BASE PROSPECTUS
$55,000,000
abrdn Global Premier Properties Fund
Common Shares
Preferred Shares
Notes
Subscription Rights for Common Shares
The Fund. abrdn Global Premier Properties Fund (the “Fund”)
is a diversified, closed-end management investment company.
Investment Objectives. The Fund seeks
high current income and capital appreciation. The Fund’s investment objectives are fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder
approval.
Principal Investment Strategies. The Fund
will pursue its investment objectives by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its managed assets in the equity
and, to a lesser extent, debt securities of domestic and foreign issuers which are principally engaged in the real estate industry, real
estate financing or control significant real estate assets. The Fund’s policy of investing at least 80% of its managed assets in
issuers principally engaged in the real estate industry or real estate financing or which control significant real estate assets is fundamental
and may not be changed without shareholder approval.
In selecting investments for the Fund, abrdn
Investments Limited (“aIL” or the “Adviser”) and abrdn Inc. (“abrdn Inc.” or the “Sub-Adviser”)
(aIL and abrdn Inc. are together referred to as the “Advisers”) consider three pillars of real estate value: “Premier
Property Owners,” “Premier Property Developers” and “Premier Property Financiers and Investors.”
See “Investment Objectives and Principal
Investment Strategy” and “Leverage” below and “Investment Restrictions” in the Statement of Additional
Information, dated December 17, 2024 (the “SAI”). There is no assurance that the
Fund’s leveraging strategy will be successful. Leverage involves special risks. See “Investment Objectives and Principal
Investment Strategy — Use of Leverage and Related Risks.”
Offering. The Fund may offer, from
time to time, up to $55,000,000 aggregate initial offering price of common shares of beneficial interest with no par value (“Common
Shares”), preferred shares (“Preferred Shares”), promissory notes (“Notes”), subscription rights to purchase
Common Shares (“Rights” and collectively with the Common Shares and Preferred Shares, “Securities”) in one or
more offerings in amounts, at prices and on terms set forth in one or more supplements to this Prospectus (each a “Prospectus Supplement”).
You should read this Prospectus and any related Prospectus Supplement carefully before you decide to invest in the Securities.
The Fund may offer Securities (1) directly
to one or more purchasers, (2) through agents that the Fund may designate from time to time or (3) to or through underwriters
or dealers. The Prospectus Supplement relating to a particular offering of Securities will identify any agents or underwriters involved
in the sale of Securities, and will set forth any applicable purchase price, fee, commission or discount arrangement between the Fund
and agents or underwriters or among underwriters or the basis upon which such amount may be calculated. The Fund may not sell Securities
through agents, underwriters or dealers without delivery of this Prospectus and a Prospectus Supplement. See “Plan of Distribution.”
Investing in Securities involves risks,
including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment or that you may lose part or all of your investment. Before
buying any Securities, you should read the discussion of the principal risks of investing in the Fund, including that the Fund may invest
all or a substantial portion of its assets in below investment grade securities which are often referred to as high yield or “junk”
securities. The principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized in “The Fund at a Glance — Risk Factors” beginning
on page 17 of this Prospectus and further described in “Risk Factors” beginning on page 21 of this Prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the “SEC”) 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 December 17,
2024
Adviser and Sub-Adviser. abrdn Investments
Limited serves as investment adviser to the Fund and abrdn Inc. serves as the sub-adviser, pursuant to an investment advisory agreement
and a sub-advisory agreement, respectively. The Advisers are indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries of abrdn plc (“abrdn plc”).
Common Shares. The Fund’s outstanding
Common Shares are, and the Common Shares offered by this Prospectus will be, subject to notice of issuance, listed on the New York Stock
Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “AWP.” As of November 8, 2024, the net asset value of the Fund’s Common
Shares was $ 4.25 per Common Share and the last reported sale price for the Fund’s Common Shares on the NYSE was $ 4.31 per Common
Share, representing a premium to net asset value of 1.41%.
Distributions. The Fund’s policy
is to provide common shareholders with a stable monthly distribution out of current income, supplemented by realized capital gains and,
to the extent necessary, paid-in capital, which is a nontaxable return of capital. This policy is subject to an annual review as well
as regular review at the Board of Trustee’s (the “Board”) quarterly meetings, unless market conditions require an earlier
evaluation.
This Prospectus sets forth concisely information
about the Fund you should know before investing. Please read this Prospectus carefully before deciding whether to invest and retain it
for future reference. The SAI has been filed with the SEC. This Prospectus incorporates by reference the entire SAI. The SAI is available
along with other Fund-related materials on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s internet site (http://www.sec.gov) or upon payment of
copying fees by electronic request to publicinfo@sec.gov.
You may also request a free copy of the SAI,
annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders, and additional information about the Fund, and may make other shareholder inquiries,
by calling Investor Relations toll-free at 1-800-522-5465, by writing to the Fund or visiting the Fund’s website (https://www.abrdnawp.com/).
The Fund’s Securities do not represent
a deposit or obligation of, and are not guaranteed by or endorsed by, any bank or other insured depositary institution, and are not federally
insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
About this Prospectus |
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4 |
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Where you can find more information |
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5 |
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Incorporation by reference |
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5 |
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Summary of Fund expenses |
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6 |
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The Fund at a glance |
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8 |
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Financial highlights |
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17 |
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Senior securities |
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20 |
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The Fund |
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20 |
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Use of proceeds |
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20 |
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Description of Common Shares |
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20 |
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Investment objectives and principal investment strategy |
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21 |
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Risk factors |
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21 |
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Management of the Fund |
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21 |
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Legal proceedings |
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23 |
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Net asset value of Common Shares |
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23 |
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Distributions |
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23 |
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Tax matters |
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23 |
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Closed-end fund structure |
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25 |
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Dividend reinvestment and optional cash purchase plan |
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26 |
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Description of capital structure |
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26 |
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Plan of distribution |
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37 |
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Custodian, dividend paying agent, transfer agent and registrar |
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39 |
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Legal opinions |
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39 |
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Independent registered public accounting firm |
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39 |
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Additional information |
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39 |
About
this prospectus
This Prospectus is part of a Registration Statement
on Form N-2 that the Fund filed with the SEC using a “shelf” registration process. Under this process, the Fund may
offer, from time to time, up to $55,000,000 aggregate initial offering price of Securities in one or more offerings in amounts, at prices
and on terms set forth in one or more Prospectus Supplements. The Prospectus Supplement may also add, update or change information contained
in this Prospectus. You should carefully read this Prospectus and any accompanying Prospectus Supplement, together with the additional
information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”
You should rely only on the information contained
or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and any accompanying Prospectus Supplement. The Fund has 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. The Fund is not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You
should assume that the information contained or the representations made herein are accurate only as of the date on the cover page of
this Prospectus. The Fund’s business, financial condition and prospects may have changed since that date. The Fund will amend this
Prospectus and any accompanying Prospectus Supplement if, during the period that this Prospectus and any accompanying Prospectus Supplement
is required to be delivered, there are any subsequent material changes.
Cautionary notice regarding forward-looking
statements
This Prospectus, any accompanying Prospectus
Supplement and the SAI, contain (or will contain) or incorporate (or will incorporate) by reference “forward-looking statements.”
Forward-looking statements can be identified by the words “may,” “will,” “intend,” “expect,”
“estimate,” “continue,” “plan,” “anticipate,” and similar terms with the negative of
such terms. 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 the Fund’s actual results
are the performance of the portfolio of securities the Fund holds, the price at which the Fund’s Securities will trade in the public
markets and other factors discussed in the Fund’s periodic filings with the SEC.
Although the Fund believes that the expectations
expressed in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results could differ materially from those projected or assumed in
the Fund’s forward-looking statements. 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 “Risk Factors”
section of this Prospectus. All forward-looking statements contained in this Prospectus or in the SAI are made as of the date of this
Prospectus or SAI, as the case may be. Except for ongoing obligations under the federal securities laws, the Fund does not intend and
is not obligated, to update any forward-looking statement.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
The Fund is subject to the informational requirements
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“1940 Act”)
and in accordance therewith files, or will file, reports and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a web site at www.sec.gov
containing reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants, including the Fund, that file electronically
with the SEC.
This Prospectus constitutes part of a Registration
Statement filed by the Fund with the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933 (“Securities Act”) and the 1940 Act. This Prospectus
omits certain of the information contained in the Registration Statement, and reference is hereby made to the Registration Statement
and related exhibits for further information with respect to the Fund and the Common Shares offered hereby. Any statements contained
herein concerning the provisions of any document are not necessarily complete, and, in each instance, reference is made to the copy of
such document filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or otherwise filed with the SEC. Each such statement is qualified in
its entirety by such reference. The complete Registration Statement may be obtained from the SEC upon payment of the fee prescribed by
its rules and regulations or free of charge through the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov).
The Fund
will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this Prospectus
is delivered, upon written or oral request, a copy of any and all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus or any accompanying Prospectus Supplement. You may request such information by calling Investor Relations toll-free
at 1-800-522-5465 or you may obtain a copy (and other information regarding the Fund) from the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov).
Free copies of the Fund’s Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information and any incorporated information will also be available
from the Fund’s website at https://www.abrdnawp.com/. Information contained on the Fund’s
website is not incorporated by reference into this Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement and should not be considered to be part of
this Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
This Prospectus
is part of a Registration Statement that the Fund has filed with the SEC. The Fund
is permitted to “incorporate by reference” the information that it files 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 an important 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, are 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 Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, dated December 17, 2024, filed with this Prospectus (“SAI”); |
To obtain copies of these filings,
see “Where You Can Find More Information.”
Summary
of Fund expenses
The purpose of the following table and the example
below is to help you understand the fees and expenses that holders of common shares of beneficial interest with no par value (“Common
Shares”) (the “Common Shareholders”) would bear directly or indirectly. The expenses shown in the table under “Other
expenses” are estimated for the Fund’s current fiscal year. The expenses shown in the table under “Interest expenses
on bank borrowings,” “Total annual expenses” and “Total annual expenses after expense reimbursement” are
based on the Fund’s capital structure as of April 30, 2024 and have been restated to reflect the expense limitation agreement
effective August 1, 2024. The table reflects Fund expenses as a percentage of net assets attributable to Common Shares.
Common Shareholder transaction
expenses |
|
Sales load (as a percentage
of offering price)(1) |
-- |
Offering expenses Borne
by the Fund (as a percentage of offering price)(2) |
-- |
Dividend reinvestment and
optional cash purchase plan fees: (per share for open-market purchases of Common Shares)(3) |
|
Fee
for Open Market Purchases of Common Shares |
$0.02
(per share) |
Fee
for Optional Shares Purchases |
$5.00
(max) |
Sales
of Shares Held in a Dividend |
$0.12
(per share) |
Reinvestment
Account |
and
$25.00 (max) |
| |
Annual expenses (as a percentage of net assets
attributable to | |
| |
Common Shares) | |
Advisory fee(4) | |
| 1.22 | % |
Interest expenses on bank borrowings(5) | |
| 1.45 | % |
Other expenses | |
| 0.29 | % |
Total annual expenses | |
| 2.96 | % |
Less: fee waivers or expense reimbursement(6) | |
| 0.11 | % |
Total annual expenses after fee waivers or expense reimbursement | |
| 2.85 | % |
(1) If Common
Shares are sold to or through underwriters, a prospectus supplement will set forth any applicable sales load and the estimated offering
expenses borne by the Fund.
(2) Offering
expenses payable by the Fund will be deducted from the proceeds, before expenses, to the Fund.
(3) Shareholders
who participate in the Fund’s Dividend Reinvestment and Optional Cash Purchase Plan (the “Plan”) may be subject to
fees on certain transactions. The Plan Agent’s (as defined under “Dividend Reinvestment and Optional Cash Purchase Plan”
in this Prospectus) fees for the handling of the reinvestment of dividends will be paid by the Fund; however, participating shareholders
will pay a $0.02 per share fee incurred in connection with open-market purchases in connection with the reinvestment of dividends, capital
gains distributions and voluntary cash payments made by the participant, which will be deducted from the value of the dividend. For optional
share purchases, shareholders will also be charged a $2.50 fee for automatic debits from a checking/savings account, a $5.00 one-time
fee for online bank debit and/or $5.00 for check. Shareholders will be subject to $0.12 per share fee and either a $10.00 fee (for batch
orders) or $25.00 fee (for market orders) for sales of shares held in a dividend reinvestment account. Per share fees include any applicable
brokerage commissions the Plan agent is required to pay. For more details about the Plan, see “Dividend Reinvestment and Optional
Cash Purchase Plan” in this Prospectus.
(4) The Adviser
receives a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the Fund’s average daily Managed Assets. The advisory fee percentage calculation
assumes the use of leverage by the Fund as discussed in note (5). To derive the annual advisory fee as a percentage of the Fund’s
net assets (which are the Fund’s total assets less all of the Fund’s liabilities), the Fund’s average Managed Assets
for the period ended April 30, 2024, were multiplied by the annual advisory fee rate and then divided by the Fund’s average net
assets for the same period.
(5) The
percentage in the table is based on average total borrowings of $ 77,181,417 (the balance outstanding under the Fund’s secured,
uncommitted line of credit with BNP Paribas (the “Credit Facility”) as of April 30, 2024, representing approximately
18.83% of the Fund’s Managed Assets) and an average interest rate during the six-month period ended April 30, 2024, of 6.37%.
There can be no assurances that the Fund will be able to obtain such level of borrowing (or to maintain its current level of borrowing),
that the terms under which the Fund borrows will not change, or that the Fund’s use of leverage will be profitable. The Fund currently
intends during the next twelve months to maintain a similar proportionate amount of borrowings but may increase such amount to 33 1/3%
of the average daily value of the Fund’s total assets.
(6) Fee waivers
and/or expense reimbursements have been restated to reflect current contractual rates. Effective August 1, 2024, the Adviser has
contractually agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total operating expenses of the Fund (excluding any leverage
costs, taxes, interest, brokerage commissions and any non-routine expenses) as a percentage of net assets to 1.40% per annum of the Fund’s
average daily net assets on an annualized basis until June 30, 2026. The Fund may repay any such waiver or reimbursement from the
Adviser, within three years of the waiver or reimbursement, provided that such repayments do not cause the Fund to exceed (i) the
lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or (ii) the applicable
expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser. Because interest is not subject to the reimbursement
agreement, interest expenses are included in the “Total annual expenses after expense reimbursement” line item.
Example
The following example illustrates the expenses
you would pay on a $1,000 investment in Common Shares, assuming a 5% annual portfolio total return.*
1 Year |
|
3 Years |
|
5 Years |
|
|
10 Years |
|
$ |
29 |
|
$ |
89 |
|
$ |
154 |
|
|
$ |
326 |
|
* The example does not include sales load or
estimated offering costs. The example should not be considered a representation of future expenses or rate of return and actual Fund
expenses may be greater or less than those shown. The example assumes that (i) all dividends and other distributions are reinvested
at NAV, and (ii) the percentage amounts listed under “Total annual expenses” above remain the same in the years shown.
The expense reimbursement agreement for the Fund, described in footnote 6 to the fee table above, is reflected in the figures listed
in the above expense example for the current duration of the agreement only. For more complete descriptions of certain of the Fund’s
costs and expenses, see “Management of the Fund — Advisory Agreements.”
THE FUND AT A GLANCE
Information regarding the Fund
The Fund is a diversified, closed-end management
investment company registered under the 1940 Act. The Fund was organized as a statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware
on February 13, 2007, and commenced operations on April 26, 2007. As of November 8, 2024, the Fund’s net asset value
(“NAV”) per Common Share was $4.25. See “The Fund.”
NYSE listed
As of November 8, 2024, the Fund had 85,521,967.37
Common Shares outstanding. The Fund’s Common Shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol “AWP.” As of November 8,
2024, the last reported sales price of a Common Share of the Fund was $4.31, representing a premium to NAV of 1.41%.
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.
Investment objectives and principal investment strategy
Investment Objectives. The Fund seeks
high current income and capital appreciation. The Fund’s investment objectives are fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder
approval. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives.
Principal Investment Strategies. The Fund
will pursue its investment objectives by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its managed assets in the equity
and, to a lesser extent, debt securities of domestic and foreign issuers which are principally engaged in the real estate industry, real
estate financing or control significant real estate assets. The Fund’s policy of investing at least 80% of its managed assets in
issuers principally engaged in the real estate industry or real estate financing or which control significant real estate assets is fundamental
and may not be changed without shareholder approval.
In selecting investments for the Fund, abrdn
Investments Limited (“aIL” or the “Adviser”) and abrdn Inc. (“abrdn Inc.” or the “Sub-Adviser”)
(aIL and abrdn Inc. are collectively referred to as the “Advisers”) consider three pillars of real estate value: “Premier
Property Owners,” “Premier Property Developers” and “Premier Property Financiers and Investors.”
Premier Property Owners. The Advisers
believe Premier Property Owners typically benefit from sustained demand from both buyers and tenants. As a result, investing in Premier
Property Owners can provide a foundation of value. Premier Properties typically would possess superior locations, characterized by a
high degree of visibility and accessibility. If also historically or architecturally prominent, they may attain “Landmark”
status. The Advisers believe modern amenities, quality construction and professional building management also typically help such buildings
command superior rents and prices at above average occupancies, even during a real estate downturn.
Premier Property Developers. The Advisers
believe that Premier Property Developers build relationships and stature in their marketplace, which enhances their ability to locate,
build and offer desirable developments to potential tenants or buyers. In this way, Premier Property Developers provide real estate investors
the creation of value. Premier Property Developers of office, industrial, retail or residential property can add value to land through
careful site selection, enhanced entitlement, superior design, controlled construction and professional marketing of new buildings. The
production of desirable real estate often increases perceived value for the renter or buyer and thus enhances both demand and potential
profitability for the Developers’ projects.
Premier Property Financiers and Investors.
The Advisers perceive that Premier Property Financiers and Investors are able over time to generate superior returns on invested
capital and mitigate excessive risk. Premier Property Financiers and Investors include real estate investment trusts (“REITs”),
financial institutions and real estate operating companies. Through their strong market presence and/or entrepreneurial deal-making capacity,
Premier Property Financiers and Investors can produce meaningful interest or dividend income and thus provide investors with the distribution
of value. The Advisers believe Premier Property Financiers and Investors often are able to identify unique or opportunistic situations,
negotiate from strength, structure attractive terms, and stay ahead of the pack as they source property investments. Success, over time,
provides the opportunity to access competitively low-cost capital to finance new investments on an accretive basis which in turn enables
such companies to grow dividends for shareholders.
The Fund’s research-driven investment strategy
seeks to identify issuers globally from all three of these pillars of real estate value with the potential for capital appreciation through
the different phases of the real estate cycle. Such securities may, in the Advisers’ opinion, be undervalued or otherwise poised
for growth. Such investments may be heavily weighted in foreign issuers, including those in emerging markets.
The Advisers consider and evaluate environmental,
social and governance (“ESG”) factors as part of the investment analysis process. The Advisers consider the most material
potential ESG risks and opportunities impacting issuers, alongside other non-ESG factors. Examples of ESG factors considered by the Advisers
include, but are not limited to, carbon emissions, climate risks, labor management, employee safety and corporate governance. The relevance
of ESG factors to the investment process varies across issuers and may not apply to all investments considered and evaluated by the Advisers.
Allocation of the Fund’s managed assets
to domestic and foreign issuers and among countries is dependent on several criteria, including each country’s economic outlook
and the outlook of its real estate market, the dividend yields of issuers in a country and the existing opportunities for investing in
premier real estate securities. Under normal circumstances, the Fund pursues a flexible strategy of investing in companies throughout
the world. It is anticipated that the Fund will give particular consideration to investments in relatively mature economies, including
the United States, United Kingdom, Western Europe, Australia, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. The Fund may also give particular
consideration to investments in Brazil, Mexico, India, China and Eastern Europe, particularly with respect to Premier Property Developers.
These are markets where the Advisers currently perceive the greatest number of opportunities for Developers.
The Fund may invest without limitation in foreign
securities, including direct investments in securities of foreign issuers and investments in depositary receipts (such as American Depository
Receipts (“ADRs”)) that represent indirect interests in securities of foreign issuers. The Fund may invest up to 100% of
its managed assets in the securities of non-U.S. issuers and is not restricted on how much may be invested in the issuers of any single
country, provided the Fund limits its investments in countries that are considered emerging markets to no more than 35% of the Fund’s
managed assets at any one time. Under normal circumstances, the Fund expects to invest between 20% and 80% of its managed assets in the
securities of non-U.S. issuers and among the securities of issuers located in approximately 10 to 30 countries. However, during any period
when the Advisers believe the non-U.S. market is unattractive, as a defensive measure, the Fund may temporarily invest up to 80% of its
managed assets in the securities of U.S. issuers.
The Fund uses leverage through borrowing from
a credit facility. The Fund is permitted to engage in other transactions, such as the issuance of debt securities or preferred securities,
which have the effect of leverage.
For additional information, please see “INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY.”
Investment Securities
Real Estate Securities
Under normal market conditions, the Fund intends
to invest in common stocks, preferred securities, warrants and convertible securities issued by domestic and foreign issuers, including
REITs, which are principally engaged in the real estate industry or real estate financing or which control significant real estate assets.
For purposes of the Fund’s investment policies, the Fund considers an issuer to be principally engaged in the real estate industry,
real estate financing or control significant real estate assets if it: (i) derives at least 50% of its revenues from the ownership,
construction, financing, management or sale of commercial, industrial or residential real estate; or (ii) has at least 50% of its
assets invested in such real estate.
Common Stocks
Common stocks represent an ownership interest
in an issuer. While offering greater potential for long-term growth, common stocks are more volatile and more risky than some other forms
of investment. Common stock prices fluctuate for many reasons, including adverse events, such as an unfavorable earnings report, 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 the issuers occur. See “INVESTMENT SECURITIES.”
Real Estate Investment Trusts
REITs are financial vehicles that pool investors’
capital to purchase or finance real estate. The market value of REIT shares and the ability of REITs to distribute income may be adversely
affected by numerous factors, including rising interest rates, changes in the national, state and local economic climate and real estate
conditions, perceptions of prospective tenants of the safety, convenience and attractiveness of the properties, the ability of the owners
to provide adequate management, maintenance and insurance, the cost of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (with respect
to U.S. real estate), increasing competition and compliance with environmental laws, changes in real estate taxes and other operating
expenses, adverse changes in governmental rules and fiscal policies, adverse changes in zoning laws, and other factors beyond the
control of the issuers. See “INVESTMENT SECURITIES.”
Dividends paid by REITs will generally not qualify
for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to qualified dividends under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
“Code”).
Preferred Stocks
Preferred stock, like common stock, represents
an equity ownership in an issuer. Generally, preferred stock has a priority of claim over common stock in dividend payments and upon
liquidation of the issuer. Unlike common stock, preferred stock does not usually have voting rights. Preferred stock in some instances
is convertible into common stock. Although they are equity securities, preferred stocks have characteristics of both debt and common
stock. Like debt, their promised income is contractually fixed. Like common stock, they do not have rights to precipitate bankruptcy
proceedings or collection activities in the event of missed payments. Other equity characteristics are their subordinated position in
an issuer’s capital structure and that 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. See “INVESTMENT SECURITIES.”
Foreign Securities
Under normal circumstances, the Fund expects
to invest between 20% and 80% of its managed assets in securities of issuers located in foreign countries, concentrating on those which
are principally engaged in the real estate industry, real estate financing or which control significant real estate assets. The Fund
will invest in foreign securities, including direct investments in securities of foreign issuers and investments in depository receipts
(such as ADRs) that represent indirect interests in securities of foreign issuers. The Fund is not limited in the amount of assets it
may invest in such foreign securities. These investments involve risks not associated with investments in the United States, including
the risk of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, unreliable and untimely information about the issuers and political and
economic instability. These risks could result in the Advisers’ misjudging the value of certain securities or in a significant
loss in the value of those securities.
Dividends paid on foreign securities may not
qualify for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to qualified dividends under the Code. As a result, there can be no assurance
as to what portion of the Fund’s distributions attributable to foreign securities will be designated as qualified dividend income.
See “INVESTMENT SECURITIES.”
Emerging Market Securities
The risks of foreign investments described above
apply to an even greater extent to investments in emerging markets. The Fund uses the MSCI Emerging Markets Index methodology to determine
which countries are considered emerging markets. The securities markets of emerging countries are generally smaller, less developed,
less liquid, and more volatile than the securities markets of the United States and developed foreign markets. Disclosure and regulatory
standards in many respects are less stringent than in the United States and developed foreign markets. There also may be a lower level
of monitoring and regulation of securities markets in emerging market countries and the activities of investors in such markets and enforcement
of existing regulations has been extremely limited. Many emerging countries have experienced substantial, and in some periods extremely
high, rates of inflation for many years. 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 countries. Dividends paid by issuers in emerging market countries
will generally not qualify for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to qualified dividends under the Code. See “INVESTMENT
SECURITIES.”
ETFs
The Fund may invest in exchange-traded funds
(“ETFs”), which are investment companies that seek to track or replicate a desired index, such as a sector, market or global
segment. Many ETFs are passively managed. ETFs’ shares are traded on a national exchange. ETFs do not sell individual shares directly
to investors and only issue their shares in large blocks known as “creation units.” The investor purchasing a creation unit
may sell the individual shares on a secondary market. Therefore, the liquidity of ETFs depends on the adequacy of the secondary market.
There can be no assurance that an ETF’s investment objective will be achieved, and ETFs may not replicate and maintain exactly
the composition and relative weightings of securities in the index. ETFs are subject to the risks of investing in the underlying securities.
The Fund, as a holder of the securities of the ETF, will bear its pro rata portion of the ETF’s expenses, including advisory fees.
These expenses are in addition to the direct expenses of the Fund’s own operations.
Convertible Securities
The Fund may invest in convertible securities.
Convertible securities include fixed income securities that may be exchanged or converted into a predetermined number of shares of the
issuer’s underlying common stock at the option of the holder during a specified period. Convertible securities may take the form
of convertible preferred stock, convertible bonds or debentures, units consisting of “usable” bonds and warrants or a combination
of the features of several of these securities. The investment characteristics of each convertible security vary widely, which allows
convertible securities to be employed for a variety of investment strategies. See “INVESTMENT SECURITIES.”
Corporate Bonds, Government Debt Securities and Other Debt Securities
The Fund may invest in corporate bonds, debentures
and other debt securities. Debt securities in which the Fund may invest may pay fixed or variable rates of interest. Bonds and other
debt securities generally are issued by corporations and other issuers to borrow money from investors. The issuer pays the investor a
fixed or variable rate of interest and normally must repay the amount borrowed on or before maturity. Certain debt securities are “perpetual”
in that they have no maturity date.
The Fund may invest in government debt securities,
including those of U.S. issuers, emerging market issuers and of other non-U.S. issuers. These securities may be U.S. dollar-denominated
or non-U.S. dollar-denominated and include: (i) debt obligations issued or guaranteed by foreign national, provincial, state, municipal
or other governments with taxing authority or by their agencies or instrumentalities; and (ii) debt obligations of supranational
entities. Government debt securities include: debt securities issued or guaranteed by governments, government agencies or instrumentalities
and political subdivisions; debt securities issued by government owned, controlled or sponsored entities; interests in entities organized
and operated for the purpose of restructuring the investment characteristics issued by the above-noted issuers; or debt securities issued
by supranational entities such as the World Bank or the European Union. The Fund may also invest in securities denominated in currencies
of emerging market countries. The Fund will not invest more than 10% of its managed assets in debt securities rated below investment
grade (i.e., securities rated lower than Baa by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or lower than BBB by Standard & Poor’s
Rating Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.), or their equivalent as determined by the Advisers. These securities
are commonly referred to as “junk bonds.” The foregoing credit quality policy applies only at the time a security is purchased,
and the Fund is not required to dispose of securities already owned by the Fund in the event of a change in assessment of credit quality
or the removal of a rating. See “INVESTMENT SECURITIES.”
Illiquid Securities
Illiquid securities are securities that are not
readily marketable. Illiquid securities include securities that have legal or contractual restrictions on resale, and repurchase agreements
maturing in more than seven days. Illiquid securities involve the risk that the securities will not be able to be sold at the time desired
or at prices approximating the value at which the Fund is carrying the securities. Where registration is required to sell a security,
the Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses, and a considerable period may elapse between the decision
to sell and the time the Fund may be permitted to sell a 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. The Fund
does not have a limit on investments in illiquid securities.
Restricted securities for which no market exists
and other illiquid investments are valued at fair value as determined in accordance with procedures approved and periodically reviewed
by the Board.
Rule 144A Securities
The Fund may invest in restricted securities
that are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Generally, Rule 144A establishes a safe harbor
from the registration requirements of the Securities Act for resale by large institutional investors of securities that are not publicly
traded. The Advisers determine the liquidity of the Rule 144A securities according to guidelines adopted by the Board. The Board
monitors the application of those guidelines and procedures.
Warrants
The Fund may invest in equity and index warrants
of domestic and international issuers. Equity warrants are securities that give the holder the right, but not the obligation, to subscribe
for equity issues of the issuing company or a related company at a fixed price either on a certain date or during a set period. Changes
in the value of a warrant do not necessarily correspond to changes in the value of its underlying security. The price of a warrant may
be more volatile than the price of its underlying security, and a warrant may offer greater potential for capital appreciation as well
as capital loss. See “INVESTMENT SECURITIES.”
