THE MEXICO EQUITY AND INCOME FUND, INC.
Annual Report
July 31, 2024
El Palacio de Bellas Artes Mexico City, Mexico. CANVA. 2021
THE MEXICO EQUITY AND INCOME FUND, INC.
Annual Report
Table of Contents
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1
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Letter to Stakeholders
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11
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Relevant Economic Information
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13
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Allocation of Portfolio Assets
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14
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Schedule of Investments
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17
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Statement of Assets & Liabilities
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18
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Statement of Operations
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19
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Statements of Changes in Net Assets
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20
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Financial Highlights
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21
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Notes to Financial Statements
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45
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
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46
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Additional Information
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51
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Dividends and Distributions
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53
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Results of Annual Stockholders Meeting
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54
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Privacy Policy
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56
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Management of the Fund
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The Mexico Equity and Income Fund, Inc.
Report of Pichardo Asset Management (“PAM”),
the Investment Adviser (Unaudited)
Dear Fund Stockholders,
We are pleased to present the Fund’s Portfolio Management Report for the year ending July 31, 2024. This report provides an overview of the global economic forecast, Mexico’s economic activity, and
financial markets. We also include a review of the Fund’s Return Attribution Analysis for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2024, and its long-term performance, as well as the Mexican stock exchange behavior.
Introduction
The global economic growth forecast for 2024 is expected to be lower than that of 2023, with economic activity showing varying levels of dynamism across different countries. Prospects point to higher
growth in advanced economies and lower growth in emerging economies, according to Banco de México, Central Bank (“BANXICO”). The United States registered higher-than-anticipated growth in the second quarter of 2024, while China exhibited a low
economic dynamism. Japan’s economic activity is expected to recover, following the sharp contraction observed in the previous quarter. The downside risks to the world economic growth prospects likely refer to the following:
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1.
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Lagged effects of interest rates remain high for more extended than expected.
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2.
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The potential escalation of conflicts in the Middle East.
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3.
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Increased trade tensions.
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México’s Gross Domestic Product (“GDP”) registered an annual growth of 1.0% in the second quarter of 2024, with productivity activity registering low growth (0.2% at a seasonally adjusted quarterly
rate) showing more significant weakness than anticipated for three consecutive quarters (1Q’24 with 0.1% and 4Q’23 with -0.1%) since December 2023, decoupling from US economic activity. Source: INEGI.
Consumption maintains its dynamism, growing at an annual rate of 2.8% and remaining at high levels. In comparison, aggregate demand grew at an annualized quarterly rate of close to 6% in the first
quarter of 2024, mainly driven by household consumption. However, it is showing signs of moderation that we are closely monitoring. In the external sector, manufacturing exports showed some sluggishness and a lateral trend. Source: INEGI.
Please see the July Economic Report at the Fund’s webpage: mxefund.com
In most advanced economies, the disinflation process continues showing heterogeneity, but short - and long-term inflation expectations remained above the inflation targets in most advanced economies.
Thus, the central banks of the advanced and emerging economies adjusted their reference rates heterogeneously. Notably, the Bank of Japan raised its interest rate. Mexico Central Bank’s (“BANXICO”) Board decided by
majority to lower its reference rate target for the overnight interbank rate by 25 basis points to 10.75%, a spread differential of 525 basis points to that of the U.S. The US Federal Reserve left the
target range for the federal funds rate unchanged for the eighth consecutive decision. Source: Banxico.
International financial markets increased their risk-aversion, causing higher volatility by mid-July by some US employment data, suggesting a lower dynamism of the labor market in the United States; and
unexpected Japan’s second increase in its reference rate this year, since 2008, led to a significant appreciation of the yen and notorious depreciation of currencies.
The MXN Peso, with a profound market typically used for unwinding carry trade positions against the yen, depreciated approximately -8.6% from May 31, 2024, to July 31, 2024. Source: Bloomberg.
Following the above-mentioned higher risk aversion momentum, the main stock markets, particularly the technology sector, contracted. The (“IPyC”) Mexican stock market index lowered -11.03% in US Dollars
from May 31 to July 31, 2024, the end of the Fund’s fiscal year. The depreciation of the MXN peso contributed -8.6%, and equities -2.43%. Source Bloomberg.
MXE Short- & Long-Term Performance
Source: Bloomberg.
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(1)
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The returns shown are based on net asset value calculated for shareholder transactions, which do not reflect adjustments made to the net asset value for financial reporting
purposes per accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
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Source: U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC.
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*
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On October 12, 2021, the fund announced the results of its Opportunistic Rights Offering for 146% of outstanding shares at a subscription price of US $8.90 per common stock.
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**
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On January 31, 2020, the Fund successfully completed the Tender Offer to purchase up to 67% of outstanding shares at 98% of the net asset value (“NAV”).
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Performance data represents past performance; past performance does not guarantee future results.
The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that the investor’s shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Performance
data to the most recent month end may be obtained by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, (414)765-4255, or by consulting the Fund’s web page: www.mxefund.com.
The Fund’s shares have traded in the market above (at a premium), at, and below (at a discount) the net asset value per share (NAV) since the commencement of the Fund’s operations.
Generally, shares of closed-end investment companies, including those of the Fund, trade at a discount from NAV.
The net per share asset value (“NAV”) registered a return in Mexican Pesos of minus 0.73% and a return of -10.43% in U.S. dollars (calculated based on net asset value
calculated for shareholder transactions, which does not reflect adjustments made to the net asset value for financial reporting purposes per accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America), including a 1.91% ratio
of expenses to an average net asset, for the one year, ending July 31, 2024 — Source: U.S. Bancorp; Bloomberg. The MXN peso has traded in the range of 17.52 to 19.84 pesos per U.S. dollar since Mexico’s
General Election outcome on June 2, 2024, with depreciation of -8.6% from May 31 to July 31, 2024. Source: Bloomberg.
Long-Term Performance
Please refer to the Fund’s Opportunistic Non-Transferable Rights Offering for 146% of outstanding shares at a subscription price of U.S. $8.90 per common stock on
October 12, 2021, proposed by the BOD to the Fund’s Stakeholders to subscribe with a high discount to market price to better assess PAM’s quality portfolio management.
Return Attribution Analysis
The return attribution analysis presents the two largest stock detractors related to the Consumer Discretionary, automotive parts industry, and the other to the Real Estate Services, industrial parks
built to suit industry. Both Companies’ management continues to fully engage with frustrated financial quarters but good forward financial prospects. Challenges to those industries refer to the COVID-19 pandemic after the supply shocks (automotive
parts production) and higher-than-expected interest rates in the industrial parks, which are the main conceptual elements affecting these sectors. The second lagger sector was the Materials sector, which refers to one beta stock. Despite the
challenges, the Materials sector’s forward fundamentals remain solid, forecasting lower interest rates in Mexico.
We are optimistic about the potential of the cheap-value Fund construction portfolio and companies in a higher economic scenario. This optimism is based on the promising demographics and nearshoring
prospects, which indicate a bright future for these entities.
Schedule of Investments
Source: PAM; Bloomberg.
Closing Remarks
The economic activity forecast suggests a modest expansion for the full year 2024. According to BANXICO, the stable U.S. economic growth prospect is the primary factor influencing better economic
activity prospects in Mexico. Our confidence in public government finances remains unwavering for its health and stability. Please see Exhibits 1 and 2.
Compared to its history and forward earnings yield, the MEXBOL Index is attractive. This attractiveness is significant as it indicates a favorable relationship between valuation and forward earnings
growth. The forward-looking data shows a double-digit discount to the 5- and 15-year average, which is a promising sign for potential investors. Please see Exhibits 3 and 4.
The Fund’s investment strategy and Portfolio construction remain highly diversified, providing a secure foundation encompassing companies with local and international sales and EBITDA (Earnings Before
Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) exposure. PAM continues to align the Fund to its Investment Objectives and Restrictions. Our strategy is to identify companies with strong long-term fundamentals, avoiding the market’s short-term
volatility. We have a strong preference for experienced company management, particularly those with the ability to operate in stressful financial conditions and those with decades of international experience, primarily within the northern American
region, EU, and South America.
Ms. Claudia Sheinbaum, President elected, will take office on October 1, 2024. For the first time, Mexico will have a President with an absolute majority in Congress and a highly scientific and
experienced cabinet. The market has good prospects for a president capable of having good relationships with entrepreneurs and the press. In a recorded message, Marcelo Ebrard, future Secretary of Economy, stated that the Mexican government would
facilitate foreign investments and said, ‘We are a friendly country for investments coming from the United States.’ — Source: El Financiero.
Sincerely,
Eugenia Pichardo, Senior Portfolio Manager
David Estevez Analyst and Portfolio Manager
Exhibit 1.
United States of America International Trade.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Amounts in millions of US dollars.
Exhibit 2.
Historical Net Debt as % of GDP
As of 1H24.
Source: Ministry of Finance and Public Credit
Exhibit 3.
MEXBOL Index Forward 12-Mos Price to Earnings (P/E) Multiple
Long term, as of July 31, 2024.
Source: PAM; Bloomberg.
Exhibit 4.
MEXBOL INDEX, 12-month forward EV/EBITDA Multiple
Long term, as of July 31, 2024.
Source: PAM; Bloomberg.
DISCLAIMER
The Mexico Equity and Income Fund, Inc. (“the Fund”) maintains a long-term capital appreciation investment objective through investments in securities, primarily equity, listed on the Mexican Stock
Exchange. The Fund provides a vehicle to investors who wish to invest in Mexican companies through a managed non-diversified portfolio as part of their overall investment program.
Fund holdings and sector allocations are subject to change at any time and should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Please see the Schedule of Investments in this report
for a complete list of fund holdings. The information and views provided herein represent the opinion of Pichardo Asset Management, not the Fund’s Board of Directors, and it does not intend to be a forecast of future events, a guarantee of future
results, or investment advice. This report contains certain forward-looking statements about factors that may affect the performance of the Fund in the future.
Management believes these forward-looking statements to be reasonable, although they are inherently uncertain and difficult to predict.
Investors must carefully consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses and restrictions. The prospectus contains this and other important information about the
investment company, which may be obtained by calling U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, (414) 765-4255. Read it carefully before investing.
All investments involve risk. Principal loss is possible.
Definitions
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The stock’s net asset value (NAV) is the value of a fund’s assets minus its liabilities. The term “net asset value” is commonly used concerning closed-end funds and is used to determine the
value of the assets held.
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The market price of the ordinary share of a closed-end fund is determined in the open market by buyers and sellers and is the price at which investors may purchase or sell the common shares of a
closed-end fund, which fluctuates throughout the day. The common share market price may differ from the Fund’s Net Asset Value; shares of a closed-end fund may trade at a premium to (higher than) or a discount to (lower than) NAV. The
difference between the market price and NAV is a discount.
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A basis point (bps) is one-hundredth of a percentage point (0.01%).
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Premium/Discount: The share price of an investment trust can differ from the net asset value (NAV). If the current share price is above the NAV, the investment trust is said to be trading at a
premium, i.e. it costs more to buy the shares than the underlying investments are worth. When the share price is below the NAV, this is known as trading at a discount.
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MEXBOL, or the IPC (Indice de Precios y Cotizaciones), is a capitalization-weighted index of the Mexican stock exchange’s leading stocks.
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MSCI-Mexico Net Total Return Index: The Morgan Stanley Capital International Index Mexico is a free float capitalization-weighted index that tracks the Mexican Stock Market. One cannot invest
directly in an index.
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BANXICO: Banco de Mexico is the Central Bank of Mexico. By constitutional mandate, it is autonomous in both its operations and management. Its primary function is to provide domestic currency to
the Mexican economy, and its main priority is to ensure the stability of the domestic currency’s purchasing power.
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Reference Rate: is an interest rate benchmark used to set other interest rates. Various types of transactions use different reference rate benchmarks, but the most common include the Fed Funds
Rate, LIBOR, the prime rate, and the rate on benchmark U.S., among others.
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INEGI: The National Institute of Statistics and Geography.
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OECD: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
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Gross Domestic Product (GDP): is the standard measure of the value added created through the production of goods and services in a country during a certain period. As such, it also measures the
income earned from that production, or the total amount spent on final goods and services (less imports).
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Nearshoring: is a strategy in which a company moves all or part of its production closer to the final consumer, reducing costs and avoiding logistical setbacks. In the last couple of years, many
businesses around the world have started to look at this as an alternative, primarily to avoid supply chain issues.
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Foreign Direct Investment: is an ownership stake in a foreign company or project made by an investor, company, or government from another country.
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Gross Fixed Investment: measures the total value of all acquisitions of fixed assets, both tangible and intangible, obtained as a result of a production process. The value represents a
year-over-year change in the gross fixed investment, obtained by aggregating the constant values of machinery and equipment of both national and foreign origin and of construction.
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Forward PE Ratio: The regular P/E ratio is a current stock price over its earnings per share. The forward P/E ratio is a current stock’s price over its “predicted” earnings per share. If the
forward P/E ratio is higher than the current P/E ratio, it indicates decreased expected earnings.
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EV/EBITDA: Is a popular valuation multiple used in the finance industry to measure the value of a company. It is the most widely used valuation multiple based on enterprise value.
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Attribution analysis: is a sophisticated method for evaluating the performance of a portfolio or fund manager. The method focuses on three factors: the manager’s investment style, their specific
stock picks and the market timing of those decisions. It attempts to provide a quantitative analysis of the aspects of a fund manager’s investment selections and philosophy that lead to that fund’s performance.
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Treasury Bond (T-Bond): Is a marketable, fixed-interest U.S. government debt securities with a maturity of more than 10 years. Treasury bonds make interest payments semiannually, and the income
received is only taxed at the federal level.
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M-Bond: Mexico Federal Government fixed-rate development bonds that are issued and placed at terms of over one year, pay interest every six months and their interest rate is determined at issue
date and remains fixed all along the life of the bond.
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Consumer Price Index (INPC): Is a measure that examines the weighted average of prices of a basket of consumer goods and services, such as transportation, food, and medical care. It is
calculated by taking price changes for each item in the predetermined basket of goods and averaging them.
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RELEVANT ECONOMIC INFORMATION for the years ended December 31
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Real Activity (billion US$)
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2023
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2022
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2021
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2020
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2019
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Real GDP Growth (y-o-y)
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3.20
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%
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3.68
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%
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6.27
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%
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-8.55
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%
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-0.39
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%
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Industrial Production (y-o-y)
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-1.90
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%
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-8.97
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%
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6.49
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%
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4.70
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%
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3.54
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%
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Trade Balance (US billions)
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$39.54
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$-26.92
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$-10.75
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$34.18
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$5.36
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Exports (US billions)
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$593.01
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$577.70
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$494.95
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$417.17
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$460.60
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Export growth (y-o-y)
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2.65
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%
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16.72
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%
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18.64
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%
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-9.43
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%
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2.22
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%
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Imports (US billions)
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$553.47
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$604.61
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$505.70
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$382.99
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$455.24
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Import growth (y-o-y)
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-8.46
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%
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19.56
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%
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32.04
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%
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-15.87
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%
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-1.95
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%
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Financial Variables and Prices
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28-Day CETES (T-bills)/Average
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11.10
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%
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7.66
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%
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4.45
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%
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5.30
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%
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7.85
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%
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Exchange rate (Pesos/US$)Average
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17.74
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20.11
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20.29
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21.47
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19.25
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Inflation IPC, 12 month trailing
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5.55
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%
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7.89
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%
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5.68
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%
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3.40
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%
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3.64
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%
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Mexbol Index
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USD Return
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40.87
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%
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-1.09
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%
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20.94
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%
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-2.35
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%
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12.05
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%
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Market Cap- (US billions)
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$438.75
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$312.32
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$326.47
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$281.62
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$285.98
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EV/EBITDA
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5.34
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x
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5.67
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x
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7.29
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x
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8.42
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x
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7.37
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x
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Fund’s NAV & Common Share
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Market Price Performance
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NAV per share
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32.95
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%
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4.85
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%
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-4.05
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%
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-3.25
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%
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8.48
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%
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Share Price
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30.97
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%
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-1.57
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%
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-8.42
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%
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-16.03
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%
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16.37
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%
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MSCI Mexico Index
|
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40.92
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%
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-2.02
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%
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22.53
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%
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-1.85
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%
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11.37
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%
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iShares MSCI Mexico
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40.36
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%
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1.26
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%
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20.30
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%
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-3.05
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%
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12.64
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%
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Sources: Banamex, Banco de Mexico, Bloomberg, MSCI.
Performance at a glance (unaudited)
Average annual total returns for common stock for the periods ended 7/31/2024
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Net asset value returns(1)
|
1 year
|
5 years
|
10 years
|
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The Mexico Equity and Income Fund, Inc.
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-10.43%
|
4.09%
|
-1.09%
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Market price returns
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The Mexico Equity and Income Fund, Inc.
|
-7.98%
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-0.75%
|
-3.01%
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Index returns
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MSCI Mexico Index
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-9.91%
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8.90%
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0.56%
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| |
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Share price as of 7/31/2024
|
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Net asset value
|
|
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$13.08
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|
Market price
|
|
|
$ 9.59
|
|
(1)
|
The returns shown are based on net asset value calculated for shareholder transactions, which do not reflect adjustments made to the net asset value for financial reporting purposes in
accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
|
Past performance does not predict future performance. The return and value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s share, when sold, may be worth more or less than their
original cost. The Fund’s common stock net asset value (“NAV”) return assumes, for illustration only, that dividends and other distributions, if any, were reinvested at the NAV on the ex-dividend date. The Fund’s common stock market price returns
assume that all dividends and other distributions, if any, were reinvested at the lower of the NAV or the closing market price on the ex-dividend date. NAV and market price returns for the period of less than one year have not been annualized.
Returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder could pay on Fund dividends and other distributions, if any, or the sale of Fund shares.
The MSCI Mexico Index is designed to measure the performance of the large and mid cap segments of the Mexican market. With 24 constituents, the MSCI Mexico Index covers approximately 85% of the free
float-adjusted market capitalization in Mexico.
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Allocation of Portfolio Assets
|
July 31, 2024
(Unaudited)
|
|
(Calculated as a percentage of Total Investments)
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|
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Schedule of Investments
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MEXICO – 99.2%
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Shares
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Value
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COMMON STOCKS – 85.9%
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Airlines – 1.0%
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Controladora Vuela Compania de Aviacion, S.A.B. de C.V. – Series A (a)
|
|
|
948,211
|
|
|
$
|
583,757
|
|
| |
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Airports – 4.5%
|
|
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Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A.B. de C.V. – Series B
|
|
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85,568
|
|
|
|
2,580,221
|
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Auto Parts & Equipment – 2.9%
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Nemak, S.A.B. de C.V. (a)
|
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12,180,790
|
|
|
|
1,660,631
|
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Beverages – 11.5%
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|
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Arca Continental, S.A.B. de C.V.
|
|
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290,620
|
|
|
|
2,859,872
|
|
|
Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V.
|
|
|
156,700
|
|
|
|
1,421,915
|
|
|
Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. – Series UBD
|
|
|
212,622
|
|
|
|
2,347,961
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,629,748
|
|
|
Building Materials – 12.1%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cemex, S.A.B. de C.V. – Series CPO
|
|
|
7,426,815
|
|
|
|
4,799,466
|
|
|
Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua, S.A.B. de C.V.
|
|
|
252,596
|
|
|
|
2,144,714
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,944,180
|
|
|
Communication Services – 6.8%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
America Movil, S.A.B. de C.V. (a)
|
|
|
4,699,563
|
|
|
|
3,924,921
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consumer Finance – 2.8%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gentera, S.A.B. de C.V.
|
|
|
1,363,000
|
|
|
|
1,616,052
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consumer Products – 0.8%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, S.A.B. de C.V. – Series A
|
|
|
275,600
|
|
|
|
490,225
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Financial Groups – 4.0%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grupo Financiero Banorte, S.A.B. de C.V. – Series O
|
|
|
308,163
|
|
|
|
2,309,196
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Food – 5.1%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grupo Bimbo, S.A.B. de C.V. – Series A
|
|
|
833,186
|
|
|
|
2,914,429
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hotels, Restaurants, and Recreation – 5.6%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alsea, S.A.B. de C.V.
|
|
|
945,564
|
|
|
|
2,854,811
|
|
|
Grupe, S.A.B. de C.V. (a)(b)
|
|
|
200,591
|
|
|
|
372,521
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,227,332
|
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Schedule of Investments (continued)
|
|
|
COMMON STOCKS (continued)
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Value
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mining – 5.1%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grupo Mexico, S.A.B. de C.V. – Series B
|
|
|
519,337
|
|
|
$
|
2,926,863
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Real Estate Services – 7.2%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta, S.A.B. de C.V.
|
|
|
1,417,871
|
|
|
|
4,152,168
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Retail – 16.5%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
El Puerto de Liverpool, S.A.B. de C.V. – Series C1
|
|
|
248,024
|
|
|
|
1,740,868
|
|
|
Grupo Comercial Chedraui, S.A. de C.V.
|
|
|
343,787
|
|
|
|
2,562,118
|
|
|
Wal-Mart de Mexico, S.A.B. de C.V.
|
|
|
1,564,562
|
|
|
|
5,203,170
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,506,156
|
|
|
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS (Cost $46,894,413)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
49,465,879
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATES – 1.2%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Atlas Discovery Trust II (a)(b)
|
|
|
300,000
|
|
|
|
709,036
|
|
|
TOTAL CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATES (Cost $2,147)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
709,036
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MEXICAN MUTUAL FUNDS – 0.9%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scotiabankinverlat – Scotia Gubernamental, S.A. de C.V. S.I.I.D. (a)
|
|
|
1,891,469
|
|
|
|
519,550
|
|
|
TOTAL MEXICAN MUTUAL FUNDS (Cost $527,509)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
519,550
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS – 9.0%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Macquarie Mexico Real Estate Management, S.A. de C.V.
|
|
|
1,546,371
|
|
|
|
2,582,127
|
|
|
Prologis Property Mexico, S.A. de C.V.
|
|
|
775,334
|
|
|
|
2,588,469
|
|
|
TOTAL REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS (Cost $5,706,708)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,170,596
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MEXICAN FEDERAL CETES (C) – 2.2%
|
|
Par
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11.32%, 04/30/2025 (d)
|
|
|
1,338,425
|
|
|
|
1,234,815
|
|
|
TOTAL MEXICAN FEDERAL CETES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Cost $1,244,277)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,234,815
|
|
|
TOTAL MEXICO (Cost $54,375,054)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
57,099,876
|
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Schedule of Investments (concluded)
|
|
|
UNITED STATES – 1.2%
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Value
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MONEY MARKET FUNDS – 1.2%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds –
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Government Portfolio – Institutional Class, 5.21% (e)
|
|
|
673,598
|
|
|
$
|
673,598
|
|
|
TOTAL INVESTMENT COMPANIES (Cost $673,598)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
673,598
|
|
|
TOTAL UNITED STATES (Cost $673,598)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
673,598
|
|
|
TOTAL INVESTMENTS – 100.4% (Cost $55,048,652)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
57,773,474
|
|
|
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets – (0.4)%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(210,585
|
)
|
|
TOTAL NET ASSETS – 100.0%
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
57,562,889
|
|
Percentages are stated as a percent of net assets.
|
(a)
|
Non-income producing security.
|
|
(b)
|
Level 3 illiquid securities. Fair value determined using significant unobservable inputs in accordance with procedures established by and
under the supervision of the Adviser, acting as Valuation Designee. These securities represented $1,081,557 or 1.9% of net assets as of July 31, 2024.
|
|
(c)
|
Mexican Federal Treasury Certificates.
|
|
(d)
|
The rate shown is the effective yield as of July 31, 2024.
|
|
(e)
|
The rate shown represents the 7-day effective yield as of July 31, 2024.
