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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-CSR
CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES
Investment Company Act file number 811-21982
Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
227 West Monroe Street, Chicago, 60606
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
Amy J. Lee
227 West Monroe Street, Chicago, 60606
(Name and address of agent for service)
Registrant's telephone number, including area
code: (312) 827-0100
Date of fiscal year end: May 31
Date of reporting period: June 1, 2022 -
May 31, 2023
Item 1. Reports to Stockholders.
The registrant's annual report transmitted to shareholders pursuant
to Rule 30e-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), is as follows:
5.31.2023
Guggenheim Funds Annual Report
Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund
GuggenheimInvestments.com |
CEF-GOF-AR-0523 |
GUGGENHEIMINVESTMENTS.COM/GOF
... YOUR WINDOW TO THE LATEST, MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ABOUT
GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES FUND
The shareholder report you are reading right now is just the beginning
of the story.
Online at guggenheiminvestments.com/gof, you will find:
• Daily, weekly and monthly data on share prices, net asset
values, distributions and more
• Portfolio overviews and performance analyses
• Announcements, press releases and special notices
• Fund and adviser contact information
Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC and Guggenheim Funds
Investment Advisors, LLC are continually updating and expanding shareholder information services on the Fund’s website in an ongoing
effort to provide you with the most current information about how your Fund’s assets are managed and the results of our efforts.
It is just one more small way we are working to keep you better informed about your investment in the Fund.
|
|
DEAR SHAREHOLDER (Unaudited) |
May 31, 2023 |
We thank you for your investment in the Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities
Fund (the “Fund”). This report covers the Fund’s performance for the 12-month period ended May 31, 2023 (the “Reporting
Period”).
To learn more about the Fund’s performance and investment
strategy, we encourage you to read the Economic and Market Overview and the Management’s Discussion of Fund Performance, which begin
on page 5. There you will find information on Guggenheim’s investment philosophy, views on the economy and market environment, and
information about the factors that impacted the Fund’s performance during the Reporting Period.
The Fund’s investment objective is to maximize total return
through a combination of current income and capital appreciation. The Fund pursues a relative value-based investment philosophy. The Fund’s
sub-adviser seeks to combine a credit-managed fixed-income portfolio with access to a diversified pool of alternative investments and
equity strategies.
All Fund returns cited—whether based on net asset value (“NAV”)
or market price—assume the reinvestment of all distributions. For the Reporting Period, the Fund provided a total return based on
market price of 0.80% and a total return based on NAV of 2.09%. At the end of the Reporting Period, the Fund’s market price of $15.69
per share represented a premium of 27.15% to its NAV of $12.34 per share.
Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. All NAV
returns include the deduction of management fees, operating expenses, and all other Fund expenses. The market price of the Fund’s
shares fluctuates from time to time, and it may be higher or lower than the Fund’s NAV.
During the Reporting Period, the Fund paid a monthly distribution
of $0.1821 per share. The most recent distribution represents an annualized distribution rate of 13.93% based on the Fund’s closing
market price of $15.69 per share at the end of the Reporting Period.
The Fund’s distribution rate is not constant and the amount
of distributions, when declared by the Fund’s Board of Trustees, is subject to change. There is no guarantee of any future distribution
or that the current returns and distribution rate will be maintained. Please see the Distributions to Shareholders & Annualized Distribution
Rate table on page 15, and Note 2(f) on page 84 for more information on distributions for the period.
We encourage shareholders to consider the opportunity to reinvest
their distributions from the Fund through the Dividend Reinvestment Plan (“DRIP”), which is described on page 211 of this
report. When shares trade at a discount to NAV, the DRIP takes advantage of the discount by reinvesting the monthly dividend distribution
in common shares of the Fund purchased in the market at a price less than NAV. Conversely, when the market price of the Fund’s common
shares is at a premium above NAV, the DRIP
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 3
|
|
DEAR SHAREHOLDER (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
reinvests participants’ dividends in newly issued common
shares at the greater of NAV per share or 95% of the market price per share. The DRIP provides a cost-effective means to accumulate additional
shares and enjoy the benefits of compounding returns over time. The DRIP effectively provides an income averaging technique for shareholders
to accumulate a larger number of Fund shares when the market price is depressed than when the price is higher.
We appreciate your investment and look forward to serving your
investment needs in the future. For the most up-to-date information on your investment, please visit the Fund’s website at guggenheiminvestments.com/gof.
Sincerely,
Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC
Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund
June 30, 2023
4 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
ECONOMIC AND MARKET OVERVIEW (Unaudited) |
May 31, 2023 |
Caution over the lagged effects of monetary tightening and banking
sector stability led to the U.S. Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) foregoing a hike at the June 2023 meeting, but this dovish decision
was somewhat offset by a projection of two more hikes during 2023. We see a hike in July as a very high probability, and we believe the
odds the Fed will need to deliver a second hike are rising as financial conditions ease and evidence mounts of some resurgence in the
housing market. The Fed is wary of letting financial conditions ease too far and too fast, which could undo the economic impact of the
aggressive rate hikes to-date.
Market hopes for a soft landing seem to have risen as some progress
is being made on inflation and the labor market has stayed resilient. We continue to see an elevated probability of a recession starting
this year as the Fed continues to explicitly target a weaker labor market, and believe several leading indicators point to rising unemployment
later this year as backlogs in hiring are alleviated and employers may resort to layoffs after aggressively shedding hours this year.
Consumption also faces headwinds from dwindling excess savings buffers and services consumption that has now returned to trend, indicating
the boost from pent up demand may be behind us.
With pressure still on the banking sector, we expect a further
tightening in bank lending standards resulting in a further slowdown in credit growth. Business investment may slow further as a result.
Because private sector balance sheets appear to us to be generally
healthy in the aggregate and the economy lacks major imbalances, we do not expect a particularly deep recession. Additionally, two of
the most cyclical sectors, housing, and autos, are out of sync with the broader cycle and could be smaller drags than is typical during
a recession.
Inflation may trend lower over the next year, helped by housing-related
inflation cooling. Services inflation outside of shelter is the main concern for the Fed, but a softening labor market and slowing wage
growth could gradually bring this category down as well. We expect core inflation to fall close to 2% in 2024. As evidence mounts that
inflation is heading back toward target and the rise in unemployment gets more substantial, we could see large rate cuts in 2024 and early
2025.
The opinions and forecasts expressed may not actually come to
pass. This information is subject to change at any time, based on market and other conditions, and should not be construed as a recommendation
of any specific security or strategy.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 5
|
|
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION OF |
|
FUND PERFORMANCE (Unaudited) |
May 31, 2023 |
MANAGEMENT TEAM
Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC serves as the investment
adviser to Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund (“Fund”). The Fund is managed by a team of seasoned professionals at Guggenheim
Partners Investment Management, LLC (“GPIM”).1
This team includes Anne B. Walsh, CFA, JD, Managing Partner, Chief
Investment Officer of GPIM and Portfolio Manager; Steven H. Brown, CFA, Chief Investment Officer - Total Return and Macro Strategies,
and Senior Managing Director and Portfolio Manager; Adam J. Bloch, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager; and Evan L. Serdensky, Director
and Portfolio Manager.
Discuss the Fund’s return and return of comparative indices
All Fund returns cited—whether based on net asset value (“NAV”)
or market price—assume the reinvestment of all distributions. For the Reporting Period, the Fund provided a total return based on
market price of 0.80% and a total return based on NAV of 2.09%. At the end of the Reporting Period, the Fund’s market price of $15.69
per share represented a premium of 27.15% to its NAV of $12.34 per share. At the beginning of the Reporting Period, the Fund’s market
price of $17.92 per share represented a premium of 25.05% to its NAV of $14.33 per share.
Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. All NAV
returns include the deduction of management fees, operating expenses, and all other Fund expenses. The market price of the Fund’s
shares fluctuates from time to time and may be higher or lower than the Fund’s NAV.
Please refer to the graphs and tables included within the Fund
Summary, beginning on page 12 for additional information about the Fund's performance.
The returns for the Reporting Period of indices tracking performance
of the asset classes to which the Fund allocates the largest of its investments were:
|
|
Index |
Total Return |
Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index |
-2.14% |
Bloomberg U.S. Corporate Bond Index |
-1.69% |
Bloomberg U.S. Corporate High Yield Index |
0.05% |
Credit Suisse Leveraged Loan Index |
5.47% |
ICE Bank of America (“BofA”) Asset Backed Security Master BBB-AA Index |
1.33% |
NASDAQ 100 Index |
13.77% |
Russell 2000 Index |
2.91% |
Standard & Poor’s 500 (“S&P 500”) Index |
-4.66% |
1 | | Guggenheim Partners Advisors, LLC (“GPA”) also served as an investment sub-adviser
to the Fund during the Reporting Period. GPA was terminated as an investment sub-adviser to the Fund effective December 22, 2022. |
6 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION OF |
|
FUND PERFORMANCE (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Discuss the Fund’s distributions
During the Reporting Period, the Fund paid a monthly distribution
of $0.1821 per share. The most recent distribution represents an annualized distribution rate of 13.93% based on the Fund’s closing
market price of $15.69 per share at the end of the Reporting Period.
The distribution paid consisted of (i) investment company taxable
income taxed as ordinary income, which includes, among other things, short-term capital gain and income from certain hedging and interest
rate transactions, (ii) long-term capital gain and (iii) return of capital.
There is no guarantee of any future distribution or that the current
returns and distribution rate will be maintained. The Fund’s distribution rate is not constant and the amount of distributions,
when declared by the Fund’s Board of Trustees, is subject to change.
Please see the Distributions to Shareholders & Annualized Distribution
Rate table on page 15, and Note 2(f) on page 84 for more information on distributions for the period.
Payable Date |
Amount |
June 30, 2022 |
$0.1821 |
July 29, 2022 |
$0.1821 |
August 31, 2022 |
$0.1821 |
September 30, 2022 |
$0.1821 |
October 31, 2022 |
$0.1821 |
November 30, 2022 |
$0.1821 |
December 31, 2022 |
$0.1821 |
January 31, 2023 |
$0.1821 |
February 28, 2023 |
$0.1821 |
March 31, 2023 |
$0.1821 |
April 30, 2023 |
$0.1821 |
May 31, 2023 |
$0.1821 |
Total |
$2.1852 |
What factors contributed or detracted from the Fund’s
Performance during the Reporting Period?
The Reporting Period was marked by a rise in interest rates and
accompanying interest rate volatility. Duration detracted nearly 400 basis points during the period given the rapid rise in interest rates
amid an unprecedented pace of tightening of monetary policy. Additionally, as rates rose, credit spreads widened as risk assets sold off
in response to higher rate volatility and elevated recessionary risks from tighter financial conditions. Credit spread widening detracted
roughly 350 basis points from overall performance. Performance contributors included the Fund’s high degree of carry, or earned
income, which offset the mark-to-market impacts from duration and spread widening.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 7
|
|
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION OF |
|
FUND PERFORMANCE (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Discuss the Fund’s Use of Leverage
At the end of the Reporting Period, the Fund’s leverage was
approximately 19% of Managed Assets, compared with about 24% at the beginning of the Reporting Period.
The Fund currently employs financial leverage through reverse repurchase
agreements and a credit facility with a major bank.
One purpose of leverage is to fund the purchase of additional securities
that may provide increased income and potentially greater appreciation to common shareholders than could be achieved from an unlevered
portfolio. Leverage may result in greater NAV volatility and entails more downside risk than an unleveraged portfolio.
The Fund's use of leverage during the Reporting Period benefited
performance.
Investments in Investment Funds (as defined in the Additional Information
Regarding the Fund section, which begins on page 130) frequently expose the Fund to an additional layer of financial leverage and the
associated risks, such as the magnified effect of any losses.
How did the Fund use derivatives during the Reporting Period?
The Fund used a variety of derivatives during the Reporting Period,
both to gain market exposure, as well as to hedge certain exposures. Derivatives used for hedging mostly generated positive performance.
Foreign currency forwards, used to hedge non-USD exposures, contributed positively as the dollar strengthened versus both the euro and
the pound. Call writing on equities contributed positive performance and the equity put spreads, which were initiated to partially protect
against drawdowns in risk assets, also contributed positive performance. The Fund utilized credit default swaps to hedge broader credit
risks. This position was broadly flat during the period. Lastly, the Fund employed curve caps to hedge against moves in the yield curve;
the performance from these positions over the Reporting Period was negligible.
How was the Fund positioned at the end of the Reporting Period?
Though we appear to be nearing the end of the interest rate hiking
cycle that started over a year ago, we believe the long and variable lag effects of said tightening are just beginning to percolate through
to the real economy. It is our view that the probability of a recession starting within the next year remains high. With that outlook,
we have seen risk asset valuations remain volatile, and we expect this
8 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION OF |
|
FUND PERFORMANCE (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
volatility to persist in the second half of 2023. Nonetheless,
credit markets continue to trade higher and credit spreads continue to grind tighter. Even as fixed income has broadly performed well,
equity markets have materially outperformed and are within ~10% of all-time highs. Given our outlook and the historical relationship between
the two asset classes, one of which is near its all-time highs, the Fund strategically rotated out of equities on their recent strength
and into fixed income. During the period, the Fund reduced exposure to lower quality credit, which we view as having larger drawdown potential
against the backdrop of an economic slowdown, and rotated into higher rated credit, particularly within structured credit. With heightened
uncertainty during the Reporting Period, we saw an opportunity to prioritize quality, in the forms of sector preference, seniority in
capital structure, and lending terms. A defensive posture does not necessarily mean sacrificing returns and we believe that for many sectors
there is significant excess spread to compensate for potential costs of rising credit risk. Our portfolio allocations shifted to reflect
an up-in-quality strategy, using market strength as an opportunity to increase diversification and add primarily to higher grade credit
sectors. Higher yields at the short end of the curve lowered the opportunity cost of short-term investments, and we built the Fund's allocation
to such holdings, which not only maintained the Fund's return profile, but it also provided the necessary dry powder for us to become
a source of opportunistic capital at the appropriate time.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 9
|
|
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION OF |
|
FUND PERFORMANCE (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Index Definitions
Indices are unmanaged and reflect no expenses. It is not possible
to invest directly in an index.
The Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is a broad-based
flagship benchmark that measures the investment grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bond market, including U.S. Treasuries,
government-related and corporate securities, mortgage-backed securities or “MBS” (agency fixed-rate and hybrid adjustable-rate
mortgage, or “ARM”, pass-throughs), asset-backed securities (“ABS”), and commercial mortgage-backed securities
(“CMBS”) (agency and non-agency).
The Bloomberg U.S. Corporate Bond Index is a broad-based
benchmark that measures the investment grade, fixed-rate, taxable corporate bond market. It includes U.S. dollar-denominated securities
publicly issued by U.S. and non-U.S. industrial, utility and financial issuers that meet specified maturity, liquidity, and quality requirements.
The Bloomberg U.S. Corporate High Yield Index measures the
U.S. dollar-denominated, high yield, fixed-rate corporate bond market. Securities are classified as high yield if the middle rating of
Moody’s, Fitch, and S&P is Ba1/BB +/BB + or below.
The Credit Suisse Leveraged Loan Index is an index designed
to mirror the investable universe of the U.S.-dollar-denominated leveraged loan market.
The ICE Bank of America Asset Backed Security Master BBB-AA
Index is a subset of the ICE Bank of America U.S. Fixed Rate Asset Backed Securities Index including all securities rated AA1 through
BBB3, inclusive.
The NASDAQ-100 Index includes 100 of the largest domestic
and international non-financial securities listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization. The Index reflects companies
across major industry groups including computer hardware and software, telecommunications, retail/wholesale trade and biotechnology. It
does not contain securities of financial companies including investment companies.
The Russell 2000 Index measures the performance of the small-cap
segment of the U.S. equity universe.
The Standard & Poor’s 500 (“S&P 500”)
Index is a capitalization-weighted index of 500 stocks designed to measure the performance of the broad economy, representing all
major industries and is considered a representation of the U.S. stock market.
10 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION OF |
|
FUND PERFORMANCE (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
The views expressed in this report reflect those of the portfolio
managers only through the report period as stated on the cover. These views are subject to change at any time, based on market and other
conditions and should not be construed as a recommendation of any kind. The material may also include forward looking statements that
involve risk and uncertainty, and there is no guarantee that any predictions will come to pass.
There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment
objectives. The value of the Fund will fluctuate with the value of the underlying securities. Risk is inherent in all investing, including
the loss of your entire principal. Therefore, before investing you should consider the risks carefully. The Fund is subject to various
risk factors. Certain of these risk factors are described in the Additional Information Regarding the Fund section, which begins on page
130. Please see the Fund’s Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information (SAI), most recent annual report on Form N-CSR and guggenheiminvestments.com/gof
for a more detailed description of the risks of investing in the Fund. Shareholders may access the Fund’s Prospectus, SAI and most
recent annual report on the EDGAR Database on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov.
This material is not intended as a recommendation or as investment
advice of any kind, including in connection with rollovers, transfers, and distributions. Such material is not provided in a fiduciary
capacity, may not be relied upon for or in connection with the making of investment decisions, and does not constitute a solicitation
of an offer to buy or sell securities. All content has been provided for informational or educational purposes only and is not intended
to be and should not be construed as legal or tax advice and/or a legal opinion. Always consult a financial, tax and/or legal professional
regarding your specific situation.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 11
|
|
FUND SUMMARY (Unaudited) |
May 31, 2023 |
Fund Statistics |
|
Market Price |
$15.69 |
Net Asset Value |
$12.34 |
Premium to NAV |
27.15% |
Net Assets ($000) |
$1,473,694 |
*The performance data above represents past performance that is
not predictive of future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate so that an investor’s
shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Returns are historical and include changes in principal and reinvested
dividends and capital gains and do not reflect the effect of taxes. The Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is an unmanaged index and,
unlike the Fund, has no management fees or operating expenses to reduce its reported return. The Fund does not seek to achieve performance
that is comparative to an index.
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS FOR |
|
|
|
THE PERIOD ENDED MAY 31, 2023 |
|
|
|
|
One |
Three |
Five |
Ten |
|
Year |
Year |
Year |
Year |
Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund |
|
|
|
|
NAV |
2.09% |
7.63% |
5.02% |
7.44% |
Market |
0.80% |
12.31% |
6.47% |
8.79% |
Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate |
|
|
|
|
Bond Index |
(2.14%) |
(3.65%) |
0.81% |
1.39% |
Performance data quoted represents past performance, which is
no guarantee of future results and current performance may be lower or higher than the figures shown. All NAV returns include the deduction
of management fees, operating expenses and all other Fund expenses. The deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions
or the sale of Fund shares is not reflected in the total returns. For the most recent month-end performance figures, please visit guggenheiminvestments.com/gof.
The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate with changes in market conditions and other factors so that
an investor’s shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost.
The referenced index is unmanaged and not available for direct
investment. Index performance does not reflect transaction costs, fees or expenses.
12 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
FUND SUMMARY (Unaudited) |
May 31, 2023 |
Portfolio Breakdown |
% of Net Assets |
Investments |
|
Corporate Bonds |
46.6% |
Senior Floating Rate Interests |
29.5% |
Asset-Backed Securities |
17.9% |
Common Stocks |
7.6% |
Preferred Stocks |
6.3% |
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations |
5.1% |
Exchange-Traded Funds |
3.4% |
Closed-End Funds |
2.4% |
U.S. Government Securities |
1.2% |
Money Market Funds |
1.2% |
Other |
0.4% |
Total Investments |
121.6% |
Options Written |
(0.2%) |
Other Assets & Liabilities, net |
(21.4%) |
Net Assets |
100.0% |
Ten Largest Holdings |
% of Net Assets |
SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust |
1.2% |
Invesco QQQ Trust Series |
1.1% |
Madison Park Funding LIII Ltd., 11.06% |
1.1% |
iShares Russell 2000 Index ETF |
1.1% |
Sprite Ltd., 3.75% |
0.8% |
U.S. Treasury Bonds due 08/15/51 |
0.8% |
Delta Air Lines, Inc., 7.00% |
0.7% |
Morgan Stanley Finance LLC, 0.50% |
0.7% |
CIFC Funding Ltd., 12.25% |
0.7% |
Boeing Co., 5.81% |
0.6% |
Top Ten Total |
8.8% |
“Ten Largest Holdings” excludes any temporary cash
or derivative investments.
Portfolio breakdown and holdings are subject to change daily. For
more information, please visit guggenheiminvestments.com/gof. The above summaries are provided for informational purposes only and should
not be viewed as recommendations. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 13
|
|
FUND SUMMARY (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Portfolio Composition by Quality Rating1 |
|
|
|
% of Total |
Rating |
Investments |
Fixed Income Investments |
|
AAA |
2.7% |
AA |
0.4% |
A |
5.5% |
BBB |
11.9% |
BB |
20.5% |
B |
27.9% |
CCC |
4.4% |
CC |
0.1% |
C |
0.1% |
NR2 |
9.5% |
Other Investments |
17.0% |
Total Investments |
100.0% |
1 | | Source: BlackRock Solutions. Credit quality ratings are measured on a scale that generally
ranges from AAA (highest) to D (lowest). All securities except for those labeled “NR” have been rated by Moody’s, Standard
& Poor’s (“S&P”), or Fitch, each of which is a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (“NRSRO”).
For purposes of this presentation, when ratings are available from more than one agency, the highest rating is used. Guggenheim Investments
has converted Moody’s and Fitch ratings to the equivalent S&P rating. Security ratings are determined at the time of purchase
and may change thereafter. |
2 | | NR (not rated) securities do not necessarily indicate low credit quality. |
14 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
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|
FUND SUMMARY (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
All or a portion of the above distributions is characterized
as a return of capital (and not net investment income or profit). For the year ended May 31, 2023, 34.7% of the distributions were characterized
as ordinary income, 8.2% of the distributions were characterized as long-term capital gains and 57.1% of the distributions were characterized
as return of capital. The final determination of the tax character of the distributions paid by the Fund in 2023 will be reported to
shareholders in January 2024.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 15
|
|
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Shares |
Value |
COMMON STOCKS† – 7.6% |
|
|
Consumer, Non-cyclical – 1.6% |
|
|
Dentsply Sirona, Inc.1 |
9,569 |
$ 345,632 |
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.*,1 |
913 |
281,058 |
Eli Lilly & Co.1 |
651 |
279,578 |
DaVita, Inc.*,1 |
2,747 |
257,311 |
Verisk Analytics, Inc. — Class A1 |
1,139 |
249,566 |
McCormick & Company, Inc.1 |
2,891 |
247,845 |
CoStar Group, Inc.*,1 |
3,058 |
242,805 |
Molson Coors Beverage Co. — Class B1 |
3,922 |
242,576 |
Monster Beverage Corp.*,1 |
4,096 |
240,108 |
McKesson Corp.1 |
610 |
238,412 |
FleetCor Technologies, Inc.*,1 |
1,047 |
237,198 |
Cardinal Health, Inc.1 |
2,882 |
237,189 |
Biogen, Inc.*,1 |
800 |
237,128 |
Constellation Brands, Inc. — Class A1 |
968 |
235,195 |
Cooper Companies, Inc.1 |
632 |
234,807 |
Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc.1 |
2,101 |
233,631 |
AmerisourceBergen Corp. — Class A1 |
1,371 |
233,276 |
Bio-Techne Corp.1 |
2,850 |
233,101 |
Rollins, Inc.1 |
5,917 |
232,656 |
Edwards Lifesciences Corp.*,1 |
2,760 |
232,475 |
Mondelez International, Inc. — Class A1 |
3,161 |
232,049 |
Quanta Services, Inc.1 |
1,304 |
231,564 |
STERIS plc1 |
1,156 |
231,165 |
Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*,1 |
714 |
231,029 |
S&P Global, Inc.1 |
629 |
230,988 |
Universal Health Services, Inc. — Class B1 |
1,743 |
230,303 |
Moody’s Corp.1 |
720 |
228,154 |
Boston Scientific Corp.*,1 |
4,414 |
227,233 |
Cintas Corp.1 |
479 |
226,155 |
Church & Dwight Company, Inc.1 |
2,446 |
226,133 |
Kimberly-Clark Corp.1 |
1,677 |
225,187 |
Hershey Co.1 |
863 |
224,121 |
Gartner, Inc.*,1 |
653 |
223,888 |
Dexcom, Inc.*,1 |
1,904 |
223,263 |
Equifax, Inc.1 |
1,062 |
221,555 |
Medtronic plc1 |
2,674 |
221,300 |
General Mills, Inc.1 |
2,613 |
219,910 |
HCA Healthcare, Inc.1 |
832 |
219,806 |
Baxter International, Inc.1 |
5,396 |
219,725 |
See notes to financial statements.
16 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
|
|
|
Shares |
Value |
COMMON STOCKS† – 7.6% (continued) |
|
|
Consumer, Non-cyclical – 1.6% (continued) |
|
|
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.1 |
652 |
$ 218,179 |
GE HealthCare Technologies, Inc.1 |
2,737 |
217,619 |
PepsiCo, Inc.1 |
1,192 |
217,361 |
UnitedHealth Group, Inc.1 |
446 |
217,309 |
Clorox Co.1 |
1,366 |
216,074 |
Teleflex, Inc.1 |
920 |
215,970 |
Becton Dickinson and Co.1 |
893 |
215,892 |
Abbott Laboratories1 |
2,116 |
215,832 |
Molina Healthcare, Inc.*,1 |
785 |
215,011 |
Humana, Inc.1 |
428 |
214,800 |
Kellogg Co.1 |
3,211 |
214,399 |
Colgate-Palmolive Co.1 |
2,877 |
213,991 |
Stryker Corp.1 |
775 |
213,575 |
Procter & Gamble Co.1 |
1,495 |
213,038 |
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.1 |
1,661 |
211,512 |
Merck & Company, Inc.1 |
1,905 |
210,331 |
ResMed, Inc.1 |
997 |
210,158 |
Johnson & Johnson1 |
1,353 |
209,796 |
IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.*,1 |
451 |
209,611 |
Hologic, Inc.*,1 |
2,641 |
208,348 |
Illumina, Inc.*,1 |
1,057 |
207,859 |
Zoetis, Inc.1 |
1,270 |
207,023 |
Coca-Cola Co.1 |
3,465 |
206,722 |
Kraft Heinz Co.1 |
5,407 |
206,656 |
Brown-Forman Corp. — Class B1 |
3,335 |
206,003 |
Bunge Ltd.1 |
2,217 |
205,383 |
IQVIA Holdings, Inc.*,1 |
1,040 |
204,786 |
Conagra Brands, Inc.1 |
5,860 |
204,338 |
J M Smucker Co.1 |
1,387 |
203,320 |
Quest Diagnostics, Inc.1 |
1,527 |
202,557 |
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*,1 |
275 |
202,279 |
Elevance Health, Inc.1 |
451 |
201,967 |
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.1 |
3,122 |
201,182 |
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.1 |
961 |
200,839 |
Insulet Corp.*,1 |
732 |
200,751 |
Global Payments, Inc.1 |
2,051 |
200,362 |
Hormel Foods Corp.1 |
5,236 |
200,277 |
Amgen, Inc.1 |
900 |
198,585 |
Gilead Sciences, Inc.1 |
2,580 |
198,505 |
Pfizer, Inc.1 |
5,208 |
198,008 |
Campbell Soup Co.1 |
3,907 |
197,499 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 17
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Shares |
Value |
COMMON STOCKS† – 7.6% (continued) |
|
|
Consumer, Non-cyclical – 1.6% (continued) |
|
|
Kroger Co.1 |
4,355 |
$ 197,412 |
Henry Schein, Inc.*,1 |
2,663 |
196,796 |
Revvity, Inc.1 |
1,706 |
196,736 |
Centene Corp.*,1 |
3,151 |
196,654 |
Danaher Corp.1 |
856 |
196,555 |
Sysco Corp.1 |
2,805 |
196,210 |
Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings1 |
922 |
195,953 |
Charles River Laboratories International, Inc.*,1 |
1,013 |
195,894 |
Altria Group, Inc.1 |
4,401 |
195,493 |
Avery Dennison Corp.1 |
1,201 |
193,517 |
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.1 |
377 |
191,689 |
Moderna, Inc.*,1 |
1,483 |
189,394 |
Archer-Daniels-Midland Co.1 |
2,676 |
189,059 |
AbbVie, Inc.1 |
1,370 |
189,005 |
Philip Morris International, Inc.1 |
2,086 |
187,761 |
Viatris, Inc.1 |
20,515 |
187,712 |
Corteva, Inc.1 |
3,484 |
186,359 |
Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.1 |
5,978 |
186,035 |
Align Technology, Inc.*,1 |
656 |
185,425 |
Cigna Group1 |
744 |
184,073 |
Tyson Foods, Inc. — Class A1 |
3,600 |
182,304 |
CVS Health Corp.1 |
2,661 |
181,028 |
Organon & Co.1 |
9,045 |
175,382 |
Incyte Corp.*,1 |
2,849 |
175,356 |
PayPal Holdings, Inc.*,1 |
2,794 |
173,200 |
Robert Half International, Inc.1 |
2,650 |
172,303 |
Waters Corp.*,1 |
673 |
169,071 |
MarketAxess Holdings, Inc.1 |
592 |
161,267 |
Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. — Class A*,1 |
429 |
160,167 |
Estee Lauder Companies, Inc. — Class A1 |
868 |
159,738 |
United Rentals, Inc.1 |
478 |
159,552 |
Cengage Learning Holdings II, Inc.*,†† |
11,126 |
119,048 |
Catalent, Inc.*,1 |
3,020 |
112,435 |
Save-A-Lot*,†† |
40,316 |
10,402 |
Total Consumer, Non-cyclical |
|
23,747,767 |
Financial – 1.5% |
|
|
AfterNext HealthTech Acquisition Corp. — Class A*,1,2 |
107,300 |
1,106,263 |
Conyers Park III Acquisition Corp. — Class A*,1,2 |
99,600 |
1,014,924 |
Acropolis Infrastructure Acquisition Corp. — Class A*,2 |
98,300 |
1,003,643 |
Waverley Capital Acquisition Corp. 1 — Class A*,2 |
93,900 |
968,109 |
Blue Whale Acquisition Corp. I — Class A*,2 |
57,300 |
578,730 |
See notes to financial statements.