Other Investments
The Fund may use a variety of other investment
instruments in pursuing its investment objectives. The investments of the Fund may include fixed income securities, sovereign debt, options
on foreign currencies and forward foreign currency contracts. The Fund may also invest in securities of other investment companies (such
as ETFs and other closed-end investment management companies) that invest in securities in which the Fund may invest, subject to the
limits of the 1940 Act. The Fund will limit its investment in securities issued by other investment companies so that not more than 3%
of the outstanding voting stock of any one investment company will be owned by the Fund, or its affiliated persons, as a whole in accordance
with the 1940 Act and applicable federal securities laws. To the extent the Fund invests in another investment company, the Fund
will bear its pro rata portion of the other investment company’s expenses, including advisory fees.
These expenses would be in addition to the
expenses, including advisory fees, that the Fund bears in connection with its own operations.
Investment Techniques
The Fund may, but is under no obligation to,
from time to time employ a variety of investment techniques, including those described below, to hedge against fluctuations in the price
of portfolio securities, to enhance total return or to provide a substitute for the purchase or sale of securities. Some of these techniques,
such as purchases of put and call options, options on stock indices and stock index futures and entry into certain credit derivative
transactions, may be used as hedges against or substitutes for investments in equity securities. Other techniques such as the purchase
of interest rate futures and entry into transactions involving interest rate swaps, options on interest rate swaps and certain credit
derivatives are hedges against or substitutes for investments in debt securities. The Fund’s ability to utilize any of the techniques
described below may be limited by restrictions imposed on its operations in connection with obtaining and maintaining its qualification
as a regulated investment company under the Code. Additionally, other factors (such as cost) may make it impractical or undesirable to
use any of these investment techniques from time to time.
Short Sales
The Fund may from time to time engage in short
sales of securities for investment or for hedging purposes. Short sales are transactions in which the Fund sells a security it does not
own. To complete the transaction, the Fund must borrow the security to make delivery to the buyer. The Fund is then obligated to replace
the security borrowed by purchasing the security at the market price at the time of replacement. The Fund may be required to pay a fee
to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to pay over any payments received on such borrowed securities.
The Fund may sell short individual stocks, baskets
of stocks or ETFs, which the Fund expects to underperform other stocks which the Fund holds. For hedging purposes, the Fund may purchase
or sell short future contracts on global equity indices. When a cash dividend is declared on a security for which the Fund holds a short
position, the Fund incurs the obligation to pay an amount equal to that dividend to the lender of the shorted security. The Fund’s
actual dividend expenses paid on securities sold short may be significantly higher than 0% of its managed assets due to, among other
factors, the actual extent of the Fund’s short positions, the actual dividends paid with respect to the securities the Fund sells
short, and the actual timing of the Fund’s short sale transactions, each of which may vary over time and from time to time.
The requirements of the 1940 Act and the Code
provide that the Fund not make a short sale if, after giving effect to such sale, the market value of all securities sold short by the
Fund exceeds 30% of the value of its managed assets; however, the Fund anticipates that it will generally not make a short sale if, after
giving effect to such sale, the market value of all securities sold short by the Fund exceeds 20% of the value of its managed assets.
See “INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES.”
Options on Securities
In order to hedge against adverse market shifts,
the Fund may utilize up to 10% of its managed assets (in addition to the 10% limit applicable to options on stock indices described below)
to purchase put and call options on securities. The Fund will also, in certain situations, augment its investment positions by purchasing
call options, both on specific equity securities, as well as securities representing exposure to equity sectors or indices and fixed
income indices. In addition, the Fund may seek to increase its income or may hedge a portion of its portfolio investments through writing
(i.e., selling) covered put and call options.
The Fund will receive a premium when it writes
put and call options, which increases the Fund’s return on the underlying security in the event the option expires unexercised
or is closed out at a profit. The Fund may purchase and write options on securities that are listed on national securities exchanges
or are traded over-the-counter, although it expects, under normal circumstances, to effect such transactions on national securities exchanges.
As a holder of a put option, the Fund will have
the right to sell the securities underlying the option and as the holder of a call option, the Fund will have the right to purchase the
securities underlying the option, in each case at their exercise price at any time prior to the option’s expiration date. The Fund
may choose to exercise the options it holds, permit them to expire or terminate them prior to their expiration by entering into closing
sale transactions. In purchasing a put option, the Fund will seek to benefit from a decline in the market price of the underlying security,
while in purchasing a call option, the Fund will seek to benefit from an increase in the market price of the underlying security. If,
during the life of an option, the option purchased is not sold or exercised when it has remaining value, or if the market price of the
underlying security remains equal to or greater than the exercise price, in the case of a put, or remains equal to or below the exercise
price, in the case of a call, the option will expire worthless. The leverage offered by trading in options could cause the Fund’s
NAV to be subject to more frequent and wider fluctuation than would be the case if the Fund did not invest in options. See “INVESTMENT
TECHNIQUES.”
Options on Stock Indices
The Fund may utilize up to 10% of its managed
assets (in addition to the 10% limit applicable to options on securities) to purchase put and call options on domestic stock indices
to hedge against risks of market-wide price movements affecting its managed assets. The Fund will also, in certain situations, augment
its investment positions by purchasing call options, both on specific equity securities, as well as securities representing exposure
to equity sectors or indices and fixed income indices. In addition, the Fund may write covered put and call options on stock indices.
A stock index measures the movement of a certain group of stocks by assigning relative values to the common stocks included in the index.
Options on stock indices are similar to options on securities. Because no underlying security can be delivered, however, the option represents
the holder’s right to obtain from the writer, in cash, a fixed multiple of the amount by which the exercise price exceeds (in the
case of a put) or is less than (in the case of a call) the closing value of the underlying index on the exercise date. The advisability
of using stock index options to hedge against the risk of market-wide movements will depend on the extent of diversification of the Fund’s
investments and the sensitivity of its investments to factors influencing the underlying index. The effectiveness of purchasing or writing
stock index options as a hedging technique will depend upon the extent to which price movements in the Fund’s securities investments
correlate with price movements in the stock index selected. In addition, successful use by the Fund of options on stock indices will
be subject to the ability of the Advisers to predict correctly changes in the relationship of the underlying index to the Fund’s
portfolio holdings. No assurance can be given that the Advisers’ judgment in this respect will be correct.
Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts
The Fund may engage in futures transactions on
U.S. and foreign exchanges. The Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts, and purchase and write call and put options on futures
contracts, to increase total return or to hedge against changes in interest rates, securities prices, currency exchange rates, or to
otherwise manage its term structure, sector selection and duration in accordance with its investment objectives and policies. The Fund
may also enter into closing purchase and sale transactions with respect to such contracts and options. The Adviser has claimed temporary
relief from “commodity pool operator” registration under the Commodity Exchange Act (the “CEA”) and, therefore,
is not currently subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator with regard to the Fund under the CEA. See “INVESTMENT
TECHNIQUES.”
Defensive Positions
During periods of adverse market or economic
conditions, the Fund may temporarily invest all or a substantial portion of its managed assets in cash or cash equivalents. The Fund
will not be pursuing its investment objectives in these circumstances. Cash equivalents are highly liquid, short-term securities such
as commercial paper, time deposits, certificates of deposit, short-term notes and short-term U.S. government obligations.
Equity-Linked Securities
The Fund may invest in equity-linked securities,
including, but not limited to, participation notes, certificates, and equity swaps. To the extent that the Fund invests in equity-linked
securities whose return corresponds to the performance of a foreign security index or one or more foreign stocks, investing in equity-linked
securities will involve risks similar to the risks of investing in foreign securities. In addition, the Fund bears the risk that the
counterparty of an equity-linked security may default on its obligations under the security. If the underlying security is determined
to be illiquid, the equity-linked security would also be considered illiquid. See “INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES.”
Leverage
The Advisers believe that the use of leverage
may provide positive absolute return in the long term and potentially increased income and would thereby be beneficial to shareholders.
The portfolio management team anticipates using leverage in the amount of approximately 20% of the Fund’s total assets, under normal
market conditions. The Fund’s portfolio management team currently intends to use leverage opportunistically. Depending on market
conditions, the portfolio management team may choose not to use any leverage or may instead borrow more than 20% of the Fund’s
total assets (but not to exceed 33 1/3%).
The Fund uses leverage through borrowing from
a credit facility. The Fund is permitted to engage in other transactions, such as issuance of debt securities or preferred securities,
which have the effect of leverage.
The Fund also may borrow money as a temporary
measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes, including the payment of dividends and the settlement of securities transactions, which
otherwise might require untimely dispositions of Fund securities. The Fund also may incur leverage through the use of investment management
techniques (e.g., selling short, “uncovered” sales of put and call options, futures contracts and options on futures
contracts).
Changes in the value of the Fund’s portfolio
(including investments bought with amounts borrowed) will be borne entirely by the shareholders. If leverage is used and there is a net
decrease (or increase) in the value of the Fund’s investment portfolio, the leverage will decrease (or increase) the NAV per share
to a greater extent than if the Fund were not leveraged. During periods in which the Fund uses leverage, the fees paid to the Adviser
for investment advisory services (which are effectively borne by the common shareholders and not holders of the Fund’s leverage)
will be higher than if the Fund did not use leverage because the fees paid will be calculated on the basis of the Fund’s managed
assets, including the amount obtained from leverage, which may create an incentive to leverage the Fund.
If utilized, successful use of a leveraging strategy
may depend on the Advisers’ ability to predict correctly interest rates and market movements, and there is no assurance that a
leveraging strategy would be successful during any period in which it is employed.
In addition to borrowing, the Fund may use a
variety of additional strategies that would be viewed as potentially adding leverage to the portfolio, subject to rating agency limitations.
These include the sale of credit default swap contracts and the use of other derivative instruments. By adding additional leverage, these
strategies have the potential to increase returns to shareholders, but also involve additional risks. Additional leverage will increase
the volatility of the Fund’s investment portfolio and could result in larger losses than if the strategies were not used. However,
to the extent that the Fund enters into offsetting transactions or owns positions covering its obligations, the leveraging effect is
expected to be minimized or eliminated.
During any time in which the Fund is utilizing
leverage, the fees paid to the Adviser for services will be higher than if the Fund did not utilize leverage because the fees paid will
be calculated based on the Fund’s managed assets which includes amounts borrowed for leverage purposes. See “USE OF LEVERAGE
AND RELATED RISKS.”
Portfolio Turnover Rate
The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate may
vary from year to year. The Fund believes that, under normal market conditions, its portfolio turnover may exceed 100%. Because it is
difficult to predict accurately portfolio turnover rates, actual turnover may be higher or lower. A high portfolio turnover rate increases
a fund’s transaction costs (including brokerage commissions and dealer costs), which would adversely impact a fund’s performance.
Higher portfolio turnover may result in the realization of more short-term capital gains than if a fund had lower portfolio turnover.
The Adviser
abrdn Investments Limited (“aIL”),
a Scottish Company, serves as the adviser to the Fund. aIL’s registered address is 10 Queen’s Terrace, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire,
United Kingdom, AB10 1XL. aIL is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of abrdn plc, which manages or administers approximately $466.8
billion in assets as of June 30, 2024. The Fund pays aIL a monthly fee computed at the annual rate of 1.00% of the Fund’s
average daily Managed Assets. Managed Assets are the total assets of the Fund, including any form of investment leverage, minus all accrued
expenses incurred in the normal course of operations, but not excluding any liabilities or obligations attributable to investment leverage
obtained through (i) indebtedness of any type (including, without limitation, borrowing through a credit facility or the issuance
of debt securities), (ii) the issuance of preferred stock or other similar preference securities,(iii) the reinvestment of
collateral received for securities loaned in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies, and/or (iv) any
other means.
The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive
fees and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total operating expenses of the Fund (excluding any leverage costs, taxes, interest,
brokerage commissions and any non-routine expenses) as a percentage of net assets to 1.40% per annum of the Fund’s average daily
net assets on an annualized basis until June 30, 2026.
In rendering investment advisory services to
the Fund, aIL and abrdn Inc. may use the resources of subsidiaries owned by abrdn plc. The abrdn plc affiliates have entered into a memorandum
of understanding/personnel sharing procedures pursuant to which investment professionals from the abrdn plc affiliates may render portfolio
management, research and/or trade services to US clients of aIL or abrdn Inc.
The Sub-Adviser
abrdn Inc. serves as the sub-adviser to the Fund,
pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement among aIL, the Fund and abrdn Inc. abrdn Inc. is located at 1900 Market Street, Suite 200,
Philadelphia, PA 19103 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of abrdn plc. For its services to the Fund, abrdn Inc. receives a percentage
of the advisory fee received by aIL from the Fund after fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any. For its services as Sub-Adviser,
abrdn Inc. is paid only by the Adviser out of its fees, and is not paid directly by the Fund.
Under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, subject to
the directions of aIL and the Board, aIL has retained abrdn Inc. to monitor on a continuous basis the performance of the Fund’s
assets and to assist aIL in conducting a continuous program of investment, evaluation and, if appropriate, sale and reinvestment of the
Fund’s assets.
The Administrator
abrdn Inc. also serves as administrator to the
Fund. Under the administration agreement, abrdn Inc. is generally responsible for managing the administrative affairs of the Fund.
Pursuant to the administration agreement, abrdn
Inc. receives a fee, payable monthly by the Fund, at an annual fee rate of 0.08% of the Fund’s average monthly net assets. See
“Management of the Fund — The Administrator.”
State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State
Street”) serves as sub-administrator of the Fund and is paid by abrdn Inc. out of the fees it receives as the Fund’s administrator.
Investor Relations
Under the terms of the Amended and Restated Investor
Relations Services Agreement approved by the Fund’s Board, abrdn Inc. provides and pays third parties to provide investor relations
services to the Fund and certain other funds advised by the Adviser or its affiliates as part of an Investor Relations Program. Under
the Amended and Restated Investor Relations Services Agreement, the Fund owes a portion of the fees related to the Investor Relations
Program (the “Fund’s Portion”). However, investor relations services fees are limited by abrdn Inc. so that the Fund
will only pay up to an annual rate of 0.05% of the Fund’s average weekly net assets. Any difference between the capped rate of
0.05% of the Fund’s average weekly net assets and the Fund’s Portion is paid for by abrdn Inc.
Pursuant to the terms of the Amended and Restated
Investor Relations Services Agreement, abrdn Inc. (or third parties engaged by abrdn Inc.), among other things, provides objective and
timely information to stockholders based on publicly available information; provides information efficiently through the use of technology
while offering stockholders immediate access to knowledgeable investor relations representatives; develops and maintains effective communications
with investment professionals from a wide variety of firms; creates and maintains investor relations communication materials such as
fund manager interviews, films and webcasts, publishes white papers, magazine articles and other relevant materials discussing the Fund’s
investment results, portfolio positioning and outlook; develops and maintains effective communications with large institutional shareholders;
responds to specific shareholder questions; and reports activities and results to the Board and management detailing insight into general
shareholder sentiment.
Distributions
The Fund intends to make regular monthly distributions
of all or a portion of the Fund’s net interest and other investment company taxable income to shareholders. The Fund expects to
pay its shareholders annually all or substantially all of its investment company taxable income. In addition, the Fund intends to distribute,
on an annual basis, all or substantially all of any net capital gains to its shareholders.
Various factors will affect the level of the
Fund’s net interest and other investment company taxable income, of which the Fund intends to distribute all or substantially all
on an annual basis to meet the requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the “Code”). The Fund may from time to time distribute less than the entire amount of income earned in a particular
period. The undistributed income would be available to supplement future distributions. As a result, the distributions paid by the Fund
for any particular month may be more or less than the amount of income actually earned by the Fund during that period. Undistributed
income will add to the Fund’s NAV and, correspondingly, distributions will reduce the Fund’s NAV.
In certain circumstances, the Fund may elect
to retain its investment company taxable income or capital gain and pay income or excise tax on such undistributed amount, to the extent
that the Board, in consultation with the Advisers, determines it to be in the best interest of shareholders to do so. The actual amounts
and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund’s investment experience during the remainder of
the fiscal and calendar year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations.
Dividend reinvestment and optional cash purchase plan
The Fund has established a dividend reinvestment
and optional cash purchase plan. A Common Shareholder will automatically have all dividends and distributions reinvested in Common Shares
newly issued by the Fund or Common Shares of the Fund purchased in the open market in accordance with the Fund’s dividend reinvestment
and optional cash purchase plan unless the Common Shareholder specifically elects to receive cash. Taxable distributions are subject
to federal income tax whether received in cash or additional Common Shares. See “Distributions” and “Dividend Reinvestment
and Optional Cash Purchase Plan.”
Custodian, dividend paying agent, transfer agent and registrar
State Street serves as custodian (the “Custodian”)
for the Fund. State Street also provides accounting services to the Fund. Computershare serves as the Fund’s dividend paying agent,
transfer agent and registrar. See “Custodian, Dividend Paying Agent, Transfer Agent and Registrar.”
Closed-end fund structure
Closed-end funds differ from open-end management
investment companies (commonly referred to as mutual funds) in that closed-end funds generally list their shares for trading on a securities
exchange and do not redeem their shares at the option of the shareholder. By comparison, mutual funds issue securities redeemable at
NAV at the option of the shareholder and typically engage in a continuous offering of their shares. Mutual funds are subject to continuous
asset in-flows and out-flows that can complicate portfolio management, whereas closed-end funds generally can stay more fully invested
in securities consistent with the closed-end fund’s investment objectives and policies. In addition, in comparison to open-end
funds, closed-end funds have greater flexibility in the employment of financial leverage and in the ability to make certain types of
investments, including investments in illiquid securities.
However, shares of closed-end funds frequently
trade at a discount from their NAV. In recognition of the possibility that the Common Shares might trade at a discount to NAV and that
any such discount may not be in the interest of Common Shareholders, the Board, in consultation with the Adviser, from time to time may
review possible actions to reduce any such discount. The Board approved an open market repurchase and discount management policy (the
“Program”) for the Fund. The Program allows the Fund to purchase, in the open market, its outstanding Common Shares, with
the amount and timing of any repurchase determined at the discretion of the Fund’s investment adviser. Such purchases may be made
opportunistically at certain discounts to NAV per share in the reasonable judgment of management based on historical discount levels
and current market conditions. If shares are repurchased, the Fund reports repurchase activity on the Fund’s website on a
monthly basis.
On a quarterly basis, the Fund’s Board
will receive information on any transactions made pursuant to this policy during the prior quarter and if shares are repurchased management
will post the number of shares repurchased on the Fund’s website on a monthly basis. Under the terms of the Program,
the Fund is permitted to repurchase up to 10% of its outstanding shares of common stock in the open market during any 12 month period.
There can be no assurance, however, that the Board will decide to undertake any of these actions or that, if undertaken, such actions
would result in the Common Shares trading at a price equal to or close to NAV.
The Board might also consider the conversion
of the Fund to an open-end mutual fund, which would also require a vote of the shareholders of the Fund. Conversion of the Fund to an
open-end mutual fund would require approval of such a proposal, together with the necessary amendments to the Agreement and Declaration
of Trust to permit such a conversion, by a majority of the Trustees then in office, by the holders of not less than 75% of the Trust’s
outstanding Shares entitled to vote thereon and by such vote or votes of the holders of any class or classes or series of Shares as may
be required by the 1940 Act. The Fund has no limitation or restrictions on investments in illiquid securities (closed-end funds are not
required to have any such limitation) and may invest all or a portion of its assets in illiquid securities. In order to meet redemptions
upon request by shareholders, open-end funds typically cannot have more than 15% of their net assets in illiquid securities. Thus, if
the Fund were to convert to an open-end fund, it would have to adopt a limitation on illiquid securities and may need to revise its investment
objectives, strategies and policies. The composition of the Fund’s portfolio and/or its investment policies could prohibit the
Fund from complying with regulations of the SEC applicable to open-end management investment funds absent significant changes in portfolio
holdings, including with respect to certain illiquid securities, and investment policies. The Board believes, however, that the closed-end
structure is desirable, given the Fund’s investment objectives, strategies and policies. See “Description of Capital Structure.”
Risk factors
The information contained under the heading “Additional
Information Regarding the Fund—Risk Factors” in the Fund’s Annual
Report is incorporated herein by reference. Each of the risk factors contained thereunder is a principal risk of the Fund.
Investors should consider the specific risk factors and special considerations associated with investing in the Fund. An investment in
the Fund is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of your entire investment. The Fund is also subject to the following
principal risk:
ESG Integration Risk –To the extent
the ESG factors are used to evaluate investments, the consideration of such factors may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.
Not every ESG factor may be identified or evaluated for every investment. ESG characteristics may not be the only factors considered
and, as a result, the issuers in which the Fund invests may not be issuers with favorable ESG characteristics or high ESG ratings. The
application of ESG factors may result in the Fund performing differently than its benchmark index and other funds in its peer group that
do not consider ESG factors or consider different ESG factors.
A Prospectus Supplement relating to an offering of the Fund’s
securities may identify additional risks associated with such offering.
Financial
highlights
The financial highlights as of and for the fiscal
years ended October 31, 2023, October 31, 2022, October 31, 2021, October 31, 2020 and October 31, 2019 have
been audited by KPMG LLP (“KPMG”), independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund. The financial highlights for
the fiscal period ended April 30, 2024 are unaudited. KPMG’s report on the financial statements and financial highlights,
together with the financial statements and financial highlights of the Fund for such fiscal years, is included in the Fund’s Annual
Report for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023 and is incorporated by reference.
| |
For the Six-Month Period Ended April 30,
2024 | | |
For the Fiscal Years
Ended October 31, | |
| |
(unaudited) | | |
2023 | | |
2022 | | |
2021 | | |
2020 | | |
2019 | |
PER
SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE(a): | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Net asset value per common share,
beginning of period | |
$ | 3.57 | | |
$ | 4.23 | | |
$ | 6.84 | | |
$ | 5.23 | | |
$ | 7.28 | | |
$ | 6.14 | |
Net investment income | |
| 0.05 | | |
| 0.09 | | |
| 0.12 | | |
| 0.13 | | |
| 0.13 | | |
| 0.16 | |
Net realized and
unrealized gains/(losses) on investments and foreign currency transactions | |
| 0.38 | | |
| (0.27 | ) | |
| (2.25 | ) | |
| 1.96 | | |
| (1.70 | ) | |
| 1.55 | |
Total from investment
operations applicable to common shareholders | |
| 0.43 | | |
| (0.18 | ) | |
| (2.13 | ) | |
| 2.09 | | |
| (1.57 | ) | |
| 1.71 | |
Distributions to common
shareholders from: | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Net investment income | |
| (0.24 | ) | |
| (0.10 | ) | |
| (0.07 | ) | |
| (0.16 | ) | |
| (0.05 | ) | |
| (0.42 | ) |
Return of capital | |
| – | | |
| (0.38 | ) | |
| (0.41 | ) | |
| (0.32 | ) | |
| (0.43 | ) | |
| (0.15 | ) |
Total distributions | |
| (0.24 | ) | |
| (0.48 | ) | |
| (0.48 | ) | |
| (0.48 | ) | |
| (0.48 | ) | |
| (0.57 | ) |
Net asset value per common share,
end of period | |
$ | 3.76 | | |
$ | 3.57 | | |
$ | 4.23 | | |
$ | 6.84 | | |
$ | 5.23 | | |
$ | 7.28 | |
Market price, end of period | |
$ | 3.69 | | |
$ | 3.29 | | |
$ | 3.97 | | |
$ | 6.56 | | |
$ | 4.36 | | |
$ | 6.46 | |
Total
Investment Return Based on(b): | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Market price | |
| 19.52 | % | |
| (6.58 | )% | |
| (33.80 | )% | |
| 62.89 | % | |
| (25.81 | )% | |
| 32.04 | % |
Net asset value | |
| 12.23 | % | |
| (4.86 | )% | |
| (32.36 | )% | |
| 41.59 | % | |
| (21.03 | )% | |
| 30.38 | % |
Ratio to Average Net
Assets Applicable to Common Shareholders/Supplementary Data: | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Net assets applicable to common shareholders,
end of period (000 omitted) | |
$ | 320,994 | | |
$ | 304,800 | | |
$ | 361,335 | | |
$ | 583,883 | | |
$ | 446,533 | | |
$ | 621,927 | |
Average net assets applicable to common
shareholders (000 omitted) | |
$ | 344,892 | | |
$ | 361,732 | | |
$ | 498,916 | | |
$ | 547,641 | | |
$ | 518,462 | | |
$ | 563,168 | |
Net operating expenses, net of fee waivers/recoupments | |
| 2.64 | %(c) | |
| 2.22 | % | |
| 1.62 | % | |
| 1.40 | % | |
| 1.27 | % | |
| 1.37 | % |
Net operating expenses, excluding fee
waivers | |
| 2.96 | %(c) | |
| 2.48 | % | |
| 1.89 | % | |
| 1.59 | % | |
| 1.36 | % | |
| 1.42 | % |
Net operating expenses, net of fee waivers
and excluding interest expense | |
| 1.19 | %(c) | |
| 1.19 | % | |
| 1.19 | % | |
| 1.19 | % | |
| 1.19 | % | |
| 1.19 | % |
Net Investment income | |
| 2.33 | %(c) | |
| 2.22 | % | |
| 2.05 | % | |
| 1.99 | % | |
| 2.12 | % | |
| 2.45 | % |
Portfolio turnover | |
| 27 | %(d) | |
| 44 | % | |
| 41 | % | |
| 36 | % | |
| 30 | % | |
| 45 | % |
Line of credit payable outstanding (000 omitted) | |
$ | 88,790 | | |
$ | 79,810 | | |
$ | 65,048 | | |
$ | 106,848 | | |
$ | 30,415 | | |
$ | 37,522 | |
Asset coverage
ratio on line of credit payable at period end(e) | |
| 462 | % | |
| 482 | % | |
| 655 | % | |
| 646 | % | |
| 1,568 | % | |
| 1,757 | % |
Asset coverage per
$1,000 on line of credit payable at period end | |
$ | 4,615 | | |
$ | 4,819 | | |
$ | 6,555 | | |
$ | 6,465 | | |
$ | 15,681 | | |
$ | 17,575 | |
(a) |
Based on average shares outstanding. |
(b) |
Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of common stock on the first day and a
sale on the last day of each reporting period. Dividends and distributions, if any, are assumed, for purposes of this calculation,
to be reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan. Total investment return does not reflect brokerage
commissions. |
(c) |
Annualized. |
(d) |
Not annualized. |
(e) |
Asset coverage ratio is calculated by dividing net assets plus the amount of any borrowings, for
investment purposes by the amount of the Revolving Credit Facility. |
Amounts listed as “–” are $0 or round to $0.
| |
For the Fiscal Years
Ended October 31, | |
| |
2018(a) | | |
2017 | | |
2016 | | |
2015(b) | | |
2014(b) | |
PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE: | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Net asset value per common share, beginning of year | |
$ | 7.18 | | |
$ | 6.38 | | |
$ | 7.26 | | |
$ | 7.82 | | |
$ | 8.17 | |
Net investment income | |
| 0.08 | (b) | |
| 0.11 | | |
| 0.17 | | |
| 0.14 | | |
| 0.22 | |
Net realized and unrealized gains/(losses) on investments, forward
foreign currency exchange contracts and foreign currency transactions | |
| (0.52 | ) | |
| 1.29 | | |
| (0.45 | ) | |
| (0.11 | ) | |
| 0.03 | |
Total from investment operations applicable to common shareholders | |
| (0.44 | ) | |
| 1.40 | | |
| (0.28 | ) | |
| 0.03 | | |
| 0.25 | |
Distributions to common shareholders from: | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Net investment income | |
| (0.22 | ) | |
| (0.60 | ) | |
| (0.36 | ) | |
| (0.53 | ) | |
| (0.32 | ) |
Tax return of capital | |
| (0.38 | ) | |
| – | | |
| (0.24 | ) | |
| (0.07 | ) | |
| (0.28 | ) |
Total distributions | |
| (0.60 | ) | |
| (0.60 | ) | |
| (0.60 | ) | |
| (0.60 | ) | |
| (0.60 | ) |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Capital Share Transactions: | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Anti-Dilutive effect of share repurchase program | |
| – | | |
| – | | |
| – | | |
| 0.01 | | |
| – | |
Net asset value per common share, end of year | |
$ | 6.14 | | |
$ | 7.18 | | |
$ | 6.38 | | |
$ | 7.26 | | |
$ | 7.82 | |
Market value, end of year | |
$ | 5.38 | | |
$ | 6.48 | | |
$ | 5.28 | | |
$ | 6.14 | | |
$ | 6.88 | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Total Investment Return Based on(c): | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Market price | |
| (8.73 | )% | |
| 35.59 | % | |
| (4.28 | )% | |
| (2.23 | )% | |
| 0.13 | % |
Net asset value | |
| (5.99 | )% | |
| 24.34 | % | |
| (2.18 | )% | |
| 1.71 | % | |
| 4.06 | % |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Ratio to Average Net Assets Applicable to Common Shareholders/Supplementary
Data: | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Net assets applicable to common shareholders, end of year (000 omitted) | |
$ | 524,731 | | |
$ | 613,129 | | |
$ | 544,790 | | |
$ | 619,724 | | |
$ | 672,125 | |
Net operating expenses | |
| 1.19 | % | |
| 1.28 | % | |
| 1.33 | % | |
| 1.28 | % | |
| 1.29 | % |
Net operating expenses, excluding interest expense | |
| 1.17 | % | |
| 1.20 | % | |
| 1.24 | % | |
| 1.22 | % | |
| 1.23 | % |
Net investment income | |
| 1.14 | % | |
| 1.56 | % | |
| 2.61 | % | |
| 1.86 | % | |
| 2.75 | % |
Portfolio turnover | |
| 83 | % | |
| 61 | % | |
| 40 | % | |
| 41 | % | |
| 58 | % |
Line of credit payable outstanding (000 omitted) | |
$ | 16,248 | | |
$ | – | | |
$ | 12,602 | | |
$ | 53,158 | | |
$ | 15,216 | |
Asset coverage ratio on line of credit payable at year end | |
| 3,329 | % | |
| – | (d) | |
| – | (d) | |
| – | (d) | |
| – | (d) |
Asset coverage per $1,000 on line of credit payable at year end | |
$ | 33,294 | | |
$ | – | | |
$ | 44,230 | | |
$ | 12,658 | | |
$ | 45,171 | |
(a) |
Beginning with the year ended October 31, 2018, the Fund has
been audited by KPMG. Previous years were audited by different independent registered public accounting firms. |
(b) |
Net investment income is based on average shares outstanding during
the period. |
(c) |
Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of common
stock on the first day and a sale on the last day of each reporting period. Dividends and distributions, if any, are assumed, for
purposes of this calculation, to be reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan. Total investment
return does not reflect brokerage commissions. |
(d) |
The Fund did not disclose asset coverage ratio on line of credit
payable in prior years. |
Amounts listed as “–” are $0 or round to $0.