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Statement of Assets & Liabilities
|
|
|
ASSETS:
|
|
|
|
|
Investments, at value (cost $55,048,652)
|
|
$
|
57,773,474
|
|
|
Receivable for investments sold
|
|
|
691
|
|
|
Interest receivable
|
|
|
2,999
|
|
|
Other Assets
|
|
|
22,112
|
|
|
Total Assets
|
|
|
57,799,276
|
|
|
LIABILITIES:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Payables:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Payable to the custodian
|
|
|
51,512
|
|
|
Advisory
|
|
|
48,971
|
|
|
Directors
|
|
|
39,982
|
|
|
Audit
|
|
|
34,295
|
|
|
Administration
|
|
|
16,134
|
|
|
Legal
|
|
|
12,276
|
|
|
Printing and mailing
|
|
|
10,333
|
|
|
Custody
|
|
|
8,209
|
|
|
Fund accounting
|
|
|
7,213
|
|
|
CCO
|
|
|
5,866
|
|
|
Transfer Agent
|
|
|
1,596
|
|
|
Total Liabilities
|
|
|
236,387
|
|
|
Net Assets
|
|
|
57,562,889
|
|
|
Net Asset Value Per Common Share ($57,562,889 / 4,400,209)
|
|
$
|
13.08
|
|
|
NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 4,400,209 shares outstanding (98,144,872 shares authorized)
|
|
|
4,400
|
|
|
Paid-in capital
|
|
|
53,757,904
|
|
|
Total distributable earnings
|
|
|
3,800,585
|
|
|
Net Assets
|
|
$
|
57,562,889
|
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
|
Statement of Operations
|
For the Year Ended
July 31, 2024
|
|
INVESTMENT INCOME
|
|
|
|
|
Dividends(1)
|
|
$
|
3,167,027
|
|
|
Interest
|
|
|
131,470
|
|
|
Total Investment Income
|
|
|
3,298,497
|
|
|
EXPENSES AND FEES
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advisory (Note B)
|
|
|
587,454
|
|
|
Directors (Note B)
|
|
|
196,878
|
|
|
Administration (Note B)
|
|
|
94,076
|
|
|
CCO (Note B)
|
|
|
66,900
|
|
|
Fund accounting (Note B)
|
|
|
43,597
|
|
|
Custodian (Note B)
|
|
|
42,375
|
|
|
Audit
|
|
|
34,277
|
|
|
Legal
|
|
|
33,144
|
|
|
Transfer Agent (Note B)
|
|
|
32,446
|
|
|
Printing and mailing
|
|
|
31,666
|
|
|
Insurance
|
|
|
25,080
|
|
|
NYSE
|
|
|
14,107
|
|
|
Total Expenses
|
|
|
1,202,000
|
|
|
NET INVESTMENT INCOME
|
|
|
2,096,497
|
|
|
NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON INVESTMENTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net realized gain from investments and foreign currency transactions
|
|
|
5,642,653
|
|
|
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments and foreign currency transactions
|
|
|
(14,406,705
|
)
|
|
Net loss from investments and foreign currency transactions
|
|
|
(8,764,052
|
)
|
|
Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations
|
|
$
|
(6,667,555
|
)
|
|
(1)
|
Net of $303,942 in dividend withholding tax.
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
Statements of Changes in Net Assets
| |
|
For the
|
|
|
For the
|
|
| |
|
Year Ended
|
|
|
Year Ended
|
|
| |
|
July 31, 2024
|
|
|
July 31, 2023
|
|
|
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operations:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income
|
|
$
|
2,096,497
|
|
|
$
|
1,899,641
|
|
|
Net realized gain on investments and foreign currency transactions
|
|
|
5,642,653
|
|
|
|
2,460,197
|
|
|
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) in value
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
of investments and foreign currency transactions
|
|
|
(14,406,705
|
)
|
|
|
15,326,147
|
|
|
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations
|
|
|
(6,667,555
|
)
|
|
|
19,685,985
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions to Common Shareholders from:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net dividends and distributions
|
|
|
(1,325,465
|
)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
Decrease in net assets resulting from distributions
|
|
|
(1,325,465
|
)
|
|
|
—
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital Share Transactions:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from common stock sold through rights offering
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
Increase in net assets from capital share transactions
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total increase (decrease) in net assets
|
|
|
(7,993,020
|
)
|
|
|
19,685,985
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginning of year
|
|
|
65,555,909
|
|
|
|
45,869,924
|
|
|
End of year
|
|
$
|
57,562,889
|
|
|
$
|
65,555,909
|
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
Financial Highlights
For a Common Share Outstanding Throughout Each Year
| |
|
For the Year Ended July 31,
|
|
| |
|
2024
|
|
|
2023
|
|
|
2022
|
|
|
2021
|
|
|
2020
|
|
|
Per Share Operating Performance
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net asset value, beginning of year
|
|
$
|
14.90
|
|
|
$
|
10.42
|
|
|
$
|
14.43
|
|
|
$
|
9.04
|
|
|
$
|
11.03
|
|
|
Net investment income (loss)
|
|
|
0.48
|
|
|
|
0.43
|
|
|
|
0.43
|
|
|
|
(0.18
|
)
|
|
|
(0.08
|
)
|
|
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
investments and foreign currency transactions
|
|
|
(2.00
|
)
|
|
|
4.05
|
|
|
|
(1.50
|
)
|
|
|
5.57
|
|
|
|
(2.27
|
)
|
|
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations
|
|
|
(1.52
|
)
|
|
|
4.48
|
|
|
|
(1.07
|
)
|
|
|
5.39
|
|
|
|
(2.35
|
)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less: Distributions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dividends from net investment income
|
|
|
(0.30
|
)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
(0.12
|
)
|
|
Distributions from net realized gains
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
Total dividends and distributions
|
|
|
(0.30
|
)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
(0.12
|
)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital Share Transactions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anti-dilutive effect of Common
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Share Repurchase Program
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
Anti-dilutive effect of Tender Offer
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
0.48
|
|
|
Dilutive effect of Common Share Rights Offering
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
(2.94
|
)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
Total capital share transactions
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
(2.94
|
)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
0.48
|
|
|
Net Asset Value, end of year
|
|
$
|
13.08
|
|
|
$
|
14.90
|
|
|
$
|
10.42
|
|
|
$
|
14.43
|
|
|
$
|
9.04
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Per share market value, end of year
|
|
$
|
9.59
|
|
|
$
|
10.70
|
|
|
$
|
7.88
|
|
|
$
|
12.37
|
|
|
$
|
7.72
|
|
|
Total Investment Return Based on
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Market Value, end of year(1)
|
|
|
(7.98
|
)%
|
|
|
35.79
|
%
|
|
|
(36.30
|
)%
|
|
|
60.23
|
%
|
|
|
(24.50
|
)%
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios/Supplemental Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net assets, end of year (000’s)
|
|
$
|
57,563
|
|
|
$
|
65,556
|
|
|
$
|
45,870
|
|
|
$
|
25,770
|
|
|
$
|
16,158
|
|
|
Ratios of expenses to average net assets:
|
|
|
1.91
|
%
|
|
|
2.13
|
%
|
|
|
2.32
|
%
|
|
|
3.89
|
%
|
|
|
2.61
|
%
|
|
Ratios of net investment income (loss)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
to average net assets:
|
|
|
3.33
|
|
|
|
3.43
|
%
|
|
|
1.12
|
%
|
|
|
(1.56
|
)%
|
|
|
(0.38
|
)%
|
|
Portfolio turnover rate
|
|
|
166.37
|
%
|
|
|
159.02
|
%
|
|
|
153.01
|
%
|
|
|
217.50
|
%
|
|
|
372.66
|
%
|
|
(1)
|
Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of common stock at the current market price on the first day and a sale at the
current market price on the last day of each period reported. Dividends and distributions, if any, are assumed for purposes of this calculation to be reinvested at the closing market price on the dividend ex-date. Total investment does not
reflect brokerage commissions.
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements
|
|
NOTE A: ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The Mexico Equity and Income Fund, Inc. (the “Fund”) was incorporated in Maryland on May 24, 1990, and commenced operations on August 21, 1990. The
Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company.
The Fund is an investment company and accordingly follows the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting
Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standard Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services—Investment Companies”.
The preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires
management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Significant accounting policies are as follows:
Portfolio Valuation. Investments are stated at value in the accompanying financial statements. Listed equity
securities are valued at the closing price on the exchange or market on which the security is primarily traded (the “Primary Market”) at the valuation time. If the security did not trade on the Primary Market, it shall be valued at the closing price
on another comparable exchange where it trades at the valuation time. If there are no such closing prices, the security shall be valued at the mean between the most recent highest bid and lowest ask prices at the valuation time. Investments in
short-term debt securities having a maturity of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost if their term to maturity from the date of purchase was less than 60 days, or by amortizing their value on the 61st day prior to maturity if their term to
maturity from the date of purchase when acquired by the Fund was more than 60 days. Other assets and securities for which no quotations are readily available will be valued in good faith at fair value using methods determined by the Board of
Directors. These methods include, but are not limited to, the fundamental analytical data relating to the investment; the nature and duration of restrictions in the market in which they are traded (including the time needed to dispose of the
security, methods of soliciting offers and mechanics of transfer); the evaluation of the forces which influence the market in which these securities may be purchased or sold, including the economic outlook and the condition of the industry in which
the issuer participates and sum of the parts methodology. The Fund has a Valuation Committee comprised of independent directors which oversees the valuation of portfolio securities. Any securities or other assets for which market quotations are not
readily available are valued at their fair value pursuant to policies and procedures adopted pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act.
Investment Transactions and Investment Income. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the
specific identification method for both financial reporting and income tax purposes. Interest income, including the accretion of discount and amortization of premium on investments, is recorded on an accrual basis; dividend income is recorded on the
ex-dividend date or, using reasonable diligence, when known to the Fund. The collectibility of income receivable from foreign securities is evaluated periodically, and any
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
resulting allowances for uncollectible amounts are reflected currently in the determination of investment income. There was no allowance for
uncollectible amounts at July 31, 2024.
Tax Status. No provision is made for U.S. Federal income or excise taxes as it is the Fund’s intention to
continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and to make the requisite distributions to its shareholders that will be sufficient to relieve it from all or substantially all U.S. Federal income and excise taxes.
The Fund is subject to the following withholding taxes on income from Mexican sources:
| |
Interest income on debt issued by the Mexican federal government is generally not subject to withholding. Withholding tax on interest from
other debt obligations such as publicly traded bonds and loans by banks or insurance companies is at a rate of 4.9% under the tax treaty between Mexico and the United States.
|
| |
|
| |
Gains realized from the sale or disposition of debt securities may be subject to a 4.9% withholding tax. Gains realized by the Fund from the
sale or disposition of equity securities that are listed and traded on the Mexican Stock Exchange (“MSE”) are exempt from Mexican withholding tax if sold through the stock exchange. Gains realized on transactions outside of the MSE may be
subject to withholding at a rate of 25% (20% rate prior to January 1, 2002) of the value of the shares sold or, upon the election of the Fund, at 35% (40% rate prior to January 1, 2002) of the gain. If the Fund has owned less than 25% of the
outstanding stock of the issuer of the equity securities within the 12 month period preceding the disposition, then such disposition will not be subject to capital gains taxes as provided for in the treaty to avoid double taxation between
Mexico and the United States.
|
Investment Objectives
The Fund’s investment objective is to seek high total return through capital appreciation and current income. There can be no assurance that the
Fund’s objective will be achieved.
Investment Strategies
The Fund pursues its objective primarily by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s assets in equity and convertible
securities issued by Mexican companies and debt securities of Mexican issuers.
The Fund invests in equity securities, convertible securities and debt securities and may also invest in other securities such as capital development
certificates, real estate investment trusts, mutual funds, exchange traded funds, preferred stocks, rights and warrants. The Fund may, without limitation, hold cash or invest in assets in money market instruments, including U.S. and non-U.S.
government securities, high grade commercial paper and certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances issued by U.S. and non-U.S. banks.
The Adviser may invest the Fund’s cash balances in any investments it deems appropriate, subject to the restrictions set forth in below under
“Fundamental Investment Restrictions” and as permitted under the
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
1940 Act. Any income earned from such investments will ordinarily be reinvested by the Fund in accordance with its investment program. Many of the
considerations entering into the Adviser’s recommendations and decisions are subjective.
The Fund may, in limited circumstances, hedge against a decline in the value of the Mexican peso.
The short-term instruments in which the Fund may invest include (a) obligations of the United States Government and the Mexican Government, including
the agencies or instrumentalities of each (including repurchase agreements with respect to these securities); (b) bank obligations (including certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances of United States and Mexican banks
denominated in U.S. dollars or pesos); (c) obligations of United States and Mexican companies that are rated no lower than A-2 by S&P or P-2 by Moody’s or the equivalent from another rating service or, if unrated, deemed to be of equivalent
quality by the Adviser; and (d) shares of money market funds that are authorized to invest in (a) through (c).
Among the obligations of agencies and instrumentalities of the United States Government in which the Fund may invest are securities that are supported
by the “full faith and credit” of the United States Government (such as securities of the Government National Mortgage Association), by the right of the issuer to borrow from the United States Treasury (such as those of the Export-Import Bank of the
United States), by the discretionary authority of the United States Government to purchase the agency’s obligations (such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association) or by the credit of the United States Government instrumentality itself
(such as those of the Student Loan Marketing Association).
The Fund may, from time to time, take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund’s principal investment strategies in
attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. During such times, the Fund may temporarily invest up to 100% of its assets in cash or cash equivalents, including money market instruments, prime commercial paper,
repurchase agreements, Treasury bills and other short-term obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. In these and in other cases, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
Portfolio Investments
Common Stocks
The Fund will invest in 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 riskier than some other forms of investment in short-term periods. Common stock prices fluctuate for many reasons, including adverse exogenous macro and systemic events, abrupt change in companies’ revenues
due to commodity cycle or epidemic diseases, capital allocation, a period of disappointing financial reporting economics, fiscal, and monetary policies in the U.S.A, and Mexico.
Capital Development Certificates
Capital development certificates are hybrid instruments that may include debt and equity. Capital development certificates grant their holders the
right to variable income arising from various projects and/or companies.
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
Convertible Securities
Initially, the Fund’s management anticipated that the Fund would acquire convertible debt securities in privately negotiated transactions. However,
because of the extremely limited number of convertible debt securities issued by Mexican companies, the Fund has not acquired convertible debt securities of Mexican companies for the last 25 years. However, the Fund may acquire convertible debt
securities in Mexican companies in the future if and when they become available. A convertible debt security is a bond, debenture or note that may be converted into or exchanged for, or may otherwise entitle the holder to purchase, a prescribed
amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different Mexican company within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible debt security entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt
until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible debt securities have characteristics similar to nonconvertible debt securities in that they ordinarily provide for a fixed stream of income
with generally higher yields than those of stocks of the same or similar issuers. Convertible debt securities rank senior to stock in a corporation’s capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation’s stock. Given the
volatility of the Mexican securities market and the pricing of securities in Mexico, a significant portion of the value of a Mexican convertible debt security may be derived from the conversion feature rather than the fixed income feature.
The Fund defines debt securities (other than convertible debt securities) to mean bonds, notes, bills and debentures. The Fund’s investments in debt
securities of Mexican issuers include debt securities issued by private Mexican companies and by the Mexican Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. These debt securities may be denominated either in pesos or in U.S. dollars.
Corporate Bonds, Government Debt Securities and Other Debt Securities
The Fund may invest in corporate bonds, debentures and other debt securities or in investment companies which hold such instruments. 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 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 will invest in government debt securities. These securities may be U.S. dollar-denominated or non-U.S. dollar-denominated and include: (a)
debt obligations issued or guaranteed by foreign national, provincial, state, municipal or other governments with taxing authority or by their agencies or instrumentalities; and (b) 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.
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
Exchange Traded Funds
The Fund may invest in Exchange Traded Funds (“ETFs”), which are investment companies that aim to track or replicate a desired index, such as a
sector, market or global segment. ETFs are passively managed and their 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,
as ETFs based on an index 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.
Real Estate Investment Trusts
The Fund may invest in securities of Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”). REITs are trusts that specialize in acquiring, holding and managing
residential, commercial or industrial real estate. A REIT is not taxed at the entity level on income distributed to its shareholders or unitholders if it distributes to shareholders or unitholders at least 90% of its taxable income for each taxable
year and complies with regulatory requirements relating to its organization, ownership, assets and income.
Other Securities
Although it has no current intention do so to any material extent, the Fund may determine to invest the Fund’s assets in some or all of the following
securities.
Forward Currency Contracts
The Fund may, in limited circumstances, hedge against a decline in the value of the Mexican peso. On March 19, 1995, Banco de Mexico approved the
establishment of over-the-counter forward and option contracts in Mexico on the new peso between banks and their clients. Also, Banco de Mexico authorized the issuance and trading of futures contracts in respect of the new peso on the Chicago
Mercantile Exchange (“CME”). Trading of new peso futures contracts began on the CME on April 25, 1995.
The Fund will conduct any forward currency exchange transactions, which are considered derivative transactions, only for hedging and not speculation.
The risk of future currency devaluations and fluctuations should be carefully considered by investors in determining whether to purchase shares of the Fund. Although the Fund will value its assets daily in terms of U.S. dollars, it does not intend
physically to convert its holdings of pesos into U.S. dollars on a daily basis. The Fund will do so from time to time, and investors should be aware of the costs of currency conversion. Although foreign exchange dealers do not charge a fee for
conversion, they do realize a profit based on the difference (the “spread”) between the prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a foreign currency to the Fund at one rate, while offering a
lesser rate of exchange should the Fund desire to resell that currency to the dealer.
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
A forward currency contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days
from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. The Fund’s dealings in forward currency contracts will be limited to hedging involving either specific transactions or portfolio positions.
Transaction hedging is the purchase or sale of forward currency contracts with respect to specific receivables or payables of the Fund generally arising in connection with the purchase or sale of its portfolio securities or in anticipation of receipt
of dividend or interest payments. Position hedging is the purchase or sale of forward currency contracts with respect to portfolio security positions denominated or quoted in the currency.
The Fund may not position hedge with respect to a particular currency to an extent greater than the aggregate market value (at the time of making such
purchase or sale) of the securities held in its portfolio denominated or quoted in or currently convertible into that particular currency. If the Fund enters into a position hedging transaction, the custodian of the Fund’s assets being hedged will
place cash or readily marketable securities in a segregated account of the Fund in an amount equal to the value of the Fund’s total assets committed to the consummation of the forward contract. If the value of the securities placed in the segregated
account declines, additional cash or securities will be placed in the account so that the value of the account will equal the amount of the Fund’s commitment with respect to the contract.
The Fund may enter into forward currency contracts in several circumstances. When the Fund enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of
securities denominated in a foreign currency, or when the Fund anticipates the receipt in a foreign currency of interest or dividend payments, the Fund may desire to “lock-in” the U.S. dollar price of the security or the U.S. dollar equivalent of
such interest or dividend payment, as the case may be. By entering into a forward contract for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars for the purchase or sale of the amount of foreign currency involved in the underlying transactions, the Fund will be able to
protect itself against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and the subject foreign currency during the period between the date on which the security is purchased or sold, or on which the
dividend payment is declared, and the date on which such dividend or interest payment is to be received.
At or before the maturity of a forward currency contract, the Fund may either sell a portfolio security and make delivery of the currency, or retain
the security and offset its contractual obligation to deliver the currency by purchasing a second contract pursuant to which the Fund will obtain, on the same maturity date, the same amount of the currency that it is obligated to deliver. If the Fund
retains the portfolio security and engages in an offsetting transaction, the Fund, at the time of execution of the offsetting transaction, will incur a gain or a loss to the extent that movement has occurred in forward contract prices. The use of
forward currency contracts does not eliminate fluctuation in the underlying prices of the securities, but it does establish a rate of exchange that can be achieved in the future. In addition, although forward currency contracts limit the risk of loss
due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, at the same time they limit any potential
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
gain that might result should the value of the currency increase. If a devaluation is generally anticipated, the Fund may not be able to contract to
sell the currency at a price above the devaluation level it anticipates.
The cost to the Fund of engaging in currency transactions either on a spot or forward basis will vary with factors such as the currency involved, the
length of the contract period and the market conditions then prevailing. Because transactions in currency exchange are usually conducted on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved, although the price charged in the transaction includes
a dealer’s markup.
Certain provisions of the Code may limit the extent to which the Fund may enter into the foreign currency transactions described above. These
transactions may also affect the character and timing of income, and the amount of gain or loss recognized by the Fund and its stockholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies (“underlying funds”), including those that invest a substantial portion of their
assets in Mexican securities, to the extent permitted by, and subject to the conditions imposed by, the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereof. By investing in an investment company, the Fund bears a ratable share of the investment company’s
expenses, as well as continuing to bear the Fund’s advisory and administrative fees with respect to the amount of the investment. Investment companies are subject to the risks of investing in the underlying securities. Under the 1940 Act, banks
organized outside of the United States are deemed to be investment companies, although the SEC has adopted a rule which would permit the Fund to invest in the securities of foreign commercial banks, under certain circumstances, without regard to the
percentage limitations of the 1940 Act.
The Fund may be subject to the risks of the securities and other instruments described herein through its own direct investments and indirectly
through investments in the underlying funds, as those recently included in the “Bolsa”, named FIBRA E, (similar to a REIT in the U.S.) which corresponds to a Mexican mechanism to finance infrastructure, energy and long term projects, as well as
private equity, regulated by the Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores (corresponding SEC in the U.S.).
Illiquid Securities
Illiquid securities are securities that are not readily marketable. Illiquid securities include securities that have a low daily turnover or that
trade on odd lots or trading-block among small and medium portfolio managers referred to as specialists but do not provide liquidity to trade at reasonable fair value. Illiquid securities usually present a high spread between the bid and ask quotes.
If the Fund sells an illiquid security during a period with adverse market conditions, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price. Illiquid securities also include securities that have legal or contractual restrictions on resale, and repurchase
agreements maturing in more than seven days. The Fund may invest up to 15% of the value of its total assets in illiquid securities. Restricted securities for which no market exists and other illiquid investments are valued at fair value as determined
in accordance to policies and procedures adopted pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act and periodically reviewed by the Board of Directors. At July 31, 2024 the Fund held 1.9% of its total net assets in illiquid positions.
