs are eligible to
receive their portion of income, if any, accumulated on the securities held in the portfolio, less fees and expenses of the ETF.
An
investment in an ETF involves risks similar to investing directly in the Underlying Assets, including the risk that the value of the Underlying Assets may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of their issuers, the value of
securities and other financial instruments generally, and other market factors.
If an ETF is a registered investment company (as defined
in the 1940 Act), the limitations applicable to the Funds ability to purchase securities issued by other investment companies apply absent exemptive relief. The SEC has granted orders for exemptive relief to certain ETFs that permit
investments in those ETFs by other investment companies (such as the Fund) in excess of these limits. Under the orders, other investment companies generally may acquire up to 25% of the assets of an ETF. Some ETFs are not structured as investment
companies and thus are not regulated under the 1940 Act.
Foreign Securities
The risks of investing in securities of non-U.S. issuers or issuers with significant exposure
to non-U.S. markets may be related, among other things, to (i) differences in size, liquidity and volatility of, and the degree and manner of regulation of, the securities markets of certain non-U.S. markets compared to the securities markets in the U.S.; (ii) economic, political and social factors; and (iii) foreign exchange matters, such as restrictions on the repatriation of
capital, fluctuations in exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the Funds portfolio securities are quoted or denominated, exchange control regulations and costs associated with currency exchange. The political and
economic structures in certain foreign countries, particularly emerging markets, are expected to undergo significant evolution and rapid development, and such countries may lack the social, political and economic stability characteristic of more
developed countries.
Unanticipated political or social developments may affect the values of the Funds investments in such
countries. The economies and securities and currency markets of many emerging markets have experienced significant disruption and declines. There can be no assurances that these economic and market disruptions will not continue.
Legal remedies available to investors in certain foreign countries may be less extensive than those available to investors in the U.S. or
other foreign countries. Accounting standards in other countries are also not necessarily the same as in the United States. If the accounting standards in another country do not require as much detail as U.S. accounting standards, it may be harder
for the portfolio manager to completely and accurately determine a companys financial condition. In addition, the U.S. Government has from time to time in the past imposed restrictions, through penalties and otherwise, on foreign investments
by U.S. investors such as the Fund. Also, brokerage commissions and other costs of buying or selling securities often are higher in foreign countries than they are in the U.S. This reduces the amount the Fund can earn on its investments.
The Fund generally holds its foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories. Some foreign banks and securities
depositories may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In addition, there may be limited or no regulatory oversight over their operations. Also, the laws of certain countries may put limits on the Funds ability to
recover its assets if a foreign bank or depository or issuer of a security or any of their agents goes bankrupt. In addition, it is often more expensive for the Fund to buy, sell and hold securities in certain foreign markets than in the U.S. The
increased expense of investing in foreign markets reduces the amount the Fund can earn on its investments and typically results in a higher operating expense ratio for the Fund as compared to investment companies that invest only in the United
States.
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Securities of some foreign companies have lower liquidity, and their prices are more volatile,
than securities of comparable domestic companies. Certain foreign countries are known to experience long delays between the trade and settlement dates of securities purchased or sold resulting in increased exposure of the Fund to market and foreign
exchange fluctuations brought about by such delays, and to the corresponding negative impact on Fund liquidity.
Foreign Currency Risks
The U.S. dollar value of investments denominated in a foreign currency will vary with changes in currency exchange rates, which can be
volatile. Accordingly, changes in the value of the currency in which the Funds investments are denominated relative to the U.S. dollar will affect the Funds net asset value. Exchange rates are generally affected by the forces of supply
and demand in the international currency markets, the relative merits of investing in different countries and the intervention or failure to intervene of U.S. or foreign governments and central banks. However, currency exchange rates may fluctuate
based on factors intrinsic to a countrys economy. Some emerging market countries also may have managed currencies, which are not free floating against the U.S. dollar. In addition, emerging markets are subject to the risk of restrictions upon
the free conversion of their currencies into other currencies. Any devaluations relative to the U.S. dollar in the currencies in which the Funds securities are quoted may reduce the Funds net asset value per share.
Investments in Emerging Markets
Investors are strongly advised to consider carefully the special risks involved in emerging markets, which are in addition to the usual risks
of investing in developed foreign markets around the world.
The risks of investing in securities in emerging countries include:
(i) less social, political and economic stability; (ii) the smaller size of the markets for such securities and lower volume of trading, which result in a lack of liquidity and in greater price volatility; (iii) certain national
policies that may restrict the Funds investment opportunities, including restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests; (iv) foreign taxation; (v) the absence of developed structures
governing private or foreign investment or allowing for judicial redress for injury to private property; and (vi) military unrest, war and terrorism.
Investors should note that upon the accession to power of authoritarian regimes, the governments of a number of emerging market countries
previously expropriated large quantities of real and personal property similar to the property which may be represented by the securities purchased by the Fund. The claims of property owners against those governments were never finally settled.
There can be no assurance that any property represented by securities purchased by the Fund will not also be expropriated, nationalized, or otherwise confiscated at some time in the future. If such confiscation were to occur, the Fund could lose a
substantial portion or all of its investments in such countries. The Funds investments would similarly be adversely affected by exchange control regulation in any of those countries.
Certain countries in which the Fund may invest may have vocal minorities that advocate radical religious or revolutionary philosophies or
support ethnic independence. Any disturbance on the part of such individuals could carry the potential for widespread destruction or confiscation of property owned by individuals and entities foreign to such country and could cause the loss of the
Funds investment in those countries.
Settlement mechanisms in emerging market securities may be less efficient and reliable than in
more developed markets. In such emerging securities markets there may be delays and failures in share registration and delivery. In certain markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities
transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. The inability of the Fund to make intended securities purchases due to settlement problems could cause the Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities. Inability to dispose of a
portfolio security caused by settlement problems could result
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either in losses to the Fund due to subsequent declines in the value of the portfolio security or, if the Fund has entered into a contract to sell the security, in possible liability to the
purchaser. There may also be a danger that, because of uncertainties in the operation of settlement systems in individual markets, competing claims may arise in respect of securities held by or to be transferred to the Fund. Furthermore,
compensation schemes may be non-existent, limited or inadequate to meet the Funds claims in any of these events.
Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, very negative effects on the economies and securities
markets of certain emerging markets. While some emerging market countries have sought to develop a number of corrective mechanisms to reduce inflation or mitigate its effects, inflation may continue to have significant effects both on emerging
market economies and their securities markets. In addition, many of the currencies of emerging market countries have experienced steady devaluations relative to the U.S. dollar and major devaluations have occurred in certain countries. Economies in
emerging markets generally are heavily dependent upon international trade and, accordingly, have been and may continue to be affected adversely by economic conditions, trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency
values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade.
Because of the high levels of
foreign-denominated debt owed by many emerging market countries, fluctuating exchange rates can significantly affect the debt service obligations of those countries. This could, in turn, affect local interest rates, profit margins and exports, which
are a major source of foreign exchange earnings.
To the extent an emerging market country faces a liquidity crisis with respect to its
foreign exchange reserves, it may increase restrictions on the outflow of any foreign exchange. Repatriation is ultimately dependent on the ability of the Fund to liquidate its investments and convert the local currency proceeds obtained from such
liquidation into U.S. dollars. Where this conversion must be done through official channels (usually the central bank or certain authorized commercial banks), the ability to obtain U.S. dollars is dependent on the availability of such U.S. dollars
through those channels and, if available, upon the willingness of those channels to allocate those U.S. dollars to the Fund. The Funds ability to obtain U.S. dollars may be adversely affected by any increased restrictions imposed on the
outflow of foreign exchange. If the Fund is unable to repatriate any amounts due to exchange controls, it may be required to accept an obligation payable at some future date by the central bank or other governmental entity of the jurisdiction
involved. If such conversion can legally be done outside official channels, either directly or indirectly, the Funds ability to obtain U.S. dollars may not be affected as much by any increased restrictions except to the extent of the price
which may be required to be paid in U.S. dollars. Furthermore, repatriation of investment income, capital and the proceeds of sales by foreign investors may require governmental registration and/or approval in some countries.
Many emerging market countries have little experience with the corporate form of business organization and may not have well-developed
corporation and business laws or concepts of fiduciary duty in the business context. The Fund may encounter substantial difficulties in obtaining and enforcing judgments against individuals and companies located in certain emerging market countries.
It may be difficult or impossible to obtain or enforce legislation or remedies against governments, their agencies and sponsored entities.
Disclosure and regulatory standards in emerging markets in many respects are less stringent than in the United States and other major markets.
There also may be a lower level of monitoring and regulation of emerging markets and the activities of investors in such markets; enforcement of existing regulations has been extremely limited.
Trading in the securities of emerging markets presents additional credit and financial risks. The Fund may have limited access to, or there
may be a limited number of, potential counterparties that trade in the securities of emerging market issuers. Governmental regulations may restrict potential counterparties to certain financial institutions located or operating in the particular
emerging market. Potential counterparties may not possess, adopt or implement creditworthiness standards, financial reporting standards or legal and contractual protections
26
similar to those in developed markets. Currency hedging techniques may not be available or may be limited. The Fund may not be able to reduce or mitigate risks related to trading with emerging
market counterparties.
The risk also exists that an emergency situation may arise in one or more emerging markets as a result of which
trading of securities may cease or may be substantially curtailed and prices for the Funds portfolio securities in such markets may not be readily available. Although it might be theoretically possible to hedge for anticipated income and
gains, the ongoing and indeterminate nature of the risks associated with emerging market investing (and the costs associated with hedging transactions) makes it very difficult to hedge effectively against such risks.
Investment in Chinese debt instruments through China Interbank Bond Market (CIBM) Direct Access Program. The Fund may
invest in renminbi-denominated bonds issued in China (RMB Bonds). RMB Bonds, including government and corporate bonds, are available in the CIBM to eligible foreign investors through the CIBM Direct Access Program. The program is
relatively new and laws, rules, regulations, policies and guidelines relating to the program are untested and subject to change.
The CIBM
Direct Access Program, established by the Peoples Bank of China, allows eligible foreign institutional investors to conduct trading in the CIBM, subject to other rules and regulations as promulgated by Chinese authorities. Eligible foreign
institutional investors who wish to invest directly in the CIBM through the CIBM Direct Access Program may do so through an onshore settlement agent, who would be responsible for making the relevant filings and account opening with the relevant
authorities. The Fund is therefore subject to the risk of default or errors on the part of such agent.
Investing in the CIBM will also
expose the Fund to renminbi currency risks. The ability to hedge renminbi currency risks may be limited. In addition, given the renminbi is subject to exchange control restrictions, the Fund could be adversely affected by delays in converting other
currencies into renminbi and vice versa and at times when there are unfavorable market conditions.
EuropeRecent Events
A number of countries in Europe have experienced severe economic and financial difficulties.
Many non-governmental issuers, and even certain governments, have defaulted on, or been forced to restructure, their debts; many other issuers have faced difficulties obtaining credit or refinancing
existing obligations; financial institutions have in many cases required government or central bank support, have needed to raise capital, and/or have been impaired in their ability to extend credit; and financial markets in Europe and elsewhere
have experienced extreme volatility and declines in asset values and liquidity. These difficulties may continue, worsen or spread within and outside of Europe. Responses to the financial problems by European governments, central banks and others,
including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may result in social unrest and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences.
Further defaults or restructurings by governments and others of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial
markets and asset valuations around the world. The United Kingdom has withdrawn from the European Union, and one or more other countries may withdraw from the European Union and/or abandon the Euro, the common currency of the European Union. These
events and actions have adversely affected, and may in the future adversely affect, the value and exchange rate of the Euro and may continue to significantly affect the economies of every country in Europe, including countries that do not use the
Euro and non-European Union member states. The impact of these actions, especially if they occur in a disorderly fashion, is not clear but could be significant and far reaching.
A number of countries in Europe have suffered terror attacks, and additional attacks may occur in the future. Russia launched a large-scale
invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The extent and duration of the military action, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions in the region are impossible to predict, but could be significant and have a severe adverse
effect on the region. Europe has also been struggling with mass migration from the Middle East and Africa.
27
The ultimate effects of these events and other socio-political or geopolitical issues are not
known but could profoundly affect global economies and markets. Whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in Europe or with significant exposure to European issuers or countries, these events could negatively affect the value
and liquidity of the Funds investments.
Eurodollar or Yankee Obligations
Eurodollar bank obligations are U.S. dollar denominated debt obligations issued outside the U.S. capital markets
by non-U.S. branches of U.S. banks and by non-U.S. banks. Yankee obligations are U.S. dollar denominated obligations issued in the U.S. capital
markets by non-U.S. issuers. Eurodollar (and to a limited extent, Yankee) obligations are subject to certain sovereign risks. One such risk is the possibility that
a non-U.S. government might prevent U.S. dollar denominated funds from flowing across its borders. Other risks include: adverse political and economic developments in
a non-U.S. country; the extent and quality of government regulation of financial markets and institutions; the imposition of non-U.S. withholding
taxes; and expropriation or nationalization of non-U.S. issuers.
Sovereign Government and
Supranational Debt Obligations
The Fund may invest in all types of debt securities of governmental issuers in all countries, including
emerging markets. These sovereign debt securities may include: debt securities issued or guaranteed by governments, governmental agencies or instrumentalities and political subdivisions located in emerging market countries; debt securities issued by
government owned, controlled or sponsored entities located in emerging market countries; interests issued for the purpose of restructuring the investment characteristics of instruments issued by any of the above issuers; Brady Bonds, which are debt
securities issued under the framework of the Brady Plan as a means for debtor nations to restructure their outstanding external indebtedness; participations in loans between emerging market governments and financial institutions; or debt securities
issued by supranational entities such as the World Bank. A supranational entity is a bank, commission or company established or financially supported by the national governments of one or more countries to promote reconstruction or development.
Included among these entities are the Asian Development Bank, the European Union, the European Investment Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations, the World Bank and the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development. Supranational organizations have no taxing authority and are dependent on their members for payments of interest and principal. There is no guarantee that one or more members of a supranational organization will
continue to make capital contributions. If such contributions are not made, the organization may be unable to pay interest or repay principal on its debt securities, and the Fund may lose money on such investments. Further, the lending activities of
such entities are limited to a percentage of their total capital, reserves and net income.
Sovereign debt is subject to risks in addition
to those relating to non-U.S. investments generally. As a sovereign entity, the issuing government may be immune from lawsuits in the event of its failure or refusal to pay the obligations when due.
The debtors willingness or ability to repay in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign currency reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign currency exchange on the date
a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the sovereign debtors policy toward principal international lenders and the political constraints to which the sovereign debtor may be subject. Sovereign
debtors may also be dependent on disbursements or assistance from foreign governments or multinational agencies, the countrys access to trade and other international credits, and the countrys balance of trade. Assistance may be dependent
on a countrys implementation of austerity measures and reforms, economic performance and/or the timely service of such debtors obligations. Failure to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic performance or repay principal
or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties commitments to lend funds to the governmental entity, which may further impair such debtors ability or willingness to service its debts in a timely manner. Some
sovereign debtors have rescheduled their debt payments, declared moratoria on payments or restructured their debt to effectively eliminate portions of it, and similar occurrences may happen in the future. There is no bankruptcy proceeding by which
sovereign debt on which governmental entities have defaulted may be collected in whole or in part.
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Depository Receipts
Depositary receipts demonstrate ownership of shares of a foreign issuer and are alternatives to directly purchasing the underlying foreign
security. Depositary receipts may be sponsored or unsponsored and include American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), European Depositary Receipts (EDRs)
and non-voting depositary receipts (NVDRs). ADRs in registered form are typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company, traded in U.S. dollars, and are designed for use in the domestic
market. GDRs, EDRs, NVDRs and other similar instruments may be issued by a U.S. or non-U.S. entity and may be traded in other currencies. GDRs are tradable both in the United States and Europe and
are designed for use throughout the world. EDRs are issued in bearer form and are designed for use in European securities markets.
Depositary receipts in general are subject to many of the risks associated with foreign investing (e.g., increased market, illiquidity,
currency, political, information and other risks), and even where traded in U.S. dollars are subject to currency risk if the underlying security is traded in a foreign currency. Unsponsored depositary receipts are issued without the participation of
the issuer of the underlying foreign security and there may be less information available about such issuers than there is with respect to domestic companies and issuers of securities underlying sponsored depositary receipts. Even if there is
information available, there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the depositary receipts.
High Yield
(Junk) Bonds
High yield securities are medium or lower rated securities and unrated securities of comparable quality,
sometimes referred to as high yield or junk bonds. Generally, such securities offer a higher current yield than is offered by higher rated securities, but also are predominantly speculative with respect to the issuers
capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the securities. The market values of certain of these securities also tend to be more sensitive to individual corporate developments and changes in economic conditions than
higher quality bonds. In addition, medium and lower rated securities and comparable unrated securities generally present a higher degree of credit risk. The risk of loss because of default by issuers of these securities is significantly greater
because medium and lower rated securities generally are unsecured and frequently subordinated to senior indebtedness. In addition, the market value of securities in lower rated categories is generally more volatile than that of higher quality
securities, and the markets in which medium and lower rated securities are traded are more limited than those in which higher rated securities are traded. The existence of limited markets may make it more difficult for the Fund to obtain accurate
market quotations for purposes of valuing its securities and calculating its net asset value. Moreover, the lack of a liquid trading market may restrict the availability of securities for the Fund to purchase and may also limit the ability of the
Fund to sell securities at their fair value to respond to changes in the economy or the financial markets.
Lower rated debt obligations
often have redemption features that permit an issuer to repurchase the security from the Fund before it matures. If an issuer exercises that right, the Fund may have to replace the security with a lower yielding security, resulting in a decreased
return for investors. If the Fund has to reduce its structural leverage, it may be forced to sell its higher rated bonds, resulting in a decline in the overall credit quality of the securities held by the Fund and increasing the exposure of the Fund
to the risks of lower rated securities. Investments in lower rated zero coupon bonds may be more speculative and subject to greater fluctuations in value because of changes in interest rates than lower rated bonds that pay interest currently.
Subsequent to its purchase by the Fund, an issue of securities may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced below the minimum required
for purchase by the Fund (if applicable). Neither event will require sale of these securities by the Fund, but the portfolio manager will consider the event in determining whether the Fund should continue to hold the security.
29
Illiquid Investments and Restricted Securities
An illiquid security is any security which the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven
calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the security. Illiquid securities may be difficult to value, and the Fund may have difficulty disposing of such securities promptly. The Fund does not
consider non-U.S. securities to be restricted if they can be freely sold in the principal markets in which they are traded, even if they are not registered for sale in the United States.
Restricted securities are securities subject to legal or contractual restrictions on their resale, such as private placements. Such
restrictions might prevent the sale of restricted securities at a time when the sale would otherwise be desirable. Under SEC regulations, certain restricted securities acquired through private placements can be traded freely among qualified
purchasers. While restricted securities are generally presumed to be illiquid, it may be determined that a particular restricted security is liquid. Investing in these restricted securities could have the effect of increasing the Funds
illiquidity if qualified purchasers become, for a time, uninterested in buying these securities.
Restricted securities may be sold only
(1) pursuant to SEC Rule 144A or another exemption, (2) in privately negotiated transactions or (3) in public offerings with respect to which a registration statement is in effect under the 1933 Act. Rule 144A securities, although not
registered in the U.S., may be sold to qualified institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A under the 1933 Act. As noted above, the Fund may determine that some Rule 144A securities are liquid. Where registration is required, the Fund may be
obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses and a considerable period may elapse between the time of the decision to sell and the time the Fund may be permitted to sell a restricted security under an effective registration statement.
If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than prevailed when it decided to sell.
Investments in Other Investment Companies
Subject to applicable statutory and regulatory limitations described below, the Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies,
including shares of open-end and closed-end investment companies affiliated or unaffiliated with the Fund, business development companies,
exchange-traded funds and unregistered investment companies.
An investment in an investment company is subject to the risks associated
with that investment companys portfolio securities. Investments in closed-end funds may entail the additional risk that the market value of such investments may be substantially less than their
net asset value. To the extent the Fund invests in shares of another investment company, the Fund will indirectly bear a proportionate share of that investment companys advisory fees and other operating expenses. These fees are in addition to
the advisory fees and other operational expenses incurred directly by the Fund. In addition, the Fund could incur a sales charge in connection with purchasing an investment company security or a redemption fee upon the redemption of such security.
Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act provides that a fund may not purchase or otherwise acquire the securities of other
registered investment companies (as defined in the 1940 Act) if, as a result of such purchase or acquisition, it would own: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the acquired investment company;
(ii) securities issued by any one investment company having a value in excess of 5% of the funds total assets; or (iii) securities issued by all investment companies having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the funds total
assets. Certain exceptions may be available from these limits such as when the Fund invests in certain exchange-traded funds or money-market funds or in investment companies that are part of the same group of investment companies as the Fund.
On October 7, 2020, the SEC adopted new Rule 12d1-4 that will permit investment companies,
including the Fund, to invest in other investment companies beyond the statutory limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) without obtaining an exemptive order, provided certain conditions are met.
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Investments in Affiliated Money Market Funds
The Fund may invest, to the extent permitted by applicable law, all or some of its short-term cash investments in a money market fund or
similarly-managed pool advised by the Manager, Western Asset or an affiliate of the Manager that may or may not be required to register with the SEC as an investment company. In connection with any such investments, the Fund, to the extent
permitted by the 1940 Act, may pay its share of expenses of the fund in which it invests, which may result additional expenses for the Fund.
London
Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) Replacement and Other Reference Rates Risk
The Funds investments, payment
obligations, and financing terms may be based on floating rates, such as the London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR, which was the offered rate for short-term Eurodollar deposits between major international banks. In 2017, the U.K.
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced its intention to cease compelling banks to provide the quotations needed to sustain LIBOR after 2021. In addition, global regulators have announced that, with limited exceptions, no new
LIBOR-based contracts should be entered into after 2021. Actions by regulators have resulted in the establishment of alternative reference rates to LIBOR in most major currencies. In March 2022, the U.S. federal government enacted legislation to
establish a process for replacing LIBOR in certain existing contracts that do not already provide for the use of a clearly defined or practicable replacement benchmark rate as described in the legislation. Generally speaking, for contracts that do
not contain a fallback provision as described in the legislation, a benchmark replacement recommended by the Federal Reserve Board effectively automatically replaced the USD LIBOR benchmark in the contract upon LIBORs cessation at the end of
June 2023. The recommended benchmark replacement is based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, including certain spread adjustments and benchmark replacement conforming changes. Various
financial industry groups have been planning for the transition away from LIBOR, but there remains uncertainty regarding the impact of the transition from LIBOR on the Funds transactions and the financial markets generally. The transition away
from LIBOR may lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets that rely on LIBOR and may adversely affect the Funds performance. The transition may also result in a reduction in the value of certain LIBOR-based investments held by the
Fund or reduce the effectiveness of related transactions such as hedges. Any such effects of the transition away from LIBOR, as well as other unforeseen effects, could result in losses for the Fund.
Loans
Loans are negotiated and
underwritten by a bank or syndicate of banks and other institutional investors. The Fund may acquire an interest in loans through the primary market by acting as one of a group of lenders of a loan. The primary risk in an investment in loans is that
the borrower may be unable to meet its interest and/or principal payment obligations. The occurrence of such a default with regard to a loan in which the Fund had invested would have an adverse effect on the Funds net asset value. In addition,
a sudden and significant increase in market interest rates may cause a decline in the value of these investments and in the Funds net asset value. Other factors, such as rating downgrades, credit deterioration, or large downward movement in
stock prices, a disparity in supply and demand of certain securities or market conditions that reduce liquidity could reduce the value of loans, impairing the Funds net asset value. Loans may not be considered securities for
certain purposes and purchasers, such as the Fund, therefore may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections of the federal securities laws.
Loans in which the Fund may invest may be collateralized or uncollateralized and senior or subordinate. Investments in uncollateralized and/or
subordinate loans entail a greater risk of nonpayment than do investments in loans which hold a more senior position in the borrowers capital structure or that are secured with collateral. In the case of collateralized senior loans, however,
there is no assurance that sale of the collateral would raise enough cash to satisfy the borrowers payment obligation or that the collateral can or will be liquidated. As a result, the Fund might not receive payments to which it is entitled
and thereby may experience a decline in the
31
value of its investment and its net asset value. In the event of bankruptcy, liquidation may not occur and the court may not give lenders the full benefit of their senior positions. If the terms
of a senior loan do not require the borrower to pledge additional collateral, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the value of the collateral will not at all times equal or exceed the amount of the borrowers obligations under the senior
loans. To the extent that a senior loan is collateralized by stock in the borrower or its subsidiaries, such stock may lose all of its value in the event of bankruptcy of the borrower.
The Fund may also acquire an interest in loans by purchasing participations (Participations) in and/or assignments
(Assignments) of portions of loans from third parties. By purchasing a Participation, the Fund acquires some or all of the interest of a bank or other lending institution in a loan to a borrower. Participations typically will result in
the Funds having a contractual relationship only with the lender and not the borrower. The Fund will have the right to receive payments or principal, interest and any fees to which it is entitled only from the lender selling the Participation
and only upon receipt by the lender of the payments from the borrower. In connection with purchasing Participations, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the
loan, nor any rights of set-off against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the Participation. As a result, the Fund
will assume the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender that is selling the Participation.
When the Fund purchases Assignments
from lenders, the Fund will acquire direct rights against the borrower on the loan. However, since Assignments are arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and assignors, the rights and obligations acquired by the Fund as
the purchaser of an Assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the lender from which the Fund is purchasing the Assignments. Certain of the Participations or Assignments acquired by the Fund may involve unfunded commitments
of the lenders or revolving credit facilities under which a borrower may from time to time borrow and repay amounts up to the maximum amount of the facility. In such cases, the Fund would have an obligation to advance its portion of such additional
borrowings upon the terms specified in the loan documentation.
The Fund may acquire loans of borrowers that are experiencing, or are more
likely to experience, financial difficulty, including loans of borrowers that have filed for bankruptcy protection. Although loans in which the Fund will invest generally will be secured by specific collateral, there can be no assurance that
liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the borrowers obligation in the event of nonpayment of scheduled interest or principal, or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In the event of bankruptcy of a borrower, the Fund could
experience delays or limitations with respect to its ability to realize the benefits of the collateral securing a senior loan.
In
addition, the Fund may have difficulty disposing of its investments in loans. The liquidity of such securities is limited and the Fund anticipates that such securities could be sold only to a limited number of institutional investors. The lack of a
liquid secondary market could have an adverse impact on the value of such securities and on the Funds ability to dispose of particular loans or Assignments or Participations when necessary to meet the Funds liquidity needs or in response
to a specific economic event, such as a deterioration in the creditworthiness of the borrower. The lack of a liquid secondary market for loans may also make it more difficult for the Fund to assign a value to those securities for purposes of valuing
the Funds investments and calculating its net asset value.