Senior
Securities
The following table
sets forth information about the Fund’s outstanding senior securities as of the end of each of the period ended April 30, 2024,
and the Fund’s last ten fiscal years. The Fund’s senior securities during this time period are comprised of borrowings which
constitutes a “senior security” as defined in the 1940 Act. The information in this table for the period ended April 30,
2024 is unaudited. The information in this table for the fiscal years ended 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019 has been audited by KPMG,
independent registered public accounting firm. The report of KPMG thereon is included in the Fund’s Annual
Report for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023 and is incorporated by reference.
Fiscal Year Ended/Period | |
Title of
Security | |
Total
Amount Outstanding
(000 omitted)(1) | | |
Asset
Coverage
Per Unit(2) | | |
Involuntary
Liquidating Preference Per Unit | | |
Asset
Coverage Per
$1000(3) | |
April 30, 2024 | |
Committed Facility Agreement | |
$ | 88,790 | | |
| 462 | % | |
| - | | |
$ |
4,615 | |
October 31, 2023 | |
Committed Facility Agreement | |
$ | 79,810 | | |
| 482 | % | |
| - | | |
$ |
4,819 | |
October 31, 2022 | |
Committed Facility Agreement | |
$ | 65,048 | | |
| 655 | % | |
| - | | |
$ |
6,555 | |
October 31, 2021 | |
Committed Facility Agreement | |
$ | 106,848 | | |
| 646 | % | |
| - | | |
$ |
6,465 | |
October 31, 2020 | |
Committed Facility Agreement | |
$ | 30,415 | | |
| 1,568 | % | |
| - | | |
$ |
15,681 | |
October 31, 2019 | |
Committed Facility Agreement | |
$ | 37,522 | | |
| 1,757 | % | |
| - | | |
$ |
17,575 | |
October 31, 2018 | |
Committed Facility Agreement | |
$ | 16,248 | | |
| 3,329 | % | |
| - | | |
$ |
33,294 | |
October 31, 2017 | |
Committed Facility Agreement | |
| N/A | | |
| N/A | | |
| - | | |
$ |
- | |
October 31, 2016 | |
Committed Facility Agreement | |
$ | 12,602 | | |
| - | (4) | |
| - | | |
$ |
44,230 | |
October 31, 2015 | |
Committed Facility Agreement | |
$ | 53,158 | | |
| - | (4) | |
| - | | |
$ |
12,658 | |
October 31, 2014 | |
Committed Facility Agreement | |
$ | 15,216 | | |
| - | (4) | |
| - | | |
$ |
45,171 | |
| (1) | Principal amount
outstanding represents the principal amount owed by the Fund to lenders under credit facility
arrangements in place at the time. |
| (2) | The asset coverage
ratio for the Committed Facility Agreement is calculated by dividing net assets plus the
amount of any borrowings for investment purposes by the amount of any senior securities,
which includes the Committed Facility Agreement, and then multiplying by $1,000. |
| (3) | Represents the
average managed asset coverage per every $1,000 of the total loan amount outstanding. |
| (4) | The fund did not
disclose asset coverage ratio of line of credit payable in prior years. |
THE FUND
The Fund is a diversified, closed-end management
investment company registered under the 1940 Act. The Fund was organized as a statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware
on February 13, 2007 and commenced operations on April 26, 2007.
abrdn Investments Limited (“aIL”),
a Scottish Company, serves as the adviser to the Fund. aIL’s registered address is 10 Queen’s Terrace, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire,
United Kingdom, AB10 1XL. aIL is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of abrdn plc, which manages or administers approximately $466.8
billion in assets as of June 30, 2024. abrdn Inc. serves as the Sub-Adviser to the Fund. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser are registered
with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”).
USE OF PROCEEDS
The Fund registered $55,000,000 aggregate initial
offering price of Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus is a part. Unless otherwise specified in
a Prospectus Supplement, the Fund intends to invest the net proceeds of an offering of Securities in accordance with its investment objectives
and policies as stated in this Prospectus. It is currently anticipated that the Fund will be able to invest substantially all of the
net proceeds of an offering of Securities in accordance with its investment objectives and policies within three months after the completion
of such offering. Pending the full investment of the proceeds of an offering, it is anticipated that the net proceeds will be invested
in fixed income securities and other permitted investments. See “Objectives and Principal Investment Strategy”. A delay in
the anticipated use of proceeds could lower returns and reduce the Fund’s distribution to Common Shareholders.
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON SHARES
The Fund’s Common Shares are publicly held
and are listed and traded on the NYSE. The following table sets forth for the fiscal quarters indicated the highest and lowest daily
prices during the applicable quarter at the close of market on the NYSE per Common Share along with (i) the highest and lowest closing
NAV and (ii) the highest and lowest premium or discount from NAV represented by such prices at the close of the market on the NYSE.
| | |
NYSE
Market Price(1) | | |
NAV
at NYSE Market Price(1) | | |
Market
Premium/(Discount) to NAV
on Date of NYSE Market Price(1) | |
Quarter
Ended(2) | | |
High | | |
Low | | |
High | | |
Low | | |
High | | |
Low | |
October 31, 2024 | | |
$ | 4.66 | | |
$ | 4.02 | | |
$ | 4.52 | | |
$ | 3.93 | | |
| 3.10 | % | |
| -1.23 | % |
July 31, 2024 | | |
$ | 4.66 | | |
$ | 3.61 | | |
$ | 4.52 | | |
$ | 3.75 | | |
| 5.69 | % | |
| -3.73 | % |
April 30, 2024 | | |
$ | 3.96 | | |
$ | 3.55 | | |
$ | 4.15 | | |
$ | 3.74 | | |
| -4.58 | % | |
| -5.59 | % |
January 31, 2024 | | |
$ | 3.97 | | |
$ | 3.39 | | |
$ | 4.37 | | |
$ | 3.61 | | |
| -8.53 | % | |
| -6.09 | % |
October 31, 2023 | | |
$ | 4.06 | | |
$ | 3.14 | | |
$ | 4.27 | | |
$ | 3.48 | | |
| -4.92 | % | |
| -10.29 | % |
July 31, 2023 | | |
$ | 4.14 | | |
$ | 3.62 | | |
$ | 4.38 | | |
$ | 4.00 | | |
| -5.05 | % | |
| -9.73 | % |
April 30, 2023 | | |
$ | 4.57 | | |
$ | 3.77 | | |
$ | 4.87 | | |
$ | 3.99 | | |
| -6.16 | % | |
| -5.51 | % |
January 31, 2023 | | |
$ | 4.46 | | |
$ | 3.89 | | |
$ | 4.73 | | |
$ | 4.10 | | |
| -5.51 | % | |
| -5.12 | % |
(1) Source:
Bloomberg L.P.
(2) Data
presented are with respect to a short period of time and are not indicative of future performance.
Shares of closed-end management investment companies
may trade at a market price that is less than the NAV that is attributable to those shares. The possibility that the Fund’s Common
Shares will trade at a discount to NAV or at a premium that is unsustainable over the long term is separate and distinct from the risk
that the Fund’s NAV will decrease. It is not possible to predict whether the Fund’s Common Shares will trade at, above or
below NAV in the future. On November 8, 2024, the Fund’s NAV was $4.25, and the last reported sale price of a Common Share on the
NYSE was $4.31, representing a premium to NAV of 1.41%.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT
STRATEGY
The information contained under the following
headings in the Fund’s Annual
Report are incorporated herein by reference: “Additional Information Regarding the Fund—Investment Objectives,
Strategies and Policies.”
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate may
vary from year to year. A high portfolio turnover rate increases a fund’s transaction costs (including brokerage commissions and
dealer costs), which would adversely impact a fund’s performance. Higher portfolio turnover may result in the realization of more
short-term capital gains than if a fund had lower portfolio turnover.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND POLICIES
The information contained under the heading “Additional
Information Regarding the Fund—Investment Objectives, Strategies and Policies” in the Fund’s Annual
Report is incorporated herein by reference.
INVESTMENT SECURITIES
The information contained under the heading “Additional
Information Regarding the Fund—Investment Securities” in the Fund’s Annual
Report is incorporated herein by reference.
INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES
The information contained under the heading “Additional
Information Regarding the Fund—Investment Techniques” in the Fund’s Annual
Report is incorporated herein by reference.
USE OF LEVERAGE AND RELATED RISKS
The information contained under the heading “Additional
Information Regarding the Fund—Effects of Leverage” in the Fund’s Annual
Report is incorporated herein by reference.
Risk
factors
The information contained under the heading “Additional
Information Regarding the Fund—Risk Factors” in the Fund’s Annual
Report is incorporated herein by reference. Investors should consider the specific risk factors and special considerations
associated with investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of your entire
investment. The Fund is also subject to the following principal risk:
ESG Integration Risk –To the extent
the ESG factors are used to evaluate investments, the consideration of such factors may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.
Not every ESG factor may be identified or evaluated for every investment. ESG characteristics may not be the only factors considered
and, as a result, the issuers in which the Fund invests may not be issuers with favorable ESG characteristics or high ESG ratings. The
application of ESG factors may result in the Fund performing differently than its benchmark index and other funds in its peer group that
do not consider ESG factors or consider different ESG factors.
A Prospectus Supplement relating to an offering of the Fund’s
securities may identify additional risk associated with such offering.
Management
of the Fund
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The management of the Fund, including general
supervision of the duties performed by the Adviser, is the responsibility of the Board under the laws of the State of Delaware and the
1940 Act.
THE ADVISER
abrdn Investments Limited (“aIL”),
a Scottish Company, serves as the adviser to the Fund. aIL’s registered address is 10 Queen’s Terrace, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire,
United Kingdom, AB10 1XL. aIL is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of abrdn plc, which manages or administers approximately $466.8
billion in assets as of June 30, 2024. abrdn plc and its affiliates provide asset management and investment solutions for clients and
customers worldwide and also have a strong position in the pensions and savings market. abrdn plc, its affiliates and subsidiaries are
referred to collectively herein as “abrdn.”
In rendering investment advisory services to
the Fund, aIL and abrdn Inc. may use the resources of subsidiaries owned by abrdn plc. The abrdn plc affiliates have entered into a memorandum
of understanding/personnel sharing procedures pursuant to which investment professionals from the abrdn plc affiliates may render portfolio
management, research and/or trade services to US clients of aIL or abrdn Inc.
During periods when the Fund is using leverage,
the fee paid to abrdn Inc. (for various services) will be higher than if the Fund did not use leverage because the fees paid are calculated
on the basis of the Fund’s Managed Assets, which includes the assets purchased through leverage. For the purpose of calculating
Managed Assets, derivatives are valued at their market value.
THE SUB-ADVISER
abrdn Inc. serves as the Sub-Adviser to the Fund
pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement between the Fund and abrdn Inc. and is located at 1900 Market Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia,
PA 19103 and is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of abrdn plc.
ADVISORY AGREEMENTS
The Fund and the Adviser are parties to an investment
advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”). Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser receives an annual fee, payable
monthly, in an amount equal to 1.00% of the Fund’s average daily Managed Assets, which means the total assets of the Fund, including
any form of investment leverage, minus all accrued expenses incurred in the normal course of operations, but not excluding any liabilities
or obligations attributable to investment leverage obtained through (i) indebtedness of any type (including, without limitation,
borrowing through a credit facility or the issuance of debt securities), (ii) the issuance of preferred stock or other similar preference
securities,(iii) the reinvestment of collateral received for securities loaned in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives
and policies, and/or (iv) any other means. For its services to the Fund, under a sub-advisory agreement with the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser
receives a fee from the Adviser equal to 10% of the advisory fee received by the Adviser from the Fund after fee waivers and expense
reimbursements, if any.
The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive
fees and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total operating expenses of the Fund (excluding any leverage costs, taxes, interest,
brokerage commissions and any non-routine expenses) as a percentage of net assets to 1.40% per annum of the Fund’s average daily
net assets on an annualized basis until June 30, 2026. The Fund may repay any such waiver or reimbursement from the Adviser, within
three years of the waiver or reimbursement, provided that such repayments do not cause the Fund to exceed (i) the lesser of the
applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid or (ii) the applicable expense
limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
The Fund pays all of its other expenses including,
among others, legal fees and expenses of counsel to the Fund and the Fund’s independent trustees; insurance (including trustees’
and officers’ errors and omissions insurance); auditing and accounting expenses; taxes and governmental fees; listing fees; dues
and expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; fees and expenses of the Fund’s custodians,
administrators, transfer agents, registrars and other service providers; expenses for portfolio pricing services by a pricing agent,
if any; other expenses in connection with the issuance, offering and underwriting of shares or debt instruments issued by the Fund or
with the securing of any credit facility or other loans for the Fund; expenses relating to investor and public relations; expenses of
registering or qualifying securities of the Fund for public sale; brokerage commissions and other costs of acquiring or disposing of
any portfolio holding of the Fund; expenses of preparation and distribution of reports, notices and dividends to shareholders; expenses
of the dividend reinvestment and optional cash purchase plan (except for brokerage expenses paid by participants in such plan); compensation
and expenses of trustees; costs of stationery; any litigation expenses; and costs of shareholders’ and other meetings.
The Adviser, the Sub-Adviser and the Fund are
parties to a sub-advisory agreement (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”). Under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, subject to the directions
of the Adviser and the Board, the Adviser has retained the Sub-Adviser to monitor on a continuous basis the performance of the Fund’s
assets and to assist the Adviser in conducting a continuous program of investment, evaluation and, if appropriate, sale and reinvestment
of the Fund’s assets. For its services as sub-adviser, Sub-Adviser is paid only by the Adviser out of its fees, and is not paid
directly by the Fund.
The Advisory and Sub-Advisory Agreements continue
for an initial term of two (2)years and may be continued thereafter from year to year provided such continuance is specifically approved
at least annually in the manner required by the 1940 Act. The Advisory and Sub-Advisory Agreements may be terminated at any time without
payment of penalty by the Fund or by the Adviser upon 60 days’ written notice. The Advisory and Sub-Advisory Agreements will automatically
terminate in the event of its assignment, as defined under the 1940 Act. Under the Advisory and Sub-Advisory Agreements, the Advisers
are permitted to provide investment advisory services to other clients.
The Advisory and Sub-Advisory Agreements provide
that the Advisers shall indemnify the Fund and its officers and Trustees, for any liability and expenses, including attorneys’
fees, which may be sustained as a result of the Advisers’ willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, reckless disregard
of its duties hereunder or violation of applicable law, including, without limitation, the federal and state securities laws.
Effective May 7, 2018, aIL became the Fund’s
investment adviser and abrdn Inc. became the Fund’s sub-adviser. Prior to May 7, 2018, the Fund was managed by another, unaffiliated
investment adviser.
THE ADMINISTRATOR
abrdn Inc., located at 1900 Market Street, Suite 200,
Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as administrator to the Fund. Under the administration agreement, abrdn Inc. is generally responsible
for managing the administrative affairs of the Fund.
For administration related services, abrdn Inc.
is entitled to receive a fee that is computed monthly and paid quarterly at an annual rate of 0.08% of the Fund’s average monthly
net assets.
During periods when the Fund is using leverage,
the fee paid to abrdn Inc. (for various services) will be higher than if the Fund did not use leverage because the fees paid are calculated
on the basis of the Fund’s average monthly net assets, which includes the assets purchased through leverage.
State Street Bank and Trust Company serves as
sub-administrator of the Fund and is paid by abrdn Inc. out of the fees it receives as the Fund’s administrator.
Investor Relations
Under the terms of the Amended and Restated Investor
Relations Services Agreement approved by the Fund’s Board, abrdn Inc. provides and pays third parties to provide investor relations
services to the Fund and certain other funds advised by the Adviser or its affiliates as part of an Investor Relations Program. Under
the Amended and Restated Investor Relations Services Agreement, the Fund owes a portion of the fees related to the Investor Relations
Program (the “Fund’s Portion”). However, investor relations services fees are limited by abrdn Inc. so that the Fund
will only pay up to an annual rate of 0.05% of the Fund’s average weekly net assets. Any difference between the capped rate of
0.05% of the Fund’s average weekly net assets and the Fund’s Portion is paid for by abrdn Inc.
Pursuant to the terms of the Amended and Restated
Investor Relations Services Agreement, abrdn Inc. (or third parties engaged by abrdn Inc.), among other things, provides objective and
timely information to stockholders based on publicly available information; provides information efficiently through the use of technology
while offering stockholders immediate access to knowledgeable investor relations representatives; develops and maintains effective communications
with investment professionals from a wide variety of firms; creates and maintains investor relations communication materials such as
fund manager interviews, films and webcasts, publishes white papers, magazine articles and other relevant materials discussing the Fund’s
investment results, portfolio positioning and outlook; develops and maintains effective communications with large institutional shareholders;
responds to specific shareholder questions; and reports activities and results to the Board and management detailing insight into general
shareholder sentiment.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund and the Advisers are not
currently parties to any material legal proceedings.
NET ASSET VALUE OF COMMON SHARES
The NAV of the Fund’s Common Shares is
determined each day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open as of the close of regular trading (normally, 4:00 p.m.,
Eastern time). The Fund follows the principles set forth under the heading “Notes to Financial Statements—Summary of Significant
Accounting Policies—Security Valuation” in the Fund’s Annual
Report, which is incorporated herein by reference, to determine the value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings.
DISTRIBUTIONS
The information contained under the heading “Notes
to Financial Statements—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies—Distributions” in the Fund’s Annual
Report is incorporated herein by reference.
TAX MATTERS
The following is (i) a description of the
material U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of Common Stock and (ii) a description of some of the important
U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund. The discussion below provides general tax information related to an investment
in Common Stock, but this discussion does not purport to be a complete description of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an
investment in such securities. It is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and United States
Treasury Regulations and administrative pronouncements, all as of the date hereof, any of which is subject to change or differing interpretation,
possibly with retroactive effect. In addition, it does not describe all of the tax consequences that may be relevant in light of a Common
Stockholder’s particular circumstances, including alternative minimum tax consequences and tax consequences applicable to Common
Stockholders subject to special tax rules, such as certain financial institutions; dealers or traders in securities who use a mark-to-market
method of tax accounting; persons holding Common Stock as part of a hedging transaction, wash sale, conversion transaction or integrated
transaction or persons entering into a constructive sale with respect to the Common Stock; entities classified as partnerships or other
pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes; real estate investment trusts; insurance companies; U.S. holders (as defined
below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; or tax-exempt entities, including “individual retirement accounts”
or “Roth IRAs.” Unless otherwise noted, the following discussion applies only to a Common Stockholder that holds Common Stock
as a capital asset and is a U.S. holder. A “U.S. holder” is a holder who, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is a beneficial
owner of Common Stock and is (i) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; (ii) a corporation, or other
entity taxable as a corporation, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state therein or the District of
Columbia; (iii) an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or (iv) a
trust if it (x) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more U.S. persons have the
authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (y) has a valid election in effect under applicable United States
Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. Tax laws are complex and often change, and Common Stockholders should consult their
tax advisors about the U.S. federal, state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. For more information, please
see the section of the SAI entitled “Tax Matters.”
THE FUND
The Fund has elected to be treated as and intends
to continue to qualify in each taxable year as, a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Code.
Assuming the Fund so qualifies and satisfies certain distribution requirements, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal
income tax on income distributed (including amounts that are reinvested pursuant to the Plan) in a timely manner to its shareholders
in the form of dividends or capital gain distributions. If the Fund retains any net capital gains for reinvestment, it may elect to treat
such capital gains as having been distributed to its shareholders. If the Fund makes such an election, each Common Shareholder will be
required to report its share of such undistributed net capital gain as long-term capital gain and will be entitled to claim its share
of the U.S. federal income taxes paid by the Fund on such undistributed net capital gain as a credit against its own U.S. federal income
tax liability, if any, and to claim a refund on a properly filed U.S. federal income tax return to the extent that the credit exceeds
such liability. In addition, each Common Shareholder will be entitled to increase the adjusted tax basis of its Common Shares by the
difference between its share of such undistributed net capital gain and the related credit. There can be no assurance that the Fund will
make this election if it retains all or a portion of its net capital gain for a taxable year.
To qualify as a RIC for any taxable year, the
Fund must, among other things, satisfy both an income test and an asset test for such taxable year. Specifically, (i) at least 90%
of the Fund’s gross income for such taxable year must consist of dividends; interest; payments with respect to certain securities
loans; gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies; 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 net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (such income, “Qualifying
RIC Income”) and (ii) the Fund’s holdings must be diversified so that, at the end of each quarter of such taxable year,
(a) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is represented by cash and cash items, securities of other RICs,
U.S. government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater
than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and
(b) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is invested (x) in securities (other than U.S. government
securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or of two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are engaged in the
same, similar or related trades or businesses or (y) in the securities of one or more “qualified publicly traded partnerships.”
The Fund’s share of income derived from a partnership other than a “qualified publicly traded partnership” will be
treated as Qualifying RIC Income only to the extent that such income would have constituted Qualifying RIC Income if derived directly
by the Fund. A “qualified publicly traded partnership” is generally defined as an entity that is treated as a partnership
for U.S. federal income tax purposes if (i) interests in such entity are traded on an established securities market or are readily
tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof and (ii) less than 90% of its gross income for the relevant
taxable year consists of Qualifying RIC Income. The Code provides that the Treasury Department may by regulation exclude from Qualifying
RIC Income foreign currency gains that are not directly related to the RIC’s principal business of investing in stock or securities
(or options and futures with respect to stock or securities). The Fund anticipates that, in general, its foreign currency gains will
be directly related to its principal business of investing in stock and securities.
OWNING AND DISPOSING OF COMMON SHARES
Distributions of the Fund’s ordinary income
and net short-term capital gains will generally be taxable to the Common Shareholders as ordinary income to the extent such distributions
are paid out of the Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Distributions
or deemed distributions, if any, of net capital gains will be taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of the length of time the
Common Shareholder has owned Common Shares. Distributions made to a non-corporate Common Shareholder out of “qualified dividend
income,” if any, received by the Fund will be subject to tax at reduced maximum rates, provided that the Common Shareholder meets
certain holding period and other requirements with respect to its Common Shares. The Fund generally expects that dividends received by
the Fund from a REIT and distributed to the Common Shareholders will be taxable to the Commons Shareholders as ordinary income. For taxable
years beginning after December 31, 2017, and before January 1, 2026, however, the Fund may report dividends eligible for a
20% “qualified business income” deduction for non-corporate U.S. Common Shareholders to the extent that the Fund’s
income is derived from REIT dividends, reduced by allocable Fund expenses. A distribution of an amount in excess of the Fund’s
current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated by a Common Shareholder as a return of capital that will be applied against
and reduce the Common Shareholder’s basis in its Common Shares. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds
the Common Shareholder’s basis in its Common Shares, the excess will be treated as gain from a sale or exchange of the Common Shares.
Distributions will be treated in the manner described above regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or invested in
additional Common Shares pursuant to the Plan.
A Common Shareholder may recognize a capital
gain or loss on the sale or other disposition of Common Shares. The amount of the gain or loss will be equal to the difference between
the amount realized and the Common Shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in the relevant Common Shares. Such gain or loss generally
will be a long-term gain or loss if the Common Shareholder’s holding period for such Common Shares is more than one (1) year.
Under current law, net capital gains recognized by non-corporate Common Shareholders are generally subject to reduced maximum rates.
Losses realized by a Common Shareholder on the sale or exchange of Common Shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term
capital losses to the extent of any distribution of long-term capital gain received (or deemed received, as discussed above) with respect
to such Common Shares. In addition, no loss will be allowed on a sale or other disposition of Common Shares if the Common Shareholder
acquires (including pursuant to the Plan) Common Shares 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.
An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on
certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from
redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund Common Shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s
“modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an
estate or trust) exceeds certain threshold amounts.
NON-U.S. COMMON SHAREHOLDERS
If a Common Shareholder is a nonresident alien,
a foreign trust or estate or a foreign corporation, as defined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, (a “non-U.S. Common Shareholder”)
whose ownership of Common Shares is not “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business, ordinary income dividends
distributed to such non-U.S. Common Shareholder by the Fund will generally be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30%
(or a lower rate under an applicable treaty). Net capital gain dividends distributed by the Fund to a non-U.S. Common Shareholder whose
ownership of Common Shares is not “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business and who is not an individual present
in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year will generally not be subject to U.S. withholding tax. Special rules may
apply to a non-U.S. Common Shareholder receiving a Fund distribution if at least 50% of the Fund’s assets consist of U.S. real
property interests, including certain REITs and U.S. real property holding corporations (as defined in Code and the Treasury Regulations).
Fund distributions that are attributable to gain from the disposition of a U.S. real property interest will be taxable as ordinary dividends
and subject to withholding at a 30% or lower treaty rate if the non-U.S. Common Shareholders held no more than 5% of the Fund’s
Common Shares at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution. If the non-U.S. Common Shareholder held
at least 5% of the Fund’s Common Shares, the distribution would be treated as income effectively connected with a trade or business
within the U.S. and the non-U.S. Common Shareholder would be subject to withholding tax and would generally be required to file a U.S.
federal income tax return. Similar consequences would generally apply to a non-U.S. Common Shareholder’s gain on the sale of Fund
Common Shares unless the Fund is domestically controlled (meaning that more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s Common Shares is
held by U.S. Common Shareholders) or the non-U.S. Common Shareholders owns no more than 5% of the Fund’s Common Shares at any time
during the five-year period ending on the date of Sale. For a more detailed discussion of the tax consequences of the ownership of Common
Shares by a non-U.S. Common Shareholder, please see the discussion in the SAI under “Tax Matters — Non-U.S. Common Shareholders.”
BACKUP WITHHOLDING
If a Common Stockholder does not provide the
applicable payor with its correct taxpayer identification number and any required certifications, such Common Stockholder may be subject
to backup withholding (currently, at a rate of 24%) on the distributions it receives (or is deemed to receive) from the Fund. Backup
withholding will not, however, be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax applicable to non-U.S. Common
Stockholders.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance
Act
In addition, the Fund is required to withhold
U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on payments of taxable dividends made to certain non-U.S. entities that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant)
with extensive reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment
accounts. To avoid withholding, foreign financial institutions will need to (i) enter into agreements with the IRS that state that
they will provide the IRS information, including the names, addresses and taxpayer identification numbers of direct and indirect U.S.
account holders, comply with due diligence procedures with respect to the identification of U.S. accounts, report to the IRS certain
information with respect to U.S. accounts maintained, agree to withhold tax on certain payments made to non-compliant foreign financial
institutions or to account holders who fail to provide the required information, and determine certain other information as to their
account holders, or (ii) in the event that an applicable intergovernmental agreement and implementing legislation are adopted, provide
local revenue authorities with similar account holder information. Other foreign entities will need to either provide the name, address,
and taxpayer identification number of each substantial U.S. owner or certifications of no substantial U.S. ownership unless certain exceptions
apply. Under some circumstances, a foreign stockholder may be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes.
CLOSED-END FUND STRUCTURE
Closed-end funds differ from open-end management
investment companies (commonly referred to as mutual funds) in that closed-end funds generally list their shares for trading on a securities
exchange and do not redeem their shares at the option of the shareholder. By comparison, mutual funds issue securities redeemable at
NAV at the option of the shareholder and typically engage in a continuous offering of their shares. Mutual funds are subject to continuous
asset in-flows and out-flows that can complicate portfolio management, whereas closed-end funds generally can stay more fully invested
in securities consistent with the closed-end fund’s investment objectives and policies. In addition, in comparison to open-end
funds, closed-end funds have greater flexibility in the employment of financial leverage and in the ability to make certain types of
investments, including investments in illiquid securities.
However, shares of closed-end funds frequently
trade at a discount from their NAV. In recognition of the possibility that the Common Shares might trade at a discount to NAV and that
any such discount may not be in the interest of Common Shareholders, the Board, in consultation with the Adviser, from time to time may
review possible actions to reduce any such discount. The Board approved an open market repurchase and discount management policy (the
“Program”) for the Fund. The Program allows the Fund to purchase, in the open market, its outstanding Common Shares, with
the amount and timing of any repurchase determined at the discretion of the Fund’s investment adviser. Such purchases may be made
opportunistically at certain discounts to NAV per share in the reasonable judgment of management based on historical discount levels
and current market conditions. The Fund reports repurchase activity on the Fund’s website on a monthly basis.