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
Rule 144A Securities
The Fund may invest in restricted securities that are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the
“1933 Act”). Generally, Rule 144A establishes a safe harbor from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act for resale by large institutional investors of securities that are not publicly traded. The Adviser determines the liquidity of the Rule
144A securities according to the Fund’s pricing policy and guidelines adopted by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors monitors the application of those guidelines and procedures. Securities eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A, which
are determined to be liquid, are not subject to the Fund’s 15% limit on investments in illiquid securities.
Preferred Stocks
The Fund may invest in 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.
Distributions on preferred stock must be declared by the board of directors and may be subject to deferral, and thus they may not be automatically
payable. Income payments on preferred stocks may be cumulative, causing dividends and distributions to accrue even if not declared by the company’s board or otherwise made payable, or they may be non-cumulative, so that skipped dividends and
distributions do not continue to accrue. There is no assurance that dividends on preferred stocks in which the Fund invests will be declared or otherwise made payable. The Fund may invest in non-cumulative preferred stock, although the Adviser may
consider, among other factors, their non-cumulative nature in making any decision to purchase or sell such securities.
Shares of preferred stock have a liquidation value that generally equals the original purchase price at the date of issuance. The market values of
preferred stock may be affected by favorable and unfavorable changes impacting the issuers’ industries or sectors, including companies in the utilities and financial services sectors, which are prominent issuers of preferred stock. They may also be
affected by actual and anticipated changes or ambiguities in the tax status of the security and by actual and anticipated changes or ambiguities in tax laws, such as changes in corporate and individual income tax rates, and in the dividends received
deduction for corporate taxpayers or the lower rates applicable to certain dividends.
Because the claim on an issuer’s earnings represented by preferred stock may become onerous when interest rates fall below the rate payable on the
stock or for other reasons, the issuer may redeem preferred stock, generally
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
after an initial period of call protection in which the stock is not redeemable. Thus, in declining interest rate environments in particular, the
Fund’s holdings of higher dividend -paying preferred stocks may be reduced and the Fund may be unable to acquire securities paying comparable rates with the redemption proceeds.
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. Warrants do not entitle a holder to
dividends or voting rights with respect to the underlying security and do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuing company. A warrant ceases to have value if it is not exercised prior to its expiration date. These factors can make
warrants more speculative than other types of investments. The sale of a warrant results in a long or short-term capital gain or loss depending on the period for which the warrant is held.
RISK FACTORS
An investment in the Fund is not guaranteed to achieve its investment objective; is not a deposit with a bank; is not insured,
endorsed or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency; and is subject to investment risks. The value of the Fund’s investments will increase or decrease based on changes in the prices of the investments it
holds. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. By itself, the Fund does not constitute a balanced investment program. You should consider carefully the following principal and non-principal risks before investing in the Fund. There may be
additional risks that the Fund does not currently foresee or consider material. You may wish to consult with your legal or tax advisors, before deciding whether to invest in the Fund. This section describes the risk factors associated with investment
in the Fund specifically, as well as those factors generally associated with investment in an investment company with investment objectives, investment policies, capital structure or trading markets similar to the Fund’s. Each risk summarized below
is a risk of investing in the Fund and different risks may be more significant at different times depending upon market conditions or other factors.
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies (“underlying funds”). The Fund may be subject to the risks of the
securities and other instruments described below through its own direct investments and indirectly through investments in the underlying funds.
Principal Risks
Investments in Foreign Securities Risks.
The Fund invests in the universe of Mexican securities market. Investing in Mexican securities presents political, regulatory and economic risks in
some ways similar to those that face a re-emerging country and a developing county; and different in kind and degree from the risks presented by investing in the U.S. financial markets or any other fairly comparable emerging country in the Latin
American region, pertaining
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
to the emerging market risk. Some of these risks may include devaluation and/or appreciation of the exchange rate of the Mexican Peso, greater market
price volatility, substantially less liquidity, controls on foreign investment, and limitations on repatriation of invested capital. Unlike U.S. issuers which are required to comply GAAP accounting policy standards, Mexican issuers comply with
mandatory regulation to IFR’s accounting standards and policies. Additional risks of investing in foreign securities are detailed below.
Market Illiquidity, Volatility. Although one of the largest in Latin America by market capitalization, the
Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, S.A. de C.V. (the “Mexican Stock Exchange” or “Bolsa”) is substantially smaller, less liquid and more volatile than the major securities markets in the United States. In addition, trading on the Mexican Stock Exchange is
concentrated. Thus, the performance of the Mexican Stock Exchange, as further described below, may be highly dependent on the performance of a few issuers. Additionally, prices of equity securities traded on the Mexican Stock Exchange are generally
more volatile than prices of equity securities traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The combination of price volatility and the relatively limited liquidity of the Mexican Stock Exchange may have an adverse impact on the investment performance of
the Fund.
Market Corrections. Although less so in recent times, the Mexican securities market has been subject to
periodic severe market corrections. A recent correction in the Bolsa’s Index occurred at the cancellation of the latest state of the ongoing art construction of a new airport by the new administration in Mexico starting in 2017. Due to the high
concentration of investors, issuers and intermediaries in the Mexican securities market and the generally high volatility of the Mexican economy, the Mexican securities market may be subject to severe market corrections than more broadly based
markets. As is the case with investing in any securities market, there can be no assurance that market corrections will not occur again.
The Mexican Economy. In the past, the Mexican economy has experienced peso devaluations, significant rises in
inflation and domestic interest rates and other economic instability and there can be no assurance that it will not experience such instability in the future.
Common Stock Risk. The Fund invests in common stocks. Common stocks represent an ownership interest in a
company. The Fund may also invest in securities that can be exercised for or converted into common stocks (such as convertible preferred stock). Common stocks and similar equity securities are more volatile and riskier than some other forms of
investments. Therefore, the value of your investment in the Fund may sometimes decrease instead of increase. Common stock prices fluctuate for many reasons, including adverse events such as unfavorable earnings reports, changes in investors’
perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer, the general condition of the relevant stock market or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. In addition, common stock prices may be sensitive to rising interest rates, as
the costs of capital rise and borrowing costs increase for issuers. Because convertible securities can be converted into equity securities, their values will normally increase or decrease as the values of the underlying equity securities increase or
decrease. The common stocks in which the Fund invests are structurally subordinated to preferred
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
securities, bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital structure in terms of priority to corporate income and assets and, therefore, will
be subject to greater risk than the preferred securities or debt instruments of such issuers.
Convertible Securities Risk. The Fund may acquire convertible debt securities in Mexican companies.
A convertible debt security is a bond, debenture or note that may be converted into or exchanged for, or may otherwise entitle the holder to purchase, a prescribed amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different Mexican
company within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible debt security entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged.
Before conversion, convertible debt securities have characteristics similar to nonconvertible debt securities in that they ordinarily provide for a fixed stream of income with generally higher yields than those of stocks of the same or similar
issuers. Convertible debt securities rank senior to stock in a corporation’s capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation’s stock. Given the volatility of the Mexican securities market and the pricing of
securities in Mexico, a significant portion of the value of a Mexican convertible debt security may be derived from the conversion feature rather than the fixed income feature.
The value of a convertible security, including, for example, a warrant, is a function of its investment value (determined by its yield in comparison
with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege) and its conversion value (the security’s worth, at market value, if converted into the underlying common stock). The investment value of a
convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors may also have an effect on the
convertible security’s investment value. The conversion value of a convertible security is determined by the market price of the underlying common stock. If the conversion value is low relative to the investment value, the price of the convertible
security is governed principally by its investment value. Generally, the conversion value decreases as the convertible security approaches maturity. To the extent the market price of the underlying common stock approaches or exceeds the conversion
price, the price of the convertible security will be increasingly influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security generally will sell at a premium over its conversion value by the extent to which investors place value on the right to
acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed income security. A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible security’s governing instrument. If a convertible
security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund will be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third party. Any of these actions could have an adverse effect on
the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.
Small and Medium Capitalization Company Risk. The Fund may invest in securities without regard to market
capitalization. Compared to investment companies that focus only on large capitalization companies, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile because it also invests in small and medium capitalization
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
companies. Compared to large companies, small and medium capitalization companies are more likely to have (i) more limited product lines or markets
and less mature businesses, (ii) fewer capital resources, (iii) more limited management depth and (iv) shorter operating histories. Further, compared to large capitalization companies, the securities of small and medium capitalization companies are
more likely to experience sharper swings in market values, be harder to sell at times and at prices that the Adviser believes appropriate.
Market Risk. Overall market risk may affect the value of individual instruments in which the Fund invests.
The Fund is subject to the risk that the securities markets will move down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, based on overall economic conditions and other factors, which may negatively affect the Fund’s performance. Factors such as domestic and
foreign (non-U.S.) economic growth and market conditions, real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation, changes in interest rate levels, lack of liquidity in the markets, volatility in the securities markets, adverse investor
sentiment affect the securities markets and political vents affect the securities markets. Securities markets also may experience long periods of decline in value. When the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, your investment in the Fund
decreases in value and you could lose money.
Local, state, regional, national or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues,
recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and could result in decreases to the Fund’s net asset value. Political, geopolitical, natural and other events, including war, military conflicts, terrorism,
trade disputes, government shutdowns, market closures, natural and environmental disasters, epidemics, pandemics and other public health crises and related events and governments’ reactions to such events have led, and in the future may lead, to
economic uncertainty, decreased economic activity, increased market volatility and other disruptive effects on U.S. and global economies and markets. Such events may have significant adverse direct or indirect effects on the Fund and its investments.
For example, a widespread health crisis such as a global pandemic could cause substantial market volatility, exchange trading suspensions and closures, impact the ability to complete redemptions, and affect Fund performance. A health crisis may
exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks. In addition, the increasing interconnectedness of markets around the world may result in many markets being affected by events or conditions in a single country or region or events
affecting a single or small number of issuers.
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic caused significant economic disruption in recent years as countries worked to limit the negative health impacts of
the virus. While the virus appears to have entered an endemic stage, significant outbreaks or new variants present a continued risk to the global economy.
Market Discount from Net Asset Value Risk. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a
discount from their net asset value (“NAV”). Because the market price of the Shares is determined by factors such as relative supply of and demand for the Shares in the market, general market and economic conditions, and other factors beyond the
control of the Fund, the Fund cannot predict whether the Shares will trade at, below or above net asset value.
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
Management Risk. The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed portfolio. The
Fund’s successful pursuit of its investment objective depends upon the Adviser’s ability to find and exploit market inefficiencies with respect to undervalued securities. Such situations occur infrequently and may be difficult to predict, and may not
result in a favorable pricing opportunity for the Fund. The Adviser’s sector allocation and stock selection decisions might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform its benchmark or underperform when compared to other funds with similar
investment goals. If one or more key individuals leave the employment of the Adviser, the Adviser may not be able to hire qualified replacements, or may require an extended time to do so. This could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment
objective.
Real Estate Investment Trust (“REIT”) Risk. Investments in REITs will subject the Fund to various risks. The
first, real estate industry risk, is the risk that REIT share prices will decline because of adverse developments affecting the real estate industry and real property values. In general, real estate values can be affected by a variety of factors,
including supply and demand for properties, the economic health of the country or of different regions, and the strength of specific industries that rent properties. REITs often invest in highly leveraged properties. The second risk is the risk that
returns from REITs, which typically are small or medium capitalization stocks, will trail returns from the overall stock market. The third, interest rate risk, is the risk that changes in interest rates may hurt real estate values or make REIT shares
less attractive than other income producing investments. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation.
Qualification as a REIT under the Code in any particular year is a complex analysis that depends on a number of factors. There can be no assurance
that the entities in which the Fund invests with the expectation that they will be taxed as a REIT will qualify as a REIT. An entity that fails to qualify as a REIT would be subject to a corporate level tax, would not be entitled to a deduction for
dividends paid to its stockholders and would not pass through to its stockholders the character of income earned by the entity. If the Fund were to invest in an entity that failed to qualify as a REIT, such failure could drastically reduce the Fund’s
yield on that investment.
REITs can be classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in real property and earn rental income from
leasing those properties. They may also realize gains or losses from the sale of properties. Equity REITs will be affected by conditions in the real estate rental market and by changes in the value of the properties they own. Mortgage REITs invest
primarily in mortgages and similar real estate interests and receive interest payments from the owners of the mortgaged properties. They are paid interest by the owners of the financed properties. Mortgage REITs will be affected by changes in
creditworthiness of borrowers and changes in interest rates. Hybrid REITs invest both in real property and in mortgages. Equity and mortgage REITs are dependent upon management skills, may not be diversified and are subject to the risks of financing
projects.
Dividends paid by REITs will not generally qualify for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to qualified dividends under the Code.
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
The Fund’s investment in REITs may include an additional risk to Stockholders. Some or all of a REIT’s annual distributions to its investors may
constitute a non-taxable return of capital. Any such return of capital will generally reduce the Fund’s basis in the REIT investment, but not below zero. To the extent the distributions from a particular REIT exceed the Fund’s basis in such REIT, the
Fund will generally recognize gain. In part because REIT distributions often include a nontaxable return of capital, Fund distributions to Stockholders may also include a nontaxable return of capital. Stockholders that receive such a distribution
will also reduce their tax basis in their shares of the Fund, but not below zero. To the extent the distribution exceeds a Stockholder’s basis in the Fund shares, such Stockholder will generally recognize capital gain.
Exchange Traded Funds Risk. The Fund may invest in exchange-traded funds, which are investment companies that,
in some cases, aim to track or replicate a desired index, such as a sector, market or global segment. ETFs are passively or, to a lesser extent, actively managed and their 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, as ETFs based on an index 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.
Shares of Other Investment Companies. The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies as a means
to pursue the Fund’s investment objective. As a result of this policy, your cost of investing will generally be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying investment company shares. You will indirectly bear fees and expenses charged
by the underlying investment companies in addition to the Fund’s direct fees and expenses. Furthermore, the use of this strategy could affect the timing, amount and character of distributions to you and therefore may increase the amount of taxes
payable by you.
Restricted or Illiquid Securities Risks. The Fund may invest up to 15% of its total assets in illiquid
securities. Illiquid securities may offer a higher yield than securities which are more readily marketable, but they may not always be marketable on advantageous terms. The sale of illiquid securities often requires more time and results in higher
brokerage charges or dealer discounts than does the sale of securities eligible for trading on national securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter markets. A security traded in the U.S. that is not registered under the Securities Act will not be
considered illiquid if Fund management determines that an adequate investment trading market exists for that security. However, there can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist for any security at a particular time. The Fund may invest in
securities that are subject to restrictions on resale, such as Rule 144A securities. Rule 144A securities are securities that have been privately placed but are eligible for purchase and sale by certain qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A
under the Securities Act of 1933. Under the supervision of the Board of Directors, the Adviser
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
will determine whether securities purchased under Rule 144A are illiquid. If it is determined that qualified institutional buyers are unwilling to
purchase these securities, the percent of Fund assets invested in illiquid securities would increase.
Issuer Specific Changes Risk. Changes in the financial condition of an issuer, changes in the specific
economic or political conditions that affect a particular type of security or issuer, and changes in general economic or political conditions can affect the credit quality or value of an issuer’s securities. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be
more sensitive to these changes than higher-quality debt securities.
Non-Principal Risks
In addition to the principal risks set forth above, the following additional risks may apply to an investment in the Fund.
Anti-Takeover Provisions Risk. The Fund’s Charter and Bylaws include provisions that could limit the ability
of other persons or entities to acquire control of the Fund or to cause it to engage in certain transactions or to modify its structure.
Borrowing Risks. The Fund is not restricted from borrowing money from banks or other financial institutions to
purchase securities, commonly referred to as “leveraging.” In the event the Fund does engage in such borrowing activities, the Fund’s exposure to fluctuations in the prices of these securities is increased in relation to the Fund’s capital. Fund
borrowing activities will exaggerate any increase or decrease in the Fund’s net asset value. In addition, the interest which the Fund must pay on borrowed money, together with any additional fees to maintain a line of credit or any minimum average
balances required to be maintained, are additional costs which will reduce or eliminate any net investment profits. Unless profits on assets acquired with borrowed funds exceed the costs of borrowing, the use of borrowing will diminish the Fund’s
investment performance compared with what it would have been without borrowing. Leverage, including borrowing, may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged.
Changes in Policies Risk. The Fund’s Directors may change the Fund’s investment objective, investment
strategies and non-fundamental investment restrictions without stockholder approval, except as otherwise indicated.
Credit Risk. Debt obligations are generally subject to the risk that the issuer may be unable to make
principal and interest payments when they are due. There is also the risk that the securities could lose value because of a loss of confidence in the ability of the borrower to pay back debt. Non-investment grade debt — also known as “high-yield
bonds” and “junk bonds” — have a higher risk of default and tend to be less liquid than higher-rated securities. These lower rated securities have speculative characteristics and changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely
to lead to a weakened capacity of those issuers to make principal or interest payments, as compared to issuers of more highly rated securities.
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
Defensive Position Risk. During periods of adverse market or economic conditions, the Fund may temporarily
invest all or a substantial portion of its net assets in cash or cash equivalents. The Fund would not be pursuing its investment objective in these circumstances and could miss favorable market developments.
High Portfolio Turnover Rate Risk. The Fund’s portfolio management may result in high turnover rates which may
increase short-term capital appreciation and increase brokerage commission costs. If the Fund has a higher portfolio turnover rate, then the Fund’s performance could be negatively impacted due to the increased expenses incurred as a result of the
higher brokerage commissions. Rapid portfolio turnover also exposes stockholders to a higher current realization of capital gains and this could cause stockholders to pay higher taxes. For the Fund’s most recent fiscal year ended July 31, 2024, the
portfolio turnover rate was 166.37%.
Initial Public Offerings Risks. The Fund may purchase securities of companies in initial public offerings.
Special risks associated with these securities may include a limited number of shares available for trading, unseasoned trading, lack of investor knowledge of the company and limited operating history. These factors may contribute to substantial
price volatility for the shares of these companies. The limited number of shares available for trading in some initial public offerings may make it more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell significant amounts of shares without unfavorable impact on
prevailing market prices. Some companies in initial public offerings are involved in relatively new industries or lines of business, which may not be widely understood by investors. Some of these companies may be undercapitalized or regarded as
developmental stage companies without revenues or operating income, or the near-term prospects of achieving them.
Interest Rate Risk. Fixed income securities are subject to the risk that the securities could lose value
because of interest rate changes. In general, the price of a debt security can fall when interest rates rise and can rise when interest rates fall. Debt obligations with longer maturities sometimes offer higher yields, but are subject to greater
price shifts as a result of interest rate changes than debt obligations with shorter maturities. The longer the maturity of the security, the greater the impact a change in interest rates could have on the security’s price. In addition, short-term
and long-term interest rates do not necessarily move in the same amount or the same direction. Short-term securities tend to react to changes in short-term interest rates and long-term securities tend to react to changes in long-term interest rates.
Preferred Stock Risk. The Fund may invest in 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
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
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.
Investment in preferred stocks carries risks, including credit risk, deferral risk, redemption risk, limited voting rights, risk of subordination and
lack of liquidity. Fully taxable or hybrid preferred securities typically contain provisions that allow an issuer, at its discretion, to defer distributions for up to 20 consecutive quarters. Distributions on preferred stock must be declared by the
board of directors and may be subject to deferral, and thus they may not be automatically payable. Income payments on preferred stocks may be cumulative, causing dividends and distributions to accrue even if not declared by the company’s board or
otherwise made payable, or they may be non-cumulative, so that skipped dividends and distributions do not continue to accrue. There is no assurance that dividends on preferred stocks in which the Fund invests will be declared or otherwise made
payable. The Fund may invest in non-cumulative preferred stock, although the Fund’s Adviser would consider, among other factors, their non-cumulative nature in making any decision to purchase or sell such securities.
Shares of preferred stock have a liquidation value that generally equals the original purchase price at the date of issuance. The market values of
preferred stock may be affected by favorable and unfavorable changes impacting the issuers’ industries or sectors, including companies in the utilities and financial services sectors, which are prominent issuers of preferred stock. They may also be
affected by actual and anticipated changes or ambiguities in the tax status of the security and by actual and anticipated changes or ambiguities in tax laws, such as changes in corporate and individual income tax rates, and in the dividends received
deduction for corporate taxpayers or the lower rates applicable to certain dividends.
Because the claim on an issuer’s earnings represented by preferred stock may become onerous when interest rates fall below the rate payable on the
stock or for other reasons, the issuer may redeem preferred stock, generally after an initial period of call protection in which the stock is not redeemable. Thus, in declining interest rate environments in particular, the Fund’s holdings of higher
dividend paying preferred stocks may be reduced and the Fund may be unable to acquire securities paying comparable rates with the redemption proceeds. In the event of a redemption, the Fund may not be able to reinvest the proceeds at comparable rates
of return.
Summary of Fair Value Exposure at July 31, 2024. The Fund follows the FASB ASC Topic 820 hierarchy, under
which various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund’s investments.
The basis of the hierarchy is dependent upon various “inputs” used to determine the value of the Fund’s investments. These inputs are summarized in
the three broad levels listed below:
|
Level 1 –
|
Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the company has the ability to access.
|
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
|
Level 2 –
|
Observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly.
These inputs may include quoted prices for the identical instrument on an inactive market, prices for similar instruments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, yield curves, default rates and similar data.
|
| |
|
|
Level 3 –
|
Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, to the extent relevant observable inputs are not available, representing the company’s own
assumptions about the assumptions a market participant would use in valuing the asset or liability, and would be based on the best information available.
|
The availability of observable inputs can vary from security to security and is affected by a wide variety of factors, including, for example, the
type of security, whether the security is new and not yet established in the marketplace, the liquidity of markets, and other characteristics particular to the security. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less
observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3.
The inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the level in
the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement falls in its entirety, is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.
The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities. The
following is a summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments carried at fair value as of July 31, 2024:
| |
|
Level 1
|
|
|
Level 2
|
|
|
Level 3
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
Equity*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Stocks
|
|
$
|
49,093,358
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
372,521
|
|
|
$
|
49,465,879
|
|
|
Capital Development Certificates
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
709,036
|
|
|
|
709,036
|
|
|
Mexican Mutual Funds
|
|
|
519,550
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
519,550
|
|
|
Real Estate Investment Trusts
|
|
|
5,170,596
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
5,170,596
|
|
|
Mexican Federal Treasury Certificates
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
1,234,815
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
1,234,815
|
|
|
Investment Companies
|
|
|
673,598
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
673,598
|
|
|
Total Investments
|
|
$
|
55,457,102
|
|
|
$
|
1,234,815
|
|
|
$
|
1,081,557
|
|
|
$
|
57,773,474
|
|
* See Schedule of Investments for industry classifications.