The issuer of a loan may offer to provide
material, non-public information about the issuer to investors, such as the Fund. The Funds portfolio manager may avoid receiving this type of information about the issuer of a loan either held
by or considered for investment by the Fund, because of prohibitions on trading in securities of issuers while in possession of such information. The decision not to receive
material, non-public information may place the Fund at a disadvantage, relative to other loan investors, in assessing a loan or the loans issuer.
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Mortgage-Backed and Other Asset-Backed Securities
An asset-backed security is a fixed income security that derives its value primarily from cash flows relating to a pool of assets. There are a
number of different types of asset-backed and related securities, including mortgage-backed securities, securities backed by other pools of collateral (such as automobile loans, student loans, sub-prime mortgages, and credit card
receivables), collateralized mortgage obligations, and collateralized debt obligations.
Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities
differ from conventional bonds in that principal is paid over the life of the securities rather than at maturity. As a result, payments of principal of and interest on mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities are made more frequently
than are payments on conventional debt securities. The average life of asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities is likely to be substantially less than the original maturity of the underlying asset pools as a result of prepayments or foreclosures
of mortgages, as applicable. In addition, holders of mortgage-backed securities and of certain asset-backed securities (such as asset-backed securities backed by home equity loans) may receive unscheduled payments of principal at any time
representing prepayments on the underlying mortgage loans or financial assets. When the holder of the security attempts to reinvest prepayments or even the scheduled payments of principal and interest, it may receive a rate of interest that is
higher or lower than the rate on the mortgage-backed security or asset-backed security originally held. To the extent that mortgage-backed securities or asset-backed securities are purchased by the Fund at a premium, mortgage foreclosures and
principal prepayments may result in a loss to the extent of the premium paid. To the extent the loans underlying a security representing an interest in a pool of mortgages or other assets are prepaid, the Fund may experience a loss (if the price at
which the respective security was acquired by the Fund was at a premium over par, which represents the price at which the security will be redeemed upon prepayment) or a gain (if the price at which the respective security was acquired by the Fund
was at a discount from par). In addition, prepayments of such securities held by the Fund will reduce the share price of the Fund to the extent the market value of the securities at the time of prepayment exceeds their par value, and will increase
the share price of the Fund to the extent the par value of the securities exceeds their market value at the time of prepayment. Prepayments may occur with greater frequency in periods of declining interest rates because, among other reasons, it may
be possible for borrowers to refinance their outstanding obligation at lower interest rates. When market interest rates increase, the market values of asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities decline. At the same time, however, refinancing slows,
which lengthens the effective maturities of these securities. As a result, the negative effect of the rate increase on the market value of asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities is usually more pronounced than it is for other types of fixed
income securities.
Changes in the markets perception of the mortgages or assets backing the security, the creditworthiness of the
servicing agent for the loan pool, the originator of the loans, or the financial institution providing any credit enhancement, will all affect the value of an asset-backed or mortgage-backed security, as will the exhaustion of any credit
enhancement.
The risks of investing in asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities ultimately depend upon the payment of the underlying
loans by the individual borrowers. In its capacity as purchaser of an asset-backed security or mortgage-backed security, the Fund would generally have no recourse to the entity that originated the loans in the event of default by the borrower. The
risk of non-payment is greater for asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities that are backed by pools that contain subprime loans, but a level of risk exists for all loans. Market factors adversely
affecting loan repayments may include a general economic turndown and high unemployment. Mortgage-backed securities may be adversely affected by a general slowdown in the real estate market, a drop in the market prices of real estate, or an increase
in interest rates resulting in higher mortgage payments by holders of adjustable rate mortgages.
Additional information regarding
different types of asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities is provided below. Governmental, government-related or private entities may create pools of loan assets offering pass-through investments in addition to those described below. As new
types of asset-backed or mortgage-backed securities are developed and offered to investors, the portfolio manager may, consistent with the Funds investment objective and policies, consider making investments in such new types of securities.
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Mortgage-Backed Securities. Mortgage-backed securities (MBS) represent
interests in pools of mortgage loans made by lenders such as savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others, to finance purchases of homes, commercial buildings or other real estate. The individual mortgage loans are
assembled for sale to investors (such as the Fund) by various governmental or government-related agencies and private organizations, such as dealers.
Government-sponsored MBS. Some government sponsored mortgage-related securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United
States. The Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), the principal guarantor of such securities, is a wholly owned United States government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Other
government-sponsored mortgage-related securities are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. Issuers of such securities include Fannie Mae (formally known as the Federal National Mortgage Association) and Freddie Mac
(formally known as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation). Fannie Mae is a government-sponsored corporation which is subject to general regulation by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Pass-through securities issued by Fannie Mae
are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by Fannie Mae. Freddie Mac is a stockholder-owned corporation chartered by Congress and subject to general regulation by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Participation
certificates representing interests in mortgages from Freddie Macs national portfolio are guaranteed as to the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal by Freddie Mac. The U.S. government has provided financial support
to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the past, but there can be no assurances that it will support these or other government-sponsored entities in the future.
Under the Federal Housing Finance Agencys Single Security Initiative, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have entered into a joint
initiative to operate a common securitization platform for the issuance of Uniform Mortgage-Backed Securities (UMBS), which generally aligns the characteristics of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac participation certificates. In June 2019
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac began issuing UMBS in place of their to be announced- eligible mortgage-backed securities. The effect of the issuance of UMBS on the market for mortgage-backed securities is uncertain.
Privately Issued MBS. Unlike MBS issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or certain government-sponsored entities, MBS issued by
private issuers do not have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee, but may have credit enhancement provided by external entities such as banks or financial institutions or achieved through the structuring of the transaction itself.
In addition, MBS that are issued by private issuers are not subject to the underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that
are applicable to those MBS that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying private MBS may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting
characteristics than government or government-sponsored MBS and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose and borrower characteristics. Privately issued pools more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value mortgages and manufactured housing loans. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a private-label MBS pool may vary to a greater extent than those included in
a government guaranteed pool, and the pool may include subprime mortgage loans. Subprime loans refer to loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their loans. For these reasons, the
loans underlying these securities have had in many cases higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements.
Privately issued mortgage-backed securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially
when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-backed securities held in the Funds portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities
involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.
Adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities. Adjustable rate
mortgage-backed securities (ARMBS) are pass-through securities collateralized by mortgages with adjustable rather than fixed rates. Adjustable rate
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mortgages eligible for inclusion in a mortgage pool generally provide for a fixed initial mortgage interest rate for a set number of scheduled monthly payments. After that schedule of payments
has been completed, the interest rates of the adjustable rate mortgages are subject to periodic adjustment based on changes to a designated benchmark index.
Mortgages underlying most ARMBS may contain maximum and minimum rates beyond which the mortgage interest rate may not vary over the lifetime
of the mortgage. In addition, certain adjustable rate mortgages provide for additional limitations on the maximum amount by which the mortgage interest rate may adjust for any single adjustment period. In the event that market rates of interest rise
more rapidly to levels above that of the maximum rate for the adjustable rate mortgages underlying an ARMBS, the ARMBS coupon may represent a below market rate of interest. In these circumstances, the market value of the ARMBS will likely have
fallen. During periods of declining interest rates, income to the Fund derived from adjustable rate mortgages that remain in the mortgage pool underlying the ARMBS may decrease in contrast to the income on fixed rate mortgages, which will remain
constant. Adjustable rate mortgages also have less potential for appreciation in value as interest rates decline than do fixed rate investments. In addition, the current yields on ARMBS may be different than market yields during interim periods
between coupon reset dates.
Stripped mortgage-backed securities. Stripped mortgage-backed securities (SMBS) are
structured with two or more classes of securities that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have at least one class receiving only a small portion of the
principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (IO or interest-only class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (PO or principal-only class). The yield to maturity on IOs,
POs and other mortgage-backed securities that are purchased at a substantial premium or discount generally are extremely sensitive not only to changes in prevailing interest rates but also to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on
the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on such securities yield to maturity. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of
principal, the Fund may fail to fully recoup its initial investment in these securities even if the securities have received the highest rating by a NRSRO.
SMBS have greater volatility than other types of securities. Although SMBS are purchased and sold by institutional investors through several
investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers, the market for such securities has not yet been fully developed. Accordingly, the secondary market for SMBS may be more volatile and have lower liquidity than that for other MBS, potentially
limiting the Funds ability to buy or sell SMBS at any particular time.
Collateralized mortgage obligations. Another type of
security representing an interest in a pool of mortgage loans is known as a collateralized mortgage obligation (CMO). CMOs represent interests in a short-term, intermediate-term or long-term portion of a mortgage pool. Each portion of
the pool receives monthly interest payments, but the principal repayments pass through to the short-term CMO first and to the long-term CMO last. A CMO permits an investor to more accurately predict the rate of principal repayments. CMOs are issued
by private issuers, such as broker-dealers, and by government agencies, such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Investments in CMOs are subject to the same risks as direct investments in the underlying mortgage-backed securities. In addition, in the
event of a bankruptcy or other default of a broker that issued the CMO held by the Fund, the Fund could experience delays in liquidating both its position and losses. The Fund may invest in CMOs in any rating category of the recognized rating
services and may invest in unrated CMOs. The Fund may also invest in stripped CMOs, which represent only the income portion or the principal portion of the CMO. The values of stripped CMOs are very sensitive to interest rate changes;
accordingly, these instruments present a greater risk of loss than conventional mortgage-backed securities.
Tiered index bonds.
Tiered index bonds are relatively new forms of mortgage-related securities. The interest rate on a tiered index bond is tied to a specified index or market rate. So long as this index or market rate is below a predetermined strike rate,
the interest rate on the tiered index bond remains fixed. If, however, the
35
specified index or market rate rises above the strike rate, the interest rate of the tiered index bond will decrease. Thus, under these circumstances, the interest rate on a tiered
index bond, like an inverse floater, will move in the opposite direction of prevailing interest rates, with the result that the price of the tiered index bond would decline and may be considerably more volatile than that of a fixed-rate bond.
Other Asset-Backed SecuritiesAdditional Information
Similar to mortgage-backed securities, other types of asset-backed securities may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S.
government (including those whose securities are neither guaranteed nor insured by the U.S. government), foreign governments (or their agencies or instrumentalities), or non-governmental issuers.
These securities include securities backed by pools of automobile loans, educational loans, home equity loans, and credit card receivables. The underlying pools of assets are securitized through the use of trusts and special purpose entities. These
securities may be subject to the risks described above under Mortgage-Backed and Other Asset-Backed SecuritiesGeneral, including risks associated with changes in interest rates and prepayment of underlying obligations.
Certain types of asset-backed securities present additional risks that are not presented by mortgage-backed securities. In particular, certain
types of asset-backed securities may not have the benefit of a security interest in the related assets. For example, many securities backed by credit card receivables are unsecured. Even when security interests are present, the ability of an issuer
of certain types of asset-backed securities to enforce those interests may be more limited than that of an issuer of mortgage-backed securities. For instance, automobile receivables generally are secured by automobiles rather than by real property.
Most issuers of automobile receivables permit loan servicers to retain possession of the underlying assets. In addition, because of the large number of underlying vehicles involved in a typical issue of asset-backed securities and technical
requirements under state law, the trustee for the holders of the automobile receivables may not have a proper security interest in all of the automobiles. Therefore, recoveries on repossessed automobiles may not be available to support payments on
these securities. In addition, certain types of asset-backed securities may experience losses on the underlying assets as a result of certain rights provided to consumer debtors under federal and state law. In the case of certain consumer debt, such
as credit card debt, debtors are entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal consumer credit laws, many of which give such debtors the right to set off certain amounts owed on their credit cards (or other debt), thereby reducing
their balances due. For instance, a debtor may be able to offset certain damages for which a court has determined that the creditor is liable to the debtor against amounts owed to the creditor by the debtor on his or her credit card.
Additionally, an asset-backed security is subject to risks associated with the servicing agents or originators performance. For
example, a servicing agent or originators mishandling of documentation related to the underlying collateral (e.g., failure to properly document a security interest in the underlying collateral) may affect the rights of the security holders in
and to the underlying collateral.
Asset-backed commercial paper. The Fund may purchase commercial paper, including asset-backed
commercial paper (ABCP) that is issued by structured investment vehicles or other conduits. These conduits may be sponsored by mortgage companies, investment banking firms, finance companies, hedge funds, private equity firms and special
purpose finance entities. ABCP typically refers to a debt security with an original term to maturity of up to 270 days, the payment of which is supported by cash flows from underlying assets, or one or more liquidity or credit support providers, or
both. Assets backing ABCP, which may be included in revolving pools of assets with large numbers of obligors, include credit card, car loan and other consumer receivables and home or commercial mortgages, including subprime mortgages. The repayment
of ABCP issued by a conduit depends primarily on the cash collections received from the conduits underlying asset portfolio and the conduits ability to issue new ABCP. Therefore, there could be losses to the Fund investing in ABCP in the
event of credit or market value deterioration in the conduits underlying portfolio, mismatches in the timing of the cash flows of the underlying asset interests and the repayment obligations of maturing ABCP, or the conduits inability to
issue new ABCP. To protect investors from these risks, ABCP programs may be structured with
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various protections, such as credit enhancement, liquidity support, and commercial paper stop-issuance and wind-down triggers. However there can be no guarantee that these protections will be
sufficient to prevent losses to investors in ABCP.
Some ABCP programs provide for an extension of the maturity date of the ABCP if, on
the related maturity date, the conduit is unable to access sufficient liquidity through the issue of additional ABCP. This may delay the sale of the underlying collateral and the Fund may incur a loss if the value of the collateral deteriorates
during the extension period. Alternatively, if collateral for ABCP deteriorates in value, the collateral may be required to be sold at inopportune times or at prices insufficient to repay the principal and interest on the ABCP. ABCP programs may
provide for the issuance of subordinated notes as an additional form of credit enhancement. The subordinated notes are typically of a lower credit quality and have a higher risk of default. A fund purchasing these subordinated notes will therefore
have a higher likelihood of loss than investors in the senior notes.
Collateralized debt obligations. The Fund may invest in
collateralized debt obligations (CDOs), which include collateralized bond obligations (CBOs), CLOs and other similarly structured securities. CDOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust or other special
purpose entity (SPE) which is typically backed by a diversified pool of fixed income securities (which may include high risk, below investment grade securities). A CLO is a trust or other SPE that is typically collateralized by a pool of
loans, which may include, among others, domestic and non-U.S. senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade
or equivalent unrated loans. Although certain CDOs may receive credit enhancement in the form of a senior-subordinate structure, over-collateralization or bond insurance, such enhancement may not always be present, and may fail to protect the Fund
against the risk of loss on default of the collateral. Certain CDOs may use derivatives contracts to create synthetic exposure to assets rather than holding such assets directly, which entails the risks of derivative instruments
described elsewhere in this SAI. CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses, which are in addition to those of the Fund.
For both CBOs and CLOs, the cashflows from the SPE are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The
riskiest portion is the equity tranche, which bears the first loss from defaults from the bonds or loans in the SPE and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default (though such protection is not complete). Since it is
partially protected from defaults, a senior tranche from a CBO or CLO typically has higher ratings and lower yields than its underlying securities, and may be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO
tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as investor aversion to CBO or CLO
securities as a class. Interest on certain tranches of a CDO may be paid in kind (paid in the form of obligations of the same type rather than cash), which involves continued exposure to default risk with respect to such payments.
The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which the Fund
invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities. However, an active dealer
market may exist for CDOs, allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed income securities discussed elsewhere in this SAI and the Prospectus (e.g., interest rate risk and credit risk),
CDOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the collateral may decline in value or default or
its credit rating may be downgraded, if rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization; (iii) the Fund may invest in tranches of CDOs that are subordinate to other tranches; (iv) the complex structure of the security may
not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results; and (v) the CDOs manager may perform poorly.
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Mortgage Dollar Rolls
In a mortgage dollar roll, also known as a forward roll transaction, the Fund sells MBS for delivery in the current month and simultaneously
contracts to repurchase substantially similar (same type, coupon and maturity) MBS on a specified future date. The Fund may enter into a mortgage dollar roll commitment with the intention of entering into an offsetting transaction whereby, rather
than accepting delivery of the security on the specified future date, the Fund sells the security and then agrees to repurchase a similar security at a later time. In this case, the Fund forgoes interest on the security during the roll period and is
compensated by the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the initial sale of the security and by the difference between the sale price and the lower repurchase price at the future date. At the time the Fund enters into a mortgage dollar roll
commitment, the Fund will set aside cash or other appropriate liquid securities with a value at least equal to the Funds obligation under the commitment. The Funds liquidity and ability to manage its assets might be affected when it sets
aside cash or portfolio securities to cover such commitments.
Mortgage dollar rolls involve the risk that the market value of the
securities the Fund is obligated to repurchase under the agreement may decline below the repurchase price. In the event the buyer of securities under a mortgage dollar roll files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the Funds use of proceeds
of the dollar roll may be restricted pending a determination by the other party, or its trustee or receiver, whether to enforce the Funds obligation to repurchase the securities.
Forward roll transactions may have a leveraging effect on the Fund, making the value of an investment in the Fund more volatile and increasing
the Funds overall investment exposure. Successful use of mortgage dollar rolls may depend on the portfolio managers ability to correctly predict interest rates and prepayments. There is no assurance that mortgage dollar rolls can be
successfully employed.
Municipal Securities
Municipal securities (which are also referred to herein as municipal obligations or municipal bonds) generally include
debt obligations (including, but not limited to bonds, notes or commercial paper) issued by or on behalf of any of the 50 U.S. states and their political subdivisions, agencies and public authorities, certain other governmental issuers (such as
Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam) or other qualifying issuers, participations or other interests in these securities and other related investments. The interest paid on municipal securities is generally excluded from gross income for
regular U.S. federal income tax purposes, although it may be subject to the U.S. federal alternative minimum tax. The Fund does not anticipate holding municipal securities in sufficient quantities to qualify to pay exempt-interest dividends. As a
result, distributions to the Funds shareholders of interest earned by the Fund are expected to be treated for federal income tax purposes as ordinary dividends without regard to the character of any interest that was received on municipal
securities.
Preferred Securities
There are two basic types of preferred securities: traditional and hybrid-preferred securities. Traditional preferred securities consist of
preferred stock issued by an entity taxable as a corporation. Preferred stocks, which may offer fixed or floating rate dividends, are perpetual instruments and considered equity securities. Preferred stocks are subordinated to debt instruments in a
companys capital structure, in terms of priority to corporate income and claim to corporate assets, and therefore will be subject to greater credit risk than debt instruments. Alternatively, hybrid-preferred securities may be issued by
corporations, generally in the form of interest-bearing notes with preferred securities characteristics, or by an affiliated trust or partnership of the corporation, generally in the form of preferred interests in subordinated debentures or
similarly structured securities. The hybrid-preferred securities market consists of both fixed and adjustable coupon rate securities that are either perpetual in nature or have stated maturity dates.
Traditional Preferred Securities. Traditional preferred securities pay fixed or floating dividends to investors and have
preference over common shares in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of a companys
38
assets. This means that a company must pay dividends on preferred stock before paying any dividends on its common shares. In order to be payable, distributions on such preferred securities must
be declared by the issuers board of trustees. Income payments on preferred securities may be cumulative, causing dividends and distributions to accumulate even if not declared by the board of trustees or otherwise made payable. In such a case,
all accumulated dividends must be paid before any dividend on the common shares can be paid. However, many traditional preferred stocks are non-cumulative, in which case dividends do not accumulate
and need not ever be paid. There is no assurance that dividends or distributions on the traditional preferred securities in which the Fund invests will be declared or otherwise made payable. Preferred securities may also contain provisions under
which payments must be stopped (i.e., stoppage is compulsory, not discretionary). The conditions under which this occurs may relate to, for instance, capitalization levels. Hence, if a company incurs significant losses that deplete retained earnings
automatic payment stoppage could occur. In some cases the terms of the preferred securities provide that the issuer would be obligated to attempt to issue common shares to raise funds for the purpose of making the preferred payments. However, there
is no guarantee that the issuer would be successful in placing common shares.
Preferred stockholders usually have no right to vote for
corporate trustees or on other matters. Shares of traditional preferred securities have a liquidation preference that generally equals the original purchase price at the date of issuance. The market value of preferred securities may be affected by,
among other factors, favorable and unfavorable changes impacting the issuer or industries in which they operate, movements in interest rates and inflation, and the broader economic and credit environments, and by actual and anticipated changes in
tax laws, such as changes in corporate and individual income tax rates. Because the claim on an issuers earnings represented by traditional preferred securities may become onerous when interest rates fall below the rate payable on such
securities, the issuer may redeem the securities. Thus, in declining interest rate environments in particular, the Funds holdings of higher rate-paying fixed rate preferred securities may be reduced, and the Fund may be unable to acquire
securities of comparable credit quality paying comparable rates with the redemption proceeds.
Hybrid-Preferred Securities.
Hybrid-preferred securities are typically junior and fully subordinated liabilities of an issuer or the beneficiary of a guarantee that is junior and fully subordinated to the other liabilities of the guarantor. In addition, hybrid-preferred
securities typically permit an issuer to defer the payment of income for eighteen months or more without triggering an event of default. Generally, the maximum deferral period is five years. Because of their subordinated position in the capital
structure of an issuer, the ability to defer payments for extended periods of time without default consequences to the issuer, and certain other features (such as restrictions on common dividend payments by the issuer or ultimate guarantor when full
cumulative payments on the hybrid preferred securities have not been made), these hybrid-preferred securities are often treated as close substitutes for traditional preferred securities, both by issuers and investors. Hybrid-preferred securities
have many of the key characteristics of equity due to their subordinated position in an issuers capital structure and because their quality and value are heavily dependent on the profitability of the issuer rather than on any legal claims to
specific assets or cash flows. Hybrid-preferred securities include, but are not limited to, trust preferred securities (TRUPS®); enhanced trust preferred securities (Enhanced TRUPS®); trust-originated preferred securities (TOPrS®); monthly-income preferred securities
(MIPS®); quarterly-income bond securities (QUIBS®); quarterly-income debt securities (QUIDS®); quarterly-income preferred securities (QUIPSSM); corporate trust securities (CorTS®); public income notes (PINES®); and other hybrid-preferred securities. Hybrid-preferred securities are typically issued with a final maturity date. In certain instances, a final maturity date may be extended and/or the final
payment of principal may be deferred at the issuers option for a specified time without default. No redemption can typically take place unless all cumulative payment obligations have been met, although issuers may be able to engage in
open-market repurchases without regard to whether all payments have been paid.
Many hybrid-preferred securities are issued by trusts or
other special purpose entities established by operating companies and are not a direct obligation of an operating company. At the time the trust or special purpose entity sells such preferred securities to investors, it purchases debt of the
operating company (with terms
39
comparable to those of the trust or special purpose entity securities), and the operating company deducts for tax purposes the interest paid on the debt held by the trust or special purpose
entity. The trust or special purpose entity is generally required to be treated as transparent for U.S. federal income tax purposes such that the holders of the trust preferred securities are treated as owning beneficial interests in the underlying
debt of the operating company. Accordingly, payments on the hybrid-preferred securities are generally treated as interest rather than dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, as such, are not eligible for the dividends received deduction
for corporate taxpayers or the reduced rates of tax that apply to qualified dividend income for non-corporate taxpayers. The trust or special purpose entity in turn is a holder of the operating
companys debt and has priority with respect to the operating companys earnings and profits over the operating companys common shareholders, but is typically subordinated to other classes of the operating companys debt.
Typically a preferred security has a credit rating that is lower than that of its corresponding operating companys senior debt securities.
Within the category of hybrid-preferred securities are senior debt instruments that trade in the broader preferred securities market. These
debt instruments, which are sources of long-term capital for the issuers, have structural features similar to other preferred securities such as maturities ranging from 30 years to perpetuity, call features, quarterly payments, exchange listings and
the inclusion of accrued interest in the trading price. Preferred securities may be subject to changes in regulations and there can be no assurance that the current regulatory treatment of preferred securities will continue.
Ratings as Investment Criteria
In
general, the ratings of NRSROs represent the opinions of these agencies as to the quality of securities that they rate. Such ratings, however, are relative and subjective, are not absolute standards of quality and do not evaluate the market value
risk of the securities. These ratings will be used by the Fund as initial criteria for the selection of portfolio securities, but the Fund also will rely upon the independent advice of the portfolio manager to evaluate potential investments. Among
the factors that will be considered are the long-term ability of the issuer to pay principal and interest and general economic trends. Appendix A to this SAI contains further information concerning the rating categories of NRSROs and their
significance.
If a security is rated by different agencies and receives different ratings from these agencies, the Fund will treat the
security as being rated in the highest rating category received from an agency.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
REITs are pooled investment vehicles which invest primarily in income producing real estate or real estate-related loans or interests. REITs
are generally classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs or a combination of equity and mortgage REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive income primarily from the collection of rents. Equity REITs
can also realize capital gains by selling properties that have appreciated in value. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive income from the collection of interest payments. REITs are not taxed on
income distributed to shareholders provided they comply with the applicable requirements of the Code. Debt securities issued by REITs, for the most part, are general and unsecured obligations and are subject to risks associated with REITs. Like
mutual funds, REITs have expenses, including advisory and administration fees paid by certain REITs and, as a result, the Fund is indirectly subject to those fees if the Fund invests in REITs.
Investing in REITs involves certain risks, including declines in the value of the underlying real estate, risks related to general and local
economic conditions, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds, overbuilding, extended vacancies of properties, increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, losses due to costs resulting
from the clean-up of environmental problems, liability to third parties for damages resulting from environmental problems, casualty or condemnation losses, limitations on rents, changes in
neighborhood values and in the appeal of properties to tenants. Equity REITs may also be
40
subject to property and casualty risks as their insurance policies may not completely recover repair or replacement of assets damaged by fires, floods, earthquakes or other natural disasters.
REITs whose underlying assets are concentrated in properties used by a particular industry, such as healthcare, are also subject to industry-related risks. Certain special purpose REITs may invest their assets in specific real estate
sectors, such as hotels, nursing homes or warehouses, and are therefore subject to the risks associated with adverse developments in any such sectors.
REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are subject to interest rate risks. When interest rates decline, the value of a REITs investment in
fixed income obligations can be expected to rise. Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of a REITs investment in fixed-rate obligations can be expected to decline. If the REIT invests in adjustable rate debt instruments the interest
rates on which are reset periodically, yields on a REITs investments in such loans will gradually align themselves to reflect changes in market interest rates. This causes the value of such investments to fluctuate less dramatically in
response to interest rate fluctuations than would investments in fixed-rate obligations. However, REIT shares can be more volatile than, and perform differently from, larger company securities since REITs tend to be small- to medium-sized companies in relation to the equity markets as a whole. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt or
erratic price movements than larger company securities.