18 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Shares |
Value |
COMMON STOCKS† – 7.6% (continued) |
|
|
Financial – 1.5% (continued) |
|
|
Brown & Brown, Inc.1 |
3,735 |
$ 232,803 |
Invitation Homes, Inc. REIT1 |
6,779 |
229,672 |
Equinix, Inc. REIT1 |
308 |
229,629 |
Cboe Global Markets, Inc.1 |
1,729 |
228,954 |
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.1 |
2,151 |
227,898 |
Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.1 |
1,305 |
226,000 |
Welltower, Inc. REIT1 |
3,024 |
225,621 |
Arthur J Gallagher & Co.1 |
1,122 |
224,770 |
Prologis, Inc. REIT1 |
1,754 |
218,461 |
Capital One Financial Corp.1 |
2,089 |
217,695 |
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. — Class B*,1 |
676 |
217,050 |
Nasdaq, Inc.1 |
3,900 |
215,865 |
Mastercard, Inc. — Class A1 |
591 |
215,727 |
AvalonBay Communities, Inc. REIT1 |
1,239 |
215,561 |
Aon plc — Class A1 |
697 |
214,878 |
Arch Capital Group Ltd.*,1 |
3,080 |
214,676 |
Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. REIT1 |
12,902 |
214,173 |
Iron Mountain, Inc. REIT1 |
3,997 |
213,520 |
Equity Residential REIT1 |
3,509 |
213,347 |
BlackRock, Inc. — Class A1 |
323 |
212,389 |
Assurant, Inc.1 |
1,757 |
210,822 |
CME Group, Inc. — Class A1 |
1,174 |
209,853 |
Essex Property Trust, Inc. REIT1 |
971 |
209,794 |
Visa, Inc. — Class A1 |
949 |
209,757 |
T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.1 |
1,953 |
209,283 |
JPMorgan Chase & Co.1 |
1,535 |
208,315 |
Public Storage REIT1 |
729 |
206,526 |
Discover Financial Services1 |
2,008 |
206,302 |
Aflac, Inc.1 |
3,204 |
205,729 |
Digital Realty Trust, Inc. REIT1 |
2,001 |
205,022 |
American International Group, Inc.1 |
3,860 |
203,924 |
UDR, Inc. REIT1 |
5,139 |
203,864 |
Ameriprise Financial, Inc.1 |
680 |
202,960 |
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.1 |
626 |
202,761 |
Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. REIT1 |
1,376 |
202,355 |
Kimco Realty Corp. REIT1 |
10,924 |
200,783 |
Camden Property Trust REIT1 |
1,919 |
200,478 |
Loews Corp.1 |
3,577 |
200,312 |
Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.1 |
2,922 |
200,216 |
VICI Properties, Inc. REIT1 |
6,435 |
199,035 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 19
|
|
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Shares |
Value |
COMMON STOCKS† – 7.6% (continued) |
|
|
Financial – 1.5% (continued) |
|
|
Realty Income Corp. REIT1 |
3,342 |
$ 198,648 |
Ventas, Inc. REIT1 |
4,593 |
198,142 |
American Tower Corp. — Class A REIT1 |
1,073 |
197,904 |
Synchrony Financial1 |
6,385 |
197,680 |
Travelers Companies, Inc.1 |
1,168 |
197,672 |
Wells Fargo & Co.1 |
4,960 |
197,458 |
Regency Centers Corp. REIT1 |
3,502 |
197,058 |
Weyerhaeuser Co. REIT1 |
6,870 |
196,894 |
American Express Co.1 |
1,238 |
196,297 |
CBRE Group, Inc. — Class A*,1 |
2,617 |
196,066 |
Everest Re Group Ltd.1 |
575 |
195,512 |
Raymond James Financial, Inc.1 |
2,163 |
195,427 |
Willis Towers Watson plc1 |
888 |
194,339 |
Simon Property Group, Inc. REIT1 |
1,840 |
193,476 |
Extra Space Storage, Inc. REIT1 |
1,336 |
192,745 |
Chubb Ltd.1 |
1,034 |
192,117 |
Healthpeak Properties, Inc. REIT1 |
9,577 |
191,157 |
SBA Communications Corp. REIT1 |
854 |
189,400 |
Bank of America Corp.1 |
6,777 |
188,333 |
Allstate Corp.1 |
1,736 |
188,269 |
Citigroup, Inc.1 |
4,244 |
188,094 |
Federal Realty Investment Trust REIT1 |
2,126 |
187,513 |
Progressive Corp.1 |
1,458 |
186,493 |
Morgan Stanley1 |
2,278 |
186,249 |
Globe Life, Inc.1 |
1,800 |
185,724 |
M&T Bank Corp.1 |
1,557 |
185,532 |
Charles Schwab Corp.1 |
3,495 |
184,152 |
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. REIT1 |
1,618 |
183,578 |
Crown Castle, Inc. REIT1 |
1,617 |
183,061 |
Prudential Financial, Inc.1 |
2,317 |
182,325 |
W R Berkley Corp.1 |
3,274 |
182,296 |
Invesco Ltd.1 |
12,501 |
179,764 |
Franklin Resources, Inc.1 |
7,441 |
178,658 |
Cincinnati Financial Corp.1 |
1,822 |
175,823 |
Regions Financial Corp.1 |
10,116 |
174,703 |
State Street Corp.1 |
2,568 |
174,675 |
Principal Financial Group, Inc.1 |
2,664 |
174,385 |
Bank of New York Mellon Corp.1 |
4,336 |
174,307 |
Boston Properties, Inc. REIT1 |
3,571 |
173,801 |
Northern Trust Corp.1 |
2,416 |
173,759 |
See notes to financial statements.
20 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Shares |
Value |
COMMON STOCKS† – 7.6% (continued) |
|
|
Financial – 1.5% (continued) |
|
|
PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.1 |
1,496 |
$ 173,282 |
Lincoln National Corp.1 |
7,995 |
167,255 |
Fifth Third Bancorp1 |
6,755 |
163,944 |
MetLife, Inc.1 |
3,289 |
162,970 |
Truist Financial Corp.1 |
5,282 |
160,943 |
Huntington Bancshares, Inc.1 |
15,344 |
158,197 |
Citizens Financial Group, Inc.1 |
5,957 |
153,571 |
U.S. Bancorp1 |
5,050 |
150,995 |
Zions Bancorp North America1 |
5,084 |
138,742 |
Comerica, Inc.1 |
3,488 |
125,917 |
KeyCorp1 |
13,100 |
122,354 |
Pershing Square Tontine Holdings, Ltd. — Class A*,†††,2 |
1,042,740 |
104 |
Sparta Systems*,††† |
1,922 |
– |
Total Financial |
|
22,366,209 |
Consumer, Cyclical – 1.0% |
|
|
ATD New Holdings, Inc.*,††,1 |
23,595 |
1,120,685 |
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.*,1 |
25,392 |
377,071 |
Exide Technologies*,††† |
342 |
341,710 |
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. — Class A*,1 |
132 |
274,097 |
Copart, Inc.*,1 |
2,999 |
262,682 |
PulteGroup, Inc.1 |
3,837 |
253,549 |
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.*,1 |
3,068 |
248,416 |
Hasbro, Inc.1 |
4,169 |
247,430 |
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.*,1 |
3,078 |
246,055 |
Tesla, Inc.*,1 |
1,183 |
241,249 |
Carnival Corp.*,1 |
21,171 |
237,750 |
DR Horton, Inc.1 |
2,180 |
232,911 |
CarMax, Inc.*,1 |
3,219 |
232,444 |
Darden Restaurants, Inc.1 |
1,425 |
225,891 |
O’Reilly Automotive, Inc.*,1 |
250 |
225,827 |
Lennar Corp. — Class A1 |
2,107 |
225,702 |
McDonald’s Corp.1 |
783 |
223,241 |
Costco Wholesale Corp.1 |
435 |
222,529 |
Walmart, Inc.1 |
1,498 |
220,011 |
NVR, Inc.*,1 |
39 |
216,614 |
Fastenal Co.1 |
3,982 |
214,431 |
TJX Companies, Inc.1 |
2,761 |
212,017 |
Yum! Brands, Inc.1 |
1,647 |
211,952 |
Lowe’s Companies, Inc.1 |
1,043 |
209,779 |
Marriott International, Inc. — Class A1 |
1,247 |
209,234 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 21
|
|
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Shares |
Value |
COMMON STOCKS† – 7.6% (continued) |
|
|
Consumer, Cyclical – 1.0% (continued) |
|
|
Ross Stores, Inc.1 |
1,969 |
$ 204,028 |
Ford Motor Co.1 |
16,954 |
203,448 |
Home Depot, Inc.1 |
716 |
202,950 |
AutoZone, Inc.*,1 |
85 |
202,881 |
Whirlpool Corp.1 |
1,561 |
201,822 |
Starbucks Corp.1 |
2,064 |
201,529 |
Las Vegas Sands Corp.*,1 |
3,650 |
201,225 |
Delta Air Lines, Inc.*,1 |
5,507 |
200,069 |
Alaska Air Group, Inc.*,1 |
4,450 |
199,938 |
Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc.1 |
1,460 |
198,735 |
Tapestry, Inc.1 |
4,960 |
198,499 |
LKQ Corp.1 |
3,757 |
198,182 |
Domino’s Pizza, Inc.1 |
683 |
197,967 |
Dollar Tree, Inc.*,1 |
1,462 |
197,195 |
WW Grainger, Inc.1 |
303 |
196,653 |
American Airlines Group, Inc.*,1 |
13,270 |
196,131 |
PACCAR, Inc.1 |
2,837 |
195,129 |
Bath & Body Works, Inc.1 |
5,503 |
193,926 |
Ralph Lauren Corp. — Class A1 |
1,810 |
192,421 |
United Airlines Holdings, Inc.*,1 |
4,025 |
191,047 |
Dollar General Corp.1 |
949 |
190,834 |
BorgWarner, Inc.1 |
4,279 |
189,688 |
Best Buy Company, Inc.1 |
2,610 |
189,669 |
Tractor Supply Co.1 |
903 |
189,260 |
MGM Resorts International1 |
4,807 |
188,867 |
Genuine Parts Co.1 |
1,259 |
187,503 |
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.1 |
6,168 |
187,322 |
Southwest Airlines Co.1 |
6,260 |
186,986 |
Wynn Resorts Ltd.1 |
1,894 |
186,938 |
Pool Corp.1 |
589 |
186,259 |
NIKE, Inc. — Class B1 |
1,746 |
183,784 |
General Motors Co.1 |
5,617 |
182,047 |
Caesars Entertainment, Inc.*,1 |
4,336 |
177,820 |
Cummins, Inc.1 |
848 |
173,340 |
Target Corp.1 |
1,297 |
169,816 |
Aptiv plc*,1 |
1,847 |
162,684 |
VF Corp.1 |
9,419 |
162,195 |
Ulta Beauty, Inc.*,1 |
394 |
161,473 |
Newell Brands, Inc.1 |
16,760 |
139,276 |
Advance Auto Parts, Inc.1 |
1,602 |
116,770 |
Total Consumer, Cyclical |
|
14,419,583 |
See notes to financial statements.
22 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Shares |
Value |
COMMON STOCKS† – 7.6% (continued) |
|
|
Industrial – 0.9% |
|
|
Schur Flexibles GesmbH*,†† |
660 |
$ 240,812 |
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.1 |
601 |
239,222 |
Vulcan Materials Co.1 |
1,212 |
236,946 |
General Electric Co.1 |
2,254 |
228,849 |
Republic Services, Inc. — Class A1 |
1,615 |
228,733 |
Garmin Ltd.1 |
2,158 |
222,598 |
Waste Management, Inc.1 |
1,374 |
222,478 |
FedEx Corp.1 |
1,020 |
222,340 |
TransDigm Group, Inc.1 |
286 |
221,264 |
AMETEK, Inc.1 |
1,512 |
219,346 |
Pentair plc1 |
3,894 |
216,000 |
Keysight Technologies, Inc.*,1 |
1,328 |
214,870 |
Howmet Aerospace, Inc.1 |
5,023 |
214,733 |
CSX Corp.1 |
6,956 |
213,341 |
Snap-on, Inc.1 |
854 |
212,526 |
Eaton Corporation plc1 |
1,205 |
211,959 |
Expeditors International of Washington, Inc.1 |
1,910 |
210,692 |
Nordson Corp.1 |
963 |
209,866 |
Ingersoll Rand, Inc.1 |
3,680 |
208,509 |
Boeing Co.*,1 |
1,010 |
207,757 |
Xylem, Inc.1 |
2,073 |
207,715 |
Fortive Corp.1 |
3,185 |
207,375 |
Honeywell International, Inc.1 |
1,061 |
203,288 |
Norfolk Southern Corp.1 |
975 |
202,975 |
Amphenol Corp. — Class A1 |
2,682 |
202,357 |
TE Connectivity Ltd.1 |
1,647 |
201,725 |
Union Pacific Corp.1 |
1,046 |
201,376 |
Allegion plc1 |
1,908 |
199,844 |
Ball Corp.1 |
3,905 |
199,780 |
Johnson Controls International plc1 |
3,338 |
199,279 |
Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.1 |
986 |
198,561 |
Otis Worldwide Corp.1 |
2,497 |
198,536 |
A O Smith Corp.1 |
3,104 |
198,470 |
Trimble, Inc.*,1 |
4,249 |
198,301 |
Masco Corp.1 |
4,095 |
197,870 |
Rockwell Automation, Inc.1 |
710 |
197,806 |
Generac Holdings, Inc.*,1 |
1,813 |
197,472 |
Raytheon Technologies Corp.1 |
2,137 |
196,903 |
Jacobs Solutions, Inc.1 |
1,782 |
195,307 |
J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.1 |
1,169 |
195,188 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 23
|
|
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Shares |
Value |
COMMON STOCKS† – 7.6% (continued) |
|
|
Industrial – 0.9% (continued) |
|
|
Illinois Tool Works, Inc.1 |
891 |
$ 194,888 |
Northrop Grumman Corp.1 |
446 |
194,229 |
Parker-Hannifin Corp.1 |
606 |
194,187 |
Emerson Electric Co.1 |
2,497 |
193,967 |
Teledyne Technologies, Inc.*,1 |
497 |
193,159 |
Mohawk Industries, Inc.*,1 |
2,096 |
192,916 |
Westrock Co.1 |
6,882 |
192,765 |
Packaging Corporation of America1 |
1,549 |
192,122 |
Lockheed Martin Corp.1 |
431 |
191,368 |
Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.1 |
2,541 |
190,499 |
Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corp.1 |
2,052 |
190,077 |
CH Robinson Worldwide, Inc.1 |
2,005 |
189,553 |
General Dynamics Corp.1 |
928 |
189,479 |
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.1 |
610 |
189,368 |
Mettler-Toledo International, Inc.*,1 |
143 |
189,027 |
United Parcel Service, Inc. — Class B1 |
1,130 |
188,710 |
Dover Corp.1 |
1,407 |
187,595 |
Caterpillar, Inc.1 |
904 |
185,998 |
IDEX Corp.1 |
933 |
185,816 |
Amcor plc1 |
19,101 |
184,134 |
3M Co.1 |
1,971 |
183,914 |
Carrier Global Corp.1 |
4,495 |
183,846 |
Textron, Inc.1 |
2,962 |
183,259 |
Trane Technologies plc1 |
1,102 |
179,879 |
Deere & Co.1 |
518 |
179,218 |
L3Harris Technologies, Inc.1 |
1,009 |
177,503 |
Agilent Technologies, Inc.1 |
1,512 |
174,893 |
Sealed Air Corp.1 |
4,532 |
171,536 |
BP Holdco LLC*,†††,3 |
121,041 |
155,475 |
Vector Phoenix Holdings, LP*,††† |
121,040 |
28,923 |
Targus Inc*,††† |
45,049 |
1,328 |
Targus Inc*,††† |
45,049 |
1,328 |
Targus Inc*,††† |
45,049 |
1,081 |
Axon Enterprise, Inc.*,1 |
4 |
772 |
Targus Inc*,††† |
45,049 |
448 |
YAK BLOCKER 2 LLC*,††† |
34,136 |
341 |
YAK BLOCKER 2 LLC*,††† |
31,551 |
316 |
Targus Inc*,††† |
45,049 |
5 |
Total Industrial |
|
13,836,891 |
See notes to financial statements.
24 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Shares |
Value |
COMMON STOCKS† – 7.6% (continued) |
|
|
Technology – 0.9% |
|
|
NVIDIA Corp.1 |
893 |
$ 337,858 |
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.*,1 |
2,481 |
293,279 |
Microsoft Corp.1 |
825 |
270,922 |
Broadcom, Inc.1 |
334 |
269,859 |
ServiceNow, Inc.*,1 |
494 |
269,121 |
Salesforce, Inc.*,1 |
1,185 |
264,705 |
Lam Research Corp.1 |
428 |
263,948 |
Tyler Technologies, Inc.*,1 |
662 |
262,788 |
Akamai Technologies, Inc.*,1 |
2,851 |
262,634 |
Synopsys, Inc.*,1 |
577 |
262,512 |
Adobe, Inc.*,1 |
623 |
260,283 |
Oracle Corp.1 |
2,440 |
258,494 |
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.*,1 |
1,855 |
255,489 |
Micron Technology, Inc.1 |
3,735 |
254,727 |
Accenture plc — Class A1 |
811 |
248,101 |
KLA Corp.1 |
558 |
247,188 |
Apple, Inc.1 |
1,381 |
244,782 |
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.*,1 |
1,048 |
241,994 |
Electronic Arts, Inc.1 |
1,879 |
240,512 |
Applied Materials, Inc.1 |
1,793 |
239,007 |
Fortinet, Inc.*,1 |
3,491 |
238,540 |
Intel Corp.1 |
7,537 |
236,963 |
PTC, Inc.*,1 |
1,733 |
232,915 |
Fair Isaac Corp.*,1 |
295 |
232,363 |
ANSYS, Inc.*,1 |
693 |
224,248 |
Roper Technologies, Inc.1 |
488 |
221,659 |
Western Digital Corp.*,1 |
5,689 |
220,335 |
Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.1 |
1,497 |
219,640 |
Intuit, Inc.1 |
523 |
219,200 |
ON Semiconductor Corp.*,1 |
2,617 |
218,781 |
NetApp, Inc.1 |
3,297 |
218,756 |
HP, Inc.1 |
7,473 |
217,166 |
Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. — Class A1 |
3,398 |
212,341 |
Activision Blizzard, Inc.*,1 |
2,631 |
211,006 |
Autodesk, Inc.*,1 |
1,057 |
210,755 |
Paycom Software, Inc.1 |
751 |
210,378 |
International Business Machines Corp.1 |
1,635 |
210,245 |
NXP Semiconductor N.V.1 |
1,172 |
209,905 |
Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.1 |
428 |
209,681 |
Qorvo, Inc.*,1 |
2,152 |
209,303 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 25
|
|
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Shares |
Value |
COMMON STOCKS† – 7.6% (continued) |
|
|
Technology – 0.9% (continued) |
|
|
Texas Instruments, Inc.1 |
1,195 |
$ 207,787 |
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.1 |
14,316 |
206,437 |
Fiserv, Inc.*,1 |
1,834 |
205,756 |
Teradyne, Inc.1 |
2,025 |
202,885 |
QUALCOMM, Inc.1 |
1,781 |
201,983 |
DXC Technology Co.*,1 |
8,042 |
201,291 |
Analog Devices, Inc.1 |
1,129 |
200,612 |
Seagate Technology Holdings plc1 |
3,322 |
199,652 |
Paychex, Inc.1 |
1,902 |
199,577 |
Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.1 |
1,298 |
198,451 |
Fidelity National Information Services, Inc.1 |
3,585 |
195,633 |
Skyworks Solutions, Inc.1 |
1,843 |
190,769 |
Microchip Technology, Inc.1 |
2,515 |
189,279 |
Ceridian HCM Holding, Inc.*,1 |
3,041 |
188,086 |
Zebra Technologies Corp. — Class A*,1 |
712 |
186,950 |
EPAM Systems, Inc.*,1 |
726 |
186,306 |
MSCI, Inc. — Class A1 |
393 |
184,918 |
Qlik Technologies, Inc. – Class A*,††† |
112 |
180,624 |
Leidos Holdings, Inc.1 |
2,218 |
173,137 |
Qlik Technologies, Inc. – Class B*,††† |
27,624 |
3 |
Total Technology |
|
13,332,519 |
Utilities – 0.6% |
|
|
TexGen Power LLC*,†† |
68,676 |
1,819,914 |
Southern Co.1 |
3,208 |
223,758 |
Constellation Energy Corp.1 |
2,645 |
222,233 |
American Water Works Company, Inc.1 |
1,535 |
221,731 |
PG&E Corp.*,1 |
12,959 |
219,526 |
NRG Energy, Inc.1 |
6,486 |
219,162 |
Public Service Enterprise Group, Inc.1 |
3,640 |
217,490 |
Atmos Energy Corp.1 |
1,879 |
216,611 |
Pinnacle West Capital Corp.1 |
2,772 |
214,220 |
Xcel Energy, Inc.1 |
3,245 |
211,866 |
Consolidated Edison, Inc.1 |
2,264 |
211,231 |
DTE Energy Co.1 |
1,963 |
211,219 |
Alliant Energy Corp.1 |
4,087 |
210,317 |
CenterPoint Energy, Inc.1 |
7,444 |
209,995 |
Edison International1 |
3,097 |
209,109 |
NiSource, Inc.1 |
7,681 |
206,542 |
NextEra Energy, Inc.1 |
2,810 |
206,423 |
Evergy, Inc.1 |
3,564 |
206,177 |
See notes to financial statements.
26 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Shares |
Value |
COMMON STOCKS† – 7.6% (continued) |
|
|
Utilities – 0.6% (continued) |
|
|
Ameren Corp.1 |
2,531 |
$ 205,188 |
CMS Energy Corp.1 |
3,532 |
204,785 |
PPL Corp.1 |
7,815 |
204,753 |
WEC Energy Group, Inc.1 |
2,343 |
204,661 |
Sempra Energy1 |
1,424 |
204,387 |
Exelon Corp.1 |
5,106 |
202,453 |
FirstEnergy Corp.1 |
5,386 |
201,383 |
Entergy Corp.1 |
2,039 |
200,230 |
Duke Energy Corp.1 |
2,210 |
197,331 |
Eversource Energy1 |
2,815 |
194,882 |
American Electric Power Company, Inc.1 |
2,344 |
194,833 |
Dominion Energy, Inc.1 |
3,855 |
193,829 |
AES Corp.1 |
8,820 |
174,107 |
Total Utilities |
|
8,040,346 |
Communications – 0.5% |
|
|
Meta Platforms, Inc. — Class A*,1 |
1,143 |
302,575 |
Netflix, Inc.*,1 |
701 |
277,056 |
Amazon.com, Inc.*,1 |
2,261 |
272,631 |
VeriSign, Inc.*,1 |
1,073 |
239,622 |
Arista Networks, Inc.*,1 |
1,401 |
233,042 |
Comcast Corp. — Class A1 |
5,810 |
228,624 |
Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc.1 |
6,075 |
225,929 |
Motorola Solutions, Inc.1 |
784 |
221,025 |
F5, Inc.*,1 |
1,481 |
218,566 |
Gen Digital, Inc.1 |
12,351 |
216,637 |
Cisco Systems, Inc.1 |
4,225 |
209,856 |
Booking Holdings, Inc.*,1 |
83 |
208,228 |
eBay, Inc.1 |
4,880 |
207,595 |
Omnicom Group, Inc.1 |
2,346 |
206,894 |
Charter Communications, Inc. — Class A*,1 |
623 |
203,191 |
Juniper Networks, Inc.1 |
6,661 |
202,295 |
T-Mobile US, Inc.*,1 |
1,470 |
201,757 |
FactSet Research Systems, Inc.1 |
519 |
199,758 |
Expedia Group, Inc.*,1 |
2,087 |
199,747 |
Match Group, Inc.*,1 |
5,780 |
199,410 |
Verizon Communications, Inc.1 |
5,593 |
199,279 |
Walt Disney Co.*,1 |
2,192 |
192,808 |
Corning, Inc.1 |
6,168 |
190,036 |
CDW Corp.1 |
1,077 |
184,910 |
News Corp. — Class A1 |
9,770 |
178,889 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 27
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Shares |
Value |
COMMON STOCKS† – 7.6% (continued) |
|
|
Communications – 0.5% (continued) |
|
|
AT&T, Inc.1 |
11,131 |
$ 175,091 |
Warner Bros Discovery, Inc.*,1 |
14,296 |
161,259 |
Etsy, Inc.*,1 |
1,936 |
156,913 |
Paramount Global — Class B1 |
10,314 |
156,876 |
Vacasa, Inc. — Class A*,1 |
196,839 |
151,015 |
Alphabet, Inc. — Class A*,1 |
1,207 |
148,304 |
Fox Corp. — Class A1 |
4,337 |
135,314 |
Alphabet, Inc. — Class C*,1 |
1,052 |
129,785 |
DISH Network Corp. — Class A*,1 |
19,482 |
125,269 |
Figs, Inc. — Class A*,1 |
10,450 |
86,108 |
Fox Corp. — Class B1 |
2,013 |
58,800 |
News Corp. — Class B1 |
3,012 |
55,662 |
Total Communications |
|
6,960,756 |
Energy – 0.3% |
|
|
Equities Corp.1 |
6,746 |
234,558 |
Pioneer Natural Resources Co.1 |
1,032 |
205,822 |
Williams Companies, Inc.1 |
7,099 |
203,457 |
Hess Corp.1 |
1,583 |
200,519 |
First Solar, Inc.*,1 |
987 |
200,322 |
Occidental Petroleum Corp.1 |
3,427 |
197,601 |
Kinder Morgan, Inc.1 |
12,233 |
197,074 |
EOG Resources, Inc.1 |
1,829 |
196,233 |
ConocoPhillips1 |
1,968 |
195,422 |
Exxon Mobil Corp.1 |
1,903 |
194,449 |
Coterra Energy, Inc. — Class A1 |
8,343 |
193,975 |
Chevron Corp.1 |
1,285 |
193,547 |
Baker Hughes Co.1 |
7,057 |
192,303 |
SolarEdge Technologies, Inc.*,1 |
674 |
191,975 |
Diamondback Energy, Inc.1 |
1,509 |
191,869 |
Targa Resources Corp.1 |
2,789 |
189,791 |
Marathon Oil Corp.1 |
8,558 |
189,645 |
Phillips 661 |
2,027 |
185,694 |
Devon Energy Corp.1 |
3,963 |
182,694 |
APA Corp.1 |
5,706 |
181,337 |
ONEOK, Inc.1 |
3,185 |
180,462 |
Schlumberger N.V.1 |
4,022 |
172,262 |
Halliburton Co.1 |
5,941 |
170,210 |
Enphase Energy, Inc.*,1 |
976 |
169,707 |
Marathon Petroleum Corp.1 |
1,596 |
167,436 |
Valero Energy Corp.1 |
1,552 |
166,126 |
See notes to financial statements.
28 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Shares |
Value |
COMMON STOCKS† – 7.6% (continued) |
|
|
Energy – 0.3% (continued) |
|
|
Permian Production Partners LLC*,††† |
184,043 |
$ 30,130 |
Legacy Reserves, Inc.*,††† |
2,359 |
20,641 |
Bruin E&P Partnership Units*,††† |
40,617 |
910 |
Total Energy |
|
4,996,171 |
Basic Materials – 0.3% |
|
|
Sherwin-Williams Co.1 |
958 |
218,213 |
Ecolab, Inc.1 |
1,298 |
214,235 |
PPG Industries, Inc.1 |
1,628 |
213,740 |
Linde plc1 |
601 |
212,550 |
LyondellBasell Industries N.V. — Class A1 |
2,307 |
197,341 |
Newmont Corp.1 |
4,866 |
197,316 |
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.1 |
729 |
196,203 |
DuPont de Nemours, Inc.1 |
2,916 |
195,926 |
Eastman Chemical Co.1 |
2,540 |
195,809 |
Celanese Corp. — Class A1 |
1,880 |
195,557 |
International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.1 |
2,424 |
187,351 |
Freeport-McMoRan, Inc.1 |
5,416 |
185,986 |
Dow, Inc.1 |
3,807 |
185,705 |
FMC Corp.1 |
1,702 |
177,144 |
Albemarle Corp.1 |
911 |
176,306 |
Nucor Corp.1 |
1,291 |
170,489 |
International Paper Co.1 |
5,776 |
170,046 |
CF Industries Holdings, Inc.1 |
2,614 |
160,787 |
Steel Dynamics, Inc.1 |
1,704 |
156,598 |
Mosaic Co.1 |
4,180 |
133,593 |
Total Basic Materials |
|
3,740,895 |
Total Common Stocks |
|
|
(Cost $103,601,269) |
|
111,441,137 |
PREFERRED STOCKS†† – 6.3% |
|
|
Financial – 6.0% |
|
|
Bank of America Corp. |
|
|
4.38% |
2,925,000 |
7,380,000 |
6.50% |
2,000,000 |
2,000,000 |
6.30% |
1,000,000 |
1,005,000 |
4.13% |
26,000 |
463,320 |
Citigroup, Inc. |
|
|
7.38% |
4,300,000 |
4,267,750 |
3.88% |
4,000,000 |
3,330,400 |
4.15% |
2,000,000 |
1,620,360 |
4.00% |
1,750,000 |
1,498,350 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 29
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Shares |
Value |
PREFERRED STOCKS†† – 6.3% (continued) |
|
|
Financial – 6.0% (continued) |
|
|
Wells Fargo & Co. |
|
|
4.75% |
183,750 |
$ 3,480,225 |
3.90% |
3,300,000 |
2,890,800 |
4.70% |
148,000 |
2,727,640 |
4.38% |
50,000 |
862,500 |
Reinsurance Group of America, Inc. |
|
|
7.13% due 10/15/52 |
294,000 |
7,529,340 |
Lincoln National Corp. |
|
|
9.25%1 |
7,200,000 |
7,380,000 |
Kuvare US Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
7.00% due 02/17/515 |
6,400,000 |
6,528,000 |
Equitable Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
4.95% |
3,650,000 |
3,295,950 |
4.30% |
82,000 |
1,361,200 |
Markel Group, Inc. |
|
|
6.00% |
4,770,000 |
4,599,135 |
Jackson Financial, Inc. |
|
|
8.00% |
152,000 |
3,689,040 |
Public Storage |
|
|
4.63% |
144,400 |
3,113,264 |
4.13% |
16,400 |
313,732 |
W R Berkley Corp. |
|
|
4.13% due 03/30/61 |
126,000 |
2,222,640 |
4.25% due 09/30/60 |
36,800 |
712,816 |
PartnerRe Ltd. |
|
|
4.88% |
128,000 |
2,444,800 |
Charles Schwab Corp. |
|
|
4.00%4 |
3,150,000 |
2,369,588 |
JPMorgan Chase & Co. |
|
|
4.55% |
49,000 |
1,004,990 |
4.20% |
40,000 |
789,200 |
4.63% |
24,000 |
498,000 |
American Financial Group, Inc. |
|
|
4.50% due 09/15/60 |
100,000 |
1,815,000 |
MetLife, Inc. |
|
|
3.85% |
1,820,000 |
1,689,762 |
CNO Financial Group, Inc. |
|
|
5.13% due 11/25/60 |
80,000 |
1,208,000 |
Assurant, Inc. |
|
|
5.25% due 01/15/61 |
58,000 |
1,137,960 |
American Equity Investment Life Holding Co. |
|
|
5.95%4 |
46,000 |
1,046,500 |
Arch Capital Group Ltd. |
|
|
4.55% |
38,000 |
763,800 |
See notes to financial statements.