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
Level 3 Reconciliation Disclosure
The following is a reconciliation of Level 3 assets for which significant unobservable inputs were used to determine fair value:
| |
|
|
|
|
Capital
|
|
| |
|
Common
|
|
|
Development
|
|
|
Category
|
|
Stock
|
|
|
Certificates
|
|
|
Balance as of July 31, 2023
|
|
$
|
430,679
|
|
|
$
|
2,263,261
|
|
|
Acquisitions
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
Dispositions
|
|
|
(27
|
)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
Realized gain
|
|
|
7
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
Change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation
|
|
|
(58,138
|
)
|
|
|
(1,554,225
|
)
|
|
Balance as of July 31, 2024
|
|
$
|
372,521
|
|
|
$
|
709,036
|
|
|
Change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation during
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
the period for Level 3 investments held at July 31, 2024
|
|
$
|
(58,138
|
)
|
|
$
|
(1,554,225
|
)
|
The following table presents additional information about valuation methodologies and inputs used for investments that are measured at fair value and
categorized within Level 3 as of July 31, 2024:
| |
Fair Value
|
|
|
Impact to
|
|
| |
July 31,
|
Valuation
|
Unobservable
|
valuation from an
|
|
| |
2024
|
Methodologies
|
Input(1)
|
increase to input
|
Range
|
|
Common Stock
|
$372,521
|
Lower of Market
|
Liquidity
|
Significant changes in
|
30%
|
| |
|
Comparables or
|
Discount
|
the liquidity discount
|
|
| |
|
bid/ask
|
|
would have resulted in
|
|
| |
|
|
|
direct and proportional
|
|
| |
|
|
|
changes in the fair
|
|
| |
|
|
|
value of the security.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital
|
$709,036
|
Market
|
Liquidity
|
Significant changes in
|
15%
|
|
Development
|
|
Comparables/ Sum
|
Discount
|
the liquidity discount
|
|
|
Certificates
|
|
of the Parts
|
|
would have resulted in
|
|
| |
|
Valuation(2)
|
|
direct and proportional
|
|
| |
|
|
|
changes in the fair
|
|
| |
|
|
|
value of the security.
|
|
|
(1)
|
In determining certain of these inputs, management evaluates a variety of factors including economic conditions, foreign exchange rates,
industry and market developments, market valuations of comparable companies and company specific developments.
|
|
(2)
|
For the Sum of the Parts valuation, the valuation provides a range of values for a company’s equity by aggregating each of its business units
(private and public) and arriving at a single total enterprise value.
|
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
The Fund did not invest in derivative securities or engage in hedging activities during the period ended July 31, 2024.
Federal Income Taxes. The Fund intends to comply with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code necessary
to qualify as a regulated investment company and to make the requisite distributions of income and capital gains to its shareholders sufficient to relieve it from all or substantially all federal income taxes. Therefore, no federal income tax
provision is required. Accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America require that permanent differences between financial reporting and tax reporting be reclassified between various components of net assets.
The Fund recognizes the tax benefits of uncertain tax positions only where the position is “more-likely-than-not” to be sustained assuming examination
by tax authorities. The Adviser has analyzed the Fund’s tax positions, and has concluded that no liability for unrecognized tax benefits should be recorded related to uncertain tax positions taken on returns filed for open tax years (2021-2023), or
expected to be taken in the Fund’s 2024 tax returns. The Fund identifies its major tax jurisdictions as U.S. Federal, New York State and foreign jurisdictions where the Fund makes significant investments; however, the Fund is not aware of any tax
positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits will change materially in the next twelve months.
Reclassification of Capital Accounts. Accounting Principles generally accepted in the United States of America
require certain components of net assets relating to permanent differences be reclassified between financial and tax reporting. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share. The permanent differences are primarily
attributed to foreign currency loss reclassifications and net operating loss. For the year ended July 31, 2024, there were no reclassifications made for permanent tax differences on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Foreign Currency Translation. The books and records of the Fund are maintained in U.S. dollars. Foreign
currency amounts are translated into U.S. dollars on the following basis:
| |
(i)
|
market value of investment securities, assets and liabilities at the current Mexican peso exchange rate on the valuation date, and
|
| |
|
|
| |
(ii)
|
purchases and sales of investment securities, income and expenses at the Mexican peso exchange rate prevailing on the respective dates of such
transactions. Fluctuations in foreign currency rates, however, when determining the gain or loss upon the sale of foreign currency denominated debt obligations pursuant to U.S. Federal income tax regulations; such amounts are categorized as
foreign exchange gain or loss for income tax reporting purposes.
|
The Fund reports realized foreign exchange gains and losses on all other foreign currency related transactions as components of realized gains and
losses for financial reporting purposes, whereas such gains and losses are treated as ordinary income or loss for Federal income tax purposes.
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
Securities denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars are subject to changes in value due to fluctuations in the foreign exchange rate. Foreign
security and currency transactions may involve certain considerations and risks not typically associated with those of domestic origin as a result of, among other factors, the level of governmental supervision and regulation of foreign securities
markets and the possibilities of political or economic instability.
Distribution of Income and Gains. The Fund intends to distribute to shareholders, at least annually,
substantially all of its net investment income, including foreign currency gains. The Fund also intends to distribute annually any net realized capital gains in excess of net realized capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers), except in
circumstances where the Directors of the Fund determine that the decrease in the size of the Fund’s assets resulting from the distribution of the gains would generally not be in the interest of the Fund’s shareholders. An additional distribution may
be made to the extent necessary to avoid payment of a 4% U.S. Federal excise tax.
Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. The amount of dividends and distributions from net investment income and net
realized gains are determined in accordance with U.S. Federal income tax regulations, which may differ from accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These “book/tax” differences are either considered temporary or
permanent in nature. To the extent these differences are permanent in nature, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts based on their Federal tax-basis treatment; temporary differences do not require reclassification. To the extent
they exceed net investment income and net realized gains for tax purposes, they are reported as distributions from additional paid-in capital.
Distributions to Shareholders. The tax character of distributions paid to shareholders during the periods
ended July 31, 2024 and July 31, 2023 were as follows:
|
Distributions paid from:
|
|
7/31/24
|
|
|
7/31/23
|
|
|
Ordinary Income
|
|
$
|
1,325,465
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
Long-Term Capital Gain
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
1,325,465
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
As of July 31, 2024, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:
| |
Cost of Investments for tax purposes(a)
|
|
$
|
54,161,085
|
|
| |
Gross tax unrealized appreciation on investments
|
|
|
6,774,916
|
|
| |
Gross tax unrealized depreciation on investments
|
|
|
(3,162,527
|
)
|
| |
Net tax unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments
|
|
|
3,612,389
|
|
| |
Unrealized appreciation/depreciation on foreign currency
|
|
|
—
|
|
| |
Undistributed ordinary income
|
|
|
1,311,836
|
|
| |
Undistributed long-term capital gains
|
|
|
—
|
|
| |
Total distributable earnings
|
|
|
1,311,836
|
|
| |
Other accumulated losses
|
|
$
|
(1,123,640
|
)
|
| |
Total accumulated earnings
|
|
$
|
3,800,585
|
|
|
(a)
|
Represents cost for federal income tax purposes. Difference between the Fund’s cost basis of investments at July 31, 2024 for book and tax
purposes, relates to the deferral of losses related to wash sales and PFIC’s.
|
At July 31, 2024, the Fund had tax basis capital losses which may be carried forward to offset future long term capital gains indefinitely in the
amount of $1,123,640. To the extent that the Fund may realize future net capital gains, those gains will be offset by any of the unused capital loss carryforward. During the year ended July 31, 2024, the Fund utilized long term capital loss
carryforwards of $3,678,333.
Under current tax law, capital losses and late-year ordinary losses realized after October 31 and December 31 respectively, may be deferred and
treated as occurring on the first business day of the following fiscal year. The Fund did not defer any post-October capital losses. At July 31, 2024, the Fund did not defer any late-year ordinary losses.
NOTE B: MANAGEMENT, INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
Pichardo Asset Management, S.A. de C.V. serves as the Fund’s Investment Adviser (the “Investment Adviser”) under the terms of the Investment Advisory
Agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) effective July 1, 2003. Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Investment Adviser makes investment decisions for the Fund and supervises the acquisition and disposition of securities by the Fund. For its
services, the Investment Adviser is paid a base fee, accrued daily at the annual rate of 1.00%, subject to a performance fee adjustment which increases or decreases the fee depending upon how well the Fund has performed relative to the MSCI Mexico
Index (the “Index”) 12 month rolling average. The fee adjustment will be calculated using a monthly adjustment rate that is based upon the Fund’s relative performance to the Index. The base fee and performance fee adjustment are calculated on net
assets and are calculated and paid monthly. The performance adjustment rate will be positive (resulting in an upward fee adjustment) for each percentage
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
point, or portion thereof, that the investment performance of the Fund exceeds the investment performance of the Index for the performance period
multiplied by three (3) and will be negative (resulting in a downward fee adjustment) for each percentage point, or portion thereof, that the investment performance of the Index exceeds the investment performance of the Fund for the performance
period multiplied by three (3). Determinations of the performance adjustment rate (positive or negative) will be made in increments of 0.01% of differential performance. As an example, if the Fund’s performance for the preceding 12 months exceeds
the performance of the Index by 1.00%, the performance adjustment rate would be 3 x 0.01, which would result in a monthly fee equal to an annual rate of 1.03%. The performance adjustment rate will be limited to a 0.15% fee adjustment, positive or
negative.
For the year ended July 31, 2024, the Fund’s investment performance ranged from 1.9% to (8.6)% above (below) the investment performance of the Index.
Accordingly, for the year ended July 31, 2024 the net investment advisory fee consisted of the base fee of $628,756 and a net downward performance fee adjustment of $(41,302).
Effective December 9, 2021, the Fund pays each of its directors who is not a director, officer or employee of the Investment Adviser, the
Administrator or any affiliate thereof an annual fee of $30,000, paid pro rata, quarterly plus a fee of $500 for each meeting held telephonically. As additional annual compensation, the Chairman of the Fund will receive $3,750, the Audit Committee
Chairman and Valuation Committee Chairman will receive $2,250, and the Nomination Committee Chairman will receive $1,500. Effective April 1, 2020, the Board approved the CCO’s annual compensation in the range of $45,000 to $72,000. Ms. Stephanie
Darling receives annual compensation in the amount of $60,000 for serving the Fund as Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”). In addition, the Fund reimburses the directors and CCO for travel and out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with Board of
Directors’ meetings and CCO due diligence requirements.
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Fund Services” or the “Administrator”), serves as the Fund’s
Administrator and, in that capacity, performs various administrative services for the Fund. Fund Services also serves as the Fund’s Accountant (the “Fund Accountant”). Equiniti Trust Company LLC serves as the Fund’s Transfer Agent. U.S. Bank, N.A.
serves as the Fund’s custodian (the “Custodian”). The Custodian is an affiliate of the Administrator. The Administrator prepares various federal and state regulatory filings, reports and returns for the Fund; prepares reports and materials to be
supplied to the directors; monitors the activities of the Fund’s Custodian and Fund Accountant; coordinates the preparation and payment of the Fund’s expenses and reviews the Fund’s expense accruals.
NOTE C: PORTFOLIO ACTIVITY
Purchases and sales of securities other than short-term obligations, aggregated $102,113,092 and $102,811,201 respectively, for the year ended July
31, 2024.
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
|
|
At July 31, 2024 approximately 97.0% of the Fund’s net assets were invested in Mexican securities. The Mexican securities markets are substantially
smaller, less liquid, and more volatile than the major securities markets in the United States. Consequently, acquisitions and dispositions of securities by the Fund may be limited.
NOTE D: CAPITAL STOCK
During the year ended July 31, 2024, there were no shares of common stock repurchased under the guidelines set forth in the Fund's stock repurchase
program.
The Fund completed an offering to issue up to 100% of the Fund’s shares outstanding at 92.5% of the volume weighted average market price per share for
the three consecutive trading days ending on the trading day after the Expiration Date on October 8, 2021. At the expiration of the offer on October 8, 2021, a total of 2,613,746 rights were validly exercised.
Share Repurchase
Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 23(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 that the Fund may purchase, from time to time, shares of
its common stock in the open market.
NOTE E: RECENT MARKET EVENTS
U.S. and international markets have experienced volatility in recent months and years due to a number of economic, political and global macro
factors. Uncertainties regarding interest rates, political events, rising government debt in the U.S. and trade tensions have also contributed to market volatility. Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, which
increases the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. In particular, a rise in protectionist trade policies, slowing global economic growth, risks associated with epidemic
and pandemic diseases, risks associated with the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union, the risk of trade disputes, and the possibility of changes to some international trade agreements, could affect the economies of many nations,
including the United States, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Continuing market volatility as a result of recent market conditions or other events may have adverse effects on your account.
NOTE F: SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
In preparing these financial statements, the Funds have evaluated events and transactions for potential recognition through the date the financial
statements were issued. No material events or transactions occurred subsequent to July 31, 2024 that would require recognition or disclosure in these financial statements.
Report of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors of The Mexico Equity and Income Fund, Inc.,
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of The Mexico Equity and Income Fund, Inc., (the “Fund”), including the schedule
of investments, as of July 31, 2024, the related statement of operations for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, financial highlights for each of the five years in the
period then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund as of July 31, 2024, the results
of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial
statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal
securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB. We have served as the Fund’s auditor since 2002.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable
assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Fund is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of
our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we
express no such opinion.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and
performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and
significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of July 31, 2024 by correspondence with the custodian. We believe that
our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
TAIT, WELLER & BAKER LLP
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
September 27, 2024
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Additional Information
|
(Unaudited)
|
BOARD CONSIDERATION OF THE CONTINUATION OF THE FUND’S INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT (Unaudited)
In March 2024, the Board of Directors of The Mexico Equity and Income Fund, Inc., (the “Fund”), including the Independent Directors, unanimously
approved the renewal of the Fund’s Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Agreement”) with the Adviser for an additional one-year term. The information, material facts and conclusions that formed the basis for the Independent Directors approval are
described below.
INFORMATION REVIEWED
During the course of the year, the Independent Directors review a wide variety of materials relating to the nature, extent and quality of the services
provided to the Fund by the Adviser, including reports on the Fund’s investment results, portfolio composition, investment strategy, economic outlook, valuation, and other matters. In addition, in connection with its annual review of the Agreement,
independent counsel on behalf of the Independent Directors requested and the Independent Directors reviewed information that included materials regarding the Fund’s investment results, advisory fee and expense comparisons, financial and profitability
information regarding the Adviser, descriptions of various functions such as compliance monitoring and portfolio trading practices, and information about the personnel providing investment management and administrative services to the Fund. In
connection with its review, the Independent Directors received assistance and advice in the form of a written memorandum regarding legal and industry standards with respect to the renewal of an investment advisory agreement from counsel to the Fund.
The Independent Directors discussed the approval of the Agreement with representatives of the Adviser and during an executive session with counsel at which no representatives of the Adviser were present. In deciding to recommend approval of the
Agreement, the Independent Directors did not identify any single or particular piece of information that, in isolation, was the controlling factor, and each Independent Director may have weighed each factor differently. This summary describes the
most important, but not all, of the factors considered by the Independent Directors.
1. NATURE, EXTENT AND QUALITY OF SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE FUND
The Independent Directors considered the nature, extent and quality of services provided by the Adviser to the Fund. The Independent Directors
considered the Adviser’s specific responsibilities in all aspects of day-to-day management of the Fund, as well as the qualifications, experience and responsibilities of the Fund’s portfolio managers, and other key personnel at the Adviser involved
in the day-to-day activities of the Fund. The Independent Directors also considered the operational strength of the Adviser. The Independent Directors also reviewed the structure of the Adviser’s compliance procedures and their effectiveness. The
Independent Directors reviewed the personnel responsible for providing services to the Fund and concluded, based on their experience and interaction with the Adviser, that (a) the Adviser was able to retain quality personnel, (b) the Adviser
exhibited a high level of diligence and attention to detail in carrying out its responsibilities under the Agreement, (c) the Adviser was sufficiently responsive to the requests of the
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Additional Information (continued)
|
(Unaudited)
|
Independent Directors, and (d) the Adviser had consistently kept the Independent Directors apprised of developments related to the Fund and the
Mexican economic environment in general. The Independent Directors discussed in greater detail, with the assistance of the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer (the “CCO”), the Adviser’s compliance policies and procedures, and, based on the assurances and
information provided to them by the CCO, the Independent Directors concluded that the Adviser’s policies and procedures were satisfactory and reasonably designed to prevent violations of the federal securities laws. The Independent Directors
concluded that the Adviser had sufficient quality and depth of personnel, resources, investment methods and compliance policies and procedures necessary to perform its duties under the Agreement and that the nature, overall quality, and extent of the
management services provided to the Fund were satisfactory and the Adviser continued to be reliable.
2. INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE OF THE FUND
The Independent Directors discussed the performance of the Fund for the one-year, three-year, five-year and ten-year periods ended January 31, 2024.
In assessing the quality of the portfolio management services delivered by the Adviser, the Independent Directors also compared the short-term and long-term NAV performance of the Fund on both an absolute basis and in comparison to a peer group of
closed end international funds constructed by data provided by Morningstar, Inc. (the “Morningstar Peer Group”) and assembled by the Fund’s administrator independently from the Adviser. The Independent Directors noted that the Fund produced positive
returns for the one-year, three-year, five-year and ten-year periods ended January 31, 2024. The Independent Directors noted that the Fund’s performance was above the Morningstar Peer Group average and median for the one-year, three-year and
five-year periods ended January 31, 2024, but was below the Morningstar Peer Group average and median for the ten-year period. The Independent Directors noted that they had reviewed the investment performance of the Fund at each quarterly Meeting
over the course of the year. The Independent Directors concluded that the Fund’s performance was satisfactory under existing market conditions. Although past performance is not a guarantee or indication of future results, the Independent Directors
determined that the Fund and its shareholders were likely to benefit from the Adviser’s continued management.
3. COSTS OF SERVICES PROVIDED
The Independent Directors next considered information prepared by the Fund’s administrator comparing (i) the Fund’s contractual advisory fee with the
Morningstar Peer Group, and (ii) the Fund’s overall expense ratio to the expense ratios of the Morningstar Peer Group. The Independent Directors noted that the Fund’s contractual investment base advisory fee was higher than the Morningstar Category
average and that the current year’s contractual investment advisory fee adjusted for the downward performance adjustment under the fulcrum fee was still higher than the Morning start Category average. The Independent Directors further noted that the
then current expense ratio for the Fund was higher than the Morningstar Category average. The Independent Directors noted that the higher expense ratio was in part due to the Fund’s asset size being
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Additional Information (continued)
|
(Unaudited)
|
significantly smaller than the average asset size of the Morningstar Category. The Independent Directors concluded that the Fund’s expenses and
advisory fees paid to the Adviser were not unreasonable in light of the comparative performance, expense and advisory fee information.
4. PROFITS REALIZED BY THE ADVISER
The Independent Directors also considered information regarding the overall profitability of advising the Fund to the Adviser. The Independent
Directors considered both the direct and indirect benefits to the Adviser from advising the Fund. The Independent Directors also examined the level of profits that could be expected to accrue to the Adviser from the fees payable under the Agreement.
The Independent Directors reviewed the audited financial information of the Adviser included in the materials for the March 2024 meeting.
The Independent Directors concluded that the Adviser’s profit from advising the Fund had not been, and currently was not, excessive, and that the
Adviser had adequate resources to support its services to the Fund.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on their review, including consideration of each of the factors referred to above, the Independent Directors concluded that (a) the terms of the
Agreement are fair and reasonable; (b) the Adviser’s fees, including the fulcrum fee, are not unreasonable in light of the services and performance that it provides to the Fund; and (c) the Agreement continued to be in the best interests of the Fund
and its stockholders.
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Additional Information (continued)
|
(Unaudited)
|
NOTE 1: INFORMATION ABOUT PROXY VOTING
Information regarding how the Fund votes proxies relating to portfolio securities is available without charge upon request by calling toll-free at
1-800-937-5449 and the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent twelve month period ended June 30 is available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or by
calling the toll-free number listed above.
NOTE 2: AVAILABILITY OF QUARTERLY PORTFOLIO SCHEDULE
The Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Part F of Form N-PORT.
The filing will be available, upon request, by calling 1-800-937-5449. Furthermore, you will be able to obtain a copy of the filing on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
NOTE 3: INFORMATION ABOUT CERTIFICATIONS
In December 2023, the Fund submitted a CEO annual certification to the NYSE in which the Fund’s principal executive officer certified that she was not
aware, as of the date of the certification, of any violation by the Fund of the NYSE’s Corporate Governance listing standards. In addition, as required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and related SEC rules, the Fund’s principal
executive and principal financial officers have made certifications included in filings with the SEC on Forms N-CSR and N-CSRS, relating to, among other things, the Fund’s disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial
reporting.
NOTE 4: INFORMATION ON FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
Except for historical information contained in this report for the Fund, the matters discussed in this report may constitute forward-looking
statements made pursuant to the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These include any adviser or portfolio manager predictions, assessments, analyses or outlooks for individual securities, industries,
market sectors and/or markets. These statements involve risks and uncertainties. In addition to the general risks described for the Fund in the most recent Prospectus, other factors bearing on this report include the accuracy of the adviser’s or
portfolio manager’s data, forecasts and predictions, and the appropriateness of the investment programs designed by the adviser or portfolio manager to implement their strategies efficiently and effectively. Any one or more of these factors, as well
as other risks affecting the securities markets and investment instruments generally, could cause the actual results of the Fund to differ materially as compared to benchmarks associated with the Fund.
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Additional Information (concluded)
|
(Unaudited)
|
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION APPLICABLE TO FOREIGN SHAREHOLDERS ONLY
The percent of ordinary income distributions designated as interest related dividends for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2024 was 0.00%. (unaudited)
The percentage of taxable ordinary income distributions that are designated as short-term capital gain distributions under Internal Revenue Section
871(k)(2)(C) was 0.00%. (unaudited)
The Fund designates 100.00% of dividends declared for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2024 from net investment income as qualified dividend income
under the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. (unaudited)
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Dividends and Distributions
|
(Unaudited)
|
DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN
The Fund intends to distribute to shareholders substantially all of its net investment company taxable income at least annually. Investment company
taxable income, as defined in section 852 of the Internal Revenue Service Code of 1986, includes all of the Fund’s taxable income minus the excess, if any, of its net realized long-term capital gains over its net realized short-term capital losses
(including any capital loss carryovers), plus or minus certain other required adjustments. The Fund also expects to distribute annually substantially all of its net realized long-term capital gains in excess of net realized short-term capital losses
(including any capital loss carryovers), except in circumstances where the Fund realizes very large capital gains and where the Directors of the Fund determine that the decrease in the size of the Fund’s assets resulting from the distribution of the
gains would not be in the interest of the Fund’s shareholders generally.