REITs are dependent upon the skills of their managers and are generally not
diversified. REITs may be highly leveraged, and financial covenants may affect the ability of REITs to operate effectively. REITs are generally dependent upon maintaining cash flows to repay borrowings, to cover operating costs, and to make
distributions to shareholders and are subject to the risk of default by lessees and borrowers. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may experience delays in enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur
substantial costs associated with protecting its investments. If REITs are net sellers of assets or do not reinvest principal, they are also subject to self-liquidation. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to qualify for tax-free pass-through of net income and gains under the Code or to maintain their exemptions from registration as an investment company under the 1940 Act. In the event of any such failure to qualify
as a REIT under the Code, the company would be subject to corporate level taxation, significantly reducing the return to the Fund on its investment in such company.
Repurchase Agreements
Under the terms of
a typical repurchase agreement, the Fund would acquire one or more underlying debt securities from a counterparty (typically a bank or a broker-dealer), subject to the counterpartys obligation to repurchase, and the Fund to resell, the
securities at an agreed-upon time and price. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements where the underlying collateral consists entirely of cash items and/or securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies, its instrumentalities, or U.S.
Government sponsored enterprises. The Fund may also enter into repurchase agreements where the underlying collateral consists of other types of securities, including securities the Fund could not purchase directly. For such repurchase agreements,
the underlying securities which serve as collateral may include, but are not limited to, U.S. government securities, municipal securities, corporate debt obligations, asset-backed securities (including collateralized mortgage obligations
(CMOs)), convertible securities and common and preferred stock and may be of below investment grade quality. The repurchase price is typically greater than the purchase price paid by the Fund, thereby determining the Funds yield. A
repurchase agreement is similar to, and may be treated as, a secured loan, where the Fund loans cash to the counterparty and the loan is secured by the underlying securities as collateral. All repurchase agreements entered into by the Fund are
required to be collateralized so that at all times during the term of a repurchase agreement, the value of the underlying securities is at least equal to the amount of the repurchase price. Also, the Fund or its custodian is required to have control
of the collateral, which the portfolio manager believes will give the Fund a valid, perfected security interest in the collateral.
Repurchase agreements could involve certain risks in the event of default or insolvency of the counterparty, including possible delays or
restrictions upon the Funds ability to dispose of the underlying securities, the risk of
41
a possible decline in the value of the underlying securities during the period in which the Fund seeks to assert its right to them, the risk that there may be a limited market or no market for
disposition of such underlying securities, the risk of incurring expenses associated with asserting those rights and the risk of losing all or part of the income from the agreement. The Fund will seek to mitigate these risks but there is no
guarantee that such efforts will be successful. If the Fund enters into a repurchase agreement involving securities the Fund could not purchase directly, and the counterparty defaults, the Fund may become the holder of such securities. Repurchase
agreements collateralized by securities other than U.S. government securities may be subject to greater risks and are more likely to have a term to maturity of longer than seven days. Repurchase agreements with a maturity of more than seven days are
considered to be illiquid.
Repurchase agreements may be entered into or novated with a financial clearinghouse, which would become the
Funds counterparty. The Fund would then become subject to the rules of the clearinghouse, which may limit the Funds rights and remedies (including recourse to collateral) or delay or restrict the rights and remedies, and expose the Fund
to the risks of the clearinghouses insolvency.
Pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the SEC, the Fund, along with other
affiliated entities managed by the Manager, may transfer uninvested cash balances into one or more joint accounts for the purpose of entering into repurchase agreements secured by cash and U.S. government securities, subject to certain conditions.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements
The
Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements. A reverse repurchase agreement has the characteristics of a secured borrowing by the Fund and creates leverage in the Funds portfolio. In a reverse repurchase transaction, the Fund sells a
portfolio instrument to another person, such as a financial institution or broker-dealer, in return for cash. At the same time, the Fund agrees to repurchase the instrument at an agreed-upon time and at a price that is greater than the amount of
cash that the Fund received when it sold the instrument, representing the equivalent of an interest payment by the Fund for the use of the cash. During the term of the transaction, the Fund will continue to receive any principal and interest
payments (or the equivalent thereof) on the underlying instruments.
The Fund may engage in reverse repurchase agreements as a form of
leverage and for temporary or emergency purposes. Unless otherwise limited in the Funds Prospectus or this SAI, the Fund may also engage in reverse repurchase agreements to the extent permitted by its fundamental investment policies in order
to raise additional cash to be invested by the Funds portfolio manager in other securities or instruments in an effort to increase the Funds investment returns.
During the term of the transaction, the Fund will remain at risk for any fluctuations in the market value of the instruments subject to the
reverse repurchase agreement as if it had not entered into the transaction. When the Fund reinvests the proceeds of a reverse repurchase agreement in other securities, the Fund will also be at risk for any fluctuations in the market value of the
securities in which the proceeds are invested. Like other forms of leverage, this makes the value of an investment in the Fund more volatile and increases the Funds overall investment exposure. In addition, if the Funds return on its
investment of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement does not equal or exceed the implied interest that it is obligated to pay under the reverse repurchase agreement, engaging in the transaction will lower the Funds return.
When the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it is subject to the risk that the buyer under the agreement may file for
bankruptcy, become insolvent or otherwise default on its obligations to the Fund. In the event of a default by the counterparty, there may be delays, costs and risks of loss involved in the Funds exercising its rights under the agreement, or
those rights may be limited by other contractual agreements or obligations or by applicable law.
In addition, the Fund may be unable to
sell the instruments subject to the reverse repurchase agreement at a time when it would be advantageous to do so, or may be required to liquidate portfolio securities at a time when
42
it would be disadvantageous to do so in order to make payments with respect to its obligations under a reverse repurchase agreement. This could adversely affect the Funds strategy and
result in lower fund returns. At the time the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund is required to set aside cash or other appropriate liquid securities in the amount of the Funds obligation under the reverse repurchase
agreement or take certain other actions in accordance with SEC guidelines, which may affect the Funds liquidity and ability to manage its assets. Although complying with SEC guidelines would have the effect of limiting the amount of fund
assets that may be committed to reverse repurchase agreements and other similar transactions at any time, it does not otherwise mitigate the risks of entering into reverse repurchase agreements.
The Fund will not engage in reverse repurchase agreements if its total Borrowings exceed 33 1/3% of its total net assets.
Securities Lending
The Fund may lend its
portfolio securities, provided that cash or equivalent collateral, equal to at least 100% of the market value of such securities, is continuously maintained by the other party with the Fund. During the pendency of the transaction, the other party
will pay the Fund an amount equivalent to any dividends or interest paid on such securities, and the Fund may invest the cash collateral and earn additional income, or it may receive an agreed upon amount of interest income from the other party who
has delivered equivalent collateral. These transactions are subject to termination at the option of the Fund or the other party. The Fund may pay administrative and custodial fees in connection with these transactions and may pay a negotiated
portion of the interest earned on the cash or equivalent collateral to the other party or placing agent or broker.
Although voting rights
or rights to consent with respect to the relevant securities generally pass to the other party, the Fund will make arrangements to vote or consent with respect to a material event affecting such securities. SEC guidance currently states that a fund
may loan securities equal in value to no more than one third of its total asset value, including collateral received in connection with such transactions (at market value computed at the time of the transaction). The risks in lending portfolio
securities include possible delay in recovery of the securities or possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. The Fund runs the risk that the counterparty to a loan transaction will default on its obligation and
that the value of the collateral received may decline before the Fund can dispose of it. If the Fund receives cash as collateral and invests that cash, the Fund is subject to the risk that the collateral will decline in value before the Fund must
return it to the counterparty. Subject to the foregoing, loans of fund securities are effectively borrowings by the Fund and have economic characteristics similar to reverse repurchase agreements. The Fund does not currently intend to engage in
securities lending, although it may engage in transactions (such as reverse repurchase agreements) which have similar characteristics.
Short-Term
Trading
Fund transactions will be undertaken principally to accomplish the Funds investment objective in relation to anticipated
movements in the general level of interest rates, but the Fund may also engage in short-term trading consistent with its investment objective.
Stripped Securities
Stripped securities
may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government, or by private originators of, or investors in, government securities or mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment
banks and special purpose subsidiaries of the foregoing. Stripped securities have greater volatility than other types of securities. Although mortgage securities are purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking
firms acting as brokers or dealers, the market for such securities has not yet been fully developed. Accordingly, stripped securities may be illiquid.
43
Stripped securities are structured with two or more classes of securities that receive different
proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of assets. A common type of stripped mortgage security will have at least one class receiving only a small portion of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive
all of the interest (IO or interest-only class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (PO or principal-only class). The yield to maturity on IOs, POs and other mortgage-backed securities that are purchased
at a substantial premium or discount generally are extremely sensitive not only to changes in prevailing interest rates but also to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of
principal payments may have a material adverse effect on such securities yield to maturity. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may fail to fully recoup its initial
investment in these securities even if the securities have received the highest rating by a NRSRO.
Structured Notes and Related Instruments
Structured notes and other related instruments, including indexed securities and credit-linked notes, are derivative debt
instruments, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated underlying instrument (for example, a currency, security, commodity or index thereof). Structured instruments are generally privately negotiated debt obligations
issued by corporations, including banks, as well as by governmental agencies and frequently are assembled in the form of medium-term notes, but a variety of forms are available and may be used in particular circumstances. The terms of such
structured instruments normally provide that their principal and/or interest payments are to be adjusted upwards or downwards (but ordinarily not below zero) to reflect changes in the underlying instrument while the instruments are outstanding. As a
result, the interest and/or principal payments that may be made on a structured product may vary widely. The rate of return on structured notes may be determined by applying a multiplier to the performance or differential performance of the
underlying instrument or other asset(s). Application of a multiplier involves leverage that will serve to magnify the potential for gain and the risk of loss. Investment in indexed securities and structured notes involves certain risks, including
the credit risk of the issuer and the normal risks of price changes in response to changes in interest rates. Further, in the case of certain indexed securities or structured notes, a decline in the underlying instrument may cause the interest rate
to be reduced to zero, and any further declines in the underlying instrument may then reduce the principal amount payable on maturity. Finally, these securities may have lower liquidity than other types of securities and may be more volatile than
their underlying instruments. Subordinated structured notes, which are subordinated to the right of payment of another class of the structured note, typically have higher yields and present greater risks than unsubordinated
structured notes.
Subordinated Securities
Subordinated securities include securities which are subordinated or junior to more senior securities of the issuer, or which
represent interests in pools of such subordinated or junior securities. Such securities may include so-called high yield securities or junk bonds (i.e., bonds that are rated
below investment grade by a rating agency or that are determined by the Funds portfolio manager to be of equivalent quality) and preferred stock. Under the terms of subordinated securities, payments that would otherwise be made to their
holders may be required to be made to the holders of more senior securities, and/or the subordinated or junior securities may have junior liens, if they have any rights at all, in any collateral (meaning proceeds of the collateral are required to be
paid first to the holders of more senior securities). As a result, subordinated or junior securities will be disproportionately adversely affected by a default or even a perceived decline in creditworthiness of the issuer.
U.S. Government Securities
U.S.
Government securities include (1) U.S. Treasury bills (maturity of one year or less), U.S. Treasury notes (maturity of one to ten years) and U.S. Treasury bonds (maturities generally greater than ten years); (2) obligations issued or guaranteed
by U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities which are supported by any of the following: (a) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government (such as certificates issued by the Government
44
National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae)); (b) the right of the issuer to borrow an amount limited to a specific line of credit from the U.S. Government (such as obligations of the
Federal Home Loan Banks); (c) the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase certain obligations of agencies or instrumentalities (such as securities issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association); or (d) only the credit
of the agency or instrumentality (such as securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation); and (3) obligations issued by non-governmental entities (like financial institutions)
that carry direct guarantees from U.S. government agencies as part of government initiatives in response to a market crisis or otherwise. Agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government include but are not limited to: Farmers Home
Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Federal Housing Administration, Federal Land Banks, Federal Financing Bank, Central Bank for Cooperatives, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Farm Credit Bank System, Federal Home Loan Banks,
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Federal National Mortgage Association, General Services Administration, Government National Mortgage Association, Student Loan Marketing Association, United States Postal Service, Maritime Administration,
Small Business Administration, Tennessee Valley Authority, Washington D.C. Armory Board and any other instrumentality established or sponsored by the U.S. Government.
In the case of obligations not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Fund must look principally to the agency or
instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. Neither the U.S.
Government nor any of its agencies or instrumentalities guarantees the market value of the securities they issue. Therefore, the market value of such securities will fluctuate in response to changes in interest rates and other factors. In addition,
any downgrade of the credit rating of the securities issued by the U.S. Government may result in a downgrade of securities issued by its agencies or instrumentalities, including government-sponsored entities.
U.S. Treasury Obligations
U.S. Treasury
obligations are direct debt obligations issued by the U.S. government. Treasury bills, with maturities normally from 4 weeks to 52 weeks, are typically issued at a discount as they pay interest only upon maturity. Treasury bills are non-callable. Treasury notes have a maturity between two and ten years and typically pay interest semi-annually, while Treasury bonds have a maturity of over ten years and pay interest semi-annually.
U.S. Treasury obligations also include STRIPS, TIPS, and FRNs. STRIPS are Treasury obligations with separately traded principal and interest component parts of such obligations that are transferable through the federal book-entry system. The
principal and interest components of U.S. Treasury bonds with remaining maturities of longer than ten years are eligible to be traded independently under the STRIPS program. Under the STRIPS program, the principal and interest components are
separately issued through depository financial institutions, which then trade the component parts separately. Each interest payment and the principal payment becomes a separate zero-coupon security.
STRIPS pay interest only at maturity. The interest component of STRIPS may be more volatile than that of U.S. Treasury bills with comparable maturities. TIPS are Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, the principal of which increases with
inflation and decreases with deflation. The inflation adjustment is based on a two month-lagged value of the non-seasonally adjusted Consumer Price Index for Urban
Consumers (CPI-U). TIPS entitle the holder, upon maturity, to the adjusted principal or original principal, whichever is greater, thus providing a deflation floor. TIPS pay interest twice a year, at
a fixed rate. The rate is applied to the adjusted principal; so, like the principal, interest payments rise with inflation and fall with deflation. However, because the interest rate is fixed, TIPS may lose value when market interest rates increase,
particularly during periods of low inflation. FRNs are floating rate notes, the interest on which is indexed to the most recent 13-week Treasury bill auction High Rate, which is the highest accepted
discount rate in a Treasury bill auction.
Variable and Floating Rate Securities
Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The terms of such
obligations provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an
45
interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event-based, such as based on a
change in the prime rate.
The Fund may invest in floating rate debt instruments (floaters) and engage in credit spread
trades. The interest rate on a floater is a variable rate which is tied to another interest rate, such as a corporate bond index or U.S. Treasury bill rate. The interest rate on a floater resets periodically, typically every six months. While,
because of the interest rate reset feature, floaters may provide the Fund with a certain degree of protection against rising interest rates, the Fund will participate in any declines in interest rates as well. A credit spread trade is an investment
position relating to a difference in the prices or interest rates of two bonds or other securities or currencies, where the value of the investment position is determined by movements in the difference between the prices or interest rates, as the
case may be, of the respective securities or currencies.
The Fund may also invest in inverse floating rate debt instruments
(inverse floaters). The interest rate on an inverse floater resets in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is indexed. An inverse floating rate security may exhibit greater price volatility
than a fixed rate obligation of similar credit quality.
A floater may be considered to be leveraged to the extent that its interest rate
varies by a magnitude that exceeds the magnitude of the change in the index rate of interest. The higher degree of leverage inherent in some floaters is associated with greater volatility in their market values.
The Fund may also invest in variable amount master demand notes, which permit the indebtedness thereunder to vary in addition to providing for
periodic adjustments in the interest rate. The absence of an active secondary market with respect to particular variable and floating rate instruments could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of a variable or floating rate note if the issuer
were to default on its payment obligation or during periods that the Fund is not entitled to exercise its demand rights, and the Fund could, for these or other reasons, suffer a loss with respect to such instruments. In determining average-weighted
portfolio maturity, an instrument will be deemed to have a maturity equal to either the period remaining until the next interest rate adjustment or the time the Fund can recover payment of principal as specified in the instrument, depending on the
type of instrument involved.
When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments
The Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued or to be announced or forward delivery basis. The payment
obligation and the interest rate that will be received on the when-issued securities are fixed at the time the buyer enters into the commitment although settlement, i.e., delivery of and payment for the securities, takes place at a later
date. In a to be announced transaction, the Fund commits to purchase securities for which all specific information is not known at the time of the trade.
Securities purchased on a when-issued or forward delivery basis are subject to changes in value based upon the
markets perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and changes, real or anticipated, in the level of interest rates. The value of these securities experiences appreciation when interest rates decline and depreciation when interest rates
rise. Purchasing securities on a when-issued or forward delivery basis can involve a risk that the yields available in the market on the settlement date may actually be higher or lower than those obtained in the transaction
itself. At the time the Fund enters into a when-issued or forward delivery commitment, the Fund will set aside cash or other appropriate liquid securities with a value at least equal to the Funds obligation under the
commitment. The Funds liquidity and ability to manage its assets might be affected when it sets aside cash or portfolio securities to cover such commitments.
An increase in the percentage of the Funds assets committed to the purchase of securities on a when-issued basis may
increase the volatility of its net asset value.
46
Zero-Coupon, Pay-In-Kind and Deferred Interest Securities
Zero Coupon Bond. A zero coupon bond is a security that makes no fixed interest payments but instead is sold at a discount from its face
value. The bond is redeemed at its face value on the specified maturity date. Zero coupon bonds may be issued as such, or they may be created by a broker who strips the coupons from a bond and separately sells the rights to receive principal and
interest. The prices of zero coupon bonds tend to fluctuate more in response to changes in market interest rates than do the prices of interest-paying debt securities with similar maturities. Zero coupon bonds with a fixed maturity date of more than
one year from the date of issuance will be treated as debt obligations that are issued with original issue discount (OID) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Generally, the OID is treated as interest income and is included in the
Funds income and required to be distributed by the Fund over the term of the bond, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, upon partial or full repayment or disposition of the bond. The Fund may thus be required
to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount which is greater than the total amount of cash the Fund actually received, and may have to dispose of other securities, including at times when it may be disadvantageous to do so, to generate
the cash necessary for the distribution of income attributable to its zero coupon bonds.
Pay-In-Kind Securities. Pay-in-kind securities are bonds which pay interest through the
issuance of additional debt or equity securities. Pay-in-kind securities have characteristics similar to those of zero coupon securities, but interest on such
securities may be paid in the form of obligations of the same type rather than cash. Similar to zero coupon obligations, pay-in-kind bonds also carry
additional risk as holders of these types of securities realize no cash until the cash payment date unless a portion of such securities is sold and, if the issuer defaults, the Fund may obtain no return at all on its investment. The market price of pay-in-kind bonds is affected by interest rate changes to a greater extent, and therefore tends to be more volatile, than that of securities which pay interest in
cash. Similar to zero coupon bonds, current federal income tax law requires the holder of pay-in-kind bonds to accrue income with respect to these securities
prior to the receipt of cash payments. To maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid liability for federal income and excise taxes, the Fund may be required to distribute income accrued with respect to these securities
and may have to dispose of portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances in order to generate cash to satisfy these distribution requirements.
Deferred Interest Bonds. Deferred interest bonds are debt obligations that generally provide for a period of delay before the regular
payment of interest begins and that are issued at a significant discount from face value. The original discount approximates the total amount of interest the bonds will accrue and compound over the period until the first interest accrual date at a
rate of interest reflecting the market rate of the security at the time of issuance. Although this period of delay is different for each deferred interest bond, a typical period is
approximately one-third of the bonds term to maturity. Such investments benefit the issuer by mitigating its initial need for cash to meet debt service, but some also provide a higher rate of
return to attract investors who are willing to defer receipt of such cash. Similar to zero coupon bonds, current federal income tax law generally requires the holder of deferred interest bonds to accrue income with respect to these securities before
the regular payment of interest begins. To maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid liability for federal income and excise taxes, the Fund may be required to distribute income accrued with respect to these securities
and may have to dispose of portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances in order to generate cash to satisfy these distribution requirements.
Zero-coupon, pay-in-kind and deferred interest
securities may be subject to greater fluctuation in value and lesser liquidity in the event of adverse market conditions than comparably rated securities paying cash interest at regular interest payment periods.
47
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
Board of Directors
The
overall management of the business and affairs of the Fund is vested in the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is classified, with respect to the time for which Directors severally hold office, into three classesClass I,
Class II and Class III, with the Directors in each Class to hold office until the third annual meeting following the election of the applicable class and until their successors are elected and qualified. At each succeeding annual
meeting of stockholders, the successors to the Class of Directors whose terms expire at that meeting shall be elected to hold office for terms expiring at the later of the annual meeting of stockholders held in the third year following the year
of their election or the election and qualification of their successors. The terms of office of Class I directors, Class II directors and Class III directors expire at the 2026, 2024 and 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders,
respectively.
The Directors of the Fund, their ages, their principal occupations during the past five years (their titles may have varied
during that period), the number of investment companies or portfolios in the Fund Complex that each Director oversees, and the other board memberships held by each Director is set forth below.
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Name, Address(1) and Age |
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Position(s)
with Fund |
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Term of Office
and Length of Time
Served |
|
Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years |
|
Number of Investment Companies in Fund Complex(2) Overseen by Director |
|
|
Other
Directorships
Held by Director
During Past Five
Years |
INTERESTED DIRECTOR: |
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Jane E. Trust, CFA
Born 1962 |
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Director, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer |
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Since 2015 Class II |
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Senior Vice President, Fund Board Management, Franklin Templeton (since 2020); Officer and/or Trustee/Director of 127 funds associated with FTFA or its affiliates (since 2015); President and Chief Executive Officer of FTFA (since
2015); formerly, Senior Managing Director (2018 to 2020) and Managing Director (2016 to 2018) of Legg Mason & Co., LLC (Legg Mason & Co.); Senior Vice President of FTFA (2015) |
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127 |
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None |
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NON-INTERESTED DIRECTORS: |
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Robert D. Agdern
Birth Year: 1950 |
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Director and Member of Audit, Nominating, Compensation, Pricing and Valuation Committees, and Compliance Liason |
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Since 2015 Class III |
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Member of the Advisory Committee of the Dispute Resolution Research Center at the Kellogg Graduate School of Business, Northwestern University (2002-2016); Deputy General Counsel responsible for western hemisphere matters for BP PLC
from 1999 to 2001; Associate General Counsel at Amoco Corporation responsible for corporate, chemical, and refining and marketing matters and special assignments from 1993 to 1998 (Amoco merged with British Petroleum in 1998 forming BP PLC) |
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19 |
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None |
48
|
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|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
Name, Address(1) and Age |
|
Position(s)
with Fund |
|
Term of Office
and Length of Time
Served |
|
Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years |
|
Number of Investment Companies in Fund Complex(2) Overseen by Director |
|
Other
Directorships
Held by Director
During Past Five
Years |
Carol L. Colman
Birth Year: 1946 |
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Director and Member of Audit, Nominating and Compensation, Committees, and Chair of Pricing and Valuation Committee |
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Since 2003 Class I |
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President, Colman Consulting Co. |
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19 |
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None |
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Daniel P. Cronin
Birth Year: 1946 |
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Director and Member of Audit, Compensation, and Pricing and Valuation Committees, and Chair of Nominating Committee |
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Since 2007 Class I |
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Retired; formerly, Associate General Counsel, Pfizer, Inc. |
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19 |
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None |
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Paolo M. Cucchi
Birth Year: 1941 |
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Director and Member of Audit, Nominating, and Pricing and Valuation Committees, and Chair of Compensation Committee |
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Since 2007 Class I |
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Emeritus Professor of French and Italian at Drew University (since 2014); formerly, Professor of French and Italian at Drew University (2009 to 2014); Vice President and Dean of College of Liberal Arts at Drew University (1984 to
2009) |
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19 |
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None |
49
|
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|
|
Name, Address(1) and Age |
|
Position(s)
with Fund |
|
Term of Office
and Length of Time
Served |
|
Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years |
|
Number of Investment Companies in Fund Complex(2) Overseen by Director |
|
Other
Directorships
Held by Director
During Past Five
Years |
Eileen A. Kamerick
Birth Year: 1958 |
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Lead Independent Director and Member of Audit, Nominating, Compensation, Pricing and Valuation Committees |
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Since 2013 Class III |
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Chief Executive Officer, The Governance Partners, LLC (consulting firm) (since 2015); National Association of Corporate Directors Board Leadership Fellow (since 2016, with Directorship Certification since 2019) and NACD 2022
Directorship 100 honoree; Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University Law Center (since 2021); Adjunct Professor, The University of Chicago Law School (since 2018); Adjunct Professor, University of Iowa College of Law (since 2007); formerly, Chief
Financial Officer, Press Ganey Associates (health care informatics company) (2012 to 2014); Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, Houlihan Lokey (international investment bank) and President, Houlihan Lokey Foundation (2010 to 2012) |
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19 |
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Director, VALIC Company I (since October 2022); Director of ACV Auctions Inc. (since 2021); formerly, Director of Hochschild Mining plc (precious metals company) (2017 to 2023); Director of Associated Banc-Corp (financial services
company) (since 2007); formerly, Trustee of AIG Funds and Anchor Series Trust (2018 to 2021) |
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Nisha Kumar
Birth Year: 1970 |
|
Director and Member of Nominating, Compensation and Pricing and Valuation Committees, and Chair of Audit Committee |
|
Since 2019 Class II |
|
Formerly, Managing Director and the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Greenbriar Equity Group, LP (2011-2021); formerly, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer of Rent the Runway, Inc. (2011);
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of AOL LLC, a subsidiary of Time Warner Inc. (2007 to 2009). Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. |
|
19 |
|
Director of The India Fund, Inc. (since 2016); formerly, Director of Aberdeen Income Credit Strategies Fund (2017-2018); and Director of The Asia Tigers Fund, Inc. (2016 to 2018) |
* |
Ms. Trust is an interested person as defined in the 1940 Act because she is an officer of the
Manager and certain of its affiliates. |
50
(1) |
Unless otherwise indicated, the business address of the persons listed above is c/o Chairman of the Fund,
Franklin Templeton, 280 Park Avenue, 47th Floor, New York, NY 10017. |
(2) |
The term Fund Complex means two or more registered investment companies that:
|
|
(a) |
hold themselves out to investors as related companies for purposes of investment and investor services; or
|
|
(b) |
have a common investment adviser or that have an investment adviser that is an affiliated person of the
investment adviser of any of the other registered investment companies. |
Each of the Directors has served as a director
of the Fund as indicated in the table above. The Directors were selected to join the Board based upon the following as to each Board Member: his or her character and integrity; such persons service as a board member of other funds in the Fund
Complex; such persons willingness to serve and willingness and ability to commit the time necessary to perform the duties of a Director; as to each Director other than Ms. Trust, his or her status as not being an interested
person as defined in the 1940 Act; and, as to Ms. Trust, her role with Franklin Templeton. No factor, by itself, was controlling.