30 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Shares |
Value |
PREFERRED STOCKS†† – 6.3% (continued) |
|
|
Financial – 6.0% (continued) |
|
|
Selective Insurance Group, Inc. |
|
|
4.60% |
36,000 |
$ 589,680 |
RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. |
|
|
4.20% |
13,000 |
234,650 |
Globe Life, Inc. |
|
|
4.25% due 06/15/61 |
11,000 |
203,720 |
B Riley Financial, Inc. |
|
|
6.75% due 05/31/24 |
1,415 |
34,639 |
First Republic Bank |
|
|
4.50% |
200,000 |
1,220 |
4.25% |
158,000 |
632 |
4.13% |
84,800 |
356 |
Total Financial |
|
88,103,959 |
Government – 0.2% |
|
|
Farmer Mac |
|
|
5.75% |
112,000 |
2,550,240 |
AgriBank FCB |
|
|
6.88% |
4,000 |
400,000 |
Total Government |
|
2,950,240 |
Consumer, Cyclical – 0.1% |
|
|
Exide Technologies*,††† |
761 |
923,425 |
Industrial – 0.0% |
|
|
YAK BLOCKER 2 LLC*,††† |
1,875,398 |
462,245 |
Total Industrial |
|
462,245 |
Total Preferred Stocks |
|
|
(Cost $121,420,999) |
|
92,439,869 |
WARRANTS† – 0.0% |
|
|
Aequi Acquisition Corp. |
|
|
Expiring 11/30/272 |
246,299 |
22,167 |
AfterNext HealthTech Acquisition Corp. |
|
|
Expiring 07/09/232 |
35,766 |
10,014 |
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
Expiring 08/01/26 |
26,852 |
5,582 |
Conyers Park III Acquisition Corp. |
|
|
Expiring 08/12/282 |
33,200 |
3,987 |
Acropolis Infrastructure Acquisition Corp. |
|
|
Expiring 03/31/262 |
32,766 |
3,277 |
Waverley Capital Acquisition Corp. 1 |
|
|
Expiring 04/30/27*,2 |
31,300 |
1,565 |
Blue Whale Acquisition Corp. I |
|
|
Expiring 07/09/23*,2 |
14,324 |
921 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 31
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Shares |
Value |
WARRANTS† – 0.0% (continued) |
|
|
Pershing Square Tontine Holdings, Ltd. |
|
|
Expiring 07/24/25*,†††,2 |
115,860 |
$ 12 |
Total Warrants |
|
|
(Cost $1,362,296) |
|
47,525 |
EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS† – 3.4% |
|
|
SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust1 |
41,324 |
17,267,234 |
Invesco QQQ Trust Series1 |
48,306 |
16,810,005 |
iShares Russell 2000 Index ETF1 |
91,295 |
15,864,332 |
Total Exchange-Traded Funds |
|
|
(Cost $36,312,095) |
|
49,941,571 |
CLOSED-END FUNDS† – 2.4% |
|
|
BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust |
292,122 |
4,916,413 |
Guggenheim Active Allocation Fund3 |
341,165 |
4,643,255 |
Nuveen Taxable Municipal Income Fund |
289,790 |
4,465,664 |
Nuveen AMT-Free Municipal Credit Income Fund |
293,467 |
3,366,067 |
Invesco Municipal Opportunity Trust |
229,099 |
2,153,531 |
Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals |
212,335 |
2,049,033 |
BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund, Inc. |
237,682 |
2,034,558 |
Blackstone Strategic Credit Fund |
186,741 |
1,951,443 |
BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust |
184,289 |
1,903,705 |
Invesco Municipal Trust |
188,704 |
1,768,157 |
Invesco Advantage Municipal Income Trust II |
163,240 |
1,363,054 |
Eaton Vance Limited Duration Income Fund |
141,764 |
1,282,964 |
BlackRock Municipal Income Trust |
108,502 |
1,056,809 |
BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. |
83,425 |
780,858 |
Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund, Inc. |
160,170 |
599,036 |
Ares Dynamic Credit Allocation Fund, Inc. |
37,786 |
445,497 |
Nuveen AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund |
32,952 |
353,245 |
Nuveen Quality Municipal Income Fund |
27,269 |
303,504 |
BlackRock MuniVest Fund, Inc. |
24,898 |
165,074 |
Total Closed-End Funds |
|
|
(Cost $45,412,317) |
|
35,601,867 |
MONEY MARKET FUNDS† – 1.2% |
|
|
Dreyfus Treasury Securities Cash Management Fund — Institutional Shares, |
|
|
4.86%6 |
9,662,194 |
9,662,194 |
Dreyfus Treasury Obligations Cash Management Fund — Institutional Shares, |
|
|
4.98%6 |
7,545,282 |
7,545,282 |
Total Money Market Funds |
|
|
(Cost $17,207,476) |
|
17,207,476 |
See notes to financial statements.
32 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 46.6% |
|
|
Financial – 13.0% |
|
|
Morgan Stanley Finance LLC |
|
|
0.50% due 10/23/291,7 |
13,500,000 |
$ 10,727,100 |
NFP Corp. |
|
|
6.88% due 08/15/285 |
6,925,000 |
5,743,123 |
7.50% due 10/01/301,5 |
3,700,000 |
3,568,394 |
Dyal Capital Partners III |
|
|
4.40% due 06/15/40††† |
10,000,000 |
8,316,871 |
Accident Fund Insurance Company of America |
|
|
8.50% due 08/01/321,5 |
7,000,000 |
7,252,141 |
Wilton RE Ltd. |
|
|
6.00% 4,5,8 |
7,800,000 |
7,001,514 |
United Wholesale Mortgage LLC |
|
|
5.50% due 11/15/251,5 |
4,060,000 |
3,801,381 |
5.50% due 04/15/295 |
1,925,000 |
1,607,375 |
5.75% due 06/15/275 |
1,400,000 |
1,262,604 |
Jefferies Finance LLC / JFIN Company-Issuer Corp. |
|
|
5.00% due 08/15/281,5 |
7,500,000 |
6,101,624 |
Iron Mountain, Inc. |
|
|
5.63% due 07/15/321,5 |
6,500,000 |
5,791,101 |
Jones Deslauriers Insurance Management, Inc. |
|
|
10.50% due 12/15/301,5 |
3,650,000 |
3,650,000 |
8.50% due 03/15/301,5 |
2,050,000 |
2,045,618 |
Hunt Companies, Inc. |
|
|
5.25% due 04/15/291,5 |
7,325,000 |
5,625,869 |
Maple Grove Funding Trust I |
|
|
4.16% due 08/15/515 |
8,000,000 |
5,606,686 |
OneMain Finance Corp. |
|
|
4.00% due 09/15/301 |
2,200,000 |
1,623,226 |
6.13% due 03/15/241 |
1,500,000 |
1,465,355 |
7.13% due 03/15/26 |
1,100,000 |
1,051,788 |
3.88% due 09/15/28 |
800,000 |
629,000 |
6.63% due 01/15/28 |
450,000 |
407,267 |
National Life Insurance Co. |
|
|
10.50% due 09/15/391,5 |
3,400,000 |
4,455,283 |
Liberty Mutual Group, Inc. |
|
|
4.30% due 02/01/611,5 |
7,300,000 |
4,352,215 |
Cushman & Wakefield US Borrower LLC |
|
|
6.75% due 05/15/281,5 |
4,800,000 |
4,284,000 |
Kennedy-Wilson, Inc. |
|
|
5.00% due 03/01/311 |
3,750,000 |
2,803,125 |
4.75% due 02/01/30 |
1,450,000 |
1,092,937 |
4.75% due 03/01/291 |
425,000 |
333,892 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 33
|
|
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 46.6% (continued) |
|
|
Financial – 13.0% (continued) |
|
|
Hampton Roads PPV LLC |
|
|
6.62% due 06/15/531,5 |
4,680,000 |
$ 4,144,395 |
LPL Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
4.00% due 03/15/291,5 |
4,172,000 |
3,663,404 |
4.38% due 05/15/311,5 |
476,000 |
413,788 |
RXR Realty LLC |
|
|
5.25% due 07/17/25††† |
4,200,000 |
3,976,469 |
QBE Insurance Group Ltd. |
|
|
7.50% due 11/24/431,4,5 |
3,000,000 |
2,997,928 |
5.88%1,4,5,8 |
950,000 |
897,355 |
Rocket Mortgage LLC / Rocket Mortgage Company-Issuer, Inc. |
|
|
4.00% due 10/15/331,5 |
4,031,000 |
3,035,847 |
3.88% due 03/01/311,5 |
825,000 |
649,539 |
Credit Suisse AG NY |
|
|
7.95% due 01/09/251 |
3,600,000 |
3,654,900 |
GLP Capital Limited Partnership / GLP Financing II, Inc. |
|
|
3.25% due 01/15/321 |
3,250,000 |
2,634,595 |
5.30% due 01/15/29 |
1,050,000 |
1,003,867 |
NatWest Group plc |
|
|
7.47% due 11/10/261,4 |
3,500,000 |
3,632,840 |
Global Atlantic Finance Co. |
|
|
4.70% due 10/15/511,4,5 |
2,700,000 |
2,099,250 |
3.13% due 06/15/315 |
1,750,000 |
1,310,221 |
Standard Chartered plc |
|
|
7.78% due 11/16/251,4,5 |
3,100,000 |
3,184,615 |
Host Hotels & Resorts, LP |
|
|
3.50% due 09/15/301 |
3,610,000 |
3,054,779 |
Jane Street Group / JSG Finance, Inc. |
|
|
4.50% due 11/15/291,5 |
3,500,000 |
2,984,200 |
Sherwood Financing plc |
|
|
6.00% due 11/15/265 |
GBP 2,000,000 |
2,024,153 |
4.50% due 11/15/265 |
EUR 1,000,000 |
898,717 |
Toronto-Dominion Bank |
|
|
8.13% due 10/31/821,4 |
2,850,000 |
2,920,737 |
Barclays plc |
|
|
7.75% 1,4,8 |
3,000,000 |
2,902,860 |
HUB International Ltd. |
|
|
5.63% due 12/01/295 |
2,500,000 |
2,242,902 |
7.00% due 05/01/265 |
550,000 |
541,746 |
BBC Military Housing-Navy Northeast LLC |
|
|
6.30% due 10/15/491 |
2,800,000 |
2,728,266 |
Americo Life, Inc. |
|
|
3.45% due 04/15/315 |
3,511,000 |
2,715,023 |
Ares Finance Company IV LLC |
|
|
3.65% due 02/01/521,5 |
4,100,000 |
2,616,516 |
See notes to financial statements.
34 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 46.6% (continued) |
|
|
Financial – 13.0% (continued) |
|
|
Corebridge Financial, Inc. |
|
|
6.88% due 12/15/524,5 |
2,400,000 |
$ 2,240,795 |
Bank of Nova Scotia |
|
|
8.63% due 10/27/821,4 |
2,150,000 |
2,208,721 |
Kane Bidco Ltd. |
|
|
5.00% due 02/15/27 |
EUR 2,050,000 |
2,021,534 |
Home Point Capital, Inc. |
|
|
5.00% due 02/01/265 |
2,180,000 |
1,951,119 |
Lincoln National Corp. |
|
|
4.38% due 06/15/501 |
2,560,000 |
1,799,338 |
AmWINS Group, Inc. |
|
|
4.88% due 06/30/295 |
1,725,000 |
1,539,636 |
First American Financial Corp. |
|
|
4.00% due 05/15/301 |
1,740,000 |
1,535,936 |
Newmark Group, Inc. |
|
|
6.13% due 11/15/23 |
1,450,000 |
1,437,240 |
PHM Group Holding Oy |
|
|
4.75% due 06/18/265 |
EUR 1,400,000 |
1,349,118 |
OneAmerica Financial Partners, Inc. |
|
|
4.25% due 10/15/505 |
1,730,000 |
1,226,427 |
Weyerhaeuser Co. |
|
|
6.88% due 12/15/33 |
1,100,000 |
1,200,979 |
Allianz SE |
|
|
3.50%4,5,8 |
1,400,000 |
1,134,327 |
Alliant Holdings Intermediate LLC / Alliant Holdings Company-Issuer |
|
|
4.25% due 10/15/271,5 |
725,000 |
652,147 |
6.75% due 04/15/281,5 |
350,000 |
343,362 |
Ryan Specialty LLC |
|
|
4.38% due 02/01/301,5 |
1,100,000 |
975,471 |
Reinsurance Group of America, Inc. |
|
|
3.15% due 06/15/30 |
1,000,000 |
869,111 |
Pershing Square Holdings Ltd. |
|
|
3.25% due 10/01/31 |
1,100,000 |
834,834 |
PartnerRe Finance B LLC |
|
|
4.50% due 10/01/501,4 |
950,000 |
788,500 |
Fort Benning Family Communities LLC |
|
|
6.09% due 01/15/511,5 |
695,360 |
630,398 |
Prudential Financial, Inc. |
|
|
5.13% due 03/01/521,4 |
700,000 |
627,641 |
Pacific Beacon LLC |
|
|
5.63% due 07/15/511,5 |
669,063 |
609,899 |
Greystar Real Estate Partners LLC |
|
|
5.75% due 12/01/251,5 |
600,000 |
577,177 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 35
|
|
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 46.6% (continued) |
|
|
Financial – 13.0% (continued) |
|
|
Macquarie Bank Ltd. |
|
|
3.62% due 06/03/301,5 |
640,000 |
$ 539,949 |
Assurant, Inc. |
|
|
7.00% due 03/27/481,4 |
400,000 |
381,398 |
Atlas Mara Ltd. |
|
|
due 12/31/21†††,9,10 |
709,271 |
238,315 |
Fort Gordon Housing LLC |
|
|
6.32% due 05/15/515 |
200,000 |
199,319 |
USI, Inc. |
|
|
6.88% due 05/01/255 |
150,000 |
147,472 |
Total Financial |
|
191,588,564 |
Consumer, Non-cyclical – 7.7% |
|
|
US Foods, Inc. |
|
|
6.25% due 04/15/251,5 |
3,000,000 |
2,993,742 |
4.63% due 06/01/301,5 |
2,500,000 |
2,250,312 |
4.75% due 02/15/295 |
2,250,000 |
2,052,094 |
Cheplapharm Arzneimittel GmbH |
|
|
5.50% due 01/15/281,5 |
6,945,000 |
6,216,080 |
Medline Borrower, LP |
|
|
5.25% due 10/01/291,5 |
5,200,000 |
4,449,238 |
3.88% due 04/01/291,5 |
2,000,000 |
1,724,909 |
BCP V Modular Services Finance II plc |
|
|
6.13% due 10/30/285 |
GBP 4,250,000 |
4,347,999 |
4.75% due 10/30/285 |
EUR 1,550,000 |
1,375,201 |
CPI CG, Inc. |
|
|
8.63% due 03/15/261,5 |
5,425,000 |
5,236,373 |
Williams Scotsman International, Inc. |
|
|
4.63% due 08/15/281,5 |
3,675,000 |
3,356,929 |
6.13% due 06/15/251,5 |
1,683,000 |
1,674,785 |
Bausch Health Companies, Inc. |
|
|
4.88% due 06/01/281,5 |
8,025,000 |
4,839,877 |
Sotheby’s |
|
|
7.38% due 10/15/271,5 |
4,899,000 |
4,292,845 |
Altria Group, Inc. |
|
|
3.70% due 02/04/51 |
6,000,000 |
3,889,352 |
Reynolds American, Inc. |
|
|
5.70% due 08/15/351 |
4,150,000 |
3,882,794 |
KeHE Distributors LLC / KeHE Finance Corp. |
|
|
8.63% due 10/15/261,5 |
3,632,000 |
3,632,000 |
Post Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
4.50% due 09/15/311,5 |
3,925,000 |
3,321,657 |
JBS USA LUX S.A. / JBS USA Food Company / JBS USA Finance, Inc. |
|
|
4.38% due 02/02/521,5 |
4,800,000 |
3,210,633 |
See notes to financial statements.
36 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 46.6% (continued) |
|
|
Consumer, Non-cyclical – 7.7% (continued) |
|
|
Upbound Group, Inc. |
|
|
6.38% due 02/15/291,5 |
3,625,000 |
$ 3,191,547 |
FAGE International S.A. / FAGE USA Dairy Industry, Inc. |
|
|
5.63% due 08/15/261,5 |
3,301,000 |
3,119,389 |
Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. |
|
|
5.00% due 04/15/295 |
2,400,000 |
2,200,604 |
5.50% due 07/01/285 |
550,000 |
522,792 |
Legends Hospitality Holding Company LLC / Legends Hospitality Co-Issuer, Inc. |
|
|
5.00% due 02/01/261,5 |
3,000,000 |
2,677,500 |
Garden Spinco Corp. |
|
|
8.63% due 07/20/305 |
2,450,000 |
2,651,317 |
DaVita, Inc. |
|
|
4.63% due 06/01/305 |
1,900,000 |
1,627,246 |
3.75% due 02/15/315 |
1,200,000 |
952,033 |
Par Pharmaceutical, Inc. |
|
|
due 04/01/275,10 |
3,345,000 |
2,470,885 |
Sabre GLBL, Inc. |
|
|
7.38% due 09/01/251,5 |
2,816,000 |
2,381,298 |
Avantor Funding, Inc. |
|
|
4.63% due 07/15/281,5 |
1,700,000 |
1,572,447 |
3.88% due 11/01/295 |
925,000 |
806,922 |
Castor S.p.A. |
|
|
8.21% (3 Month EURIBOR + 5.25%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 02/15/29◊,5 |
EUR 2,300,000 |
2,221,817 |
Sotheby’s/Bidfair Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
5.88% due 06/01/295 |
2,700,000 |
2,126,250 |
Option Care Health, Inc. |
|
|
4.38% due 10/31/295 |
2,275,000 |
1,962,097 |
Nathan’s Famous, Inc. |
|
|
6.63% due 11/01/251,5 |
1,948,000 |
1,933,390 |
ADT Security Corp. |
|
|
4.13% due 08/01/295 |
1,050,000 |
916,125 |
4.88% due 07/15/325 |
1,000,000 |
851,850 |
Gartner, Inc. |
|
|
4.50% due 07/01/281,5 |
1,700,000 |
1,600,426 |
Spectrum Brands, Inc. |
|
|
5.50% due 07/15/305 |
1,700,000 |
1,555,500 |
APi Group DE, Inc. |
|
|
4.75% due 10/15/295 |
1,225,000 |
1,100,619 |
4.13% due 07/15/295 |
400,000 |
347,380 |
Royalty Pharma plc |
|
|
3.55% due 09/02/50 |
2,100,000 |
1,392,340 |
Endo Luxembourg Finance Company I SARL / Endo US, Inc. |
|
|
due 04/01/295,10 |
1,900,000 |
1,385,337 |
HealthEquity, Inc. |
|
|
4.50% due 10/01/291,5 |
1,550,000 |
1,376,351 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 37
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 46.6% (continued) |
|
|
Consumer, Non-cyclical – 7.7% (continued) |
|
|
Grifols Escrow Issuer S.A. |
|
|
4.75% due 10/15/281,5 |
1,350,000 |
$ 1,142,032 |
Kronos Acquisition Holdings, Inc. / KIK Custom Products, Inc. |
|
|
7.00% due 12/31/275 |
1,038,000 |
891,050 |
5.00% due 12/31/265 |
250,000 |
228,125 |
TreeHouse Foods, Inc. |
|
|
4.00% due 09/01/28 |
1,150,000 |
989,598 |
Central Garden & Pet Co. |
|
|
4.13% due 10/15/30 |
625,000 |
524,254 |
4.13% due 04/30/315 |
400,000 |
329,396 |
AMN Healthcare, Inc. |
|
|
4.63% due 10/01/275 |
725,000 |
669,719 |
WW International, Inc. |
|
|
4.50% due 04/15/295 |
950,000 |
572,375 |
Carriage Services, Inc. |
|
|
4.25% due 05/15/295 |
675,000 |
548,390 |
Catalent Pharma Solutions, Inc. |
|
|
3.50% due 04/01/305 |
625,000 |
503,871 |
Performance Food Group, Inc. |
|
|
6.88% due 05/01/255 |
450,000 |
450,999 |
Prestige Brands, Inc. |
|
|
3.75% due 04/01/315 |
300,000 |
246,885 |
Nidda Healthcare Holding |
|
|
7.50% due 08/21/26 |
EUR 175,000 |
184,727 |
Albertsons Companies Incorporated / Safeway Inc / New Albertsons |
|
|
Limited Partnership / Albertsons LLC |
|
|
5.88% due 02/15/285 |
100,000 |
97,673 |
Endo Dac / Endo Finance LLC / Endo Finco, Inc. |
|
|
due 07/31/275,10 |
181,000 |
9,955 |
Total Consumer, Non-cyclical |
|
113,079,331 |
Consumer, Cyclical – 7.1% |
|
|
Delta Air Lines, Inc. |
|
|
7.00% due 05/01/251,5 |
10,535,000 |
10,822,028 |
JB Poindexter & Company, Inc. |
|
|
7.13% due 04/15/261,5 |
5,275,000 |
5,020,217 |
Suburban Propane Partners Limited Partnership/Suburban Energy Finance Corp. |
|
|
5.88% due 03/01/271 |
3,210,000 |
3,075,663 |
5.00% due 06/01/315 |
1,800,000 |
1,533,798 |
Penn Entertainment, Inc. |
|
|
4.13% due 07/01/291,5 |
4,925,000 |
3,971,766 |
Crocs, Inc. |
|
|
4.25% due 03/15/291,5 |
3,188,000 |
2,745,888 |
4.13% due 08/15/315 |
1,400,000 |
1,139,257 |
See notes to financial statements.
38 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 46.6% (continued) |
|
|
Consumer, Cyclical – 7.1% (continued) |
|
|
Delta Air Lines, Inc. / SkyMiles IP Ltd. |
|
|
4.75% due 10/20/281,5 |
3,950,000 |
$ 3,815,791 |
Allwyn Entertainment Financing UK plc |
|
|
7.88% due 04/30/295 |
3,750,000 |
3,706,388 |
Air Canada Class A Pass Through Trust |
|
|
5.25% due 04/01/295 |
3,703,006 |
3,593,397 |
Fertitta Entertainment LLC / Fertitta Entertainment Finance Company, Inc. |
|
|
4.63% due 01/15/291,5 |
4,100,000 |
3,578,562 |
Wabash National Corp. |
|
|
4.50% due 10/15/281,5 |
4,100,000 |
3,566,815 |
Station Casinos LLC |
|
|
4.63% due 12/01/311,5 |
4,200,000 |
3,492,090 |
Hawaiian Brand Intellectual Property Ltd. / HawaiianMiles Loyalty Ltd. |
|
|
5.75% due 01/20/261,5 |
3,725,000 |
3,462,674 |
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. |
|
|
6.50% due 05/15/271,5 |
3,350,000 |
3,355,692 |
Mileage Plus Holdings LLC / Mileage Plus Intellectual Property Assets Ltd. |
|
|
6.50% due 06/20/275 |
2,847,500 |
2,842,619 |
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. |
|
|
4.10% due 04/15/501 |
3,800,000 |
2,769,440 |
Air Canada |
|
|
4.63% due 08/15/295 |
CAD 2,900,000 |
1,923,091 |
3.88% due 08/15/265 |
825,000 |
765,836 |
PetSmart, Inc. / PetSmart Finance Corp. |
|
|
4.75% due 02/15/285 |
2,725,000 |
2,521,183 |
Aramark Services, Inc. |
|
|
6.38% due 05/01/251,5 |
2,300,000 |
2,282,750 |
5.00% due 02/01/285 |
110,000 |
103,961 |
United Airlines, Inc. |
|
|
4.63% due 04/15/291,5 |
2,575,000 |
2,332,544 |
Evergreen Acqco 1 Limited Partnership / TVI, Inc. |
|
|
9.75% due 04/26/281,5 |
2,300,000 |
2,301,219 |
Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. |
|
|
4.00% due 04/01/31 |
2,150,000 |
1,706,949 |
4.38% due 02/01/32 |
700,000 |
559,391 |
Ritchie Bros Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
7.75% due 03/15/315 |
1,750,000 |
1,823,973 |
HP Communities LLC |
|
|
6.82% due 09/15/531,5 |
923,913 |
964,240 |
6.16% due 09/15/531,5 |
1,000,000 |
859,209 |
Yum! Brands, Inc. |
|
|
4.63% due 01/31/321 |
1,987,000 |
1,807,138 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 39
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 46.6% (continued) |
|
|
Consumer, Cyclical – 7.1% (continued) |
|
|
Superior Plus Limited Partnership / Superior General Partner, Inc. |
|
|
4.50% due 03/15/291,5 |
2,000,000 |
$ 1,750,860 |
Hanesbrands, Inc. |
|
|
9.00% due 02/15/311,5 |
1,500,000 |
1,500,161 |
4.88% due 05/15/265 |
225,000 |
209,559 |
Hyatt Hotels Corp. |
|
|
6.00% due 04/23/30 |
1,690,000 |
1,702,890 |
Michaels Companies, Inc. |
|
|
5.25% due 05/01/285 |
2,200,000 |
1,694,000 |
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc. |
|
|
4.38% due 08/15/281,5 |
1,625,000 |
1,490,938 |
CD&R Smokey Buyer, Inc. |
|
|
6.75% due 07/15/251,5 |
1,650,000 |
1,455,652 |
1011778 BC ULC / New Red Finance, Inc. |
|
|
3.88% due 01/15/281,5 |
850,000 |
779,494 |
4.00% due 10/15/301,5 |
725,000 |
622,393 |
Boyne USA, Inc. |
|
|
4.75% due 05/15/295 |
1,250,000 |
1,116,413 |
Hilton Domestic Operating Company, Inc. |
|
|
3.63% due 02/15/325 |
1,350,000 |
1,116,263 |
Wolverine World Wide, Inc. |
|
|
4.00% due 08/15/295 |
1,350,000 |
1,076,895 |
Clarios Global, LP / Clarios US Finance Co. |
|
|
8.50% due 05/15/271,5 |
1,050,000 |
1,052,703 |
Vail Resorts, Inc. |
|
|
6.25% due 05/15/255 |
1,000,000 |
1,002,497 |
Clarios Global, LP |
|
|
6.75% due 05/15/251,5 |
990,000 |
992,057 |
Tempur Sealy International, Inc. |
|
|
3.88% due 10/15/315 |
700,000 |
559,962 |
4.00% due 04/15/295 |
500,000 |
425,448 |
Six Flags Theme Parks, Inc. |
|
|
7.00% due 07/01/255 |
969,000 |
976,291 |
Allison Transmission, Inc. |
|
|
3.75% due 01/30/315 |
1,100,000 |
928,776 |
Scientific Games Holdings Limited Partnership/Scientific Games US FinCo, Inc. |
|
|
6.63% due 03/01/305 |
850,000 |
747,218 |
Ferrellgas Limited Partnership / Ferrellgas Finance Corp. |
|
|
5.38% due 04/01/265 |
775,000 |
704,940 |
United Airlines Class AA Pass Through Trust |
|
|
3.45% due 12/01/271 |
436,795 |
401,541 |
Superior Plus, LP |
|
|
4.25% due 05/18/285 |
CAD 350,000 |
228,229 |
See notes to financial statements.
40 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 46.6% (continued) |
|
|
Consumer, Cyclical – 7.1% (continued) |
|
|
Exide Technologies |
|
|
due 10/31/24†††,10 |
2,353,687 |
$ 2 |
Total Consumer, Cyclical |
|
104,978,751 |
Communications – 5.6% |
|
|
Altice France S.A. |
|
|
5.50% due 10/15/291,5 |
8,175,000 |
5,932,597 |
5.13% due 07/15/291,5 |
3,025,000 |
2,154,024 |
8.13% due 02/01/271,5 |
1,300,000 |
1,120,337 |
McGraw-Hill Education, Inc. |
|
|
8.00% due 08/01/291,5 |
6,300,000 |
5,260,500 |
5.75% due 08/01/281,5 |
3,525,000 |
3,005,063 |
Cogent Communications Group, Inc. |
|
|
7.00% due 06/15/271,5 |
7,500,000 |
7,206,825 |
VZ Secured Financing BV |
|
|
5.00% due 01/15/321,5 |
6,850,000 |
5,448,251 |
British Telecommunications plc |
|
|
4.88% due 11/23/814,5 |
5,550,000 |
4,489,395 |
4.25% due 11/23/811,4,5 |
950,000 |
837,472 |
Cengage Learning, Inc. |
|
|
9.50% due 06/15/245 |
4,976,000 |
4,959,231 |
Paramount Global |
|
|
4.95% due 05/19/501 |
6,390,000 |
4,755,124 |
UPC Broadband Finco BV |
|
|
4.88% due 07/15/311,5 |
4,550,000 |
3,821,090 |
LCPR Senior Secured Financing DAC |
|
|
6.75% due 10/15/275 |
2,114,000 |
1,961,559 |
5.13% due 07/15/291,5 |
1,900,000 |
1,574,900 |
CSC Holdings LLC |
|
|
11.25% due 05/15/285 |
2,750,000 |
2,605,625 |
4.63% due 12/01/305 |
1,913,000 |
817,758 |
Corning, Inc. |
|
|
4.38% due 11/15/571 |
4,100,000 |
3,282,038 |
Vodafone Group plc |
|
|
5.13% due 06/04/811,4 |
4,100,000 |
3,036,012 |
CCO Holdings LLC / CCO Holdings Capital Corp. |
|
|
4.50% due 06/01/331,5 |
1,225,000 |
935,122 |
4.25% due 02/01/315 |
850,000 |
680,884 |
4.25% due 01/15/345 |
750,000 |
554,857 |
4.50% due 05/01/32 |
325,000 |
254,351 |
AMC Networks, Inc. |
|
|
4.25% due 02/15/291 |
3,450,000 |
1,966,500 |
Ciena Corp. |
|
|
4.00% due 01/31/301,5 |
2,150,000 |
1,857,277 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 41
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 46.6% (continued) |
|
|
Communications – 5.6% (continued) |
|
|
Rogers Communications, Inc. |
|
|
4.55% due 03/15/521,5 |
2,200,000 |
$ 1,747,073 |
TripAdvisor, Inc. |
|
|
7.00% due 07/15/251,5 |
1,575,000 |
1,578,757 |
Vmed O2 UK Financing I plc |
|
|
4.25% due 01/31/311,5 |
1,225,000 |
986,744 |
4.75% due 07/15/311,5 |
650,000 |
534,499 |
Radiate Holdco LLC / Radiate Finance, Inc. |
|
|
4.50% due 09/15/261,5 |
1,800,000 |
1,386,018 |
Charter Communications Operating LLC / Charter Communications Operating Capital |
|
|
3.90% due 06/01/52 |
2,000,000 |
1,258,074 |
Level 3 Financing, Inc. |
|
|
3.63% due 01/15/291,5 |
1,500,000 |
810,304 |
3.75% due 07/15/295 |
600,000 |
324,943 |
Virgin Media Secured Finance plc |
|
|
4.50% due 08/15/301,5 |
1,200,000 |
997,269 |
Zayo Group Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
4.00% due 03/01/275 |
1,050,000 |
733,708 |
Match Group Holdings II LLC |
|
|
3.63% due 10/01/315 |
875,000 |
712,784 |
Outfront Media Capital LLC / Outfront Media Capital Corp. |
|
|
4.25% due 01/15/295 |
825,000 |
674,850 |
Sirius XM Radio, Inc. |
|
|
3.88% due 09/01/315 |
900,000 |
664,145 |
Ziggo BV |
|
|
4.88% due 01/15/301,5 |
725,000 |
603,334 |
Ziggo Bond Company BV |
|
|
5.13% due 02/28/301,5 |
500,000 |
383,404 |
Total Communications |
|
81,912,698 |
Industrial – 4.6% |
|
|
Boeing Co. |
|
|
5.81% due 05/01/501 |
9,400,000 |
9,202,605 |
New Enterprise Stone & Lime Company, Inc. |
|
|
9.75% due 07/15/281,5 |
7,717,000 |
7,331,150 |
5.25% due 07/15/281,5 |
2,025,000 |
1,792,125 |
Standard Industries, Inc. |
|
|
4.38% due 07/15/301,5 |
7,050,000 |
5,952,780 |
3.38% due 01/15/315 |
1,100,000 |
859,238 |
Artera Services LLC |
|
|
9.03% due 12/04/255 |
6,290,000 |
5,377,992 |
Builders FirstSource, Inc. |
|
|
6.38% due 06/15/325 |
2,500,000 |
2,459,674 |
4.25% due 02/01/325 |
1,675,000 |
1,439,060 |
See notes to financial statements.