On a quarterly basis, the Fund’s Board
will receive information on any transactions made pursuant to this policy during the prior quarter and if shares are repurchased management
will post the number of shares repurchased on the Fund’s website on a monthly basis. Under the terms of the Program,
the Fund is permitted to repurchase up to 10% of its outstanding shares of common stock in the open market during any 12 month period.
There can be no assurance, however, that the Board will decide to undertake any of these actions or that, if undertaken, such actions
would result in the Common Shares trading at a price equal to or close to NAV.
The Board might also consider the conversion
of the Fund to an open-end mutual fund, which would also require a vote of the shareholders of the Fund. Conversion of the Fund to an
open-end mutual fund would require approval of such a proposal, together with the necessary amendments to the Agreement and Declaration
of Trust to permit such a conversion, by a majority of the Trustees then in office, by the holders of not less than 75% of the Trust’s
outstanding Shares entitled to vote thereon and by such vote or votes of the holders of any class or classes or series of Shares as may
be required by the 1940 Act. The Fund has no limitation or restrictions on investments in illiquid securities (closed-end funds are not
required to have any such limitation) and may invest all or a portion of its assets in illiquid securities. In order to meet redemptions
upon request by shareholders, open-end funds typically cannot have more than 15% of their net assets in illiquid securities. Thus, if
the Fund were to convert to an open-end fund, it would have to adopt a limitation on illiquid securities and may need to revise its investment
objectives, strategies and policies. The composition of the Fund’s portfolio and/or its investment policies could prohibit the
Fund from complying with regulations of the SEC applicable to open-end management investment funds absent significant changes in portfolio
holdings, including with respect to certain illiquid securities, and investment policies. The Board believes, however, that the closed-end
structure is desirable, given the Fund’s investment objectives, strategies and policies. See “Description of Capital Structure.”
DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT AND OPTIONAL CASH PURCHASE
PLAN
The information contained under the heading “Dividend
Reinvestment and Optional Cash Purchase Plan” in the Fund’s Annual
Report is incorporated herein by reference.
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE
The Fund is a statutory trust organized under
the laws of the State of Delaware pursuant to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated as of February 13, 2007. The Fund is
authorized to issue an unlimited number of common shares of beneficial interest no par value. The Fund intends to hold annual meetings
of shareholders so long as the Common Shares are listed on a national securities exchange and such meetings are required as a condition
to such listing.
GENERAL
Set forth below is information with respect to the Fund’s outstanding
securities as of November 8, 2024:
Title of Class |
|
Amount
Authorized |
|
Amount Held by
the Fund or for its
Account |
|
Amount Outstanding
Exclusive of Common
Shares Held by the Fund
or for its Own Account |
|
Common Shares |
|
Unlimited |
|
0 |
|
85,521,967.37 |
|
Except to the extent required for a Delaware
business corporation, the Shareholders shall have no power to vote as to whether or not a court action, legal proceeding or claim should
or should not be brought or maintained derivatively or as a class action on behalf of the Trust or the Shareholders. These requirements
will not apply to claims brought under the federal securities laws.
COMMON SHARES
The Agreement and Declaration of Trust permits
the Fund to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional Common Shares of beneficial interest, no par value. Each share of the Fund
represents an equal proportionate interest in the assets of the Fund with each other share in the Fund. Holders of Common Shares will
be entitled to the payment of dividends when, as and if declared by the Board. The Fund intends to make a level dividend distribution
each month to its shareholders after payment of fund operating expenses including interest on outstanding borrowings, if any. Unless
the registered owner of Common Shares elects to receive cash, all dividends declared on Common Shares will be automatically reinvested
for shareholders in additional Common Shares of the Fund. See “Dividend Reinvestment and Optional Cash Purchase Plan.” The
1940 Act or the terms of any borrowings may limit the payment of dividends to the holders of Common Shares. Each whole share shall be
entitled to one vote as to matters on which it is entitled to vote pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust on
file with the SEC. Upon liquidation of the Fund, after paying or adequately providing for the payment of all liabilities of the Fund,
and upon receipt of such releases, indemnities and refunding agreements as they deem necessary for their protection, the Trustees may
distribute the remaining managed assets of the Fund among its shareholders. The shares are not liable to further calls or to assessment
by the Fund. There are no pre-emptive rights associated with the shares. The Agreement and Declaration of Trust provides that the Fund’s
shareholders are not liable for any liabilities of the Fund. Although shareholders of an unincorporated statutory trust established under
Delaware law, in certain limited circumstances, may be held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund as though they were general
partners, the provisions of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust described in the foregoing sentence make the likelihood of such personal
liability remote. The Fund generally will not issue share certificates.
In general, when there are any borrowings, including
reverse repurchase agreements that are counted as indebtedness, or preferred shares and/or notes outstanding, the Fund may not be permitted
to declare any cash distribution on its Common Shares, unless at the time of such declaration, (i) all accrued distributions on
preferred shares or accrued interest on borrowings have been paid and (ii) the value of the Fund’s total assets (determined
after deducting the amount of such distribution), less all liabilities and indebtedness of the Fund not represented by senior securities,
is at least 300% of the aggregate amount of such securities representing indebtedness and at least 200% of the aggregate amount of securities
representing indebtedness plus the aggregate liquidation value of the outstanding preferred shares (expected to equal the aggregate original
purchase price of the outstanding preferred shares plus the applicable redemption premium, if any, together with any accrued and unpaid
distributions thereon, whether or not earned or declared and on a cumulative basis). In addition to the requirements of the 1940 Act,
the Fund may be required to comply with other asset coverage requirements as a condition of the Fund obtaining a rating of the preferred
shares or notes from a NRSRO. These requirements may include an asset coverage test more stringent than under the 1940 Act. This limitation
on the Fund’s ability to make distributions on its Common Shares could in certain circumstances impair the ability of the Fund
to maintain its qualification for taxation as a regulated investment company for federal income tax purposes. The Fund intends, however,
to the extent possible to purchase or redeem preferred shares or notes or reduce borrowings from time to time to maintain compliance
with such asset coverage requirements and may pay special distributions to the holders of the preferred shares in certain circumstances
in connection with any such impairment of the Fund’s status as a regulated investment company. See “Distributions.”
Depending on the timing of any such redemption or repayment, the Fund may be required to pay a premium in addition to the liquidation
preference of the preferred shares to the holders thereof.
The trading or “ticker” symbol of
the Common Shares on the NYSE is “AWP.”
OPEN MARKET REPURCHASE PROGRAM
The Fund’s Board approved an open market
repurchase and discount management policy (the “Program”). The Program allows the Fund to purchase, in the open market, its
outstanding Common Shares, with the amount and timing of any repurchase determined at the discretion of the Fund’s investment adviser.
Such purchases may be made opportunistically at certain discounts to NAV per share in the reasonable judgment of management based on
historical discount levels and current market conditions. If shares are repurchased, the Fund reports repurchase activity on its
website on a monthly basis.
On a quarterly basis, the Fund’s Board
will receive information on any transactions made pursuant to this policy during the prior quarter and if shares are repurchased management
will post the number of shares repurchased on the Fund’s website on a monthly basis. Under the terms of the Program,
the Fund is permitted to repurchase up to 10% of its outstanding shares of common stock in the open market during any 12 month period.
Pursuant to the 1940 Act, the Fund may repurchase
its Common Shares on a securities exchange (provided that the Fund has informed its shareholders within the preceding six months of its
intention to repurchase such Common Shares) or as otherwise permitted in accordance with Rule 23c-1 under the 1940 Act. Under Rule 23c-1,
certain conditions must be met for such alternative purchases regarding, among other things, distribution of net income for the preceding
fiscal year, asset coverage with respect to the Fund’s senior debt and equity securities, identity of the sellers, price paid,
brokerage commissions, prior notice to shareholders of an intention to purchase shares and purchasing in a manner and on a basis which
does not discriminate unfairly against the other shareholders through their interest in the Fund. In addition, Rule 23c-1 requires the
Fund to file notices of such purchase with the SEC. Additionally, pursuant to Rule 23c-1(a)(10) under the 1940 Act, the Fund may also
repurchase its outstanding Common Shares outside of the open market repurchase program.
PREFERRED SHARES
The Fund does not currently have any preferred
stock outstanding.
The Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of
Trust provides that the Board may classify or reclassify any unissued shares of Common Shares into one or more additional or other classes
or series, with rights as determined by the Board, by action by the Board without the approval of the holders of Common Shares. Holders
of Common Shares have no preemptive right to purchase any preferred shares that might be issued. The terms of any preferred shares, including
its dividend rate, liquidation preference and redemption provisions, will be determined by the Board, subject to applicable law and the
Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust. Thus, the Board could authorize the issuance of preferred shares with terms and conditions
which could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price
for holders of the Fund’s Common Shares or otherwise be in their best interest.
If the Fund issues series of preferred shares,
it will pay dividends to the holders of the preferred shares at a fixed rate, which may be reset after an initial period, as described
in the prospectus supplement accompanying a preferred shares offering.
Upon a liquidation, holders of preferred shares
will be entitled to receive out of the assets of the Fund available for distribution to shareholders (after payment of claims of the
Fund’s creditors but before any distributions with respect to the Fund’s Common Shares or any other class of shares of the
Fund ranking junior to the preferred shares as to liquidation payments) an amount per share equal to such share’s liquidation preference
plus any accumulated but unpaid distributions (whether or not earned or declared, excluding interest thereon) to the date of distribution,
and such shareholders shall be entitled to no further participation in any distribution or payment in connection with such liquidation.
The preferred shares carry one vote per share on all matters on which such shares are entitled to vote. The preferred shares will, upon
issuance, be fully paid and non-assessable and will have no preemptive, exchange or conversion rights. The Fund will not issue
any class of shares senior to the preferred shares.
Asset Maintenance Requirements
The Fund must satisfy asset maintenance requirements
under the 1940 Act with respect to its preferred shares. Under the 1940 Act, such debt or preferred shares may be issued only if immediately
after such issuance the value of the Fund’s total assets (less ordinary course liabilities) is at least 300% of the amount of any
debt outstanding and at least 200% of the amount of any preferred shares and debt outstanding.
The Fund will be required under the statement
of preferences of the preferred shares to determine whether it has, as of the last business day of each March, June, September and
December of each year, an “asset coverage” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of at least 200% (or such higher or lower percentage
as may be required at the time under the 1940 Act) with respect to all outstanding senior securities of the Fund that are debt or shares,
including any outstanding preferred shares. If the Fund fails to maintain the asset coverage required under the 1940 Act on such dates
and such failure is not cured within 60 calendar days, the Fund may, and in certain circumstances will be required to, mandatorily redeem
the number of preferred shares sufficient to satisfy such asset coverage.
Restrictions on Dividends and Other Distributions
for the Preferred Shares
So long as any preferred shares are outstanding,
the Fund may not pay any dividend or distribution (other than a dividend or distribution paid in Common Shares or in options, warrants
or rights to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares) in respect of the Common Shares or call for redemption, redeem, purchase or otherwise
acquire for consideration any Common Shares (except by conversion into or exchange for shares of the Fund ranking junior to the preferred
shares as to the payment of dividends or distributions and the distribution of assets upon liquidation), unless:
|
● |
|
the Fund has declared and paid (or provided to the relevant dividend paying
agent) all cumulative distributions on the Fund’s outstanding preferred shares due on or prior to the date of such Common Shares
dividend or distribution; |
|
● |
|
the Fund has redeemed the full number of preferred shares to be redeemed pursuant
to any mandatory redemption provision in the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws; and |
|
● |
|
after making the distribution, the Fund meets applicable asset coverage requirements
described “Asset Maintenance Requirements.” |
No full distribution will be declared or made
on any series of preferred shares for any dividend period, or part thereof, unless full cumulative distributions due through the most
recent dividend payment dates therefor for all outstanding series of preferred shares of the Fund ranking on a parity with such series
as to distributions have been or contemporaneously are declared and made. If full cumulative distributions due have not been made on
all outstanding preferred shares of the Fund ranking on a parity with such series of preferred shares as to the payment of distributions,
any distributions being paid on the preferred shares will be paid as nearly pro rata as possible in proportion to the respective amounts
of distributions accumulated but unmade on each such series of preferred shares on the relevant dividend payment date. The Fund’s
obligation to make distributions on the preferred shares will be subordinate to its obligations to pay interest and principal, when due,
on any senior securities representing debt.
Liquidation Preference
In the event of any voluntary or involuntary
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Fund, the holders of preferred shares then outstanding will be entitled to receive a preferential
liquidating distribution, which is expected to equal the original purchase price per preferred share plus accumulated and unpaid dividends,
whether or not declared, before any distribution of assets is made to holders of Common Shares. After payment of the full amount of the
liquidating distribution to which they are entitled, the holders of preferred shares will not be entitled to any further participation
in any distribution of assets by the Fund.
Voting Rights
Except as otherwise stated in this prospectus,
specified in the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws or resolved by the Board or as otherwise required
by applicable law, holders of preferred shares shall be entitled to one vote per share held on each matter submitted to a vote of the
shareholders of the Fund and will vote together with holders of Common Shares and of any other preferred shares then outstanding as a
single class. In connection with the election of the Fund’s Trustees, holders of the outstanding preferred shares, voting together
as a single class, will be entitled at all times to elect two of the Fund’s Trustees, and the remaining Trustees will be elected
by holders of Common Shares and holders of preferred shares, voting together as a single class. In addition, if (i) at any time
dividends and distributions on outstanding preferred shares are unpaid in an amount equal to at least two full years’ dividends
and distributions thereon and sufficient cash or specified securities have not been deposited with the applicable paying agent for the
payment of such accumulated dividends and distributions or (ii) at any time holders of any other series of preferred shares are
entitled to elect a majority of the Trustees of the Fund under the 1940 Act or the applicable statement of preferences creating such
shares, then the number of Trustees constituting the Board will be adjusted such that, when added to the two Trustees elected exclusively
by the holders of preferred shares as described above, would then constitute a simple majority of the Board as so adjusted. Such additional
Trustees will be elected by the holders of the outstanding preferred shares, voting together as a single class, at a special meeting
of shareholders which will be called as soon as practicable and will be held not less than ten nor more than thirty days after the mailing
date of the meeting notice. If the Fund fails to send such meeting notice or to call such a special meeting, the meeting may be called
by any preferred shareholder on like notice. The terms of office of the persons who are Trustees at the time of that election will continue.
If the Fund thereafter pays, or declares and sets apart for payment in full, all dividends and distributions payable on all outstanding
preferred shares for all past dividend periods or the holders of other series of preferred shares are no longer entitled to elect such
additional Trustees, the additional voting rights of the holders of the preferred shares as described above will cease, and the terms
of office of all of the additional Trustees elected by the holders of the preferred shares (but not of the Trustees with respect to whose
election the holders of Common Shares were entitled to vote or the two Trustees the holders of preferred shares have the right to elect
as a separate class in any event) will terminate at the earliest time permitted by law.
So long as any preferred shares are outstanding,
the Fund will not, without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the preferred shares outstanding
at the time, and present and voting on such matter, voting separately as one class, amend, alter or repeal the provisions of the applicable
statement of preferences, so as to in the aggregate adversely affect any of the rights and preferences set forth in any statement of
preferences with respect to such preferred shares. Also, to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, in the event shares of more than
one series of preferred shares are outstanding, the Fund will not approve any of the actions set forth in the preceding sentence which
in the aggregate adversely affect the rights and preferences expressly set forth in the applicable statement of preferences with respect
to such shares of a series of preferred shares differently than those of a holder of shares of any other series of preferred shares without
the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the preferred shares of each series adversely affected and outstanding
at such time (each such adversely affected series voting separately as a class to the extent its rights are affected differently). Unless
a higher percentage is required under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws or applicable provisions of the Delaware
Statutory Trust Act or the 1940 Act, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding preferred
shares, voting together as a single class, will be required to approve any plan of reorganization adversely affecting the preferred shares
or any action requiring a vote of security holders under Section 13(a) of the 1940 Act, including, among other things, changes
in the Fund’s sub-classification as a closed-end investment company to an open-end company or
changes in its fundamental investment restrictions. As a result of these voting rights, the Fund’s ability to take any such actions
may be impeded to the extent that there are any preferred shares outstanding. The Board presently intends that, except as otherwise indicated
in this prospectus and except as otherwise required by applicable law, holders of preferred shares will have equal voting rights with
holders of Common Shares (one vote per share, unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act) and will vote together with holders of Common
Shares as a single class. The phrase “vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding preferred shares” (or any like
phrase) means, in accordance with Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act, the vote, at the annual or a special meeting of the shareholders
of the Fund duly called (i) of 67% or more of the preferred shares present at such meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the
outstanding preferred shares are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding preferred shares, whichever
is less. The class vote of holders of preferred shares described above in each case will be in addition to a separate vote of the requisite
percentage of Common Shares, and any other preferred shares, voting together as a single class, that may be necessary to authorize the
action in question. An increase in the number of authorized preferred shares pursuant to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws or
the issuance of additional shares of any series of preferred shares pursuant to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws shall
not in and of itself be considered to adversely affect the rights and preferences of the preferred shares.
The foregoing voting provisions will not apply
to any preferred shares if, at or prior to the time when the act with respect to which such vote otherwise would be required will be
effected, such shares will have been redeemed or called for redemption and sufficient cash or cash equivalents provided to the applicable
paying agent to effect such redemption. The holders of preferred shares will have no preemptive rights or rights to cumulative voting.
Limitation on Issuance of Preferred Shares
So long as the Fund has preferred shares outstanding,
and subject to compliance with the Fund’s investment objective, policies and restrictions, the Fund may issue and sell shares of
additional preferred shares provided that the Fund will, immediately after giving effect to the issuance of such additional preferred
shares and to its receipt and application of the proceeds thereof (including, without limitation, to the redemption of preferred shares
to be redeemed out of such proceeds), have an “asset coverage” for all senior securities of the Fund which are shares, as
defined in the 1940 Act, of at least 200% of the sum of the liquidation preference of the preferred shares of the Fund then outstanding
and all indebtedness of the Fund constituting senior securities and no such additional preferred shares will have any preference or priority
over any other preferred shares of the Fund upon the distribution of the assets of the Fund or in respect of the payment of dividends
or distributions.
The Fund will consider from time to time whether
to offer additional preferred shares or securities representing indebtedness and may issue such additional securities if the Board concludes
that such an offering would be consistent with the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws and applicable
law, and in the best interest of existing common shareholders.
Notes
The Fund does not currently have any notes outstanding.
The Agreement and Declaration of Trust authorizes
the issuance of debt securities or notes, with rights as determined by the Board, by action of the Board without the approval of the
Common Shareholders. To the extent the Trustees authorize the issuance of any notes, the Trustees are also permitted to amend or
supplement the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as they deem appropriate. Any such amendment or supplement may set forth the rights,
preferences, powers and privileges of such notes.
Under the 1940 Act, the Fund may only issue one
class of senior securities representing indebtedness, which in the aggregate must have asset coverage immediately after the time of issuance
of at least 300%. So long as notes are outstanding, additional debt securities must rank on a parity with notes with
respect to the payment of interest and upon the distribution of the Fund’s assets.
A Prospectus Supplement relating to any notes will
include specific terms relating to the offering. The terms to be stated in a Prospectus Supplement will include the following:
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the form and title of the security; |
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the aggregate principal amount of the securities; |
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the interest rate of the securities; |
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whether the interest rate for the securities will be determined by auction or remarketing; |
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the maturity dates on which the principal of the securities will be payable; |
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the frequency with which auctions or remarketings, if any, will be held; |
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any changes to or additional events of default or covenants; |
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any minimum period prior to which the securities may not be called; |
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any optional or mandatory call or redemption provisions; |
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the credit rating of the notes; |
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if applicable, a discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations
applicable to the issuance of the notes; and |
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any other terms of the securities. |
The Prospectus Supplement will describe the interest
payment provisions relating to notes. Interest on notes will be payable when due as described in the related Prospectus
Supplement. If the Fund does not pay interest when due, it will trigger an event of default and the Fund will be restricted from declaring
dividends and making other distributions with respect to its Common Shares and preferred shares.
Under the requirements of the 1940 Act, immediately
after issuing any notes the value of the Fund’s total assets, less certain ordinary course liabilities, must equal or
exceed 300% of the amount of the notes outstanding. Other types of borrowings also may result in the Fund being subject to
similar covenants in credit agreements.
Additionally, the 1940 Act requires that the
Fund prohibit the declaration of any dividend or distribution (other than a dividend or distribution paid in the Fund’s common
or preferred shares or in options, warrants or rights to subscribe for or purchase the Fund’s common or preferred
shares) in respect of the Fund’s common or preferred shares, or call for redemption, redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire
for consideration any such fund common or preferred shares, unless the Fund’s notes have asset coverage of at least
300% (200% in the case of a dividend or distribution on preferred shares) after deducting the amount of such dividend, distribution,
or acquisition price, as the case may be. These 1940 Act requirements do not apply to any promissory note or other evidence of indebtedness
issued in consideration of any loan, extension, or renewal thereof, made by a bank or other person and privately arranged, and not intended
to be publicly distributed; however, any such borrowings may result in the Fund being subject to similar covenants in credit agreements.
Moreover, the Indenture related to the notes could contain provisions more restrictive than those required by the 1940 Act,
and any such provisions would be described in the related Prospectus Supplement.
Upon the occurrence and continuance of an event
of default, the holders of a majority in principal amount of a series of outstanding notes or the trustee will be able to declare
the principal amount of that series of notes immediately due and payable upon written notice to the Fund. A default that relates
only to one series of notes does not affect any other series and the holders of such other series of notes will not
be entitled to receive notice of such a default under the Indenture. Upon an event of default relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or other
similar laws, acceleration of maturity will occur automatically with respect to all series. At any time after a declaration of acceleration
with respect to a series of notes has been made, and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained,
the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding notes of that series, by written notice to the Fund and the
trustee, may rescind and annul the declaration of acceleration and its consequences if all events of default with respect to that series
of notes, other than the non-payment of the principal of that series of notes which has become due solely by
such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived and other conditions have been met.
In the event of (a) any insolvency or bankruptcy
case or proceeding, or any receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar case or proceeding in connection therewith, relative
to the Fund or to the Fund’s creditors, as such, or to the Fund’s assets, or (b) any liquidation, dissolution or other
winding up of the Fund, whether voluntary or involuntary and whether or not involving insolvency or bankruptcy, or (c) any assignment
for the benefit of creditors or any other marshalling of assets and liabilities of the Fund, then (after any payments with respect to
any secured creditor of the Fund outstanding at such time) and in any such event the holders of notes shall be entitled to
receive payment in full of all amounts due or to become due on or in respect of all notes (including any interest accruing
thereon after the commencement of any such case or proceeding), or provision shall be made for such payment in cash or cash equivalents
or otherwise in a manner satisfactory to the holders of the notes, before the holders of any of the Fund’s common or preferred
shares are entitled to receive any payment on account of any redemption proceeds, liquidation preference or dividends from such
shares. The holders of notes shall be entitled to receive, for application to the payment thereof, any payment or distribution
of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, including any such payment or distribution which may be payable or
deliverable by reason of the payment of any other indebtedness of the Fund being subordinated to the payment of the notes, which
may be payable or deliverable in respect of the notes in any such case, proceeding, dissolution, liquidation or other winding
up event.
Unsecured creditors may include, without limitation,
service providers including the Advisers, Custodian, administrator, auction agent, broker-dealers and the trustee, pursuant to the terms
of various contracts with the Fund. Secured creditors may include without limitation parties entering into any interest rate swap, floor
or cap transactions, or other similar transactions with the Fund that create liens, pledges, charges, security interests, security agreements
or other encumbrances on the Fund’s assets.
A consolidation, reorganization or merger of
the Fund with or into any other company, or a sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the Fund’s assets in consideration
for the issuance of equity securities of another company shall not be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Fund.
The notes have no voting rights, except
as mentioned below and to the extent required by law or as otherwise provided in the Indenture relating to the acceleration of maturity
upon the occurrence and continuance of an event of default. In connection with the notes or certain other borrowings (if any),
the 1940 Act does in certain circumstances grant to the note holders or lenders certain voting rights. The 1940 Act requires that provision
is made either (i) that, if on the last business day of each of twelve consecutive calendar months such notes shall have
an asset coverage of less than 100%, the holders of such notes voting as a class shall be entitled to elect at least a majority
of the members of the Fund’s Trustees, such voting right to continue until such notes shall have an asset coverage of
110% or more on the last business day of each of three consecutive calendar months, or (ii) that, if on the last business day of
each of twenty-four consecutive calendar months such notes shall have an asset coverage of less than 100%, an event of default
shall be deemed to have occurred. It is expected that, unless otherwise stated in the related Prospectus Supplement, provision will be
made that, if on the last business day of each of twenty-four consecutive calendar months such notes shall have an asset coverage
of less than 100%, an event of default shall be deemed to have occurred. These 1940 Act requirements do not apply to any promissory note
or other evidence of indebtedness issued in consideration of any loan, extension, or renewal thereof, made by a bank or other person
and privately arranged, and not intended to be publicly distributed; however, any such borrowings may result in the Fund being subject
to similar covenants in credit agreements. As reflected above, the Indenture relating to the notes may also grant to the note
holders voting rights relating to the acceleration of maturity upon the occurrence and continuance of an event of default, and any such
rights would be described in the related Prospectus Supplement.
DESCRIPTION OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS
The Fund may issue subscription rights to holders
of Common Shares to purchase Common Shares. Subscription rights may be issued independently or together with any other offered security
and may or may not be transferable by the person purchasing or receiving the subscription rights. In connection with a subscription rights
offering to holders of Common Shares, the Fund would distribute certificates evidencing the subscription rights and a Prospectus Supplement
to the Fund’s common shareholders as of the record date that the Fund sets for determining the shareholders eligible to receive
subscription rights in such subscription rights offering. For complete terms of the subscription rights, please refer to the actual terms
of such subscription rights which will be set forth in the subscription rights agreement relating to such subscription rights and described
in the Prospectus Supplement.
The applicable Prospectus Supplement, which would
accompany this Prospectus, would describe the following terms of subscription rights in respect of which this Prospectus is being delivered:
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the period of time the offering would remain open (which will be open a minimum number of days such
that all record holders would be eligible to participate in the offering and will not be open longer than 120 days); |
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the title of such subscription rights; |
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the exercise price for such subscription rights (or method of calculation thereof); |
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the number of such subscription rights issued in respect of each share; |
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the number of rights required to purchase a single share; |
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the extent to which such subscription rights are transferable and the market on which they may be
traded if they are transferable; |
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if applicable, a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the issuance
or exercise of such subscription rights; |
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the date on which the right to exercise such subscription rights will commence, and the date on which
such right will expire (subject to any extension); |
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the extent to which such subscription rights include an over-subscription privilege with respect
to unsubscribed securities and the terms of such over-subscription privilege; |
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any termination right the Fund may have in connection with such subscription rights offering; |
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the expected trading market, if any, for rights; and |
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any other terms of such subscription rights, including exercise, settlement and other procedures
and limitations relating to the transfer and exercise of such subscription rights. |
Exercise of Subscription Right
Each subscription right would entitle the holder
of the subscription right to purchase for cash such number of shares at such exercise price as in each case is set forth in, or be determinable
as set forth in the Prospectus Supplement relating to the subscription rights offered thereby. Subscription rights would be exercisable
at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date for such subscription rights set forth in the Prospectus Supplement. After
the close of business on the expiration date, all unexercised subscription rights would become void.
Upon expiration of the rights offering and the
receipt of payment and the subscription rights certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the
subscription rights agent or any other office indicated in the Prospectus Supplement, the Fund would issue, as soon as practicable, the
shares purchased as a result of such exercise. To the extent permissible under applicable law, the Fund may determine to offer any unsubscribed
offered securities directly to persons other than shareholders, to or through agents, underwriters or dealers or through a combination
of such methods, as set forth in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
Transferable Rights Offering
Subscription rights issued by the Fund may be
transferrable. The distribution to shareholders of transferable rights, which may themselves have intrinsic value, also will afford non-participating
shareholders the potential of receiving cash payment upon the sale of the rights, receipt of which may be viewed as partial compensation
for any dilution of their interests that may occur as a result of the rights offering. In a transferrable rights offering, management
of the Fund will use its best efforts to ensure an adequate trading market in the rights for use by shareholders who do not exercise
such rights. However, there can be no assurance that a market for transferable rights will develop or, if such a market does develop,
what the price of the transferable rights will be. In a transferrable rights offering to purchase Common Shares at a price below NAV,
the subscription ratio will not be less than 1-for-3, that is the holders of Common Shares of record on the record date of the rights
offering will receive one right for each outstanding Common Share owned on the record date and the rights will entitle their holders
to purchase one new Common Share for every three rights held (provided that any Common Shareholder who owns fewer than three Common Shares
as of the record date may subscribe for one full Common Share). Assuming the exercise of all rights, such a rights offering would result
in an approximately 33 1⁄3% increase in the Fund’s Common Shares outstanding.