In addition to the information provided in the table included above, each Director possesses the following attributes: Ms. Colman,
experience as a consultant and investment professional; Mr. Agdern, experience in business and as a legal professional; Mr. Cronin, legal and managerial experience; Mr. Cucchi, experience as a college professor and leadership
experience as an academic dean; Ms. Kamerick, experience in business and finance, including financial reporting, and experience as a board member of another highly regulated financial services company; Ms. Kumar, financial and accounting
experience as the chief financial officer of other companies and experience as a board member of private equity funds; and Ms. Trust, investment management and risk oversight experience as an executive and portfolio manager and leadership roles
within Franklin Templeton and affiliated entities. References to the qualifications, attributes and skills of the Directors are pursuant to requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, do not constitute holding out of the Board or any
Director as having any special expertise or experience, and shall not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board by reason thereof.
Responsibilities of the Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is responsible under applicable state law for overseeing generally the management and operations of the Fund. The
Directors oversee the Funds operations by, among other things, meeting at its regularly scheduled meetings and as otherwise needed with the Funds management and evaluating the performance of the Funds service providers including
the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited, the custodian and the transfer agent. As part of this process, the Directors consult with the Funds independent auditors and with their own separate independent counsel.
The Directors review the Funds financial statements, performance, net asset value and market price and the relationship between them, as
well as the quality of the services being provided to the Fund. As part of this process, the Directors review the Funds fees and expenses in light of the nature, quality and scope of the services being received while also seeking to ensure
that the Fund continues to have access to high quality services in the future.
The Board of Directors has four regularly scheduled
meetings each year, and additional meetings may be scheduled as needed. In addition, the Board has a standing Audit Committee, Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee (the Nominating Committee), Compensation Committee and Pricing
and Valuation Committee that meet periodically and whose responsibilities are described below.
During the fiscal year ended May 31,
2023, the Board of Directors held four regular meetings. Each Director attended at least 75% of the aggregate number of meetings of the Board and the committees for which he or she was eligible. The Fund does not have a formal policy regarding
attendance by Directors at annual meetings of stockholders.
51
Each of the Audit Committee, the Nominating Committee, Compensation Committee and Pricing and
Valuation Committee is composed of all Directors who have been determined not to be interested persons of the Fund, the Manager, Western Asset or their affiliates, within the meaning of the 1940 Act, and who are independent
as defined in the New York Stock Exchange listing standards (Independent Directors), and is chaired by an Independent Director. The Board in its discretion from time to time may establish ad hoc committees.
The Board of Directors is currently comprised of seven directors, six of whom are Independent Directors. Jane E. Trust serves as Chairman of
the Board. Ms. Trust is an interested person of the Fund. The appointment of Ms. Trust as Chairman reflects the Boards belief that her experience, familiarity with the Funds day-to-day operations and access to individuals with responsibility for the Funds management and operations provides the Board with insight into the Funds business and activities and, with her
access to appropriate administrative support, facilitates the efficient development of meeting agendas that address the Funds business, legal and other needs and the orderly conduct of board meetings. Ms. Kamerick serves as Lead
Independent Director. The Chairman develops agendas for Board meetings in consultation with the Lead Independent Director and presides at all meetings of the Board. The Lead Independent Director, among other things, chairs executive sessions of the
Independent Directors, serves as a spokesperson for the Independent Directors and serves as a liaison between the Independent Directors and the Funds management between Board meetings. The Independent Directors regularly meet outside the
presence of management and are advised by independent legal counsel. The Board also has determined that its leadership structure, as described above, is appropriate in light of the size and complexity of the Fund, the number of Independent Directors
(who constitute a super-majority of the Boards membership) and the Boards general oversight responsibility. The Board also believes that its leadership structure not only facilitates the orderly and efficient flow of information to the
Independent Directors from management, including Western Asset and Western Asset Limited, the Funds subadvisers, but also enhances the independent and orderly exercise of its responsibilities.
Audit Committee
The
Funds Audit Committee is composed entirely of all of the Independent Directors: Mses. Colman, Kamerick and Kumar and Messrs. Agdern, Cronin, and Cucchi. Ms. Kamerick serves as the Chair of the Audit Committee and has been determined by
the Board to be an audit committee financial expert. The principal functions of the Audit Committee are: to (a) oversee the scope of the Funds audit, the Funds accounting and financial reporting policies and practices
and its internal controls and enhance the quality and objectivity of the audit function; (b) approve, and recommend to the Independent Board Members (as such term is defined in the Audit Committee Charter) for their ratification, the selection,
appointment, retention or termination of the Funds independent registered public accounting firm, as well as approving the compensation thereof; and (c) approve all audit and permissible non-audit
services provided to the Fund and certain other persons by the Funds independent registered public accounting firm. This Committee met five times during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2023. The Audit Committee operates under a written
charter adopted and approved by the Board, a copy of which is available on the Funds website at
http://www.franklintempleton.com/investments/options/closed-end-funds and click on the name of the Fund.
Nominating Committee
The
Funds Nominating Committee, the principal function of which is to select and nominate candidates for election as Directors of the Fund, is composed of all of the Independent Directors: Mses. Colman, Kamerick and Kumar and Messrs. Agdern,
Cronin, and Cucchi. Mr. Cronin serves as the Chair of the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee may consider nominees recommended by the stockholder as it deems appropriate. Stockholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send
recommendations to the Funds Secretary that include all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the election of Directors. A recommendation must be accompanied by a written consent
of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board of Directors and to serve if elected by the stockholders. The Nominating
52
Committee met four times during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2023. The Nominating Committee operates under a written charter adopted and approved by the Board, a copy of which is available
on the Funds website at http://www.franklintempleton.com/investments/options/closed-end-funds and click on the name of the Fund.
The Nominating Committee identifies potential nominees through its network of contacts, and in its discretion may also engage a professional
search firm. The Nominating Committee meets to discuss and consider such candidates qualifications and then chooses a candidate by majority vote. The Nominating Committee does not have specific, minimum qualifications for nominees and has not
established specific qualities or skills that it regards as necessary for one or more of the Funds Directors to possess (other than any qualities or skills that may be required by applicable law, regulation or listing standard). However, as
set forth in the Nominating Committee Charter, in evaluating a person as a potential nominee to serve as a Director of the Fund, the Nominee Committee may consider the following factors, among any others it may deem relevant:
|
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whether or not the person is an interested person as defined in the 1940 Act and whether the person
is otherwise qualified under applicable laws and regulations to serve as a Director of the Fund; |
|
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|
whether or not the person has any relationships that might impair his or her independence, such as any business,
financial or family relationships with Fund management, the investment manager of the Fund, Fund service providers or their affiliates; |
|
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|
whether or not the person serves on boards of, or is otherwise affiliated with, competing financial service
organizations or their related mutual fund complexes; |
|
|
|
whether or not the person is willing to serve, and willing and able to commit the time necessary for the
performance of the duties of a Director of the Fund; |
|
|
|
the contribution which the person can make to the Board and the Fund (or, if the person has previously served as
a Director of the Fund, the contribution which the person made to the Board during his or her previous term of service), with consideration being given to the persons business and professional experience, education and such other factors as
the Committee may consider relevant; |
|
|
|
the character and integrity of the person; and |
|
|
|
whether or not the selection and nomination of the person would be consistent with the requirements of the
Funds retirement policies. |
Further, the Fund has adopted Director qualification requirements which can be found
in the Funds bylaws and are applicable to all Directors that may be nominated or elected to serve as Directors, unless a majority of the Board of Directors then in office determine by resolution that failure to satisfy a particular
qualification requirement will not present undue conflicts or impede the ability of the individual to discharge the duties of a Director or the free flow of information among Directors or between FTFA and the Board of Directors. The qualification
requirements include: (i) experience requirements; (ii) limits on service on other boards; and (iii) character and fitness requirements. The Nominating Committee, in its sole discretion, determines whether an individual satisfies
these qualifications.
The Nominating Committee does not have a formal diversity policy with regard to the consideration of diversity in
identifying potential director nominees but may consider diversity of professional experience, education and skills when evaluating potential nominees for Board membership.
Pricing and Valuation Committee
The Funds Pricing and Valuation Committee is composed of all of the Independent Directors. The members of the Pricing and Valuation
Committee are Mses. Colman, Kamerick and Kumar and Messrs. Agdern, Cronin, and Cucchi. Ms. Colman serves as Chair of the Funds Pricing and Valuation Committee. The principal function of the Pricing and Valuation Committee is to assist the
Board with its oversight of the process for valuing portfolio
53
securities in light of applicable law, regulatory guidance and applicable policies and procedures adopted by the Fund. The Pricing and Valuation Committee met four times during the fiscal year
ended May 31, 2023.
Compensation Committee
The Funds Compensation Committee is composed entirely of all of the Independent Members. The members of the Investment Committee are
Mses. Colman, Kamerick and Kumar and Messrs. Agdern, Cronin, and Cucchi. Mr. Cucchi serves as Chair of the Funds Compensation Committee. The principal function of the Compensation Committee is to recommend the appropriate compensation of
the Independent Directors for their service on the Board and the committees of the Board. The Compensation Committee met once during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2023. The Compensation Committee operates under a written charter adopted and
approved by the Board, a copy of which is available on the Funds website at http://www.franklintempleton.com/investments/options/closed-end-funds and click on the
name of the Fund.
Risk Oversight
The Boards role in risk oversight of the Fund reflects its responsibility under applicable state law to oversee generally, rather than to
manage, the operations of the Fund. In line with this oversight responsibility, the Board receives reports and makes inquiry at its regular meetings and as needed regarding the nature and extent of significant Fund risks (including investment,
compliance and valuation risks) that potentially could have a materially adverse impact on the business operations, investment performance or reputation of the Fund, but relies upon the Funds management (including the Funds portfolio
managers) and Chief Compliance Officer, who reports directly to the Board, and the Manager to assist it in identifying and understanding the nature and extent of such risks and determining whether, and to what extent, such risks may be eliminated or
mitigated. In addition to reports and other information received from Fund management and the Manager regarding the Funds investment program and activities, the Board as part of its risk oversight efforts meets at its regular meetings and as
needed with the Funds Chief Compliance Officer to discuss, among other things, risk issues and issues regarding the policies, procedures and controls of the Fund. The Board may be assisted in performing aspects of its role in risk oversight by
the Audit Committee and such other standing or special committees as may be established from time to time by the Board. For example, the Audit Committee of the Board regularly meets with the Funds independent public accounting firm to review,
among other things, reports on the Funds internal controls for financial reporting.
The Board believes that not all risks that may
affect the Fund can be identified, that it may not be practical or cost-effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve the Funds goals, and that
the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, reports received by the Directors as to risk management matters are typically summaries of relevant information and may be
inaccurate or incomplete. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Boards risk management oversight is subject to substantial limitations.
54
Security Ownership of Management
The following table provides information concerning the dollar range of equity securities owned beneficially by each Director and nominee for
election as Director as of December 31, 2022.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name of Director |
|
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund ($) |
|
|
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Registered Investment Companies Overseen by the
Director in the Family of Investment Companies(1) ($) |
|
Non-Interested Directors: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Robert D. Agdern |
|
|
A |
|
|
|
D |
|
Carol L. Colman |
|
|
C |
|
|
|
E |
|
Daniel P. Cronin |
|
|
A |
|
|
|
E |
|
Paolo M. Cucchi |
|
|
A |
|
|
|
C |
|
Eileen Kamerick |
|
|
C |
|
|
|
E |
|
Nisha Kumar |
|
|
A |
|
|
|
A |
|
Interested Director: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jane Trust |
|
|
A |
|
|
|
E |
|
Key: A:
none, B: $1-$10,000, C: $10,001-$50,000, D: $50,001-$100,000, E: over $100,000.
(1) |
The term family of investment companies means any two or more registered investment companies that
share the same investment adviser or principal underwriter or hold themselves out to investors as related companies for purposes of investment and investor services. |
As of December 31, 2022, the nominees, Directors and officers of the Fund as a group beneficially owned less than 1% of the outstanding
shares of the Funds Common Stock.
No Director or nominee for election as Director who is not an interested person of
the Fund as defined in the 1940 Act, nor any immediate family members, to the best of the Funds knowledge, had any interest in the Funds investment adviser, or any person or entity (other than the Fund) directly or indirectly
controlling, controlled by, or under common control with Franklin Templeton as of December 31, 2022.
55
Director Compensation
Under the federal securities laws, and in connection with the Meeting, the Fund is required to provide to stockholders in connection with the
Meeting information regarding compensation paid to the Directors by the Fund, as well as by the various other investment companies advised by the Manager. The following table provides information concerning the compensation paid to each Director by
the Fund during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2023 and the total compensation paid to each Director during the calendar year ended December 31, 2022. The Directors listed below are members of the Funds Audit, Nominating, Compensation
and Pricing and Valuation Committees, as well as committees of the boards of certain other investment companies advised by the Manager. Accordingly, the amounts provided in the table include compensation for service on all such committees. The Fund
does not provide any pension or retirement benefits to Directors. In addition, no remuneration was paid during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2023 by the Fund to Ms. Trust who is an interested person as defined in the 1940 Act.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name of Director |
|
Aggregate Compensation from the Fund for Fiscal Period Ended 05/31/23 |
|
|
Total Compensation from the Fund and Fund Complex(1) for Calendar Year Ended 12/31/22 |
|
Non-Interested Directors:(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Robert D. Agdern |
|
$ |
8,555 |
|
|
$ |
296,000 |
|
Carol L. Colman |
|
$ |
9,128 |
|
|
$ |
314,000 |
|
Daniel P. Cronin |
|
$ |
8,985 |
|
|
$ |
311,000 |
|
Paolo M. Cucchi |
|
$ |
8,555 |
|
|
$ |
296,000 |
|
Eileen A. Kamerick |
|
$ |
9,918 |
|
|
$ |
333,778 |
|
Nisha Kumar |
|
$ |
9,345 |
|
|
$ |
313,778 |
|
(1) |
Fund Complex means two or more Funds (a registrant or, where the registrant is a series company, a
separate portfolio of the registrant) that hold themselves out to investors as related companies for purposes of investment and investor services or have a common investment adviser or have an investment adviser that is an affiliated person of the
investment adviser of any of the other Funds. |
(2) |
Each Non-Interested Director currently holds 19 investment company
directorships within this Fund Complex. |
56
Officers of the Fund
The Funds executive officers are chosen each year at a regular meeting of the Board to hold office until their respective successors are
duly elected and qualified. Officers of the Fund receive no compensation from the Fund, although they may be reimbursed by the Fund for reasonable out-of-pocket travel
expenses for attending Board meetings. In addition to Ms. Trust, the Funds Chairman, CEO and President, the executive officers of the Fund currently are:
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Name, Address and Age |
|
Position(s)
with Fund |
|
Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served |
|
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Fred Jensen Franklin Templeton
280 Park Avenue New York, NY 10017
Birth Year: 1963 |
|
Chief Compliance Officer |
|
Since 2020 |
|
DirectorGlobal Compliance of Franklin Templeton (since 2020); Managing Director of Legg Mason & Co. (2006 to 2020); Director of Compliance, Legg Mason Office of the Chief Compliance Officer (2006 to 2020); formerly,
Chief Compliance Officer of Legg Mason Global Asset Allocation (prior to 2014); Chief Compliance Officer of Legg Mason Private Portfolio Group (prior to 2013); formerly, Chief Compliance Officer of The Reserve Funds (investment adviser, funds and
broker-dealer) (2004) and Ambac Financial Group (investment adviser, funds and broker-dealer) (2000 to 2003). |
|
|
|
|
Marc A. De Oliveira Franklin Templeton
100 First Stamford Place Stamford, CT 06902
Birth year: 1971 |
|
Secretary and Chief Legal Officer |
|
Since 2023 |
|
Associate General Counsel of Franklin Templeton (since 2020); Secretary and Chief Legal Officer of certain funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2020); Assistant Secretary of certain funds
associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2006); formerly, Managing Director (2016 to 2020) and Associate General Counsel of Legg Mason & Co. (2005 to 2020). |
|
|
|
|
Thomas C. Mandia Franklin Templeton
100 First Stamford Place Stamford, CT 06902
Birth Year: 1962 |
|
Senior Vice President |
|
Since 2010 |
|
Senior Associate General Counsel of Franklin Templeton (since 2020); Secretary of FTFA (since 2006); Assistant Secretary of certain funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2006); Secretary of LM
Asset Services, LLC (LMAS) (since 2002) and Legg Mason Fund Asset Management, Inc. (LMFAM) (since 2013) (formerly registered investment advisers); formerly, Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel of Legg
Mason & Co. (2005 to 2020) and Assistant Secretary of certain funds in the fund complex (2006 to 2022) |
57
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name, Address and Age |
|
Position(s)
with Fund |
|
Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served |
|
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Jeanne M. Kelly Franklin Templeton
280 Park Avenue New York, NY 10017
Birth Year: 1951 |
|
Senior Vice President |
|
Since 2007 |
|
U.S. Fund Board Team Manager, Franklin Templeton (since 2020); Senior Vice President of certain funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2007); Senior Vice President of the Manager (since 2006);
President and Chief Executive Officer of LMAS and LMFAM (since 2015); formerly, Managing Director of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005 to 2020); Senior Vice President of LMFAM (2013 to 2015) |
|
|
|
|
Christopher Berarducci Franklin Templeton
280 Park Avenue New York, NY 10017
Birth year: 1974 |
|
Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer |
|
Since 2019 |
|
Vice President, Fund Administration and Reporting, Franklin Templeton (since 2020); Treasurer (since 2010) and Principal Financial Officer (since 2019) of certain funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates;
formerly, Managing Director (2020), Director (2015 to 2020), and Vice President (2011 to 2015) of Legg Mason & Co. |
58
INVESTMENT MANAGER
Investment Manager and Subadviser
The
Fund retains the Manager to act as its investment manager. The Manager is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Templeton. The Manager serves as the investment manager to numerous individuals and institutions and other investment companies. The
investment management agreement (the Management Agreement) between the Manager and the Fund provides that the Manager will manage the operations of the Fund, subject to the supervision, direction and approval of the Funds Board of
Directors and the objective and the policies stated in the Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information.
Pursuant to the
Management Agreement, the Manager manages the Funds investment portfolio, directs purchases and sales of portfolio securities and reports thereon to the Funds officers and Directors regularly. The Manager also provides the office space,
facilities, equipment and personnel necessary to perform the following services for the Fund: SEC compliance, including record keeping, reporting requirements and registration statements and proxies; supervision of Fund operations, including
coordination of functions of the transfer agent, custodian, accountants, counsel and other parties performing services or operational functions for the Fund; and certain administrative and clerical services, including certain accounting services and
maintenance of certain books and records.
Advisory Fee.
|
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Fiscal Year or Period Ended May 31, |
|
|
|
2023 |
|
|
2022 |
|
|
2021 |
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
|
2018 |
|
The Fund paid the Manager approximate fees of |
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
|
$ |
[●] |
|
Pursuant to a subadvisory agreement (the Subadvisory Agreement), subject to the supervision and
direction of the Funds Board and the Manager, Western Asset will manage the Funds portfolio in accordance with the Funds investment objectives and policies, make investment decisions for the Fund, place orders to purchase and sell
securities, and employ professional portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research services to the Fund. Western Asset is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Templeton. Investment decisions for the Fund are made independently from
those of other funds or accounts managed by Western Asset. Such other funds or accounts may also invest in the same securities as the Fund. If those funds or accounts are prepared to invest in, or desire to dispose of, the same security at the same
time as the Fund, however, transactions in such securities will be made, insofar as feasible, for the respective funds and accounts in a manner deemed equitable to all. In some cases, this procedure may adversely affect the size of the position
obtained for or disposed of by the Fund or the price paid or received by the Fund. In addition, because of different investment objectives, a particular security may be purchased for one or more funds or accounts when one or more funds or accounts
are selling the same security.
In connection with Western Assets service to the Fund, Western Asset Management Company Limited in
London (Western Asset Limited) and Western Asset Management Company Pte. Ltd. (Western Asset Singapore) provides certain subadvisory services to the Fund pursuant to subadvisory agreement with the Subadvisor (Western
Asset Limited Subadvisory Agreement and Western Asset Singapore Subadvisory Agreement). Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore are responsible, generally, for managing investments denominated in currencies other than
U.S. dollars. Western Asset Limited was founded in 1984 and has offices at 10 Exchange Square, Primrose Street, London EC2A2EN. Western Asset Singapore was established in 2000 and has offices at 1 George Street
#23-01, Singapore 049145. Western Asset pays Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore a fee for their services at no additional expense to the Fund.
Each of the Management Agreement, the Subadvisory Agreement, the Western Asset Limited Subadvisory Agreement and the Western Asset Singapore
Subadvisory Agreement had an initial term of two years and
59
continues in effect from year to year thereafter if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Funds Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of
the Fund, and in either event, by a majority of the disinterested Directors of the Board with such disinterested Directors casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Board of Directors or the holders of a majority of the
Funds shares may terminate the Management Agreement on 60 days written notice without penalty and the Manager may terminate the agreement on 90 days written notice without penalty. The Management Agreement terminates automatically
in the event of an assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act). The Subadvisory Agreement may be terminated without penalty by the Board of Directors or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, in each case on not more
than 60 days nor less than 30 days written notice by Western Asset upon not less than 90 days written notice to the Fund and the Manager, and will be terminated upon the mutual written consent of the Manager and Western Asset. The
Subadvisory Agreement terminates automatically in the event of an assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act). The Western Asset Limited Subadvisory Agreement and the Western Asset Singapore Subadvisory Agreement may be terminated without penalty by the
Board of Directors or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, in each case on not more than 60 days nor less than 30 days written notice to Western Asset Limited or Western Asset Singapore, or by Western
Asset Limited or Western Asset Singapore upon not less than 90 days written notice to the Fund and the Manager, and will be terminated upon the mutual written consent of the Manager and Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore. The
Western Asset Limited Subadvisory Agreement and the Western Asset Singapore Subadvisory Agreement terminate automatically in the event of an assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
Under the terms of the Management Agreement, the Subadvisory Agreement, the Western Asset Limited Subadvisory Agreement and the Western Asset
Singapore Subadvisory Agreement, none of the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited or Western Asset Singapore, respectively, will be liable for losses or damages incurred by the Fund, unless such losses or damages are attributable to the
willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited or Western Asset Singapore, as the case may be, or from reckless disregard by them of their obligations and duties under the relevant
agreement.
Both Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore are corporations organized under the laws of England and Singapore,
respectively. Each is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended and has irrevocably designated the Secretary of the SEC, as its agent to accept service of process in any suit, action or proceeding to enforce the provisions of
U.S. securities laws. There can be no assurance that Western Asset Limited or Western Asset Singapore will have any assets in the United States that could be attached in connection with any action, suit or proceeding. In addition, it may not be
possible to enforce judgments of U.S. courts or liabilities in original actions predicated upon civil liability provisions of U.S. law in foreign courts against Western Asset Limited or Western Asset Singapore.
Codes of Ethics
Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the Fund, the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore have each adopted codes of ethics that permit their respective personnel to invest in securities for
their own accounts, including securities that may be purchased or held by a Fund. All personnel must place the interests of clients first and avoid activities, interests and relationships that might interfere with the duty to make decisions in the
best interests of the clients. All personal securities transactions by employees must adhere to the requirements of the codes and must be conducted in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest, the appearance of such a
conflict, or the abuse of an employees position of trust and responsibility.
When personnel covered by the Funds Code of
Ethics are employed by more than one of the managers affiliated with Franklin Templeton, those employees may be subject to such affiliates Code of Ethics adopted pursuant to Rule 17j-1, rather than the
Funds Code of Ethics.
Copies of the Codes of Ethics of the Fund, the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited and Western
Asset Singapore are on file with the SEC. These Codes of Ethics can be reviewed and copied at the SECs Public
60
Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information relating to the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090. Such materials
are also available on EDGAR on the SECs website (http://www.sec.gov). You may also e-mail requests for these documents to publicinfo@sec.gov, or make a request in writing to the SECs Public
Reference Section, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.
Proxy Voting Policies
Although individual Directors may not agree with particular policies or votes by the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited or Western
Asset Singapore, the Funds Board of Directors has delegated proxy voting discretion to the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited and/or Western Asset Singapore, believing that the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited and/or
Western Asset Singapore should be responsible for voting because it is a matter relating to the investment decision making process.
The
Manager delegates the responsibility for voting proxies for the Fund to Western Asset through its contract with Western Asset. With respect to assets that are allocated to Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore, Western Asset delegates
responsibility for voting proxies to Western Asset Limited. Each of Western Asset, Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore will use their own proxy voting policies and procedures to vote proxies. Accordingly, the Manager does not expect to
have proxy voting responsibility for the Fund. Should the Manager become responsible for voting proxies for any reason, such as the inability of Western Asset, Western Asset Limited or Western Asset Singapore to provide investment advisory services,
the Manager shall utilize the proxy voting guidelines established by the most recent subadviser to vote proxies until a new subadviser is retained. In the case of a material conflict between the interests of the Manager (or its affiliates if such
conflict is known to persons responsible for voting at the Manager) and the Fund, the Board of Directors of the Manager shall consider how to address the conflict and/or how to vote the proxies. The Manager shall maintain records of all proxy votes
in accordance with applicable securities laws and regulations, to the extent that the Manager votes proxies. The Manager shall be responsible for gathering relevant documents and records related to proxy voting from Western Asset, Western Asset
Limited and Western Asset Singapore and providing them to the Fund as required for the Fund to comply with applicable rules under the 1940 Act.
The Managers proxy voting policy governs in determining how proxies relating to the Funds portfolio securities are voted and is
attached as Appendix B hereto. Western Assets proxy voting policy is attached as Appendix C hereto. The proxy voting policy of Western Asset Limited is attached hereto as Appendix C. The proxy voting policy for Western Asset Singapore is
attached hereto as Appendix C. Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended [●] will be available without charge
(1) by calling 888-425-6432, (2) on the Funds website at http://www.leggmason.com/cef and (3) on the SECs website at http://www.sec.gov on Form N-PX.
61
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Unless otherwise indicated, the information below is provided as of the date of this SAI.