42 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 46.6% (continued) |
|
|
Industrial – 4.6% (continued) |
|
|
Harsco Corp. |
|
|
5.75% due 07/31/271,5 |
3,624,000 |
$ 3,133,726 |
Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc. |
|
|
4.50% due 03/25/521 |
4,134,000 |
3,085,542 |
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corp. |
|
|
5.25% due 06/01/291,5 |
3,600,000 |
2,828,483 |
Mauser Packaging Solutions Holding Co. |
|
|
7.88% due 08/15/265 |
1,875,000 |
1,858,349 |
9.25% due 04/15/271,5 |
1,000,000 |
912,630 |
Howmet Aerospace, Inc. |
|
|
3.00% due 01/15/291 |
1,175,000 |
1,028,634 |
5.95% due 02/01/37 |
875,000 |
875,318 |
6.88% due 05/01/25 |
800,000 |
817,834 |
GrafTech Finance, Inc. |
|
|
4.63% due 12/15/281,5 |
2,860,000 |
2,280,955 |
Clearwater Paper Corp. |
|
|
4.75% due 08/15/285 |
2,547,000 |
2,259,924 |
Ardagh Metal Packaging Finance USA LLC / Ardagh Metal Packaging Finance plc |
|
|
4.00% due 09/01/291,5 |
2,300,000 |
1,803,681 |
Summit Materials LLC / Summit Materials Finance Corp. |
|
|
5.25% due 01/15/291,5 |
1,775,000 |
1,665,429 |
Brundage-Bone Concrete Pumping Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
6.00% due 02/01/261,5 |
1,625,000 |
1,507,187 |
TK Elevator US Newco, Inc. |
|
|
5.25% due 07/15/271,5 |
1,550,000 |
1,427,050 |
JELD-WEN, Inc. |
|
|
6.25% due 05/15/251,5 |
1,350,000 |
1,360,125 |
Deuce FinCo plc |
|
|
5.50% due 06/15/275 |
GBP 1,200,000 |
1,248,756 |
7.71% (3 Month EURIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 06/15/27◊ |
EUR 100,000 |
99,947 |
Cellnex Finance Company S.A. |
|
|
3.88% due 07/07/411,5 |
1,750,000 |
1,285,914 |
Amsted Industries, Inc. |
|
|
4.63% due 05/15/305 |
950,000 |
851,779 |
Ball Corp. |
|
|
3.13% due 09/15/311 |
875,000 |
721,020 |
GATX Corp. |
|
|
4.00% due 06/30/30 |
560,000 |
513,881 |
PGT Innovations, Inc. |
|
|
4.38% due 10/01/295 |
400,000 |
365,148 |
TopBuild Corp. |
|
|
4.13% due 02/15/325 |
400,000 |
335,792 |
Arcosa, Inc. |
|
|
4.38% due 04/15/295 |
350,000 |
315,940 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 43
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 46.6% (continued) |
|
|
Industrial – 4.6% (continued) |
|
|
EnerSys |
|
|
4.38% due 12/15/275 |
325,000 |
$ 302,231 |
Hillenbrand, Inc. |
|
|
3.75% due 03/01/311 |
250,000 |
207,492 |
EnPro Industries, Inc. |
|
|
5.75% due 10/15/26 |
115,000 |
112,526 |
MIWD Holdco II LLC / MIWD Finance Corp. |
|
|
5.50% due 02/01/305 |
125,000 |
100,625 |
Vertical Midco GmbH |
|
|
4.38% due 07/15/27 |
EUR 100,000 |
94,867 |
Total Industrial |
|
67,815,409 |
Energy – 3.8% |
|
|
Global Partners Limited Partnership / GLP Finance Corp. |
|
|
7.00% due 08/01/271 |
4,800,000 |
4,608,000 |
6.88% due 01/15/291 |
2,980,000 |
2,739,067 |
ITT Holdings LLC |
|
|
6.50% due 08/01/291,5 |
8,050,000 |
6,419,875 |
Occidental Petroleum Corp. |
|
|
6.20% due 03/15/401 |
2,100,000 |
2,050,125 |
7.00% due 11/15/271 |
2,000,000 |
2,045,000 |
4.30% due 08/15/39 |
2,100,000 |
1,652,049 |
4.63% due 06/15/45 |
750,000 |
578,565 |
BP Capital Markets plc |
|
|
4.88% 1,4,8 |
6,750,000 |
6,134,062 |
NuStar Logistics, LP |
|
|
6.38% due 10/01/301 |
5,625,000 |
5,414,062 |
5.63% due 04/28/27 |
200,000 |
189,318 |
6.00% due 06/01/26 |
125,000 |
121,297 |
CVR Energy, Inc. |
|
|
5.25% due 02/15/255 |
2,275,000 |
2,164,845 |
5.75% due 02/15/285 |
2,100,000 |
1,765,008 |
Crestwood Midstream Partners Limited Partnership / |
|
|
Crestwood Midstream Finance Corp. |
|
|
7.38% due 02/01/311,5 |
3,800,000 |
3,729,890 |
TransMontaigne Partners Limited Partnership / TLP Finance Corp. |
|
|
6.13% due 02/15/26 |
4,025,000 |
3,491,688 |
Parkland Corp. |
|
|
4.63% due 05/01/305 |
2,700,000 |
2,334,150 |
4.50% due 10/01/291,5 |
1,300,000 |
1,123,978 |
Hess Corp. |
|
|
5.60% due 02/15/41 |
1,550,000 |
1,460,149 |
6.00% due 01/15/401 |
1,000,000 |
986,019 |
7.13% due 03/15/33 |
500,000 |
545,410 |
EnLink Midstream LLC |
|
|
6.50% due 09/01/301,5 |
2,600,000 |
2,583,927 |
See notes to financial statements.
44 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 46.6% (continued) |
|
|
Energy – 3.8% (continued) |
|
|
Southwestern Energy Co. |
|
|
5.38% due 02/01/291 |
1,400,000 |
$ 1,303,721 |
Energy Transfer, LP |
|
|
4.25% due 04/01/24 |
1,000,000 |
985,456 |
Buckeye Partners, LP |
|
|
4.35% due 10/15/24 |
750,000 |
727,530 |
Venture Global Calcasieu Pass LLC |
|
|
4.13% due 08/15/311,5 |
775,000 |
668,112 |
DT Midstream, Inc. |
|
|
4.13% due 06/15/291,5 |
425,000 |
368,560 |
FLNG Liquefaction 2 LLC |
|
|
4.13% due 03/31/385 |
237,710 |
211,809 |
Viper Energy Partners, LP |
|
|
5.38% due 11/01/275 |
200,000 |
192,345 |
Basic Energy Services, Inc. |
|
|
due 10/15/2310 |
1,030,000 |
10,300 |
Schahin II Finance Co. SPV Ltd. |
|
|
due 09/25/23†††,10 |
1,400,000 |
1 |
Total Energy |
|
56,604,318 |
Basic Materials – 2.4% |
|
|
Carpenter Technology Corp. |
|
|
6.38% due 07/15/281 |
5,225,000 |
5,036,030 |
7.63% due 03/15/30 |
2,500,000 |
2,512,500 |
SCIL IV LLC / SCIL USA Holdings LLC |
|
|
5.38% due 11/01/261,5 |
6,075,000 |
5,604,846 |
Alcoa Nederland Holding BV |
|
|
5.50% due 12/15/271,5 |
3,625,000 |
3,538,127 |
6.13% due 05/15/281,5 |
1,475,000 |
1,447,344 |
SK Invictus Intermediate II SARL |
|
|
5.00% due 10/30/291,5 |
5,250,000 |
4,168,133 |
WR Grace Holdings LLC |
|
|
4.88% due 06/15/275 |
2,325,000 |
2,156,321 |
7.38% due 03/01/311,5 |
500,000 |
490,000 |
Compass Minerals International, Inc. |
|
|
6.75% due 12/01/275 |
2,550,000 |
2,438,437 |
Illuminate Buyer LLC / Illuminate Holdings IV, Inc. |
|
|
9.00% due 07/01/285 |
1,625,000 |
1,419,423 |
Kaiser Aluminum Corp. |
|
|
4.63% due 03/01/285 |
1,000,000 |
873,990 |
4.50% due 06/01/315 |
500,000 |
392,875 |
Minerals Technologies, Inc. |
|
|
5.00% due 07/01/285 |
1,350,000 |
1,242,766 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 45
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 46.6% (continued) |
|
|
Basic Materials – 2.4% (continued) |
|
|
Arconic Corp. |
|
|
6.00% due 05/15/251,5 |
1,200,000 |
$ 1,203,236 |
HB Fuller Co. |
|
|
4.25% due 10/15/28 |
1,150,000 |
1,032,125 |
Diamond BC BV |
|
|
4.63% due 10/01/291,5 |
825,000 |
828,135 |
Valvoline, Inc. |
|
|
3.63% due 06/15/315 |
760,000 |
623,367 |
Mirabela Nickel Ltd. |
|
|
due 06/24/19†††,9,10 |
2,667,995 |
126,730 |
Total Basic Materials |
|
35,134,385 |
Technology – 1.8% |
|
|
AthenaHealth Group, Inc. |
|
|
6.50% due 02/15/305 |
7,900,000 |
6,507,089 |
NCR Corp. |
|
|
5.25% due 10/01/301,5 |
3,150,000 |
2,689,351 |
6.13% due 09/01/295 |
1,550,000 |
1,537,272 |
5.13% due 04/15/295 |
900,000 |
787,273 |
Central Parent Incorporated / CDK Global Inc |
|
|
7.25% due 06/15/291,5 |
3,400,000 |
3,327,336 |
Broadcom, Inc. |
|
|
3.19% due 11/15/365 |
4,400,000 |
3,292,622 |
Playtika Holding Corp. |
|
|
4.25% due 03/15/291,5 |
2,025,000 |
1,716,184 |
Twilio, Inc. |
|
|
3.88% due 03/15/311 |
2,000,000 |
1,689,240 |
TeamSystem S.p.A. |
|
|
3.50% due 02/15/28 |
EUR 1,700,000 |
1,588,354 |
Dun & Bradstreet Corp. |
|
|
5.00% due 12/15/295 |
1,800,000 |
1,568,160 |
Oracle Corp. |
|
|
3.95% due 03/25/511 |
2,100,000 |
1,540,160 |
Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. |
|
|
4.00% due 07/01/295 |
325,000 |
286,806 |
Cloud Software Group, Inc. |
|
|
6.50% due 03/31/295 |
250,000 |
221,072 |
Total Technology |
|
26,750,919 |
Utilities – 0.6% |
|
|
Terraform Global Operating, LP |
|
|
6.13% due 03/01/261,5 |
5,255,000 |
5,044,800 |
Clearway Energy Operating LLC |
|
|
3.75% due 02/15/311,5 |
1,663,000 |
1,394,987 |
3.75% due 01/15/325 |
525,000 |
432,748 |
See notes to financial statements.
46 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
CORPORATE BONDS†† – 46.6% (continued) |
|
|
Utilities – 0.6% (continued) |
|
|
NRG Energy, Inc. |
|
|
7.00% due 03/15/335 |
1,600,000 |
$ 1,614,331 |
Total Utilities |
|
8,486,866 |
Total Corporate Bonds |
|
|
(Cost $788,660,428) |
|
686,351,241 |
SENIOR FLOATING RATE INTERESTS††,◊ – 29.5% |
|
|
Consumer, Cyclical – 7.4% |
|
|
Pacific Bells LLC |
|
|
9.66% (3 Month Term SOFR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 11/10/28 |
7,950,412 |
7,741,714 |
FR Refuel LLC |
|
|
10.02% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 11/08/28††† |
7,897,667 |
7,621,248 |
First Brands Group LLC |
|
|
10.25% (3 Month Term SOFR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 03/30/27 |
7,928,278 |
7,615,583 |
Accuride Corp. |
|
|
10.40% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 5.25%, Rate Floor: 6.25%) due 11/17/23 |
6,305,603 |
5,109,808 |
MB2 Dental Solutions LLC |
|
|
11.25% (1 Month Term SOFR + 6.00%, Rate Floor: 7.00%) due 01/29/27††† |
5,063,562 |
4,982,008 |
BRE/Everbright M6 Borrower LLC |
|
|
10.09% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 5.75%) due 09/09/26 |
4,972,333 |
4,918,483 |
Secretariat Advisors LLC |
|
|
9.91% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 5.50%) due 12/29/28††† |
4,351,000 |
4,198,714 |
Zephyr Bidco Ltd. |
|
|
9.21% (1 Month GBP SONIA + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 07/23/25 |
GBP 3,000,000 |
3,580,046 |
11.96% (1 Month GBP SONIA + 7.50%, Rate Floor: 7.50%) due 07/23/26 |
GBP 360,000 |
370,876 |
Alexander Mann |
|
|
10.27% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 06/16/25 |
2,600,000 |
2,465,658 |
9.30% (3 Month GBP SONIA + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 06/16/25 |
GBP 1,150,000 |
1,354,000 |
SP PF Buyer LLC |
|
|
9.65% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 12/22/25 |
5,811,971 |
3,719,662 |
Truck Hero, Inc. |
|
|
8.90% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 01/31/28 |
3,920,000 |
3,566,730 |
NFM & J LLC |
|
|
10.90% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 5.75%, Rate Floor: 6.75%) due 11/30/27††† |
3,264,567 |
3,195,420 |
The Facilities Group |
|
|
11.16% ((3 Month USD LIBOR + 5.75%) and (3 Month Term SOFR + 5.75%), |
|
|
Rate Floor: 6.75%) due 11/30/27††† |
3,011,786 |
2,947,993 |
WIRB – Copernicus Group, Inc. |
|
|
9.27% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 01/08/27 |
3,068,756 |
2,911,482 |
Breitling Financing SARL |
|
|
6.69% (3 Month EURIBOR + 3.68%, Rate Floor: 3.68%) due 10/25/28 |
EUR 2,800,000 |
2,910,204 |
PetSmart LLC |
|
|
9.00% (1 Month Term SOFR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 3.75%) due 02/11/28 |
2,800,125 |
2,756,023 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 47
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
SENIOR FLOATING RATE INTERESTS††,◊ – 29.5% (continued) |
|
|
Consumer, Cyclical – 7.4% (continued) |
|
|
Arcis Golf LLC |
|
|
9.40% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 11/24/28 |
2,697,750 |
$ 2,677,517 |
BGIS (BIFM CA Buyer, Inc.) |
|
|
8.77% (1 Month Term SOFR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 3.50%) due 06/01/26 |
2,656,597 |
2,605,670 |
PAI Holdco, Inc. |
|
|
9.02% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 10/28/27 |
2,797,923 |
2,579,349 |
Alexander Mann |
|
|
7.46% (1 Month GBP SONIA + 3.25%, Rate Floor: 3.25%) due 12/16/24††† |
GBP 2,055,921 |
2,446,194 |
TTF Holdings Intermediate LLC |
|
|
9.19% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 03/31/28††† |
2,262,299 |
2,245,332 |
BCP V Modular Services Holdings IV Ltd. |
|
|
7.52% (3 Month EURIBOR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 12/15/28 |
EUR 2,000,000 |
2,019,113 |
OEConnection LLC |
|
|
9.24% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 09/25/26 |
1,997,666 |
1,958,971 |
Michaels Stores, Inc. |
|
|
9.41% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 04/15/28 |
2,202,832 |
1,931,619 |
CNT Holdings I Corp. |
|
|
8.46% (3 Month Term SOFR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 11/08/27 |
1,813,000 |
1,762,762 |
Camin Cargo Control, Inc. |
|
|
11.77% (1 Month Term SOFR + 6.50%, Rate Floor: 6.50%) due 06/04/26††† |
1,612,623 |
1,548,118 |
ScribeAmerica Intermediate Holdco LLC (Healthchannels) |
|
|
9.65% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 04/03/25 |
2,461,904 |
1,388,514 |
SHO Holding I Corp. |
|
|
10.52% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 5.25%, Rate Floor: 6.25%) due 04/26/24 |
1,925,650 |
1,347,955 |
10.50% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 5.23%, Rate Floor: 6.23%) due 04/29/24 |
32,514 |
22,759 |
Holding SOCOTEC |
|
|
9.41% (3 Month Term SOFR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 06/30/28 |
1,336,500 |
1,296,405 |
Packers Holdings LLC |
|
|
8.42% (1 Month Term SOFR + 3.25%, Rate Floor: 3.25%) due 03/09/28 |
2,721,630 |
1,219,290 |
Congruex Group LLC |
|
|
10.95% (3 Month Term SOFR + 5.75%, Rate Floor: 5.75%) due 05/03/29††† |
1,191,000 |
1,152,293 |
Fertitta Entertainment LLC |
|
|
9.15% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 01/29/29 |
1,188,746 |
1,142,932 |
Galls LLC |
|
|
12.16% (3 Month Term SOFR + 6.75%, Rate Floor: 6.75%) due 01/31/25††† |
930,436 |
907,176 |
11.93% ((1 Month Term SOFR + 6.75%) and (3 Month Term SOFR + 6.75%), |
|
|
Rate Floor: 6.75%) due 01/31/24††† |
109,676 |
106,935 |
11.30% (3 Month Term SOFR + 6.25%, Rate Floor: 6.25%) due 01/31/25††† |
96,995 |
94,570 |
11.45% (3 Month Term SOFR + 6.25%, Rate Floor: 6.25%) due 01/31/25††† |
27,982 |
27,282 |
ImageFIRST Holdings LLC |
|
|
9.91% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 04/27/28 |
1,081,361 |
1,051,624 |
PT Intermediate Holdings III LLC |
|
|
11.23% (1 Month Term SOFR + 5.98%, Rate Floor: 5.98%) due 11/01/28 |
986,710 |
952,175 |
See notes to financial statements.
48 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
SENIOR FLOATING RATE INTERESTS††,◊ – 29.5% (continued) |
|
|
Consumer, Cyclical – 7.4% (continued) |
|
|
Elvis UK HoldCo Ltd. |
|
|
8.39% (3 Month EURIBOR + 5.18%, Rate Floor: 5.18%) due 10/19/28 |
EUR 800,000 |
$ 852,216 |
CD&R Firefly Bidco Ltd. |
|
|
8.53% (3 Month GBP SONIA + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 06/23/25 |
GBP 703,016 |
840,770 |
Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. |
|
|
11.50% (Commercial Prime Lending Rate + 3.25%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) |
|
|
due 04/25/24 |
1,737,754 |
729,857 |
Alterra Mountain Co. |
|
|
8.65% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 08/17/28 |
584,250 |
580,353 |
Caesars Entertainment, Inc. |
|
|
8.50% (1 Month Term SOFR + 3.25%, Rate Floor: 3.25%) due 02/06/30 |
550,000 |
544,759 |
Outcomes Group Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
12.75% (1 Month Term SOFR + 7.50%, Rate Floor: 7.50%) due 10/26/26††† |
450,000 |
427,500 |
Mavis Tire Express Services TopCo Corp. |
|
|
9.27% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 05/04/28 |
319,313 |
307,511 |
SHO Holding I Corp. |
|
|
10.09% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 6.00%) due 04/27/24††† |
424,000 |
303,160 |
10.54% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 2.23%, Rate Floor: 3.23%) due 04/29/24††† |
323 |
231 |
EG Finco Ltd. |
|
|
9.27% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 02/07/25 |
284,313 |
277,063 |
Sotheby’s |
|
|
9.76% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 01/15/27 |
234,449 |
227,826 |
Scientific Games Holdings, LP |
|
|
8.42% (3 Month Term SOFR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 3.50%) due 04/04/29 |
124,375 |
119,880 |
Total Consumer, Cyclical |
|
109,661,333 |
Consumer, Non-cyclical – 6.4% |
|
|
HAH Group Holding Co. LLC |
|
|
10.26% (1 Month Term SOFR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 10/29/27 |
4,705,325 |
4,591,598 |
10.15% (1 Month Term SOFR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 10/29/27 |
3,019,500 |
2,928,915 |
LaserAway Intermediate Holdings II LLC |
|
|
11.08% (3 Month Term SOFR + 5.75%, Rate Floor: 5.75%) due 10/14/27 |
7,615,163 |
7,443,822 |
Southern Veterinary Partners LLC |
|
|
9.15% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 10/05/27 |
6,611,425 |
6,380,025 |
Quirch Foods Holdings LLC |
|
|
10.05% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 10/27/27 |
6,883,303 |
6,358,451 |
Women’s Care Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
9.55% (3 Month Term SOFR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 01/17/28 |
6,705,563 |
6,076,916 |
Florida Food Products LLC |
|
|
10.15% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 5.75%) due 10/18/28††† |
5,643,748 |
4,797,186 |
Kronos Acquisition Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
8.90% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 12/22/26 |
2,911,547 |
2,783,643 |
11.38% (3 Month Term SOFR + 6.00%, Rate Floor: 6.00%) due 12/22/26 |
1,777,500 |
1,724,175 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 49
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
SENIOR FLOATING RATE INTERESTS††,◊ – 29.5% (continued) |
|
|
Consumer, Non-cyclical – 6.4% (continued) |
|
|
Blue Ribbon LLC |
|
|
11.03% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 6.00%, Rate Floor: 6.75%) due 05/08/28 |
6,309,911 |
$ 4,269,728 |
Gibson Brands, Inc. |
|
|
10.25% (3 Month Term SOFR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 5.75%) due 08/11/28 |
4,863,438 |
3,858,311 |
Mission Veterinary Partners |
|
|
5.15% (1 Month USD LIBOR – –%, Rate Floor: 5.15%) due 04/27/28 |
3,940,000 |
3,754,505 |
Inception Holdco SARL |
|
|
8.77% (3 Month EURIBOR + 5.75%, Rate Floor: 5.75%) due 09/26/29††† |
EUR 3,600,000 |
3,726,533 |
National Mentor Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
8.95% ((1 Month Term SOFR + 3.75%) and (3 Month Term SOFR + 3.75%), |
|
|
Rate Floor: 3.75%) due 03/02/28 |
4,312,819 |
3,203,346 |
8.75% (3 Month Term SOFR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 3.75%) due 03/02/28 |
150,000 |
111,413 |
Cambrex Corp. |
|
|
8.75% (1 Month Term SOFR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 3.50%) due 12/04/26 |
3,251,908 |
3,155,976 |
Dhanani Group, Inc. |
|
|
11.17% (1 Month Term SOFR + 6.00%, Rate Floor: 6.00%) due 06/10/27††† |
2,959,091 |
2,929,500 |
Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc. |
|
|
10.00% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 08/23/29 |
2,736,250 |
2,725,989 |
Weber-Stephen Products LLC |
|
|
8.52% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.25%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 10/29/27 |
3,047,722 |
2,651,518 |
PetIQ LLC |
|
|
9.36% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 04/13/28††† |
2,259,750 |
2,112,866 |
Confluent Health LLC |
|
|
9.15% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 11/30/28 |
2,180,592 |
1,769,921 |
Lyons Magnus |
|
|
7.55% (3 Month Term SOFR + 2.50%, Rate Floor: 5.05%) |
|
|
(in-kind rate was 4.25%) due 05/10/2711 |
2,435,719 |
1,741,539 |
Packaging Coordinators Midco, Inc. |
|
|
8.66% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 11/30/27 |
1,764,000 |
1,686,578 |
PlayPower, Inc. |
|
|
10.57% (3 Month Term SOFR + 5.50%, Rate Floor: 5.50%) due 05/08/26 |
2,145,108 |
1,554,131 |
Moran Foods LLC |
|
|
12.21% (6 Month Term SOFR + 7.25%, Rate Floor: 7.25%) due 06/30/26††† |
1,109,051 |
1,061,168 |
14.46% (6 Month Term SOFR + 9.50%, Rate Floor: 9.50%) due 12/31/26††† |
603,044 |
412,980 |
Resonetics LLC |
|
|
9.10% (6 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 04/28/28 |
1,477,500 |
1,417,351 |
EyeCare Partners LLC |
|
|
8.90% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 3.75%) due 02/18/27 |
1,700,223 |
1,317,673 |
Hearthside Group Holdings LLC |
|
|
9.58% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 05/23/25 |
1,388,375 |
1,126,666 |
Stars UK Bidco Ltd. |
|
|
8.00% (6 Month EURIBOR + 5.25%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 08/09/29 |
EUR 1,000,000 |
1,067,964 |
IVC Acquisition Ltd. |
|
|
7.69% (6 Month EURIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 02/13/26 |
EUR 1,000,000 |
1,043,228 |
See notes to financial statements.
50 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
SENIOR FLOATING RATE INTERESTS††,◊ – 29.5% (continued) |
|
|
Consumer, Non-cyclical – 6.4% (continued) |
|
|
Endo Luxembourg Finance Company I SARL |
|
|
14.25% (Commercial Prime Lending Rate + 6.00%, Rate Floor: 7.75%) |
|
|
due 03/27/28 |
1,283,750 |
$ 970,040 |
Zep, Inc. |
|
|
9.16% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 08/12/24 |
923,618 |
777,686 |
Pearl Intermediate Parent LLC |
|
|
8.65% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 02/14/25 |
781,772 |
738,775 |
Balrog Acquisition, Inc. |
|
|
9.53% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 09/05/28 |
716,935 |
703,134 |
Rainbow Finco SARL |
|
|
9.05% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 02/26/29††† |
700,000 |
651,000 |
Snacking Investments US LLC (Arnott’s) |
|
|
9.15% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 12/18/26 |
462,376 |
458,330 |
TGP Holdings LLC |
|
|
8.40% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.25%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 06/29/28 |
376,922 |
310,056 |
Recess Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
9.02% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 09/30/24 |
288,550 |
286,986 |
Triton Water Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
8.66% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 03/31/28 |
224,429 |
212,341 |
Total Consumer, Non-cyclical |
|
94,891,963 |
Industrial – 5.1% |
|
|
Arcline FM Holdings LLC |
|
|
9.91% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 5.50%) due 06/23/28 |
7,190,500 |
6,825,007 |
DXP Enterprises, Inc. |
|
|
10.44% (6 Month Term SOFR + 5.25%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 12/23/27 |
4,445,907 |
4,412,562 |
NA Rail Hold Co. LLC |
|
|
9.25% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 10/19/26 |
4,261,403 |
4,248,107 |
Integrated Power Services Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
9.65% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 11/22/28††† |
3,953,401 |
3,834,799 |
Merlin Buyer, Inc. |
|
|
9.15% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 12/14/28 |
3,960,000 |
3,804,095 |
US Farathane LLC |
|
|
9.41% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 12/23/24 |
3,714,104 |
3,712,544 |
Charter Next Generation, Inc. |
|
|
9.02% (1 Month Term SOFR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 3.75%) due 12/01/27 |
3,714,500 |
3,608,191 |
American Bath Group LLC |
|
|
9.00% (1 Month Term SOFR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 3.75%) due 11/23/27 |
3,676,473 |
3,314,009 |
Mileage Plus Holdings LLC |
|
|
10.21% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 5.25%, Rate Floor: 6.25%) due 06/21/27 |
3,187,500 |
3,296,736 |
PECF USS Intermediate Holding III Corp. |
|
|
9.52% ((1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%) and (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%), |
|
|
Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 12/15/28 |
3,950,000 |
3,065,200 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 51
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
SENIOR FLOATING RATE INTERESTS††,◊ – 29.5% (continued) |
|
|
Industrial – 5.1% (continued) |
|
|
Aegion Corp. |
|
|
9.90% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 5.50%) due 05/17/28 |
3,035,416 |
$ 2,969,639 |
StandardAero |
|
|
8.75% (1 Month Term SOFR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 3.50%) due 04/06/26 |
2,896,212 |
2,822,707 |
ASP Dream Acquisition Co. LLC |
|
|
9.50% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 12/15/28 |
2,475,000 |
2,388,375 |
Minerva Bidco Ltd. |
|
|
8.80% (3 Month GBP SONIA + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 07/30/25 |
GBP 2,000,000 |
2,369,285 |
STS Operating, Inc. (SunSource) |
|
|
9.50% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 12/11/24 |
2,375,132 |
2,352,877 |
CapStone Acquisition Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
10.00% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 11/12/27††† |
2,320,597 |
2,297,390 |
ILPEA Parent, Inc. |
|
|
9.66% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 06/22/28 |
2,244,104 |
2,203,441 |
Atlantic Aviation |
|
|
9.15% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 09/22/28 |
2,194,500 |
2,174,837 |
Mauser Packaging Solutions Holding Co. |
|
|
8.99% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 08/14/26 |
2,200,000 |
2,148,366 |
WP CPP Holdings LLC |
|
|
9.03% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 04/30/25 |
2,276,536 |
1,991,969 |
Dispatch Terra Acquisition LLC |
|
|
9.30% (3 Month Term SOFR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 03/27/28 |
2,063,250 |
1,815,660 |
Pelican Products, Inc. |
|
|
9.41% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 12/29/28 |
1,925,625 |
1,733,063 |
Anchor Packaging LLC |
|
|
8.65% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 07/18/26 |
1,594,436 |
1,548,596 |
Protective Industrial Products, Inc. |
|
|
9.15% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 12/29/27 |
1,347,496 |
1,282,372 |
Transcendia Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
8.65% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 05/30/24 |
1,708,067 |
1,268,957 |
API Holdings III Corp. |
|
|
9.41% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 05/09/26 |
1,540,000 |
1,052,328 |
TK Elevator Midco GmbH |
|
|
8.60% (6 Month USD LIBOR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 07/30/27 |
630,719 |
607,382 |
Valcour Packaging LLC |
|
|
due 10/04/28 |
650,000 |
549,789 |
CPM Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
8.53% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 3.50%) due 11/17/25 |
408,438 |
406,192 |
Osmose Utility Services, Inc. |
|
|
8.15% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.25%, Rate Floor: 3.75%) due 06/23/28 |
298,485 |
284,399 |
Titan Acquisition Ltd. (Husky) |
|
|
8.15% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.00%, Rate Floor: 3.00%) due 03/28/25 |
288,121 |
272,606 |
MI Windows And Doors LLC |
|
|
8.75% (1 Month Term SOFR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 3.50%) due 12/20/27 |
249,264 |
244,436 |
See notes to financial statements.