Pursuant to the Fund’s Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the “Plan”), each shareholder will be deemed to have elected, unless the Plan Agent (as defined
below) is otherwise instructed by the shareholder in writing, to have all distributions, net of any applicable U.S. withholding tax, automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund by American Stock Transfer and Trust Company, the Fund’s
transfer agent, as the Plan Agent (the “Plan Agent”). Shareholders who do not participate in the Plan will receive all dividends and distributions in cash, net of any applicable U.S. withholding tax, paid in U.S. dollars by check mailed directly to
the shareholder by the Plan Agent, as dividend-paying agent. Shareholders who do not wish to have dividends and distributions automatically reinvested should notify the Plan Agent for The Mexico Equity and Income Fund, Inc., c/o Ms. Marianela
Patterson, 6201 15th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11219. Dividends and distributions with respect to shares of the Fund’s Common Stock registered in the name of a broker-dealer or other nominee (i.e., in “street name”) will be reinvested under the Plan unless
the service is not provided by the broker or nominee or the shareholder elects to receive dividends and distributions in cash. A shareholder whose shares are held by a broker or nominee that does not provide a dividend reinvestment program may be
required to have his shares registered in his own name to participate in the Plan. Investors who own shares of the Fund’s Common Stock registered in street name should contact the broker or nominee for details.
The Plan Agent serves as agent for the shareholders in administering the Plan. If the Directors of the Fund declare an income dividend or a capital
gains distribution payable in the Fund’s Common Stock, or in cash, as shareholders may have elected, nonparticipants in the Plan will receive cash and participants in the Plan will receive Common Stock to be issued by the Fund. If the market price
per share on the valuation date equals or exceeds net asset value per share on that date, the Fund will issue new shares to participants at net asset value; or, if the net asset value is less than 95% of the market price on the valuation date, then
such shares will be issued at 95% of the market price.
If net asset value per share on the valuation date exceeds the market price per share on that date, participants in the Plan will receive shares of
Common Stock from the Fund valued at market price. The valuation date is the dividend or distribution payment date or, if that date is not a New York Stock Exchange trading day, the
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Dividends and Distributions (concluded)
|
(Unaudited)
|
next preceding trading day. If the Fund should declare an income dividend or capital gains distribution payable only in cash, the Plan Agent will, as
agent for the participants, buy Fund shares in the open market on the New York Stock Exchange or elsewhere, for the participants’ accounts on, or shortly after, the payment date.
The Plan Agent maintains all shareholder accounts in the Plan and furnishes written confirmations of all transactions in an account, including
information needed by shareholders for personal and tax records. Shares in the account of each Plan participant will be held by the Plan Agent in noncertified form in the name of the participant, and each shareholder’s proxy will include those shares
purchased pursuant to the Plan.
In the case of shareholders such as banks, brokers or nominees that hold shares for others who are beneficial owners, the Plan Agent will administer
the Plan on the basis of the number of shares certified from time to time by the shareholders as representing the total amount registered in the shareholder’s name and held for the account of beneficial owners who participate in the Plan.
There is no charge to participants for reinvesting dividends or capital gains distributions payable in either Common Stock or cash. The Plan Agent’s
fees for the handling or reinvestment of such dividends and capital gains distributions will be paid by the Fund. There will be no brokerage charges with respect to shares issued directly by the Fund as a result of dividends or capital gains
distributions payable either in stock or in cash. However, each participant will pay a pro rata share of brokerage commissions incurred with respect to the Plan Agent’s open market purchases in connection with the reinvestment of dividends or capital
gains distributions payable in cash.
Brokerage charges for purchasing small amounts of Common Stock for individual accounts through the Plan are expected to be less than usual brokerage
charges for such transactions because the Plan Agent will be purchasing stock for all participants in blocks and prorating the lower commissions thus attainable. Brokerage commissions will vary based on, among other things, the broker selected to
effect a particular purchase and the number of participants on whose behalf such purchase is being made.
The receipt of dividends and distributions in Common Stock under the Plan will not relieve participants of any income tax (including withholding tax)
that may be payable on such dividends or distributions.
Experience under the Plan may indicate that changes in the Plan are desirable. Accordingly, the Fund and the Plan Agent reserve the right to terminate
the Plan as applied to any dividend or distribution paid subsequent to notice of the termination sent to participants at least 30 days before the record date for such dividend or distribution. The Plan also may be amended by the Fund or the Plan
Agent, but (except when necessary or appropriate to comply with applicable law, or rules or policies of a regulatory authority) only upon at least 30 days’ written notice to participants. All correspondence concerning the Plan should be directed to
the Plan Agent at the address above.
|
Results of Annual
|
|
|
Stockholders Meeting
|
July 31, 2024
(Unaudited)
|
The Fund’s Annual Stockholders meeting was held on December 15, 2023, at the offices of U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (d/b/a U.S. Bank Global Fund
Services), 2020 E. Financial Way, Suite 100, Glendora, CA 91741. As of October 18, 2023, the record date, outstanding shares of common stock were 4,400,209. Holders of 3,294,449 common shares of the Fund were present at the meeting either in person
or by proxy. These holders, as being holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund, constituted a quorum. The stockholders voted on one proposal. The stockholders elected one Director to the Fund’s Board of Directors. The following
table provides information concerning the matters voted on at the meeting:
1. Election of Directors
| |
|
Shares Voted
|
|
|
% Voted
|
|
|
Phillip Goldstein
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For
|
|
|
2,378,192
|
|
|
|
72.00
|
%
|
|
Against
|
|
|
896,018
|
|
|
|
27.00
|
%
|
|
Withheld
|
|
|
20,239
|
|
|
|
1.00
|
%
|
Required Vote for Adoption of Proposals
Proposal 1 to elect one Class I Director to the Fund’s Board of Directors required the affirmative vote of a majority of votes cast
at the Meeting by the holders of the Fund’s common stock voting in person or by proxy on such Proposal, provided a quorum is present.
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Privacy Policy
|
(Unaudited)
|
| |
FACTS
|
|
WHAT DOES THE MEXICO EQUITY AND INCOME FUND, INC. (THE “FUND”),
|
|
| |
|
|
AND SERVICE PROVIDERS TO THE FUND, ON THE FUND’S BEHALF, DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?
|
|
| |
Why?
|
|
Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing.
Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.
|
|
| |
What?
|
|
The types of personal information we, and our service providers, on our behalf, collect and share depends on the product or service you have
with us. This information can include:
|
|
| |
|
|
• Social Security number
|
|
| |
|
|
• account balances
|
|
| |
|
|
• account transactions
|
|
| |
|
|
• transaction history
|
|
| |
|
|
• wire transfer instructions
|
|
| |
|
|
• checking account information
|
|
| |
|
|
When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this
notice.
|
|
| |
How?
|
|
All financial companies need to share customers' personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the
reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons the Fund, and our service providers, on our behalf, choose to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.
|
|
| |
Reasons we can share your personal information
|
Does the Fund share?
|
Can you limit this sharing?
|
| |
For our everyday business purposes –
|
|
|
| |
such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s),
|
|
|
| |
respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to
|
|
|
| |
credit bureaus
|
Yes
|
No
|
| |
For our marketing purposes –
|
|
|
| |
to offer our products and services to you
|
No
|
We don’t share
|
| |
For joint marketing with other financial companies
|
No
|
We don’t share
|
| |
For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes –
|
|
|
| |
information about your transactions and experiences
|
Yes
|
No
|
| |
For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes –
|
|
|
| |
information about your creditworthiness
|
No
|
We don’t share
|
| |
For our affiliates to market to you
|
No
|
We don’t share
|
| |
For nonaffiliates to market to you
|
No
|
We don’t share
|
| |
Questions?
|
|
Call (414) 516-1514
|
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Privacy Policy (concluded)
|
(Unaudited)
|
| |
What we do
|
|
|
|
| |
Who is providing this notice?
|
|
The Mexico Equity and Income Fund, Inc. (the “Fund”)
|
|
| |
How does the Fund, and the
|
|
To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use,
|
|
| |
Fund’s service providers, on the
|
|
we and our service providers use security measures that comply with
|
|
| |
Fund’s behalf, protect my
|
|
federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured
|
|
| |
personal information?
|
|
files and buildings.
|
|
| |
How does the Fund, and the
|
|
We collect your personal information, for example, when you:
|
|
| |
Fund’s service providers, on
|
|
• open an account
|
|
| |
the Fund’s behalf, collect my
|
|
• provide account information
|
|
| |
personal information?
|
|
• give us your contact information
|
|
| |
|
|
• make a wire transfer
|
|
| |
|
|
We also collect your information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies.
|
|
| |
Why can’t I limit all sharing?
|
|
Federal law gives you the right to limit only
|
|
| |
|
|
• sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes – information about your creditworthiness
|
|
| |
|
|
• affiliates from using your information to market to you
|
|
| |
|
|
• sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you
|
|
| |
|
|
State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.
|
|
| |
Definitions
|
|
|
|
| |
Affiliates
|
|
Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.
|
|
| |
|
|
• None
|
|
| |
Nonaffiliates
|
|
Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.
|
|
| |
|
|
• The Fund does not share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you.
|
|
| |
Joint marketing
|
|
A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.
|
|
| |
|
|
• The Fund does not jointly market.
|
|
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Management of the Fund
|
(Unaudited)
|
Board of Directors. The management and affairs of the Fund are supervised by the Board of Directors. The Board
consists of five individuals, whom are not “interested persons” of the Fund as the term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Directors are fiduciaries for the Fund’s shareholders and are governed by the
laws of the State of Maryland in this regard. The Board establishes policies for the operation of the Fund and appoints the officers who conduct the daily business of the Fund. The Directors and Interested Officers of the Fund are listed below with
their addresses, present position(s) with the Fund, length of time served, principal occupations over at least the last five years, and any other Directorships held. Please note that the Fund is not part of a fund complex.
Additional information about the Directors and Officers of the Fund is included in the Fund’s most recent Proxy Statement.
| |
|
|
Term of
|
|
|
| |
Year
|
Position(s)
|
Office/Length
|
Principal Occupation
|
Other Directorships
|
|
Name and Address
|
Born
|
with the Fund
|
of Time Served
|
During the Past Five Years
|
Held by Director
|
|
Gerald Hellerman
|
1937
|
Director
|
2022* /
|
Managing Director of
|
Trustee, High Income
|
|
615 E. Michigan Street
|
|
|
Since 2001
|
Hellerman Associates
|
Securities Fund;
|
|
Milwaukee, WI 53202
|
|
|
|
(a financial and corporate
|
Director, Swiss
|
| |
|
|
|
consulting firm) since 1993
|
Helvetia Fund, Inc.;
|
| |
|
|
|
(which terminated activities
|
Director, Special
|
| |
|
|
|
as of December 31, 2013).
|
Opportunities
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Fund, Inc.; Trustee,
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Fiera Capital
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Series Trust
|
| |
|
|
|
|
(until 2023);
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Trustee, Crossroads
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Liquidating Trust
|
| |
|
|
|
|
(until 2020);
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Director,
|
| |
|
|
|
|
MVC Capital
|
| |
|
|
|
|
(until 2020).
|
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Management of the Fund (continued)
|
(Unaudited)
|
| |
|
|
Term of
|
|
|
| |
Year
|
Position(s)
|
Office/Length
|
Principal Occupation
|
Other Directorships
|
|
Name and Address
|
Born
|
with the Fund
|
of Time Served
|
During the Past Five Years
|
Held by Director
|
|
Phillip Goldstein
|
1945
|
Chairman
|
2023* /
|
Since its inception in 2009,
|
Chairman, High
|
|
615 E. Michigan Street
|
|
|
Since 2000
|
Mr. Goldstein has been a
|
Income Securities
|
|
Milwaukee, WI 53202
|
|
|
|
Partner in Bulldog Investors,
|
Fund; Director, Swiss
|
| |
|
|
|
LLP, the investment advisor
|
Helvetia Fund, Inc.;
|
| |
|
|
|
of Special Opportunities
|
Director, Brookfield
|
| |
|
|
|
Fund, Inc. and separately-
|
DTLA Fund Office
|
| |
|
|
|
managed accounts.
|
Trust Investor and
|
| |
|
|
|
He is also a Partner in Ryan
|
BNY Mellon
|
| |
|
|
|
Heritage, LLP; a Principal
|
Municipal Income,
|
| |
|
|
|
of the former general
|
Inc.; Chairman,
|
| |
|
|
|
partner of several private
|
Special Opportunities
|
| |
|
|
|
investment partnerships in
|
Fund, Inc.; Trustee,
|
| |
|
|
|
the Bulldog Investors
|
Crossroads
|
| |
|
|
|
group of private funds;
|
Liquidating Trust
|
| |
|
|
|
and a Principal of the
|
(until 2020);
|
| |
|
|
|
managing general partner
|
Director,
|
| |
|
|
|
of Bulldog Investors
|
MVC Capital, Inc.
|
| |
|
|
|
General Partnership.
|
(until 2020).
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Glenn Goodstein
|
1963
|
Director
|
2022* /
|
Investment Advisor
|
None
|
|
615 E. Michigan Street
|
|
|
Since 2001
|
Representative, The
|
|
|
Milwaukee, WI 53202
|
|
|
|
Investment House, LLC;
|
|
| |
|
|
|
held numerous executive
|
|
| |
|
|
|
positions with Automatic
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Data Processing until 1996.
|
|
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Management of the Fund (continued)
|
(Unaudited)
|
| |
|
|
Term of
|
|
|
| |
Year
|
Position(s)
|
Office/Length
|
Principal Occupation
|
Other Directorships
|
|
Name and Address
|
Born
|
with the Fund
|
of Time Served
|
During the Past Five Years
|
Held by Director
|
|
Rajeev Das
|
1968
|
Director
|
2024* /
|
Since 2004, Mr. Das has
|
Trustee, High Income
|
|
615 E. Michigan Street
|
|
|
Since 2001
|
been a Principal and the
|
Securities Fund.
|
|
Milwaukee, WI 53202
|
|
|
|
Head Trader of Bulldog
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Investors, LLP, the investment
|
|
| |
|
|
|
adviser to the Special
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opportunities Fund, Inc.,
|
|
| |
|
|
|
and separately managed
|
|
| |
|
|
|
accounts. Principal of Ryan
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Heritage, LLP. Secretary of
|
|
| |
|
|
|
the Swiss Helvetia Fund.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Vice President of Special
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Opportunities Fund, Inc.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard Abraham
|
1955
|
Director
|
2024* /
|
Since 1998, Mr. Abraham
|
None
|
|
615 E. Michigan Street
|
|
|
Since 2015
|
has been self employed as
|
|
|
Milwaukee, WI 53202
|
|
|
|
a securities trader.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stephanie Darling
|
1970
|
Chief
|
Indefinite /
|
General Counsel and Chief
|
None
|
|
615 E. Michigan Street
|
|
Compliance
|
Since 2020
|
Compliance Officer of
|
|
|
Milwaukee, WI 53202
|
|
Officer
|
|
Bulldog Investors, LLP and
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Ryan Heritage, LLP;
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Chief Compliance Officer
|
|
| |
|
|
|
of Swiss Helvetia Fund, Inc.,
|
|
| |
|
|
|
High Income Securities Fund,
|
|
| |
|
|
|
and Special Opportunities
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Fund, Inc.; Principal, the Law
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Office of Stephanie Darling;
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Editor-in-Chief, The
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Investment Lawyer.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Maria Eugenia Pichardo
|
1950
|
President
|
Indefinite /
|
Portfolio Manager of the
|
None
|
|
Andres Bello No. 45 – 22 Floor
|
|
|
Since 2004
|
Fund since the Fund’s
|
|
|
Col. Chapultepec Polanco
|
|
|
|
Inception; President and
|
|
|
Del. Miguel Hidalgo
|
|
|
|
General Partner, Pichardo
|
|
|
Mexico, CDMX (D.F.),
|
|
|
|
Asset Management, S.A. de
|
|
|
C.P. 11560
|
|
|
|
C.V. since 2003; Managing
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Director, Acciones y Valores
|
|
| |
|
|
|
de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
from 1979-2002.
|
|
| |
July 31, 2024
|
|
Management of the Fund (concluded)
|
(Unaudited)
|
| |
|
|
|
Term of
|
|
| |
Year
|
Position(s)
|
Office/Length
|
Principal Occupation
|
Other Directorships
|
|
Name and Address
|
Born
|
with the Fund
|
of Time Served
|
During the Past Five Years
|
Held by Director
|
|
Luis Calzada
|
1965
|
Secretary
|
Indefinite /
|
Portfolio Administration
|
None
|
|
Andres Bello No. 45 – 22 Floor
|
|
|
Since 2022
|
& Compliance
|
|
|
Col. Chapultepec Polanco
|
|
|
|
Pichardo Asset Management
|
|
|
Mexico, CDMX (D.F.),
|
|
|
|
S.A. de C.V.
|
|
|
C.P. 11560
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Elisa Estevez
|
1991
|
Chief
|
Indefinite /
|
Corporate Risk
|
None
|
|
Andres Bello No. 45 – 22 Floor
|
|
Financial
|
Since 2021
|
Management, Pichardo
|
|
|
Col. Chapultepec Polanco
|
|
Officer
|
|
Asset Management
|
|
|
Mexico, CDMX (D.F.),
|
|
|
|
S.A. de C.V.
|
|
|
C.P. 11560
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
In accordance with the Fund’s Articles of Incorporation, the terms of the Fund’s Board of Directors are staggered. The Board of Director’s
are divided into three classes: Class I, Class II and Class III, each having a term of three years. Each year the term of office of one Class expires. The effect of these staggered terms is to limit the ability of other entities or persons
to acquire control of the Fund by delaying the replacement of a majority of the Board of Directors.
|
(This Page Intentionally Left Blank.)
THE MEXICO EQUITY
AND INCOME FUND, INC.
Investment Adviser:
Pichardo Asset Management, S.A. de C.V.
Andres Bello No. 45 – 22 Floor
Col. Chapultepec Polanco
Del. Miguel Hidalgo
Mexico, CDMX (D.F.), C.P. 11560
Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm:
Tait, Weller & Baker LLP
Two Liberty Place
50 South 16th Street, Suite 2900
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Transfer Agent:
Equiniti Trust Company LLC
6201 15th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11219
Fund Administrator
and Fund Accountant:
U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Custodian:
U.S. Bank, N.A.
Custody Operations
1555 Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212
Board of Directors:
Richard Abraham
Rajeev Das
Phillip Goldstein
Glenn Goodstein
Gerald Hellerman
THE MEXICO EQUITY AND INCOME FUND, INC.
Monumento a La Independencia Mexico City, Mexico. CANVA. 2021
http://www.mxefund.com
Item 2. Code of Ethics.
The registrant has adopted a code of ethics that applies to the registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer. The registrant
has not made any substantive amendments to its code of ethics during the period covered by this report. The registrant has not granted any waivers from any provisions of the code of ethics during the period covered by this report. The registrant
undertakes to provide to any person without charge, upon request, a copy of its code of ethics by mail when they call the registrant at 1-800-937-5449.
Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.
The registrant’s Board of Directors has determined that there is at least one audit committee financial expert serving on its audit committee. Rajeev Das
is the “audit committee financial expert” and is considered to be “independent” as each term is defined in Item 3 of Form N‑CSR.
Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
The registrant has engaged its principal accountant to perform audit services, audit-related services, tax services and other services during the past two
fiscal years. “Audit services” refer to performing an audit of the registrant's annual financial statements or services that are normally provided by the accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for those
fiscal years. “Audit-related services” refer to the assurance and related services by the principal accountant that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit. “Tax services” refer to professional services rendered by the principal
accountant for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning. “Other services” were not provided by the principal accountant. The following table details the aggregate fees billed or expected to be billed for each of the last two fiscal years for
audit fees, audit-related fees, tax fees and other fees by the principal accountant.
| |
FYE 7/31/2024
|
FYE 7/31/2023
|
|
( a ) Audit Fees
|
$31,000
|
$31,000
|
|
( b ) Audit-Related Fees
|
$0
|
$0
|
|
( c ) Tax Fees
|
$3,300
|
$3,300
|
|
( d ) All Other Fees
|
$0
|
$0
|
(e)(1) The audit committee has adopted pre-approval policies and procedures that require the audit committee to pre‑approve all audit and non‑audit services
of the registrant, including services provided to any entity affiliated with the registrant.
(e)(2) The percentage of fees billed by Tait, Weller
& Baker, LLP applicable to non-audit services pursuant to waiver of pre-approval requirement were as follows:
| |
FYE 7/31/2024
|
FYE 7/31/2023
|
|
Audit-Related Fees
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Tax Fees
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
All Other Fees
|
0%
|
0%
|
(f) All of the principal accountant’s hours spent on auditing the registrant’s financial statements were attributed to work performed by full‑time permanent
employees of the principal accountant.
(g) The following table indicates the non-audit fees billed or
expected to be billed by the registrant’s accountant for services to the registrant and to the registrant’s investment adviser (and any other controlling entity, etc.—not sub-adviser) for the last two years.
|
Non-Audit Related Fees
|
FYE 7/31/2024
|
FYE 12/31/2020
|
|
Registrant
|
$3,300
|
$3,300
|
|
Registrant’s Investment Adviser
|
$0
|
$0
|
(h) The audit committee of the Board of Directors has considered whether the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to the registrant's
investment adviser is compatible with maintaining the principal accountant's independence and has concluded that the provision of such non-audit services by the accountant has not compromised the accountant’s independence.
(i) Not applicable.
(j) Not applicable.
Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.
(a) The registrant is an issuer as defined in Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, (the “Act”) and has a separately-designated standing
audit committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Act. The independent members of the committee are as follows: Mr. Richard Abraham, Mr. Rajeev Das, Mr. Gerald Hellerman, Mr. Phillip Goldstein and Mr. Glenn Goodstein.
(b) Not applicable
Item 6. Investments.
|
(a)
|
Schedule of Investments is included as part of the report to shareholders filed under Item 1 of this Form.
|
Item 7. Financial Statements and Financial Highlights for Open-End Investment Companies.
Not applicable to closed-end investment companies.
Item 8. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants for Open-End Investment Companies.
Not applicable to closed-end investment companies.
Item 9. Proxy Disclosure for Open-End Investment Companies.
Not applicable to closed-end investment companies.
Item 10. Remuneration Paid to Directors, Officers, and Others of Open-End Investment Companies.
Not applicable to closed-end investment companies.
Item 11. Statement Regarding Basis for Approval of Investment Advisory Contract.
See Item 1(a).
Item 12. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND GUIDELINES
The Proxy Voting Policies and Guidelines contained in this document summarize The Mexico Equity and Income Fund, Inc.’s (the “Fund”)
positions on various issues of concern to the Fund’s shareholders. These Guidelines give general indication as to how the Fund’s Advisor will vote Fund shares on each issue listed. However, this listing does not address all potential voting
issues or the intricacies that may surround individual proxy votes. For that reason there may be instances in which votes may vary from the guidelines presented here. The Fund endeavors to vote Fund shares in accordance with the Fund’s investment
objectives and strategies.
I. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
A. Board and Governance Issues
1. Board of Director/Trustee Composition
The Board of Directors is responsible for the overall governance of the corporation.