Additional Information on the Transferability
of Rights. The staff of the SEC has interpreted the 1940 Act as not requiring shareholder approval of a transferable rights
offering to purchase Common Shares at a price below the then current NAV so long as certain conditions are met, including: (i) a
good faith determination by a fund’s board that such offering would result in a net benefit to existing shareholders; (ii) the
offering fully protects shareholders’ preemptive rights and does not discriminate among shareholders (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 shareholders 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.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS, REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS AND DERIVATIVES
The Fund may engage in repurchase agreements
with broker-dealers, banks and other financial institutions to earn incremental income on temporarily available cash which would otherwise
be uninvested. A repurchase agreement is a short-term investment in which the purchaser (i.e., the Fund) acquires ownership of a security
and the seller agrees to repurchase the obligation at a future time and set price, thereby determining the yield during the holding period.
Repurchase agreements involve certain risks in the event of default by the other party. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements
with broker-dealers, banks and other financial institutions deemed to be creditworthy.
Repurchase agreements are required to be fully
collateralized by the underlying securities and are considered to be loans under the 1940 Act. The Fund pays for such securities only
upon physical delivery or evidence of book entry transfer to the account of a custodian or bank acting as agent. The seller under a repurchase
agreement will be required to maintain the value of the underlying collateral securities marked-to-market daily at not less than the
repurchase price. The underlying securities (normally securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities) may have
maturity dates exceeding one (1) year.
The Fund may borrow through entering into reverse
repurchase agreements under which the Fund sells portfolio investments to financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers and
generally agrees to repurchase them at a mutually agreed future date and price. Generally, the effect of a reverse repurchase agreement
is that, during the term of the agreement, the Fund can obtain and reinvest all or most of the cash value of the portfolio investment
it sold under the agreement and still be entitled to the returns associated with such portfolio investment—thereby resulting in
a transaction similar to a borrowing and giving rise to leverage for the Fund. The Fund may utilize reverse repurchase agreements when
it is anticipated that the interest income to be earned from the investment of the proceeds of the transaction is greater than the interest
expense of the transaction.
In the event the buyer of securities under a
reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the agreement may be
restricted pending a determination by the other party, or its trustee or receiver, whether to enforce the Fund’s obligation to
repurchase the securities.
The Fund also expects to enter into other transactions
that may give rise to a form of leverage including, among others, swaps, futures and forward contracts, options and other derivative
transactions. However, these transactions may represent a form of economic leverage and will create risks. Further, the Fund may incur
losses on such transactions (including the entire amount of the Fund’s investment in such transaction) even if they are covered.
Investing in derivatives
can involve leverage risk, liquidity risk, counterparty risk, market risk and operational/legal risk. The Fund may utilize options, forward
contracts, futures contracts and options on futures contracts. These instruments involve risks, including the imperfect correlation between
the value of such instruments and the underlying assets, the possible default by the counterparty to the transaction (i.e., counterparty
risk), illiquidity of the derivative instrument and, to the extent the prediction as to certain market movements is incorrect, the risk
that the use of such instruments could result in losses greater than if they had not been used. In addition, transactions in such instruments
may involve commissions and other costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses and reduce its return. Amounts paid as premiums
and cash or other assets held in margin accounts with respect to such instruments are not otherwise available to the Fund for investment
purposes.
Further, the use of
such instruments by the Fund could create the possibility that losses on the instrument would be greater than gains in the value of the
Fund’s position. In addition, futures and options markets could be illiquid in some circumstances, and certain over-the-counter
options could have no markets. As a result, in certain markets, the Fund might not be able to close out a position without incurring
substantial losses. Such transactions should tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged position and,
at the same time, limit any potential gain to the Fund that might result from an increase in value of the position. In addition, the
daily variation margin requirements for futures contracts create a greater ongoing potential financial risk than would purchases of call
options, in which case the market exposure is limited to the cost of the initial premium and transaction costs. Losses resulting from
the use of hedging will reduce the NAV of the Fund’s securities, and possibly income, and the losses can be greater than if hedging
had not been used. Forward contracts may limit gains on portfolio securities that could otherwise be realized had they not been utilized
and could result in losses. The contracts may also increase the Fund’s volatility and may involve a significant amount of risk
relative to the investment of cash. The use of put and call options may result in losses to the Fund, force the sale of portfolio securities
at inopportune times or for prices other than at current market values, limit the amount of appreciation the Fund can realize on its
investments or cause the Fund to hold a security it might otherwise sell. The Fund will be subject to credit risk with respect to the
counterparties to any transactions in options, forward contracts, futures contracts or options on futures contracts. If a counterparty
becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under a derivative contract due to financial difficulties, the Fund may
experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery under the derivative contract in bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding.
The Fund may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances.
When conducted outside
the United States, transactions in options, forward contracts, futures contracts or options on futures contracts may not be regulated
as rigorously as 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 prices of, foreign securities, currencies and other instruments. The value of such positions also
could be adversely affected by: (i) other complex foreign political, legal and economic factors; (ii) lesser availability than
in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions; (iii) delays in the Fund’s ability to act upon economic events
occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States; (iv) the imposition of different exercise and settlement
terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States; and (v) lower trading volume and liquidity.
In October 2020, the SEC adopted Rule 18f-4
under the 1940 Act governing a registered investment company’s use of derivatives, short sales, reverse repurchase agreements,
and certain other instruments. Under Rule 18f-4, a fund’s derivatives exposure is limited through a value-at-risk test and
requires the adoption and implementation of a derivatives risk management program for certain derivatives users. However, subject to
certain conditions, funds that do not invest heavily in derivatives may be deemed limited derivatives users and would not be subject
to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. Under the rule, when a fund trades reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions,
including certain tender option bonds, it needs to aggregate the amount of indebtedness associated with the reverse repurchase agreements
or similar financing transactions with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating
the fund’s asset coverage ratio or treat all such transactions as derivatives transactions. In addition, under the rule, the fund
is permitted to invest in a security on a when-issued or forward-settling basis, or with a non-standard settlement cycle, and the transaction
will be deemed not to involve a senior security (as defined under Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act), provided that, (i) the
fund intends to physically settle the transaction and (ii) the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date (the “Delayed-Settlement
Securities Provision”). A fund may otherwise engage in when-issued, forward-settling and non-standard settlement cycle securities
transactions that do not meet the conditions of the Delayed-Settlement Securities Provision so long as a fund treats any such transaction
as a “derivatives transaction” for purposes of compliance with the rule. Furthermore, under the rule, a fund is permitted
to enter into an unfunded commitment agreement, and such unfunded commitment agreement will not be subject to the asset coverage requirements
under the 1940 Act, if a fund reasonably believes, at the time it enters into such agreement, that it will have sufficient cash and cash
equivalents to meet its obligations with respect to all such agreements as they come due. These requirements may limit the ability of
a fund to use derivatives, and reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions as part of its investment strategies.
These requirements may increase the cost of a fund’s investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.
The Fund’s implementation of Rule 18-4 is limited by its fundamental investment restrictions.
CREDIT FACILITY AND NOTES
The Fund utilizes leverage through borrowings
and may enter into definitive agreements with respect to a credit facility or other borrowing program. The Fund may negotiate with commercial
banks to arrange a credit facility pursuant to which the Fund would expect to be entitled to borrow an amount equal to approximately
one-third (1/3) of the Fund’s total assets (inclusive of the amount borrowed). Any such borrowings would constitute financial leverage.
Such a credit facility is not expected to be convertible into any other securities of the Fund, outstanding amounts are expected to be
pre-payable by the Fund prior to final maturity without significant penalty and there are not expected to be any sinking fund or mandatory
retirement provisions. Outstanding amounts would be payable at maturity or such earlier times as required by the agreement. The Fund
may be required to prepay outstanding amounts under the credit facility or incur a penalty rate of interest upon the occurrence of certain
events of default. The Fund would be expected to indemnify the lenders under the credit facility against liabilities they may incur in
connection with the credit facility. The Fund is currently a party to the Credit Facility. Although the Fund currently intends to renew
the Credit Facility, prior to its expiration date there can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to do so or do so on terms similar
to the current Credit Facility, which may adversely affect the ability of the Fund to pursue its investment objectives and strategies.
The Fund may also obtain leverage through the
issuance of notes representing indebtedness. Such notes are not expected to be convertible into any other securities of the Fund. Outstanding
amounts would be payable at maturity or such earlier times as required by the terms of the notes. The Fund may be required to prepay
outstanding amounts under the notes or incur a penalty rate of interest upon the occurrence of certain events of default.
The Fund may use leverage to the maximum extent
permitted by the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund is not permitted to incur indebtedness, including through the issuance of notes
or other debt securities, unless immediately thereafter the total asset value of the Fund’s portfolio is at least 300% of the aggregate
amount of the outstanding indebtedness (i.e., such aggregate amount may not exceed 33 1/3 % of the Fund’s total
assets). In addition, the Fund is not permitted to declare any cash distribution on its Common Shares unless, at the time of such declaration,
the NAV of the Fund’s portfolio (determined after deducting the amount of such distribution) is at least 300% of such aggregate
amount. If the Fund issues notes, borrows money or enters into a credit facility, the Fund intends, to the extent possible, to retire
outstanding debt, from time to time, to maintain coverage of any outstanding indebtedness of at least 300%.
The Fund may seek the highest credit rating possible
from one or more NRSROs on any notes that the Fund issues. In such a case, the Fund intends that, as long as notes are outstanding, the
composition of its portfolio will reflect guidelines established by such NRSRO. Although, as of the date hereof, no NRSRO has established
guidelines relating to the Fund’s notes, based on previous guidelines established by NRSROs for the securities of other issuers,
the Fund anticipates that the guidelines with respect to the notes will establish a set of tests for portfolio composition and asset
coverage that supplement (and in some cases are more restrictive than) the applicable requirements under the 1940 Act. Although, at this
time, no assurance can be given as to the nature or extent of the guidelines which may be imposed in connection with obtaining a rating
of the notes, the Fund currently anticipates that such guidelines will include asset coverage requirements which are more restrictive
than those under the 1940 Act, restrictions on certain portfolio investments and investment practices, requirements that the Fund maintain
a portion of its assets in short-term, high-quality investments and certain mandatory redemption requirements relating to the notes.
No assurance can be given that the guidelines actually imposed with respect to the notes by a NRSRO will be more or less restrictive
than as described in this prospectus.
In addition, the Fund expects that any notes
or a credit facility would contain covenants that, among other things, will likely impose geographic exposure limitations, credit quality
minimums, liquidity minimums, concentration limitations and currency hedging requirements on the Fund. These covenants would also likely
limit the Fund’s ability to pay distributions in certain circumstances, incur additional debt, change its fundamental investment
policies, engage in certain transactions, including mergers and consolidations, and may require asset coverage ratios in addition to
those required by the 1940 Act. The Fund would only agree to a limit on its ability to change its fundamental investment policies if
doing so was consistent with the 1940 Act and applicable state law. The Fund may be required to pledge (or otherwise grant a security
interest in) some or all of its assets and to maintain a portion of its assets in cash or high-grade securities as a reserve against
interest or principal payments and expenses. The Fund expects that any notes or credit facility would have customary covenant, negative
covenant and default provisions. There can be no assurance that the Fund will enter into an agreement for a credit facility, or issue
notes, on terms and conditions representative of the foregoing, or that additional material terms will not apply. In addition, if entered
into or issued, any such notes or credit facility may in the future be replaced or refinanced by one or more credit facilities having
substantially different terms or by the issuance of preferred shares and/or notes or debt securities. The Fund is currently a party to
the Credit Facility. See “Investment Objectives and Principal Investment Strategy — Use of Leverage and Related Risks”
for more information.
ANTI-TAKEOVER AND CERTAIN OTHER PROVISIONS IN THE AGREEMENT AND
DECLARATION OF TRUST
Anti-Takeover Provisions
The Agreement and Declaration of Trust includes
provisions that could have the effect of limiting the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or to change
the composition of the Board. These provisions may have the effect of discouraging attempts to acquire control of the Fund. The Board
is divided into three classes, with the term of one class expiring at each annual meeting of the Fund’s shareholders. At each annual
meeting, one class of Trustees is elected to a three-year term. This provision could delay the replacement of a majority of the Board.
A Trustee may be removed from office without cause only by a written instrument signed or adopted by two-thirds of the remaining Trustees
or by a vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the class of shares of the Fund that are entitled to elect a Trustee and that are
entitled to vote on the matter.
The Agreement and Declaration of Trust provides
that the Fund may not merge with another entity, or sell, lease or exchange all or substantially all of its assets without the approval
of at least two-thirds of the Trustees and 75% of the affected shareholders.
In addition, the Agreement and Declaration of
Trust requires the favorable vote of the holders of at least 80% of the outstanding shares of each class of the Fund, voting as a class,
then entitled to vote to approve, adopt or authorize certain transactions with 5%-or-greater holders of the Fund’s outstanding
shares and their affiliates or associates, unless two-thirds of the Board have approved by resolution a memorandum of understanding with
such holders, in which case normal voting requirements would be in effect. For purposes of these provisions, a 5%-or-greater holder of
outstanding shares (a “Principal Shareholder”) refers to any person who, whether directly or indirectly and whether alone
or together with its affiliates and associates, beneficially owns 5% or more of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the
Fund. The transactions subject to these special approval requirements are: (i) the merger or consolidation of the Fund or any subsidiary
of the Fund with or into any Principal Shareholder; (ii) the issuance of any securities of the Fund to any Principal Shareholder
for cash (other than pursuant to any automatic dividend reinvestment plan or pursuant to any offering in which such Principal Shareholder
acquires securities that represent no greater a percentage of any class or series of securities being offered than the percentage of
any class of shares beneficially owned by such Principal Shareholder immediately prior to such offering or, in the case of securities,
offered in respect of another class or series, the percentage of such other class or series beneficially owned by such Principal Shareholder
immediately prior to such offering); (iii) the sale, lease or exchange of all or any substantial part of the assets of the Fund
to any Principal Shareholder (except assets having an aggregate fair market value of less than $1,000,000, aggregating for the purpose
of such computation all assets sold, leased or exchanged in any series of similar transactions within a twelve-month period); (iv) the
sale, lease or exchange to the Fund or any subsidiary thereof, in exchange for securities of the Fund, of any assets of any Principal
Shareholder (except assets having an aggregate fair market value of less than $1,000,000, aggregating for the purposes of such computation
all assets sold, leased or exchanged in any series of similar transactions within a twelve-month period); or (v) the purchase by
the Fund, or any entity controlled by the Fund, of any Common Shares from any Principal Shareholder or any person to whom any Principal
Shareholder transferred Common Shares.
Reference should be made to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust on file with the SEC for the full text of these provisions.
The Agreement and Declaration of Trust provides
that the Fund shall indemnify the Trustees and officers of the Fund (each such person being an “indemnitee”) against any
liabilities and expenses, including amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines and penalties, and reasonable
counsel fees reasonably incurred by such indemnitee in connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding,
whether civil or criminal, before any court or administrative or investigative body in which he may be or may have been involved as a
party or otherwise (other than, except as authorized by the Trustees, as the plaintiff or complainant) or with which he may be or may
have been threatened, while acting in any capacity set forth in Section 4.2 of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust by reason
of his having acted in any such capacity, except with respect to any matter as to which he shall not have acted in good faith in the
reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the Trust or, in the ease of any criminal proceeding, as to which he shall
have had reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful, provided, however, that no indemnitee shall be indemnified against
any liability to any person or any expense of such indemnitee arising by reason of (i) willful misfeasance, (ii) bad faith,
(iii) gross negligence (negligence in the ease of affiliated indemnitees), or (iv) reckless disregard of the duties involved
in the conduct of his position (the conduct referred to in such clauses (i) through (iv) being sometimes referred to herein
as “disabling conduct”). The Fund shall make advance payments in connection with the expenses of defending any action with
respect to which indemnification might be sought if the Fund receives a written affirmation by the indemnitee of the indemnitee’s
good faith belief that the standards of conduct necessary for indemnification have been met and a written undertaking to reimburse the
Fund unless it is subsequently determined that he is entitled to such indemnification and if a majority of the Trustees determine that
the applicable standards of conduct necessary for indemnification appear to have been met. In addition, at least one of the following
conditions must be met: (1) the indemnitee shall provide adequate security for his undertaking, (2) the Fund shall be insured
against losses arising by reason of any lawful advances, or (3) a majority of a quorum of those Trustees who are neither interested
persons of the Fund nor parties to the proceeding, or if a majority vote of such quorum so direct, independent legal counsel in a written
opinion, shall conclude, based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that there is substantial
reason to believe that the indemnitee ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.
Control Share Statute
The Fund is subject to the control share acquisition
statute (the “Control Share Statute”) contained in Subchapter III of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act (the “DSTA”),
which became automatically applicable to listed closed-end funds, such as the Fund, and the Fund has not broadly exempted acquisition
of control shares in its governing instrument.
The Control Share Statute provides for thresholds
at which a person has the power to directly or indirectly exercise or direct the exercise of the voting power of shares in the election
of trustees, above which shares are considered control shares. Whether a voting power threshold is met is determined by aggregating the
holdings of the acquirer as well as those of any “associate,” as discussed below. These thresholds are:
| ● | 10%
or more, but less than 15% of all voting power; |
| ● | 15%
or more, but less than 20% of all voting power; |
| ● | 20%
or more, but less than 25% of all voting power; |
| ● | 25%
or more, but less than 30% of all voting power; |
| ● | 30%
or more, but less than a majority of all voting power; or |
| ● | a
majority or more of all voting power. |
Once a shareholder reaches a threshold, such
shareholder has no voting rights under the DSTA with respect to shares acquired in excess of that threshold (i.e., the “control
shares”) unless approved by a vote of the non-acquiring shareholders, or otherwise exempted by the fund’s board of trustees.
Approval by non-acquiring shareholders requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of all votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding
shares held by the acquiring shareholder and its associates as well as shares held by certain insiders of a Fund. Alternatively, the
Board is permitted, but not obligated, to exempt acquisitions specifically, generally, or generally by type of control shares, either
in advance or retroactively. As of the date hereof, the Board has not exempted any acquisition of control shares nor made any determination
with respect to the provisions of the Control Share Statute.
The Control Share Statute may protect the long-term
interests of fund shareholders by limiting the ability of certain investors to use their ownership to attempt to disrupt a fund’s
long-term strategy such as by forcing a liquidity event. The Control Share Statute may limit the ability of certain shareholders to use
their ownership to cause a change with respect to the Fund.
The foregoing is only a summary of certain aspects
of the Control Share Statute. Some uncertainty around the application under the 1940 Act of state control share statutes exists as a
result of recent federal and state court decisions that have found that certain control share acquisition provisions violate the 1940
Act.
CONVERSION TO OPEN-END FUND
The Fund may be converted to an open-end management
investment company at any time if approved by a majority of the Trustees then in office, by the holders of not less than 75% of the Trust’s
outstanding Shares entitled to vote thereon and by such vote or votes of the holders of any class or classes or series of Shares as may
be required by the 1940 Act. The composition of the Fund’s portfolio and/or its investment policies could prohibit the Fund from
complying with regulations of the SEC applicable to open-end management investment companies unless significant changes in portfolio
holdings, which might be difficult and could involve losses, and investment policies are made. Conversion of the Fund to an open-end
management investment company also would require the redemption of any outstanding preferred shares and could require the repayment of
borrowings, which would reduce the leveraged capital structure of the Fund with respect to the Common Shares. In the event of conversion,
the Common Shares would cease to be listed on the NYSE or other national securities exchange or market system. The Board believes the
closed-end structure is desirable, given the Fund’s investment objectives and policies. Common shareholders of an open-end management
investment company can require the company to redeem their shares at any time (except in certain circumstances as authorized by or under
the 1940 Act) at their NAV, less such redemption charge, if any, as might be in effect at the time of a redemption. If converted to an
open-end fund, the Fund expects to pay all redemption requests in cash, but reserves the right to pay redemption requests in a combination
of cash or securities. If such partial payment in securities were made, investors may incur brokerage costs in converting such securities
to cash. If the Fund were converted to an open-end fund, it is likely that new Common Shares would be sold at NAV plus a sales load.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
The Fund may offer up to $55,000,000 in aggregate
initial offering price of Common Shares, Preferred Shares, Notes or Rights from time to time under this Prospectus and any related Prospectus
Supplement (1) directly to one or more purchases, including existing shareholders in a Rights offering; (2) through agents;
(3) through underwriters; (4) through dealers; or (5) pursuant to the Fund’s dividend reinvestment and optional
cash purchase plan. Each Prospectus Supplement relating to an offering of securities will state the terms of the offering, including:
| ● | the
names of any agents, underwriters or dealers; |
| ● | any
sales loads or other items constituting underwriters’ compensation; |
| ● | any
discounts, commissions, or fees allowed or paid to dealers or agents; |
| ● | the
public offering or purchase price of the offered Securities and the net proceeds the Fund
will receive from the sale; and |
| ● | any
securities exchange on which the offered Securities may be listed |
Direct Sales
The Fund may sell Securities directly to, and
solicit offers from, 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. The Fund may use electronic media, including the
Internet, to sell offered securities directly. The Fund will describe the terms of any of those sales in a Prospectus Supplement.
By Agents
The Fund may offer Securities through agents
that the Fund may designate. The Fund will name any agent involved in the offer and sale and describe any commissions payable by the
Fund 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.
By Underwriters
The Fund may offer and sell 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 the Fund sells Securities to underwriters, the Fund 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 the Fund in the form of underwriting discounts and commissions. The underwriters also may receive commissions
from purchasers of Securities for whom they may act as agent. Unless otherwise stated in the Prospectus Supplement, the underwriters
will not be obligated to purchase the 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. 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. Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or
reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.
In connection with an offering of Common Shares,
if a Prospectus Supplement so indicates, the Fund may grant the underwriters an option to purchase additional Common Shares at the public
offering price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions, within 45 days from the date of the Prospectus Supplement, to cover
any overallotments.
By Dealers
The Fund may offer and sell 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. The Fund will set forth the names of the
dealers and the terms of the transaction in the Prospectus Supplement.
General Information
Agents, underwriters, or dealers participating
in an offering of Securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts and commission received by them and any profit realized
by them on resale of the offered Securities for whom they act as agent, may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under
the Securities Act.
The Fund may offer to sell 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.
To facilitate an offering of Common Shares in
an underwritten transaction and in accordance with industry practice, the underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain,
or otherwise affect the market price of the Common Shares or any other Security. Those transactions may include overallotment, entering
stabilizing bids, effecting syndicate covering transactions, and reclaiming selling concessions allowed to an underwriter or a dealer.
| ● | An
overallotment in connection with an offering creates a short position in the common stock
for the underwriter’s own account. |
| ● | An
underwriter may place a stabilizing bid to purchase the Common Shares for the purpose of
pegging, fixing, or maintaining the price of the Common Shares. |
| ● | Underwriters
may engage in syndicate covering transactions to cover overallotments or to stabilize the
price of the Common Shares by bidding for, and purchasing, the Common Shares or any other
Securities in the open market in order to reduce a short position created in connection with
the offering. |
| ● | The
managing underwriter may impose a penalty bid on a syndicate member to reclaim a selling
concession in connection with an offering when the Common Shares originally sold by the syndicate
member is 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.
In connection with any Rights offering, the Fund
may also enter into a standby underwriting arrangement with one or more underwriters pursuant to which the underwriter(s) will purchase
Common Shares remaining unsubscribed for after the Rights offering.
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. There can be no assurance that there will be a liquid trading market for the
offered Securities.
Under agreements entered into with the Fund,
underwriters and agents may be entitled to indemnification by the Fund, the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser 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 the Fund in the ordinary course of business.
Pursuant to a requirement of the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) the maximum compensation to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker-dealer
in connection with an offering of the Fund’s securities may not be greater than eight percent (8%) of the gross proceeds received
by the Fund for the sale of any securities being registered pursuant to SEC Rule 415 under the Securities Act.
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 portfolio transactions on behalf of the Fund after the underwriters have ceased to be underwriters
and, subject to certain restrictions, each may act as a broker while it is an underwriter.
A Prospectus and accompanying Prospectus Supplement
in electronic form may be made available on the websites maintained by underwriters. The underwriters may agree to allocate a number
of Securities for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Such allocations of Securities for internet distributions will be made
on the same basis as other allocations. In addition, Securities may be sold by the underwriters to securities dealers who resell Securities
to online brokerage account holders.
CUSTODIAN, DIVIDEND PAYING AGENT, TRANSFER
AGENT AND REGISTRAR
State Street serves as Custodian for the Fund.
The Custodian holds cash, securities, and other assets of the Fund as required by the 1940 Act and also provides certain Fund accounting
services. Custody and accounting fees are payable monthly based on assets held in custody, investment purchases and sales activity and
other factors, plus reimbursement for certain out of pocket expenses. The principal business address of State Street is 1 Heritage Drive,
3rd Floor, North Quincy, Massachusetts 02171. Computershare, P.O. Box 505000, Louisville, KY 40233, acts as the Fund’s
dividend paying agent, transfer agent and the registrar for the Fund’s Common Shares.
LEGAL OPINIONS
Certain legal matters in connection with the Common Shares will be
passed on for the Fund by Dechert LLP.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The financial
statements as of and for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023 incorporated by reference in the SAI have been so incorporated
in reliance on the report of KPMG LLP (“KPMG”), an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority
of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting. The unaudited financial
statements for the fiscal period ended April 30, 2024 are incorporated in this SAI by reference to the Fund’s Semi-Annual
Report. The principal place of business of KPMG is located at 191 West Nationwide Blvd., Ste. 500, Columbus, OH 43215. KPMG provides
audit services and consultation with respect to the preparation of filings with the SEC.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This Prospectus concisely provides the information
that a prospective investor should know about the Fund before investing. Investors are advised to read this Prospectus carefully and
to retain it for future reference. Additional information about the Fund, including the SAI, dated December 17, 2024, has been filed
with the SEC and is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this prospectus. The SAI and the Fund’s annual and semi-annual
reports and other information filed with the SEC, can be obtained upon request and without charge by writing to the Fund at 1900 Market
Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA 19103, by calling Investor Relations toll-free at 1-800-522-5465 or by visiting the Fund’s
website at https://www.abrdnawp.com/. Investors may request the Fund’s SAI, annual and semi-annual reports and other information
about the Fund or make Shareholder inquiries by calling Investor Relations toll-free at 1-800-522-5465 or by visiting https://www.abrdnawp.com/.
In addition, the contact information provided above may be used to request additional information about the Fund and to make Shareholder
inquiries. The SAI, other material incorporated by reference into this prospectus and other information about the Fund is also available
on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The address of the SEC’s website is provided solely for the information
of prospective investors and is not intended to be an active link.
abrdn
Global Premier Properties Fund
Statement
of Additional Information
December 17, 2024
This Statement of Additional Information (the
“SAI”) provides additional information to the Prospectus for abrdn Global Premier Properties Fund (the “Fund”)
dated December 17, 2024 as it may be amended from time to time. This SAI is not a prospectus
and should only be read in conjunction with the Prospectus. You may obtain the Prospectus without charge by writing to the Fund at 1900
Market Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA 19103, by calling Investor Relations toll-free at 1-800-522-5465 or by visiting the Fund’s
website at https://www.abrdnawp.com/.
Investors in the Fund will be informed of the
Fund’s progress through periodic reports. Financial statements certified by an independent registered public accounting firm will
be submitted to Shareholders at least annually. Once available, copies of the reports to Shareholders may be obtained upon request, without
charge, by contacting the Fund at the address or telephone number listed above.
Table
of Contents
Investment objectives, policies and risks |
3 |
|
|
Investment restrictions |
3 |
|
|
Management of the Fund |
4 |
|
|
Portfolio transactions and brokerage allocation |
13 |
|
|
Description of shares |
15 |
|
|
Repurchase of Common Shares |
16 |
|
|
Tax matters |
17 |
|
|
Proxy voting policy and proxy voting record |
23 |
|
|
Incorporation by reference |
23 |
|
|
Financial Statements |
23 |
|
|
Legal counsel |
23 |
|
|
Additional information |
24 |
|
|
Appendix A—Description of securities ratings |
A-1 |
|
|
Appendix B—Proxy voting guidelines |
B-1 |
Investment objectives, policies and risks
The following disclosure supplements the disclosure
set forth under the caption “Investment Objectives, Strategies and Policies” in the prospectus and does not, by itself, present
a complete or accurate explanation of the matters disclosed. Readers must refer also to this caption in the prospectus for a complete
presentation of the matters disclosed below.
Sovereign Debt Obligations
The Fund may purchase sovereign debt instruments
issued or guaranteed by foreign governments or their agencies, including debt of emerging markets. Sovereign debt may be in the form
of conventional securities or other types of debt instruments such as loans or loan participations. Sovereign debt of developing countries
may involve a high degree of risk, and may present the risk of default. Governmental entities responsible for repayment of the debt may
be unable or unwilling to repay principal and interest when due, and may require renegotiation or rescheduling of debt payments. In addition,
prospects for repayment of principal and interest may depend on political as well as economic factors.