52 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
SENIOR FLOATING RATE INTERESTS††,◊ – 29.5% (continued) |
|
|
Industrial – 5.1% (continued) |
|
|
TK Elevator Midco GmbH |
|
|
6.21% (1 Month EURIBOR + 3.00%, Rate Floor: 3.00%) due 01/29/27††† |
EUR 237,902 |
$ 238,408 |
Park River Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
8.52% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.25%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 12/28/27 |
237,567 |
222,185 |
Sundyne (Star US Bidco) |
|
|
9.40% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 03/17/27 |
121,209 |
116,967 |
White Cap Supply Holdings LLC |
|
|
8.90% (1 Month Term SOFR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 3.75%) due 10/19/27 |
99,246 |
97,460 |
Air Canada |
|
|
8.84% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 08/11/28 |
82,780 |
82,452 |
Total Industrial |
|
75,663,388 |
Technology – 4.3% |
|
|
Avalara, Inc. |
|
|
12.15% (3 Month Term SOFR + 7.25%, Rate Floor: 7.25%) due 10/19/28††† |
7,000,000 |
6,908,987 |
Project Ruby Ultimate Parent Corp. |
|
|
10.90% (1 Month Term SOFR + 5.75%, Rate Floor: 5.75%) due 03/10/28††† |
4,975,000 |
4,975,751 |
Polaris Newco LLC |
|
|
8.43% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 3.50%) due 06/04/26††† |
4,966,400 |
4,592,424 |
Datix Bidco Ltd. |
|
|
11.93% (6 Month GBP SONIA + 7.75%, Rate Floor: 7.75%) due 04/27/26††† |
GBP 1,775,000 |
2,162,346 |
9.53% (6 Month Term SOFR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 04/28/25††† |
2,001,644 |
1,960,009 |
12.78% (6 Month Term SOFR + 7.75%, Rate Floor: 7.75%) due 04/27/26††† |
300,111 |
293,959 |
24-7 Intouch, Inc. |
|
|
9.90% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 08/25/25 |
4,117,988 |
4,015,039 |
Sitecore Holding III A/S |
|
|
9.19% (3 Month EURIBOR + 6.25%, Rate Floor: 6.25%) due 03/12/26††† |
EUR 1,390,076 |
1,473,544 |
11.37% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 6.25%, Rate Floor: 6.75%) due 03/12/26††† |
637,305 |
631,998 |
11.56% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 6.25%, Rate Floor: 6.75%) due 03/12/26††† |
507,739 |
503,511 |
Indicor LLC |
|
|
9.40% (3 Month Term SOFR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 11/22/29 |
2,600,000 |
2,568,722 |
CDK Global, Inc. |
|
|
9.15% (3 Month Term SOFR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 07/06/29 |
2,493,750 |
2,453,476 |
Apttus Corp. |
|
|
9.52% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 05/08/28 |
2,431,688 |
2,324,085 |
Atlas CC Acquisition Corp. |
|
|
9.78% (3 Month Term SOFR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 05/25/28 |
2,508,352 |
2,208,930 |
Concorde Lux |
|
|
7.05% (3 Month EURIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 03/01/28 |
EUR 2,100,000 |
2,180,251 |
Project Ruby Ultimate Parent Corp. |
|
|
8.52% (1 Month Term SOFR + 3.25%, Rate Floor: 3.25%) due 03/10/28 |
2,254,000 |
2,154,982 |
Misys Ltd. |
|
|
8.65% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 06/13/24 |
2,118,230 |
2,010,073 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 53
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
SENIOR FLOATING RATE INTERESTS††,◊ – 29.5% (continued) |
|
|
Technology – 4.3% (continued) |
|
|
RLDatix |
|
|
12.78% (6 Month Term SOFR + 7.75%, Rate Floor: 7.75%) due 04/27/26††† |
1,387,999 |
$ 1,359,545 |
9.53% (6 Month Term SOFR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 04/28/25††† |
652,084 |
638,521 |
Team.Blue Finco SARL |
|
|
6.72% (3 Month EURIBOR + 3.70%, Rate Floor: 3.70%) due 03/30/28 |
EUR 1,750,000 |
1,807,055 |
Upland Software, Inc. |
|
|
9.00% (1 Month Term SOFR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 3.75%) due 08/06/26 |
1,930,000 |
1,789,477 |
Aston FinCo SARL |
|
|
9.40% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 10/09/26††† |
1,644,750 |
1,373,366 |
9.20% (1 Month GBP SONIA + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 10/09/26††† |
GBP 392,030 |
407,125 |
Wrench Group LLC |
|
|
9.16% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 04/30/26 |
1,759,086 |
1,734,899 |
Brave Parent Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
9.15% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 04/18/25 |
1,743,976 |
1,711,712 |
Navicure, Inc. |
|
|
9.15% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 10/22/26 |
1,495,417 |
1,483,274 |
Precise Midco BV |
|
|
6.96% (3 Month EURIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 05/13/26 |
EUR 1,400,000 |
1,478,059 |
Visma AS |
|
|
6.62% (6 Month EURIBOR + 3.25%, Rate Floor: 3.25%) due 12/03/25††† |
EUR 1,250,000 |
1,309,460 |
Park Place Technologies, LLC |
|
|
10.25% (1 Month Term SOFR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 6.00%) due 11/10/27 |
1,364,557 |
1,308,460 |
CoreLogic, Inc. |
|
|
8.69% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 06/02/28 |
1,264,492 |
1,127,851 |
Greenway Health LLC |
|
|
8.96% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 02/16/24 |
949,622 |
697,023 |
Sitecore USA, Inc. |
|
|
11.37% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 6.25%, Rate Floor: 6.25%) due 03/12/26††† |
560,627 |
555,958 |
Epicor Software |
|
|
8.52% (1 Month Term SOFR + 3.25%, Rate Floor: 3.25%) due 07/30/27 |
487,500 |
473,626 |
Polaris Newco LLC |
|
|
9.16% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 06/02/28 |
338,353 |
302,531 |
Sitecore Holding III A/S |
|
|
7.00% (3 Month Term SOFR + 6.25%, Rate Floor: 7.00%) due 03/09/26 |
218,621 |
216,801 |
Total Technology |
|
63,192,830 |
Financial – 2.7% |
|
|
Higginbotham Insurance Agency, Inc. |
|
|
10.50% (1 Month Term SOFR + 5.25%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 11/25/26††† |
3,687,017 |
3,643,511 |
9.42% (1 Month Term SOFR + 5.25%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 11/25/26††† |
1,754,846 |
1,734,139 |
Eisner Advisory Group |
|
|
10.52% (1 Month Term SOFR + 5.25%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 07/28/28 |
5,350,577 |
5,310,448 |
Franchise Group, Inc. |
|
|
9.97% (3 Month Term SOFR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 5.50%) due 03/10/26 |
3,995,519 |
3,745,799 |
See notes to financial statements.
54 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
SENIOR FLOATING RATE INTERESTS††,◊ – 29.5% (continued) |
|
|
Financial – 2.7% (continued) |
|
|
HighTower Holding LLC |
|
|
9.13% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 04/21/28 |
3,465,494 |
$ 3,257,565 |
Claros Mortgage Trust, Inc. |
|
|
9.67% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 08/10/26 |
3,476,000 |
3,041,500 |
Alter Domus |
|
|
8.56% (1 Month Term SOFR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 3.50%) due 02/17/28††† |
2,744,000 |
2,716,560 |
Eisner Advisory Group |
|
|
10.52% (1 Month Term SOFR + 5.25%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 07/28/28††† |
2,139,250 |
2,123,206 |
Apex Group Treasury LLC |
|
|
9.99% (3 Month Term SOFR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 07/27/28††† |
2,044,875 |
2,003,977 |
Duff & Phelps |
|
|
8.65% (3 Month Term SOFR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 3.75%) due 04/09/27 |
1,945,000 |
1,843,490 |
Cobham Ultra SeniorCo SARL |
|
|
8.56% (6 Month USD LIBOR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 08/06/29 |
1,741,261 |
1,692,506 |
Avison Young (Canada), Inc. |
|
|
11.02% (1 Month Term SOFR + 5.75%, Rate Floor: 5.75%) due 01/31/26 |
2,311,659 |
1,632,031 |
Aretec Group, Inc. |
|
|
9.50% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 10/01/25 |
1,627,750 |
1,619,611 |
Jones Deslauriers Insurance Management, Inc. |
|
|
9.29% (3 Month Canada Banker Acceptance + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) |
|
|
due 03/27/28††† |
CAD 2,227,770 |
1,608,629 |
Nexus Buyer LLC |
|
|
9.00% (1 Month Term SOFR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 3.75%) due 11/09/26 |
1,644,750 |
1,535,489 |
Asurion LLC |
|
|
9.50% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 08/20/28 |
1,400,000 |
1,286,250 |
Sandy Bidco BV |
|
|
7.59% (6 Month EURIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 08/17/29 |
EUR 1,100,000 |
1,156,182 |
Total Financial |
|
39,950,893 |
Communications – 1.7% |
|
|
FirstDigital Communications LLC |
|
|
9.44% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) due 12/17/26††† |
8,000,000 |
7,809,350 |
Syndigo LLC |
|
|
9.65% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 12/15/27 |
4,508,000 |
4,192,440 |
Flight Bidco, Inc. |
|
|
12.77% (1 Month Term SOFR + 7.50%, Rate Floor: 7.50%) due 07/23/26 |
3,715,000 |
3,324,925 |
8.77% (1 Month Term SOFR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 3.50%) due 07/23/25 |
431,910 |
395,737 |
Xplornet Communications, Inc. |
|
|
9.15% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 10/02/28 |
4,580,250 |
3,621,650 |
Conterra Ultra Broadband Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
10.01% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 04/30/26 |
2,417,641 |
2,234,819 |
McGraw Hill LLC |
|
|
9.94% ((1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%) and (6 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%), |
|
|
Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 07/28/28 |
985,000 |
922,620 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 55
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
SENIOR FLOATING RATE INTERESTS††,◊ – 29.5% (continued) |
|
|
Communications – 1.7% (continued) |
|
|
Recorded Books, Inc. |
|
|
9.14% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 08/29/25 |
846,831 |
$ 834,975 |
Titan AcquisitionCo New Zealand Ltd. (Trade Me) |
|
|
9.16% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 10/18/28 |
445,500 |
434,919 |
Cengage Learning Acquisitions, Inc. |
|
|
9.88% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 5.75%) due 07/14/26 |
443,250 |
417,599 |
Total Communications |
|
24,189,034 |
Basic Materials – 1.2% |
|
|
Barentz Midco BV |
|
|
9.00% (3 Month Term SOFR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 11/30/27 |
3,226,488 |
3,129,693 |
Vector WP Holdco, Inc. |
|
|
10.19% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 5.75%) due 10/12/28 |
3,076,063 |
3,029,922 |
LTI Holdings, Inc. |
|
|
9.90% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 07/24/26 |
2,973,344 |
2,856,283 |
Ascend Performance Materials Operations LLC |
|
|
9.71% (6 Month Term SOFR + 4.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 08/27/26 |
2,460,595 |
2,338,082 |
DCG Acquisition Corp. |
|
|
9.75% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 09/30/26 |
1,933,634 |
1,870,791 |
Eden S.A.S. |
|
|
8.14% (3 Month EURIBOR + 5.13%, Rate Floor: 5.13%) due 06/22/29 |
EUR 1,400,000 |
1,481,561 |
NIC Acquisition Corp. |
|
|
8.91% (3 Month Term SOFR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 3.75%) due 12/29/27 |
1,043,229 |
801,054 |
Pregis TopCo LLC |
|
|
8.90% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 07/31/26 |
659,950 |
644,111 |
GrafTech Finance, Inc. |
|
|
8.15% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.00%, Rate Floor: 3.50%) due 02/12/25 |
586,517 |
582,851 |
Schur Flexibles GmbH |
|
|
8.78% ((3 Month EURIBOR + 5.50%) and (6 Month EURIBOR + 5.50%), |
|
|
Rate Floor: 5.50%) due 09/28/27 |
EUR 312,500 |
243,296 |
Noranda Aluminum Acquisition Corp. |
|
|
due 02/28/1910 |
463,989 |
1,183 |
Total Basic Materials |
|
16,978,827 |
Energy – 0.4% |
|
|
Par Petroleum LLC |
|
|
9.61% (3 Month Term SOFR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 4.25%) due 02/28/30 |
3,900,000 |
3,793,959 |
Venture Global Calcasieu Pass LLC |
|
|
7.88% (1 Month Term SOFR + 2.63%, Rate Floor: 2.63%) due 08/19/26 |
943,613 |
937,130 |
Permian Production Partners LLC |
|
|
11.16% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 6.00%, Rate Floor: 9.16%) (in-kind rate was 2.00%) |
|
|
due 11/24/25†††,11 |
371,660 |
369,802 |
Total Energy |
|
5,100,891 |
See notes to financial statements.
56 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
SENIOR FLOATING RATE INTERESTS††,◊ – 29.5% (continued) |
|
|
Utilities – 0.3% |
|
|
Oregon Clean Energy LLC |
|
|
8.75% (3 Month Term SOFR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 3.75%) due 03/01/26 |
1,978,775 |
$ 1,918,858 |
Franklin Energy (KAMC Holdings, Inc.) |
|
|
9.73% (6 Month Term SOFR + 4.00%, Rate Floor: 4.00%) due 08/14/26 |
1,592,250 |
1,352,091 |
Granite Generation LLC |
|
|
8.90% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.75%, Rate Floor: 4.75%) due 11/09/26 |
595,021 |
563,996 |
Hamilton Projects Acquiror LLC |
|
|
9.66% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) due 06/17/27 |
510,943 |
502,641 |
EIF Channelview Cogeneration LLC |
|
|
9.41% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 4.25%, Rate Floor: 5.25%) due 05/03/25 |
197,842 |
196,781 |
Total Utilities |
|
4,534,367 |
Total Senior Floating Rate Interests |
|
|
(Cost $465,141,911) |
|
434,163,526 |
ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES†† – 17.9% |
|
|
Collateralized Loan Obligations – 7.2% |
|
|
Madison Park Funding LIII Ltd. |
|
|
2022-53A E, 11.06% (3 Month Term SOFR + 6.00%, Rate Floor: 6.00%) |
|
|
due 04/21/35◊,5 |
18,500,000 |
16,725,685 |
Palmer Square Loan Funding Ltd. |
|
|
2022-1A D, 9.99% (3 Month Term SOFR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) |
|
|
due 04/15/30◊,5 |
8,750,000 |
7,793,306 |
2021-3A D, 10.25% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) |
|
|
due 07/20/29◊,5 |
7,000,000 |
6,414,630 |
2021-2A D, 10.38% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 5.00%, Rate Floor: 5.00%) |
|
|
due 05/20/29◊,5 |
2,000,000 |
1,831,511 |
CIFC Funding Ltd. |
|
|
2021-4RA DR, 12.25% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 7.00%, Rate Floor: 7.00%) |
|
|
due 01/17/35◊,5 |
11,000,000 |
9,735,387 |
2022-3A E, 12.33% (3 Month Term SOFR + 7.27%, Rate Floor: 7.27%) |
|
|
due 04/21/35◊,5 |
2,000,000 |
1,872,521 |
Boyce Park CLO Ltd. |
|
|
2022-1A E, 11.31% (3 Month Term SOFR + 6.25%, Rate Floor: 6.25%) |
|
|
due 04/21/35◊,5 |
10,000,000 |
8,934,543 |
Fortress Credit Opportunities IX CLO Ltd. |
|
|
2021-9A DR, 9.21% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.95%, Rate Floor: 3.95%) |
|
|
due 10/15/33◊,5 |
8,000,000 |
7,392,810 |
Carlyle Global Market Strategies |
|
|
2022-1A E, 12.34% (3 Month Term SOFR + 7.35%, Rate Floor: 7.35%) |
|
|
due 04/15/35◊,5 |
5,500,000 |
5,007,564 |
LoanCore Issuer Ltd. |
|
|
2019-CRE2 AS, 6.61% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 1.50%, Rate Floor: 1.50%) |
|
|
due 05/15/36◊,5 |
2,719,492 |
2,704,613 |
2021-CRE4 B, 6.24% (30 Day Average SOFR + 1.36%, Rate Floor: 1.36%) |
|
|
due 07/15/35◊,5 |
2,350,000 |
2,215,822 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 57
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES†† – 17.9% (continued) |
|
|
Collateralized Loan Obligations – 7.2% (continued) |
|
|
Neuberger Berman Loan Advisers CLO 47 Ltd. |
|
|
2022-47A E, 11.24% (3 Month Term SOFR + 6.25%, Rate Floor: 6.25%) |
|
|
due 04/14/35◊,5 |
4,250,000 |
$ 3,941,402 |
Fontainbleau Vegas |
|
|
10.43% (1 Month Term SOFR + 5.65%, Rate Floor: 5.65%) due 01/31/26◊,††† |
3,434,806 |
3,434,806 |
ACRES Commercial Realty Ltd. |
|
|
2021-FL2 C, 7.76% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 2.65%, Rate Floor: 2.65%) |
|
|
due 01/15/37◊,5 |
1,750,000 |
1,638,490 |
2021-FL2 D, 8.21% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 3.10%, Rate Floor: 3.10%) |
|
|
due 01/15/37◊,5 |
1,750,000 |
1,613,920 |
Voya CLO Ltd. |
|
|
2022-1A SUB, due 04/20/355,12 |
3,650,000 |
2,656,430 |
2013-1A INC, due 10/15/305,12 |
3,000,000 |
232,350 |
ABPCI Direct Lending Fund CLO II LLC |
|
|
2021-1A DR, 9.75% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 4.50%, Rate Floor: 4.50%) |
|
|
due 04/20/32◊,5 |
3,000,000 |
2,835,032 |
Diamond CLO Ltd. |
|
|
2018-1A D, 8.97% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.70%, Rate Floor: 3.70%) |
|
|
due 07/22/30◊,5 |
2,646,007 |
2,627,450 |
Cerberus Loan Funding XL LLC |
|
|
2023-1A D, 11.19% (3 Month Term SOFR + 6.40%, Rate Floor: 6.40%) |
|
|
due 03/22/35◊,5 |
2,500,000 |
2,503,452 |
LCCM Trust |
|
|
2021-FL2 C, 7.26% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 2.15%, Rate Floor: 2.15%) |
|
|
due 12/13/38◊,5 |
2,600,000 |
2,361,635 |
FS Rialto Issuer LLC |
|
|
2022-FL6 C, 9.30% (1 Month Term SOFR + 4.23%, Rate Floor: 4.23%) |
|
|
due 08/17/37◊,5 |
2,250,000 |
2,227,117 |
Golub Capital Partners CLO 49M Ltd. |
|
|
2021-49A D, 9.10% (3 Month USD LIBOR + 3.85%, Rate Floor: 3.85%) |
|
|
due 08/26/33◊,5 |
2,250,000 |
2,039,207 |
Carlyle US CLO Ltd. |
|
|
2022-4A DR, 11.59% (3 Month Term SOFR + 6.60%, Rate Floor: 6.60%) |
|
|
due 04/15/35◊,5 |
2,000,000 |
1,789,367 |
FS Rialto |
|
|
2021-FL2 C, 7.16% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 2.05%, Rate Floor: 2.05%) |
|
|
due 05/16/38◊,5 |
1,400,000 |
1,302,690 |
Dryden 50 Senior Loan Fund |
|
|
2017-50A SUB, due 07/15/305,12 |
3,555,000 |
1,048,263 |
Carlyle Global Market Strategies CLO Ltd. |
|
|
2012-3A SUB, due 01/14/325,12 |
2,600,000 |
585,520 |
Dryden Senior Loan Fund, |
|
|
due 01/15/3112 |
2,998,799 |
513,097 |
Great Lakes CLO Ltd. |
|
|
2014-1A SUB, due 10/15/295,12 |
1,153,846 |
443,523 |
See notes to financial statements.
58 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES†† – 17.9% (continued) |
|
|
Collateralized Loan Obligations – 7.2% (continued) |
|
|
KVK CLO Ltd. |
|
|
2013-1A SUB, due 01/14/285,12 |
2,300,000 |
$ 352,298 |
Dryden 41 Senior Loan Fund |
|
|
2015-41A SUB, due 04/15/315,12 |
1,850,000 |
319,537 |
Dryden 37 Senior Loan Fund |
|
|
2015-37A SUB, due 01/15/315,12 |
1,050,000 |
179,656 |
A10 Permanent Asset Financing LLC |
|
|
2017-II C1, 6.24% (WAC) due 06/15/51◊,5 |
250,000 |
164,588 |
Babson CLO Ltd. |
|
|
2014-IA SUB, due 07/20/255,12 |
2,923,125 |
149,956 |
Marathon CLO V Ltd. |
|
|
2013-5A SUB, due 11/21/275,12 |
3,566,667 |
113,420 |
Atlas Senior Loan Fund IX Ltd. |
|
|
2018-9A SUB, due 04/20/285,12 |
2,600,000 |
76,773 |
Venture XIII CLO Ltd. |
|
|
2013-13A SUB, due 09/10/295,12 |
1,500,000 |
76,360 |
Treman Park CLO Ltd. |
|
|
2015-1A COM, due 10/20/285,12 |
814,751 |
18,153 |
OHA Credit Partners IX Ltd. |
|
|
2013-9A ACOM, due 10/20/255,12 |
602,740 |
663 |
West CLO Ltd. |
|
|
2013-1A SUB, due 11/07/255,12 |
1,350,000 |
135 |
Total Collateralized Loan Obligations |
|
105,873,682 |
Transport-Aircraft – 4.5% |
|
|
Sprite Ltd. |
|
|
2021-1, 3.75% due 11/15/465 |
13,314,027 |
11,885,046 |
GAIA Aviation Ltd. |
|
|
2019-1, 3.97% due 12/15/445,13 |
10,168,416 |
8,897,517 |
Project Silver |
|
|
2019-1, 3.97% due 07/15/445 |
8,954,795 |
7,522,117 |
KDAC Aviation Finance Ltd. |
|
|
2017-1A, 4.21% due 12/15/425 |
8,232,411 |
6,843,932 |
AASET Trust |
|
|
2021-2A, 2.80% due 01/15/475 |
3,998,013 |
3,420,300 |
2019-2, 4.46% due 10/16/395 |
3,524,131 |
1,240,776 |
2019-1, 3.84% due 05/15/395 |
1,073,196 |
772,731 |
2020-1A, 4.34% due 01/16/405 |
1,111,510 |
557,473 |
2020-1A, 3.35% due 01/16/405 |
589,469 |
495,338 |
Labrador Aviation Finance Ltd. |
|
|
2016-1A, 4.30% due 01/15/425 |
4,615,606 |
3,761,083 |
Start Ltd. |
|
|
2018-1, 4.09% due 05/15/435 |
1,982,454 |
1,724,894 |
2018-1, 5.32% due 05/15/435 |
1,976,829 |
1,505,369 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 59
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES†† – 17.9% (continued) |
|
|
Transport-Aircraft – 4.5% (continued) |
|
|
Castlelake Aircraft Structured Trust |
|
|
2021-1A, 6.66% due 01/15/465 |
3,456,734 |
$ 2,824,151 |
Castlelake Aircraft Securitization Trust |
|
|
2018-1, 4.13% due 06/15/435 |
1,524,632 |
1,377,095 |
2019-1A, 3.97% due 04/15/395 |
1,353,520 |
1,202,886 |
JOL Air Ltd. |
|
|
2019-1, 3.97% due 04/15/445 |
2,906,917 |
2,575,586 |
MACH 1 Cayman Ltd. |
|
|
2019-1, 3.47% due 10/15/395 |
2,523,598 |
2,118,813 |
Start II Ltd. |
|
|
2019-1, 4.09% due 03/15/445 |
2,101,200 |
1,858,110 |
WAVE LLC |
|
|
2019-1, 3.60% due 09/15/445 |
2,099,484 |
1,728,169 |
Falcon Aerospace Ltd. |
|
|
2019-1, 3.60% due 09/15/395 |
1,032,250 |
872,581 |
2017-1, 6.30% due 02/15/425 |
800,405 |
701,383 |
Sapphire Aviation Finance II Ltd. |
|
|
2020-1A, 4.34% due 03/15/405 |
1,870,268 |
1,313,872 |
MAPS Ltd. |
|
|
2019-1A, 4.46% due 03/15/445 |
747,484 |
668,968 |
Sapphire Aviation Finance I Ltd. |
|
|
2018-1A, 4.25% due 03/15/405 |
559,342 |
465,663 |
Castlelake Aircraft Securitization Trust |
|
|
2014-1, due 12/31/30††† |
3,054,105 |
262,868 |
Total Transport-Aircraft |
|
66,596,721 |
Financial – 2.2% |
|
|
Lightning A |
|
|
5.50% due 03/01/37††† |
9,551,085 |
8,970,540 |
Thunderbird A |
|
|
5.50% due 03/01/37††† |
9,506,745 |
8,928,895 |
Ceamer Finance LLC |
|
|
6.92% due 11/15/37††† |
3,974,580 |
3,868,520 |
3.69% due 03/22/31††† |
3,782,975 |
3,496,571 |
KKR Core Holding Company LLC |
|
|
4.00% due 08/12/31††† |
2,829,763 |
2,498,037 |
Nassau LLC |
|
|
2019-1, 3.98% due 08/15/345 |
1,183,228 |
1,126,386 |
Lightning B |
|
|
7.50% due 03/01/37††† |
1,216,412 |
1,115,948 |
Thunderbird B |
|
|
7.50% due 03/01/37††† |
1,210,765 |
1,110,767 |
Bib Merchant Voucher Receivables Ltd. |
|
|
4.18% due 04/07/28††† |
871,876 |
840,483 |
See notes to financial statements.