The Fund advisor will oppose
slates without at least a majority of independent directors (1/3 of directors who are outsiders to the corporation).
The Fund advisor will vote for
shareholder proposals that request that the board audit, compensation and/or nominating committees include independent directors exclusively.
2. Increase Authorized Common Stock
The Fund advisor will generally support
the authorization of additional common stock necessary to facilitate a stock split.
The Fund advisor will generally support
the authorization of additional common stock, if the company already has a large amount of stock authorized but not issued or reserved for its stock option plans. In this latter instance, there is a concern that the authorized but unissued shares
will be used as a poison pill or other takeover defense, which will be opposed. In addition, we will require the company to provide a
specific purpose for any request to increase shares by more than 100 percent of the current authorization.
3. Blank Check Preferred Stock
Blank check preferred is stock with a fixed dividend and a preferential claim on company assets relative to common shares. The terms of
the stock (voting dividend and conversion rights) are set by the Board at a future date without further shareholder action. While such an issue can in theory have legitimate corporate purposes, most often it has been used as a takeover defense
since the stock has terms that make the entire company less attractive.
The Fund advisor will generally oppose
the creation of blank check preferred stock.
4. Classified or “Staggered” Board
On a classified (or staggered) board, directors are divided into separate classes (usually three) with directors in each class elected to
overlapping three-year terms. Companies argue that such Boards offer continuity in direction which promotes long-term planning. However, in some instances they may serve to deter unwanted takeovers since a potential buyer would have to wait at
least two years to gain a majority of Board seats.
The Fund advisor will vote on a case-by-case basis on issues involving classified boards.
5. Supermajority Vote Requirements
Supermajority vote requirements in a company’s charter or bylaws require a level of voting approval in excess of a simple majority.
Generally, supermajority provisions require at least 2/3 affirmative vote for passage of issues.
The Fund advisor will vote on a case-by-case issues involving supermajority voting.
6. Restrictions on Shareholders to Act by Written Consent
Written consent allows shareholders to initiate and carry out a shareholder action without waiting until the annual meeting or by calling
a special meeting. It permits action to be taken by the written consent of the same percentage of outstanding shares that would be required to effect the proposed action at a shareholder meeting.
The Fund advisor will generally oppose
proposals to limit or eliminate the right of shareholders to act by written consent.
7. Restrictions on Shareholders to Call Meetings
The Fund advisor will generally oppose
such a restriction as it limits the right of the shareholder.
8. Limitations, Director Liability and Indemnification
Because of increased litigation brought against directors of corporations and the increased costs of director’s liability insurance, many
states have passed laws limiting director liability for those acting in good faith. Shareholders however must opt into such statutes. In addition, many companies are seeking to add indemnification of directors to corporate bylaws.
The Fund advisor will generally support
director liability and indemnification resolutions because it is important for companies to be able to attract the most qualified individuals to their Boards. Note: Those directors acting fraudulently would remain liable for their actions
irrespective of this resolution.
9. Reincorporation
Corporations are in general bound by the laws of the state in which they are incorporated. Companies reincorporate for a variety of
reasons including shifting incorporation to a state where the company has its most active operations or corporate headquarters, or shifting incorporation to take advantage of state corporate takeover laws.
While each reincorporation proposal will be evaluated based on its own merits, the Fund advisor will generally support reincorporation resolutions for valid business reasons (such as reincorporating in the same state as the corporate headquarters).
10. Cumulative Voting
Cumulative voting allows shareholders to “stack” their votes behind one or a few directors running for the board, thereby helping a
minority of shareholders to win board representation. Cumulative voting gives minority shareholders a voice in corporate affairs proportionate to their actual strength in voting shares.
The Fund advisor will generally support
proposals calling for cumulative voting in the election of directors.
11. Dual Classes of Stock
In order to maintain corporate control in the hands of a certain group of shareholders, companies may seek to create multiple classes of
stock with differing rights pertaining to voting and dividends.
The Fund advisor will generally oppose
dual classes of stock. However, the advisor will support classes of stock offering different dividend rights (such as one class which
pays cash dividends and a second which pays stock dividends) depending on the circumstances.
12. Limit Directors’ Tenure
In general corporate directors may stand for re-election indefinitely. Opponents of this practice suggest that limited tenure would
inject new perspectives into the boardroom as well as possibly creating room for directors from diverse backgrounds; however, continuity is important to corporate leadership and in some instances alternative means may be explored for injecting new
ideas or members from diverse backgrounds into corporate boardrooms.
Accordingly, the Fund advisor will vote on a case-by-case basis attempts to limit director tenure.
13. Minimum Director Stock Ownership
The director share ownership proposal requires that all corporate directors own a minimum number of shares in the corporation. The
purpose of this resolution is to encourage directors to have the same interest as other shareholders. The Fund advisor will support
resolutions that require corporate directors to own shares in the company.
14. Selection of Auditor
Annual election of the outside accountants is standard practice. While it is recognized that the company is in the best position to
evaluate the competence of the outside accountants, we believe that outside accountants must ultimately be accountable to shareholders. Furthermore, audit committees have been the subject of a report released by the Blue Ribbon Commission on
Improving the Effectiveness of Corporate Audit Committees in conjunction with the NYSE and the National Association of Securities Dealers. The Blue Ribbon Commission concluded that audit committees must improve their current level of oversight of
independent accountants.
Given the rash of accounting irregularities that were not detected by audit panels or auditors, shareholder ratification is an essential
step in restoring investor confidence.
The Fund advisor will oppose
the resolutions seeking ratification of the auditor when fees for financial systems design and implementation exceed audit and all other fees, as this can compromise the independence of the auditor.
The Fund advisor will oppose
the election of the audit committee chair if the audit committee recommends an auditors whose fees for financial systems design and implementation exceed audit and all other fees, as this can compromise the independence of the auditor.
B. Executive Compensation
1. Disclosure of CEO, Executive, Board and Management Compensation
On a case-by-case basis, the Fund advisor will support shareholder resolutions requesting companies to disclose the salaries of top management and the Board of Directors.
2. Compensation for CEO, Executive, Board and Management
The Fund advisor will oppose
an executive compensation proposal if we believe the compensation does not reflect the economic and social circumstances of the company (i.e. at times of layoffs, downsizing, employee wage freezes, etc.).
3. Formation and Independence of Compensation Review Committee
The Fund advisor will support
shareholder resolutions requesting the formation of a committee of independent directors to review and examine executive compensation.
4. Stock Options for Board and Executives
The Fund advisor will generally oppose
stock option plans that in total offer greater than 15% of shares outstanding because of voting and earnings dilution.
The Fund advisor will generally oppose
option programs that allow the repricing of underwater options. (Repricing divides shareholder and employee interests. Shareholders cannot “reprice” their stock and, therefore, optionees should not be treated differently).
The Fund advisor will generally oppose
stock option plans that have option exercise prices below the marketplace on the day of the grant.
The Fund advisor will generally support
options programs for outside directors subject to the same constraints previously described.
5. Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOPs)
The Fund advisor will support
ESOPs created to promote active employee ownership. However, they will oppose any ESOP whose purpose is to prevent a corporate takeover.
6. Pay Equity
The Fund advisor will support
shareholder resolutions that request that management provide a race and/or gender pay equity report.
7. Ratio Between CEO and Worker Pay
The Fund advisor will generally support
shareholder resolutions requesting that management report on the ratio between CEO and employee compensation.
8. Maximum Ratio Between CEO and Worker Compensation and/or Cap on CEO Compensation
The Fund advisor will vote on a case-by-case basis shareholder resolutions requesting management to set a maximum ratio between CEO and
employee compensation and/or a cap on CEO compensation.
9. Changes to Charter or By-Laws
The Fund advisor will conduct a case-by-case review of the proposed changes with the voting decision resting on whether the proposed
changes are in shareholder’s best interests.
10. Confidential Voting
Typically, proxy voting differs from voting in political elections in that the company is made aware of shareholder votes as they are
cast. This enables management to contact dissenting shareholders in an attempt to get them to change their votes.
The Fund advisor will support
confidential voting because the voting process should be free of coercion.
11. Equal Access to Proxy
Equal access proposals ask companies to give shareholders access to proxy materials to state their views on contested issues, including
director nominations. In some cases, they would actually allow shareholders to nominate directors. Companies suggest that such proposals would make an increasingly complex process even more burdensome.
In general, the Fund advisor will oppose
resolutions for equal access proposals.
12. Golden Parachutes
Golden parachutes are severance payments to top executives who are terminated or demoted pursuant to a takeover. Companies argue that
such provisions are necessary to keep executives from “jumping ship” during potential takeover attempts.
The Fund advisor will support
the right of shareholders to vote on golden parachutes because they go above and beyond ordinary compensation practices. In evaluating a particular golden parachute, we will examine total management compensation, the employees covered by the plan,
and the quality of management.
C. Mergers and Acquisitions
1. Considering the Non-Financial Effects of a Merger Proposal
Such a proposal allows or requires the Board to consider the impact of merger decisions on various “stakeholders,” such as employees,
communities, customers and business partners. This proposal gives the Board the right to reject a tender offer on the grounds that it would adversely affect the company’s stakeholders.
The Fund advisor will support
shareholder resolutions that consider non-financial impacts of mergers.
2. Mergers, Restructuring and Spin-offs
A merger, restructuring, or spin-off in some way affects a change in control of the company’s assets. In evaluating the merit of each
issue, we will consider the terms of each proposal. This will include an analysis of the potential long-term value of the investment.
The Fund advisor will support
management proposals for merger or restructuring if the transaction appears to offer fair value and other proxy voting policies stated are not violated. For example, the advisor may oppose restructuring resolution which include in it significant
takeover defenses and may again oppose the merger of a non-nuclear and a nuclear utility if it poses potential liabilities.
3. Poison Pills
Poison pills (or shareholder rights plans) are triggered by an unwanted takeover attempt and cause a variety of events to occur which may
make the company financially less attractive to the suitor. Typically, directors have enacted these plans without shareholder approval. Most poison pill resolutions deal with putting poison pills up for a vote or repealing them altogether.
The Fund advisor will support
proposals to put rights plans up for a shareholder vote. In general, poison pills will be opposed unless management is able to present a
convincing case fur such a plan.
4. Anti-Greenmail Proposals
Greenmail is the payment a corporate raider receives in exchange for his/her shares. This payment is usually at a premium to the market
price, so while greenmail can ensure the continued independence of the company, it discriminates against other shareholders.
The Fund advisor will generally support
greenmail provisions.
5. Opt-Out of State Anti-Takeover Law
A strategy for dealing with anti-takeover issues has been a shareholder resolution asking for a company to opt-out of a particular
state’s anti-takeover laws.
The Fund advisor will generally support
bylaws changes requiring a company to opt-out of state anti-takeover laws. However, resolutions requiring companies to opt-into state anti-takeover statutes will be opposed.
Item 13. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.
Information is presented as of July 31, 2024.
Portfolio Manager. Ms. Maria Eugenia Pichardo is the Senior Portfolio Manager responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day management, which includes making portfolio management decisions and executing
transactions.
Maria Eugenia Pichardo (Maru) co-launched the Fund in 1990
as Managing Director in Acciones y Valores de México, the largest brokerage house in Mexico in the 90s. She has been the Fund's
Portfolio Manager since its inception in September 1990. Ms. Pichardo incorporated Pichardo Asset Management (“PAM”),
an Independent Management Firm, in 2003. PAM is a U.S. registered advisor under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and has an Advisory
license from the Comision Nacional Bancaria y de Valores (“CNBV”) in Mexico. David Estevez, Managing Director, has been
an Analyst and Portfolio Manager since 2018. PAM has granted the Fund's stakeholders a high-quality portfolio management advisory service
through a proprietary fundamental analysis and portfolio administration system. The portfolio management service is the principal day-to-day
priority of Maru, David, and two highly experienced Executive Managers, each with 20 and 17 years of experience servicing the Fund. This
experienced team has ensured the Fund's competitive Mexican peso total annual average return for over 20 years, a testament to our consistent
performance.
|
Portfolio Manager Name
|
Registered
Investment Company
(dollar amount and
number of accounts)
|
Other Pooled
Investments (dollar
amount and number
of accounts)
|
Other Accounts
(dollar amount and
number of
accounts)
|
|
Ms. Maria Eugenia Pichardo
|
Number: 1
Assets: $57.6 million
|
Number: 1
Assets: $18 million
|
Number: 1
Assets: $3 million
|
Material Conflicts of Interest. The Portfolio Manager has day-to-day management responsibilities for other accounts and may be presented with potential or actual conflicts of interest.
Conflicts of interest can arise in allocating securities to various accounts when a security is purchased or sold over a period. PAM has established policies and procedures to avoid conflicts of interest. To the date of this report, there are no
material conflicts of interest to report.
Managing other accounts may result in the Portfolio Manager devoting unequal time and attention to managing the Fund and/or other accounts.
In approving the Advisory Agreement, the Board of Directors was satisfied that the Portfolio Manager could devote sufficient attention to the management of the Fund. PAM is committed daily to managing such possible competing interests for the time
and attention of the Portfolio Manager; as such, PAM implements a Best Execution and Trade Allocation (“BE&TA”) report on a monthly and quarterly basis. The BE&TA report is presented to the registrant’s Board of Directors via the Chief
Compliance Officer’s Annual Compliance Review of the Advisor.
Compensation. Ms. Pichardo receives a fixed annual
salary from PAM.
Securities Owned in the Fund by Portfolio Manager.
As of July 31, 2024, the Portfolio Manager owned the following securities in the Fund:
|
Portfolio Manager Name
|
Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in the Fund
(None, $1-$10,000,
$10,001-$50,000,
$50,001-$100,000,
$100,001 - $500,000,
$500,001 to $1,000,000,
Over $1,000,000)
|
Aggregate Dollar Range of
Securities in all Registered
Investment Companies
Overseen by Portfolio
Manager in Family of
Investment Companies
|
|
Ms. Maria Eugenia Pichardo
|
None
|
None
|
Item 14. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed‑End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.
|
Period
|
(a)
Total Number of
Shares (or Units)
Purchased
|
(b)
Average Price
Paid per Share
(or Unit)
|
(c)
Total Number of
Shares (or Units)
Purchased as Part
of Publicly
Announced Plans
or Programs
|
(d)
Maximum Number (or
Approximate Dollar
Value) of Shares (or
Units) that May Yet Be
Purchased Under the
Plans or Programs
|
|
2/1/24 to 2/29/24
|
0
|
$0.00
|
0
|
0
|
|
3/1/24 to 3/31/24
|
0
|
$0.00
|
0
|
0
|
|
4/1/24 to 4/30/24
|
0
|
$0.00
|
0
|
0
|
|
5/1/24 to 5/31/24
|
0
|
$0.00
|
0
|
0
|
|
6/1/24 to 6/30/24
|
0
|
$0.00
|
0
|
0
|
|
7/1/24 to 7/31/24
|
0
|
$0.00
|
0
|
0
|
|
Total
|
0
|
$0.00
|
0
|
0
|
Item 15. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
There have been no material changes to the procedures by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the registrant’s Board of Directors.
Item 16. Controls and Procedures.
|
(a)
|
The Registrant’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer have reviewed the Registrant's disclosure controls and procedures (as
defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”)) as of a date within 90 days of the filing of this report, as required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the Act and Rules 13a-15(b) or 15d‑15(b) under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. Based on their review, such officers have concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures are effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed in this report is appropriately recorded,
processed, summarized and reported and made known to them by others within the Registrant and by the Registrant’s service provider.
|
|
(b)
|
There were no changes in the Registrant's internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Act) that occurred
during the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant's internal control over financial reporting.
|
Item 17. Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies
The registrant did not engage in securities lending activities during the fiscal year reported on this Form N-CSR.
Item 18. Recovery of Erroneously Awarded Compensation.
(a) Not applicable.
(b) Not applicable.
Item 19. Exhibits.
(2) Any policy required by the listing
standards adopted pursuant to Rule 10D-1 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.10D-1) by the registered national securities exchange or registered national securities association upon which the registrant’s securities are listed. Not
applicable.
(4) Any written solicitation to
purchase securities under Rule 23c‑1 under the Act sent or given during the period covered by the report by or on behalf of the registrant to 10 or more persons. Not applicable.
(5) Change in the registrant’s
independent public accountant. There was no change in the registrant’s independent public accountant for the period covered by this report.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
(Registrant) The Mexico Equity and Income Fund, Inc.
By (Signature and Title) /s/ Maria Eugenia Pichardo
Maria Eugenia Pichardo, Principal Executive Officer
Date: October 7, 2024
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed
below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
By (Signature and Title) /s/ Maria
Eugenia Pichardo
Maria Eugenia Pichardo, Principal Executive Officer
Date: October 7, 2024
By (Signature and Title)
/s/ Elisa Estevez
Elisa Estevez, Principal Financial Officer
Date: October 7, 2024
N-2 - $ / shares
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|
12 Months Ended |
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|
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|
Jul. 31, 2024 |
Jul. 31, 2024 |
Jul. 31, 2023 |
Jul. 31, 2022 |
Jul. 31, 2021 |
Jul. 31, 2020 |
| Prospectus [Line Items] |
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| Document Period End Date |
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Jul. 31, 2024
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| Cover [Abstract] |
|
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| Entity Central Index Key |
|
0000863900
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| Amendment Flag |
|
false
|
|
|
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| Document Type |
|
N-CSR
|
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|
|
|
| Entity Registrant Name |
|
Mexico Equity and Income Fund, Inc.
|
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|
|
|
| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
|
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| Investment Objectives and Practices [Text Block] |
|
Investment Objectives
The Fund’s investment objective is to seek high total return through capital appreciation and current income. There can be no assurance that the
Fund’s objective will be achieved.
Investment Strategies
The Fund pursues its objective primarily by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s assets in equity and convertible
securities issued by Mexican companies and debt securities of Mexican issuers.
The Fund invests in equity securities, convertible securities and debt securities and may also invest in other securities such as capital development
certificates, real estate investment trusts, mutual funds, exchange traded funds, preferred stocks, rights and warrants. The Fund may, without limitation, hold cash or invest in assets in money market instruments, including U.S. and non-U.S.
government securities, high grade commercial paper and certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances issued by U.S. and non-U.S. banks.
The Adviser may invest the Fund’s cash balances in any investments it deems appropriate, subject to the restrictions set forth in below under
“Fundamental Investment Restrictions” and as permitted under the
1940 Act. Any income earned from such investments will ordinarily be reinvested by the Fund in accordance with its investment program. Many of the
considerations entering into the Adviser’s recommendations and decisions are subjective.
The Fund may, in limited circumstances, hedge against a decline in the value of the Mexican peso.
The short-term instruments in which the Fund may invest include (a) obligations of the United States Government and the Mexican Government, including
the agencies or instrumentalities of each (including repurchase agreements with respect to these securities); (b) bank obligations (including certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances of United States and Mexican banks
denominated in U.S. dollars or pesos); (c) obligations of United States and Mexican companies that are rated no lower than A-2 by S&P or P-2 by Moody’s or the equivalent from another rating service or, if unrated, deemed to be of equivalent
quality by the Adviser; and (d) shares of money market funds that are authorized to invest in (a) through (c).
Among the obligations of agencies and instrumentalities of the United States Government in which the Fund may invest are securities that are supported
by the “full faith and credit” of the United States Government (such as securities of the Government National Mortgage Association), by the right of the issuer to borrow from the United States Treasury (such as those of the Export-Import Bank of the
United States), by the discretionary authority of the United States Government to purchase the agency’s obligations (such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association) or by the credit of the United States Government instrumentality itself
(such as those of the Student Loan Marketing Association).
The Fund may, from time to time, take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund’s principal investment strategies in
attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. During such times, the Fund may temporarily invest up to 100% of its assets in cash or cash equivalents, including money market instruments, prime commercial paper,
repurchase agreements, Treasury bills and other short-term obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. In these and in other cases, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
Portfolio Investments
Common Stocks
The Fund will invest in 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 riskier than some other forms of investment in short-term periods. Common stock prices fluctuate for many reasons, including adverse exogenous macro and systemic events, abrupt change in companies’ revenues
due to commodity cycle or epidemic diseases, capital allocation, a period of disappointing financial reporting economics, fiscal, and monetary policies in the U.S.A, and Mexico.
Capital Development Certificates
Capital development certificates are hybrid instruments that may include debt and equity. Capital development certificates grant their holders the
right to variable income arising from various projects and/or companies.
Convertible Securities
Initially, the Fund’s management anticipated that the Fund would acquire convertible debt securities in privately negotiated transactions. However,
because of the extremely limited number of convertible debt securities issued by Mexican companies, the Fund has not acquired convertible debt securities of Mexican companies for the last 25 years. However, the Fund may acquire convertible debt
securities in Mexican companies in the future if and when they become available. A convertible debt security is a bond, debenture or note that may be converted into or exchanged for, or may otherwise entitle the holder to purchase, a prescribed
amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different Mexican company within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible debt security entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt
until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible debt securities have characteristics similar to nonconvertible debt securities in that they ordinarily provide for a fixed stream of income
with generally higher yields than those of stocks of the same or similar issuers. Convertible debt securities rank senior to stock in a corporation’s capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation’s stock. Given the
volatility of the Mexican securities market and the pricing of securities in Mexico, a significant portion of the value of a Mexican convertible debt security may be derived from the conversion feature rather than the fixed income feature.
The Fund defines debt securities (other than convertible debt securities) to mean bonds, notes, bills and debentures. The Fund’s investments in debt
securities of Mexican issuers include debt securities issued by private Mexican companies and by the Mexican Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. These debt securities may be denominated either in pesos or in U.S. dollars.
Corporate Bonds, Government Debt Securities and Other Debt Securities
The Fund may invest in corporate bonds, debentures and other debt securities or in investment companies which hold such instruments. 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 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 will invest in government debt securities. These securities may be U.S. dollar-denominated or non-U.S. dollar-denominated and include: (a)
debt obligations issued or guaranteed by foreign national, provincial, state, municipal or other governments with taxing authority or by their agencies or instrumentalities; and (b) 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.
Exchange Traded Funds
The Fund may invest in Exchange Traded Funds (“ETFs”), which are investment companies that aim to track or replicate a desired index, such as a
sector, market or global segment. ETFs are passively managed and their 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,
as ETFs based on an index 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.
Real Estate Investment Trusts
The Fund may invest in securities of Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”). REITs are trusts that specialize in acquiring, holding and managing
residential, commercial or industrial real estate. A REIT is not taxed at the entity level on income distributed to its shareholders or unitholders if it distributes to shareholders or unitholders at least 90% of its taxable income for each taxable
year and complies with regulatory requirements relating to its organization, ownership, assets and income.
Other Securities
Although it has no current intention do so to any material extent, the Fund may determine to invest the Fund’s assets in some or all of the following
securities.