Investment Restrictions
The following investment restrictions of the
Fund are designated as fundamental policies and as such may not be changed without the approval of a majority of the Fund's outstanding
Common Shares, which as used in this SAI means the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares of the Fund present or represented by proxy at
a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares are present or represented at the meeting or (ii) more than
50% of outstanding shares of the Fund. As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund may not:
| 1. | Borrow money, except as permitted
by the 1940 Act, or any rule, order or interpretation thereunder; |
| 2. | Issue senior securities, as defined
in the 1940 Act, other than (a) preferred shares which immediately after issuance will
have asset coverage of at least 200%, (b) indebtedness which immediately after issuance
will have asset coverage of at least 300% or (c) the borrowings permitted by investment
restriction (1) above. The 1940 Act currently defines "senior security" 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. Debt and equity securities issued by a
closed-end investment company meeting the foregoing asset coverage provisions are excluded
from the general 1940 Act prohibition on the issuance of senior securities; |
| 3. | Purchase securities on margin
(but the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of
purchases and sales of securities). The purchase of investment assets with the proceeds of
a permitted borrowing or securities offering will not be deemed to be the purchase of securities
on margin; |
| 4. | Underwrite securities issued by
other persons, except insofar as it may technically be deemed to be an underwriter under
the Securities Act in selling or disposing of a portfolio investment; |
| 5. | Make loans to other persons, except
by (a) the acquisition of loan interests, debt securities and other obligations in which
the Fund is authorized to invest in accordance with its investment objectives and policies
and (b) entering into repurchase agreements; |
| 6. | Purchase or sell real estate,
although it may purchase and sell securities which are secured by interests in real estate
and securities of issuers which invest or deal in real estate. The Fund reserves the freedom
of action to hold and to sell real estate acquired as a result of the ownership of securities; |
| 7. | Purchase or sell physical commodities
or contracts for the purchase or sale of physical commodities. Physical commodities do not
include futures contracts with respect to securities, securities indices, currencies, interest
or other financial instruments; and |
| 8. | With respect to 75% of its managed
assets, invest more than 5% of its managed assets in the securities of a single issuer or
purchase more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of a single issuer, except obligations
issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities and except
securities of other investment companies. |
| 9. | Invest less than 80% of its managed
assets in the securities of companies engaged principally in the real estate industry or
real estate financing or which control significant real estate assets; however, the Fund
may temporarily invest less than 25% of the value of its assets in such securities during
periods of adverse economic conditions in the real estate industry. |
Non-Fundamental Policies
The Fund has adopted the following nonfundamental
investment policy which may be changed by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) without approval of the Fund’s shareholders.
Investment for Purposes of Control or Management
The Fund may not invest in companies for the
purpose of exercising control or management.
Joint Trading
The Fund may not participate on a joint or joint
and several basis in any trading account in any securities. (The “bunching” of orders for the purchase or sale of portfolio
securities with the Fund’s Advisers or accounts under its management to reduce brokerage commissions, to average prices among them
or to facilitate such transactions is not considered a trading account in securities for purposes of this restriction.)
Investing in Securities of Other Investment
Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment
companies that are exchange-traded funds and other closed-end investment management companies. The Fund will limit its investment in
securities issued by other investment companies so that not more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any one investment company
will be owned by the Fund, or its affiliated persons, as a whole in accordance with the 1940 Act and applicable federal securities laws.
Illiquid Securities
The Fund may not invest more than 10% of its
managed assets in illiquid securities and other securities which are not readily marketable, excluding securities eligible for resale
under Rule 144A of the Securities Act which the Trustees have determined to be liquid.
Options
The Fund may write, purchase or sell put or call
options as discussed in the prospectus.
Futures Contracts
The Fund may not purchase financial futures contracts
and related options except for “bona fide hedging” purposes, but may enter into such contracts for non-hedging purposes provided
that aggregate initial margin deposits plus premiums paid by that Fund for open futures options positions, less the amount by which any
such positions are “in-the-money,” may not exceed 10% of the Fund’s managed assets.
Whenever an investment policy or investment restriction
set forth in the prospectus or this SAI states a maximum or minimum percentage of managed assets that may be invested in any security
or other assets or describes a policy regarding quality standards, such percentage limitation or standard shall be determined immediately
after and as a result of the Fund’s acquisition of such security or asset. Accordingly, any later increase or decrease resulting
from a change in values, assets or other circumstances or any subsequent rating change made by a rating service (or as determined by
the Advisers if the security is not rated by a rating agency) will not compel the Fund to dispose of such security or other asset. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Fund must always be in compliance with the borrowing policies set forth above.
For purposes of its policies and limitations,
the Fund considers certificates of deposit and demand and time deposits issued by a U.S. branch of a domestic bank or savings and loan
association having capital, surplus, and undivided profits in excess of $100,000,000 at the time of investment to be “cash items.”
Management of the Fund
Trustees and Officers
The business and affairs of the Fund are managed
under the direction of the Board and the Fund’s officers appointed by the Board. The tables below list the trustees and officers
of the Fund and their present positions and principal occupations during the past five years. The business address of the Fund, its Board
members and officers and the Adviser is 1900 Market Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA 19103, unless specified otherwise below.
The term “Fund Complex” includes each of the registered investment companies advised by the Adviser or their affiliates as
of the date of this SAI. Trustees serve three-year terms or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. Officers are annually
elected by the trustees.
The names, years of birth and business addresses
of the Board members and officers of the Fund as of June 30, 2024, their principal occupations during at least the past five years,
the number of portfolios each Board member oversees and other directorships they hold are provided in the tables below. Board members
that are deemed “interested persons” (as that term is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended) of the Fund or the Fund’s Advisers are included in the table below under the heading “Interested Board Members.”
Board members who are not interested persons, as described above, are referred to in the table below under the heading “Independent
Board Members.” abrdn Inc., its parent company abrdn plc, and its advisory affiliates are collectively referred to as “abrdn”
in the tables below.
Name, Address and
Year of Birth | |
Position(s) Held
with the Fund | |
Term of Office
and Length of Time Served | |
Principal Occupation(s)
During at Least the Past Five Years | |
Number of Registered
Investment Companies ("Registrants")
consisting of Investment Portfolios ("Portfolios") in Fund Complex* Overseen by Board Members | |
Other Directorships
Held by Board Member** |
Interested Board Member | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
Christian
Pittard† c/o abrdn Investments Limited 280
Bishopsgate London,
EC2M 4AG Year of Birth: 1971 | |
Class III Trustee | |
Term expires 2027; Trustee since 2024 | |
Mr. Pittard is a Director of Corporate Finance and Head of
Listed Funds. Previously he was Head of the Americas and the North American Funds business based in the US. Prior to that he was
a Managing Director of abrdn's business in Jersey, Channel Islands having joined abrdn in 1999. | |
12 Registrants consisting of 12 Portfolios | |
None |
Name, Address and
Year of Birth | |
Position(s) Held
with the Fund | |
Term of Office
and Length of Time Served | |
Principal Occupation(s)
During at Least the Past Five Years | |
Number of Registered
Investment Companies ("Registrants")
consisting of Investment Portfolios ("Portfolios") in Fund Complex* Overseen by Board Members | |
Other Directorships
Held by Board Member** |
Independent Board Members | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
P. Gerald Malone co abrdn Inc. 1900 Market Street
Suite 200 Philadelphia, PA 19103 Year of Birth: 1950 | |
Chair of the Board; Class II Trustee | |
Term expires 2025; Trustee since 2018 | |
Mr. Malone is, by profession, a lawyer of over 40 years.
Currently, he is a non-executive director of a number of U.S. companies, including Medality Medical (medical technology company)
since 2018. He is also Chairman of many of the open and closed end funds in the Fund Complex. He previously served as a non-executive
director of U.S. healthcare company Bionik Laboratories Corp. (2018 - July 2022), as Independent Chairman of UK companies Crescent
OTC Ltd (pharmaceutical services) until February 2018; and fluidOil Ltd. (oil services) until June 2018; U.S. company Rejuvenan
llc (wellbeing services) until September 2017 and as chairman of UK company Ultrasis plc (healthcare software services company)
until October 2014. Mr. Malone was previously a Member of Parliament in the U.K. from 1983 to 1997 and served as Minister
of State for Health in the U.K. government from 1994 to 1997. | |
9 Registrants consisting of 27 Portfolios | |
None. |
Todd Reit co abrdn Inc. 1900 Market Street Suite 200
Philadelphia, PA 19103 Year of Birth: 1968 | |
Class II Trustee | |
Term Expires 2025; Trustee Since 2023 | |
Mr. Reit is a Managing Member of Cross Brook Partners LLC,
a real estate investment and management company since 2017. Mr. Reit is also Director and Financial Officer of Shelter Our Soldiers,
a charity to support military veterans, since 2016. Mr. Reit was formerly a Managing Director and Global Head of Asset Management
Investment Banking for UBS AG, where he was responsible for overseeing all the bank’s asset management client relationships
globally, including all corporate security transactions, mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Reit retired from UBS in 2017 after an
over 25-year career at the company and its predecessor company, PaineWebber Incorporated (merged with UBS AG in 2000). | |
9 Registrants consisting of 9 Portfolios | |
None. |
Name,
Address and Year of Birth | |
Position(s) Held
with the Fund | |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served | |
Principal
Occupation(s) During at Least the Past Five Years | |
Number
of Registered Investment Companies ("Registrants")
consisting of Investment Portfolios ("Portfolios") in Fund Complex* Overseen by Board Members | |
Other
Directorships Held by Board Member** |
John Sievwright co abrdn Inc. 1900 Market Street
Suite 200 Philadelphia, PA 19103 Year of Birth: 1955 | |
Class I Trustee | |
Term expires 2024; Trustee since 2018 | |
Mr. Sievwright is a Non-Executive Director of Burford Capital
Ltd (since May 2020) (provider of legal, finance, complex strategies, post-settlement finance and asset management services
and products) and Revolut Limited, a UK-based digital banking firm (since August 2021); and Chair of the Board of LoopFX (fin-tech
start-up operating in large foreign currency institutional transactions) (since Sept. 2022). | |
6 Registrants consisting of 8 Portfolios | |
Non-Executive Director of Burford Capital Ltd (provider of legal
finance, complex strategies, post-settlement finance and asset management services and products) since May 2020. |
Nancy Yao co abrdn Inc. 1900 Market Street Suite 200
Philadelphia, PA 19103 Year of Birth: 1972 | |
Class III Trustee | |
Term expires 2026; Trustee since 2018 | |
Ms. Yao is a lecturer on accounting and governance at Yale
University. She is also a strategic consultant. Ms. Yao was the President of the Museum of Chinese in America from 2015 until
2023. Prior to that, she served as the executive director of the Yale-China Association and managing director of the corporate
program at the Council on Foreign Relations. Prior to her work in non-profit, Ms. Yao launched the Asia coverage at the Center
for Financial Research and Analysis (currently known as RiskMetrics), served as the inaugural director of policy research of Goldman
Sachs’ Global Markets Institute, and was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C. Ms. Yao is a board member
of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. | |
8 Registrants consisting of 8 Portfolios | |
None. |
* |
As of the most recent fiscal year end, the Fund Complex has a total of 18 Registrants with each Board
member serving on the Boards of the number of Registrants listed. Each Registrant in the Fund Complex has one Portfolio except for
two Registrants that are open-end funds, abrdn Funds and abrdn ETFs, which each have multiple Portfolios. The Registrants in the
Fund Complex are as follows: abrdn Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc., abrdn Global Income Fund, Inc., abrdn Australia Equity
Fund, Inc., abrdn Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund, Inc., The India Fund, Inc., abrdn Japan Equity Fund, Inc.,
abrdn Income Credit Strategies Fund, abrdn Global Dynamic Dividend Fund, abrdn Global Premier Properties Fund, abrdn Total Dynamic
Dividend Fund, abrdn Global Infrastructure Income Fund, abrdn National Municipal Income Fund, abrdn Healthcare Investors, abrdn Life
Sciences Investors, abrdn Healthcare Opportunities Fund, abrdn World Healthcare Fund, abrdn Funds (19 Portfolios), and abrdn ETFs (3
Portfolios). |
** |
Current directorships (excluding Fund Complex) as of the most recent fiscal year end held in (1) any
other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act, (2) any company with a class of securities registered pursuant to
Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”) or (3) any company subject to
the requirements of Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. |
† |
Mr. Pittard is considered to be an “interested person” of the Fund as defined in
the 1940 Act because of his affiliation with abrdn. |
Risk Oversight
The information contained under the heading “Board
and Committee Structure—Board Oversight of Risk Management” in the Fund’s definitive
proxy statement on Schedule 14A for the Fund’s 2024 annual meeting of shareholders, filed with the SEC on April 8,
2024 (“Proxy Statement”) is incorporated herein by reference.
Experience of Trustees
The Board believes that each Trustee’s
experience, qualifications, attributes and skills on an individual basis and in combination with those of the other Trustees lead to
the conclusion that the Trustees possess the requisite experience, qualifications, attributes and skills to serve on the Board. Each
Board believes that the Trustees’ ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them; to
interact effectively with the Advisers, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors; and to exercise effective business
judgment in the performance of their duties, support this conclusion. The Board has also considered the contributions that each Trustee
can make to the Board and to the Fund.
A Trustee’s ability to perform his or her
duties effectively may have been attained through the Trustee’s executive, business, consulting, and/or legal positions; experience
from service as a Trustee of the Fund and other funds/portfolios in the abrdn complex, other investment funds, public companies, or non-profit
entities or other organizations; educational background or professional training or practice; and/or other life experiences. In this
regard, the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills apply as to each Trustee in addition to the information
set forth in “Management of the Fund – Trustees and Officers” table above: Ms. Yao, financial and research analysis
experience in and covering the Asia region and experience in world affairs; Mr. Malone, legal background and public service leadership
experience, board experience with other public and private companies, and executive and business consulting experience; Mr. Reit,
banking and asset management experience and experience as a board member; Mr. Sievwright, banking and accounting experience and
experience as a board member of public companies; Mr. Pittard, experience as Head of Closed End Funds & Managing Director—Corporate
Finance at abrdn and prior financial experience.
The Board believes that the significance of each
Trustee’s experience, qualifications, attributes or skills is an individual matter (meaning that experience important for one Trustee
may not have the same value for another) and that these factors are best evaluated at the Board level, with no single Trustee, or particular
factor, being indicative of Board effectiveness. In its periodic self-assessment of the effectiveness of the Board, the Board considers
the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees in the broader context of the Board’s overall composition
so that the Board, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of
the respective Fund. References to the qualifications, attributes and skills of Trustees are presented pursuant to disclosure requirements
of the SEC and do not constitute holding out a Board or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and shall not impose
any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on a Board by reason thereof.
Compensation
The following table sets forth information regarding
compensation of Trustees by the Fund and by the Fund Complex of which the Fund is a part for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023.
Officers of the do not receive any compensation directly from the Fund or any other fund in the Fund Complex for performing their duties
as officers.
Name of Trustee | |
Aggregate
Compensation from Fund for Fiscal Year Ended October 31, 2023 | | |
Total Compensation
From Fund and Fund Complex Paid To Trustees* | |
P. Gerald Malone | |
$ | 23,143 | | |
$ | 610,191 | |
Todd Reit** | |
$ | 6,146 | | |
$ | 90,986 | |
John Sievwright | |
$ | 21,471 | | |
$ | 279,114 | |
Nancy Yao | |
$ | 18,915 | | |
$ | 323,120 | |
Christian Pittard*** | |
| N/A | | |
| N/A | |
* | See the “Trustees” table for the
number of Funds within the Fund Complex that each Trustee services. |
** | Mr. Reit was appointed to the Board effective June 13,
2023. |
*** | Mr. Pittard was appointed to the Board effective June 30,
2024. |
Board and Committee Structure
The information contained under the heading “Board and Committee
Structure” in the Fund’s Proxy
Statement is incorporated herein by reference.
Shareholder Communications
Shareholders who wish to communicate with Trustees
with respect to matters relating to the Fund may address their written correspondence to the Board as a whole or to individual Trustees
c/o abrdn Inc. (the “Administrator”), the Fund’s administrator, at 1900 Market Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia,
PA 19103, or via e-mail to the Trustee(s) c/o abrdn Inc. at Investor.relations@abrdn.com.
Trustee Beneficial Ownership of Securities
As of November 8, 2024, the Fund’s trustees
and executive officers, as a group, owned less than 1% of the Fund’s outstanding Common Shares. The information as to ownership
of securities which appears below is based on statements furnished to the Fund by its trustees and executive officers.
As of December 31, 2023, the dollar range
of equity securities owned beneficially by each trustee in the Fund and in all registered investment companies overseen by the trustee
within the same family of investment companies as the Fund appears in the chart below. The following key relates to the dollar ranges
in the chart:
A. None
B. $1 — $10,000
C. $10,001 — $50,000
D. $50,001 — $100,000
E. over $100,000
Name of Trustee |
|
Dollar Range of Equity
Securities Owned(1) |
|
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in All Funds Overseen by
Trustee or Nominee in the Family of
Investment Companies(2) |
|
Independent Trustees: |
|
|
|
|
|
P. Gerald Malone |
|
B |
|
D |
|
Todd Reit* |
|
B |
|
D |
|
John Sievwright |
|
B |
|
D |
|
Nancy Yao |
|
B |
|
D |
|
Interested Trustee: |
|
|
|
|
|
Christian Pittard** |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
(1) “Beneficial ownership” is determined in accordance
with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) promulgated under the 1934 Act.
(2) “Family of Investment Companies”
means those registered investment companies that are advised by the Adviser or an affiliate and that hold themselves out to investors
as related companies for purposes of investment and investor services.
* Mr. Reit was appointed to the Board effective June 13,
2023.
** Mr. Pittard was appointed to the Board effective June 30,
2024.
As of November 8, 2024, none of the Independent
Trustees or their immediate family members owned any shares of the Advisers or principal underwriter of the Fund or of any person (other
than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Advisers or
principal underwriter.
Codes of Ethics
The Fund and the Advisers have each adopted a
code of ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act governing the personal securities transactions of their respective personnel. Under
each code of ethics, personnel may invest in securities for their personal accounts (including securities that may be purchased or held
by the Fund), subject to certain general restrictions and procedures. Copies of these Codes of Ethics are on the EDGAR Database on the
SEC’s internet site at www.sec.gov and may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request to publicinfo@sec.gov.
Beneficial Ownership
As of November 8, 2024, to the Fund’s knowledge,
no single shareholder or “group” (as that term is used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) beneficially owned more than
5% of Common Shares of the Fund. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities
of a fund or acknowledges the existence of control.
The Adviser
abrdn Investments Limited (“aIL”)
serves as the Adviser to the Fund and has its registered address at 10 Queen's Terrace, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom, AB10
1XL. The Adviser is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of abrdn plc, which manages or administers approximately $466.8 billion in assets
as of June 30, 2024. abrdn plc and its affiliates (collectively, “abrdn”) provide asset management and investment solutions
for clients and customers worldwide and also have a strong position in the pensions and savings market.
The Sub-Adviser
abrdn Inc. serves as the sub-adviser to the Fund,
pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement. The Sub-Adviser is located at 1900 Market Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA 19103 and is
an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of abrdn plc.
Advisory Agreements
The Fund and aIL are parties to an investment
advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”). Under the Advisory Agreement, the Fund retains aIL to act as the investment
adviser for and to manage the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Fund in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives
and policies and restrictions, and to manage the day-to-day business and affairs of the Fund (except with respect to matters in the charge
of the Fund’s chief compliance officer or other service providers retained by the Fund), for the period and on the terms set forth
in the Advisory Agreement.
Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, subject
to the Board’s supervision, the aIL will (i) provide a contiguous investment program and overall investment strategies for
the Fund; (ii) determine from time to time what securities and other investment will be purchased, retained or sold by the Fund
and implement such determinations through the placement, in the name of the Fund, of orders for the execution of portfolio transactions
with or through such brokers or dealers as may be so selected; (iii) provide services in accordance with the stated investment policies
and restrictions of the Fund; (iv) with respect to foreign securities, at its own expense, aIL may obtain statistical and other
factual information and advice regarding economic factors and trends from its foreign affiliates and may obtain investment services from
the investment advisory personnel of its affiliates located throughout the world to the extent permitted under federal securities laws;
and (v) provide the Board with periodic reports concerning the Fund’s business and investments. Under the Advisory Agreement,
aIL is authorized to appoint a qualified sub-adviser.
The Adviser, the Sub-Adviser and the Fund are
parties to a sub-advisory agreement (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”). Under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, subject to the directions
of aIL and the Board, aIL has retained the Sub-Adviser to monitor on a continuous basis the performance of the Fund’s assets and
to assist aIL in conducting a continuous program of investment, evaluation and, if appropriate, sale and reinvestment of the Fund’s
assets.
In rendering investment advisory services, the
Advisers may use the resources of investment advisor subsidiaries of abrdn plc. These affiliates have entered into a memorandum of understanding
/ personnel sharing procedures (“MOU”) pursuant to which investment professionals from each affiliate may render portfolio
management, research or trading services to U.S. clients of the abrdn plc affiliates, including the Fund, as associated persons of the
Adviser. Each investment professional who renders portfolio management, research or trading services under a MOU or personnel sharing
arrangement must comply with the provisions of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, the 1940 Act, the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended, the Exchange Act, and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the laws of states or countries in which the
Advisers do business or has clients. No remuneration is paid by the Fund with regards to the MOU/personnel sharing arrangements.
The Fund will pay all of its other expenses,
including, among others, all charges and expenses of any custodian or depository appointed by the Fund for the safekeeping of its cash,
securities and other assets; all charges and expenses paid to any administrator appointed by the Fund to provide administrative
or compliance services; the charges and expenses of any transfer agents and registrars appointed by the Fund; the charges and
expenses of independent certified public accountants and of general ledger accounting and internal reporting services for the Fund;
the charges and expenses of dividend and capital gain distributions; the compensation and expenses of Trustees of the Fund who are
not “interested persons” of the Adviser; brokerage commissions and issue and transfer taxes chargeable to the Fund in
connection with securities transactions to which the Fund is a party; all taxes and fees payable by the Fund to Federal, State or
other governmental agencies; the cost of stock certificates representing shares of the Fund; all expenses of shareholders'
and Trustees' meetings and of preparing, printing and distributing Prospectuses, reports and notices to shareholders and regulatory authorities;
charges and expenses of legal counsel for the Fund in connection with legal matters relating to the Fund, including without limitation,
legal services rendered in connection with the Fund’s existence, financial structure and relations with its shareholders, and legal
counsel to the independent Trustees; insurance and bonding premiums; association membership dues; bookkeeping and the
costs of calculating the net asset value of shares of the Fund; expenses relating to the issuance, registration and qualification
of the Fund's shares; operational and organizational expenses of the Fund; payment of portfolio pricing to a pricing agent,
if any; litigation and indemnification expenses and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business,
and certain expenses as set forth in the relevant subadvisory agreements.
For services under the Advisory Agreement, the
Adviser is paid a fee computed daily and payable monthly at an annual rate of 1.00% of the Fund’s average daily Managed Assets. For
its services to the Fund, under a sub-advisory agreement with the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser receives 10% of the advisory fee received
by the Adviser from the Fund after fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any. For its services as sub-adviser, Sub-Adviser is paid
only by the Adviser out of its fees, and is not paid directly by the Fund.
The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive
fees and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total operating expenses of the Fund (excluding any leverage costs, taxes, interest,
brokerage commissions and any non-routine expenses) as a percentage of net assets to 1.40% per annum of the Fund’s average daily
net assets on an annualized basis until June 30, 2026.
The Fund repay any such reimbursement from the
Adviser within three years of the reimbursement, provided that the following requirements are met: the reimbursements do not cause the
Fund to exceed the lesser of the applicable expense limitation in the contract at the time the fees were limited or expenses are paid
or the applicable expense limitation in effect at the time the expenses are being recouped by the Adviser.
The Advisory and Sub-Advisory Agreements continue
for an initial term of two (2) years and may be continued thereafter from year to year provided such continuance is specifically
approved at least annually in the manner required by the 1940 Act. The Advisory and Sub-Advisory Agreements may be terminated at any
time without payment of penalty by the Fund or by the Adviser upon 60 days’ written notice. The Advisory and Sub-Advisory Agreements
will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment, as defined under the 1940 Act. Under the Advisory and Sub-Advisory Agreements,
the Advisers are permitted to provide investment advisory services to other clients.
Effective May 7, 2018, aIL became the Fund’s
investment adviser and abrdn Inc. became the Fund’s sub-adviser. Prior to May 7, 2018, the Fund was managed by another, unaffiliated
investment adviser.
For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2021,
2022 and 2023, the Adviser earned gross advisory fees of $6,399,569, $6,145,228, and $4,235,670, respectively. The sub-advisory fees
paid to the Sub-Adviser are paid by the Adviser from the management fee it receives. For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2021,
2022 and 2023, the Sub-Adviser received sub-advisory fees of $535,287, $476,710, and $326,851, respectively.
The Advisory and Sub-Advisory Agreements provide
that the Advisers shall indemnify the Fund and its officers and Trustees, for any liability and expenses, including attorneys' fees,
which may be sustained as a result of the Advisers’ willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, reckless disregard of its
duties hereunder or violation of applicable law, including, without limitation, the federal and state securities laws.
The Administrator
abrdn Inc., located at 1900 Market Street, Suite 200,
Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as administrator to the Fund. Under the administration agreement, abrdn Inc. is generally responsible
for managing the administrative affairs of the Fund.
For administration related services, abrdn Inc.
is entitled to receive a fee that is computed monthly and paid quarterly at an annual rate of 0.08% of the Fund’s average monthly
net assets.
For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2021,
2022 and 2023, abrdn Inc. earned $438,113, $399,133, and $289,386, respectively from the Fund for administration services.
During periods when the Fund is using leverage,
the fee paid to abrdn Inc. (for various services) will be higher than if the Fund did not use leverage because the fees paid are calculated
on the basis of the Fund’s Managed Assets, which includes the assets purchased through leverage. See “Management of the Fund—The
Administrator.”
State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State
Street”) serves as sub-administrator of the Fund and is paid by abrdn Inc. out of the fees it receives as the Fund’s administrator.
Custodian, Dividend Paying Agent, Transfer
Agent and Registrar
State Street serves as custodian (the “Custodian”)
for the Fund. State Street also provides accounting services to the Fund. State Street serves as the Fund’s dividend paying agent,
transfer agent and registrar.
Investor Relations Provider
Under the terms of the Amended and Restated Investor
Relations Services Agreement, abrdn Inc. provides and/or engages third parties to provide investor relations services to the Fund and
certain other funds advised by the Adviser or its affiliates as part of an Investor Relations Program. Under the Amended and Restated
Investor Relations Services Agreement, the Fund owes a portion of the fees related to the Investor Relations Program (the “Fund’s
Portion”). However, investor relations services fees are limited by abrdn Inc. so that the Fund will only pay up to an annual rate
of 0.05% of the Fund’s average weekly net assets. Any difference between the capped rate of 0.05% of the Fund’s average weekly
net assets and the Fund’s Portion is paid for by abrdn Inc.
Pursuant to the terms of the Amended and Restated
Investor Relations Services Agreement, abrdn Inc. (or third parties engaged by abrdn Inc.), among other things, provides objective and
timely information to stockholders based on publicly available information; provides information efficiently through the use of technology
while offering stockholders immediate access to knowledgeable investor relations representatives; develops and maintains effective communications
with investment professionals from a wide variety of firms; creates and maintains investor relations communication materials such as
fund manager interviews, films and webcasts, published white papers, magazine articles and other relevant materials discussing the Fund’s
investment results, portfolio positioning and outlook; develops and maintains effective communications with large institutional shareholders;
responds to specific shareholder questions; and reports activities and results to the Board and management detailing insight into general
shareholder sentiment.
Portfolio Management
The information contained under “Item 8.
Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies” in the Fund’s Annual
Report is incorporated herein by reference.
Svitlana Gubriy and Ben Pakenham are jointly
and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio.
Potential Conflicts of Interest of the Advisers
The Adviser and its affiliates (collectively
referred to herein as “abrdn”) serve as investment advisers for multiple clients, including the Fund and other investment
companies registered under the 1940 Act and private funds (such clients are also referred to below as “accounts”).The portfolio
managers’ management of “other accounts” may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in connection with their
management of a Fund’s investments, on the one hand, and the investments of the other accounts, on the other. The other accounts
may have the same investment objectives as the Fund. Therefore, a potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the identical
investment objectives, whereby the portfolio manager could favor one account over another. However, the Adviser (or Sub-adviser) believes
that these risks are mitigated by the fact that: (i) accounts with like investment strategies managed by a particular portfolio
manager are generally managed in a similar fashion, subject to exceptions to account for particular investment restrictions or policies
applicable only to certain accounts, differences in cash flows and account sizes, and similar factors; and (ii) portfolio manager
personal trading is monitored to avoid potential conflicts. In addition, the Adviser (or Sub-Adviser) has adopted trade allocation procedures
that require equitable allocation of trade orders for a particular security among participating accounts.
In some cases, another account managed by the
same portfolio manager may compensate abrdn based on the performance of the portfolio held by that account. The existence of such a performance-based
fee may create additional conflicts of interest for the portfolio manager in the allocation of management time, resources and investment
opportunities.
Another potential conflict could include instances
in which securities considered as investments for the Fund also may be appropriate for other investment accounts managed by the Adviser
or its affiliates. Whenever decisions are made to buy or sell securities by the Fund and one or more of the other accounts simultaneously,
the Adviser (or Sub-Adviser) may aggregate the purchases and sales of the securities and will allocate the securities transactions in
a manner that it believes to be equitable under the circumstances. As a result of the allocations, there may be instances where the Fund
will not participate in a transaction that is allocated among other accounts. While these aggregation and allocation policies could have
a detrimental effect on the price or amount of the securities available to the Fund from time to time, it is the opinion of the Adviser
(or Sub-Adviser) that the benefits from the policies outweigh any disadvantage that may arise from exposure to simultaneous transactions.