60 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES†† – 17.9% (continued) |
|
|
Financial – 2.2% (continued) |
|
|
Aesf Vi Verdi, LP |
|
|
2.15% (3 Month EURIBOR + 2.15%, Rate Floor: 2.15%) due 11/25/24◊,††† |
EUR 185,441 |
$ 198,211 |
Total Financial |
|
32,154,358 |
Whole Business – 1.1% |
|
|
Five Guys Funding LLC |
|
|
2017-1A, 4.60% due 07/25/475 |
4,531,000 |
4,412,261 |
TSGE |
|
|
2017-1, 6.25% due 09/25/31††† |
4,580,187 |
4,287,827 |
Applebee’s Funding LLC / IHOP Funding LLC |
|
|
2019-1A, 4.72% due 06/05/495 |
3,762,000 |
3,491,632 |
SERVPRO Master Issuer LLC |
|
|
2019-1A, 3.88% due 10/25/495 |
1,978,250 |
1,813,826 |
Sonic Capital LLC |
|
|
2020-1A, 3.85% due 01/20/505 |
1,215,625 |
1,108,175 |
2020-1A, 4.34% due 01/20/505 |
778,000 |
685,567 |
Wingstop Funding LLC |
|
|
2020-1A, 2.84% due 12/05/505 |
98,750 |
85,790 |
Total Whole Business |
|
15,885,078 |
Net Lease – 1.1% |
|
|
Capital Automotive LLC |
|
|
2017-1A, due 04/15/475 |
9,044,028 |
8,821,782 |
CARS-DB4, LP |
|
|
2020-1A, 4.95% due 02/15/505 |
5,260,000 |
4,404,417 |
SVC ABS LLC |
|
|
2023-1A, 5.55% due 02/20/535 |
3,697,688 |
3,460,054 |
Total Net Lease |
|
16,686,253 |
Infrastructure – 1.0% |
|
|
VB-S1 Issuer LLC – VBTEL |
|
|
2022-1A, 5.27% due 02/15/525 |
8,000,000 |
7,184,970 |
Hotwire Funding LLC |
|
|
2021-1, 4.46% due 11/20/515 |
5,250,000 |
4,430,963 |
Vault DI Issuer LLC |
|
|
2021-1A, 2.80% due 07/15/465 |
1,850,000 |
1,576,080 |
Blue Stream Issuer LLC |
|
|
2023-1A, 6.90% due 05/20/53†††,5 |
1,000,000 |
962,581 |
Total Infrastructure |
|
14,154,594 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 61
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES†† – 17.9% (continued) |
|
|
Single Family Residence – 0.7% |
|
|
FirstKey Homes Trust |
|
|
2022-SFR3, 4.50% due 07/17/385 |
3,200,000 |
$ 3,042,502 |
2020-SFR2, 4.00% due 10/19/375 |
3,050,000 |
2,778,445 |
2020-SFR2, 4.50% due 10/19/375 |
3,000,000 |
2,747,118 |
2020-SFR2, 3.37% due 10/19/375 |
1,900,000 |
1,725,999 |
Total Single Family Residence |
|
10,294,064 |
Insurance – 0.1% |
|
|
CHEST |
|
|
7.13% due 03/15/43††† |
1,500,000 |
1,486,252 |
CBC Insurance Revenue Securitization LLC |
|
|
2016-1, 5.25% due 07/15/469 |
293,536 |
266,230 |
Total Insurance |
|
1,752,482 |
Collateralized Debt Obligations – 0.0% |
|
|
Anchorage Credit Funding 4 Ltd. |
|
|
2021-4A CR, 3.52% due 04/27/395 |
1,000,000 |
824,218 |
Transport-Rail – 0.0% |
|
|
Trinity Rail Leasing, LP |
|
|
2009-1A, 6.66% due 11/16/395 |
109,501 |
109,508 |
Total Asset-Backed Securities |
|
|
(Cost $285,915,205) |
|
264,330,958 |
COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS†† – 5.1% |
|
|
Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities – 2.3% |
|
|
LSTAR Securities Investment Ltd. |
|
|
2023-1, 8.31% (SOFR + 3.50%, Rate Floor: 0.00%) due 01/01/28◊,5 |
7,434,715 |
7,364,448 |
Carrington Mortgage Loan Trust Series |
|
|
2006-NC5, 5.29% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 0.15%, |
|
|
Rate Cap/Floor: 14.50%/0.15%) due 01/25/37◊ |
4,138,294 |
3,553,790 |
Finance of America HECM Buyout |
|
|
2022-HB2, 6.00% (WAC) due 08/01/32◊,5 |
3,800,000 |
3,494,907 |
CFMT LLC |
|
|
2022-HB9, 3.25% (WAC) due 09/25/37◊,9 |
3,400,000 |
2,761,230 |
New Residential Mortgage Loan Trust |
|
|
2022-NQM5, 6.50% due 11/25/525,13 |
2,309,288 |
2,287,316 |
WaMu Asset-Backed Certificates WaMu Series |
|
|
2007-HE4, 5.31% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 0.17%, Rate Floor: 0.17%) |
|
|
due 07/25/47◊ |
1,658,931 |
1,132,596 |
2007-HE4, 5.39% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 0.25%, Rate Floor: 0.25%) |
|
|
due 07/25/47◊ |
936,510 |
552,119 |
2007-HE2, 5.33% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 0.19%, Rate Floor: 0.19%) |
|
|
due 04/25/37◊ |
1,367,603 |
518,808 |
GCAT Trust |
|
|
2022-NQM5, 5.71% due 08/25/675,13 |
2,082,583 |
2,015,956 |
62 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS†† – 5.1% (continued) |
|
|
Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities – 2.3% (continued) |
|
|
Lehman XS Trust Series |
|
|
2006-18N, 5.50% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 0.36%, Rate Floor: 0.36%) |
|
|
due 12/25/36◊ |
2,042,851 |
$ 1,976,144 |
BRAVO Residential Funding Trust |
|
|
2022-NQM3, 5.50% (WAC) due 07/25/62◊,5 |
1,741,634 |
1,668,563 |
PRPM LLC |
|
|
2023-1, 6.88% (WAC) due 02/25/28◊,5 |
1,639,191 |
1,626,180 |
PRKCM Trust |
|
|
2022-AFC2, 6.14% (WAC) due 08/25/57◊,5 |
1,296,530 |
1,273,507 |
OBX Trust |
|
|
2022-NQM8, 6.10% due 09/25/625,13 |
1,161,117 |
1,142,493 |
Citigroup Mortgage Loan Trust |
|
|
2022-A, 6.17% due 09/25/625,13 |
1,088,584 |
1,077,300 |
JP Morgan Mortgage Acquisition Trust |
|
|
2006-WMC4, 5.27% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 0.13%, Rate Floor: 0.13%) |
|
|
due 12/25/36◊ |
1,466,779 |
860,675 |
CSMC Trust |
|
|
2020-RPL5, 3.02% (WAC) due 08/25/60◊,5 |
822,915 |
808,239 |
Total Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities |
|
34,114,271 |
Government Agency – 1.9% |
|
|
Fannie Mae |
|
|
4.00% due 07/01/521 |
15,914,858 |
15,188,184 |
Freddie Mac |
|
|
4.00% due 06/01/521 |
12,342,529 |
11,743,062 |
Total Government Agency |
|
26,931,246 |
Military Housing – 0.6% |
|
|
Freddie Mac Military Housing Bonds Resecuritization Trust Certificates |
|
|
2015-R1, 0.70% (WAC) due 11/25/55◊,5,14 |
72,340,749 |
4,425,983 |
2015-R1, 5.94% (WAC) due 11/25/52◊,9 |
3,434,670 |
2,925,516 |
Capmark Military Housing Trust |
|
|
2007-AETC, 5.75% due 02/10/52†††,5 |
1,523,733 |
1,438,536 |
2007-AET2, 6.06% due 10/10/52†††,5 |
457,865 |
446,787 |
Total Military Housing |
|
9,236,822 |
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities – 0.3% |
|
|
BX Trust |
|
|
2023-DELC, due 06/15/38◊,5 |
2,750,000 |
2,743,987 |
GS Mortgage Securities Corporation Trust |
|
|
2020-DUNE, 7.61% (1 Month USD LIBOR + 2.50%, Rate Floor: 2.50%) |
|
|
due 12/15/36◊,5 |
2,000,000 |
1,863,713 |
Total Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities |
|
4,607,700 |
Total Collateralized Mortgage Obligations |
|
|
(Cost $78,824,276) |
|
74,890,039 |
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 63
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Face |
|
|
Amount~ |
Value |
U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES†† – 1.2% |
|
|
U.S. Treasury Bonds |
|
|
due 08/15/511,15,16 |
32,650,000 |
$ 11,205,726 |
due 05/15/441,15,16 |
5,030,000 |
2,160,638 |
due 11/15/441,15,16 |
5,030,000 |
2,113,921 |
due 02/15/4615,16,17 |
5,060,000 |
2,029,733 |
Total U.S. Government Securities |
|
|
(Cost $20,490,206) |
|
17,510,018 |
CONVERTIBLE BONDS†† – 0.2% |
|
|
Consumer, Non-cyclical – 0.1% |
|
|
Block, Inc. |
|
|
due 05/01/2615 |
2,840,000 |
2,347,260 |
Communications – 0.1% |
|
|
Cable One, Inc. |
|
|
due 03/15/2615 |
1,250,000 |
1,011,875 |
Total Convertible Bonds |
|
|
(Cost $3,538,009) |
|
3,359,135 |
FOREIGN GOVERNMENT DEBT†† – 0.2% |
|
|
Panama Government International Bond |
|
|
4.50% due 01/19/631 |
4,150,000 |
2,976,902 |
Total Foreign Government Debt |
|
|
(Cost $4,124,373) |
|
2,976,902 |
MUNICIPAL BONDS†† – 0.0% |
|
|
Oklahoma – 0.0% |
|
|
Oklahoma Development Finance Authority Revenue Bonds |
|
|
5.45% due 08/15/28 |
400,000 |
340,646 |
Total Municipal Bonds |
|
|
(Cost $400,000) |
|
340,646 |
SENIOR FIXED RATE INTERESTS†† – 0.0% |
|
|
Industrial – 0.0% |
|
|
Schur Flexibles GmbH |
|
|
12.20% due 09/30/26 |
EUR 160,701 |
163,622 |
5.50% due 09/30/26 |
EUR 111,277 |
113,299 |
11.94% due 09/30/26 |
EUR 28,407 |
28,923 |
Total Industrial |
|
305,844 |
Total Senior Fixed Rate Interests |
|
|
(Cost $305,931) |
|
305,844 |
64 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Notional |
|
|
Value~ |
Value |
OTC OPTIONS PURCHASED†† – 0.0% |
|
|
Call Options on: |
|
|
Morgan Stanley Capital Services LLC |
|
|
10Y-2Y SOFR CMS CAP Expiring December 2023 with strike price of $0.10 |
41,200,000 |
$ 102,325 |
Barclays Bank plc |
|
|
10Y-2Y SOFR CMS CAP Expiring December 2023 with strike price of $0.20 |
41,200,000 |
102,325 |
Goldman Sachs International |
|
|
10Y-2Y SOFR CMS CAP Expiring June 2024 with strike price of $0.10 |
44,500,000 |
152,450 |
Morgan Stanley Capital Services LLC |
|
|
10Y-2Y SOFR CMS CAP Expiring June 2024 with strike price of $0.10 |
41,200,000 |
141,144 |
Barclays Bank plc |
|
|
10Y-2Y SOFR CMS CAP Expiring June 2024 with strike price of $0.10 |
40,800,000 |
139,774 |
Goldman Sachs International |
|
|
10Y-2Y SOFR CMS CAP Expiring December 2023 with strike price of $0.20 |
44,500,000 |
110,521 |
Bank of America, N.A. |
|
|
10Y-2Y SOFR CMS CAP Expiring June 2024 with strike price of $0.10 |
20,600,000 |
70,572 |
Bank of America, N.A. |
|
|
10Y-2Y SOFR CMS CAP Expiring December 2023 with strike price of $0.20 |
20,200,000 |
50,169 |
Total OTC Options Purchased |
|
|
(Cost $1,257,721) |
|
869,280 |
Total Investments – 121.6% |
|
|
(Cost $1,973,974,512) |
|
$ 1,791,777,034 |
|
Contracts |
|
LISTED OPTIONS WRITTEN† – (0.2)% |
|
|
Call Options on: |
|
|
SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust |
|
|
Expiring June 2023 with strike price of $421.00 (Notional Value $1,002,840) |
24 |
(8,724) |
Russell 2000 Index |
|
|
Expiring June 2023 with strike price of $1,770.00 (Notional Value $31,843,630) |
182 |
(418,600) |
S&P 500 Index |
|
|
Expiring June 2023 with strike price of $4,115.00 (Notional Value $32,602,674) |
78 |
(792,090) |
NASDAQ-100 Index |
|
|
Expiring June 2023 with strike price of $13,550.00 (Notional Value $34,209,816) |
24 |
(1,902,720) |
Total Listed Options Written |
|
|
(Premiums received $2,159,447) |
|
(3,122,134) |
Other Assets & Liabilities, net – (21.4)% |
|
(314,961,080) |
Total Net Assets – 100.0% |
|
$ 1,473,693,820 |
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 65
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
CENTRALLY CLEARED CREDIT DEFAULT SWAP AGREEMENTS PROTECTION PURCHASED†† |
|
|
|
|
|
Protection |
|
|
|
|
Upfront |
|
|
|
|
Premium |
Payment |
Maturity |
Notional |
|
Premiums |
Unrealized |
Counterparty |
Exchange |
Index |
Rate |
Frequency |
Date |
Amount |
Value |
Received |
Depreciation** |
BofA Securities, |
ICE |
ITRAXX.EUR.38.V1 |
1.00% |
Quarterly |
12/20/27 |
$63,300,000 |
$(670,881) |
$(369,967) |
$(300,914) |
Inc. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CENTRALLY CLEARED INTEREST RATE SWAP AGREEMENTS†† |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Floating |
Floating |
|
|
|
|
|
Upfront |
|
|
Rate |
Rate |
Fixed |
Payment |
Maturity |
Notional |
|
Premiums |
Unrealized |
Counterparty |
Exchange |
Type |
Index |
Rate |
Frequency |
Date |
Amount |
Value |
Paid |
Depreciation** |
BofA Securities, |
CME |
Pay |
U.S. Secured |
2.78% |
Annually |
07/18/27 |
$143,900,000 |
$(4,675,095) |
$781 |
$(4,675,876) |
Inc. |
|
|
Overnight |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Financing Rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FORWARD FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE CONTRACTS†† |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unrealized |
|
|
|
|
Contract |
Settlement |
Appreciation |
Counterparty |
Currency |
Type |
Quantity |
Amount |
Date |
(Depreciation) |
Barclays Bank plc |
EUR |
Sell |
31,415,000 |
34,157,184 USD |
06/16/23 |
$ 547,682 |
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. |
GBP |
Sell |
17,345,000 |
21,614,021 USD |
06/16/23 |
34,983 |
Goldman Sachs International |
CAD |
Sell |
5,174,000 |
3,817,591 USD |
06/16/23 |
3,776 |
Citibank, N.A. |
EUR |
Sell |
189,000 |
205,920 USD |
06/30/23 |
3,546 |
UBS AG |
GBP |
Buy |
60,000 |
74,954 USD |
06/16/23 |
(307) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ 589,680 |
~ |
|
The
face amount is denominated in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated. |
* |
|
Non-income
producing security. |
** |
|
Includes
cumulative appreciation (depreciation). Variation margin is reported within the Statement of |
|
|
Assets
and Liabilities. |
† |
|
Value
determined based on Level 1 inputs, unless otherwise noted — See Note 6. |
†† |
|
Value
determined based on Level 2 inputs, unless otherwise noted — See Note 6. |
††† |
|
Value
determined based on Level 3 inputs — See Note 6. |
◊ |
|
Variable
rate security. Rate indicated is the rate effective at May 31, 2023. In some instances, the effective |
|
|
rate
is limited by a minimum rate floor or a maximum rate cap established by the issuer. The settlement |
|
|
status
of a position may also impact the effective rate indicated. In some cases, a position may be unsettled |
|
|
at
period end and may not have a stated effective rate. In instances where multiple underlying reference |
|
|
rates
and spread amounts are shown, the effective rate is based on a weighted average. |
1 |
|
All
or a portion of these securities have been physically segregated in connection with borrowings, options, |
|
|
reverse
repurchase agreements and unfunded loan commitments. As of May 31, 2023, the total value of |
|
|
segregated
securities was $605,679,352. |
2 |
|
Special
Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC). |
3 |
|
Affiliated
issuer. |
4 |
|
Security
has a fixed rate coupon which will convert to a floating or variable rate coupon on a future date. |
5 |
|
Security
is a 144A or Section 4(a)(2) security. These securities have been determined to be liquid under |
|
|
guidelines
established by the Board of Trustees. The total market value of 144A or Section 4(a)(2) securities |
|
|
is
$777,940,839 (cost $868,325,206), or 52.8% of total net assets. |
66 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
6 |
|
Rate
indicated is the 7-day yield as of May 31, 2023. |
7 |
|
Variable
rate security. Rate indicated is the rate effective at May 31, 2023. The rate is linked to the volatility- |
|
|
adjusted
performance of the series 1 securities due 2069 of the underlying company, Alphas Managed |
|
|
Accounts
Platform LXXIX Limited. |
8 |
|
Perpetual
maturity. |
9 |
|
Security
is a 144A or Section 4(a)(2) security. These securities have been determined to be illiquid and |
|
|
restricted
under guidelines established by the Board of Trustees. The total market value of 144A or Section |
|
|
4(a)(2)
illiquid and restricted securities is $6,318,021 (cost $9,835,663), or 0.4% of total net assets — |
|
|
See
Note 12. |
10 |
|
Security
is in default of interest and/or principal obligations. |
11 |
|
Payment-in-kind
security. |
12 |
|
Security
has no stated coupon. However, it is expected to receive residual cash flow payments on defined |
|
|
deal
dates. |
13 |
|
Security
is a step up/down bond. The coupon increases or decreases at regular intervals until the bond |
|
|
reaches
full maturity. Rate indicated is the rate at May 31, 2023. See table below for additional step |
|
|
information
for each security. |
14 |
|
Security
is an interest-only strip. |
15 |
|
Zero
coupon rate security. |
16 |
|
Security
is a principal-only strip. |
17 |
|
All
or a portion of this security is pledged as equity index swap collateral at May 31, 2023. |
BofA |
Bank
of America |
CAD |
Canadian
Dollar |
CME |
Chicago
Mercantile Exchange |
CMS |
Constant
Maturity Swap |
EUR |
Euro |
EURIBOR |
European
Interbank Offered Rate |
GBP |
British
Pound |
ICE |
Intercontinental
Exchange |
ITRAXX.EUR.38.V1 |
iTraxx
Europe Series 38 Index Version1 |
LIBOR |
London
Interbank Offered Rate |
plc |
Public
Limited Company |
PPV |
Public-Private
Venture |
REIT |
Real
Estate Investment Trust |
SARL |
Société
à Responsabilité Limitée |
SOFR |
Secured
Overnight Financing Rate |
SONIA |
Sterling
Overnight Index Average |
WAC |
Weighted
Average Coupon |
See Sector Classification in Other Information section.
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 67
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Country Diversification |
|
|
% of Long-Term |
Country |
|
Investments |
United States |
|
82.4% |
Cayman Islands |
|
6.9% |
United Kingdom |
|
2.8% |
Canada |
|
2.4% |
Netherlands |
|
0.9% |
Luxembourg |
|
0.8% |
Bermuda |
|
0.5% |
Other |
|
3.3% |
Total Long-Term Investments |
|
100.0% |
The following table summarizes the inputs used to value the Fund’s
investments at May 31, 2023 (See Note 6 in the Notes to Financial Statements):
|
|
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
|
|
|
Significant |
Significant |
|
Investments in |
Level 1 |
Observable |
Unobservable |
|
Securities (Assets) |
Quoted Prices |
Inputs |
Inputs |
Total |
Common Stocks |
$ 107,366,909 |
$ 3,310,861 |
$ 763,367 |
$ 111,441,137 |
Preferred Stocks |
— |
91,054,199 |
1,385,670 |
92,439,869 |
Warrants |
47,513 |
— |
12 |
47,525 |
Exchange-Traded Funds |
49,941,571 |
— |
— |
49,941,571 |
Closed-End Funds |
35,601,867 |
— |
— |
35,601,867 |
Money Market Funds |
17,207,476 |
— |
— |
17,207,476 |
Corporate Bonds |
— |
673,692,853 |
12,658,388 |
686,351,241 |
Senior Floating Rate Interests |
— |
328,741,844 |
105,421,682 |
434,163,526 |
Asset-Backed Securities |
— |
222,868,652 |
41,462,306 |
264,330,958 |
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations |
— |
73,004,716 |
1,885,323 |
74,890,039 |
U.S. Government Securities |
— |
17,510,018 |
— |
17,510,018 |
Convertible Bonds |
— |
3,359,135 |
— |
3,359,135 |
Foreign Government Debt |
— |
2,976,902 |
— |
2,976,902 |
Municipal Bonds |
— |
340,646 |
— |
340,646 |
Senior Fixed Rate Interests |
— |
305,844 |
— |
305,844 |
Options Purchased |
— |
869,280 |
— |
869,280 |
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts** |
— |
589,987 |
— |
589,987 |
Total Assets |
$ 210,165,336 |
$1,418,624,937 |
$163,576,748 |
$1,792,367,021 |
See notes to financial statements.
68 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
|
|
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
|
|
|
Significant |
Significant |
|
Investments in |
Level 1 |
Observable |
Unobservable |
|
Securities (Liabilities) |
Quoted Prices |
|
Inputs |
Inputs |
Total |
Options Written |
$ 3,122,134 |
$ — |
$ — |
$ 3,122,134 |
Credit Default Swap Agreements** |
— |
|
300,914 |
— |
300,914 |
Interest Rate Swap Agreements** |
— |
|
4,675,876 |
— |
4,675,876 |
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts** |
— |
|
307 |
— |
307 |
Unfunded Loan Commitments (Note 11) |
— |
|
— |
345,330 |
345,330 |
Total Liabilities |
$ 3,122,134 |
$ 4,977,097 |
$ 345,330 |
$ 8,444,561 |
**
This derivative is reported as unrealized appreciation/depreciation at period end.
Please refer to the detailed Schedule of Investments for a breakdown
of investments by industry category.
The Fund may hold assets and/or liabilities in which the fair value
approximates the carrying amount for financial statement purposes. As of the period end, reverse repurchase agreements of $289,499,795
are categorized as Level 2 within the disclosure hierarchy — See Note 7.
The following is a summary of significant unobservable inputs used
in the fair valuation of assets and liabilities categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy:
Ending Balance at |
|
Valuation |
Unobservable |
Input |
Weighted |
Category |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Technique |
Inputs |
Range |
Average* |
Assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asset-Backed Securities |
$ 31,450,171 |
|
Yield Analysis |
Yield |
5.8%-13.0% |
7.4% |
Asset-Backed Securities |
7,563,302 |
|
Option adjusted spread off |
Broker Quote |
— |
— |
|
|
|
prior month end broker quote |
|
|
|
Asset-Backed Securities |
2,448,833 |
|
Option adjusted spread off |
Trade Price |
— |
— |
|
|
|
trade price |
|
|
|
Collateralized Mortgage |
1,885,323 |
|
Option adjusted spread off |
Broker Quote |
— |
— |
Obligations |
|
|
prior month end broker quote |
|
|
|
Common Stocks |
416,450 |
|
Enterprise Value |
Valuation Multiple |
2.7x-16.9x |
9.4x |
Common Stocks |
341,710 |
|
Model Price |
Purchase Price |
— |
— |
Common Stocks |
5,207 |
|
Model Price |
Liquidation Value |
— |
— |
Corporate Bonds |
12,293,340 |
|
Option adjusted spread off prior |
Broker Quote |
— |
— |
|
|
|
month end broker quote |
|
|
|
Corporate Bonds |
238,317 |
|
Model Price |
Purchase Price |
— |
— |
Corporate Bonds |
126,730 |
|
Third Party Pricing |
Broker Quote |
— |
— |
Corporate Bonds |
1 |
|
Model Price |
Liquidation Value |
— |
— |
Preferred Stocks |
923,425 |
|
Model Price |
Purchase Price |
— |
— |
Preferred Stocks |
462,245 |
|
Enterprise Value |
Valuation Multiple |
4.8x |
— |
Senior Floating Rate Interests |
46,997,744 |
|
Yield Analysis |
Yield |
9.9%-28.9% |
11.6% |
Senior Floating Rate Interests |
36,666,382 |
|
Third Party Pricing |
Broker Quote |
— |
— |
Senior Floating Rate Interests |
8,578,383 |
|
Third Party Pricing |
Vendor Price |
— |
— |
Senior Floating Rate Interests |
12,150,145 |
|
Model Price |
Purchase Price |
— |
— |
Senior Floating Rate Interests |
1,029,028 |
|
Model Price |
Market Comparable |
Yields 14.0% |
— |
Warrants |
12 |
|
Model Price |
Liquidation Value |
— |
— |
Total Assets |
$163,576,748 |
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unfunded Loan Commitments |
$ 345,330 |
|
Model Price |
Purchase Price |
— |
— |
* Inputs are weighted by the fair value of the instruments. |
|
|
|
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 69
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Significant changes in a quote, yield, market comparable yields,
liquidation value or valuation multiple would generally result in significant changes in the fair value of the security.
The Fund’s fair valuation leveling guidelines classify a
single daily broker quote, or a vendor price based on a single daily or monthly broker quote, as Level 3, if such a quote or price cannot
be supported with other available market information.
Transfers between Level 2 and Level 3 may occur as markets fluctuate
and/or the availability of data used in an investment’s valuation changes. For the year ended May 31, 2023, the Fund had securities
with a total value of $16,096,167 transfer into Level 3 from Level 2 due to a lack of observable inputs and had securities with a total
value of $35,402,594 transfer out of Level 3 into Level 2 due to the availability of current and reliable market-based data provided by
a third-party pricing service which utilizes significant observable inputs.
Summary of Fair Value Level 3 Activity
Following is a reconciliation of Level 3 assets for which significant
unobservable inputs were used to determine fair value for the year ended May 31, 2023:
|
|
|
|
Assets |
|
|
|
|
Liabilities |
|
|
|
|
Senior |
|
|
|
|
Unfunded |
|
|
Collateralized |
|
Floating |
|
|
|
|
Loan |
|
Asset-Backed |
Mortgage |
Corporate |
Rate |
|
Common |
Preferred |
Total |
Commit- |
|
Securities |
Obligations |
Bonds |
Interests |
Warrants |
Stocks |
Stocks |
Assets |
ments |
Beginning |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance |
$23,840,586 |
$5,761,054 |
$32,918,506 |
$102,508,562 |
$— |
$2,567,512 |
$855,025 |
$168,451,245 |
$(655,716) |
Purchases/ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Receipts) |
23,096,049 |
— |
— |
45,483,468 |
— |
5,876 |
— |
68,585,393 |
(719,178) |
(Sales, maturities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
paydowns)/ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fundings |
(3,007,301) |
(3,458,859) (16,766,237) |
(25,412,892) |
— |
(121,133) |
— |
(48,766,422) |
815,248 |
Amortization |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
of premiums/ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
discounts |
445,413 |
(5,087) |
502,626 |
514,453 |
— |
— |
— |
1,457,405 |
(17,258) |
Total realized |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
gains (losses) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
included in |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
earnings |
(55,023) |
(440,649) |
(1,174,493) |
(128,726) |
— |
104,395 |
— |
(1,694,496) |
90,817 |
Total change in |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
unrealized |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
appreciation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(depreciation) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
included in |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
earnings |
(2,692,830) |
28,864 |
(1,392,092) |
(1,188,266) |
— |
25,974 |
68,400 |
(5,149,950) |
140,757 |
Transfers into |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Level 3 |
— |
— |
1,298,344 |
14,334,909 |
12 |
657 |
462,245 |
16,096,167 |
— |
Transfers out of |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Level 3 |
(164,588) |
— |
(2,728,266) |
(30,689,826) |
— |
(1,819,914) |
— |
(35,402,594) |
— |
Ending Balance |
$41,462,306 |
$1,885,323 |
$12,658,388 |
$105,421,682 |
$12 |
$763,367 |
$1,385,670 |
$163,576,748 |
$(345,330) |
Net change in |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
unrealized |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
appreciation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(depreciation) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
for investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
in Level 3 securities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
still held at |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 31, 2023 |
$(2,635,822) |
$(99,625) |
$(958,984) |
$(354,312) |
$— |
$(48,557) |
$68,400 |
$(4,028,900) |
$63,595 |
See notes to financial statements.
70 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Step Coupon Bonds
The following table discloses additional information related to
step coupon bonds held by the Fund. Certain securities are subject to multiple rate changes prior to maturity. For those securities, a
range of rates and corresponding dates have been provided. Rates for all step coupon bonds held by the Fund are scheduled to increase,
except GAIA Aviation Ltd, which is scheduled to decrease.
|
Coupon
Rate |
|
|
at Next |
Rate Reset |
Future Reset |
Future Reset |
Name |
Reset Date |
Next Date |
Rate |
Date |
Citigroup Mortgage Loan Trust 2022-A, 6.17% due 09/25/62 |
9.17% |
09/25/25 |
10.17% |
09/25/26 |
GAIA Aviation Ltd. 2019-1, 3.97% due 12/15/44 |
2.00% |
11/15/26 |
— |
— |
GCAT Trust 2022-NQM5, 5.71% due 08/25/67 |
6.71% |
10/01/26 |
— |
— |
New Residential Mortgage Loan Trust 2022-NQM5, |
|
|
|
|
6.50% due 11/25/52 |
7.50% |
09/01/26 |
— |
— |
OBX Trust 2022-NQM8, 6.10% due 09/25/62 |
7.10% |
10/01/26 |
— |
— |
Affiliated Transactions
Investments representing 5% or more of the outstanding voting shares
of a company, or control of or by, or common control under Guggenheim Investments, result in that company being considered an affiliated
issuer.
Transactions during the year ended May 31, 2023, in which the company
is an affiliated issuer, were as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Change in |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Realized |
Unrealized |
|
|
|
|
Value |
|
|
Gain |
Appreciation |
Value |
Shares Investment |
Security Name |
05/31/22 |
Additions |
Reductions |
(Loss) (Depreciation) |
05/31/23 |
05/31/23 |
Income |
Common Stocks |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BP Holdco LLC* |
$ 85,334 |
$ — |
$ — |
$ — |
$ 70,141 |
$ 155,475 |
121,041 |
$— |
Targus Group |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
International |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity, Inc.* |
113,897 |
— |
(121,133) |
104,394 |
(97,158) |
— |
— |
— |
Closed-End Funds |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Guggenheim Active |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Allocation Fund |
— |
4,779,095 |
— |
— |
(135,840) |
4,643,255 |
341,165 |
211,022 |
|
$199,231 |
$4,779,095 |
$ (121,133) |
$104,394 |
$(162,857) |
$4,798,730 |
|
$211,022 |
|
* Non-income producing security. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 71
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES |
May 31, 2023 |
ASSETS: |
|
Investments in unaffiliated issuers, at value (cost $1,969,152,678) |
$ 1,786,978,304 |
Investments in affiliated issuers, at value (cost $4,821,834) |
4,798,730 |
Foreign currency, at value |
518,416 |
Cash |
2,896,769 |
Segregated cash from broker |
4,752,385 |
Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts |
589,987 |
Unamortized upfront premiums paid on interest rate swap agreements |
781 |
Prepaid expenses |
120,215 |
Receivables: |
|
Investments sold |
21,559,201 |
Interest |
17,657,179 |
Fund shares sold |
2,086,362 |
Dividends |
673,003 |
Variation margin on credit default swap agreements |
49,061 |
Tax reclaims |
12,143 |
Total assets |
1,842,692,536 |
LIABILITIES: |
|
Reverse repurchase agreements (Note 7) |
289,499,795 |
Borrowings (Note 8) |
54,000,000 |
Unfunded loan commitments, at value (Note 11) (commitment fees received $471,679) |
345,330 |
Options written, at value (premiums received $2,159,447) |
3,122,134 |
Unamortized upfront premiums received on credit default swap agreements |
369,967 |
Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts |
307 |
Interest due on borrowings |
468,133 |
Segregated cash due to broker |
1,130,000 |
Payable for: |
|
Investments purchased |
16,746,553 |
Investment advisory fees |
1,645,822 |
Variation margin on interest rate swap agreements |
848,396 |
Offering costs |
422,834 |
Protection fees on credit default swap agreements |
137,208 |
Professional fees |
122,140 |
Trustees' fees and expenses* |
25,888 |
Other liabilities |
114,209 |
Total liabilities |
368,998,716 |
NET ASSETS |
$ 1,473,693,820 |
NET ASSETS CONSIST OF: |
|
Common stock, $0.01 par value per share; unlimited number of shares |
|
authorized, 119,342,322 shares issued and outstanding |
$ 1,193,423 |
Additional paid-in capital |
1,701,870,143 |
Total distributable earnings (loss) |
(229,369,746) |
NET ASSETS |
$ 1,473,693,820 |
Shares outstanding ($0.01 par value with unlimited amount authorized) |
119,342,322 |
Net asset value |
$ 12.34 |
* Relates to Trustees not deemed “interested persons”
within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.
See notes to financial statements.
72 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS |
May 31, 2023 |
For the Year Ended May 31, 2023 |
|
INVESTMENT INCOME: |
|
Interest from securities of unaffiliated issuers (net of foreign withholdings tax $3,313) |
$ 116,145,399 |
Dividends from securities of unaffiliated issuers (net of foreign withholdings tax $1,117) |
9,771,842 |
Dividends from securities of affiliated issuers |
211,022 |
Total investment income |
126,128,263 |
EXPENSES: |
|
Interest expense |
20,824,111 |
Investment advisory fees |
18,782,204 |
Professional fees |
900,230 |
Administration fees |
277,259 |
Printing fees |
236,675 |
Fund accounting fees |
228,854 |
Trustees' fees and expenses* |
169,923 |
Custodian fees |
130,035 |
Registration and filing fees |
94,170 |
Insurance |
75,883 |
Transfer agent fees |
22,265 |
Miscellaneous |
42,109 |
Total expenses |
41,783,718 |
Less: |
|
Expenses waived by adviser |
(26,250) |
Net expenses |
41,757,468 |
Net investment income |
84,370,795 |
NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS): |
|
Net realized gain (loss) on: |
|
Investments in unaffiliated issuers |
18,168,831 |
Investments in affiliated issuers |
104,394 |
Swap agreements |
(1,756,497) |
Futures contracts |
596,795 |
Options purchased |
5,053,713 |
Options written |
2,839,870 |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts |
(280,407) |
Foreign currency transactions |
266,483 |
Net realized gain |
24,993,182 |
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on: |
|
Investments in unaffiliated issuers |
(127,653,856) |
Investments in affiliated issuers |
(162,857) |
Swap agreements |
(4,938,845) |
Options purchased |
52,971 |
Options written |
5,001,181 |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts |
1,979,121 |
Foreign currency translations |
(98,475) |
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) |
(125,820,760) |
Net realized and unrealized loss |
(100,827,578) |
Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations |
$ (16,456,783) |
* Relates to Trustees not deemed “interested persons”
within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 73
|
|
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Year Ended |
Year Ended |
|
May 31, 2023 |
May 31, 2022 |
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS: |
|
|
Net investment income |
$ 84,370,795 |
$ 61,747,184 |
Net realized gain on investments |
24,993,182 |
50,862,539 |
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) |
|
|
on investments |
(125,820,760) |
(239,758,554) |
Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations |
(16,456,783) |
(127,148,831) |
DISTRIBUTIONS: |
|
|
Distributions to shareholders |
(104,801,272) |
(99,989,607) |
Return of capital |
(139,524,841) |
(74,986,628) |
Total distributions |
(244,326,113) |
(174,976,235) |
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTIONS: |
|
|
Net proceeds from the issuance of shares from Mergersa |
— |
644,136,499 |
Proceeds from shares issued through at-the-market offering |
212,399,119 |
252,476,733 |
Capital contribution from adviser |
216,351 |
— |
Reinvestments of distributions |
29,139,940 |
19,923,416 |
Common shares offering cost charged to paid-in-capital |
106,199 |
162,111 |
Net increase in net assets resulting from shareholder transactions |
241,861,609 |
916,698,759 |
Net increase (decrease) in net assets |
(18,921,287) |
614,573,693 |
NET ASSETS: |
|
|
Beginning of period |
1,492,615,107 |
878,041,414 |
End of period |
$ 1,473,693,820 |
$ 1,492,615,107 |
a
Fund Mergers — See Note 13. |
|
|
See notes to financial statements.
74 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS |
May 31, 2023 |
For the year ended May 31, 2023 |
|
Cash Flows from Operating Activities: |
|
Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations |
$ (16,456,783) |
Adjustments to Reconcile Net Decrease in Net Assets Resulting from Operations to |
|
Net Cash Provided by Operating and Investing Activities: |
|
Net change in unrealized (appreciation) depreciation on investments |
127,816,713 |
Net change in unrealized (appreciation) depreciation on options purchased |
(52,971) |
Net change in unrealized (appreciation) depreciation on options written |
(5,001,181) |
Net change in unrealized (appreciation) depreciation on forward foreign currency |
|
exchange contracts |
(1,979,121) |
Net realized gain on investments |
(18,273,225) |
Net realized gain on options purchased |
(5,053,713) |
Net realized gain on options written |
(2,839,870) |
Purchase of long-term investments |
(463,315,836) |
Proceeds from sale of long-term investments |
552,025,966 |
Net purchases of short-term investments |
(36,601,628) |
Net accretion of bond discount and amortization of bond premium |
(6,924,138) |
Corporate actions and other payments |
2,528,026 |
Premiums received on options written |
259,878,388 |
Cost of closing options written |
(262,829,455) |
Commitment fees received and repayments of unfunded commitments |
(90,497) |
Increase in interest receivable |
(3,483,391) |
Decrease in dividends receivable |
151,341 |
Decrease in investments sold receivable |
13,548,548 |
Increase in unamortized upfront premiums paid on interest rate swap agreements |
(781) |
Increase in variation margin on credit default swap agreements receivable |
(49,061) |
Decrease in swap settlement receivable |
5,367 |
Decrease in due from adviser |
7,509 |
Increase in prepaid expenses |
(59,425) |
Increase in tax reclaims receivable |
(5,771) |
Increase in investments purchased payable |
2,068,085 |
Increase in interest due on borrowings |
153,782 |
Decrease in professional fees payable |
(84,273) |
Increase in protection fees on credit default swap agreements payable |
137,208 |
Increase in segregated cash due to broker |
1,070,000 |
Increase in unamortized upfront premiums received on credit default swap agreements |
369,967 |
Decrease in investment advisory fees payable |
(59,952) |
Increase in variation margin on interest rate swap agreements payable |
848,396 |
Increase in trustees’ fees and expenses payable* |
19,588 |
Decrease in other liabilities |
(6,618) |
Net Cash Provided by Operating and Investing Activities |
$ 137,461,194 |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 75
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
For the year ended May 31, 2023 |
|
Cash Flows From Financing Activities: |
|
Distributions to common shareholders |
$ (215,186,173) |
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares |
214,139,642 |
Capital contribution from adviser |
216,351 |
Proceeds from borrowings |
36,000,000 |
Payments made on borrowings |
(110,000,000) |
Proceeds from reverse repurchase agreements |
1,697,628,503 |
Payments made on reverse repurchase agreements |
(1,757,560,891) |
Offering costs in connection with the issuance of common shares |
(86,391) |
Net Cash Used in Financing Activities |
(134,848,959) |
Net decrease in cash |
2,612,235 |
Cash at Beginning of Year (including foreign currency)** |
5,555,335 |
Cash at End of Year (including foreign currency)*** |
$ 8,167,570 |
Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information: |
|
Cash paid during the year for interest |
$ 16,566,566 |
Supplemental Disclosure of Non Operating Activity: |
|
Dividend reinvestment |
$ 29,139,940 |
* | | Relates to Trustees not deemed “interested persons” within the meaning of Section
2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act. |
** | | Includes $1,260,000 of segregated cash from broker for forward foreign currency exchange
contracts and $360,739 of foreign currency. |
*** | | Includes $4,752,385 of segregated cash from broker for swap agreements and $518,416 of foreign
currency. |
See notes to financial statements.