Forward Currency Contracts
The Fund may, in limited circumstances, hedge against a decline in the value of the Mexican peso. On March 19, 1995, Banco de Mexico approved the
establishment of over-the-counter forward and option contracts in Mexico on the new peso between banks and their clients. Also, Banco de Mexico authorized the issuance and trading of futures contracts in respect of the new peso on the Chicago
Mercantile Exchange (“CME”). Trading of new peso futures contracts began on the CME on April 25, 1995.
The Fund will conduct any forward currency exchange transactions, which are considered derivative transactions, only for hedging and not speculation.
The risk of future currency devaluations and fluctuations should be carefully considered by investors in determining whether to purchase shares of the Fund. Although the Fund will value its assets daily in terms of U.S. dollars, it does not intend
physically to convert its holdings of pesos into U.S. dollars on a daily basis. The Fund will do so from time to time, and investors should be aware of the costs of currency conversion. Although foreign exchange dealers do not charge a fee for
conversion, they do realize a profit based on the difference (the “spread”) between the prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a foreign currency to the Fund at one rate, while offering a
lesser rate of exchange should the Fund desire to resell that currency to the dealer.
A forward currency contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days
from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. The Fund’s dealings in forward currency contracts will be limited to hedging involving either specific transactions or portfolio positions.
Transaction hedging is the purchase or sale of forward currency contracts with respect to specific receivables or payables of the Fund generally arising in connection with the purchase or sale of its portfolio securities or in anticipation of receipt
of dividend or interest payments. Position hedging is the purchase or sale of forward currency contracts with respect to portfolio security positions denominated or quoted in the currency.
The Fund may not position hedge with respect to a particular currency to an extent greater than the aggregate market value (at the time of making such
purchase or sale) of the securities held in its portfolio denominated or quoted in or currently convertible into that particular currency. If the Fund enters into a position hedging transaction, the custodian of the Fund’s assets being hedged will
place cash or readily marketable securities in a segregated account of the Fund in an amount equal to the value of the Fund’s total assets committed to the consummation of the forward contract. If the value of the securities placed in the segregated
account declines, additional cash or securities will be placed in the account so that the value of the account will equal the amount of the Fund’s commitment with respect to the contract.
The Fund may enter into forward currency contracts in several circumstances. When the Fund enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of
securities denominated in a foreign currency, or when the Fund anticipates the receipt in a foreign currency of interest or dividend payments, the Fund may desire to “lock-in” the U.S. dollar price of the security or the U.S. dollar equivalent of
such interest or dividend payment, as the case may be. By entering into a forward contract for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars for the purchase or sale of the amount of foreign currency involved in the underlying transactions, the Fund will be able to
protect itself against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and the subject foreign currency during the period between the date on which the security is purchased or sold, or on which the
dividend payment is declared, and the date on which such dividend or interest payment is to be received.
At or before the maturity of a forward currency contract, the Fund may either sell a portfolio security and make delivery of the currency, or retain
the security and offset its contractual obligation to deliver the currency by purchasing a second contract pursuant to which the Fund will obtain, on the same maturity date, the same amount of the currency that it is obligated to deliver. If the Fund
retains the portfolio security and engages in an offsetting transaction, the Fund, at the time of execution of the offsetting transaction, will incur a gain or a loss to the extent that movement has occurred in forward contract prices. The use of
forward currency contracts does not eliminate fluctuation in the underlying prices of the securities, but it does establish a rate of exchange that can be achieved in the future. In addition, although forward currency contracts limit the risk of loss
due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, at the same time they limit any potential gain that might result should the value of the currency increase. If a devaluation is generally anticipated, the Fund may not be able to contract to
sell the currency at a price above the devaluation level it anticipates.
The cost to the Fund of engaging in currency transactions either on a spot or forward basis will vary with factors such as the currency involved, the
length of the contract period and the market conditions then prevailing. Because transactions in currency exchange are usually conducted on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved, although the price charged in the transaction includes
a dealer’s markup.
Certain provisions of the Code may limit the extent to which the Fund may enter into the foreign currency transactions described above. These
transactions may also affect the character and timing of income, and the amount of gain or loss recognized by the Fund and its stockholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies (“underlying funds”), including those that invest a substantial portion of their
assets in Mexican securities, to the extent permitted by, and subject to the conditions imposed by, the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereof. By investing in an investment company, the Fund bears a ratable share of the investment company’s
expenses, as well as continuing to bear the Fund’s advisory and administrative fees with respect to the amount of the investment. Investment companies are subject to the risks of investing in the underlying securities. Under the 1940 Act, banks
organized outside of the United States are deemed to be investment companies, although the SEC has adopted a rule which would permit the Fund to invest in the securities of foreign commercial banks, under certain circumstances, without regard to the
percentage limitations of the 1940 Act.
The Fund may be subject to the risks of the securities and other instruments described herein through its own direct investments and indirectly
through investments in the underlying funds, as those recently included in the “Bolsa”, named FIBRA E, (similar to a REIT in the U.S.) which corresponds to a Mexican mechanism to finance infrastructure, energy and long term projects, as well as
private equity, regulated by the Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores (corresponding SEC in the U.S.).
Illiquid Securities
Illiquid securities are securities that are not readily marketable. Illiquid securities include securities that have a low daily turnover or that
trade on odd lots or trading-block among small and medium portfolio managers referred to as specialists but do not provide liquidity to trade at reasonable fair value. Illiquid securities usually present a high spread between the bid and ask quotes.
If the Fund sells an illiquid security during a period with adverse market conditions, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price. Illiquid securities also include securities that have legal or contractual restrictions on resale, and repurchase
agreements maturing in more than seven days. The Fund may invest up to 15% of the value of its total assets in illiquid securities. Restricted securities for which no market exists and other illiquid investments are valued at fair value as determined
in accordance to policies and procedures adopted pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act and periodically reviewed by the Board of Directors. At July 31, 2024 the Fund held 1.9% of its total net assets in illiquid positions.
Rule 144A Securities
The Fund may invest in restricted securities that are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the
“1933 Act”). Generally, Rule 144A establishes a safe harbor from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act for resale by large institutional investors of securities that are not publicly traded. The Adviser determines the liquidity of the Rule
144A securities according to the Fund’s pricing policy and guidelines adopted by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors monitors the application of those guidelines and procedures. Securities eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A, which
are determined to be liquid, are not subject to the Fund’s 15% limit on investments in illiquid securities.
Preferred Stocks
The Fund may invest in 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.
Distributions on preferred stock must be declared by the board of directors and may be subject to deferral, and thus they may not be automatically
payable. Income payments on preferred stocks may be cumulative, causing dividends and distributions to accrue even if not declared by the company’s board or otherwise made payable, or they may be non-cumulative, so that skipped dividends and
distributions do not continue to accrue. There is no assurance that dividends on preferred stocks in which the Fund invests will be declared or otherwise made payable. The Fund may invest in non-cumulative preferred stock, although the Adviser may
consider, among other factors, their non-cumulative nature in making any decision to purchase or sell such securities.
Shares of preferred stock have a liquidation value that generally equals the original purchase price at the date of issuance. The market values of
preferred stock may be affected by favorable and unfavorable changes impacting the issuers’ industries or sectors, including companies in the utilities and financial services sectors, which are prominent issuers of preferred stock. They may also be
affected by actual and anticipated changes or ambiguities in the tax status of the security and by actual and anticipated changes or ambiguities in tax laws, such as changes in corporate and individual income tax rates, and in the dividends received
deduction for corporate taxpayers or the lower rates applicable to certain dividends.
Because the claim on an issuer’s earnings represented by preferred stock may become onerous when interest rates fall below the rate payable on the
stock or for other reasons, the issuer may redeem preferred stock, generally after an initial period of call protection in which the stock is not redeemable. Thus, in declining interest rate environments in particular, the
Fund’s holdings of higher dividend -paying preferred stocks may be reduced and the Fund may be unable to acquire securities paying comparable rates with the redemption proceeds.
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. Warrants do not entitle a holder to
dividends or voting rights with respect to the underlying security and do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuing company. A warrant ceases to have value if it is not exercised prior to its expiration date. These factors can make
warrants more speculative than other types of investments. The sale of a warrant results in a long or short-term capital gain or loss depending on the period for which the warrant is held.
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RISK FACTORS
An investment in the Fund is not guaranteed to achieve its investment objective; is not a deposit with a bank; is not insured,
endorsed or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency; and is subject to investment risks. The value of the Fund’s investments will increase or decrease based on changes in the prices of the investments it
holds. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. By itself, the Fund does not constitute a balanced investment program. You should consider carefully the following principal and non-principal risks before investing in the Fund. There may be
additional risks that the Fund does not currently foresee or consider material. You may wish to consult with your legal or tax advisors, before deciding whether to invest in the Fund. This section describes the risk factors associated with investment
in the Fund specifically, as well as those factors generally associated with investment in an investment company with investment objectives, investment policies, capital structure or trading markets similar to the Fund’s. Each risk summarized below
is a risk of investing in the Fund and different risks may be more significant at different times depending upon market conditions or other factors.
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies (“underlying funds”). The Fund may be subject to the risks of the
securities and other instruments described below through its own direct investments and indirectly through investments in the underlying funds.
Principal Risks
Investments in Foreign Securities Risks.
The Fund invests in the universe of Mexican securities market. Investing in Mexican securities presents political, regulatory and economic risks in
some ways similar to those that face a re-emerging country and a developing county; and different in kind and degree from the risks presented by investing in the U.S. financial markets or any other fairly comparable emerging country in the Latin
American region, pertaining
to the emerging market risk. Some of these risks may include devaluation and/or appreciation of the exchange rate of the Mexican Peso, greater market
price volatility, substantially less liquidity, controls on foreign investment, and limitations on repatriation of invested capital. Unlike U.S. issuers which are required to comply GAAP accounting policy standards, Mexican issuers comply with
mandatory regulation to IFR’s accounting standards and policies. Additional risks of investing in foreign securities are detailed below.
Market Illiquidity, Volatility. Although one of the largest in Latin America by market capitalization, the
Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, S.A. de C.V. (the “Mexican Stock Exchange” or “Bolsa”) is substantially smaller, less liquid and more volatile than the major securities markets in the United States. In addition, trading on the Mexican Stock Exchange is
concentrated. Thus, the performance of the Mexican Stock Exchange, as further described below, may be highly dependent on the performance of a few issuers. Additionally, prices of equity securities traded on the Mexican Stock Exchange are generally
more volatile than prices of equity securities traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The combination of price volatility and the relatively limited liquidity of the Mexican Stock Exchange may have an adverse impact on the investment performance of
the Fund.
Market Corrections. Although less so in recent times, the Mexican securities market has been subject to
periodic severe market corrections. A recent correction in the Bolsa’s Index occurred at the cancellation of the latest state of the ongoing art construction of a new airport by the new administration in Mexico starting in 2017. Due to the high
concentration of investors, issuers and intermediaries in the Mexican securities market and the generally high volatility of the Mexican economy, the Mexican securities market may be subject to severe market corrections than more broadly based
markets. As is the case with investing in any securities market, there can be no assurance that market corrections will not occur again.
The Mexican Economy. In the past, the Mexican economy has experienced peso devaluations, significant rises in
inflation and domestic interest rates and other economic instability and there can be no assurance that it will not experience such instability in the future.
Common Stock Risk. The Fund invests in common stocks. Common stocks represent an ownership interest in a
company. The Fund may also invest in securities that can be exercised for or converted into common stocks (such as convertible preferred stock). Common stocks and similar equity securities are more volatile and riskier than some other forms of
investments. Therefore, the value of your investment in the Fund may sometimes decrease instead of increase. Common stock prices fluctuate for many reasons, including adverse events such as unfavorable earnings reports, changes in investors’
perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer, the general condition of the relevant stock market or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. In addition, common stock prices may be sensitive to rising interest rates, as
the costs of capital rise and borrowing costs increase for issuers. Because convertible securities can be converted into equity securities, their values will normally increase or decrease as the values of the underlying equity securities increase or
decrease. The common stocks in which the Fund invests are structurally subordinated to preferred securities, bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital structure in terms of priority to corporate income and assets and, therefore, will
be subject to greater risk than the preferred securities or debt instruments of such issuers.
Convertible Securities Risk. The Fund may acquire convertible debt securities in Mexican companies.
A convertible debt security is a bond, debenture or note that may be converted into or exchanged for, or may otherwise entitle the holder to purchase, a prescribed amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different Mexican
company within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible debt security entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged.
Before conversion, convertible debt securities have characteristics similar to nonconvertible debt securities in that they ordinarily provide for a fixed stream of income with generally higher yields than those of stocks of the same or similar
issuers. Convertible debt securities rank senior to stock in a corporation’s capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation’s stock. Given the volatility of the Mexican securities market and the pricing of
securities in Mexico, a significant portion of the value of a Mexican convertible debt security may be derived from the conversion feature rather than the fixed income feature.
The value of a convertible security, including, for example, a warrant, is a function of its investment value (determined by its yield in comparison
with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege) and its conversion value (the security’s worth, at market value, if converted into the underlying common stock). The investment value of a
convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors may also have an effect on the
convertible security’s investment value. The conversion value of a convertible security is determined by the market price of the underlying common stock. If the conversion value is low relative to the investment value, the price of the convertible
security is governed principally by its investment value. Generally, the conversion value decreases as the convertible security approaches maturity. To the extent the market price of the underlying common stock approaches or exceeds the conversion
price, the price of the convertible security will be increasingly influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security generally will sell at a premium over its conversion value by the extent to which investors place value on the right to
acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed income security. A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible security’s governing instrument. If a convertible
security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund will be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third party. Any of these actions could have an adverse effect on
the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.
Small and Medium Capitalization Company Risk. The Fund may invest in securities without regard to market
capitalization. Compared to investment companies that focus only on large capitalization companies, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile because it also invests in small and medium capitalization companies. Compared to large companies, small and medium capitalization companies are more likely to have (i) more limited product lines or markets
and less mature businesses, (ii) fewer capital resources, (iii) more limited management depth and (iv) shorter operating histories. Further, compared to large capitalization companies, the securities of small and medium capitalization companies are
more likely to experience sharper swings in market values, be harder to sell at times and at prices that the Adviser believes appropriate.
Market Risk. Overall market risk may affect the value of individual instruments in which the Fund invests.
The Fund is subject to the risk that the securities markets will move down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, based on overall economic conditions and other factors, which may negatively affect the Fund’s performance. Factors such as domestic and
foreign (non-U.S.) economic growth and market conditions, real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation, changes in interest rate levels, lack of liquidity in the markets, volatility in the securities markets, adverse investor
sentiment affect the securities markets and political vents affect the securities markets. Securities markets also may experience long periods of decline in value. When the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, your investment in the Fund
decreases in value and you could lose money.
Local, state, regional, national or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues,
recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and could result in decreases to the Fund’s net asset value. Political, geopolitical, natural and other events, including war, military conflicts, terrorism,
trade disputes, government shutdowns, market closures, natural and environmental disasters, epidemics, pandemics and other public health crises and related events and governments’ reactions to such events have led, and in the future may lead, to
economic uncertainty, decreased economic activity, increased market volatility and other disruptive effects on U.S. and global economies and markets. Such events may have significant adverse direct or indirect effects on the Fund and its investments.
For example, a widespread health crisis such as a global pandemic could cause substantial market volatility, exchange trading suspensions and closures, impact the ability to complete redemptions, and affect Fund performance. A health crisis may
exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks. In addition, the increasing interconnectedness of markets around the world may result in many markets being affected by events or conditions in a single country or region or events
affecting a single or small number of issuers.
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic caused significant economic disruption in recent years as countries worked to limit the negative health impacts of
the virus. While the virus appears to have entered an endemic stage, significant outbreaks or new variants present a continued risk to the global economy.
Market Discount from Net Asset Value Risk. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a
discount from their net asset value (“NAV”). Because the market price of the Shares is determined by factors such as relative supply of and demand for the Shares in the market, general market and economic conditions, and other factors beyond the
control of the Fund, the Fund cannot predict whether the Shares will trade at, below or above net asset value.
Management Risk. The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed portfolio. The
Fund’s successful pursuit of its investment objective depends upon the Adviser’s ability to find and exploit market inefficiencies with respect to undervalued securities. Such situations occur infrequently and may be difficult to predict, and may not
result in a favorable pricing opportunity for the Fund. The Adviser’s sector allocation and stock selection decisions might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform its benchmark or underperform when compared to other funds with similar
investment goals. If one or more key individuals leave the employment of the Adviser, the Adviser may not be able to hire qualified replacements, or may require an extended time to do so. This could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment
objective.
Real Estate Investment Trust (“REIT”) Risk. Investments in REITs will subject the Fund to various risks. The
first, real estate industry risk, is the risk that REIT share prices will decline because of adverse developments affecting the real estate industry and real property values. In general, real estate values can be affected by a variety of factors,
including supply and demand for properties, the economic health of the country or of different regions, and the strength of specific industries that rent properties. REITs often invest in highly leveraged properties. The second risk is the risk that
returns from REITs, which typically are small or medium capitalization stocks, will trail returns from the overall stock market. The third, interest rate risk, is the risk that changes in interest rates may hurt real estate values or make REIT shares
less attractive than other income producing investments. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation.
Qualification as a REIT under the Code in any particular year is a complex analysis that depends on a number of factors. There can be no assurance
that the entities in which the Fund invests with the expectation that they will be taxed as a REIT will qualify as a REIT. An entity that fails to qualify as a REIT would be subject to a corporate level tax, would not be entitled to a deduction for
dividends paid to its stockholders and would not pass through to its stockholders the character of income earned by the entity. If the Fund were to invest in an entity that failed to qualify as a REIT, such failure could drastically reduce the Fund’s
yield on that investment.
REITs can be classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in real property and earn rental income from
leasing those properties. They may also realize gains or losses from the sale of properties. Equity REITs will be affected by conditions in the real estate rental market and by changes in the value of the properties they own. Mortgage REITs invest
primarily in mortgages and similar real estate interests and receive interest payments from the owners of the mortgaged properties. They are paid interest by the owners of the financed properties. Mortgage REITs will be affected by changes in
creditworthiness of borrowers and changes in interest rates. Hybrid REITs invest both in real property and in mortgages. Equity and mortgage REITs are dependent upon management skills, may not be diversified and are subject to the risks of financing
projects.
Dividends paid by REITs will not generally qualify for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to qualified dividends under the Code. The Fund’s investment in REITs may include an additional risk to Stockholders. Some or all of a REIT’s annual distributions to its investors may
constitute a non-taxable return of capital. Any such return of capital will generally reduce the Fund’s basis in the REIT investment, but not below zero. To the extent the distributions from a particular REIT exceed the Fund’s basis in such REIT, the
Fund will generally recognize gain. In part because REIT distributions often include a nontaxable return of capital, Fund distributions to Stockholders may also include a nontaxable return of capital. Stockholders that receive such a distribution
will also reduce their tax basis in their shares of the Fund, but not below zero. To the extent the distribution exceeds a Stockholder’s basis in the Fund shares, such Stockholder will generally recognize capital gain.
Exchange Traded Funds Risk. The Fund may invest in exchange-traded funds, which are investment companies that,
in some cases, aim to track or replicate a desired index, such as a sector, market or global segment. ETFs are passively or, to a lesser extent, actively managed and their 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, as ETFs based on an index 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.
Shares of Other Investment Companies. The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies as a means
to pursue the Fund’s investment objective. As a result of this policy, your cost of investing will generally be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying investment company shares. You will indirectly bear fees and expenses charged
by the underlying investment companies in addition to the Fund’s direct fees and expenses. Furthermore, the use of this strategy could affect the timing, amount and character of distributions to you and therefore may increase the amount of taxes
payable by you.
Restricted or Illiquid Securities Risks. The Fund may invest up to 15% of its total assets in illiquid
securities. Illiquid securities may offer a higher yield than securities which are more readily marketable, but they may not always be marketable on advantageous terms. The sale of illiquid securities often requires more time and results in higher
brokerage charges or dealer discounts than does the sale of securities eligible for trading on national securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter markets. A security traded in the U.S. that is not registered under the Securities Act will not be
considered illiquid if Fund management determines that an adequate investment trading market exists for that security. However, there can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist for any security at a particular time. The Fund may invest in
securities that are subject to restrictions on resale, such as Rule 144A securities. Rule 144A securities are securities that have been privately placed but are eligible for purchase and sale by certain qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A
under the Securities Act of 1933. Under the supervision of the Board of Directors, the Adviser will determine whether securities purchased under Rule 144A are illiquid. If it is determined that qualified institutional buyers are unwilling to
purchase these securities, the percent of Fund assets invested in illiquid securities would increase.
Issuer Specific Changes Risk. Changes in the financial condition of an issuer, changes in the specific
economic or political conditions that affect a particular type of security or issuer, and changes in general economic or political conditions can affect the credit quality or value of an issuer’s securities. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be
more sensitive to these changes than higher-quality debt securities.
Non-Principal Risks
In addition to the principal risks set forth above, the following additional risks may apply to an investment in the Fund.
Anti-Takeover Provisions Risk. The Fund’s Charter and Bylaws include provisions that could limit the ability
of other persons or entities to acquire control of the Fund or to cause it to engage in certain transactions or to modify its structure.
Borrowing Risks. The Fund is not restricted from borrowing money from banks or other financial institutions to
purchase securities, commonly referred to as “leveraging.” In the event the Fund does engage in such borrowing activities, the Fund’s exposure to fluctuations in the prices of these securities is increased in relation to the Fund’s capital. Fund
borrowing activities will exaggerate any increase or decrease in the Fund’s net asset value. In addition, the interest which the Fund must pay on borrowed money, together with any additional fees to maintain a line of credit or any minimum average
balances required to be maintained, are additional costs which will reduce or eliminate any net investment profits. Unless profits on assets acquired with borrowed funds exceed the costs of borrowing, the use of borrowing will diminish the Fund’s
investment performance compared with what it would have been without borrowing. Leverage, including borrowing, may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged.
Changes in Policies Risk. The Fund’s Directors may change the Fund’s investment objective, investment
strategies and non-fundamental investment restrictions without stockholder approval, except as otherwise indicated.
Credit Risk. Debt obligations are generally subject to the risk that the issuer may be unable to make
principal and interest payments when they are due. There is also the risk that the securities could lose value because of a loss of confidence in the ability of the borrower to pay back debt. Non-investment grade debt — also known as “high-yield
bonds” and “junk bonds” — have a higher risk of default and tend to be less liquid than higher-rated securities. These lower rated securities have speculative characteristics and changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely
to lead to a weakened capacity of those issuers to make principal or interest payments, as compared to issuers of more highly rated securities.
Defensive Position Risk. During periods of adverse market or economic conditions, the Fund may temporarily
invest all or a substantial portion of its net assets in cash or cash equivalents. The Fund would not be pursuing its investment objective in these circumstances and could miss favorable market developments.