The Fund has adopted policies that are designed to eliminate or minimize conflicts of interest, although there is no guarantee that procedures
adopted under such policies will detect each and every situation in which a conflict arises.
From time to time, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser
may seed proprietary accounts for the purpose of evaluating a new investment strategy that eventually may be available to clients through
one or more product structures. Such accounts also may serve the purpose of establishing a performance record for the strategy. The management
by the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser of accounts with proprietary interests and nonproprietary client accounts may create an incentive
to favor the proprietary accounts in the allocation of investment opportunities, and the timing and aggregation of investments. The Adviser’s
and Sub-Adviser’s proprietary seed accounts may include long-short strategies, and certain client strategies may permit short sales.
A conflict of interest arises if a security is sold short at the same time as a long position, and continuous short selling in a security
may adversely affect the stock price of the same security held long in client accounts. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser have adopted various
policies to mitigate these conflicts.
In addition, the 1940 Act limits the Fund’s
ability to enter into certain transactions with certain affiliates of the Advisers. As a result of these restrictions, the Fund may be
prohibited from buying or selling any security directly from or to any portfolio company of a fund managed by the Advisers or one of
their affiliates. Nonetheless, the Fund may under certain circumstances purchase any such portfolio company’s loans or securities
in the secondary market, which could create a conflict for the Advisers between the interests of the Fund and the portfolio company,
in that the ability of the Advisers to recommend actions in the best interest of the Fund might be impaired. The 1940 Act also prohibits
certain “joint” transactions with certain of the Fund’s affiliates (which could include other abrdn-managed funds),
which could be deemed to include certain types of investments, or restructuring of investments, in the same portfolio company (whether
at the same or different times). These limitations may limit the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available
to the Fund. The Board has approved policies and procedures reasonably designed to monitor potential conflicts of interest. The Board
will review these procedures and any conflicts that may arise.
Conflicts of interest may arise where the Fund
and other funds or accounts managed or administered by the Advisers simultaneously hold securities representing different parts of the
capital structure of a stressed or distressed issuer. In such circumstances, decisions made with respect to the securities held by one
fund or account may cause (or have the potential to cause) harm to the different class of securities of the issuer held by other fund
or account (including the Fund). For example, if such an issuer goes into bankruptcy or reorganization, becomes insolvent or otherwise
experiences financial distress or is unable to meet its payment obligations or comply with covenants relating to credit obligations held
by the Fund or by the other funds or accounts managed by the Advisers, such other funds or accounts may have an interest that conflicts
with the interests of the Fund. If additional financing for such an issuer is necessary as a result of financial or other difficulties,
it may not be in the best interests of the Fund to provide such additional financing, but if the other funds or accounts were to lose
their respective investments as a result of such difficulties, the Advisers may have a conflict in recommending actions in the best interests
of the Fund. In such situations, the Advisers will seek to act in the best interests of each of the funds and accounts (including the
Fund) and will seek to resolve such conflicts in accordance with its compliance policies and procedures.
The Adviser (or Sub-Adviser) or their respective
members, officers, directors, employees, principals or affiliates may come into possession of material, non-public information. The possession
of such information may limit the ability of the Fund to buy or sell a security or otherwise to participate in an investment opportunity.
Situations may occur where the Fund could be disadvantaged because of the investment activities conducted by the Adviser (or Sub-Adviser)
for other clients, and the Adviser (or Sub-Adviser) will not employ information barriers with regard to its operations on behalf of its
registered and private funds, or other accounts. In certain circumstances, employees of the Adviser (or Sub-Adviser) may serve as board
members or in other capacities for portfolio or potential portfolio companies, which could restrict the Fund’s ability to trade
in the securities of such companies.
Portfolio transactions and brokerage allocation
The Adviser (or Sub-Adviser) is responsible for
decisions to buy and sell securities and other investments for the Fund, the selection of brokers and dealers to effect the transactions
and the negotiation of brokerage commissions, if any. In transactions on stock and commodity exchanges in the United States, these commissions
are negotiated, whereas on foreign stock and commodity exchanges these commissions are generally fixed and are generally higher than
brokerage commissions in the United States. In the case of securities traded on the OTC markets or for securities traded on a principal
basis, there is generally no commission, but the price includes a spread between the dealer’s purchase and sale price. This spread
is the dealer’s profit. In underwritten offerings, the price includes a disclosed, fixed commission or discount. Most short-term
obligations are normally traded on a “principal” rather than agency basis. This may be done through a dealer (e.g., a securities
firm or bank) who buys or sells for its own account rather than as an agent for another client, or directly with the issuer.
Except as described below, the primary consideration
in portfolio security transactions is best execution of the transaction (i.e., execution at a favorable price and in the most effective
manner possible). “Best execution” encompasses many factors affecting the overall benefit obtained by the client account
in the transaction including, but not necessarily limited to, the price paid or received for a security, the commission charged, the
promptness, available liquidity and reliability of execution, the confidentiality and placement accorded the order, and customer service.
Therefore, “best execution” does not necessarily mean obtaining the best price alone but is evaluated in the context of all
the execution services provided. Both the Adviser and Sub-Adviser have freedom as to the markets in and the broker-dealers through which
they seek this result, except where mandates have restrictions in place.
Subject to the primary consideration of seeking
best execution and as discussed below, securities may be bought or sold through broker-dealers who have furnished statistical, research,
corporate access, and other information or services to the Adviser or Sub-Adviser. SEC regulations provide a “safe harbor”
that allows an investment adviser to pay for research and brokerage services with commission dollars generated by client transactions.
Effective with the implementation of Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (“MiFID II”), the Adviser absorbs all
research costs and will generally no longer rely on the “safe harbor” under Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.
There may be occasions when portfolio transactions
for a Fund are executed as part of concurrent authorizations to purchase or sell the same security for trusts or other accounts (including
other mutual funds) served by the Adviser or a Sub-Adviser (if applicable) or by an affiliated company thereof. Although such concurrent
authorizations potentially could be either advantageous or disadvantageous to a Fund, they are affected only when the Adviser or the
Sub-Adviser (if applicable) believes that to do so is in the interest of the Fund. When such concurrent authorizations occur, the executions
will be allocated in an equitable manner in accordance with the Advisers’ trade allocation policies and procedures.
In purchasing and selling investments for the
Fund, it is the policy of the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser to seek best execution through responsible broker-dealers. The determination
of what may constitute best execution in a securities transaction by a broker involves a number of considerations, including the overall
direct net economic result to the Fund (involving both price paid or received and any commissions and other costs paid), the efficiency
with which the transaction is effected, the ability to effect the transaction at all when a large block is involved, the availability
of the broker to stand ready to execute possibly difficult transactions in the future, the professionalism of the broker, and the financial
strength and stability of the broker. These considerations are judgmental and are weighed by the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser in determining
the overall reasonableness of securities executions and commissions paid. In selecting broker-dealers, the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser
will consider various relevant factors, including, but not limited to, the size and type of the transaction; the nature and character
of the markets for the security or asset to be purchased or sold; the execution efficiency, settlement capability, and financial condition
of the broker dealer’s firm; the broker-dealer’s execution services, rendered on a continuing basis; and the reasonableness
of any commissions.
With respect to FX transactions, different considerations
or circumstances may apply, particularly with respect to Restricted Market FX. FX transactions executed for the Fund are divided into
two main categories: (1) Restricted Market FX and (2) Unrestricted Market FX. Restricted Market FX are required to be executed
by a local bank in the applicable market. Unrestricted Market FX are not required to be executed by a local bank. The Adviser, Sub-Adviser
or third-party agent execute Unrestricted Market FX relating to trading decisions. The Fund’s custodian executes all Restricted
Market FX because it has local banks or relationships with local banks in each of the restricted markets where custodial client accounts
hold securities. Unrestricted Market FX relating to the repatriation of dividends and/or income/expense items not directly relating to
trading may be executed by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser or by the Fund’s custodian due to the small currency amount and lower volume
of such transactions. The Fund, the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser have limited ability to negotiate prices at which certain FX transactions
are customarily executed by the Fund’s custodian, i.e., transactions in Restricted Market FX and repatriation transactions.
The Adviser or Sub-Adviser may cause the Fund
to pay a broker-dealer a commission that is in excess of the commission another broker-dealer would have received for executing the transaction
if it is determined to be consistent with the Adviser’s or Sub-Adviser’s obligation to seek best-execution pursuant to the
standards described above.
Under the 1940 Act, “affiliated persons”
of the Fund are prohibited from dealing with it as a principal in the purchase and sale of securities unless an exemptive order allowing
such transactions is obtained from the SEC. However, the Fund may purchase securities from underwriting syndicates of which a sub-adviser
(if applicable) or any of its affiliates, as defined in the 1940 Act, is a member under certain conditions, in accordance with Rule 10f-3
under the 1940 Act.
The Fund contemplates that, consistent with the
policy of seeking to obtain best execution, brokerage transactions may be conducted through “affiliated brokers or dealers,”
as defined in rules under the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, commissions paid by the Fund to an “affiliated broker or dealer”
in connection with a purchase or sale of securities offered on a securities exchange may not exceed the usual and customary broker’s
commission. Accordingly, it is the Fund’s policy that the commissions to be paid to an affiliated broker-dealer must, in the judgment
of the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser, be (1) at least as favorable as those that would be charged by other brokers having comparable
execution capability and (2) at least as favorable as commissions contemporaneously charged by such broker or dealer on comparable
transactions for the broker’s or dealer’s unaffiliated customers. The Adviser and the Sub-Adviser do not necessarily deem
it practicable or in the Fund’s best interests to solicit competitive bids for commissions on each transaction. However, consideration
regularly is given to information concerning the prevailing level of commissions charged on comparable transactions by other brokers
during comparable periods of time.
Not one of the Fund, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser
has an agreement or understanding with a broker-dealer, or other arrangements to direct the Fund’s brokerage transactions to a
broker-dealer because of the research services such broker provides to the Fund or the Adviser. While the Advisers do not have arrangements
with any broker-dealers to direct such brokerage transactions to them because of research services provided, the Advisers may receive
research services from such broker-dealers. The dollar amount of transactions and related commissions for transactions paid to a broker
from which the Advisers also received research services for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023 are in the table below:
Total Dollar Amount of
Transactions |
|
Total Commissions Paid on
Such Transactions |
|
$ |
361,798,640 |
|
$ |
160,000 |
|
During the fiscal years ended October 31,
2023, 2022 and 2021, the following brokerage commissions were paid by the Fund:
Year ended October 31, |
|
($000 omitted) |
|
2023 |
|
2022 |
|
2021 |
|
$ |
170 |
|
$ |
345 |
|
$ |
252 |
|
During the fiscal year ended October 31,
2023, Fund did not hold any investments in securities of its regular broker-dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act).
Portfolio Turnover
The Advisers will effect portfolio transactions
without regard to holding period, if, in their judgment, such transactions are advisable in light of a change in circumstance in general
market, economic or financial conditions. As a result of its investment policies, the Fund may engage in a substantial number of portfolio
transactions. Accordingly, while the Fund anticipates that its annual turnover rate should not exceed 100% under normal conditions, it
is impossible to predict portfolio turnover rates. The portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of the Fund’s
annual sales or purchases of portfolio securities (exclusive of purchases or sales of securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition
were one year or less) by the monthly average value of the securities in the portfolio during the year. High portfolio turnover involves
correspondingly greater transaction costs in the form of dealer spreads and brokerage commissions, which are borne directly by the Fund.
In addition, a high rate of portfolio turnover may result in certain tax consequences, such as increased capital gain dividends and/or
ordinary income dividends.
The rate of portfolio turnover in the fiscal
years ended October 31, 2023, and October 31, 2022, was 44% and 41%, respectively.
Description of shares
Common Shares
The Fund’s Common Shares are described
in the prospectus. The Fund intends to hold annual meetings of shareholders so long as the Common Shares are listed on a national securities
exchange and such meetings are required as a condition to such listing.
Preferred Shares
The terms of any preferred shares issued by the
Fund, including their dividend rate, voting rights, liquidation preference and redemption provisions, will be determined by the Board
(subject to applicable law and the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust) if and when it authorizes an offering of preferred
shares. The rights, preferences, powers and privileges of such preferred shares may be set forth in an amendment or supplement to
the Agreement and Declaration of Trust.
If the Board determines to proceed with an offering
of preferred shares, the terms of the preferred shares may be the same as, or different from, the terms described in the prospectus,
subject to applicable law and the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust. The Board, without the approval of the Common Shareholders,
may authorize an offering of preferred shares or may determine not to authorize such an offering, and may fix the terms of the preferred
shares to be offered.
Other Shares
The Board (subject to applicable law and the
Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust) may authorize an offering, without the approval of the holders of either Common Shares
or preferred shares, of other classes of shares, or other classes or series of shares, as they determine to be necessary, desirable or
appropriate, having such terms, rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and restrictions as the Board sees fit. The Fund currently
does not expect to issue any other classes of shares, or series of shares, except for the Common Shares, and possibly, the preferred
shares.
Repurchase of Common Shares
The Fund is a closed-end management investment
company and as such its Common Shareholders will not have the right to cause the Fund to redeem their Common Shares. Instead, the Fund’s
Common Shares trade in the open market at a price that will be a function of several factors, including dividend levels (which are in
turn affected by expenses), NAV, call protection, dividend stability, relative demand for and supply of such Common Shares in the market,
general market and economic conditions and other factors. Because shares of a closed-end investment company may frequently trade at prices
lower than NAV, the Board may consider actions that might be taken to reduce or eliminate any material discount from NAV in respect of
Common Shares, which may include the repurchase of such Common Shares in the open market or in private transactions, the making of a
tender offer for such Common Shares or the conversion of the Fund to an open-end investment company. The Board approved an open market
repurchase and discount management policy (the “Program”). The Program allows the Fund to purchase, in the open market, its
outstanding Common Shares, with the amount and timing of any repurchase determined at the discretion of the Fund’s investment advisers.
Under the terms of the Program, the Fund is permitted to repurchase up to 10% of its outstanding shares of common stock in the open market
during any 12 month period.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time when
the Fund has preferred shares outstanding, the Fund may not purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any of its Common Shares unless (1) all
accrued preferred share dividends have been paid and (2) at the time of such purchase, redemption or acquisition, the NAV of the
Fund’s portfolio (determined after deducting the acquisition price of the Common Shares) is at least 200% of the liquidation value
of the outstanding preferred shares (expected to equal the original purchase price per share plus any accrued and unpaid dividends thereon).
Any service fees incurred in connection with any tender offer made by the Fund will be borne by the Fund and will not reduce the stated
consideration to be paid to tendering Common Shareholders.
Subject to its investment restrictions, the Fund
may borrow to finance the repurchase of Common Shares or to make a tender offer. Interest on any borrowings to finance Common Share repurchase
transactions or the accumulation of cash by the Fund in anticipation of Common Share repurchases or tenders will reduce the Fund’s
net income. Any Common Share repurchase, tender offer or borrowing that might be approved by the Board would have to comply with the
Exchange Act, the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
The Fund’s Board approved an open market
repurchase and discount management policy (the “Program”). The Program allows the Fund to purchase, in the open market, its
outstanding Common Shares, with the amount and timing of any repurchase determined at the discretion of the Fund’s investment adviser.
Such purchases may be made opportunistically at certain discounts to NAV per share in the reasonable judgment of management based on
historical discount levels and current market conditions. The Fund reports repurchase activity on the Fund's website on a monthly basis.
On a quarterly basis, the Fund’s Board
will receive information on any transactions made pursuant to this policy during the prior quarter and management will post the number
of shares repurchased on the Fund’s website on a monthly basis. Under the terms of the Program, the Fund is permitted to repurchase
up to 10% of its outstanding shares of common stock in the open market during any 12 month period.
The Board currently has no intention to take
any other action in response to a discount from NAV. Further, it is the Board’s intention not to authorize repurchases of Common
Shares or a tender offer for such Common Shares if: (1) such transactions, if consummated, would (a) result in the delisting
of the Common Shares from the NYSE or (b) impair the Fund’s status as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) (which would make the Fund a taxable entity, causing the Fund’s income to be
taxed at the trust level in addition to the taxation of shareholders who receive dividends from the Fund) or as a registered closed-end
investment company under the 1940 Act; (2) the Fund would not be able to liquidate portfolio securities in an orderly manner and
consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies in order to repurchase Common Shares; or (3) there is, in the
Board’s judgment, any (a) material legal action or proceeding instituted or threatened challenging such transactions or otherwise
materially adversely affecting the Fund, (b) general suspension of or limitation on prices for trading securities on the NYSE, (c) declaration
of a banking moratorium by Federal or state authorities or any suspension of payment by U.S. or New York banks, (d) material limitation
affecting the Fund or the issuers of its portfolio securities by Federal or state authorities on the extension of credit by lending institutions
or on the exchange of foreign currency, (e) commencement or continuation of war, armed hostilities or other international or national
calamity directly or indirectly involving the United States or (f) other event or condition which would have a material adverse
effect (including any adverse tax effect) on the Fund or its Common Shareholders if Common Shares were repurchased. Even in the absence
of such conditions, the Board may decline to take action in response to a discount from NAV of the Common Shares. The Board may in the
future modify these conditions in light of experience.
The repurchase by the Fund of its Common Shares
at prices below NAV will result in an increase in the NAV of those Common Shares that remain outstanding. However, there can be no assurance
that Common Share repurchases or tender offers at or below NAV will result in the Fund’s Common Shares trading at a price equal
to their NAV.
In addition, a purchase by the Fund of its Common
Shares will decrease the Fund’s Managed Assets which would likely have the effect of increasing the Fund’s expense ratio.
Any purchase by the Fund of its Common Shares at a time when preferred shares are outstanding will increase the leverage applicable to
the outstanding Common Shares then remaining.
Before deciding whether to take any action if
the Common Shares trade below NAV, the Board would consider all relevant factors, including the extent and duration of the discount,
the liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio, the impact of any action that might be taken on the Fund or its Common Shareholders and
market considerations. Based on these considerations, even if the Fund’s Common Shares should trade at a discount, the Board may
determine that, in the interest of the Fund and its Common Shareholders, no action should be taken.
Tax matters
The following is a description of the material
U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing
of Common Shares. The discussion below provides general tax information related to an investment in Common Shares, but this discussion
does not purport to be a complete description of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Common Shares. It is
based on the Code and United States Treasury regulations thereunder and administrative pronouncements, all as of the date hereof, any
of which is subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. In addition, it does not describe all of the tax consequences that may
be relevant in light of a Common Shareholder’s particular circumstances, including alternative minimum tax consequences and tax
consequences applicable to Common Shareholders subject to special tax rules, such as certain financial institutions; dealers or traders
in securities who use a mark-to-market method of tax accounting; persons holding Common Shares as part of a hedging transaction, wash
sale, conversion transaction or integrated transaction or persons entering into a constructive sale with respect to the Common Shares;
entities classified as partnerships or other pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes; real estate investment trusts;
insurance companies; U.S. holders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; or tax-exempt entities, including
“individual retirement accounts” or “Roth IRAs.” Unless otherwise noted, the following discussion applies only
to a Common Shareholder that holds Common Shares as a capital asset and is a U.S. holder. A “U.S. holder” is a holder who,
for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is a beneficial owner of Common Shares and is (i) an individual who is a citizen or resident
of the United States; (ii) a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation, created or organized in or under the laws of
the United States, any state therein or the District of Columbia; (iii) an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal
income taxation regardless of its source; or (iv) a trust if it (x) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within
the United States and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (y) has a
valid election in effect under applicable United States Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. Tax laws are complex and
often change, and Common Shareholders should consult their tax advisors about the U.S. federal, state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences
of an investment in the Fund.
Taxation of the Fund
The Fund has elected to be treated as and intends
to continue to qualify in each taxable year as a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Code. To
qualify as a RIC for any taxable year, the Fund must, among other things, satisfy both an income test and an asset test for such taxable
year. Specifically, (i) at least 90% of the Fund’s gross income for such taxable year must consist of dividends; interest;
payments with respect to certain securities loans; gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies;
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 net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships”
(such income, “Qualifying RIC Income”) and (ii) the Fund’s holdings must be diversified so that, at the end of
each quarter of such taxable year, (a) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is represented by cash and cash
items, securities of other RICs, U.S. government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any
one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding
voting securities of such issuer and (b) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is invested (x) in
securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or of two or more issuers that the Fund
controls and that are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses or (y) in the securities of one or more “qualified
publicly traded partnerships.” The Fund’s share of income derived from a partnership other than a “qualified publicly
traded partnership” will be treated as Qualifying RIC Income only to the extent that such income would have constituted Qualifying
RIC Income if derived directly by the Fund. A “qualified publicly traded partnership” is generally defined as an entity that
is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes if (i) interests in such entity are traded on an established securities
market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof and (ii) less than 90% of its gross income
for the relevant taxable year consists of Qualifying RIC Income. The Code provides that the Treasury Department may by regulation exclude
from Qualifying RIC Income foreign currency gains that are not directly related to the RIC’s principal business of investing in
stock or securities (or options and futures with respect to stock or securities). The Fund anticipates that, in general, its foreign
currency gains will be directly related to its principal business of investing in stock and securities.
As a RIC, the Fund generally is not subject to
U.S. federal income tax on its “investment company taxable income” and net capital gain (that is, the excess of net long-term
capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that it distributes (including amounts that are reinvested pursuant to the Plan, as
described below) to its shareholders, provided that it distributes on a timely basis with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of
its “investment company taxable income” and its net tax-exempt interest income for such taxable year. In general, a RIC’s
“investment company taxable income” for any taxable year is its taxable income, determined without regard to net capital
gain and with certain other adjustments. The Fund distributes, and intends to continue to distribute, all of its “investment company
taxable income,” net tax-exempt interest income (if any) and net capital gain on an annual basis. Any taxable income, including
any net capital gain, that the Fund does not distribute to its shareholders in a timely manner will be subject to U.S. federal income
tax at regular corporate rates.
If the Fund retains any net capital gains for
reinvestment, it may elect to treat such capital gains as having been distributed to its shareholders. If the Fund makes such an election,
each shareholder will be required to report its share of such undistributed net capital gain as long-term capital gain and will be entitled
to claim its share of the U.S. federal income taxes paid by the Fund on such undistributed net capital gain as a credit against its own
U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, and to claim a refund on a properly filed U.S. federal income tax return to the extent that
the credit exceeds such liability. In addition, each shareholder will be entitled to increase the adjusted tax basis of its Common Shares
by the difference between its share of such undistributed net capital gain and the related credit. There can be no assurance that the
Fund will make this election if it retains all or a portion of its net capital gain for a taxable year.
In determining its net capital gain, including
in connection with determining the amount available to support a capital gain dividend, its taxable income and its earnings and profits,
the Fund generally may elect to treat part or all of any post-October capital loss (defined as any net capital loss attributable
to the portion, if any, of the taxable year after October 31 or, if there is no such loss, the net long-term capital loss or net
short-term capital loss attributable to any such portion of the taxable year) or late-year ordinary loss (generally, the sum of its (i) net
ordinary loss, if any, from the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of property, attributable to the portion, if any, of the
taxable year after October 31, and its (ii) other net ordinary loss, if any, attributable to the portion, if any, of the taxable
year after December 31) as if incurred in the succeeding taxable year.
The Fund is generally permitted to carry forward
a net capital loss in any taxable year to offset its own capital gains, if any. These amounts are available to be carried forward to
offset future capital gains to the extent permitted by the Code and applicable tax regulations. Any such loss carryforwards will retain
their character as short-term or long-term. In the event that the Fund were to experience an ownership change as defined under the Code,
the capital loss carryforwards and other favorable tax attributes of the Fund, if any, may be subject to limitation.
A RIC will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise
tax on certain amounts that it fails to distribute during each calendar year. In order to avoid this excise tax, a RIC must distribute
during each calendar year an amount at least equal to the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary taxable income (taking into account certain
deferrals and elections) for the calendar year; (ii) 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ended on 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 purposes of determining whether the Fund has met this distribution requirement, (i) certain ordinary gains and losses that would
otherwise be taken into account for the portion of the calendar year after October 31 will be treated as arising on January 1
of the following calendar year and (ii) the Fund will be deemed to have distributed any income or gains on which it paid U.S. federal
income tax in the taxable year ending within the relevant calendar year. The Fund intends generally to make distributions sufficient
to permit it to avoid the imposition of this excise tax, but there can be no assurance in this regard.
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 its 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
for the dividends-received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders and may also be eligible for treatment by non-corporate shareholders
as “qualified dividend income,” provided in each case that certain holding period and other requirements were satisfied.
In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay taxes and make distributions (any of which could be subject
to interest charges) before re-qualifying for taxation as a RIC. If the Fund fails to satisfy the income test or diversification test
described above, however, it may in certain circumstances be able to avoid losing its status as a RIC by timely providing notice of such
failure to the Internal Revenue Service, curing such failure and possibly paying an additional tax.
Some of the investments that the Fund is expected
to make, such as investments in debt securities that are treated as issued with original issue discount, will cause the Fund to recognize
income or gain for U.S. federal income tax purposes prior to the receipt of any corresponding cash or other property. Because the distribution
requirements described above will apply to this income, the Fund may be required to borrow money or dispose of other securities at disadvantageous
times in order to make the relevant distributions.
If the Fund utilizes leverage through the issuance
of preferred shares or borrowings, it will be prohibited from declaring a distribution or dividend if it would fail the applicable asset
coverage test(s) under the 1940 Act after the payment of such distribution or dividend. In addition, certain covenants in credit
facilities or indentures may impose greater restrictions on the Fund’s ability to declare and pay dividends on Common Shares. See
“Investment objectives and principal investment strategy.” Limits on the Fund’s ability to pay dividends on Common
Shares may prevent the Fund from meeting the distribution requirements described above, and may therefore jeopardize the Fund’s
qualification for taxation as a RIC or subject the Fund to income or excise tax on undistributed income. The Fund will endeavor to avoid
restrictions on its ability to make dividend payments. If the Fund is precluded from making distributions on the Common Shares because
of any applicable asset coverage requirements, the terms of the preferred shares (if any) may provide that any amounts so precluded from
being distributed, but required to be distributed for the Fund to meet the distribution requirements for qualification as a RIC, will
be paid to the holders of the preferred shares as a special distribution. This distribution can be expected to decrease the amount that
holders of preferred shares would be entitled to receive upon redemption or liquidation of the shares.
The Fund may invest in certain options, futures
or forward currency contracts to hedge the Fund’s portfolio or for any other permissible purposes consistent with the Fund’s
investment objectives. If the Fund makes these investments, it could be required to mark-to-market these contracts and realize any unrealized
gains and losses at its fiscal year end even though it continues to hold the contracts. Under these rules, gains or losses on the contracts
generally would be treated as 60% long-term and 40% short-term gains or losses, but gains or losses on certain foreign currency contracts
would be treated as ordinary income or losses. In determining its net income for excise tax purposes, the Fund also would be required
to mark-to-market these contracts annually as of October 31 (for capital gain net income and ordinary income arising from certain
foreign currency contracts), and to realize and distribute any resulting income and gains.
The Fund’s entry into a short sale transaction
or an option or other contract could be treated as the “constructive sale” of an “appreciated financial position,”
causing it to realize gain, but not loss, on the position. Additionally, the Fund’s entry into securities lending transactions
may cause the replacement income earned on the loaned securities to fall outside of the definition of qualified dividend income and to
fail to qualify for the dividends received deduction. This replacement income generally will not be eligible for reduced rates of taxation
on qualified dividend income, and, to the extent that debt securities are loaned, will generally not qualify as qualified interest income
for foreign withholding tax purposes.
The Fund’s investments in foreign securities
may be subject to foreign withholding taxes on dividends, interest, or capital gains, which will decrease the Fund’s yield. Foreign
withholding taxes may be reduced under income tax treaties between the United States and certain foreign jurisdictions. Depending on
the number of non-U.S. Common Shareholders in the Fund, however, such reduced foreign withholding tax rates may not be available for
investments in certain jurisdictions.
Certain of the Fund’s investments are expected
to be subject to special 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 or qualified dividend income 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) adversely affect when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur;
(v) adversely alter the intended characterization of certain complex financial transactions; (vi) cause the Fund to recognize
income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash and (vii) produce income that will not constitute Qualifying RIC Income.
The application of these rules could cause the Fund to be subject to U.S. federal income tax or the nondeductible 4% excise tax
and, under certain circumstances, could affect the Fund’s status as a RIC. The Fund monitors its investments and may make certain
tax elections in order to mitigate the effect of these provisions. Moreover, there may be uncertainty as to the appropriate treatment
of certain of the Fund’s investments for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In particular, the U.S. federal income tax treatment
of investments in debt securities that are rated below investment grade is uncertain in various respects.
Distributions
Distributions of the Fund’s ordinary income
and net short-term capital gains will, except as described below with respect to distributions of “qualified dividend income,”
generally be taxable to the Common Shareholders as ordinary income to the extent such distributions are paid out of the Fund’s
current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Distributions (or deemed distributions,
as described above), if any, of net capital gains will be taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of the length of time the Common
Shareholder has owned Common Shares. The ultimate tax characterization of the Fund’s distributions made in a taxable year cannot
be determined until after the end of the taxable year. As a result, there is a possibility that the Fund may make total distributions
during a taxable year in an amount that exceeds the current and accumulated earnings and profits of the Fund. A distribution of an amount
in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated by a Common Shareholder as a return of capital
that will be applied against and reduce the Common Shareholder’s basis in its Common Shares. To the extent that the amount of any
such distribution exceeds the Common Shareholder’s basis in its Common Shares, the excess will be treated as gain from a sale or
exchange of the Common Shares. If the Fund issues preferred shares, its earnings and profits must be allocated first to such preferred
shares, and then to the Common Shares, in each case on a pro rata basis.