The table below identifies the number of accounts (other than the Fund) for which the Funds portfolio managers have day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories, as of May 31, 2023: registered investment
companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts. None of these accounts have fees based on performance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name of PM |
|
Type of Account |
|
Number of Accounts Managed |
|
Total Assets
Managed |
|
Number of Accounts Managed for which Advisory Fee is Performance- Based |
|
Assets Managed for which Advisory Fee is Performance- Based |
S. Kenneth Leech |
|
Other Registered Investment Companies |
|
94 |
|
$136.13 billion |
|
None |
|
None |
|
|
Other Pooled Vehicles |
|
316 |
|
$67.52 billion |
|
27 |
|
$2.76 billion |
|
|
Other Accounts |
|
617 |
|
$185.42 billion |
|
25 |
|
$14.10 billion |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael C. Buchanan |
|
Other Registered Investment Companies |
|
33 |
|
$16.75 billion |
|
None |
|
None |
|
|
Other Pooled Vehicles |
|
59 |
|
$17.35 billion |
|
6 |
|
$1.33 billion |
|
|
Other Accounts |
|
153 |
|
$58.22 billion |
|
7 |
|
$2.53 billion |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chia-Liang Lian |
|
Other Registered Investment Companies Other
Pooled Vehicles Other Accounts |
|
8 22
47 |
|
$5.95 billion $4.13 billion
$5.41 billion |
|
None 3
1 |
|
None $605 million
$996 million |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christopher Kilpatrick |
|
Other Registered Investment Companies |
|
7 |
|
$2.84 billion |
|
None |
|
None |
|
|
Other Pooled Vehicles |
|
5 |
|
$404 million |
|
2 |
|
$235 million |
|
|
Other Accounts |
|
None |
|
None |
|
None |
|
None |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ryan Brist |
|
Other Registered Investment Companies Other
Pooled Vehicles Other Accounts |
|
11 31
123 |
|
$6.11 billion $11.70 billion
$49.11 billion |
|
None None
5 |
|
None None
$2.02 billion |
|
The numbers above reflect the overall number of portfolios managed by employees of Western Asset Management
Company, LLC (Western Asset). Mr. Leech is involved in the management of all the Firms portfolios, but they are not solely responsible for particular portfolios. Western Assets investment discipline emphasizes a team
approach that combines the efforts of groups of specialists working in different market sectors. They are responsible for overseeing implementation of Western Assets overall investment ideas and coordinating the work of the various sector
teams. This structure ensures that client portfolios benefit from a consensus that draws on the expertise of all team members. |
Investment Professional Compensation Structure
With respect to the compensation of the Funds investment professionals, the Western Assets compensation system assigns each
employee a total compensation range, which is derived from annual market surveys that benchmark each role with its job function and peer universe. This method is designed to reward employees with total compensation reflective of the external market
value of their skills, experience and ability to produce desired results. Standard compensation includes competitive base salaries, generous employee benefits and a retirement plan.
62
In addition, the Western Assets employees are eligible for bonuses. These are structured to
closely align the interests of employees with those of the Western Asset, and are determined by the professionals job function and pre-tax performance as measured by a formal review process. All bonuses
are completely discretionary. The principal factor considered is an investment professionals investment performance versus appropriate peer groups and benchmarks (i.e., a securities index and with respect to the Fund, the benchmark set
forth in the Funds Prospectus to which the Funds average annual total returns are compared or, if none, the benchmark set forth in the Funds annual report). Performance is reviewed on a 1, 3 and 5 year basis for
compensationwith 3 and 5 years having a larger emphasis. The Western Asset may also measure an investment professionals pre-tax investment performance against other benchmarks, as it determines
appropriate. Because investment professionals are generally responsible for multiple accounts (including the Fund) with similar investment strategies, they are generally compensated on the performance of the aggregate group of similar accounts,
rather than a specific account. Other factors that may be considered when making bonus decisions include client service, business development, length of service to the Western Asset, management or supervisory responsibilities, contributions to
developing business strategy and overall contributions to the Western Assets business.
Finally, in order to attract and retain top
talent, all investment professionals are eligible for additional incentives in recognition of outstanding performance. These are determined based upon the factors described above and include long-term incentives that vest over a set period of time
past the award date.
Potential Conflicts of Interest
Potential conflicts of interest may arise when the funds portfolio managers also have day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to one or more other funds or other accounts, as is the case for the funds portfolio managers.
Western Asset and the fund have adopted compliance policies and procedures that are designed to address various conflicts of interest that may
arise for Western Asset and the individuals that each employs. For example, the Manager and Western Asset each seek to minimize the effects of competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by assigning portfolio managers to
manage funds and accounts that share a similar investment style. Western Asset has also adopted trade allocation procedures that are designed to facilitate the fair allocation of limited investment opportunities among multiple funds and accounts.
There is no guarantee, however, that the policies and procedures adopted by Western Asset and the fund will be able to detect and/or prevent every situation in which an actual or potential conflict may appear. These potential conflicts include:
Allocation of Limited Time and Attention. A portfolio manager who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote
unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. As a result, the portfolio manager may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for each of those accounts as
might be the case if he or she were to devote substantially more attention to the management of a single fund. The effects of this potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular portfolio manager have
different investment strategies.
Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities. If a portfolio manager identifies an investment
opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit a funds ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity.
Pursuit of Differing Strategies. At times, a portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only
some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the portfolio
manager may place separate transactions for one or more
63
funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts.
Selection of Broker/Dealers. In addition to executing trades, some broker/dealers provide brokerage and research services (as those
terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act), which may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise been available. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others. For this
reason, Western Asset has formed a brokerage committee that reviews, among other things, the allocation of brokerage to broker/dealers, best execution and soft dollar usage.
Variation in Compensation. A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to the portfolio manager
differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the structure of the Managers management fee (and the percentage paid to Western Asset) and/or the portfolio managers compensation differs among funds and/or accounts
(such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management fees), the portfolio manager might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. The portfolio manager might be motivated to favor
funds and/or accounts in which he or she has an interest or in which the Manager and/or its affiliates have interests. Similarly, the desire to maintain assets under management or to enhance the portfolio managers performance record or to
derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the portfolio manager in affording preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the portfolio manager.
Portfolio Manager Securities Ownership
The portfolio managers held the following amounts of securities of the Fund as of May 31, 2023.
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio Manager |
|
Dollar Range of Securities Beneficially Owned ($) |
|
S. Kenneth Leech |
|
|
C |
|
Michael C. Buchanan |
|
|
A |
|
Ryan K. Brist |
|
|
A |
|
Christopher F. Kilpatrick |
|
|
A |
|
Chia-Liang Lian |
|
|
A |
|
Dollar Range ownership is as follows:
A: none
B: $1 - $10,000
C: 10,001 - $50,000
D: $50,001 - $100,000
E: $100,001 - $500,000
F: $500,001 - $1 million
G: over $1 million
64
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE
The Fund does not have an obligation to deal with any brokers or dealers in the execution of transactions in portfolio securities. Subject to
policy established by the Board of Directors, Western Asset is responsible for the Funds portfolio decisions and the placing of the Funds portfolio transactions.
Portfolio securities normally will be purchased or sold from or to dealers serving as market makers for the securities at a net price, which
may include dealer spreads and underwriting commissions. In placing orders, it is the policy of the Fund to obtain the best results taking into account the general execution and operational facilities of the broker or dealer, the type of transaction
involved and other factors such as the risk of the broker or dealer in positioning the securities involved. While the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited or Western Asset Singapore generally seek the best price in placing orders, the Fund
may not necessarily be paying the lowest price available. Subject to seeking the best price and execution, securities firms which provide supplemental research to the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited or Western Asset Singapore may
receive orders for transactions by the Fund. Information so received will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by the Manager, Western Asset or Western Asset Limited under the Management Agreement, Subadvisory
Agreement, Western Asset Limited Subadvisory Agreement or Western Asset Singapore Subadvisory Agreement, and the expenses of the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited or Western Asset Singapore will not necessarily be reduced as a result of
the receipt of such supplemental information.
The Fund expects that all portfolio transactions will be effected on a principal basis and,
accordingly, does not expect to pay any brokerage commissions. To the extent the Fund does effect brokerage transactions, affiliated persons (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, or affiliated persons of such persons, may from time
to time be selected to perform brokerage services for the Fund, subject to the considerations discussed above, but are prohibited by the 1940 Act from dealing with the Fund as principal in the purchase or sale of securities. In order for such an
affiliated person to be permitted to effect any portfolio transactions for the Fund, the commissions, fees or other remuneration received by such affiliated person must be reasonable and fair compared to the commissions, fees or other remuneration
received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities being purchased or sold during a comparable period of time. This standard would allow such an affiliated person to receive no more than the
remuneration which would be expected to be received by an unaffiliated broker in a commensurate arms-length transaction.
Investment decisions for the Fund are made independently from those for other funds and accounts advised or managed by the Manager, Western
Asset or Western Asset Limited or their affiliates. Such other funds and accounts may also invest in the same securities as the Fund. When a purchase or sale of the same security is made at substantially the same time on behalf of the Fund and
another fund or account, the transaction will be averaged as to price, and available investments allocated as to amount, in a manner which the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited or Western Asset Singapore believes to be equitable to the
Fund and such other fund or account. In some instances, this investment procedure may adversely affect the price paid or received by the Fund or the size of the position obtained or sold by the Fund. To the extent permitted by law, the Manager,
Western Asset, Western Asset Limited or Western Asset Singapore may aggregate the securities to be sold or purchased for the Fund with those to be sold or purchased for other funds and accounts in order to obtain best execution.
Although the Fund does not have any restrictions on portfolio turnover, it is not the Funds policy to engage in transactions with the
objective of seeking profits from short-term trading. It is expected that the annual portfolio turnover rate of the Fund will not exceed 100%. The portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of sales or purchases of portfolio
securities by the average monthly value of the Funds portfolio securities. For purposes of this calculation, portfolio securities exclude all securities having a maturity when purchased of one year or less. A high rate of portfolio turnover
involves correspondingly greater transaction costs than a lower rate, which costs are borne by the Fund and their stockholders.
65
NET ASSET VALUE
The Fund determines the net asset value of its Common Stock on each day the NYSE is open for business, as of the close of the customary
trading session (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time), or any earlier closing time that day. The Fund determines the net asset value per share of Common Stock by dividing the value of the Funds securities, cash and other assets (including the
value of derivatives and interest accrued but not collected) less all its liabilities (including accrued expenses, the liquidation preference of any outstanding preferred shares and dividends payable) by the total number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding. Securities are valued at the mean between the last quoted bid and asked prices provided by an independent pricing service that are based on transactions in corporate fixed income securities, quotations from corporate bond dealers,
market transactions in comparable securities and various other relationships between securities. The Fund values portfolio securities for which market quotations are readily available at the last reported sales price or official closing price on the
primary market or exchange on which they trade. Under the Funds valuation policies and procedures, the Fund values its short-term investments at amortized cost when the security has 60 days or less to maturity which the Board of Directors
believes under normal circumstances represents the fair value of those securities. Determination of the Common Stocks net asset value is made in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
The Fund values all other securities and assets at their fair value. If events occur that materially affect the value of a security between
the time trading ends on the security and the close of the customary trading session of the NYSE, the Fund may value the security at its fair value as determined in good faith by or under the supervision of the Board of Directors. The effect of
using fair value pricing is that the Common Stocks net asset value will be subject to the judgment of the Board of Directors or its designee instead of being determined by the market.
Any swap transaction that the Fund enters into may, depending on the applicable interest rate environment, have a positive or negative value
for purposes of calculating net asset value. Any cap transaction that the Fund enters into may, depending on the applicable interest rate environment, have no value or a positive value. In addition, accrued payments to the Fund under such
transactions will be assets of the Fund and accrued payments by the Fund will be liabilities of the Fund.
66
GENERAL INFORMATION
Certain Provisions in the Charter and Bylaws
The Charter includes provisions that could limit the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund. These provisions
could have the effect of depriving Common Stockholders of opportunities to sell their Common Stock at a premium over the then-current market price of the Common Stock. As described more completely in the Prospectus, the Charter divides the Directors
into three classes of approximately equal size. As a result of this staggered structure of the Board of Directors, it would take a minimum of two years for other entities or groups of persons to gain a majority of seats on the Board of Directors. In
addition, the Bylaws require that stockholders provide advance notice to the Fund in order to nominate candidates for election to the Board or to bring proposals before the annual meeting of stockholders. This prevents other entities or groups of
persons from nominating Directors or raising proposals during an annual meeting of stockholders unless they have provided such advance notice to the Fund.
67
REPURCHASE OF FUND SHARES; CONVERSION TO AN OPEN-END FUND
Although it is under no obligation to do so, the Fund reserves the right to
repurchase the Common Stock on the open market in accordance with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. Subject to its investment limitations, the Fund may borrow to finance the repurchase of stock or to make a tender offer.
Interest on any Borrowings to finance Common Stock repurchase transactions or the accumulation of cash by the Fund in anticipation of Common Stock repurchases or tenders will reduce the Funds net income. Any Common Stock repurchase, tender
offer or borrowing that might be approved by the Board of Directors would also have to comply with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
The repurchase by the Fund of shares of its Common Stock at prices below net asset value may result in an increase in the net asset value of
those shares that remain outstanding. However, there can be no assurance that Common Stock repurchases or tenders at or below net asset value will result in shares of the Funds Common Stock trading at a price equal to their net asset value. In
addition, a purchase by the Fund of its Common Stock will decrease the Funds total assets, which would likely have the effect of increasing the Funds expense ratio.
If the Fund converted to an open-end investment company, the Common Stock would no longer be listed on
the NYSE. In contrast to a closed-end investment company, stockholders of an open-end investment company may require the company to redeem their shares at any time
(except in certain circumstances as authorized by the 1940 Act or the rules thereunder) at their net asset value, less any redemption charge that is in effect at the time of redemption. In order to avoid maintaining large cash positions or
liquidating favorable investments to meet redemptions, open-end investment companies typically engage in a continuous offering of their shares. Open-end investment
companies are thus subject to periodic asset in-flows and out-flows that can complicate portfolio management.
68
CERTAIN UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
Set forth below is a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax aspects concerning the Fund and the purchase, ownership and disposition of
Common Stock. This discussion does not purport to be complete or to deal with all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to shareholders in light of their particular circumstances. Unless otherwise noted, this discussion
applies only to U.S. shareholders that hold Common Stock as capital assets. A U.S. shareholder is a Common Stockholder who is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, (i) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States,
(ii) a U.S. corporation, (iii) a trust if it (a) is subject to the primary supervision of a court in the United States and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) has
made a valid election to be treated as a U.S. person, or (iv) any estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source. This discussion is based upon present provisions of the Code, the regulations
promulgated thereunder, and judicial and administrative ruling authorities, all of which are subject to change, or differing interpretations (possibly with retroactive effect). This discussion does not represent a detailed description of the U.S.
federal income tax consequences relevant to special classes of taxpayers including, without limitation, financial institutions, insurance companies, partnerships or other pass-through entities (or investors therein), U.S. shareholders whose
functional currency is not the U.S. dollar, tax-exempt organizations, dealers in securities or currencies, traders in securities that elect mark to market treatment, or persons that will hold
Common Stock as a position in a straddle, hedge or as part of a constructive sale for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition, this discussion does not address U.S. federal estate or gift taxes or the
application of the Medicare tax on net investment income or the U.S. federal alternative minimum tax.
Prospective investors should
consult their tax advisors with regard to the U.S. federal tax consequences of the purchase, ownership, or disposition of Common Stock, as well as the tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, foreign country or other taxing
jurisdiction.
Taxation of the Fund
The Fund has elected to be treated, and intends to qualify annually, as a regulated investment company (a RIC) under Subchapter M
of the Code.
To qualify under Subchapter M for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally accorded to RICs, the Fund must,
among other things: (i) derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from (a) dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or
foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies; and (b) net income derived from
interests in certain publicly traded partnerships that are treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes and that derive less than 90% of their gross income from the items described in (a) above (each a Qualified Publicly
Traded Partnership); and (ii) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of each taxable year, (a) at least 50% of the value of the Funds total assets is represented by cash and cash items (including
receivables), U.S. government securities, the securities of other RICs and other securities, with such other securities limited, with respect to any one issuer, to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the value of the Funds total assets,
and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (b) not more than 25% of the value of the Funds total assets is represented by the securities (other than U.S. government securities or the securities of
other RICs) of (I) any one issuer, (II) any two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses, or (III) any one or more
Qualified Publicly Traded Partnerships.
If the Fund fails to satisfy as of the close of any quarter the asset diversification test
referred to in the preceding paragraph, it will have 30 days to cure the failure by, for example, selling securities that are the source of the violation. Other cure provisions are available in the Code for a failure to satisfy the asset
diversification test, but any such cure provision may involve the payment of a penalty excise tax.
69
As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its investment
company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code, but determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, that it
distributes in each taxable year to its shareholders, provided that it distributes at least 90% of the sum of its investment company taxable income and its net tax-exempt income for such taxable year. The Fund
intends to distribute to its shareholders, at least annually, substantially all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain.
Amounts not distributed on a timely basis in accordance with a calendar year distribution requirement are subject to a nondeductible 4% U.S.
federal excise tax. To prevent imposition of the excise tax, the Fund must distribute during each calendar year an amount at least equal to the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income (not taking into account any capital gains or losses) for the
calendar year, (ii) 98.2% of its capital gains in excess of its capital losses (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the one-year period ending October 31 of the calendar year, and (iii) any
ordinary income and capital gains for previous years that were not distributed during those years. For these purposes, the Fund will be deemed to have distributed any income or gains on which it paid U.S. federal income tax.
Although dividends generally will be treated as distributed when paid, dividends declared in October, November or December, payable to
shareholders of record on a specified date in one of those months, and paid during the following January, will be treated as having been distributed by the Fund (and received by shareholders) on December 31 of the year in which declared.
If the Fund failed to qualify as a RIC or failed to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement in any taxable year, the Fund would be subject to
U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates on its taxable income (including distributions of net capital gain), even if such income were distributed to its shareholders, and all distributions out of earnings and profits would be taxed to
shareholders as ordinary dividend income. Such distributions generally would be eligible (i) to be treated as qualified dividend income in the case of individual and other noncorporate shareholders and (ii) for the dividends
received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. To qualify again to be taxed as a RIC in a subsequent year, the Fund would be required to distribute to its shareholders its earnings and profits attributable to non-RIC years reduced by an interest charge on 50% of such earnings and profits payable by the Fund to the IRS. In addition, if the Fund failed to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, then
the Fund would be required to elect to recognize and pay tax on any net built-in gain (the excess of aggregate gain, including items of income, over aggregate loss that would have been realized if the Fund had
been liquidated) or, alternatively, be subject to taxation on such built-in gain recognized for a period of 5 years, in order to qualify as a RIC in a subsequent year.
Distributions
Distributions to Common
Stockholders by the Fund of ordinary income, and of net short-term capital gains, if any, realized by the Fund will generally be taxable to Common Stockholders as ordinary income to the extent such distributions are paid out of the Funds
current or accumulated earnings and profits. Distributions, if any, of net capital gains properly reported as capital gain dividends will be taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of the length of time the Common Stockholder has
owned Common Stock. A distribution of an amount in excess of the Funds current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) will be treated by a Common Stockholder as a return of capital which will
be applied against and reduce the Common Stockholders basis in his or her Common Stock. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds the Common Stockholders basis in his or her Common Stock, the excess will be treated
by the Common Stockholder as gain from a sale or exchange of the Common Stock. Distributions paid by the Fund generally will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction allowed to corporations or for the reduced rates applicable to certain
qualified dividend income received by non-corporate Common Stockholders.
Distributions will be
treated in the manner described above regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or invested in additional Common Stock pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Plan. Common Stockholders
70
receiving distributions in the form of additional Common Stock will be treated as receiving a distribution in the amount of cash that they would have received if they had elected to receive the
distribution in cash, unless the Fund issues additional Common Stock with a fair market value equal to or greater than net asset value, in which case such Common Stockholders will be treated as receiving a distribution in the amount of the fair
market value of the distributed Common Stock. The additional Common Stock received by a Common Stockholder pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Plan will have a new holding period commencing on the day following the day on which the Common Stock is
credited to the Common Stockholders account.
The Fund may elect to retain its net capital gain or a portion thereof for investment
and be taxed at corporate rates on the amount retained. In such case, the Fund may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a written notice to its shareholders, who will be treated as if each received a distribution of its
pro rata share of such gain, with the result that each Common Stockholder will (i) be required to report its pro rata share of such gain on its tax return as long-term capital gain, (ii) receive a refundable tax credit for its pro rata
share of tax paid by the Fund on the gain and (iii) increase the tax basis for its Common Stock by an amount equal to the deemed distribution less the tax credit.
The IRS currently requires that a RIC that has two or more classes of stock allocate to each such class proportionate amounts of each type of
its income (such as ordinary income and capital gains) based upon the percentage of total dividends paid to each class for the tax year. Accordingly, if the Fund issues Preferred Stock, the Fund intends to allocate capital gain dividends, if any,
between its Common Stock and Preferred Stock in proportion to the total dividends paid to each class with respect to such tax year.
Shareholders will be notified annually as to the U.S. federal tax status of distributions.
Sale or Exchange of Common Stock
Upon
the sale, exchange or other disposition of Common Stock, a Common Stockholder will generally realize a capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized and the Common Stockholders adjusted tax basis in the
Common Stock. Such gain or loss will be long-term or short-term, depending upon the Common Stockholders holding period for the Common Stock. Generally, a Common Stockholders gain or loss will be a long-term gain or loss if the Common
Stock has been held for more than one year. For non-corporate taxpayers, long-term capital gains are currently eligible for reduced rates of taxation.
No loss will be allowed on the sale, exchange or other disposition of Common Stock if the owner acquires (including pursuant to the Dividend
Reinvestment Plan) or enters into a contract or option to acquire securities that are substantially identical to such Common Stock within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the securities acquired will be adjusted
to reflect the disallowed loss. Losses realized by a Common Stockholder on the sale, exchange or other disposition of Common Stock held for six months or less are treated as long-term capital losses to the extent of any distribution of long-term
capital gain received (or amounts designated as undistributed capital gains) with respect to such Common Stock.
Under U.S. Treasury
regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to Common Stock of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure
statement on IRS Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. Future guidance may extend the current exception
from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all RICs. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayers treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders
should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
71
Nature of the Funds Investments
Certain of the Funds investment practices are subject to special and complex U.S. federal income tax provisions that may, among other
things, (i) disallow, suspend or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions, (ii) convert lower-taxed long-term capital gain into higher-taxed short-term capital gain or ordinary income, (iii) convert an ordinary
loss or a deduction into a capital loss (the deductibility of which is more limited), (iv) cause the Fund to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, (v) adversely affect the time as to when a purchase or sale of stock
or securities is deemed to occur, (vi) adversely alter the intended characterization of certain complex financial transactions and (vii) produce income that will not be treated as qualifying income for purposes of the 90% gross income test
described above.
These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to Common Stockholders and the
Funds status as a RIC. The Fund will monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections in order to mitigate the effect of these provisions.
Below Investment Grade Instruments
The
Fund invests a portion of its Managed Assets in below investment grade (high yield) instruments, commonly known as high yield instruments. Investments in these types of instruments may present special tax issues for the Fund. U.S.
federal income tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when the Fund may cease to accrue interest, original issue discount or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless instruments, how
payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and income and whether exchanges of debt obligations in a bankruptcy or workout context are taxable. These and other issues will be addressed by the Fund, to the
extent necessary, to preserve its status as a RIC and to distribute sufficient income to not become subject to U.S. federal income tax.
Original Issue
Discount and Market Discount
Investments by the Fund in debt obligations that are treated under applicable tax rules as having
original issue discount (such as zero coupon securities, pay-in-kind bonds, deferred interest bonds or other discount securities) will result in income to the Fund equal
to the accrued original issue discount each year during which the Fund holds the securities, even if the Fund receives no cash interest payments. If the Fund purchases debt instruments as part of a package of investments where the Fund also invests
in common stock, other equity securities or warrants, the Fund might be required to accrue original issue discount in an amount equal to the value of such common stock, other equity securities or warrants (even if the face amount of such debt
instruments does not exceed the Funds purchase price for such package of investments).
In general, the Fund will be treated as
having acquired a debt instrument with market discount if it is acquired after its original issue and its stated redemption price at maturity (or, in the case of a debt instrument issued with original issue discount, its revised issue price) exceeds
the Funds initial tax basis in the debt instrument by more than a statutory de minimis amount. The Fund has elected to include any market discount in its taxable income on a current basis as it accrues.
Any original issue discount or market discount might reflect doubt as to whether the entire principal amount of a debt obligation will
ultimately prove to be collectible. The Fund will, however, generally be required to recognize any accrued original issue discount or market based on the assumption that all future projected payments due on such debt obligation will be made.
Original issue discount and market discount are included in determining the amount of income which the Fund must distribute to maintain its qualification for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally accorded to RICs and to avoid the
payment of U.S. federal income tax and the nondeductible 4% U.S. federal excise tax. Because such income may not be matched by a corresponding cash distribution to the Fund, the Fund may be required to borrow money or dispose of other securities to
be able to make distributions to its shareholders.
72
Stock Dividends
In certain circumstances, the Fund may make distributions of its Common Stock to satisfy the distribution requirements necessary to maintain
the Funds status as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes and to avoid U.S. federal income and excise taxes. Under IRS Revenue Procedure 2017-45, the Fund may distribute taxable dividends that are
payable in cash or Common Stock at the election of each Common Stockholder, with up to 80% of the aggregate of any taxable dividends payable in the Funds Common Stock and the 20% or greater balance paid in cash. Common Stockholders receiving
any such dividends will be required to include the full amount of the dividends as taxable income to the extent of the Funds current or accumulated earnings and profits for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, Common Stockholders may
be required to pay U.S. federal income taxes with respect to such dividends in excess of the cash dividends received. It is unclear whether and to what extent the Fund will be able to pay taxable dividends in cash and Common Stock (whether pursuant
to Revenue Procedure 2017-45 or otherwise).
Currency Fluctuations
Under Section 988 of the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the time the Fund accrues income or
receivables or expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such income or receivables or pays such liabilities are generally treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, gains or losses
on foreign currency, foreign currency forward contracts, certain foreign currency options or futures contracts and the disposition of debt securities denominated in foreign currency, to the extent attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates
between the acquisition and disposition dates, are also treated as ordinary income or loss.
Foreign Taxes
The Funds investment in non-U.S. securities may be subject to
non-U.S. withholding taxes. In that case, the Funds yield on those securities would be decreased. Shareholders will generally not be entitled to claim a credit or deduction with respect to foreign taxes
paid by the Fund.