High Portfolio Turnover Rate Risk. The Fund’s portfolio management may result in high turnover rates which may
increase short-term capital appreciation and increase brokerage commission costs. If the Fund has a higher portfolio turnover rate, then the Fund’s performance could be negatively impacted due to the increased expenses incurred as a result of the
higher brokerage commissions. Rapid portfolio turnover also exposes stockholders to a higher current realization of capital gains and this could cause stockholders to pay higher taxes. For the Fund’s most recent fiscal year ended July 31, 2024, the
portfolio turnover rate was 166.37%.
Initial Public Offerings Risks. The Fund may purchase securities of companies in initial public offerings.
Special risks associated with these securities may include a limited number of shares available for trading, unseasoned trading, lack of investor knowledge of the company and limited operating history. These factors may contribute to substantial
price volatility for the shares of these companies. The limited number of shares available for trading in some initial public offerings may make it more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell significant amounts of shares without unfavorable impact on
prevailing market prices. Some companies in initial public offerings are involved in relatively new industries or lines of business, which may not be widely understood by investors. Some of these companies may be undercapitalized or regarded as
developmental stage companies without revenues or operating income, or the near-term prospects of achieving them.
Interest Rate Risk. Fixed income securities are subject to the risk that the securities could lose value
because of interest rate changes. In general, the price of a debt security can fall when interest rates rise and can rise when interest rates fall. Debt obligations with longer maturities sometimes offer higher yields, but are subject to greater
price shifts as a result of interest rate changes than debt obligations with shorter maturities. The longer the maturity of the security, the greater the impact a change in interest rates could have on the security’s price. In addition, short-term
and long-term interest rates do not necessarily move in the same amount or the same direction. Short-term securities tend to react to changes in short-term interest rates and long-term securities tend to react to changes in long-term interest rates.
Preferred Stock Risk. The Fund may invest in 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.
Investment in preferred stocks carries risks, including credit risk, deferral risk, redemption risk, limited voting rights, risk of subordination and
lack of liquidity. Fully taxable or hybrid preferred securities typically contain provisions that allow an issuer, at its discretion, to defer distributions for up to 20 consecutive quarters. Distributions on preferred stock must be declared by the
board of directors and may be subject to deferral, and thus they may not be automatically payable. Income payments on preferred stocks may be cumulative, causing dividends and distributions to accrue even if not declared by the company’s board or
otherwise made payable, or they may be non-cumulative, so that skipped dividends and distributions do not continue to accrue. There is no assurance that dividends on preferred stocks in which the Fund invests will be declared or otherwise made
payable. The Fund may invest in non-cumulative preferred stock, although the Fund’s Adviser would consider, among other factors, their non-cumulative nature in making any decision to purchase or sell such securities.
Shares of preferred stock have a liquidation value that generally equals the original purchase price at the date of issuance. The market values of
preferred stock may be affected by favorable and unfavorable changes impacting the issuers’ industries or sectors, including companies in the utilities and financial services sectors, which are prominent issuers of preferred stock. They may also be
affected by actual and anticipated changes or ambiguities in the tax status of the security and by actual and anticipated changes or ambiguities in tax laws, such as changes in corporate and individual income tax rates, and in the dividends received
deduction for corporate taxpayers or the lower rates applicable to certain dividends.
Because the claim on an issuer’s earnings represented by preferred stock may become onerous when interest rates fall below the rate payable on the
stock or for other reasons, the issuer may redeem preferred stock, generally after an initial period of call protection in which the stock is not redeemable. Thus, in declining interest rate environments in particular, the Fund’s holdings of higher
dividend paying preferred stocks may be reduced and the Fund may be unable to acquire securities paying comparable rates with the redemption proceeds. In the event of a redemption, the Fund may not be able to reinvest the proceeds at comparable rates
of return. |
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| Capital Stock, Long-Term Debt, and Other Securities [Abstract] |
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| Capital Stock [Table Text Block] |
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NOTE D: CAPITAL STOCK
During the year ended July 31, 2024, there were no shares of common stock repurchased under the guidelines set forth in the Fund's stock repurchase
program.
The Fund completed an offering to issue up to 100% of the Fund’s shares outstanding at 92.5% of the volume weighted average market price per share for
the three consecutive trading days ending on the trading day after the Expiration Date on October 8, 2021. At the expiration of the offer on October 8, 2021, a total of 2,613,746 rights were validly exercised.
Share Repurchase
Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 23(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 that the Fund may purchase, from time to time, shares of
its common stock in the open market.
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| Investments in Foreign Securities Risks [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Investments in Foreign Securities Risks.
The Fund invests in the universe of Mexican securities market. Investing in Mexican securities presents political, regulatory and economic risks in
some ways similar to those that face a re-emerging country and a developing county; and different in kind and degree from the risks presented by investing in the U.S. financial markets or any other fairly comparable emerging country in the Latin
American region, pertaining
to the emerging market risk. Some of these risks may include devaluation and/or appreciation of the exchange rate of the Mexican Peso, greater market
price volatility, substantially less liquidity, controls on foreign investment, and limitations on repatriation of invested capital. Unlike U.S. issuers which are required to comply GAAP accounting policy standards, Mexican issuers comply with
mandatory regulation to IFR’s accounting standards and policies. Additional risks of investing in foreign securities are detailed below.
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| Market Illiquidity, Volatility [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Market Illiquidity, Volatility. Although one of the largest in Latin America by market capitalization, the
Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, S.A. de C.V. (the “Mexican Stock Exchange” or “Bolsa”) is substantially smaller, less liquid and more volatile than the major securities markets in the United States. In addition, trading on the Mexican Stock Exchange is
concentrated. Thus, the performance of the Mexican Stock Exchange, as further described below, may be highly dependent on the performance of a few issuers. Additionally, prices of equity securities traded on the Mexican Stock Exchange are generally
more volatile than prices of equity securities traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The combination of price volatility and the relatively limited liquidity of the Mexican Stock Exchange may have an adverse impact on the investment performance of
the Fund.
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| Market Corrections [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Market Corrections. Although less so in recent times, the Mexican securities market has been subject to
periodic severe market corrections. A recent correction in the Bolsa’s Index occurred at the cancellation of the latest state of the ongoing art construction of a new airport by the new administration in Mexico starting in 2017. Due to the high
concentration of investors, issuers and intermediaries in the Mexican securities market and the generally high volatility of the Mexican economy, the Mexican securities market may be subject to severe market corrections than more broadly based
markets. As is the case with investing in any securities market, there can be no assurance that market corrections will not occur again.
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| The Mexican Economy [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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The Mexican Economy. In the past, the Mexican economy has experienced peso devaluations, significant rises in
inflation and domestic interest rates and other economic instability and there can be no assurance that it will not experience such instability in the future.
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| Common Stock Risk [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Common Stock Risk. The Fund invests in common stocks. Common stocks represent an ownership interest in a
company. The Fund may also invest in securities that can be exercised for or converted into common stocks (such as convertible preferred stock). Common stocks and similar equity securities are more volatile and riskier than some other forms of
investments. Therefore, the value of your investment in the Fund may sometimes decrease instead of increase. Common stock prices fluctuate for many reasons, including adverse events such as unfavorable earnings reports, changes in investors’
perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer, the general condition of the relevant stock market or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. In addition, common stock prices may be sensitive to rising interest rates, as
the costs of capital rise and borrowing costs increase for issuers. Because convertible securities can be converted into equity securities, their values will normally increase or decrease as the values of the underlying equity securities increase or
decrease. The common stocks in which the Fund invests are structurally subordinated to preferred securities, bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital structure in terms of priority to corporate income and assets and, therefore, will
be subject to greater risk than the preferred securities or debt instruments of such issuers.
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| Convertible Securities Risk [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Convertible Securities Risk. The Fund may acquire convertible debt securities in Mexican companies.
A convertible debt security is a bond, debenture or note that may be converted into or exchanged for, or may otherwise entitle the holder to purchase, a prescribed amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different Mexican
company within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible debt security entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged.
Before conversion, convertible debt securities have characteristics similar to nonconvertible debt securities in that they ordinarily provide for a fixed stream of income with generally higher yields than those of stocks of the same or similar
issuers. Convertible debt securities rank senior to stock in a corporation’s capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation’s stock. Given the volatility of the Mexican securities market and the pricing of
securities in Mexico, a significant portion of the value of a Mexican convertible debt security may be derived from the conversion feature rather than the fixed income feature.
The value of a convertible security, including, for example, a warrant, is a function of its investment value (determined by its yield in comparison
with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege) and its conversion value (the security’s worth, at market value, if converted into the underlying common stock). The investment value of a
convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors may also have an effect on the
convertible security’s investment value. The conversion value of a convertible security is determined by the market price of the underlying common stock. If the conversion value is low relative to the investment value, the price of the convertible
security is governed principally by its investment value. Generally, the conversion value decreases as the convertible security approaches maturity. To the extent the market price of the underlying common stock approaches or exceeds the conversion
price, the price of the convertible security will be increasingly influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security generally will sell at a premium over its conversion value by the extent to which investors place value on the right to
acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed income security. A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible security’s governing instrument. If a convertible
security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund will be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third party. Any of these actions could have an adverse effect on
the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.
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| Small and Medium Capitalization Company Risk [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Small and Medium Capitalization Company Risk. The Fund may invest in securities without regard to market
capitalization. Compared to investment companies that focus only on large capitalization companies, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile because it also invests in small and medium capitalization companies. Compared to large companies, small and medium capitalization companies are more likely to have (i) more limited product lines or markets
and less mature businesses, (ii) fewer capital resources, (iii) more limited management depth and (iv) shorter operating histories. Further, compared to large capitalization companies, the securities of small and medium capitalization companies are
more likely to experience sharper swings in market values, be harder to sell at times and at prices that the Adviser believes appropriate.
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| Market Risk [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Market Risk. Overall market risk may affect the value of individual instruments in which the Fund invests.
The Fund is subject to the risk that the securities markets will move down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, based on overall economic conditions and other factors, which may negatively affect the Fund’s performance. Factors such as domestic and
foreign (non-U.S.) economic growth and market conditions, real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation, changes in interest rate levels, lack of liquidity in the markets, volatility in the securities markets, adverse investor
sentiment affect the securities markets and political vents affect the securities markets. Securities markets also may experience long periods of decline in value. When the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, your investment in the Fund
decreases in value and you could lose money.
Local, state, regional, national or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues,
recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and could result in decreases to the Fund’s net asset value. Political, geopolitical, natural and other events, including war, military conflicts, terrorism,
trade disputes, government shutdowns, market closures, natural and environmental disasters, epidemics, pandemics and other public health crises and related events and governments’ reactions to such events have led, and in the future may lead, to
economic uncertainty, decreased economic activity, increased market volatility and other disruptive effects on U.S. and global economies and markets. Such events may have significant adverse direct or indirect effects on the Fund and its investments.
For example, a widespread health crisis such as a global pandemic could cause substantial market volatility, exchange trading suspensions and closures, impact the ability to complete redemptions, and affect Fund performance. A health crisis may
exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks. In addition, the increasing interconnectedness of markets around the world may result in many markets being affected by events or conditions in a single country or region or events
affecting a single or small number of issuers.
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic caused significant economic disruption in recent years as countries worked to limit the negative health impacts of
the virus. While the virus appears to have entered an endemic stage, significant outbreaks or new variants present a continued risk to the global economy.
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| Market Discount from Net Asset Value Risk [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Market Discount from Net Asset Value Risk. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a
discount from their net asset value (“NAV”). Because the market price of the Shares is determined by factors such as relative supply of and demand for the Shares in the market, general market and economic conditions, and other factors beyond the
control of the Fund, the Fund cannot predict whether the Shares will trade at, below or above net asset value.
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| Management Risk [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Management Risk. The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed portfolio. The
Fund’s successful pursuit of its investment objective depends upon the Adviser’s ability to find and exploit market inefficiencies with respect to undervalued securities. Such situations occur infrequently and may be difficult to predict, and may not
result in a favorable pricing opportunity for the Fund. The Adviser’s sector allocation and stock selection decisions might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform its benchmark or underperform when compared to other funds with similar
investment goals. If one or more key individuals leave the employment of the Adviser, the Adviser may not be able to hire qualified replacements, or may require an extended time to do so. This could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment
objective.
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| Real Estate Investment Trust ("REIT") Risk [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Real Estate Investment Trust (“REIT”) Risk. Investments in REITs will subject the Fund to various risks. The
first, real estate industry risk, is the risk that REIT share prices will decline because of adverse developments affecting the real estate industry and real property values. In general, real estate values can be affected by a variety of factors,
including supply and demand for properties, the economic health of the country or of different regions, and the strength of specific industries that rent properties. REITs often invest in highly leveraged properties. The second risk is the risk that
returns from REITs, which typically are small or medium capitalization stocks, will trail returns from the overall stock market. The third, interest rate risk, is the risk that changes in interest rates may hurt real estate values or make REIT shares
less attractive than other income producing investments. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation.
Qualification as a REIT under the Code in any particular year is a complex analysis that depends on a number of factors. There can be no assurance
that the entities in which the Fund invests with the expectation that they will be taxed as a REIT will qualify as a REIT. An entity that fails to qualify as a REIT would be subject to a corporate level tax, would not be entitled to a deduction for
dividends paid to its stockholders and would not pass through to its stockholders the character of income earned by the entity. If the Fund were to invest in an entity that failed to qualify as a REIT, such failure could drastically reduce the Fund’s
yield on that investment.
REITs can be classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in real property and earn rental income from
leasing those properties. They may also realize gains or losses from the sale of properties. Equity REITs will be affected by conditions in the real estate rental market and by changes in the value of the properties they own. Mortgage REITs invest
primarily in mortgages and similar real estate interests and receive interest payments from the owners of the mortgaged properties. They are paid interest by the owners of the financed properties. Mortgage REITs will be affected by changes in
creditworthiness of borrowers and changes in interest rates. Hybrid REITs invest both in real property and in mortgages. Equity and mortgage REITs are dependent upon management skills, may not be diversified and are subject to the risks of financing
projects.
Dividends paid by REITs will not generally qualify for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to qualified dividends under the Code. The Fund’s investment in REITs may include an additional risk to Stockholders. Some or all of a REIT’s annual distributions to its investors may
constitute a non-taxable return of capital. Any such return of capital will generally reduce the Fund’s basis in the REIT investment, but not below zero. To the extent the distributions from a particular REIT exceed the Fund’s basis in such REIT, the
Fund will generally recognize gain. In part because REIT distributions often include a nontaxable return of capital, Fund distributions to Stockholders may also include a nontaxable return of capital. Stockholders that receive such a distribution
will also reduce their tax basis in their shares of the Fund, but not below zero. To the extent the distribution exceeds a Stockholder’s basis in the Fund shares, such Stockholder will generally recognize capital gain.
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| Exchange Traded Funds Risk [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Exchange Traded Funds Risk. The Fund may invest in exchange-traded funds, which are investment companies that,
in some cases, aim to track or replicate a desired index, such as a sector, market or global segment. ETFs are passively or, to a lesser extent, actively managed and their 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, as ETFs based on an index 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.
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| Shares of Other Investment Companies [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Shares of Other Investment Companies. The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies as a means
to pursue the Fund’s investment objective. As a result of this policy, your cost of investing will generally be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying investment company shares. You will indirectly bear fees and expenses charged
by the underlying investment companies in addition to the Fund’s direct fees and expenses. Furthermore, the use of this strategy could affect the timing, amount and character of distributions to you and therefore may increase the amount of taxes
payable by you.
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| Restricted or Illiquid Securities Risks [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Restricted or Illiquid Securities Risks. The Fund may invest up to 15% of its total assets in illiquid
securities. Illiquid securities may offer a higher yield than securities which are more readily marketable, but they may not always be marketable on advantageous terms. The sale of illiquid securities often requires more time and results in higher
brokerage charges or dealer discounts than does the sale of securities eligible for trading on national securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter markets. A security traded in the U.S. that is not registered under the Securities Act will not be
considered illiquid if Fund management determines that an adequate investment trading market exists for that security. However, there can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist for any security at a particular time. The Fund may invest in
securities that are subject to restrictions on resale, such as Rule 144A securities. Rule 144A securities are securities that have been privately placed but are eligible for purchase and sale by certain qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A
under the Securities Act of 1933. Under the supervision of the Board of Directors, the Adviser will determine whether securities purchased under Rule 144A are illiquid. If it is determined that qualified institutional buyers are unwilling to
purchase these securities, the percent of Fund assets invested in illiquid securities would increase.
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| Issuer Specific Changes Risk [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Issuer Specific Changes Risk. Changes in the financial condition of an issuer, changes in the specific
economic or political conditions that affect a particular type of security or issuer, and changes in general economic or political conditions can affect the credit quality or value of an issuer’s securities. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be
more sensitive to these changes than higher-quality debt securities.
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| Anti-Takeover Provisions Risk [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Anti-Takeover Provisions Risk. The Fund’s Charter and Bylaws include provisions that could limit the ability
of other persons or entities to acquire control of the Fund or to cause it to engage in certain transactions or to modify its structure.
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| Borrowing Risks [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Borrowing Risks. The Fund is not restricted from borrowing money from banks or other financial institutions to
purchase securities, commonly referred to as “leveraging.” In the event the Fund does engage in such borrowing activities, the Fund’s exposure to fluctuations in the prices of these securities is increased in relation to the Fund’s capital. Fund
borrowing activities will exaggerate any increase or decrease in the Fund’s net asset value. In addition, the interest which the Fund must pay on borrowed money, together with any additional fees to maintain a line of credit or any minimum average
balances required to be maintained, are additional costs which will reduce or eliminate any net investment profits. Unless profits on assets acquired with borrowed funds exceed the costs of borrowing, the use of borrowing will diminish the Fund’s
investment performance compared with what it would have been without borrowing. Leverage, including borrowing, may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged.
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| Changes in Policies Risk [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Changes in Policies Risk. The Fund’s Directors may change the Fund’s investment objective, investment
strategies and non-fundamental investment restrictions without stockholder approval, except as otherwise indicated.
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| Credit Risk [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Credit Risk. Debt obligations are generally subject to the risk that the issuer may be unable to make
principal and interest payments when they are due. There is also the risk that the securities could lose value because of a loss of confidence in the ability of the borrower to pay back debt. Non-investment grade debt — also known as “high-yield
bonds” and “junk bonds” — have a higher risk of default and tend to be less liquid than higher-rated securities. These lower rated securities have speculative characteristics and changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely
to lead to a weakened capacity of those issuers to make principal or interest payments, as compared to issuers of more highly rated securities.
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| Defensive Position Risk [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Defensive Position Risk. During periods of adverse market or economic conditions, the Fund may temporarily
invest all or a substantial portion of its net assets in cash or cash equivalents. The Fund would not be pursuing its investment objective in these circumstances and could miss favorable market developments.
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| High Portfolio Turnover Rate Risk [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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High Portfolio Turnover Rate Risk. The Fund’s portfolio management may result in high turnover rates which may
increase short-term capital appreciation and increase brokerage commission costs. If the Fund has a higher portfolio turnover rate, then the Fund’s performance could be negatively impacted due to the increased expenses incurred as a result of the
higher brokerage commissions. Rapid portfolio turnover also exposes stockholders to a higher current realization of capital gains and this could cause stockholders to pay higher taxes. For the Fund’s most recent fiscal year ended July 31, 2024, the
portfolio turnover rate was 166.37%.
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| Initial Public Offerings Risks [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Initial Public Offerings Risks. The Fund may purchase securities of companies in initial public offerings.
Special risks associated with these securities may include a limited number of shares available for trading, unseasoned trading, lack of investor knowledge of the company and limited operating history. These factors may contribute to substantial
price volatility for the shares of these companies. The limited number of shares available for trading in some initial public offerings may make it more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell significant amounts of shares without unfavorable impact on
prevailing market prices. Some companies in initial public offerings are involved in relatively new industries or lines of business, which may not be widely understood by investors. Some of these companies may be undercapitalized or regarded as
developmental stage companies without revenues or operating income, or the near-term prospects of achieving them.
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| Preferred Stock Risk [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Preferred Stock Risk. The Fund may invest in 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.
Investment in preferred stocks carries risks, including credit risk, deferral risk, redemption risk, limited voting rights, risk of subordination and
lack of liquidity. Fully taxable or hybrid preferred securities typically contain provisions that allow an issuer, at its discretion, to defer distributions for up to 20 consecutive quarters. Distributions on preferred stock must be declared by the
board of directors and may be subject to deferral, and thus they may not be automatically payable. Income payments on preferred stocks may be cumulative, causing dividends and distributions to accrue even if not declared by the company’s board or
otherwise made payable, or they may be non-cumulative, so that skipped dividends and distributions do not continue to accrue. There is no assurance that dividends on preferred stocks in which the Fund invests will be declared or otherwise made
payable. The Fund may invest in non-cumulative preferred stock, although the Fund’s Adviser would consider, among other factors, their non-cumulative nature in making any decision to purchase or sell such securities.
Shares of preferred stock have a liquidation value that generally equals the original purchase price at the date of issuance. The market values of
preferred stock may be affected by favorable and unfavorable changes impacting the issuers’ industries or sectors, including companies in the utilities and financial services sectors, which are prominent issuers of preferred stock. They may also be
affected by actual and anticipated changes or ambiguities in the tax status of the security and by actual and anticipated changes or ambiguities in tax laws, such as changes in corporate and individual income tax rates, and in the dividends received
deduction for corporate taxpayers or the lower rates applicable to certain dividends.
Because the claim on an issuer’s earnings represented by preferred stock may become onerous when interest rates fall below the rate payable on the
stock or for other reasons, the issuer may redeem preferred stock, generally after an initial period of call protection in which the stock is not redeemable. Thus, in declining interest rate environments in particular, the Fund’s holdings of higher
dividend paying preferred stocks may be reduced and the Fund may be unable to acquire securities paying comparable rates with the redemption proceeds. In the event of a redemption, the Fund may not be able to reinvest the proceeds at comparable rates
of return.
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| Interest Rate Risk [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Risk [Text Block] |
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Interest Rate Risk. Fixed income securities are subject to the risk that the securities could lose value
because of interest rate changes. In general, the price of a debt security can fall when interest rates rise and can rise when interest rates fall. Debt obligations with longer maturities sometimes offer higher yields, but are subject to greater
price shifts as a result of interest rate changes than debt obligations with shorter maturities. The longer the maturity of the security, the greater the impact a change in interest rates could have on the security’s price. In addition, short-term
and long-term interest rates do not necessarily move in the same amount or the same direction. Short-term securities tend to react to changes in short-term interest rates and long-term securities tend to react to changes in long-term interest rates.
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| Common Shares [Member] |
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| General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
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| Share Price |
$ 9.59
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$ 9.59
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$ 10.70
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$ 7.88
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$ 12.37
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$ 7.72
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| NAV Per Share |
$ 13.08
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$ 13.08
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$ 14.90
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$ 10.42
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$ 14.43
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$ 9.04
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| Capital Stock, Long-Term Debt, and Other Securities [Abstract] |
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| Outstanding Security, Authorized [Shares] |
98,144,872
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| Outstanding Security, Not Held [Shares] |
4,400,209
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