As previously reported, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of
The Korea Fund, Inc. (NYSE: KF) (the “Fund”) announced on December
3, 2020 that it had adopted a policy (the “Tender Offer Policy”)
pursuant to which the Board will cause the Fund to conduct an
issuer tender offer for up to twenty-five percent (25%) of its then
issued and outstanding shares of common stock on or before
September 30, 2024, and thereafter on each third year anniversary
of September 30, 2024, if the Fund’s total return investment
performance measured on a net asset value (“NAV”) basis does not
equal or exceed the total return investment performance of the MSCI
Korea 25/50 Index (the “Index”) during the period commencing April
1, 2021 and ending June 30, 2024 (the “Initial Tender Offer
Measurement Period” or “ITOM”), and for three-year testing periods
thereafter.
As a further update to a press release issued by the Fund on
July 1, 2024, the Board announced today that the definitive
comparative performance results for the ITOM confirm that the
Fund’s NAV total return was marginally less than that of the Index
total return during the ITOM. The figures provided by Morningstar,
Inc. (“Morningstar”) confirm that, during the Initial Tender Offer
Measurement Period, the Fund’s NAV total return was -19.62% and the
Fund’s Index total return was -19.30%, such that the Fund
underperformed the Index by 0.32% during the ITOM. The Board noted
in its deliberations the recent volatility of relative performance
in that, through June – the final month of the ITOM, the Fund’s
total return investment performance exceeded that of its Index on
thirteen (13) of the nineteen (19) business days, and which
included the penultimate business day in the ITOM. In addition, the
Board noted that the Fund’s NAV total return exceeded that of the
Index by 2.21% from January 1, 2021, being the date that the Fund’s
current investment adviser, JPMorgan Asset Management (Asia
Pacific) Ltd., assumed responsibility for the day-to-day management
of the Fund’s portfolio, through the end of the ITOM.
Taking these and other factors into account and in accordance
with the Tender Offer Policy, the Board has authorized the Fund to
conduct a tender offer to purchase for cash up to 12.5% of the
Fund’s issued and outstanding common stock, at a price per share
equal to 98.5% of the NAV per share determined on the date the
tender offer expires (the “Tender Offer”). As of July 10, 2024, the
Fund had 4,833,153 shares of common stock outstanding and net
assets of $142.9 million.
Additional terms and conditions of the Tender Offer, including
the dates of commencement and expiration, will be set forth in the
Fund's offering materials, which are expected to be filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and distributed to
common stockholders at such dates to be determined by the Fund’s
officers, subject to ratification by the Board. Among other terms,
the offering materials will provide that, if more than 12.5% of the
Fund's outstanding common stock is tendered in the Tender Offer,
and not withdrawn, the Fund will purchase shares from tendering
stockholders on a pro rata basis, such that stockholders cannot be
assured that the Fund will purchase all of any individual
stockholder's tendered shares. The offering materials will also
provide that the Fund may not accept shares tendered under various
circumstances such as overly volatile conditions brought about by
extraneous, geopolitical factors that, in the view of the Board,
would make it inadvisable to proceed with the Tender Offer.
In connection with the Tender Offer, the Fund will temporarily
suspend its common stock repurchase program as of July 10, 2024,
until ten business days after the termination of the Tender
Offer.
As announced previously, the next performance measurement period
under the Tender Offer Policy runs from July 1, 2024, through June
30, 2027.
This announcement is not a recommendation, an offer to purchase
or a solicitation of an offer to sell shares of the Fund. The Fund
has not yet commenced the Tender Offer described in this release.
Any tender offer will be made only by an Offer to Purchase, a
related letter of transmittal and other documents that will be
filed with the SEC as exhibits to a tender offer statement on
Schedule TO and will be available free of charge at the SEC's
website at www.sec.gov. The Funds’ common stockholders should read
the Offer to Purchase and Tender Offer statement on Schedule TO and
related exhibits when those documents are filed and become
available as they will contain important information about the
Tender Offer. The Fund will also make available, without charge,
the Offer to Purchase and the letter of transmittal.
The Korea Fund, Inc. is a non-diversified, closed-end investment
company. The Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation through
investing primarily in equity securities trading on the Korean
stock exchanges. Its shares are listed on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol “KF.”
JPMorgan Asset Management (Asia Pacific) Ltd is the Fund's
Investment Adviser. Investment in closed-end funds involves risks.
Additional risks are associated with international investing, such
as currency fluctuation, government regulations, economic changes
and differences in liquidity, which may increase the volatility of
an investment in the Fund. Foreign securities markets generally
exhibit greater price volatility and are less liquid than the U.S.
market. Additionally, this Fund focuses its investments in certain
geographical regions, thereby increasing its vulnerability to
developments in that region. All of these factors potentially
subject the Fund's shares to greater price volatility. The NAV of
the Fund will fluctuate with the value of the underlying
securities. Closed-end funds trade on their market value, not NAV,
and closed-end funds often trade at a discount to their NAV.
The Fund’s daily New York Stock Exchange closing market price
and NAV, as well as other information, including updated portfolio
statistics and performance are available at www.thekoreafund.com or
by calling the Fund’s stockholder servicing agent at (866) 706
0510.
This press release contains no recommendations to buy or sell
any specific securities and should not be considered investment
advice of any kind. Past performance is no guarantee of future
results and the investment returns generated by the Fund will
fluctuate. There can be no assurance the Fund will meet its stated
objective. There is no assurance that the market price of the
Fund’s shares, either absolutely or relative to NAV, will increase
as a result of any share repurchases. In making any investment
decision, individuals should utilize other information sources and
the advice of their own professional adviser.
Statements made in this release that look forward in time
involve risks and uncertainties and are forward looking statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation,
the adverse effect from a decline in the securities markets or a
decline in the Fund's performance, a general downturn in the
economy, competition from other companies, changes in government
policy or regulation, inability to attract or retain key employees,
inability to implement its operating strategy and/or acquisition
strategy, and unforeseen costs and other effects related to legal
proceedings or investigations of governmental and self-regulatory
organizations.
Fund shares are not FDIC-insured and are not deposits or other
obligations of, or guaranteed by, any bank. Fund shares involve
investment risk, including possible loss of principal.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240710495709/en/
Julian Reid (Chairman of the Board): +44 7768 068 200
Stockholder Servicing Agent: 866 706 0510 The Korea Fund, Inc.
www.thekoreafund.com
Grafico Azioni Korea (NYSE:KF)
Storico
Da Dic 2024 a Gen 2025
Grafico Azioni Korea (NYSE:KF)
Storico
Da Gen 2024 a Gen 2025