Preferred Shares or Borrowings
If the Fund utilizes leverage through the issuance of Preferred Stock or Borrowings, it may be restricted by certain covenants with respect to
the declaration of, and payment of, dividends on Common Stock in certain circumstances. Limits on the Funds payments of dividends on Common Stock may prevent the Fund from meeting the distribution requirements described above, and may,
therefore, jeopardize the Funds qualification for taxation as a RIC and possibly subject the Fund to the 4% excise tax. The Fund will endeavor to avoid restrictions on its ability to make dividend payments.
Backup Withholding
The Fund may be
required to withhold from all distributions and redemption proceeds payable to U.S. shareholders who fail to provide the Fund with their correct taxpayer identification numbers or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS
that they are subject to backup withholding. Certain shareholders specified in the Code generally are exempt from such backup withholding. This backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be refunded or credited against the
shareholders U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
Foreign Shareholders
U.S. taxation of a shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, a foreign trust or estate or a foreign corporation, as defined for U.S.
federal income tax purposes (a foreign shareholder), depends on whether the income from the Fund is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by the shareholder.
73
If the income from the Fund is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or
business carried on by the foreign shareholder, distributions of investment company taxable income will be subject to a U.S. tax of 30% (or lower treaty rate), which tax is generally withheld from such distributions. However, dividends paid by the
Fund that are interest-related dividends or short-term capital gain dividends will generally be exempt from such withholding, in each case to the extent the Fund properly reports such dividends to shareholders. For these
purposes, interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends generally represent distributions of interest or short-term capital gains that would not have been subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at the source if received directly
by a foreign shareholder, and that satisfy certain other requirements. A foreign shareholder whose income from the Fund is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business would generally be exempt from U.S. federal income tax on
capital gain dividends, any amounts retained by the Fund that are designated as undistributed capital gains and any gains realized upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of Common Stock. However, a foreign shareholder who is a nonresident
alien individual and is physically present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year and meets certain other requirements will nevertheless be subject to a U.S. tax of 30% on such capital gain dividends, undistributed
capital gains and gains realized upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of Common Stock.
If the income from the Fund is
effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a foreign shareholder, then distributions of investment company taxable income, any capital gain dividends, any amounts retained by the Fund that are designated as
undistributed capital gains and any gains realized upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of Common Stock will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to U.S. citizens, residents or domestic corporations. Foreign
corporate shareholders may also be subject to the branch profits tax imposed by the Code.
Very generally, special tax rules would apply
if the Fund holds United States real property interests (USRPIs) (or if the Fund holds assets that would be treated as USRPIs but for certain exceptions applicable to RICs) the fair market value of which equals or exceeds 50%
of the sum of the fair market values of the Funds USRPIs, interests in real property located outside the United States, and other assets used or held for use in a trade or business. Such rules could result in U.S. tax withholding from certain
distributions to foreign shareholders. Furthermore, such shareholders may be required to file a U.S. tax return and pay tax on such distributionsand, in certain cases, gain realized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of Common
Stockat regular U.S. federal income tax rates. The Fund does not expect to invest in a significant percentage of USRPIs, so these special tax rules are not likely to apply.
The Fund may be required to withhold from distributions to foreign shareholders that are otherwise exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax
(or taxable at a reduced treaty rate) unless the foreign shareholder certifies his or her foreign status under penalties of perjury or otherwise establishes an exemption.
The tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may differ from those described
herein. Foreign shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.
Additional Withholding Requirements
Under Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code (such Sections commonly referred to as FATCA), a 30% U.S. federal withholding tax may
apply to any dividends that the Fund pays to (i) a foreign financial institution (as specifically defined in the Code), whether such foreign financial institution is the beneficial owner or an intermediary, unless such foreign
financial institution agrees to verify, report and disclose its United States account holders (as specifically defined in the Code) and meets certain other specified requirements or (ii) a
non-financial foreign entity, whether such non-financial foreign entity is the beneficial owner or an intermediary, unless such entity provides a certification that the
beneficial owner of the payment does not have any substantial United States owners or provides the name, address and taxpayer identification number of each such substantial United States owner and certain other specified requirements are met. In
certain cases, the relevant foreign
74
financial institution or non-financial foreign entity may qualify for an exemption from, or be deemed to be in compliance with, these rules. In addition,
foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing FATCA may be subject to different rules. You should consult your own tax advisor regarding FATCA and whether it may be
relevant to your ownership and disposition of Common Stock .
Other Taxation
Common Stockholders may be subject to state, local and foreign taxes on their Fund distributions. Common Stockholders are advised to consult
their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.
75
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
A control person is a person who beneficially owns more than 25% of the voting securities of a company. The Fund currently has no control
person. To the Funds knowledge, beneficial owners of more than 5% of any class of the Funds outstanding equity securities are set forth below based on public filings. As a group, the Funds directors and officers own less than 1% of
the Funds Common Stock.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of Shares |
|
|
Percent |
|
|
Name |
|
Address |
|
1,347,599 |
|
|
|
5.94 |
%(1) |
|
First Trust Portfolios L.P. and its affiliates |
|
120 East Liberty Drive Suite 400
Wheaton, IL 60187 |
(1) |
Based upon information obtained from Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on January 13, 2023.
|
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The audited financial statements included in the annual report to the Funds shareholders for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2023 and
together with the report of [●] for the Funds annual report, are incorporated herein by reference to the Funds annual report to shareholders. The unaudited financial statements for the six months ended November 30, 2023 are
included in the semi-annual report to the Funds shareholders for the period ended November 30, 2023 and are incorporated herein by the Funds semi-annual report to shareholders. All other portions of the annual report and semi-annual
report to shareholders are not incorporated herein by reference and are not part of the registration statement, the SAI, the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
[●] serves as the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm of the Fund and audits the financial statements of the Fund. [●]
is located at [●]
CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT
The custodian of the assets of the Fund is The Bank of New York Mellon, 225 Liberty Street, New York, New York 10286. The custodian performs
custodial, fund accounting and portfolio accounting services. The Funds transfer, stockholder services and dividend paying agent is Computershare Inc., 462 South 4th Street, Suite 1600, Louisville, KY 40202.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
As noted above, this statement of additional information is part of a registration statement filed with the SEC. Pursuant to the final rule
and form amendments adopted by the SEC on April 8, 2020, the Fund is permitted to incorporate by reference certain information filed with the SEC, which means that the Fund can disclose important information to you by referring you
to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and later information that the Fund files with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information.
The documents listed below, and any reports and other documents subsequently filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 30(b)(2) under the 1940 Act
and Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the
76
termination of the offering will be incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and deemed to be part of this Prospectus from the date of the filing of such reports and documents:
|
|
|
the Funds Statement of Additional Information, dated [], 2024, filed with the accompanying
Prospectus; |
|
|
|
the Funds Semi-Annual Report on Form N-CSRS, filed on
January [], 2024; |
|
|
|
the Funds Annual
Report on Form N-CSR, filed on July 31, 2023; |
You may obtain
copies of any information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, at no charge, by calling toll-free (888) 777-0102 or by writing to the Fund at 620 Eighth Avenue, 47th Floor, New York, NY 10018. The
Funds periodic reports filed pursuant to Section 30(b)(2) of the 1940 Act and Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as well as this Prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information, are available on the Funds website http://www.franklintempleton.com/investments/options/closed-end-funds. In addition, the SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov, free of charge, that contains these reports,
the Funds proxy and information statements, and other information relating to the Fund
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
A Registration Statement on Form N-2, including amendments thereto, relating to
the shares of the Fund offered hereby, has been filed by the Fund with the SEC in Washington, D.C. The Funds Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information do not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement,
including any exhibits and schedules thereto. For further information with respect to the Fund and the Common Stock offered hereby, reference is made to the Funds Registration Statement. Statements contained in the Funds Prospectus and
this Statement of Additional Information as to the contents of any contract or other document referred to are not necessarily complete and in each instance reference is made to the copy of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement, each such statement being qualified in all respects by such reference. Copies of the Registration Statement may be inspected without charge at the SECs principal office in Washington, D.C., and copies of all or any part
thereof may be obtained from the SEC upon the payment of certain fees prescribed by the SEC or on the SECs website at http://www.sec.gov.
77
APPENDIX A
DESCRIPTION OF S&P, MOODYS AND FITCH RATINGS1
S&P Global RatingsA brief description of the applicable S&P Global Ratings and its affiliates (collectively,
S&P) rating symbols and their meanings (as published by S&P) follows:
ISSUE CREDIT RATING DEFINITIONS
An S&P issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial
obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other
forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings view of the obligors capacity and willingness to meet its financial
commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.
Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term issue credit ratings are generally assigned to those obligations
considered short-term in the relevant market. Short-term issue credit ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.
Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings*
Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&Ps analysis of the following considerations:
|
|
|
The likelihood of paymentthe capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on
an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation; |
|
|
|
The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise we impute; and |
|
|
|
The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy,
reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors rights. |
An
issue rating is an assessment of default risk, but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in
bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)
|
|
|
AAA |
|
An obligation rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. The obligors capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong. |
|
|
AA |
|
An obligation rated AA differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligors capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very
strong. |
1 |
The ratings indicated herein are believed to be the most recent ratings available at the date of this Statement
of Additional Information for the securities listed. Ratings are generally given to securities at the time of issuance. While the rating agencies may from time to time revise such ratings, they undertake no obligation to do so, and the ratings
indicated do not necessarily represent ratings which would be given to these securities on the date of the Funds fiscal year end. |
A-1
|
|
|
|
|
A |
|
An obligation rated A is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligors capacity to meet
its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong. |
|
|
BBB |
|
An obligation rated BBB exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligors capacity to meet its financial commitments
on the obligation. |
|
|
BB, B, CCC, CC, and C |
|
Obligations rated BB, B, CCC,
CC, and C are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and
protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions. |
|
|
BB |
|
An obligation rated BB is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead
to the obligors inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. |
|
|
B |
|
An obligation rated B is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated BB, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business,
financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligors capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. |
|
|
CCC |
|
An obligation rated CCC is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the
event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. |
|
|
CC |
|
An obligation rated CC is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The CC rating is used when a default has not yet occurred but S&P expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the
anticipated time to default. |
|
|
C |
|
An obligation rated C is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher. |
|
|
D |
|
An obligation rated D is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the D rating category is used when payments on an
obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The
D rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is
lowered to D if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer. |
|
|
PLUS (+) OR MINUS () |
|
The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus () sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories. |
A-2
Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings
|
|
|
A-1 |
|
A short-term obligation rated A-1 is rated in the highest category by S&P. The obligors capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within
this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligors capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong. |
|
|
A-2 |
|
A short-term obligation rated A-2 is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating
categories. However, the obligors capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory. |
|
|
A-3 |
|
A short-term obligation rated A-3 exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an
obligors capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. |
|
|
B |
|
A short-term obligation rated B is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing
uncertainties that could lead to the obligors inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments. |
|
|
C |
|
A short-term obligation rated C is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the
obligation. |
|
|
D |
|
A short-term obligation rated D is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the D rating category is used when payments on
an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The
D rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is
lowered to D if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer. |
Active Qualifiers (Currently applied and/or outstanding)
S&P uses the following qualifiers that limit the scope of a rating. The structure of the transaction can require the use of a qualifier
such as a p qualifier, which indicates the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only. A qualifier appears as a suffix and is part of the rating.
|
|
|
Federal deposit insurance limit: L qualifier |
|
Ratings qualified with L apply only to amounts
invested up to federal deposit insurance limits. |
|
|
Principal: p qualifier |
|
This suffix is used for issues in which the credit factors, the terms, or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of principal are different from the credit factors, terms or both that determine the likelihood of
receipt of interest on the obligation. The p suffix indicates that the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only and that the interest is not rated. |
A-3
|
|
|
Preliminary Ratings: prelim qualifier |
|
Preliminary ratings, with the prelim suffix, may be
assigned to obligors or obligations, including financial programs, in the circumstances described below. Assignment of a final rating is conditional on the receipt by S&P of appropriate documentation. S&P reserves the right not to issue a
final rating. Moreover, if a final rating is issued, it may differ from the preliminary rating. |
|
|
|
|
Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations, most commonly
structured and project finance issues, pending receipt of final documentation and legal opinions. |
|
|
|
|
Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations that will likely be
issued upon the obligors emergence from bankruptcy or similar reorganization, based on late-stage reorganization plans, documentation and discussions with the obligor. Preliminary ratings may also be assigned to the obligors. These ratings
consider the anticipated general credit quality of the reorganized or post-bankruptcy issuer as well as attributes of the anticipated obligation(s). |
|
|
|
|
Preliminary ratings may be assigned to entities that are being formed or
that are in the process of being independently established when, in S&Ps opinion, documentation is close to final. Preliminary ratings may also be assigned to the obligations of these entities. |
|
|
|
|
Preliminary ratings may be assigned when a previously unrated entity is
undergoing a well-formulated restructuring, recapitalization, significant financing or other transformative event, generally at the point that investor or lender commitments are invited. The preliminary rating may be assigned to the entity and to
its proposed obligation(s). These preliminary ratings consider the anticipated general credit quality of the obligor, as well as attributes of the anticipated obligation(s), assuming successful completion of the transformative event. Should the
transformative event not occur, S&P would likely withdraw these preliminary ratings. |
|
|
|
|
A preliminary recovery rating may be assigned to an obligation that has a
preliminary issue credit rating. |
|
|
Termination Structures: t qualifier |
|
This symbol indicates termination structures that are designed to
honor their contracts to full maturity or, should certain events occur, to terminate and cash settle all their contracts before their final maturity date. |
|
|
Counterparty Instrument Rating: cir qualifier |
|
This symbol indicates a Counterparty Instrument Rating (CIR),
which is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an issuer in a securitization structure with respect to a specific financial obligation to a counterparty (including interest rate swaps, currency swaps, and liquidity facilities). The
CIR is determined on an ultimate payment basis; these opinions do not take into account timeliness of payment. |
A-4
Inactive Qualifiers (No longer applied or outstanding)
|
|
|
Contingent upon final documentation: * inactive qualifier |
|
This symbol indicated that the rating was contingent upon S&Ps receipt of an executed copy of the escrow agreement or closing documentation
confirming investments and cash flows. Discontinued use in August 1998. |
|
|
Termination of obligation to tender: c inactive qualifier |
|
This qualifier was used to provide additional information to investors that the bank may terminate its obligation to purchase tendered bonds if the long-term
credit rating of the issuer was lowered to below an investment-grade level and/or the issuers bonds were deemed taxable. Discontinued use in January 2001. |
|
|
U.S. direct government securities: G inactive qualifier |
|
The letter G followed the rating symbol when a funds portfolio consisted primarily of direct U.S. government securities. |
|
|
Public Information Ratings: pi inactive qualifier |
|
This qualifier was used to indicate ratings that were based on an
analysis of an issuers published financial information, as well as additional information in the public domain. Such ratings did not, however, reflect in-depth meetings with an issuers management
and therefore, could have been based on less comprehensive information than ratings without a pi suffix. Discontinued use as of December 2014 and as of August 2015 for Lloyds Syndicate Assessments. |
|
|
Provisional Ratings: pr qualifier |
|
The letters pr indicate that the rating was
provisional. A provisional rating assumed the successful completion of a project financed by the debt being rated and indicates that payment of debt service requirements was largely or entirely dependent upon the successful, timely completion of the
project. This rating, however, while addressing credit quality subsequent to completion of the project, made no comment on the likelihood of or the risk of default upon failure of such completion. |
|
|
Quantitative Analysis of public information q inactive qualifier |
|
A q subscript indicates that the rating is based solely on quantitative analysis of publicly available information. Discontinued use in April
2001. |
|
|
Extraordinary risks r inactive qualifier |
|
The r modifier was assigned to securities containing
extraordinary risks, particularly market risks, that are not covered in the credit rating. |
|
|
|
|
The absence of an r modifier should not be taken as an indication that an obligation would not exhibit extraordinary non-credit related risks. S&P discontinued the use of
the r modifier for most obligations in June 2000 and for the balance of obligations (mainly structured finance transactions) in November 2002. |
A-5
Moodys Investors Service, Inc.A brief description of the applicable
Moodys Investors Service, Inc. (Moodys) rating symbols and their meanings (as published by Moodys) follows:
LONG-TERM OBLIGATIONS RATINGS
Ratings assigned on Moodys global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of
financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Moodys defines credit risk as the risk
that an entity may not meet its contractual financial obligations as they come due and any estimated financial loss in the event of default or impairment. The contractual financial obligations2
addressed by Moodys ratings are those that call for, without regard to enforceability, the payment of an ascertainable amount, which may vary based upon standard sources of variation (e.g., floating interest rates), by an ascertainable date.
Moodys rating addresses the issuers ability to obtain cash sufficient to service the obligation, and its willingness to pay.3 Moodys ratings do not address non-standard sources of variation in the amount of the principal obligation (e.g., equity indexed), absent an express statement to the contrary in a press release accompanying an initial rating.4 Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of one year or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial
obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or
impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.5, 6 Moodys issues ratings at the issuer level and instrument level on both the long- term scale and the short-term scale. Typically, ratings are made publicly available although private and
unpublished ratings may also be assigned.7
Moodys differentiates structured
finance ratings from fundamental ratings (i.e., ratings on nonfinancial corporate, financial institution, and public sector entities) on the global long-term scale by adding (sf ) to all
2 |
In the case of impairments, there can be a financial loss even when contractual obligations are met.
|
3 |
In some cases the relevant credit risk relates to a third party, in addition to, or instead of the issuer.
Examples include credit-linked notes and guaranteed obligations. |
4 |
Because the number of possible features or structures is limited only by the creativity of issuers,
Moodys cannot comprehensively catalogue all the types of non-standard variation affecting financial obligations, but examples include indexed values, equity values and cash flows, prepayment penalties,
and an obligation to pay an amount that is not ascertainable at the inception of the transaction. |
5 |
For certain structured finance, preferred stock and hybrid securities in which payment default events are
either not defined or do not match investors expectations for timely payment, long-term and short-term ratings reflect the likelihood of impairment (as defined below in this publication) and financial loss in the event of impairment.
|
6 |
Supranational institutions and central banks that hold sovereign debt or extend sovereign loans, such as the
IMF or the European Central Bank, may not always be treated similarly to other investors and lenders with similar credit exposures. Long-term and short-term ratings assigned to obligations held by both supranational institutions and central banks,
as well as other investors, reflect only the credit risks faced by other investors unless specifically noted otherwise. |
7 |
Supranational institutions and central banks that hold sovereign debt or extend sovereign loans, such as the
IMF or the European Central Bank, may not always be treated similarly to other investors and lenders with similar credit exposures. Long-term and short-term ratings assigned to obligations held by both supranational institutions and central banks,
as well as other investors, reflect only the credit risks faced by other investors unless specifically noted otherwise. |
A-6
structured finance ratings.8 7 The addition of (sf ) to structured finance ratings should
eliminate any presumption that such ratings and fundamental ratings at the same letter grade level will behave the same. The (sf ) indicator for structured finance security ratings indicates that otherwise similarly rated structured finance and
fundamental securities may have different risk characteristics. Through its current methodologies, however, Moodys aspires to achieve broad expected equivalence in structured finance and fundamental rating performance when measured over a long
period of time.
Long-Term Rating Definitions:
|
|
|
Aaa |
|
Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk. |
|
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Aa |
|
Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk. |
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A |
|
Obligations rated A are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk. |
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Baa |
|
Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics. |
|
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Ba |
|
Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk. |
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B |
|
Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk. |
|
|
Caa |
|
Obligations rated Caa are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk. |
|
|
Ca |
|
Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest. |
|
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C |
|
Obligations rated C are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest. |
Note: Moodys appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification
from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in
the lower end of that generic rating category. Additionally, a (hyb) indicator is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms.*
8 |
Like other global scale ratings, (sf) ratings reflect both the likelihood of a default and the expected loss
suffered in the event of default. Ratings are assigned based on a rating committees assessment of a securitys expected loss rate (default probability multiplied by expected loss severity), and may be subject to the constraint that the
final expected loss rating assigned would not be more than a certain number of notches, typically three to five notches, above the rating that would be assigned based on an assessment of default probability alone. The magnitude of this constraint
may vary with the level of the rating, the seasoning of the transaction, and the uncertainty around the assessments of expected loss and probability of default. |
* |
By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal
payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the
long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security. |
A-7
MEDIUM-TERM NOTE PROGRAM RATINGS
Moodys assigns provisional ratings to medium-term note (MTN) programs and definitive ratings to the individual debt securities issued
from them (referred to as drawdowns or notes).
MTN program ratings are intended to reflect the ratings likely to be assigned to drawdowns
issued from the program with the specified priority of claim (e.g. senior or subordinated). To capture the contingent nature of a program rating, Moodys assigns provisional ratings to MTN programs. A provisional rating is denoted by a
(P) in front of the rating and is defined elsewhere in this document.
The rating assigned to a drawdown from a rated MTN or
bank/deposit note program is definitive in nature, and may differ from the program rating if the drawdown is exposed to additional credit risks besides the issuers default, such as links to the defaults of other issuers, or has other
structural features that warrant a different rating. In some circumstances, no rating may be assigned to a drawdown.
Moodys
encourages market participants to contact Moodys Ratings Desks or visit www.moodys.com directly if they have questions regarding ratings for specific notes issued under a medium-term note program. Unrated notes issued under an MTN program may
be assigned an NR (not rated) symbol.
Short-Term Rating Definitions:
Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a
default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.9 10
Moodys employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:
|
|
|
P-1 |
|
Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations. |
|
|
P-2 |
|
Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations. |
|
|
P-3 |
|
Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations. |
|
|
NP |
|
Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories. |
9 |
For certain structured finance, preferred stock and hybrid securities in which payment default events are
either not defined or do not match investors expectations for timely payment, the ratings reflect the likelihood of impairment (as defined below in this publication). |
10 |
Supranational institutions and central banks that hold sovereign debt or extend sovereign loans, such as the
IMF or the European Central Bank, may not always be treated similarly to other investors and lenders with similar credit exposures. Long-term and short-term ratings assigned to obligations held by both supranational institutions and central banks,
as well as other investors, reflect only the credit risks faced by other investors unless specifically noted otherwise. |
A-8
Fitch IBCA, Inc.A brief description of the applicable Fitch IBCA, Inc.
(Fitch) ratings symbols and meanings (as published by Fitch) follows:
INTERNATIONAL ISSUER AND CREDIT RATING SCALES
The Primary Credit Rating Scales (those featuring the symbols AAA-D and Fi-D) are
used for debt and financial strength ratings. The below section describes their use for issuers and obligations in corporate, public and structured finance debt markets.
Long-Term Ratings ScalesIssuer Credit Ratings Scales
Rated entities in a number of sectors, including financial and non-financial corporations, sovereigns,
insurance companies and certain sectors within public finance, are generally assigned Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs). IDRs are also assigned to certain entities or enterprises in global infrastructure, project finance and public finance. IDRs opine
on an entitys relative vulnerability to default on financial obligations. The threshold default risk addressed by the IDR is generally that of the financial obligations whose non-payment
would best reflect the uncured failure of that entity. As such, IDRs also address relative vulnerability to bankruptcy, administrative receivership or similar concepts.
In aggregate, IDRs provide an ordinal ranking of issuers based on the agencys view of their relative vulnerability to default, rather
than a prediction of a specific percentage likelihood of default.
|
|
|
AAA |
|
Highest credit quality. AAA ratings denote the lowest expectation of default risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly
unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events. |
|
|
AA |
|
Very high credit quality. AA ratings denote expectations of very low default risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to
foreseeable events. |
|
|
A |
|
High credit quality. A ratings denote expectations of low default risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse
business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings. |
|
|
BBB |
|
Good credit quality. BBB ratings indicate that expectations of default risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse business or economic
conditions are more likely to impair this capacity. |
|
|
BB |
|
Speculative. BB ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility
exists that supports the servicing of financial commitments. |
|
|
B |
|
Highly speculative. B ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is
vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment. |
|
|
CCC |
|
Substantial credit risk. Default is a real possibility. |
|
|
CC |
|
Very high levels of credit risk. Default of some kind appears probable. |
A-9
|
|
|
|
|
C |
|
Near default. A default or default-like process has begun, or the issuer is in standstill, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired. Conditions that are indicative of a C
category rating for an issuer include: |
|
|
|
|
a. The issuer has entered into a grace or cure period following non-payment of a material financial obligation; |
|
|
|
|
b. The issuer has entered into a temporary negotiated waiver or standstill agreement following a payment default on a material financial obligation; |
|
|
|
|
c. The formal announcement by the issuer or their agent of a distressed debt exchange; or |
|
|
|
|
d. a closed financing vehicle where payment capacity is irrevocably impaired such that it is not expected to pay interest and/or principal in full during the life of the transaction, but where no payment default is
imminent. |
|
|
RD |
|
Restricted default. RD ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch Ratings opinion has experienced: |
|
|
|
|
a. an uncured payment default or distressed debt exchange on a bond, loan or other material financial obligation, but |
|
|
|
|
b. has not entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other formal winding-up procedure, and |
|
|
|
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This would include: |
|
|
|
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i. The selective payment default on a specific class or currency of debt; |
|
|
|
|
ii. The uncured expiry of any applicable grace period, cure period or default forbearance period following a payment default on a bank loan, capital markets security or other material financial obligation; |
|
|
|
|
iii. The extension of multiple waivers or forbearance periods upon a payment default on one or more material financial obligations, either in series or in parallel; ordinary execution of a distressed debt exchange on one or more
material financial obligations. |
|
|
D |
|
Default. D ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch Ratings opinion has entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other formal
winding-up procedure, or which has otherwise ceased business. |
|
|
|
|
Default ratings are not assigned prospectively to entities or their obligations; within this context, non-payment on an instrument that contains a deferral feature or grace period will
generally not be considered a default until after the expiration of the deferral or grace period, unless a default is otherwise driven by bankruptcy or other similar circumstance, or by a distressed debt exchange. |
|
|
|
|
In all cases, the assignment of a default rating reflects the agencys opinion as to the most appropriate rating category consistent with the rest of its universe of ratings, and may differ from the definition of default
under the terms of an issuers financial obligations or local commercial practice. |
Note: The modifiers + or may be appended to a rating to denote
relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the AAA Long-Term IDR category, or to Long-Term IDR categories below B.