76 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
May 31, 2023 |
The information in this table for the fiscal years ended 2023,
2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019 is derived from the Fund’s financial statements and has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent
registered public accounting firm for the Fund. The Fund’s audited financial statements, including the report of Ernst & Young
LLP thereon and accompanying notes thereto, are included in this annual report to shareholders for the year ended May 31, 2023.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended |
Year Ended |
Year Ended |
Year Ended |
Year Ended |
|
May 31, |
May 31, |
May 31, |
May 31, |
May 31, |
|
2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
2020 |
2019 |
Per Share Data: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ 14.33 |
$ 17.05 |
$ 15.29 |
$ 17.91 |
$ 19.12 |
Income from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income(a) |
0.75 |
0.80 |
0.95 |
0.89 |
0.97 |
Net gain (loss) on investments (realized and unrealized) |
(0.55) |
(1.33) |
3.00 |
(1.32) |
0.01 |
Total from investment operations |
0.20 |
(0.53) |
3.95 |
(0.43) |
0.98 |
Less distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income |
(0.76) |
(1.04) |
(0.97) |
(0.86) |
(1.12) |
Capital gains |
(0.18) |
(0.19) |
— |
— |
(0.16) |
Return of capital |
(1.25) |
(0.96) |
(1.22) |
(1.33) |
(0.91) |
Total distributions to shareholders |
(2.19) |
(2.19) |
(2.19) |
(2.19) |
(2.19) |
Net asset value, end of period |
$ 12.34 |
$ 14.33 |
$ 17.05 |
$ 15.29 |
$ 17.91 |
Market value, end of period |
$ 15.69 |
$ 17.92 |
$ 20.90 |
$ 16.20 |
$ 19.96 |
Total Return(b) |
|
|
|
|
|
Net asset value |
2.09%(f) |
(3.99%) |
27.20% |
(2.79%) |
5.43% |
Market value |
0.80% |
(3.48%) |
45.59% |
(7.96%) |
4.94% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net assets, end of period (in thousands) |
$ 1,473,694 |
$ 1,492,615 |
$ 878,041 |
$ 648,892 |
$ 641,825 |
Ratio to average net assets of: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income, including interest expense |
5.81% |
4.75% |
5.72% |
5.29% |
5.26% |
Total expenses, including interest expense(c) (d) |
2.88% |
1.83% |
1.83% |
1.21% |
1.17% |
Portfolio turnover rate |
26% |
47% |
64% |
41% |
38% |
Senior Indebtedness |
|
|
|
|
|
Total Borrowings outstanding (in thousands)(g) |
$ 343,500 |
$ 128,000 |
$ 38,501 |
$ 19,300 |
N/A |
Asset Coverage per $1,000 of indebtedness(e) |
$ 5,290 |
$ 12,661 |
$ 23,806 |
$ 34,621 |
N/A |
See notes to financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 77
|
|
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended |
Year Ended |
Year Ended |
Year Ended |
Year Ended |
|
May 31, |
May 31, |
May 31, |
May 31, |
May 31, |
|
2018 |
2017 |
2016 |
2015 |
2014 |
Per Share Data: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ 19.78 |
$ 17.50 |
$ 19.61 |
$ 20.56 |
$ 20.95 |
Income from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income(a) |
1.23 |
1.61 |
1.40 |
1.28 |
1.44 |
Net gain (loss) on investments (realized and unrealized) |
0.30 |
2.86 |
(1.33) |
(0.05) |
0.35 |
Total from investment operations |
1.53 |
4.47 |
0.07 |
1.23 |
1.79 |
Less distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income |
(2.01) |
(2.18) |
(1.82) |
(1.42) |
(1.82) |
Capital gains |
(0.18) |
(0.01) |
(0.36) |
(0.76) |
(0.36) |
Total distributions to shareholders |
(2.19) |
(2.19) |
(2.18) |
(2.18) |
(2.18) |
Net asset value, end of period |
19.12 |
$ 19.78 |
$ 17.50 |
$ 19.61 |
$ 20.56 |
Market value, end of period |
$ 21.29 |
$ 20.94 |
$ 17.61 |
$ 21.21 |
$ 21.83 |
Total Return(b) |
|
|
|
|
|
Net asset value |
8.02% |
26.76% |
0.80% |
6.39% |
9.20% |
Market value |
13.31% |
33.33% |
-6.07% |
8.08% |
10.71% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net assets, end of period (in thousands) |
$ 530,250 |
$ 410,465 |
$ 310,246 |
$ 342,988 |
$ 318,001 |
Ratio to average net assets of: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income, including interest expense |
6.27% |
8.55% |
7.79% |
6.44% |
7.07% |
Total expenses, including interest expense(c)(d) |
1.52% |
2.35% |
2.38% |
2.16% |
2.28% |
Portfolio turnover rate |
48% |
41% |
116% |
86% |
95% |
Senior Indebtedness |
|
|
|
|
|
Total Borrowings outstanding (in thousands) |
N/A |
$ 16,705 |
$ 9,355 |
$ 45,489 |
$ 60,789 |
Asset coverage per $1,000 of borrowings(e) |
N/A |
$ 25,571 |
$ 34,164 |
$ 8,540 |
$ 6,231 |
See notes to financial statements.
78 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM
STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
(a) | | Based on average
shares outstanding. |
(b) | | Total return is calculated
assuming a purchase of a common share at the beginning of the period and a sale on the last day of the period reported either at net
asset value (“NAV”) or market price
per share. Dividends and distributions are assumed to be reinvested at NAV for NAV returns or the prices obtained under the Fund’s
Dividend Reinvestment Plan for market value returns. Total return does not reflect brokerage commissions. A return calculated for a period
of less than one year is not annualized. |
(c) | | The ratios of total
expenses to average net assets applicable to common shares do not reflect fees and expenses incurred indirectly by the Fund as a result
of its investment in shares of other investment
companies. If these fees were included in the expense ratios, the expense ratios would increase by 0.07%, 0.06%, 0.06%, 0.09%, 0.08%,
0.00%*, 0.00%*, 0.00%*, 0.02%, 0.03%, for the years ended May 31, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, respectively. |
(d) | | Excluding interest
expense, the operating expense ratios for the years ended May 31, would be: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
2020 |
2019 |
2018 |
2017 |
2016 |
2015 |
2014 |
1.44% |
1.51% |
1.55% |
1.17% |
1.15% |
1.33% |
1.62% |
1.74% |
1.72% |
1.78% |
(e) | | Calculated by subtracting
the Fund’s total liabilities (not including the borrowings) from the Fund’s total assets and dividing by the borrowings.
Effective August 19, 2022, the Fund’s obligations under reverse repurchase agreement transactions are treated as senior securities
representing indebtedness for purposes of the 1940 Act. Accordingly, for the year ended May
31, 2023, Asset Coverage is calculated by subtracting the Fund's total liabilities (not including the borrowings or reverse repurchase
agreements) from the Fund's total assets and dividing
by the sum of the borrowings and reverse repurchase agreements. |
(f) | | The net increase
from the payment by the Adviser totaling $216,351 relating to an operational issue contributed 0.01% to total return at net asset value
for the year ended May 31, 2023. |
(g) | | Effective August
19, 2022, the Fund’s obligations under reverse repurchase agreement transactions are treated as senior securities representing
indebtedness for purposes of the 1940 Act. |
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 79
|
|
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS |
May 31, 2023 |
Note 1 – Organization
Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund (the “Fund”)
was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on November 13, 2006. The Fund is registered as a diversified, closed-end management investment
company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).
The Fund’s investment objective is to maximize total return
through a combination of current income and capital appreciation. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment
objective. The Fund's investment objective is considered fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval.
Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies
The Fund operates as an investment company and, accordingly, follows
the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards
Codification Topic 946 Financial Services – Investment Companies.
The following significant accounting policies are in conformity
with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) and are consistently followed by the Fund. This requires
management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities, contingent assets and liabilities
at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results
could differ from these estimates. All time references are based on Eastern Time.
(a) Valuation of Investments
The Board of Trustees of the Fund (the “Board”) adopted
policies and procedures for the valuation of the Fund's investments (the “Fund Valuation Procedures”). The U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) adopted Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act (“Rule 2a-5”) which establishes requirements
for determining fair value in good faith. Rule 2a-5 defines “readily available market quotations” for purposes of the 1940
Act and establishes requirements for determining whether a fund must fair value a security in good faith.
Pursuant to Rule 2a-5, the Board has designated Guggenheim Funds
Investment Advisors, LLC (“GFIA” or the “Adviser”) as the valuation designee to perform fair valuation determinations
for the Fund with respect to all Fund investments and other assets. As the Fund’s valuation designee pursuant to Rule 2a-5, the
Adviser has adopted separate procedures (the “Valuation Designee Procedures” and collectively with the Fund Valuation Procedures,
the “Valuation Procedures”) reasonably designed to prevent violations of the requirements of Rule 2a-5 and Rule 31a-4. The
Adviser, in its role as valuation designee, utilizes the assistance of a valuation committee, consisting of representatives from Guggenheim’s
investment management, fund administration, legal and compliance departments (the “Valuation Committee”), in determining the
fair value of the Fund's securities and other assets.
Valuations of the Fund's securities and other assets are supplied
primarily by pricing service providers appointed pursuant to the processes set forth in the Valuation Procedures. The Adviser, with the
assistance of the Valuation Committee, convenes monthly, or more frequently as needed, to
80 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
review the valuation of all assets which have been fair valued.
The Adviser, consistent with the monitoring and review responsibilities set forth in the Valuation Procedures, regularly reviews the appropriateness
of the inputs, methods, models and assumptions employed by the pricing service provider.
If the pricing service provider cannot or does not provide a valuation
for a particular investment or such valuation is deemed unreliable, such investment is fair valued by the Adviser.
Equity securities listed or traded on a recognized U.S. securities
exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (“NASDAQ”) National Market System will generally
be valued on the basis of the last sale price on the primary U.S. exchange or market on which the security is listed or traded; provided,
however, that securities listed on NASDAQ will be valued at the NASDAQ official closing price, which may not necessarily represent the
last sale price.
Open-end investment companies are valued at their net asset value
(“NAV”) as of the close of business, on the valuation date. Exchange-traded funds and closed-end investment companies are
generally valued at the last quoted sale price.
Generally, trading in foreign securities markets is substantially
completed each day at various times prior to the close of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). The values of foreign securities
are determined as of the close of such foreign markets or the close of the NYSE, if earlier. All investments quoted in foreign currencies
are valued in U.S. dollars on the basis of the foreign currency exchange rates prevailing at the close of U.S. business at 4:00 p.m. Investments
in foreign securities may involve risks not present in domestic investments. The Adviser will determine the current value of such foreign
securities by taking into consideration certain factors which may include the following factors, among others: the value of the securities
traded on other foreign markets, American Depositary Receipts (“ADR”) trading, closed-end fund trading, foreign currency exchange
activity, and the trading prices of financial products that are tied to foreign securities. In addition, under the Valuation Procedures,
the Adviser is authorized to use prices and other information supplied by a pricing service provider in valuing foreign securities.
Commercial paper and discount notes with a maturity of greater
than 60 days at acquisition are valued at prices that reflect broker-dealer supplied valuations or are obtained from pricing service providers,
which may consider the trade activity, treasury spreads, yields or price of bonds of comparable quality, coupon, maturity, and type, as
well as prices quoted by dealers who make markets in such securities. Commercial paper and discount notes with a maturity of 60 days or
less at acquisition are valued at amortized cost, unless the Adviser concludes that amortized cost does not represent the fair value of
the applicable asset in which case it will be valued using a pricing service provider.
U.S. Government securities are valued by pricing service providers,
using the last traded fill price, or at the reported bid price at the close of business.
Typically, loans are valued using information provided by a pricing
service provider which uses broker quotes, among other inputs. If the pricing service provider cannot or does not provide a
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 81
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
valuation for a particular loan, or such valuation is deemed unreliable,
such investment is valued based on a quote from a broker-dealer or is fair valued by the Adviser.
Repurchase agreements are valued at amortized cost, provided such
amounts approximate market value.
Exchange-traded options are valued at the mean of the bid and ask
prices on the principal exchange on which they are traded. Over the counter (“OTC”) options are valued using a price provided
by a pricing service.
Futures contracts are valued on the basis of the last sale price
at the 4:00 p.m. price on the valuation date. In the event that the exchange for a specific futures contract closes earlier than 4:00
p.m., the futures contract is valued at the official settlement price of the exchange. However, the underlying securities from which the
futures contract value is derived are monitored until 4:00 p.m. to determine if fair valuation would provide a more accurate valuation.
Interest rate swap agreements entered into by the Fund are valued
on the basis of the last sale price on the primary exchange on which the swap is traded. Other swap agreements entered into by the Fund
will generally be valued using an evaluated price provided by a pricing service provider.
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are valued daily based
on the applicable exchange rate of the underlying currency.
Investments for which market quotations are not readily available
are fair valued as determined in good faith by the Adviser. Valuations in accordance with these methods are intended to reflect each security’s
(or asset’s or liability’s) “fair value". Each such determination is based on a consideration of all relevant factors,
which are likely to vary from one pricing context to another. Examples of such factors may include, but are not limited to market prices;
sale prices; broker quotes; and models which derive prices based on inputs such as anticipated cash flows or collateral, spread over U.S.
Treasury securities, and other information analysis.
(b) Investment Transactions and Investment Income
Investment transactions are accounted for on the trade date. Realized
gains and losses on investments are determined on the identified cost basis. Dividend income is recorded net of applicable withholding
taxes on the ex-dividend date and interest income is recorded on an accrual basis. Dividend income from Real Estate Investment Trusts
(“REITs”) is recorded based on the income included in the distributions received from the REIT investments using published
REIT classifications, including some management estimates when actual amounts are not available. Distributions received in excess of this
estimated amount are recorded as a reduction of the cost of investments or reclassified to capital gains. The actual amounts of income,
return of capital, and capital gains are only determined by each REIT after its fiscal year-end, and may differ from the estimated amounts.
Discounts or premiums on debt securities purchased are accreted or amortized to interest income using the effective interest method. Interest
income also includes paydown gains and losses on mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, and senior and subordinated loans.
82 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Amendment fees are earned as compensation for evaluating and accepting
changes to the original loan agreement.
The Fund may receive other income from investments in senior loan
interests, including amendment fees, consent fees and commitment fees. For funded loans, these fees are recorded as income when received
by the Fund and included in interest income on the Statement of Operations. For unfunded loans, commitment fees are included in realized
gain on investments on the Statement of Operations at the end of the commitment period.
Income from residual collateralized loan obligations is recognized
using the effective interest method. At the time of purchase, management estimates the future expected cash flows and determines the effective
yield and estimated maturity date based on the estimated cash flows. Subsequent to the purchase, the estimated cash flows are updated
periodically and a revised yield is calculated prospectively.
(c) Senior Floating Rate Interests and Loan Investments
Senior floating rate interests in which the Fund invests generally
pay interest rates which are periodically adjusted by reference to a base short-term floating rate, plus a premium. These base lending
rates are generally (i) the lending rate offered by one or more major European banks, (ii) the prime rate offered by one or more major
United States banks, or (iii) the bank’s certificate of deposit rate. Senior floating rate interests often require prepayments from
excess cash flows or permit the borrower to repay at its election. The rate at which the borrower repays cannot be predicted with accuracy.
As a result, the actual remaining maturity may be substantially less than the stated maturities disclosed in the Fund's Schedule of Investments.
The Fund invests in loans and other similar debt obligations (“obligations”).
A portion of the Fund's investments in these obligations is sometimes referred to as “covenant lite” loans or obligations
(“covenant lite obligations”), which are obligations that lack covenants or possess fewer or less restrictive covenants or
constraints on borrowers than certain other types of obligations. The Fund may also obtain exposure to covenant lite obligations through
investment in securitization vehicles and other structured products. Recently, many new or reissued obligations have not featured traditional
covenants, which are intended to protect lenders and investors by (i) imposing certain restrictions or other limitations on a borrower’s
operations or assets or (ii) providing certain rights to lenders. The Fund may have fewer rights with respect to covenant lite obligations,
including fewer protections against the possibility of default and fewer remedies in the event of default. As a result, investments in
(or exposure to) covenant lite obligations are subject to more risk than investments in (or exposure to) certain other types of obligations.
The Fund is subject to other risks associated with investments in (or exposure to) obligations, including that obligations may not be
considered “securities” and, as a result, the Fund may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections under the federal
securities laws and instead may have to resort to state law and direct claims.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 83
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
(d) Currency Translations
The accounting records of the Fund are maintained in U.S. dollars.
All assets and liabilities initially expressed in foreign currencies are converted into U.S. dollars at prevailing exchange rates. Purchases
and sales of investment securities, dividend and interest income, and certain expenses are translated at the rates of exchange prevailing
on the respective dates of such transactions. Changes in the relationship of these foreign currencies to the U.S. dollar can significantly
affect the value of the investments and earnings of the Fund. Foreign investments may also subject the Fund to foreign government exchange
restrictions, expropriation, taxation, or other political, social or economic developments, all of which could affect the market and/or
credit risk of the investments.
The Fund does not isolate that portion of the results of operations
resulting from changes in the foreign exchange rates on investments from the fluctuations arising from changes in the market prices of
securities held. Such fluctuations are included with the net realized gain or loss and unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments.
Reported net realized foreign exchange gains and losses arise from
sales of foreign currencies and currency gains or losses realized between the trade and settlement dates on investment transactions. Net
unrealized appreciation and depreciation arise from changes in the fair values of assets and liabilities other than investments in securities
at the fiscal period end, resulting from changes in exchange rates.
(e) Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are agreements between
two parties to buy and sell currencies at a set price on a future date. Fluctuations in the value of open forward foreign currency exchange
contracts are recorded for financial reporting purposes as unrealized appreciation and depreciation by the Fund until the contracts are
closed. When the contracts are closed, realized gains and losses are recorded, and included on the Statement of Operations in forward
foreign currency exchange contracts.
(f) Distributions to Shareholders
The Fund intends to declare and pay monthly distributions to common
shareholders. The Fund expects that distributions will generally consist of (i) investment company taxable income taxed as ordinary income,
which includes, among other things, short-term capital gain and income from certain hedging and interest rate transactions, (ii) long-term
capital gain and (iii) return of capital. Any net realized long-term capital gains are distributed annually to common shareholders. To
the extent distributions exceed taxable income, the excess will be deemed a return of capital. A return of capital is generally not taxable
and would reduce the shareholder's tax basis in its shares, which would reduce the loss (or increase the gain) on a subsequent taxable
disposition by such shareholder of the shares, until such shareholder’s basis reaches zero at which point subsequent return of capital
distributions would constitute taxable capital gain to such shareholder. Shareholders receiving a return of capital may be under the impression
that they are receiving net investment income or profit when they are not.
84 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
The amount and timing of distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S.
GAAP.
(g) Restricted Cash
A portion of cash on hand relates to collateral received by the
Fund for swap agreements. This amount is presented on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as Segregated cash from broker.
(h) U.S. Government and Agency Obligations
Certain U.S. Government and agency obligations are traded on a
discount basis; the interest rates shown on the Schedule of Investments reflect the effective rates paid at the time of purchase by the
Fund. Other securities bear interest at the rates shown, payable at fixed dates through maturity.
(i) Swap Agreements
Swap agreements are marked-to-market daily and the change, if any,
is recorded as unrealized appreciation or depreciation. Payments received or made as a result of an agreement or termination of an agreement
are recognized as realized gains or losses.
Upon entering into certain centrally-cleared swap transactions,
the Fund is required to deposit with its clearing broker an amount of cash or securities as an initial margin. Subsequent variation margin
receipts or payments are received or made by the Fund depending on fluctuations in the fair value of the reference asset and are recorded
by the Fund as unrealized appreciation or depreciation. When the contract is closed, the Fund records a realized gain or loss equal to
the difference between the value of the contract at the time it was opened and the value at the time it was closed.
Upfront payments received or made by the Fund on credit default
swap agreements and interest rate swap agreements are amortized over the expected life of the agreement. Periodic payments received or
paid by the Fund are recorded as realized gains or losses. Payments received or made as a result of a credit event or termination of the
contract are recognized, net of a proportional amount of the upfront payment, as realized gains or losses.
(j) Options
Upon the purchase of an option, the premium paid is recorded as
an investment, the value of which is marked-to-market daily. If a purchased option expires, the Fund realizes a loss in the amount of
the cost of the option. When the Fund enters into a closing sale transaction, it realizes a gain or loss depending on whether the proceeds
from the closing sale transaction are greater or less than the cost of the option. If the Fund exercises a put option, it realizes a gain
or loss from the sale of the underlying security and the proceeds from such sale will be decreased by the premium originally paid. When
the Fund exercises a call option, the cost of the security purchased by the Fund upon exercise increases by the premium originally paid.
When the Fund writes (sells) an option, an amount equal to the
premium received is entered in that Fund’s accounting records as an asset and equivalent liability. The amount of the liability
is subsequently marked-to-market to reflect the current value of the option written. When a written
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 85
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
option expires, or if the Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction,
it realizes a gain (or loss if the cost of a closing purchase transaction exceeds the premium received when the option was sold).
(k) Short Sales
When the Fund engages in a short sale of a security, an amount
equal to the proceeds is reflected as an asset and an equivalent liability. The amount of the liability is subsequently marked-to-market
to reflect the market value of the short sale.
Fees, if any, paid to brokers to borrow securities in connection
with short sales are recorded as interest expense. In addition, the Fund must pay out the dividend rate of the equity or coupon rate of
the obligation to the lender and record this as an expense. Short dividend or interest expense is a cost associated with the investment
objective of short sales transactions, rather than an operational cost associated with the day-to-day management of any mutual fund. The
Fund may also receive rebate income from the broker resulting from the investment of the proceeds from securities sold short.
(l) Futures Contracts
Upon entering into a futures contract, the Fund deposits and maintains
as collateral such initial margin as required by the exchange on which the transaction is affected. Pursuant to the contract, the Fund
agrees to receive from or pay to the broker an amount of cash equal to the daily fluctuation in value of the contract. Such receipts or
payments are known as variation margin and are recorded by the Fund as unrealized appreciation or depreciation. When the contract is closed,
the Fund records a realized gain or loss equal to the difference between the value of the contract at the time it was opened and the value
at the time it was closed.
(m) Indemnifications
Under the Fund's organizational documents, its Trustees and officers
are indemnified against certain liabilities arising out of the performance of their duties to the Fund. In addition, throughout the normal
course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations and warranties which provide general indemnifications.
The Fund's maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown, as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Fund
and/or its affiliates that have not yet occurred. However, based on experience, the Fund expects the risk of loss to be remote.
(n) Special Purpose Acquisition Companies
The Fund may acquire an interest in a special purpose acquisition
company (“SPAC”) in an initial public offering or a secondary market transaction. SPAC investments carry many of the same
risks as investments in initial public offering securities, such as erratic price movements, greater risk of loss, lack of information
about the issuer, limited operating and little public or no trading history, and higher transaction costs. An investment in a SPAC is
typically subject to a higher risk of dilution by additional later offerings of interests in the SPAC or by other investors exercising
existing rights to purchase shares of the SPAC and interests in SPACs may be illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale. A SPAC
is a publicly traded company that raises investment capital for the purpose of
86 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
acquiring the equity securities of one or more existing companies
(or interests therein) via merger, combination, acquisition or other similar transactions. Unless and until an acquisition is completed,
a SPAC generally invests its assets (less a portion retained to cover expenses) in U.S. government securities, money market securities
and cash and does not typically pay dividends in respect of its common stock. SPAC investments are also subject to the risk that a significant
portion of the funds raised by the SPAC may be expended during the search for a target acquisition or merger and that the SPAC may have
limited time in which to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets. Because SPACs are in essence blank check companies
without operating history or ongoing business other than seeking acquisitions, the value of their securities is particularly dependent
on the ability of the entity’s management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Among other conflicts of interest,
the economic interests of the management, directors, officers and related parties of a SPAC can differ from the economic interests of
public shareholders, which may lead to conflicts as they evaluate, negotiate and recommend business combination transactions to shareholders.
This risk may become more acute as the deadline for the completion of a business combination nears. There is no guarantee that the SPACs
in which the Fund invests will complete an acquisition or that any acquisitions that are completed will be profitable.
Note 3 – Financial Instruments and Derivatives
As part of its investment strategy, the Fund may utilize short
sales and a variety of derivative instruments. These investments involve, to varying degrees, elements of market risk and risks in excess
of amounts recognized on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Valuation and accounting treatment of these instruments can be found
under Significant Accounting Policies in Note 2 of these Notes to Financial Statements.
Short Sales
A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security
it does not own. If the security sold short decreases in price between the time the Fund sells the security and closes its short position,
the Fund will realize a gain on the transaction. Conversely, if the security increases in price during the period, the Fund will realize
a loss on the transaction. The risk of such price increases is the principal risk of engaging in short sales. Potential losses on short
sales are theoretically unlimited.
Derivatives
Derivatives are instruments whose values depend on, or are derived
from, in whole or in part, the value of one or more other assets, such as securities, currencies, commodities or indices. Derivative instruments
may be used for investment purposes (including to maintain cash reserves while maintaining exposure to certain other assets), for risk
management (hedging) purposes, for diversification purposes, to change the duration of the Fund, for leverage purposes, to facilitate
trading, to reduce transaction costs and to pursue higher investment returns. Derivative instruments may also be used to seek to mitigate
certain investment risks, such as foreign currency exchange rate risk, interest rate risk and credit risk. U.S. GAAP requires disclosures
to enable investors to better
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 87
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
understand how and why the Fund uses derivative instruments, how
these derivative instruments are accounted for and their effects on the Fund's financial position and results of operations.
The Fund utilized derivatives for the following purposes:
Duration: the use of an instrument to manage the interest
rate risk of a portfolio.
Hedge: an investment made in order to reduce the risk of
adverse price movements in a security, by taking an offsetting position to protect against broad market moves.
Income: the use of any instrument that distributes cash
flows typically based upon some rate of interest.
Index Exposure: the use of an instrument to obtain exposure
to a listed or other type of index.
Options Purchased and Written
A call option on a security gives the purchaser of the option the
right to buy, and the writer of a call option the obligation to sell, the underlying security. The purchaser of a put option has the right
to sell, and the writer of the put option the obligation to buy, the underlying security at any time during the option period. The risk
associated with purchasing options is limited to the premium originally paid.
The following table represents the Fund's use and volume of call/put
options purchased on a monthly basis:
|
|
Average Notional Amount |
Use |
Call |
Put |
Duration, Hedge |
$180,375,000 |
$40,164,412 |
The risk in writing a call option is that the Fund may incur a
loss if the market price of the underlying security increases and the option is exercised. The risk in writing a put option is that the
Fund may incur a loss if the market price of the underlying security decreases and the option is exercised. In addition, there may be
an imperfect correlation between the movement in prices of options and the underlying securities where the Fund may not be able to enter
into a closing transaction because of an illiquid secondary market; or, for OTC options, the Fund may be at risk because of the counterparty’s
inability to perform.
The following table represents the Fund’s use and volume
of call/put options written on a monthly basis:
|
|
Average Notional Amount |
Use |
Call |
Put |
Hedge, Income |
$182,796,926 |
$21,297,370 |
Futures Contracts
A futures contract is an agreement to purchase (long) or sell (short)
an agreed amount of securities or other instruments at a set price for delivery at a future date. There are significant risks associated
with the Fund’s use of futures contracts, including (i) there may be an imperfect or no correlation
88 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
between the changes in market value of the underlying asset and
the prices of futures contracts; (ii) there may not be a liquid secondary market for a futures contract; (iii) trading restrictions
or limitations may be imposed by an exchange; and (iv) government regulations may restrict trading in futures contracts. When investing
in futures, there is minimal counterparty credit risk to the Fund because futures are exchange-traded and the exchange’s clearinghouse,
as counterparty to all exchange-traded futures, guarantees against default. Cash deposits are shown as segregated cash with broker on
the Statement of Assets and Liabilities; securities held as collateral are noted on the Schedule of Investments.
The following table represents the Fund's use and volume of futures
on a monthly basis:
|
|
Average Notional Amount |
Use |
Long |
Short |
Index exposure |
$21,970,875 |
$– |
Swap Agreements
A swap is an agreement that obligates two parties to exchange a
series of cash flows at specified intervals based upon or calculated by reference to changes in specified prices or rates for a specified
amount of an underlying asset. When utilizing OTC swaps, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a
swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty or if the underlying asset declines in value.
Certain standardized swaps are subject to mandatory central clearing and are executed on a multi-lateral or other trade facility platform,
such as a registered exchange. There is limited counterparty credit risk with respect to centrally-cleared swaps as the transaction is
facilitated through a central clearinghouse, much like exchange-traded futures contracts. If the Fund utilizes centrally-cleared swaps,
the exchange bears the risk of loss resulting from a counterparty not being able to pay. There is no guarantee that the Fund or an underlying
fund could eliminate its exposure under an outstanding swap agreement by entering into an offsetting swap agreement with the same or another
party.
Total return swaps involve commitments where single or multiple
cash flows are exchanged based on the price of an underlying reference asset (such as an index) for a fixed or variable interest rate.
Total return swaps will usually be computed based on the current value of the reference asset as of the close of regular trading on the
NYSE or other exchange, with the swap value being adjusted to include dividends accrued, financing charges and/or interest associated
with the swap agreement. When utilizing total return swaps, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under
a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty or if the underlying reference asset declines
in value.
The following table represents the Fund's use and volume of total
return swaps on a monthly basis:
|
|
|
|
|
Average Notional Amount |
Use |
Long |
Short |
Income, Index exposure |
$139,425 |
$– |
Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with another
party for its respective commitment to pay or receive a fixed or variable interest rate on a notional amount of principal.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 89
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Interest rate swaps are generally centrally-cleared, but central
clearing does not make interest rate swap transactions risk free.