It is expected that a very substantial portion
of the Fund’s income will consist of ordinary income. For example, interest and original issue discount derived by the Fund will
constitute ordinary income. In addition, gain derived by the Fund from the disposition of debt securities with “market discount”
(generally, securities purchased by the Fund at a discount to their stated redemption price) will be treated as ordinary income to the
extent of the market discount that has accrued, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, at the time of such disposition unless
the Fund makes an election to accrue market discount on a current basis. In addition, certain of the Fund’s investments will be
subject to special U.S. federal income tax provisions that may affect the character, increase the amount and/or accelerate the timing
of income earned by the Fund. The Fund generally expects that dividends received by the Fund from a REIT and distributed to the Common
Shareholders will be taxable to the Commons Shareholders as ordinary income. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017,
and before January 1, 2026, however, the Fund may report dividends eligible for a 20% “qualified business income” deduction
for non-corporate U.S. Common Shareholders to the extent that the Fund’s income is derived from REIT dividends, reduced by allocable
Fund expenses.
Dividends distributed by the Fund to a corporate
Common Shareholder will qualify for the dividends-received deduction only to the extent that the dividends consist of distributions of
qualifying dividends received by the Fund. In addition, any such dividends-received deduction will be disallowed or reduced if the corporate
Common Shareholder fails to satisfy certain requirements, including a holding period requirement, with respect to its Common Shares.
Distributions of “qualified dividend income” to an individual or other non-corporate Common Shareholder made or deemed made
by the Fund will be subject to tax at reduced maximum rates (depending on whether the shareholder’s income exceeds certain threshold
amounts), provided that the shareholder meets certain holding period and other requirements with respect to its Common Shares. “Qualified
dividend income” generally includes dividends from domestic corporations and dividends from foreign corporations that meet certain
specified criteria. Given the Fund’s investment strategy, it is not expected that a large portion of the distributions made by
the Fund will be eligible for the dividends-received deduction (in the case of corporate shareholders) or for treatment as “qualified
dividend income” (in the case of individual shareholders).
Certain distributions reported by the Fund as
Section 163(j) interest dividends may be treated as interest income by shareholders for purposes of the tax rules applicable
to interest expense limitations under Section 163(j) of the Code. Such treatment by the shareholder is generally subject to
holding period requirements and other potential limitations, although the holding period requirements are generally not applicable to
dividends declared by money market funds and certain other funds that declare dividends daily and pay such dividends on a monthly or
more frequent basis. The amount that the Fund is eligible to report as a Section 163(j) dividend for a tax year is generally
limited to the excess of the Fund’s business interest income over the sum of the Fund’s (i) business interest expense
and (ii) other deductions properly allocable to the Fund’s business interest income.
Distributions will be treated in the manner described
above regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or invested in additional Common Shares pursuant to the Plan. If the
Common Shares are trading below NAV, Common Shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional Common Shares 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.
If the Fund issues additional Common Shares with a fair market value equal to or greater than NAV, however, Common Shareholders will
be treated as receiving a distribution in the amount of the fair market value of the distributed Common Shares.
Although dividends generally will be treated
as distributed when paid, dividends declared in October, November or December, payable to Common 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 Common Shareholders) on December 31 of the year in which declared.
The Internal Revenue Service currently requires
that a RIC that has two or more classes of stock allocate to each class proportionate amounts of each type of its income (such as ordinary
income, capital gains and dividends qualifying for the dividends-received deduction) based upon the percentage of total dividends paid
to each class for the tax year. Accordingly, if the Fund issues preferred shares, the Fund will allocate capital gain dividends and dividends
qualifying for the dividends-received deduction, if any, between its Common Shares and shares of preferred stock in proportion to the
total dividends paid to each class with respect to such tax year.
Common Shareholders will be notified annually
as to the U.S. federal tax status of distributions, and Common Shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional Common
Shares will receive a report as to the NAV of those Common Shares.
Medicare Tax
An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on
certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from
redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s
“modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an
estate or trust) exceed certain threshold amounts.
Sale or Exchange of Common Shares
A Common Shareholder may recognize capital gain
or loss on the sale or other disposition of Common Shares. Different tax consequences may apply for tendering and non-tendering Common
Shareholders in connection with a repurchase offer. For example, if a Common Shareholder does not tender all of his or her Common Shares,
such repurchase may not be treated as a sale or exchange for U.S. federal income tax purposes and may result in deemed distributions
to non-tendering Common Shareholders. On the other hand, Common Shareholders holding Common Shares as capital assets who tender all of
their Common Shares (including Common Shares deemed owned by Common Shareholders under constructive ownership rules) will be treated
as having sold their Common Shares and generally will recognize capital gain or loss. The amount of the gain or loss will be equal to
the difference between the amount realized and the Common Shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in the relevant Common Shares. Such
gain or loss generally will be a long-term gain or loss if the Common Shareholder’s holding period for such Common Shares is more
than one (1) year. Under current law, net capital gains recognized by non-corporate Common Shareholders are generally subject to
reduced maximum rates, depending on whether the Common Shareholder’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts.
Losses realized by a Common Shareholder on the
sale or exchange of Common Shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital losses to the extent of any distribution
of long-term capital gain received (or deemed received, as discussed above) with respect to such Common Shares. In addition, no loss
will be allowed on a sale or other disposition of Common Shares if the Common Shareholder acquires (including pursuant to the Plan),
or enters into a contract or option to acquire, Common Shares 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.
Reporting of adjusted cost basis information
for covered securities, which generally include shares of a regulated investment company acquired after January 1, 2012, is required
to the Internal Revenue Service and to taxpayers. Common Shareholders should contact their financial intermediaries with respect to reporting
of cost basis and available elections for their accounts.
Tax Shelter Reporting Regulations
Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a Common
Shareholder recognizes losses with respect to Common Shares of $2 million or more for an individual Common Shareholder or $10 million
or more for a corporate Common Shareholder, the Common Shareholder must file with the Internal Revenue Service a disclosure statement
on Internal Revenue Service Form 8886. Direct owners 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 taxpayer’s 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.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
Information returns will be filed with the Internal
Revenue Service in connection with payments on the Common Shares and the proceeds from a sale or other disposition of the Common Shares.
A Common Shareholder will be subject to backup withholding (currently, at a rate of 24%) on all such payments if it fails to provide
the payor with its correct taxpayer identification number (generally on an Internal Revenue Service Form W-9) and to make required
certifications or otherwise establish an exemption from backup withholding. Corporate Common Shareholders and certain other Common Shareholders
generally are exempt from backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld pursuant to these rules may
be credited against the applicable Common Shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is
timely furnished to the Internal Revenue Service.
Non-U.S. Common Shareholders
The U.S. federal income taxation of a Common
Shareholder that is a nonresident alien individual, a foreign trust or estate or a foreign corporation, as defined for U.S. federal income
tax purposes (a “non-U.S. Common Shareholder”) depends on whether the income that the Common Shareholder derives from the
Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by the Common Shareholder.
If the income that a non-U.S. Common Shareholder
derives from the Fund is not “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by such non-U.S. Common Shareholder,
distributions of “investment company taxable income” will generally be subject to a U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate
of 30% (or a lower rate under an applicable treaty).
Properly reported dividends received by a nonresident
alien or foreign entity are generally exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax when they (a) are paid in respect of the Fund’s
“qualified net interest income” (generally, the Fund’s U.S. source interest income, reduced by expenses that are allocable
to such income), or (b) are paid in connection with the Fund’s “qualified short-term capital gains” (generally,
the excess of the Fund’s net short-term capital gain over the Fund’s long-term capital loss for such taxable year). However,
depending on the circumstances, the Fund may report all, some or none of the Fund’s potentially eligible dividends as such qualified
net interest income or as qualified short-term capital gains, and a portion of the Fund’s distributions (e.g., interest from non-U.S.
sources or any foreign currency gains) would be ineligible for this potential exemption from withholding.
A non-U.S. Common Shareholder whose income from
the Fund is not “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business (or, if an income tax treaty is applicable, is not
attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. Common Shareholder in the United States) will generally be exempt
from U.S. federal income tax on capital gain dividends, any amounts retained by the Fund that are reported as undistributed capital gains
and any gains realized upon the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund. If, however, such a non-U.S. Common Shareholder is a nonresident
alien individual and is physically present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and meets certain other
requirements, such capital gain dividends, undistributed capital gains and gains from the sale or exchange of Common Shares will be subject
to U.S. tax.
If the income from the Fund is “effectively
connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. Common Shareholder (and, if an income tax treaty is applicable,
is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. Common Shareholder in the United States), any distributions of
“investment company taxable income,” any capital gain dividends, any amounts retained by the Fund that are reported as undistributed
capital gains and any gains realized upon the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund will be subject to U.S. income tax, on a net income
basis, in the same manner, and at the graduated rates applicable to, U.S. persons. If such a non-U.S. Common Shareholder is a corporation,
it may also be subject to the U.S. branch profits tax.
Special rules may apply to a non-U.S. Common
Shareholder receiving a Fund distribution if at least 50% of the Fund’s assets consist of U.S. real property interests, including
certain REITs and U.S. real property holding corporations (as defined in Code and the Treasury Regulations). Fund distributions that
are attributable to gain from the disposition of a U.S. real property interest will be taxable as ordinary dividends and subject to withholding
at a 30% or lower treaty rate if the non-U.S. Common Shareholders held no more than 5% of the Fund’s Common Shares at any time
during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution. If the non-U.S. Common Shareholder held at least 5% of the Fund’s
Common Shares, the distribution would be treated as income effectively connected with a trade or business within the U.S. and the non-U.S.
Common Shareholder would be subject to withholding tax and would generally be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return. Similar
consequences would generally apply to a non-U.S. Common Shareholder’s gain on the sale of Fund Common Shares unless the Fund is
domestically controlled (meaning that more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s Common Shares is held by U.S. Common Shareholders)
or the non-U.S. Common Shareholders owns no more than 5% of the Fund’s Common Shares at any time during the five-year period ending
on the date of sale.
A non-U.S. Common Shareholder other than a corporation
may be subject to backup withholding on net capital gain distributions that are otherwise exempt from withholding tax or on distributions
that would otherwise be taxable at a reduced treaty rate if such Common Shareholder does not certify its non-U.S. status under penalties
of perjury or otherwise establish an exemption.
A non-U.S. Shareholder may also be subject to
U.S. estate tax with respect to their Fund shares.
The tax consequences to a non-U.S. Common Shareholder
entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may differ from those described herein. Non-U.S. Common Shareholders are advised
to consult their tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.
In addition, the Fund is required to withhold
U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on payments of taxable dividends made to certain non-U.S. entities that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant)
with extensive reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment
accounts. To avoid withholding, foreign financial institutions will need to (i) enter into agreements with the IRS that state
that they will provide the IRS information, including the names, addresses and taxpayer identification numbers of direct and indirect
U.S. account holders, comply with due diligence procedures with respect to the identification of U.S. accounts, report to the IRS certain
information with respect to U.S. accounts maintained, agree to withhold tax on certain payments made to non-compliant foreign financial
institutions or to account holders who fail to provide the required information, and determine certain other information as to their
account holders, or (ii) in the event that an applicable intergovernmental agreement and implementing legislation are adopted, provide
local revenue authorities with similar account holder information. Other foreign entities will need to either provide the name, address,
and taxpayer identification number of each substantial U.S. owner or certifications of no substantial U.S. ownership unless certain exceptions
apply. Under some circumstances, a foreign shareholder may be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes.
Other Taxes
Common Shareholders may be subject to state,
local and non-U.S. taxes on their Fund distributions. Common Shareholders are advised to consult their tax advisors with respect to the
particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.
Proxy voting policy and proxy voting record
The Board has delegated the day-to-day responsibility
to the Advisers to vote the Fund’s proxies. Proxies are voted by the Advisers pursuant to the Board approved proxy guidelines,
a copy of which as currently in effect as of the date of this SAI is attached hereto as Appendix B. Also
attached hereto in Appendix B is the Advisers’ Listed Company Stewardship Guidelines, which among other things, expands upon how
the Advisers approach environmental, social and governance issues when engaging with company management and voting proxies.
Information on how the Fund voted proxies (if
any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12 month period ending June 30 is available: (i) upon request
and without charge by calling Investor Relations toll-free at 1-800-522-5465, or (ii) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
Incorporation by reference
This SAI
is part of a Registration Statement that the Fund has filed with the SEC. The Fund is permitted to "incorporate by reference"
the information that it files 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 an important part of this SAI, 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, and any reports and other
documents subsequently filed by the Fund 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 after the date of this Registration Statement and prior to its effectiveness, are incorporated by
reference into this SAI and deemed to be part of this SAI from the date of the filing of such reports and documents:
To obtain copies of these filings,
see “Additional Information.”
Financial Statements
The Fund’s unaudited financial statements
for the period ended April 30, 2024 are incorporated in this SAI by reference to the Fund’s 2024 Semi-Annual
Report. The Fund’s audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023, together with the reports
thereon of KPMG LLP (“KPMG”), an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts
in auditing and accounting, are incorporated in this SAI by reference to the Fund’s 2023 Annual
Report. The address of KPMG is 191 West Nationwide Blvd., Ste. 500, Columbus, OH 43215. KPMG provides audit services and consultation
with respect to the preparation of filings with the SEC.
Copies of the Fund’s 2024 Semi-Annual Report
and 2023 Annual Report are available at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Legal counsel
Counsel to the Fund is Dechert LLP.
Additional information
The Prospectus and this SAI do not contain all
of the information set forth in the Registration Statement, including any exhibits and schedules thereto. The
Fund will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom
this SAI is delivered, upon written or oral request, a copy of any and all of the information that has been incorporated by reference
in this SAI or the Prospectus or any accompanying Prospectus Supplement. You may request such information by calling Investor
Relations toll-free at 1-800-522-5465, or you may obtain a copy (and other information regarding the Fund) from the SEC’s
website (www.sec.gov). Free copies of the Fund’s Prospectus, SAI and any incorporated information will also be available from the
Fund’s website at https://www.abrdnawp.com/. Information contained on the Fund’s
website is not incorporated by reference into this SAI, the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement and should not be considered to be
part of this SAI, the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement.
Appendix A—Description of securities
ratings
S&P
GLOBAL RATINGS DEBT RATINGS
An S&P Global Ratings 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
obligor’s 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 ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. Short-term
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.
| 1. | Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings |
Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees,
on S&P Global Ratings’ analysis of the following considerations:
| ● | The
likelihood of payment—the 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. |
Issue ratings are 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 the 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.)
Long-Term
Issue Credit Ratings*
AAA - An obligor rated ‘AAA’ has
extremely strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. ‘AAA’ is the highest issuer credit rating assigned by S&P
Global Ratings. AA - An obligor rated ‘AA’ has very strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. It differs from the
highest-rated obligors only to a small degree.
AA- An obligor rated ‘AA’ has very
strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. It differs from the highest rated obligors only in small degree.
A - An obligor rated ‘A’ has strong
capacity to meet its financial commitments but is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic
conditions than obligors in higher-rated categories.
BBB - An obligor rated ‘BBB’ has
adequate capacity to meet its financial commitments. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to
weaken the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments.
Obligors rated ‘BB’, ‘B’,
‘CCC’, and ‘CC’ are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. ‘BB’ indicates the
least degree of speculation and ‘CC’ the highest. While such obligors will likely have some quality and protective characteristics,
these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.BB - An obligor rated ‘BB’ is less
vulnerable in the near term than other lower-rated obligors. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties and exposure to adverse business,
financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.
B - An obligor rated ‘B’ is more
vulnerable than the obligors rated ‘BB’, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments. Adverse
business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments.
CCC - An obligor rated ‘CCC’ is currently
vulnerable and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions to meet its financial commitments.
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 Global
Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.
C – A subordinated debt or preferred stock
obligation rated ‘C’ is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The ‘C’ rating may be used to cover a situation
where a bankruptcy petition has been filed or similar action taken, but payments on this obligation are being continued. A ‘C’
also will be assigned to a preferred stock issue in arrears on dividends or sinking fund payments, but that is currently paying.
R - An obligor rated ‘R’ is under
regulatory supervision owing to its financial condition. During the pendency of the regulatory supervision, the regulators may have the
power to favor one class of obligations over others or pay some obligations and not others.
SD and D - An obligor rated ‘SD’
(selective default) or ‘D’ has failed to pay one or more of its financial obligations (rated or unrated) when it came due.
A ‘D’ rating is assigned when Standard & Poor’s believes that the default will be a general default and that
the obligor will fail to pay all or substantially all of its obligations as they come due. An ‘SD’ rating is assigned when
Standard & Poor’s believes that the obligor has selectively defaulted on a specific issue or class of obligations but
it will continue to meet its payment obligations on other issues or classes of obligations in a timely manner.
NR - Indicates that a rating has not been assigned
or is no longer assigned.
* 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.
| 2. | Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings |
Short-Term
Issue Credit Ratings
A-1 - An obligor rated ‘A-1’ has
strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. It is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. Within this category,
certain obligors are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments
is extremely strong.
A-2 - An obligor rated ‘A-2’ has
satisfactory capacity to meet its financial commitments. However, it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in
circumstances and economic conditions than obligors in the highest rating category.
A-3 - An obligor rated ‘A-3’ has
adequate capacity to meet its financial obligations. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to
weaken the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments.
B - An obligor 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 obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.
B-1 – A short-term obligation rated ‘B-1’
is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, but the obligor has a relatively stronger capacity to meet its financial
commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.
B-2 – A short-term obligation rated ‘B-2’
is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has an average speculative-grade capacity to meet its
financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.
B-3 – A short-term obligation rated ‘B-3’
is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has a relatively weaker capacity to meet its financial
commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.
C - An obligor rated ‘C’ is currently
highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The ‘C’ rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed
or similar action taken, but payments on this obligation are being continued. A ‘C’ also will be assigned to a preferred
stock issue in arrears on dividends or sinking fund payments, but that is currently paying.
R - An obligor rated ‘R’ is under
regulatory supervision owing to its financial condition. During the pendency of the regulatory supervision, the regulators may have the
power to favor one class of obligations over others or pay some obligations and not others.
SD and D - An obligor is rated ‘SD’
(selective default) or ‘D’ has failed to pay one or more of its financial obligations (rated or unrated) when it came due.
A ‘D’ rating is assigned when Standard & Poor’s believes that the default will be a general default and that
the obligor will fail to pay all or substantially all of its obligations as they come due. An ‘SD’ rating is assigned when
Standard & Poor’s believes that the obligor has selectively defaulted on a specific issue or class of obligations but
it will continue to meet its payment obligations on other issues or classes of obligations in a timely manner.
NR - Indicates that a rating has not been assigned
or is no longer assigned
| B. | Municipal Short-Term Note
Ratings |
An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note
rating reflects S&P Global Ratings’ opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes
due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely
receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings’ analysis will
review the following considerations:
| ● | Amortization
schedule—the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely
it will be treated as a note; and |
| ● | Source
of payment—the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more
likely it will be treated as a note. |
Municipal
Short-Term Note Ratings
SP-1 - Strong capacity to pay principal and interest.
An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.
SP-2 - Satisfactory capacity to pay principal
and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.
SP-3 - Speculative capacity to pay principal
and interest.
D - ‘D’ is assigned upon failure
to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed exchange offer, or 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.
MOODY’S
INVESTORS SERVICE INC. (“Moody’s”) LONG-TERM DEBT RATINGS*
Aaa — Obligations rated Aaa are judged
to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.
Aa —Obligations rated Aa are judged to
be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.
A — Obligations rated A are judged to be
upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.
Baa — Obligations rated Baa are judged
to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.
Ba — Obligations rated Ba are judged to
be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.
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
C — Obligations rated C are the lowest
rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal and interest.
* Moody’s 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.
STATE
AND MUNICIPAL NOTES
Excerpts from Moody’s description of state
and municipal note ratings:
MIG 1 This designation denotes superior credit
quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access
to the market for refinancing.
MIG 2 This designation denotes strong credit
quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.
MIG 3 This designation denotes acceptable credit
quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.
SG This designation denotes speculative-grade
credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.
FITCH, INC.
BOND RATINGS
Fitch’s credit ratings relating to issuers
are an opinion on the relative ability of an entity to meet financial commitments, such as interest, preferred dividends, repayment of
principal, insurance claims or counterparty obligations. Credit ratings relating to securities and obligations of an issuer can include
a recovery expectation. Credit ratings are used by investors as indications of the likelihood of receiving the money owed to them in
accordance with the terms on which they invested. The agency’s credit ratings cover the global spectrum of corporate, sovereign
financial, bank, insurance, and public finance entities (including supranational and sub-national entities) and the securities or other
obligations they issue, as well as structured finance securities backed by receivables or other financial assets. 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’ 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’ 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’ 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’ 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’ 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 - Default is a real possibility. CC - Default of some kind appears probable.
C - 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. ‘RD’ ratings indicate
an issuer that in Fitch’s 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 c) has not otherwise ceased operating.
‘D’ ratings indicate an issuer that
in Fitch’s opinion has entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other formal winding-up procedure
or that has otherwise ceased business.
MOODY’S
Ratings assigned on Moody’s 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. 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
on contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default. 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 on contractually
promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default.
Moody’s 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 structured finance ratings. 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, Moody’s aspires to achieve broad expected
equivalence in structured finance and fundamental rating performance when measured over a long period of time.
GLOBAL
SHORT-TERM RATING SCALE
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.
U.S.
MUNICIPAL SHORT-TERM DEBT AND DEMAND OBLIGATION RATINGS
SHORT-TERM
OBLIGATION RATINGS
While the global short-term ‘prime’
rating scale is applied to US municipal tax-exempt commercial paper, these programs are typically backed by external letters of credit
or liquidity facilities and their short-term prime ratings usually map to the long-term rating of the enhancing bank or financial institution
and not to the municipality’s rating. Other short-term municipal obligations, which generally have different funding sources for
repayment, are rated using two additional short-term rating scales (i.e., the MIG and VMIG scales discussed below).
The Municipal Investment Grade (MIG) scale is
used to rate US municipal bond anticipation notes of up to three years maturity. Municipal notes rated on the MIG scale may be secured
by either pledged revenues or proceeds of a take-out financing received prior to note maturity. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of
the obligation, and the issuer’s long-term rating is only one consideration in assigning the MIG rating. MIG ratings are divided
into three levels—MIG 1 through MIG 3—while speculative grade short-term obligations are designated SG.
MIG 1 This designation denotes superior credit
quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access
to the market for refinancing.
MIG 2 This designation denotes strong credit
quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.
MIG 3 This designation denotes acceptable credit
quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.
SG This designation denotes speculative-grade
credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.
FITCH’S
SHORT-TERM RATINGS
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 - Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity
for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.
F2 - Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment
of financial commitments.
F3 - The intrinsic capacity for timely payment
of financial commitments is adequate.
B - Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial
commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
C — Default is a real possibility.
RD — 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 — Indicates a broad-based default event
for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.
Appendix B—Proxy voting guidelines
U.S. Registered Advisers (the “abrdn
Advisers”)
Proxy Voting Guidelines
Effective as of October 26, 2022
Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers
Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”) requires the abrdn Advisers to vote proxies in a manner consistent with clients’
best interest and must not place its interests above those of its clients when doing so. It requires the abrdn Advisers to: (i) adopt
and implement written policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that the abrdn Advisers vote proxies in the best
interest of the clients, and (ii) to disclose to the clients how they may obtain information on how the abrdn Advisers voted proxies.
In addition, Rule 204-2 requires the abrdn Advisers to keep records of proxy voting and client requests for information.
As registered investment advisers, the abrdn
Advisers have an obligation to vote proxies with respect to securities held in its client portfolios in the best interests of the clients
for which it has proxy voting authority.
The abrdn Advisers are committed to exercising
responsible ownership with a conviction that companies adopting best practices in corporate governance will be more successful in their
core activities and deliver enhanced returns to shareholders.
The abrdn Advisers have adopted a proxy voting
policy. The proxy voting policy is designed and implemented in a way that is reasonably expected to ensure that proxies are voted in
the best interests of clients.
Resolutions are analysed by a member of our regional
investment teams or our Active Ownership Team and votes instructed following consideration of our policies, our views of the company
and our investment insights. To enhance our analysis, we will often engage with a company prior to voting to understand additional context
and explanations, particularly where there is a deviation from what we believe to be best practice.
Where contentious issues arise in relation to
motions put before a shareholders’ meeting, abrdn Advisers will usually contact the management of the company to exchange views
and give management the opportunity to articulate its position. The long-term nature of the relationships that we develop with investee
company boards should enable us to deal with any concerns that we may have over strategy, the management of risk or governance practices
directly with the chairman or senior independent director. In circumstances where this approach is unsuccessful, abrdn Advisers are prepared
to escalate their intervention by expressing their concerns through the company’s advisers, through interaction with other shareholders
or attending and speaking at General Meetings.
In managing third party money on behalf of clients,
there are a limited number of situations where potential conflicts of interest could arise in the context of proxy voting. One case is
where funds are invested in companies that are either clients or related parties of clients. Another case is where one fund managed by
abrdn invests in other funds managed by abrdn.
For cases involving potential conflicts of interest,
abrdn Advisers have implemented procedures to ensure the appropriate handling of proxy voting decisions. The guiding principle of abrdn
Advisers’ conflicts of interest policy is simple – to exercise our right to vote in the best interests of the clients on
whose behalf we are managing funds.
We employ ISS as a service provider to facilitate
electronic voting. We require ISS to provide recommendations based on our own set of parameters to tailored abrdn’s assessment
and approach but remain conscious always that all voting decisions are our own on behalf of our clients. We consider ISS’s recommendations
and those based on our custom parameters as input to our voting decisions. We make use of the ISS standard research and recommendations
and those based on our own custom policy as input to our voting decisions. Where our analysts make a voting decision that is different
from the recommendations based on our custom policy they will provide a rationale for such decisions which will be made publicly available
in our voting disclosures.
In order to make proxy voting decisions, an abrdn
analyst will assess the resolutions at general meetings in our active investment portfolios. This analysis will be based on our knowledge
of the company, but will also make use of the custom and standard recommendations provided by ISS as described above. The product of
this analysis will be final voting decision instructed through ISS applied to all funds for which abrdn have been appointed to vote.
For funds managed by a sub-adviser, we may delegate to the sub-adviser the authority to vote proxies; however, the sub-adviser will be
required to either follow our policies and procedures or to demonstrate that their policies and procedures are consistent with ours,
or otherwise implemented in the best interest of clients.
There may be certain circumstances where abrdn
may take a more limited role in voting proxies. We will not vote proxies for client accounts in which the client contract specifies that
abrdn will not vote. We may abstain from voting a client proxy if the voting is uneconomic or otherwise not in clients’ best interests.
For companies held only in passively managed portfolios the abrdn custom recommendations provided by ISS will be used to automatically
apply our voting approach; we have scope to intervene to test that this delivers appropriate results, and will on occasions intrude to
apply a vote more fully in clients’ best interests. If voting securities are part of a securities lending program, we may be unable
to vote while the securities are on loan. However, we have the ability to recall shares on loan or to restrict lending when required,
in order to ensure all shares have voted. In addition, certain jurisdictions may impose share-blocking restrictions at various times
which may prevent abrdn from exercising our voting authority.
We recognize that there may be situations in
which we vote at a company meeting where we encounter a conflict of interest. Such situations include:
| ● | where
a portfolio manager owns the holding in a personal account |
| ● | An
investee company that is also a segregated client |
| ● | An
investee company where an executive director or officer of our company is also a director
of that company |
| ● | An
investee company where an employee of abrdn is a director of that company |
| ● | A
significant distributor of our products |
| ● | Any
other companies which may be relevant from time to time |
In order to manage such conflicts of interests,
we have established procedures to escalate decision-making so as to ensure that our voting decisions are based on our clients’
best interests and are not impacted by any conflict.
The implementation of this policy, along with
conflicts of interest, will be reviewed periodically by the Active Ownership team. abrdn’s Global ESG Principles & Voting
Policies are published on our website.
To the extent that an abrdn Adviser may rely
on sub-advisers, whether affiliated or unaffiliated, to manage any client portfolio on a discretionary basis, the abrdn Adviser may delegate
responsibility for voting proxies to the sub-adviser. However, such sub-advisers will be required either to follow these Policies and
Procedures or to demonstrate that their proxy voting policies and procedures are consistent with these Policies and Procedures or otherwise
implemented in the best interests of the abrdn Advisers’ clients. Clients that have not granted abrdn voting authority over securities
held in their accounts will receive their proxies in accordance with the arrangements they have made with their service providers.
As disclosed in Part 2A of each abrdn Adviser’s
Form ADV, a client may obtain information on how its proxies were voted by requesting such information from its abrdn Adviser. Unless
specifically requested by a client in writing, and other than as required for the Funds, the abrdn Advisers do not generally disclose
client-specific proxy votes to third parties.
Our proxy voting records are available per request
and on the SEC’s website at SEC.gov.
On occasions when it is deemed to be a fiduciary
for an ERISA client’s assets, abrdn will vote the Plan assets in accordance with abrdn’s Proxy Voting Policy and in line
with DOL guidance.