A-10
Limitations of the Issuer Credit Rating Scale:
Specific limitations relevant to the issuer credit rating scale include:
|
|
|
The ratings do not predict a specific percentage of default likelihood or failure likelihood over any given time
period. |
|
|
|
The ratings do not opine on the market value of any issuers securities or stock, or the likelihood that
this value may change. |
|
|
|
The ratings do not opine on the liquidity of the issuers securities or stock. |
|
|
|
The ratings do not opine on the possible loss severity on an obligation should an issuer default.
|
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|
|
The ratings do not opine on the suitability of an issuer as a counterparty to trade credit.
|
|
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|
The ratings do not opine on any quality related to an issuers business, operational or financial profile
other than the agencys opinion on its relative vulnerability to default. |
Ratings assigned by Fitch Ratings
articulate an opinion on discrete and specific areas of risk. The above list is not exhaustive, and is provided for the readers convenience.
Short-Term RatingsShort-Term Ratings Assigned to
Obligations in Corporate, Public and Structured Finance
A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to
the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is
viewed as short term based on market convention. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.
|
|
|
F1 |
|
Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added + to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature. |
|
|
F2 |
|
Good short-term credit quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments. |
|
|
F3 |
|
Fair short-term credit quality. The intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate. |
|
|
B |
|
Speculative short-term credit quality. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions. |
|
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C |
|
High short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility. |
|
|
RD |
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Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Typically applicable to entity ratings only. |
|
|
D |
|
Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a specific short-term obligation. |
A-11
Limitations of the Short-Term Ratings Scale:
Specific limitations relevant to the Short-Term Ratings scale include:
|
|
|
The ratings do not predict a specific percentage of default likelihood over any given time period.
|
|
|
|
The ratings do not opine on the market value of any issuers securities or stock, or the likelihood that
this value may change. |
|
|
|
The ratings do not opine on the liquidity of the issuers securities or stock. |
|
|
|
The ratings do not opine on the possible loss severity on an obligation should an obligation default.
|
|
|
|
The ratings do not opine on any quality related to an issuer or transactions profile other than the
agencys opinion on the relative vulnerability to default of the rated issuer or obligation. |
Ratings assigned by
Fitch Ratings articulate an opinion on discrete and specific areas of risk. The above list is not exhaustive, and is provided for the readers convenience.
A-12
APPENDIX B
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON FUND ADVISER, LLC
Proxy Voting Policy
The
Manager delegates to each sub-adviser the responsibility for voting proxies for its funds, as applicable, through its contracts with each sub-adviser. Each sub-adviser may use its own proxy voting policies and procedures to vote proxies of the funds if the funds Board reviews and approves the use of those policies and procedures. Accordingly, the Manager does not
expect to have proxy-voting responsibility for any of the funds.
Should the Manager become responsible for voting proxies for any reason,
such as the inability of a sub-adviser to provide investment advisory services, the Manager shall utilize the proxy voting guidelines established by the most recent
sub-adviser to vote proxies until a new sub-adviser is retained and the use of its proxy voting policies and procedures is authorized by the Board. In the case of a
material conflict between the interests of the Manager (or its affiliates if such conflict is known to persons responsible for voting at the Manager) and any fund, the Board of Directors of the Manager shall consider how to address the conflict
and/or how to vote the proxies. The Manager shall maintain records of all proxy votes in accordance with applicable securities laws and regulations.
The Manager shall be responsible for gathering relevant documents and records related to proxy voting from each
sub-adviser and providing them to the funds as required for the funds to comply with applicable rules under the Investment Company Act of 1940. The Manager shall also be responsible for coordinating the
provision of information to the Board with regard to the proxy voting policies and procedures of each sub-adviser, including the actual proxy voting policies and procedures of each sub-adviser, changes to such policies and procedures, and reports on the administration of such policies and procedures.
B-1
APPENDIX C
WESTERN ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY, LLC
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
BACKGROUND
An investment adviser is required to adopt
and implement policies and procedures that we believe are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients, in accordance with fiduciary duties and SEC Rule 206(4)-6 under
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (Advisers Act). The authority to vote the proxies of our clients is established through investment management agreements or comparable documents. In addition to SEC requirements governing advisers,
long-standing fiduciary standards and responsibilities have been established for ERISA accounts. Unless a manager of ERISA assets has been expressly precluded from voting proxies, the Department of Labor has determined that the responsibility for
these votes lies with the investment manager.
POLICY
As a fixed income only manager, the occasion to vote proxies is very rare. However, the Firm has adopted and implemented policies and procedures that we
believe are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients, in accordance with our fiduciary duties and SEC Rule 206(4)- 6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (Advisers Act). In addition to SEC
requirements governing advisers, our proxy voting policies reflect the long-standing fiduciary standards and responsibilities for ERISA accounts. Unless a manager of ERISA assets has been expressly precluded from voting proxies, the Department of
Labor has determined that the responsibility for these votes lies with the Investment Manager.
While the guidelines included in the procedures are
intended to provide a benchmark for voting standards, each vote is ultimately cast on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the Firms contractual
obligations to our clients and all other relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote (such that these guidelines may be overridden to the extent the Firm deems appropriate).
In exercising its voting authority, Western Asset will not consult or enter into agreements with officers, directors or employees of Legg Mason Inc. or any of
its affiliates (other than Western Asset affiliated companies) regarding the voting of any securities owned by its clients.
PROCEDURE
Responsibility and Oversight
The Western Asset Legal and
Compliance Department (Compliance Department) is responsible for administering and overseeing the proxy voting process. The gathering of proxies is coordinated through the Corporate Actions area of Investment Support (Corporate
Actions). Research analysts and portfolio managers are responsible for determining appropriate voting positions on each proxy utilizing any applicable guidelines contained in these procedures.
Client Authority
The Investment Management Agreement for each
client is reviewed at account start-up for proxy voting instructions. If an agreement is silent on proxy voting, but contains an overall delegation of discretionary authority or if the account represents
assets of an ERISA plan, Western Asset will assume responsibility for proxy voting. The Legal and Compliance Department maintains a matrix of proxy voting authority.
C-1
Proxy Gathering
Registered owners of record, client custodians, client banks and trustees (Proxy Recipients) that receive proxy materials on behalf of clients
should forward them to Corporate Actions. Proxy Recipients for new clients (or, if Western Asset becomes aware that the applicable Proxy Recipient for an existing client has changed, the Proxy Recipient for the existing client) are notified at start-up of appropriate routing to Corporate Actions of proxy materials received and reminded of their responsibility to forward all proxy materials on a timely basis. If Western Asset personnel other than Corporate
Actions receive proxy materials, they should promptly forward the materials to Corporate Actions.
Proxy Voting
Once proxy materials are received by Corporate Actions, they are forwarded to the Legal and Compliance Department for coordination and the following actions:
|
1. |
Proxies are reviewed to determine accounts impacted. |
|
2. |
Impacted accounts are checked to confirm Western Asset voting authority. |
|
3. |
Legal and Compliance Department staff reviews proxy issues to determine any material conflicts of interest.
(See conflicts of interest section of these procedures for further information on determining material conflicts of interest.) |
|
4. |
If a material conflict of interest exists, (i) to the extent reasonably practicable and permitted by
applicable law, the client is promptly notified, the conflict is disclosed and Western Asset obtains the clients proxy voting instructions, and (ii) to the extent that it is not reasonably practicable or permitted by applicable law to
notify the client and obtain such instructions (e.g., the client is a mutual fund or other commingled vehicle or is an ERISA plan client), Western Asset seeks voting instructions from an independent third party. |
|
5. |
Legal and Compliance Department staff provides proxy material to the appropriate research analyst or portfolio
manager to obtain their recommended vote. Research analysts and portfolio managers determine votes on a case-by-case basis taking into the account the voting guidelines
contained in these procedures. For avoidance of doubt, depending on the best interest of each individual client, Western Asset may vote the same proxy differently for different clients. The analysts or portfolio managers basis for their
decision is documented and maintained by the Legal and Compliance Department. |
|
6. |
Legal and Compliance Department staff votes the proxy pursuant to the instructions received in (d) or (e)
and returns the voted proxy as indicated in the proxy materials. |
Timing
Western Asset personnel act in such a manner to ensure that, absent special circumstances, the proxy gathering, and proxy voting steps noted above can be
completed before the applicable deadline for returning proxy votes.
Recordkeeping
Western Asset maintains records of proxies voted pursuant to Section 204-2 of the Advisers Act and ERISA DOL
Bulletin 94-2. These records include:
|
a. |
A copy of Western Assets policies and procedures. |
|
b. |
Copies of proxy statements received regarding client securities. |
|
c. |
A copy of any document created by Western Asset that was material to making a decision how to vote proxies.
|
C-2
|
d. |
Each written client request for proxy voting records and Western Assets written response to both verbal
and written client requests. |
|
e. |
A proxy log including: |
|
2. |
Exchange ticker symbol of the issuers shares to be voted; |
|
3. |
Committee on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures (CUSIP) number for the shares to be
voted; |
|
4. |
A brief identification of the matter voted on; |
|
5. |
Whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or by a shareholder of the issuer; |
|
6. |
Whether a vote was cast on the matter; |
|
7. |
A record of how the vote was cast; and |
|
8. |
Whether the vote was cast for or against the recommendation of the issuers management team.
|
Records are maintained in an easily accessible place for five years, the first two in Western Assets offices.
Disclosure
Western Assets proxy policies are described in
the firms Part 2A of Form ADV. Clients will be provided a copy of these policies and procedures upon request. In addition, upon request, clients may receive reports on how their proxies have been voted.
Conflicts of Interest
All proxies are reviewed by the Legal and
Compliance Department for material conflicts of interest.
Issues to be reviewed include, but are not limited to:
|
1. |
Whether Western (or, to the extent required to be considered by applicable law, its affiliates) manages assets
for the company or an employee group of the company or otherwise has an interest in the company; |
|
2. |
Whether Western or an officer or director of Western or the applicable portfolio manager or analyst responsible
for recommending the proxy vote (together, Voting Persons) is a close relative of or has a personal or business relationship with an executive, director or person who is a candidate for director of the company or is a participant in a
proxy contest; and |
|
3. |
Whether there is any other business or personal relationship where a Voting Person has a personal interest in
the outcome of the matter before shareholders. |
Voting Guidelines
Western Assets substantive voting decisions turn on the particular facts and circumstances of each proxy vote and are evaluated by the designated
research analyst or portfolio manager. The examples outlined below are meant as guidelines to aid in the decision making process.
Guidelines are grouped
according to the types of proposals generally presented to shareholders. Part I deals with proposals which have been approved and are recommended by a companys board of directors; Part II deals with proposals submitted by shareholders for
inclusion in proxy statements; Part III addresses issues relating to voting shares of investment companies; and Part IV addresses unique considerations pertaining to foreign issuers.
C-3
1. |
Board Approved Proposals |
The vast majority of matters presented to shareholders for a vote involve proposals made by a company itself that have been approved and recommended by its
board of directors. In view of the enhanced corporate governance practices currently being implemented in public companies, Western Asset generally votes in support of decisions reached by independent boards of directors. More specific guidelines
related to certain board-approved proposals are as follows:
|
a. |
Matters relating to the Board of Directors |
Western Asset votes proxies for the election of the companys nominees for directors and for board-approved proposals on other matters
relating to the board of directors with the following exceptions:
|
i. |
Votes are withheld for the entire board of directors if the board does not have a majority of independent
directors or the board does not have nominating, audit and compensation committees composed solely of independent directors. |
|
ii. |
Votes are withheld for any nominee for director who is considered an independent director by the company and
who has received compensation from the company other than for service as a director. |
|
iii. |
Votes are withheld for any nominee for director who attends less than 75% of board and committee meetings
without valid reasons for absences. |
|
iv. |
Votes are cast on a
case-by-case basis in contested elections of directors. |
|
b. |
Matters relating to Executive Compensation |
Western Asset generally favors compensation programs that relate executive compensation to a companys long-term performance. Votes are
cast on a case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals relating to executive compensation, except as follows:
|
i. |
Except where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors, Western Asset votes for
stock option plans that will result in a minimal annual dilution. |
|
ii. |
Western Asset votes against stock option plans or proposals that permit replacing or repricing of underwater
options. |
|
iii. |
Western Asset votes against stock option plans that permit issuance of options with an exercise price below the
stocks current market price. |
|
iv. |
Except where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors, Western Asset votes for
employee stock purchase plans that limit the discount for shares purchased under the plan to no more than 15% of their market value, have an offering period of 27 months or less and result in dilution of 10% or less. |
|
c. |
Matters relating to Capitalization |
The management of a companys capital structure involves a number of important issues, including cash flows, financing needs and market
conditions that are unique to the circumstances of each company. As a result, Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals involving changes
to a companys capitalization except where Western Asset is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors.
|
i. |
Western Asset votes for proposals relating to the authorization of additional common stock.
|
|
ii. |
Western Asset votes for proposals to effect stock splits (excluding reverse stock splits).
|
|
iii. |
Western Asset votes for proposals authorizing share repurchase programs. |
|
d. |
Matters relating to Acquisitions, Mergers, Reorganizations and Other Transactions |
Western Asset votes these issues on a case-by-case basis on
board-approved transactions.
C-4
|
e. |
Matters relating to Anti-Takeover Measures |
Western Asset votes against board-approved proposals to adopt anti-takeover measures except as follows:
|
i. |
Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis on proposals to ratify or approve shareholder rights plans. |
|
ii. |
Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis on proposals to adopt fair price provisions. |
|
f. |
Other Business Matters |
Western Asset votes for board-approved proposals approving such routine business matters such as changing the companys name, ratifying
the appointment of auditors and procedural matters relating to the shareholder meeting.
|
i. |
Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis on proposals to amend a companys charter or bylaws. |
|
ii. |
Western Asset votes against authorization to transact other unidentified, substantive business at the meeting.
|
SEC regulations permit shareholders to submit proposals for inclusion in a companys proxy statement. These proposals generally seek to change some aspect
of a companys corporate governance structure or to change some aspect of its business operations. Western Asset votes in accordance with the recommendation of the companys board of directors on all shareholder proposals, except as
follows:
|
i. |
Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals to require shareholder approval of shareholder rights plans.
|
|
ii. |
Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals that are consistent with Western Assets proxy voting
guidelines for board-approved proposals. |
|
iii. |
Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis on other shareholder proposals where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors. |
3. |
Voting Shares of Investment Companies |
Western Asset may utilize shares of open or closed-end investment companies to implement its investment strategies.
Shareholder votes for investment companies that fall within the categories listed in Parts I and II above are voted in accordance with those guidelines.
|
a. |
Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis on proposals relating to changes in the investment objectives of an investment company taking into account the original intent of the fund and the
role the fund plays in the clients portfolios. |
|
b. |
Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis all proposals that would result in increases in expenses (e.g., proposals to adopt 12b-1 plans, alter
investment advisory arrangements or approve fund mergers) taking into account comparable expenses for similar funds and the services to be provided. |
4. |
Voting Shares of Foreign Issuers |
In the event Western Asset is required to vote on securities held in non-U.S. issuers i.e. issuers that are
incorporated under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction and that are not listed on a U.S. securities exchange or the NASDAQ stock market, the following guidelines are used, which are premised on the existence of a sound corporate governance and
disclosure framework. These guidelines, however, may not be appropriate under some circumstances for foreign issuers and therefore apply only where applicable.
|
a. |
Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals calling for a majority of the directors to be independent of
management. |
C-5
|
b. |
Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals seeking to increase the independence of board nominating, audit
and compensation committees. |
|
c. |
Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals that implement corporate governance standards similar to those
established under U.S. federal law and the listing requirements of U.S. stock exchanges, and that do not otherwise violate the laws of the jurisdiction under which the company is incorporated. |
|
d. |
Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis on proposals relating to (1) the issuance of common stock in excess of 20% of a companys outstanding common stock where shareholders do not
have preemptive rights, or (2) the issuance of common stock in excess of 100% of a companys outstanding common stock where shareholders have preemptive rights. |
RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS
For accounts subject to ERISA, as
well as other Retirement Accounts, Western Asset is presumed to have the responsibility to vote proxies for the client. The Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a bulletin that states that investment managers have the responsibility to
vote proxies on behalf of Retirement Accounts unless the authority to vote proxies has been specifically reserved to another named fiduciary. Furthermore, unless Western Asset is expressly precluded from voting the proxies, the DOL has determined
that the responsibility remains with the investment manager.
In order to comply with the DOLs position, Western Asset will be presumed to have the
obligation to vote proxies for its Retirement Accounts unless Western Asset has obtained a specific written instruction indicating that: (a) the right to vote proxies has been reserved to a named fiduciary of the client, and (b) Western
Asset is precluded from voting proxies on behalf of the client. If Western Asset does not receive such an instruction, Western Asset will be responsible for voting proxies in the best interests of the Retirement Account client and in accordance with
any proxy voting guidelines provided by the client.
Western Asset Management Company Limited
Proxy Voting and Corporate Actions Policy
As a fixed income only manager, the occasion to vote proxies is very rare. However, the Firm has adopted and implemented policies and procedures that we
believe are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients, in accordance with our fiduciary duties and SEC Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940
(Advisers Act). In addition to SEC requirements governing advisers, our proxy voting policies reflect the long-standing fiduciary standards and responsibilities for ERISA accounts. Unless a manager of ERISA assets has been expressly
precluded from voting proxies, the Department of Labor has determined that the responsibility for these votes lies with the Investment Manager.
While
the guidelines included in the procedures are intended to provide a benchmark for voting standards, each vote is ultimately cast on a case-by-case basis, taking into
consideration the Firms contractual obligations to our clients and all other relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote (such that these guidelines may be overridden to the extent the Firm deems appropriate).
In exercising its voting authority, Western Asset will not consult or enter into agreements with officers, directors or employees of Legg Mason Inc. or any of
its affiliates (other than Western Asset affiliated companies) regarding the voting of any securities owned by its clients.
RESPONSIBILITY AND
OVERSIGHT
The Western Asset Legal and Compliance Department (Compliance Department) is responsible for administering and overseeing the
proxy voting process. The gathering of proxies is coordinated through the
C-6
Corporate Actions area of Investment Support (Corporate Actions). Research analysts and portfolio managers are responsible for determining appropriate voting positions on each proxy
utilizing any applicable guidelines contained in these procedures.
CLIENT AUTHORITY
The Investment Management Agreement for each client is reviewed at account start-up for proxy voting instructions. If
an agreement is silent on proxy voting, but contains an overall delegation of discretionary authority or if the account represents assets of an ERISA plan, Western Asset will assume responsibility for proxy voting. The Legal and Compliance
Department maintains a matrix of proxy voting authority.
PROXY GATHERING
Registered owners of record, client custodians, client banks and trustees (Proxy Recipients) that receive proxy materials on behalf of clients
should forward them to Corporate Actions. Proxy Recipients for new clients (or, if Western Asset becomes aware that the applicable Proxy Recipient for an existing client has changed, the Proxy Recipient for the existing client) are notified at start-up of appropriate routing to Corporate Actions of proxy materials received and reminded of their responsibility to forward all proxy materials on a timely basis. If Western Asset personnel other than Corporate
Actions receive proxy materials, they should promptly forward the materials to Corporate Actions.
PROXY VOTING
Once proxy materials are received by Corporate Actions, they are forwarded to the Legal and Compliance Department for coordination and the following actions:
Proxies are reviewed to determine accounts impacted.
Impacted accounts are checked to confirm Western Asset voting authority.
Legal and Compliance Department staff reviews proxy issues to determine any material conflicts of interest. (See conflicts of interest section of these
procedures for further information on determining material conflicts of interest.)
If a material conflict of interest exists, (i) to the extent
reasonably practicable and permitted by applicable law, the client is promptly notified, the conflict is disclosed and Western Asset obtains the clients proxy voting instructions, and (ii) to the extent that it is not reasonably
practicable or permitted by applicable law to notify the client and obtain such instructions (e.g., the client is a mutual fund or other commingled vehicle or is an ERISA plan client), Western Asset seeks voting instructions from an independent
third party.
Legal and Compliance Department staff provides proxy material to the appropriate research analyst or portfolio manager to obtain their
recommended vote. Research analysts and portfolio managers determine votes on a case-by-case basis taking into account the voting guidelines contained in these
procedures. For avoidance of doubt, depending on the best interest of each individual client, Western Asset may vote the same proxy differently for different clients. The analysts or portfolio managers basis for their decision is
documented and maintained by the Legal and Compliance Department.
Legal and Compliance Department staff votes the proxy pursuant to the instructions
received in (d) or (e) and returns the voted proxy as indicated in the proxy materials.
TIMING
Western Asset personnel act in such a manner to ensure that, absent special circumstances, the proxy gathering and proxy voting steps noted above can be
completed before the applicable deadline for returning proxy votes.
C-7
RECORDKEEPING
Western Asset maintains records of proxies voted pursuant to Section 204-2 of the Advisers Act and ERISA DOL
Bulletin 94-2. These records include: A copy of Western Assets policies and procedures.
Copies of proxy
statements received regarding client securities.
A copy of any document created by Western Asset that was material to making a decision how to vote
proxies.
Each written client request for proxy voting records and Western Assets written response to both verbal and written client requests.
A proxy log including:
|
|
|
Exchange ticker symbol of the issuers shares to be voted; |
|
|
|
Committee on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures (CUSIP) number for the shares to be voted;
|
|
|
|
A brief identification of the matter voted on; |
|
|
|
Whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or by a shareholder of the issuer; |
|
|
|
Whether a vote was cast on the matter; |
|
|
|
A record of how the vote was cast; and |
|
|
|
Whether the vote was cast for or against the recommendation of the issuers management team.
|
Records are maintained in an easily accessible place for five years, the first two in Western Assets offices.
DISCLOSURE
Western Assets proxy policies are
described in the firms Part 2A of Form ADV. Clients will be provided a copy of these policies and procedures upon request. In addition, upon request, clients may receive reports on how their proxies have been voted.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
All proxies are reviewed by the
Legal and Compliance Department for material conflicts of interest. Issues to be reviewed include, but are not limited to:
Whether Western (or, to the
extent required to be considered by applicable law, its affiliates) manages assets for the company or an employee group of the company or otherwise has an interest in the company;
Whether Western or an officer or director of Western or the applicable portfolio manager or analyst responsible for recommending the proxy vote (together,
Voting Persons) is a close relative of or has a personal or business relationship with an executive, director or person who is a candidate for director of the company or is a participant in a proxy contest; and Whether there is any other
business or personal relationship where a Voting Person has a personal interest in the outcome of the matter before shareholders.
VOTING GUIDELINES
Western Assets substantive voting decisions turn on the particular facts and circumstances of each proxy vote and are evaluated by the
designated research analyst or portfolio manager. The examples outlined below are meant as guidelines to aid in the decision making process.
C-8
Guidelines are grouped according to the types of proposals generally presented to shareholders. Part I deals with
proposals which have been approved and are recommended by a companys board of directors; Part II deals with proposals submitted by shareholders for inclusion in proxy statements; Part III addresses issues relating to voting shares of
investment companies; and Part IV addresses unique considerations pertaining to foreign issuers.
BOARD APPROVAL PROPOSALS
The vast majority of matters presented to shareholders for a vote involve proposals made by a company itself that have been approved and recommended by its
board of directors. In view of the enhanced corporate governance practices currently being implemented in public companies, Western Asset generally votes in support of decisions reached by independent boards of directors. More specific guidelines
related to certain board-approved proposals are as follows:
Matters relating to the Board of DirectorsWestern Asset votes proxies for the
election of the companys nominees for directors and for board-approved proposals on other matters relating to the board of directors with the following exceptions:
Votes are withheld for the entire board of directors if the board does not have a majority of independent directors or the board does not have nominating,
audit and compensation committees composed solely of independent directors.
Votes are withheld for any nominee for director who is considered an
independent director by the company and who has received compensation from the company other than for service as a director.
Votes are withheld for any
nominee for director who attends less than 75% of board and committee meetings without valid reasons for absences.
Votes are cast on a case-by-case basis in contested elections of directors.
Matters relating to
Executive CompensationWestern Asset generally favors compensation programs that relate executive compensation to a companys long-term performance. Votes are cast on a
case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals relating to executive compensation, except as follows:
Except where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors, Western Asset votes for stock option plans that will result in a
minimal annual dilution.
Western Asset votes against stock option plans or proposals that permit replacing or repricing of underwater options.
Western Asset votes against stock option plans that permit issuance of options with an exercise price below the stocks current market price.
Except where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors, Western Asset votes for employee stock purchase plans that limit the
discount for shares purchased under the plan to no more than 15% of their market value, have an offering period of 27 months or less and result in dilution of 10% or less.
Matters relating to CapitalizationThe management of a companys capital structure involves a number of important issues, including cash
flows, financing needs and market conditions that are unique to the circumstances of each company. As a result, Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on board-
approved proposals involving changes to a companys capitalization except where Western Asset is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors.
Western Asset votes for proposals relating to the authorization of additional common stock;
C-9
Western Asset votes for proposals to effect stock splits (excluding reverse stock splits);
Western Asset votes for proposals authorizing share repurchase programs;
Matters relating to Acquisitions, Mergers, Reorganizations and Other Transactions;
Western Asset votes these issues on a case-by-case basis on board-approved
transactions;
Matters relating to Anti-Takeover MeasuresWestern Asset votes against board-approved proposals to adopt anti-takeover measures
except as follows:
Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on
proposals to ratify or approve shareholder rights plans; Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to adopt fair price provisions.
Other Business MattersWestern Asset votes for board-approved proposals approving such routine business matters such as changing the
companys name, ratifying the appointment of auditors and procedural matters relating to the shareholder meeting.
Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to amend a companys charter or bylaws;
Western Asset votes against authorization to transact other unidentified, substantive business at the meeting.
SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS
SEC regulations permit
shareholders to submit proposals for inclusion in a companys proxy statement. These proposals generally seek to change some aspect of a companys corporate governance structure or to change some aspect of its business operations. Western
Asset votes in accordance with the recommendation of the companys board of directors on all shareholder proposals, except as follows:
Western Asset
votes for shareholder proposals to require shareholder approval of shareholder rights plans;
Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals that are
consistent with Western Assets proxy voting guidelines for board-approved proposals;
Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on other shareholder proposals where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors.
VOTING SHARES OF INVESTMENT COMPANIES
Western Asset may
utilize shares of open or closed-end investment companies to implement its investment strategies. Shareholder votes for investment companies that fall within the categories listed in Parts I and II above are
voted in accordance with those guidelines.
Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis on proposals relating to changes in the investment objectives of an investment company taking into account the original intent of the fund and the
role the fund plays in the clients portfolios;
Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis all proposals that would result in increases in expenses (e.g., proposals to adopt 12b-1 plans, alter
investment advisory arrangements or approve fund mergers) taking into account comparable expenses for similar funds and the services to be provided.
C-10
VOTING SHARES OF FOREIGN ISSUERS
In the event Western Asset is required to vote on securities held in non-U.S. issuers i.e. issuers that are
incorporated under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction and that are not listed on a U.S. securities exchange or the NASDAQ stock market, the following guidelines are used, which are premised on the existence of a sound corporate governance and
disclosure framework. These guidelines, however, may not be appropriate under some circumstances for foreign issuers and therefore apply only where applicable.
Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals calling for a majority of the directors to be independent of management;
Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals seeking to increase the independence of board nominating, audit and compensation committees;
Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals that implement corporate governance standards similar to those established under U.S. federal law and the
listing requirements of U.S. stock exchanges and that do not otherwise violate the laws of the jurisdiction under which the company is incorporated;
Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals relating to
(1) the issuance of common stock in excess of 20% of a companys outstanding common stock where shareholders do not have preemptive rights, or (2) the issuance of common stock in excess of 100% of a companys outstanding common
stock where shareholders have preemptive rights.
RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS
For accounts subject to ERISA, as well as other Retirement Accounts, Western Asset is presumed to have the responsibility to vote proxies for the client. The
Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a bulletin that states that investment managers have the responsibility to vote proxies on behalf of Retirement Accounts unless the authority to vote proxies has been specifically reserved to another
named fiduciary.
Furthermore, unless Western Asset is expressly precluded from voting the proxies, the DOL has determined that the responsibility remains
with the investment manager.
In order to comply with the DOLs position, Western Asset will be presumed to have the obligation to vote proxies for
its Retirement Accounts unless Western Asset has obtained a specific written instruction indicating that: (a) the right to vote proxies has been reserved to a named fiduciary of the client, and (b) Western Asset is precluded from voting
proxies on behalf of the client. If Western Asset does not receive such an instruction, Western Asset will be responsible for voting proxies in the best interests of the Retirement Account client and in accordance with any proxy voting guidelines
provided by the client.
CORPORATE ACTIONS
Western
Asset must pay strict attention to any corporate actions that are taken with respect to issuers whose securities are held in client accounts. For example, Western Asset must review any tender offers, rights offerings, etc., made in connection with
securities owned by clients. Western Asset must also act in a timely manner and in the best interest of each client with respect to any such corporate actions.
C-11
Western Asset Management Company Pte. Ltd. (WAMS)
Compliance Policies and Procedures
Proxy Voting
WAMS has adopted and implemented policies
and procedures that we believe are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients, in accordance with our fiduciary duties and the applicable laws and regulations. In addition to SEC requirements governing
advisers, our proxy voting policies reflect the long-standing fiduciary standards and responsibilities for ERISA accounts.
While the guidelines included
in the procedures are intended to provide a benchmark for voting standards, each vote is ultimately cast on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the
Firms contractual obligations to our clients and all other relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote (such that these guidelines may be overridden to the extent the Firm deems appropriate).
In exercising its voting authority, WAMS will not consult or enter into agreements with officers, directors or employees of Legg Mason Inc. or any of its
affiliates (other than Western Asset affiliated companies) regarding the voting of any securities owned by its clients.
Procedure
Responsibility and Oversight
The Western Asset
Legal and Compliance Department is responsible for administering and overseeing the proxy voting process. The gathering of proxies is coordinated through the Corporate Actions area of Investment Support (Corporate Actions). Research
analysts and portfolio managers are responsible for determining appropriate voting positions on each proxy utilizing any applicable guidelines contained in these procedures.
Client Authority
The Investment Management
Agreement for each client is reviewed at account start-up for proxy voting instructions. If an agreement is silent on proxy voting, but contains an overall delegation of discretionary authority or if the
account represents assets of an ERISA plan, Western Asset will assume responsibility for proxy voting. The Legal and Compliance Department maintains a matrix of proxy voting authority.
Proxy Gathering
Registered owners of record,
client custodians, client banks and trustees (Proxy Recipients) that receive proxy materials on behalf of clients should forward them to Corporate Actions. Proxy Recipients for new clients (or, if Western Asset becomes aware that the
applicable Proxy Recipient for an existing client has changed, the Proxy Recipient for the existing client) are notified at start-up of appropriate routing to Corporate Actions of proxy materials received and
reminded of their responsibility to forward all proxy materials on a timely basis. If Western Asset personnel other than Corporate Actions receive proxy materials, they should promptly forward the materials to Corporate Actions.
Proxy Voting
Once proxy materials are received
by Corporate Actions, they are forwarded to the Legal and Compliance Department for coordination and the following actions:
|
1. |
Proxies are reviewed to determine accounts impacted. |
|
2. |
Impacted accounts are checked to confirm Western Asset voting authority. |
C-12
|
3. |
Legal and Compliance Department staff reviews proxy issues to determine any material conflicts of interest.
[See conflicts of interest section of these procedures for further information on determining material conflicts of interest.] |
|
4. |
If a material conflict of interest exists, (4.1) to the extent reasonably practicable and permitted by
applicable law, the client is promptly notified, the conflict is disclosed and Western Asset obtains the clients proxy voting instructions, and (4.2) to the extent that it is not reasonably practicable or permitted by applicable law to notify
the client and obtain such instructions (e.g., the client is a mutual fund or other commingled vehicle or is an ERISA plan client), Western Asset seeks voting instructions from an independent third party. |
|
5. |
Legal and Compliance Department staff provides proxy material to the appropriate research analyst or portfolio
manager to obtain their recommended vote. Research analysts and portfolio managers determine votes on a case-by-case basis taking into account the voting guidelines
contained in these procedures. For avoidance of doubt, depending on the best interest of each individual client, Western Asset may vote the same proxy differently for different clients. The analysts or portfolio managers basis for their
decision is documented and maintained by the Legal and Compliance Department. |
|
6. |
Legal and Compliance Department staff votes the proxy pursuant to the instructions received in (4) or (5)
and returns the voted proxy as indicated in the proxy materials. |
Timing
Western Asset personnel act in such a manner to ensure that, absent special circumstances, the proxy gathering and proxy voting steps noted above can be
completed before the applicable deadline for returning proxy votes.
Recordkeeping
Western Asset maintains records of proxies voted pursuant to Section 204-2 of the Advisers Act and ERISA DOL
Bulletin 94-2. These records include:
|
|
|
A copy of Western Assets policies and procedures. |
|
|
|
Copies of proxy statements received regarding client securities. |
|
|
|
A copy of any document created by Western Asset that was material to making a decision how to vote proxies.
|
|
|
|
Each written client request for proxy voting records and Western Assets written response to both verbal and
written client requests. |
|
|
|
Exchange ticker symbol of the issuers shares to be voted; |
|
|
|
Committee on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures (CUSIP) number for the shares to be voted;
|
|
|
|
A brief identification of the matter voted on; |
|
|
|
Whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or by a shareholder of the issuer; |
|
|
|
Whether a vote was cast on the matter; |
|
|
|
A record of how the vote was cast; and |
Whether the vote was cast for or against the recommendation of the issuers management team. Records are maintained in an easily accessible place for
five years, the first two in Western Assets offices.
C-13
Disclosure
Western Assets proxy policies are described in the firms Part 2A of Form ADV. Clients will be provided a copy of these policies and procedures upon
request. In addition, upon request, clients may receive reports on how their proxies have been voted.
Conflicts of Interest
All proxies are reviewed by the Legal and Compliance Department for material conflicts of interest. Issues to be reviewed include, but are not limited to:
|
|
|
Whether Western (or, to the extent required to be considered by applicable law, it affiliates) manages assets for
the company or an employee group of the company or otherwise has an interest in the company; |
|
|
|
Whether Western or an officer or director of Western or the applicable portfolio manager or analyst responsible
for recommending the proxy vote (together, Voting Persons) is a close relative of or has a personal or business relationship with an executive, director or person who is a candidate for director of the company or is a participant in a
proxy contest; and |
|
|
|
Whether there is any other business or personal relationship where a Voting Person has a personal interest in the
outcome of the matter before shareholders. |
Voting Guidelines
Western Assets substantive voting decisions turn on the particular facts and circumstances of each proxy vote and are evaluated by the designated
research analyst or portfolio manager. The examples outlined below are meant as guidelines to aid the decision making process.
Guidelines are grouped
according to the types of proposals generally presented to shareholders. Part 1 deals with proposals which have been approved and are recommended by a companys board of directors; Part 2 deals with proposals submitted by shareholders for
inclusion in proxy statements; Part 3 addresses issues relating to voting shares of investment companies; and Part 4 addresses unique considerations pertaining to foreign issuers.
Part 1 Board Approved Proposals
The vast majority of
matters presented to shareholders for a vote involve proposals made by a company itself that have been approved and recommended by its board of directors. In view of the enhanced corporate governance practices currently being implemented in public
companies, Western Asset generally votes in support of decisions reached by independent boards of directors. More specific guidelines related to certain board-approved proposals are as follows:
|
|
|
Matters relating to the Board of Directors. |
Western Asset votes proxies for the election of the companys nominees for directors and for board-approved proposals on other matters relating to the
board of directors with the following exceptions:
|
|
|
Votes are withheld for the entire board of directors if the board does not have a majority of independent
directors or the board does not have nominating, audit and compensation committees composed solely of independent directors. |
|
|
|
Votes are withheld for any nominee for director who is considered an independent director by the company and who
has received compensation from the company other than for service as a director. |
|
|
|
Votes are withheld for any nominee for director who attends less than 75% of board and committee meetings without
valid reasons for absences. |
C-14
|
|
|
Votes are cast on a case-by-case
basis in contested elections of directors. |
|
|
|
Matters relating to Executive Compensation. |
Western Asset generally favors compensation programs that relate executive compensation to a companys long-term performance. Votes are cast on a case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals relating to executive compensation, except as follows:
|
|
|
Except where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors, Western Asset votes for
stock option plans that will result in a minimal annual dilution. |
|
|
|
Western Asset votes against stock option plans or proposals that permit replacing or re-pricing of underwater options. |
|
|
|
Western Asset votes against stock option plans that permit issuance of options with an exercise price below the
stocks current market price. |
|
|
|
Except where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors, Western Asset votes for
employee stock purchase plans that limit the discount for shares purchased under the plan to no more than 15% of their market value, have an offering period of 27 months or less and result in dilution of 10% or less. |
|
|
|
Matters relating to Capitalization. |
The management of a companys capital structure involves a number of important issues, including cash flows, financing needs and market conditions that
are unique to the circumstances of each company. As a result, Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals involving changes to a
companys capitalization except where Western Asset is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors.
|
|
|
Western Asset votes for proposals relating to the authorization of additional common stock.
|
|
|
|
Western Asset votes for proposals to effect stock splits (excluding reverse stock splits). |
|
|
|
Western Asset votes for proposals authorizing share repurchase programs. |
|
|
|
Matters relating to Acquisitions, Mergers, Reorganizations and Other Transactions. Western Asset votes these
issues on a case-by-case basis on board-approved transactions. |
|
|
|
Matters relating to Anti-Takeover Measures. Western Asset votes against board-approved proposals to adopt
anti-takeover measures except as follows: |
|
|
|
Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis on proposals to ratify or approve shareholder right plans. |
|
|
|
Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis on proposals to adopt fair price provisions. |
|
|
|
Other Business Matters. Western Asset votes for board-approved proposals approving such routine business matters
such as changing the companys name, ratifying the appointment of auditors and procedural matters relating to the shareholder meeting. |
|
|
|
Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis on proposals to amend a companys charter |
or bylaws.
|
|
|
Western Asset votes against authorization to transact other unidentified, substantive business at the meeting.
|
Part 2 Shareholder Proposals SEC regulations permit shareholders to submit proposals for inclusion in a companys proxy
statement. These proposals generally seek to change some aspect of a companys corporate
C-15
governance structure or to change some aspect of its business operations. Western Asset votes in accordance with the recommendation of the companys board of directors on all shareholder
proposals, except as follows:
|
|
|
Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals to require shareholder approval of shareholder rights plans.
|
|
|
|
Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals that are consistent with Western Assets proxy voting
guidelines for board-approved proposals. |
|
|
|
Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis on other shareholder proposals where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors. |
Part 3 Voting Shares of Investment Companies Western Asset may utilize shares of open or closed-end
investment companies to implement its investment strategies. Shareholder votes for investment companies that fall within the categories listed in Parts 1 and 2 above are voted in accordance with those guidelines.
|
|
|
Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis on proposals relating to changes in the investment objectives of an investment company taking into account the original intent of the fund and the
role the fund plays in the clients portfolios. |
|
|
|
Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis all proposals that would result in increases in expenses (e.g. proposals to adopt 12b-1 plans, alter
investment advisory arrangements or approve fund mergers) taking into account comparable expenses for similar funds and the services to be provided. |
Part 4 Voting Shares of Foreign Issuers
In the event
Western Asset is required to vote on securities held in non-U.S. issuers i.e. issuers that are incorporated under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction and that are not listed on a U.S. securities exchange
or the NASDAQ stock market, the following guidelines are used, which are premised on the existence of a sound corporate governance and disclosure framework. These guidelines, however, may not be appropriate under some circumstances for foreign
issuers and therefore apply only where applicable.
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Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals calling for a majority of the directors to be independent of
management. |
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Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals seeking to increase the independence of board nominating, audit and
compensation committees. |
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Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals that implement corporate governance standards similar to those
established under U.S. federal law and the listing requirements of U.S. stock exchanges, and that do not otherwise violate the laws of the jurisdiction under which the company is incorporated. |
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Western Asset votes on a
case-by-case basis on proposals relating to (1) the issuance of common stock in excess of 20% of a companys outstanding common stock where shareholders do not
have pre-emptive rights, or (2) the issuance of common stock in excess of 100% of a companys outstanding common stock where shareholders have pre-emptive
rights. |
Retirement Accounts
For accounts
subject to ERISA, as well as other Retirement Accounts, Western Asset is presumed to have the responsibility to vote proxies for the client. The Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a bulletin that states that investment managers have
the responsibility to vote proxies on behalf of Retirement Accounts unless the authority to vote proxies has been specifically reserved to another named fiduciary. Furthermore, unless Western Asset is expressly precluded from voting the proxies, the
DOL has determined that the responsibility remains with the investment manager.
C-16
In order to comply with the DOLs position, Western Asset will be presumed to have the obligation to vote
proxies for its Retirement Accounts unless Western Asset has obtained a specific written instruction indicating that:
(1) |
the right to vote proxies has been reserved to a named fiduciary of the client, and (2) Western Asset is
precluded from voting proxies on behalf of the client. If Western Asset does not receive such an instruction, Western Asset will be responsible for voting proxies in the best interests of the Retirement Account client and in accordance with any
proxy voting guidelines provided by the client. |
C-17
PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 25.
Financial Statements and Exhibits
(1) |
Financial Statements for the fiscal years May 31, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015, 2016, 2015,
and 2014 |
|
Part A |
Financial Highlights |
|
Part B |
Incorporated into Part B by reference to Registrants most recent Certified Shareholder Report on Form N-CSR, filed July 31, 2023 (File No. 811-21337): |
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Schedule of Investments as of May 31, 2023 |
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Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of May 31, 2023 |
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Statement of Operations for the Year Ended May 31, 2023 |
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Statement of Changes in Net Assets for the Year Ended May 31, 2023 |
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Notes to Financial Statements for the Year Ended May 31, 2023 |
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the Year Ended May 31, 2023
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(2) Exhibits |
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(a)(1) |
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Articles of Incorporation, dated April 16, 2003(1) |
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(a)(2) |
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Articles of Amendment, dated June 5, 2003(1) |
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(a)(3) |
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Articles of Amendment, dated September 19, 2006(1) |
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(b)(1) |
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Third Amended and Restated Bylaws(2) |
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(c) |
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Not Applicable |
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(d) |
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Articles V and VIII of Registrants Articles of Incorporation are incorporated herein by reference. |
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(e) |
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Dividend Reinvestment Plan** |
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(f) |
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Not Applicable |
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(g)(1) |
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Investment Management Agreement between the Registrant and Franklin Templeton Fund Adviser, LLC (f/k/a Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC)** |
|
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(g)(2) |
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Subadvisory Agreement between Franklin Templeton Fund Adviser, LLC (f/k/a Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC) and Western Asset Management Company, LLC** |
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(g)(3) |
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Subadvisory Agreement between Western Asset Management Company, LLC and Western Asset Management Company Limited** |
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(g)(4) |
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Subadvisory Agreement between Western Management Company, LLC and Western Asset Management Company Pte. Ltd.** |
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(h)(1) |
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Underwriting Agreement** |
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(i) |
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Not Applicable |
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(j)(1) |
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Custodian Services Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon, dated January 1, 2018** |
|
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(j)(2) |
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Amendment No. 9 to the Custodian Services Agreement, dated May 1, 2021, with The Bank of New York Mellon, dated January 1, 2018** |
|
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(k)(1) |
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Transfer Agency and Services Agreement with Computershare Inc., dated March 14, 2016** |
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(k)(2) |
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Amendment No. 9 to the Transfer Agency and Services Agreement, dated March 19, 2021, with Computershare Inc., dated March 14, 2016** |
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(k)(3) |
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Margin Loan and Security Agreement with Bank of America, N.A., dated March 3, 2023** |
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(l) |
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Opinion and Consent of Venable LLP** |
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(m) |
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Not Applicable |
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(n) |
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Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm** |
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(o) |
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Not Applicable |
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(p) |
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Not Applicable |
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(q) |
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Not Applicable |
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(r)(1) |
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Code of Ethics of the Fund and the Manager** |
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(r)(2) |
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Code of Ethics of Western Asset** |
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(s) |
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Filing Fee Table* |
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(t) |
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Power of Attorney* |
(1) |
Filed on June 6, 2016 with Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to
the Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-14 (File No. 333-209666 and 811-21337) and incorporated by reference
herein. |
(2) |
Filed on August 18, 2020 with Form 8-K and incorporated by
reference herein. |
** |
To be filed by amendment. |
Item 26. Marketing Arrangements
Reference is made to the sales agreement for the Registrants common stock incorporated by reference herein or the form of underwriting
agreement to be filed as an exhibit in a post-effective amendment to the Registrants Registration Statement and the section entitled Plan of Distribution contained in Registrants Prospectus incorporated by reference herein.
Item 27. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
The following table sets forth the estimated expenses to be incurred in connection with the offering described in this Registration Statement:
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SEC registration fees |
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$ |
[] |
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Financial Industry Regulatory Authority fees |
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[] |
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Accounting fees and expenses |
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[] |
|
Legal fees and expenses |
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[] |
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Total |
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$ |
[] |
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Item 28. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant
None.
Item 29. Number of Holders of
Securities
At [], 2024:
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Title of Class |
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Number of Record Holders |
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Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share |
|
|
[ |
] |
Item 30. Indemnification
Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision eliminating the liability of its directors and officers to
the corporation and its stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or active and deliberate dishonesty that is established by a final judgment and
is material to the cause of action. The Registrants Charter contains such a provision that eliminates such liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law. In addition, the Registrant has provisions in its Charter and the Bylaws that
authorize the Registrant, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, to indemnify any present or former Director or officer from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by
reason of his or her status as a present or former Director or officer of the Registrant and to pay or reimburse their reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. Pursuant to the Bylaws, absent a court determination that an
officer or Director seeking indemnification was not liable on the merits or guilty of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office, the decision by the Registrant to
indemnify such person will be based upon the reasonable determination of independent counsel or nonparty Independent Directors, after review of the facts, that such officer or Director is not guilty of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office.
Insofar as indemnification for liability arising
under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of
expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as
expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Adviser
The descriptions of the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore under the caption Management of the
Fund in the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information of this registration statement are incorporated by reference herein. Information as to the directors and officers of the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited and Western
Asset Singapore, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by the directors and officers of the Manager, Western Asset, Western Asset Limited and Western Asset Singapore
in the last two years, is included in their respective applications for registration as an investment adviser on Form ADV (File Nos. 801-66785, 801-08162, 801-21068 and 801-67298, respectively) filed under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 32. Location of Accounts and Records
The accounts and records of the Registrant are maintained at the office of the Registrant at 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018.
Item 33. Management Services
Not
applicable.
Item 34. Undertakings
1. Not applicable.
2. Not
applicable.
3. The Registrant undertakes:
(a) to file, during a period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:
(1) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
(2) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-
effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered
(if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the Calculation of Registration Fee table in the effective registration
statement.
(3) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration
Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement.
Provided, however, that paragraphs a(1), a(2), and a(3) of this section do not apply to
the extent the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference into the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.
(b) that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment to this registration statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of those securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof;
(c) to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering;
(d) that, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:
(1) if the Registrant is relying on Rule 430B [17 CFR 230.430B]:
(A) Each prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement
as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
(B) Each prospectus
required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (x), or (xi) for the purpose of providing the
information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the
first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date
of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided,
however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of
the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement
or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date; or
(2) if the Registrant is subject to Rule 430C:
each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A,
shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration
statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first
use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.
(e) that for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of
securities:
The undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this
registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a
seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to the purchaser:
(1) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant
relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act;
(2) free writing prospectus
relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrant;
(3) the portion of any other free writing prospectus or advertisement pursuant to Rule 482 under the Securities Act relating to
the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and
(4) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser
4. Registrant undertakes that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act:
(a) the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained
in the form of prospectus filed by the Registrant under Rule 424(b)(1) shall be deemed to be a part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective; and
(b) each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus will be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of the securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
5. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing
of the Registrants annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference into the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
6. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), may be
permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless
in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be
governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
7. The Registrant undertakes to send by first class mail or other means designed to
ensure equally prompt delivery, within two business days of receipt of a written or oral request, any prospectus or Statement of Additional Information.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 1933 Act), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Amendment to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York on the 28th day of December, 2023.
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WESTERN ASSET GLOBAL HIGH INCOME FUND INC. |
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By: |
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/s/ Jane Trust |
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Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President |
Pursuant to the requirements of the 1933 Act, this Amendment to the Registration Statement has been
signed by the following person in the capacity and on the date indicated.
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Signature |
|
Title |
|
Date |
|
|
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/s/ Jane Trust
Jane Trust |
|
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President and Director (Principal Executive Officer) |
|
December 28, 2023 |
|
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/s/ Christopher Berarducci
Christopher Berarducci |
|
Principal Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
|
December 28, 2023 |
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|
December 28, 2023 |
/s/ Robert D. Agdern*
Robert D. Agdern |
|
Director |
|
December 28, 2023 |
|
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December 28, 2023 |
/s/ Carol L. Colman*
Carol L. Colman |
|
Director |
|
December 28, 2023 |
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|
December 28, 2023 |
/s/ Daniel P. Cronin*
Daniel P. Cronin |
|
Director |
|
December 28, 2023 |
|
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|
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|
December 28, 2023 |
/s/ Paolo M. Cucchi*
Paolo M. Cucchi |
|
Director |
|
December 28, 2023 |
|
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|
December 28, 2023 |
/s/ Eileen A. Kamerick*
Eileen A. Kamerick |
|
Director |
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December 28, 2023 |
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December 28, 2023 |
/s/ Nisha Kumar*
Nisha Kumar |
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Director |
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December 28, 2023 |
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*By: |
|
/s/ Jane Trust |
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Jane Trust |
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As Agent or Attorney-in-fact |
December 28, 2023 |
The original power of attorney authorizing Jane Trust to execute this Registration Statement, and any amendments thereto, for
the Directors of the Registrant on whose behalf this Registration Statement are filed herewith as an exhibit to the Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-2.
Schedule of Exhibits to Form N-2
|
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Exhibit No. |
|
Exhibit |
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(s) |
|
Filing Fee Table |
|
|
(t) |
|
Power of Attorney |
Calculation of Filing Fee Tables
FORM N-2
(Form Type)
Western Asset
Global High Income Fund Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities
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Security
Type |
|
Security
Class Title |
|
Fee
Calculation or Carry
Forward Rule |
|
Amount
Registered |
|
Proposed
Maximum Offering
Price Per Unit |
|
Maximum
Aggregate Offering
Price(1) |
|
Fee
Rate |
|
Amount of
Registration Fee |
|
Carry
Forward Form
Type |
|
Carry
Forward File Number |
|
Carry
Forward Initial
effective date |
|
Filing Fee
Previously Paid In
Connection with
Unsold Securities
to be Carried
Forward |
|
Newly Registered Securities |
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|
Fees to Be
Paid |
|
Equity |
|
Common Stock |
|
457(o) |
|
|
|
|
|
$1,000,000 |
|
$147.60 |
|
$147.60 |
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Fees to Be
Paid |
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Other |
|
Rights to Purchase Shares of Common Stock(2) |
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Fees
Previously Paid |
|
Equity |
|
Common Stock |
|
457(o) |
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Carry Forward Securities |
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Carry
Forward Securities |
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Total Offering Amounts |
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|
$1,000,000 |
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|
$147.60 |
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Total Fees Previously Paid |
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Total Fee Offsets |
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Net Fee Due |
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$147.60 |
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(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o)
under the Securities Act of 1933. (2) No separate consideration will be received by the Registrant. Any shares issued pursuant to an offering of rights to
purchase shares of common stock, including any shares issued pursuant to an over-subscription privilege or a secondary over-subscription privilege, will be shares registered under this Registration Statement. |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PEOPLE BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby makes, constitutes and appoints each of Jane E. Trust, Christopher
Berarducci and Marc De Oliveira with full power to act without the other, as his or her agent and attorney-in-fact for the purpose of executing in his or her name, in
his or her capacity as a Director and/or officer of Western Asset Global High Income Fund Inc., a registration statement on Form N-2 (including amendments, post-effective amendments and prospectus
supplements thereto) and all other documents in connection therewith, including, without limitation, any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the Securities Act), to be filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as applicable.
All past acts of an attorney-in-fact in furtherance of the foregoing are
hereby ratified and confirmed.
This Power of Attorney may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but which
taken together shall constitute one instrument.
This power of attorney shall be valid from the date hereof until revoked by me.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have executed this instrument as of the 28th day of December, 2023.
|
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|
/s/ Jane E. Trust |
|
|
Jane E. Trust |
|
Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director |
|
|
/s/ Christopher Berarducci |
|
|
Christopher Berarducci |
|
Principal Financial Officer |
|
|
/s/ Robert D. Agdern |
|
|
Robert D. Agdern |
|
Director |
|
|
/s/ Carol L. Colman |
|
|
Carol L. Colman |
|
Director |
|
|
/s/ Daniel P. Cronin |
|
|
Daniel P. Cronin |
|
Director |
|
|
/s/ Paolo M. Cucchi |
|
|
Paolo M. Cucchi |
|
Director |
|
|
/s/ Eileen A. Kamerick |
|
|
Eileen A. Kamerick |
|
Director |
|
|
/s/ Nisha Kumar |
|
|
Nisha Kumar |
|
Director |
Grafico Azioni Western Asset Global Hig... (NYSE:EHI)
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Da Ott 2024 a Nov 2024
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