The following table represents the Fund's use and volume of interest
rate swaps on a monthly basis:
|
|
|
|
|
Average Notional Amount |
|
Pay |
Receive |
Use |
Floating Rate |
Floating Rate |
Duration, Hedge |
$131,908,333 |
$– |
Credit default swaps are instruments which allow for the full or
partial transfer of third-party credit risk, with respect to a particular entity or entities, from one counterparty to the other. The
Fund enters into credit default swaps as a “seller” or “buyer” of protection primarily to gain or reduce exposure
to the investment grade and/or high yield bond market. A seller of credit default swaps is selling credit protection or assuming credit
risk with respect to the underlying entity or entities. The buyer in a credit default swap is obligated to pay the seller a periodic stream
of payments over the term of the contract provided that no event of default on an underlying reference obligation has occurred. If a credit
event occurs, as defined under the terms of the swap agreement, the seller will either (i) pay to the buyer of protection an amount equal
to the notional amount of the swap and take delivery of the referenced obligation or underlying securities comprising the referenced index
or (ii) pay a net settlement amount in the form of cash or securities equal to the notional amount of the swap less the recovery value
of the referenced obligation or underlying securities comprising the referenced index. The notional amount reflects the maximum potential
amount the seller of credit protection could be required to pay to the buyer if a credit event occurs. The seller of protection receives
periodic premium payments from the buyer and may also receive or pay an upfront premium adjustment to the stated periodic payments. In
the event a credit default occurs on a credit default swap referencing an index, a factor adjustment will take place and the buyer of
protection will receive a payment reflecting the par less the default recovery rate of the defaulted index component based on its weighting
in the index. If no default occurs, the counterparty will pay the stream of payments and have no further obligations to the Fund if it
is selling the credit protection. If the Fund utilizes centrally cleared credit default swaps, the exchange bears the risk of loss resulting
from a counterparty not being able to pay. For OTC credit default swaps, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be
received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty, or in the case of a credit
default swap in which the Fund is selling credit protection, the default of a third-party issuer.
The quoted market prices and resulting market values for credit
default swap agreements on securities and credit indices serve as an indicator of the current status of the payment/performance risk and
represent the likelihood of an expected liability (or profit) for the credit derivative had the notional amount of the swap agreement
been closed/sold as of the period end. Increasing market values, in absolute terms when compared to the notional amount of the swap, represent
a deterioration of the referenced entity’s credit soundness and a greater likelihood or risk of default or other credit event occurring
as defined under the terms of the agreement.
90 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
The following table represents the Fund’s use and volume
of credit default swaps on a monthly basis:
|
|
|
|
|
Average Notional Amount |
|
Protection |
Protection |
Use |
Sold |
Purchased |
Hedge |
$– |
$31,041,667 |
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts
A forward foreign currency exchange contract is an agreement between
two parties to exchange two designated currencies at a specific time in the future. Certain types of contracts may be cash settled, in
an amount equal to the change in exchange rates during the term of the contract. The contracts can be used to hedge or manage exposure
to foreign currency risks with portfolio investments or to gain exposure to foreign currencies.
The market value of a forward foreign currency exchange contract
changes with fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. Furthermore, the Fund may be exposed to risk if the counterparties cannot
meet the contract terms or if the currency value changes unfavorably as compared to the U.S. dollar.
The following table represents the Fund’s use and volume
of forward foreign currency exchange contracts on a monthly basis:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average Value |
|
Use |
Purchased |
|
Sold |
Hedge |
$2,634,566 |
|
$65,720,261 |
Derivative Investment Holdings Categorized by Risk Exposure
The following is a summary of the location of derivative investments
on the Fund's Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of May 31, 2023:
|
|
|
Derivative Investment Type |
Asset Derivatives |
Liability Derivatives |
Equity/Interest rate option contracts |
Investment in unaffiliated |
Options written, at value |
|
issuers, at value |
|
Currency forward contracts |
Unrealized appreciation |
Unrealized depreciation |
|
on forward foreign |
on forward foreign |
|
currency exchange |
currency exchange |
|
contracts |
contracts |
Credit/Interest rate swap contracts |
Unamortized upfront |
Unamortized upfront |
|
premiums paid on interest |
premiums received on credit |
|
rate swap agreements |
default swap agreements |
|
Variation margin on credit |
— |
|
default swap agreements |
|
|
— |
Variation margin on interest |
|
|
rate swap agreements |
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 91
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
The following tables set forth the fair value of the Fund's derivative
investments categorized by primary risk exposure at May 31, 2023:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asset Derivative Investments Value |
|
|
|
|
|
Forward |
|
Swaps |
Swaps |
Options |
Options |
Foreign |
|
Interest |
Credit |
Written |
Purchased |
Currency |
|
Rate |
Default |
Equity |
Equity |
Exchange |
Total Value at |
Risk |
Risk |
Risk |
Risk |
Risk |
May 31, 2023 |
$ — |
$ — |
$ — |
$ 869,280 |
$ 589,987 |
$ 1,459,267 |
|
Liability Derivative Investments Value |
|
|
|
|
|
Forward |
|
Swaps |
Swaps |
Options |
Options |
Foreign |
|
Interest |
Credit |
Written |
Purchased |
Currency |
|
Rate |
Default |
Equity |
Equity |
Exchange |
Total Value at |
Risk |
Risk |
Risk |
Risk |
Risk |
May 31, 2023 |
$ 4,675,876 |
$ 300,914 |
$ 3,122,134 |
$ — |
$ 307 |
$ 8,099,231 |
* Includes cumulative appreciation (depreciation) of OTC and centrally-cleared
derivatives contracts as reported on the Fund’s Schedule of Investments. For centrally-cleared derivatives, variation margin is
reported within the Fund’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
The following is a summary of the location of derivative investments
on the Fund's Statement of Operations for the year ended May 31, 2023:
|
|
Derivative Investment Type |
Location of Gain (Loss) on Derivatives |
Credit/Interest rate swap agreements |
Net realized gain (loss) on swap agreements |
|
Net change in unrealized appreciation |
|
(depreciation) on swap agreements |
Equity option contracts |
Net realized gain (loss) on options purchased |
|
Net change in unrealized appreciation |
|
(depreciation) on options purchased |
|
Net realized gain (loss) on options written |
|
Net change in unrealized appreciation |
|
(depreciation) on options written |
Interest rate futures contracts |
Net realized gain (loss) on futures contracts |
|
Net change in unrealized appreciation |
|
(depreciation) on futures contracts |
Currency forward contracts |
Net realized gain (loss) on forward foreign |
|
currency exchange contracts |
|
Net change in unrealized appreciation |
|
(depreciation) on forward foreign currency |
|
exchange contracts |
92 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
The following is a summary of the Fund's realized gain (loss) and
change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on derivative investments recognized on the Statement of Operations categorized by primary
risk exposure for the year ended May 31, 2023:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Realized Gain (Loss) on Derivative Investments Recognized on the Statement of Operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forward |
|
|
Futures |
Swaps |
Swaps |
Options |
Options |
Options |
Foreign |
|
Swaps |
Interest |
Interest |
Credit |
Written |
Purchased |
Purchased |
Currency |
|
Equity |
Rate |
Rate |
Default |
Equity |
Equity |
Interest |
Exchange |
|
Risk |
Risk |
Risk |
Risk |
Risk |
Risk |
Rate Risk |
Risk |
Total |
$(129,140) |
$596,795 |
$(1,351,167) |
$(276,190) |
$2,839,870 |
$5,897,853 |
$(844,140) |
$(280,407) |
$6,453,474 |
Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on Derivative Investments Recognized on the Statement of Operations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forward |
|
|
Futures |
Swaps |
Swaps |
Options |
Options |
Options |
Foreign |
|
Swaps |
Interest |
Interest |
Credit |
Written |
Purchased |
Purchased |
Currency |
|
Equity |
Rate |
Rate |
Default |
Equity |
Equity |
Interest |
Exchange |
|
Risk |
Risk |
Risk |
Risk |
Risk |
Risk |
Rate Risk |
Risk |
Total |
$37,945 |
$— |
$(4,675,876) |
$(300,914) |
$5,001,181 |
$(333,725) |
$386,696 |
$1,979,121 |
$2,094,428 |
In conjunction with short sales and the use of derivative instruments,
the Fund is required to maintain collateral in various forms. Depending on the financial instrument utilized and the broker involved,
the Fund uses margin deposits at the broker, cash and/or securities segregated at the custodian bank, discount notes or repurchase agreements
allocated to the Fund as collateral.
The Fund has established counterparty credit guidelines and enters
into transactions only with financial institutions of investment grade or better. The Fund monitors the counterparty credit risk.
Foreign Investments
There are several risks associated with exposure to foreign currencies,
foreign issuers and emerging markets. The Fund’s indirect and direct exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk
that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, or in the case of short positions, that the U.S. dollar will
decline in value relative to the currency being hedged. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods
of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments
in the U.S. or abroad. In addition, the Fund may incur transaction costs in connection with conversions between various currencies. The
Fund may, but is not obligated to, engage in currency hedging transactions, which generally involve buying currency forward, options or
futures contracts. However, not all currency risks may be effectively hedged, and in some cases the costs of hedging techniques may outweigh
expected benefits. In such instances, the value of securities denominated in foreign currencies can change significantly when foreign
currencies strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. dollar.
The Fund may invest in securities of foreign companies directly,
or in financial instruments, such as ADRs and exchange-traded funds, which are indirectly linked to the performance of foreign issuers.
Foreign markets can be more volatile than the U.S. market due to increased risks of adverse issuer,
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 93
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
political, regulatory, market, or economic developments and can
perform differently from the U.S. market. Investing in securities of foreign companies directly, or in financial instruments that are
indirectly linked to the performance of foreign issuers, may involve risks not typically associated with investing in U.S. issuers. The
value of securities denominated in foreign currencies, and of dividends from such securities, can change significantly when foreign currencies
strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. dollar. Foreign securities markets generally have less trading volume and less liquidity than
U.S. markets, and prices in some foreign markets may fluctuate more than those of securities traded on U.S. markets. Many foreign countries
lack accounting and disclosure standards comparable to those that apply to U.S. companies, and it may be more difficult to obtain reliable
information regarding a foreign issuer’s financial condition and operations. Transaction costs and costs associated with custody
services are generally higher for foreign securities than they are for U.S. securities. Some foreign governments levy withholding taxes
against dividend and interest income. Although in some countries portions of these taxes are recoverable, the non-recovered portion will
reduce the income received by the Fund.
Note 4 – Offsetting
In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into transactions
subject to enforceable master netting arrangements or other similar arrangements. Generally, the right to offset in those agreements allows
the Fund to counteract the exposure to a specific counterparty with collateral received from or delivered to that counterparty based on
the terms of the arrangements. These arrangements provide for the right to liquidate upon the occurrence of an event of default, credit
event upon merger or additional termination event.
In order to better define its contractual rights and to secure
rights that will help the Fund mitigate its counterparty risk, the Fund may enter into an International Swaps and Derivatives Association,
Inc. Master Agreement (“ISDA Master Agreement”) or similar agreement with its derivative contract counterparties. An ISDA
Master Agreement is a bilateral agreement between the Fund and a counterparty that governs OTC derivatives, including foreign exchange
contracts, and typically contains, among other things, collateral posting terms and netting provisions in the event of a default and/or
termination event. The provisions of the ISDA Master Agreement typically permit a single net payment in the event of a default (close-out
netting) or similar event, including the bankruptcy or insolvency of the counterparty.
For derivatives traded under an ISDA Master Agreement, the collateral
requirements are typically calculated by netting the mark-to-market amount for each transaction under such agreement and comparing that
amount to the value of any collateral currently pledged by the Fund and the counterparty. For financial reporting purposes, cash collateral
that has been pledged to cover obligations of the Fund and cash collateral received from the counterparty, if any, are reported separately
on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as segregated cash with broker/receivable for variation margin, or payable for swap settlement/variation
margin. Cash and/or securities pledged or received as collateral by the Fund in connection with an OTC derivative subject to an ISDA Master
Agreement generally may not be invested, sold or rehypothecated by the counterparty or the Fund,
94 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
as applicable, absent an event of default under such agreement,
in which case such collateral generally may be applied towards obligations due to and payable by such counterparty or the Fund, as applicable.
Generally, the amount of collateral due from or to a counterparty must exceed a minimum transfer amount threshold (e.g., $300,000) before
a transfer is required to be made. To the extent amounts due to the Fund from its counterparties are not fully collateralized, contractually
or otherwise, the Fund bears the risk of loss from counterparty nonperformance. The Fund attempts to mitigate counterparty risk by only
entering into agreements with counterparties that it believes to be of good standing and by monitoring the financial stability of those
counterparties.
For financial reporting purposes, the Fund does not offset derivative
assets and derivative liabilities that are subject to netting arrangements in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
The following tables present derivative financial instruments and
secured financing transactions that are subject to enforceable netting arrangements:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Amount |
Gross Amounts Not Offset |
|
|
|
Gross Amounts |
of Assets |
in the Statement of |
|
|
Gross |
Offset in the |
Presented on the |
Assets and Liabilities |
|
|
Amounts of |
Statement of |
Statement of |
|
Cash |
|
|
Recognized |
Assets and |
Assets and |
Financial |
Collateral |
|
Instrument |
Assets1 |
Liabilities |
Liabilities |
Instruments |
Received |
Net Amount |
Forward foreign |
|
|
|
|
|
|
currency |
|
|
|
|
|
|
exchange |
|
|
|
|
|
|
contracts |
$ 589,987 |
$ — |
$ 589,987 |
$ — |
$ (533,776) |
$ 56,211 |
Options purchased |
|
|
|
|
|
|
contracts |
869,280 |
— |
869,280 |
— |
(506,440) |
362,840 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Amount |
Gross Amounts Not Offset |
|
|
|
Gross Amounts |
of Liabilities |
in the Statement of |
|
|
|
Gross |
Offset in the |
Presented on the |
Assets and Liabilities |
|
|
|
Amounts of |
Statement of |
Statement of |
|
Cash |
|
|
Recognized |
Assets and |
Assets and |
Financial |
Collateral |
|
Instrument |
Liabilities1 |
Liabilities |
Liabilities |
Instruments |
Pledged |
Net Amount |
Forward foreign |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
currency |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
exchange |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
contracts |
$ 307 |
$ — |
$ 307 |
$ — |
|
$ — |
$ 307 |
Reverse |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
repurchase |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
agreements |
289,499,795 |
— |
289,499,795 |
(289,499,795) |
|
— |
— |
1 Exchange-traded or centrally-cleared derivatives
are excluded from these reported amounts.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 95
|
|
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
The Fund has the right to offset deposits against any related derivative
liabilities outstanding with each counterparty with the exception of exchange-traded or centrally-cleared derivatives. The following table
presents deposits held by others in connection with derivative investments as of May 31, 2023.
|
|
|
|
Counterparty |
Asset Type |
Cash Pledged |
Cash Received |
Barclays Bank plc |
Forward foreign currency exchange |
|
|
|
contracts, options |
$ – |
$ 530,000 |
BofA Securities, Inc. |
Credit default swap agreements |
852,773 |
– |
BofA Securities, Inc. |
Interest rate swap agreements |
3,899,612 |
– |
Goldman Sachs International |
Forward foreign currency exchange |
|
|
|
contracts, options |
– |
310,000 |
Morgan Stanley Capital |
|
|
|
Services LLC |
Options |
– |
290,000 |
|
|
$ 4,752,385 |
$ 1,130,000 |
Note 5 – Fees and Other Transactions with Affiliates
Pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement between the Fund and
the Adviser, the Adviser furnishes office facilities and equipment, and provides administrative services on behalf of the Fund, and oversees
the activities of Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC (“GPIM” or the “Sub-Adviser”). The Adviser provides
all services through the medium of any directors, officers or employees of the Adviser or its affiliates as the Adviser deems appropriate
in order to fulfill its obligations. As compensation for these services, the Fund pays the Adviser a fee, payable monthly, at an annual
rate equal to 1.00% of the Fund's average daily Managed Assets (as defined in this report).
Pursuant to an Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement among the Fund,
the Adviser and GPIM, GPIM, under the oversight and supervision of the Board and the Adviser, manages the investment of the assets of
the Fund in accordance with its investment objective and policies, places orders to purchase and sell securities on behalf of the Fund,
and, at the request of the Adviser, consults with the Adviser as to the overall management of the assets of the Fund and its investment
policies and practices. As compensation for its services, the Adviser pays GPIM a fee, payable monthly, at an annual rate equal to 0.50%
of the Fund’s average daily Managed Assets, less 0.50% of the Fund’s average daily assets attributable to any investments
by the Fund in affiliated Investment Funds.
Pursuant to an Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement among the Fund,
the Adviser and Guggenheim Partners Advisors, LLC (“GPA”) that was in effect during the 12-month period ended May 31, 2023,
GPA, under the oversight and supervision of the Board and the Adviser, assisted GPIM in the supervision and direction of the investment
strategy of the Fund in accordance with the Fund’s investment policies. As compensation for its services, the Adviser paid GPA a
fee, payable monthly, at an annual rate equal to 0.005% of the Fund’s average daily Managed Assets, less 0.005% of the Fund’s
average daily assets attributable to any investments by the Fund in affiliated Investment Funds. The Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement
among the Fund, the Adviser and GPA was terminated effective December 22, 2022.
For purposes of calculating the fees payable under the foregoing
agreements, “Managed Assets” means the total assets of the Fund, including the assets attributable to the proceeds from financial
leverage, including the issuance of senior securities represented by indebtedness (including through
96 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
borrowing from financial institutions or issuance of debt securities,
including notes or commercial paper), the issuance of preferred shares, the effective leverage of certain portfolio transactions such
as reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls and inverse floating rate securities, or any other form of financial leverage, minus liabilities,
other than liabilities related to any financial leverage.
If the Fund invests in a fund that is advised by the Adviser or
an adviser affiliated with the Adviser, the Fund’s Adviser has agreed to waive Fund fees to the extent necessary to offset the proportionate
share of any management fee paid by the Fund with respect to its investment in such fund. Fee waivers will be calculated at the Fund level
without regard to any expense cap, if any, in effect for the Fund. Fees waived under this arrangement are not subject to reimbursement.
For the year ended May 31, 2023, the Adviser waived fees in the amount of $26,250 related to investments by the Fund in such funds.
Certain officers and Trustees of the Fund may also be officers,
directors and/or employees of the Adviser or GPIM. The Fund does not compensate its officers who are officers, directors and/or employees
of the aforementioned firms.
GFIA pays operating expenses on behalf of the Fund, such as audit
and accounting related services, legal services, custody, printing and mailing, among others, on a pass-through basis.
On November 11, 2022, the Fund received a one-time payment from
the Adviser for $216,351 relating to an operational issue. This amount is included in Capital contribution from adviser on the Statements
of Changes in Net Assets and the impact of this amount to total return at NAV is included within the Financial Highlights.
MUFG Investor Services (US), LLC (“MUIS”) acts as the
Fund's administrator and accounting agent. As administrator and accounting agent, MUIS maintains the books and records of the Fund's securities
and cash. The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (“BNY”) acts as the Fund's custodian. As custodian, BNY is responsible for the
custody of the Fund's assets. For providing the aforementioned services, MUIS and BNY are entitled to receive a monthly fee equal to an
annual percentage of the Fund's average daily Managed Assets and certain out of pocket expenses.
Note 6 – Fair Value Measurement
In accordance with U.S. GAAP, fair value is defined as the price
that the Fund would receive to sell an investment or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants
at the measurement date. U.S. GAAP establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy based on the types of inputs used to value assets and
liabilities and requires corresponding disclosure. The hierarchy and the corresponding inputs are summarized below:
Level 1 — unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for
identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2 — significant other observable inputs (for example
quoted prices for securities that are similar based on characteristics such as interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
Level 3 — significant unobservable inputs based on the best
information available under the circumstances, to the extent observable inputs are not available, which may include assumptions.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 97
|
|
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Rule 2a-5 sets forth a definition of “readily available market
quotations,” which is consistent with the definition of a Level 1 input under U.S. GAAP. Rule 2a-5 provides that “a market
quotation is readily available only when that quotation is a quoted price (unadjusted) in active markets for identical investments that
the Fund can access at the measurement date, provided that a quotation will not be readily available if it is not reliable.”
Securities for which market quotations are not readily available
must be valued at fair value as determined in good faith. Accordingly, any security priced using inputs other than Level 1 inputs will
be subject to fair value requirements. The types of inputs available depend on a variety of factors, such as the type of security and
the characteristics of the markets in which it trades, if any. Fair valuation determinations that rely on fewer or no observable inputs
require greater judgment. Accordingly, fair value determinations for Level 3 securities require the greatest amount of judgment.
Pricing service providers are used to value a majority of the Fund’s
investments. When values are not available from a pricing service provider, they will be determined using a variety of sources and techniques,
including: market prices; broker quotes; and models which derive prices based on inputs such as prices of securities with comparable maturities
and characteristics or based on inputs such as anticipated cash flows or collateral, spread over U.S. Treasury securities, and other information
and analysis. A significant portion of the Fund’s assets and liabilities are categorized as Level 2, as indicated in this report.
Quotes from broker-dealers, adjusted for fluctuations in criteria
such as credit spreads and interest rates, may also be used to value the Fund’s assets and liabilities, i.e. prices provided by
a broker-dealer or other market participant who has not committed to trade at that price. Although quotes are typically received from
established market participants, the Fund may not have the transparency to view the underlying inputs which support the market quotations.
Significant changes in a quote would generally result in significant changes in the fair value of the security.
Certain fixed income securities are valued by obtaining a monthly
quote from a broker-dealer, adjusted for fluctuations in criteria such as credit spreads and interest rates.
Certain loans and other securities are valued using a single daily
broker quote or a price from a pricing service provider based on a single daily or monthly broker quote.
The inputs or methodologies selected and applied for valuing securities
or other assets are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities. The suitability, appropriateness
and accuracy of the techniques, methodologies and sources employed to determine fair valuation are periodically reviewed and subject to
change.
Note 7 – Reverse Repurchase Agreements
The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements as part of
its financial leverage strategy. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund temporarily transfers possession of a portfolio instrument
to another party, such as a bank or broker-dealer, in return for cash. At the same time, the
98 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Fund agrees to repurchase the instrument at an agreed upon time
and price, which reflects an interest payment. Such agreements have the economic effect of borrowings. The Fund may enter into such agreements
such as to invest the cash acquired at a rate higher than the cost of the agreement, which would increase earned income. When the Fund
enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, any fluctuations in the market value of either the instruments transferred to another party
or the instruments in which the proceeds may be invested would affect the market value of the Fund's assets. As a result, such transactions
may increase fluctuations in the market value of the Fund's assets. For the year ended May 31, 2023, the average daily balance for which
reverse repurchase agreements were outstanding amounted to $340,549,006. The weighted average interest rate was 3.84%. As of May 31, 2023,
there was $289,499,795 (inclusive of interest payable) in reverse repurchase agreements outstanding.
As of May 31, 2023, the Fund had outstanding reverse repurchase
agreements with various counterparties. Details of the reverse repurchase agreements by counterparty are as follows:
|
|
|
|
Counterparty |
Interest Rate(s) |
Maturity Date |
Face Value |
Bank of Montreal |
5.20%* |
Open Maturity |
$ 1,115,338 |
Barclays Capital, Inc. |
5.25% - 5.45% |
06/20/23 |
55,329,250 |
Barclays Capital, Inc. |
4.75%* |
Open Maturity |
594,968 |
BMO Capital Markets Corp. |
5.27%* |
Open Maturity |
485,529 |
BNP Paribas |
0.25%* |
Open Maturity |
5,457,823 |
BofA Securities, Inc. |
5.45% |
06/20/23 |
55,825,687 |
BofA Securities, Inc. |
5.27%* |
Open Maturity |
16,684,804 |
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. |
5.20%* |
Open Maturity |
24,300,332 |
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC |
(1.00%) - 5.25%* |
Open Maturity |
65,021,140 |
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC |
5.20% - 5.45% |
06/01/23 |
5,207,608 |
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
5.10% - 5.20%* |
Open Maturity |
18,056,039 |
RBC Capital Markets LLC |
5.25%* |
Open Maturity |
25,473,200 |
RBC Capital Markets LLC |
5.45% |
06/01/23 |
15,948,077 |
|
|
|
$ 289,499,795 |
* The rate is adjusted periodically by the counterparty, subject
to approval by the Adviser, and is not based upon a set of reference rate and spread. Rate indicated is the rate effective at May 31,
2023.
The following is a summary of the remaining contractual maturities
of the reverse repurchase agreements outstanding as of May 31, 2023, aggregated by asset class of the related collateral pledged by the
Fund:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Overnight and |
|
|
Greater than |
|
Asset Type |
continuous |
Up to 30 days |
31-90 days |
90 days |
Total |
Corporate Bonds |
$116,335,019 |
$132,310,622 |
$– |
$– |
$248,645,641 |
U.S. Government Securities |
15,438,484 |
– |
– |
– |
15,438,484 |
Mortgage-Backed Securities |
25,415,670 |
– |
– |
– |
25,415,670 |
Total reverse repurchase |
|
|
|
|
|
agreements |
$157,189,173 |
$132,310,622 |
$– |
$– |
$289,499,795 |
Gross amount of recognized |
|
|
|
|
|
liabilities for reverse |
|
|
|
|
|
repurchase agreements |
$157,189,173 |
$132,310,622 |
$– |
$– |
$289,499,795 |
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 99
|
|
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Note 8 – Borrowings
The Fund has entered into a $400,000,000, with the right to request
an increase to $800,000,000, credit facility agreement with an approved lender whereby the lender has agreed to provide secured financing
to the Fund and the Fund will provide pledged collateral to the lender. Under the most recent amended terms, the interest rate on the
amount borrowed is based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) plus 0.75%, 0.80%, or 0.85%, depending on the eligible
security types pledged as related collateral, and an unused commitment fee of 0.30% is charged on the difference between the amount available
to borrow under the credit facility agreement and the actual amount borrowed. As of May 31, 2023, there was $54,000,000 outstanding in
connection with the Fund’s credit facility. The average daily amount of borrowings on the credit facility during the period was
$83,912,329 with a related average interest rate of 4.43%. The maximum amount outstanding during the period was $126,000,000. As of May
31, 2023, the total value of securities segregated and pledged as collateral in connection with borrowings was $272,318,511.
The credit facility agreement governing the loan facility includes
usual and customary covenants. These covenants impose on the Fund asset coverage requirements, collateral requirements, investment strategy
requirements, and certain financial obligations. These covenants place limits or restrictions on the Fund’s ability to (i) enter
into additional indebtedness with a party other than the counterparty, (ii) change its fundamental investment policy, or (iii) pledge
to any other party, other than to the counterparty, securities owned or held by the Fund over which the counterparty has a lien. In addition,
the Fund is required to deliver financial information to the counterparty within established deadlines, maintain an asset coverage ratio
(as defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act) greater than 300%, comply with the rules of the stock exchange on which its shares are listed,
and maintain its classification as a “closed-end management investment company” as defined in the 1940 Act.
There is no guarantee that the Fund’s leverage strategy will
be successful. The Fund’s use of leverage may cause the Fund’s NAV and market price of common shares to be more volatile and
can magnify the effect of any losses.
Note 9 – Federal Income Tax Information
The Fund intends to comply with the provisions of Subchapter M
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), applicable to regulated investment companies
and will distribute substantially all taxable net investment income and capital gains sufficient to relieve the Fund from all, or substantially
all, federal income, excise and state income taxes. Therefore, no provision for federal or state income tax or federal excise tax is required.
Tax positions taken or expected to be taken in the course of preparing
the Fund's tax returns are evaluated to determine whether the tax positions are “more-likely-than-not” of being sustained
by the applicable tax authority. Tax positions not deemed to meet the more-likely-than-not threshold would be recorded as a tax benefit
or expense in the current year. Management has analyzed the Fund's tax positions taken, or to be taken, on U.S. federal income tax returns
for all open tax years, and has concluded that no provision for income tax is required in the Fund's financial statements.
100 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
The Fund's U.S. federal income tax returns are subject to examination
by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) for a period of three years after they are filed.
The tax character of distributions paid during the year ended May
31, 2023 was as follows:
Ordinary |
Long-Term |
Return of |
Total |
Income |
Capital Gain |
Capital |
Distributions |
$84,848,300 |
$19,952,972 |
$139,524,841 |
$244,326,113 |
The tax character of distributions paid during the year ended May
31, 2022 was as follows:
|
|
|
|
Ordinary |
Long-Term |
Return
of |
Total |
Income |
Capital
Gain |
Capital |
Distributions |
$80,613,131 |
$19,376,476 |
$74,986,628 |
$174,976,235 |
Note: For U.S. federal income tax purposes, short-term capital
gain distributions are treated as ordinary income distributions.
The tax components of distributable earnings/(loss) as of May 31,
2023 were as follows:
Undistributed |
Undistributed |
Net Unrealized |
Accumulated |
|
Ordinary |
Long-Term |
Appreciation |
Capital and |
|
Income |
Capital Gain |
(Depreciation) |
Other Losses |
Total |
$ — |
$ — |
$(207,486,251) |
$(21,883,495) |
$(229,369,746) |
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, capital loss carryforwards
represent realized losses of the Fund that may be carried forward and applied against future capital gains. The Fund is permitted to carry
forward capital losses for an unlimited period and such capital loss carryforwards retain their character as either short-term or long-term
capital losses. As of May 31, 2023, capital loss carryforwards for the Fund were as follows:
|
|
Total |
Unlimited |
Capital Loss |
Short-Term |
Long-Term |
Carryforward |
$ — |
$(21,774,380) |
$(21,774,380)* |
* In accordance with Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code,
a portion of certain Fund losses are subject to an annual limitation. This annual limitation is generally applicable to all of the
capital loss carryforwards shown with respect to each Fund.
For the year ended May 31, 2023, the Fund utilized $3,387,981 of
its capital loss carryforward.
Net investment income and net realized gains (losses) may differ
for financial statement and tax purposes because of temporary or permanent book/tax differences. These differences are primarily due to
investments in partnerships, foreign currency gains and losses, investments in collateralized debt obligations, losses deferred due to
wash sales, paydown losses, the “mark-to-market” of certain derivatives, and the “mark-to-market,” recharacterization,
or disposition of certain Passive Foreign Investment Companies (PFICs). Additional differences include investments in swap agreements,
losses deferred due to straddles, and reclass of distributions. To the extent these differences are permanent and would require a reclassification
between Paid in Capital and Total Distributable Earnings (Loss), such reclassifications are made in the period that the differences arise.
These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or NAV per share.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 101
|
|
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
There were no adjustments made on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
as of May 31, 2023 for permanent book/tax differences.
At May 31, 2023, the cost of investments for U.S. federal income
tax purposes, the aggregate gross unrealized appreciation for all investments for which there was an excess of value over tax cost and
the aggregate gross unrealized depreciation for all investments for which there was an excess of tax cost over value, were as follows:
|
|
|
Net Tax |
|
Tax |
Tax |
Unrealized |
Tax |
Unrealized |
Unrealized |
Appreciation/ |
Cost |
Appreciation |
Depreciation |
(Depreciation) |
$1,992,352,275 |
$38,148,859 |
$(245,855,669) |
$(207,706,810) |
Note 10 – Securities Transactions
For the year ended May 31, 2023, the cost of purchases and proceeds
from sales of investment securities, excluding government securities, short-term investments and derivatives, were as follows:
Purchases |
Sales |
$456,767,633 |
$552,025,966 |
For the year ended May 31, 2023, the cost of purchases and proceeds
from sales of government securities were as follows:
|
|
Purchases |
Sales |
$6,548,203 |
$— |
The Fund is permitted to purchase or sell securities from or to
certain affiliated funds under specified conditions outlined in procedures adopted by the Board. The procedures have been designed to
ensure that any purchase or sale of securities by the Fund from or to another fund or portfolio that is or could be considered an affiliate
by virtue of having a common investment adviser (or affiliated investment advisers), common Trustees and/or common officers complies with
Rule 17a-7 of the 1940 Act. Further, as defined under these procedures, each transaction is effected at the current market price. For
the year ended May 31, 2023, the Fund engaged in purchases and sales of securities, pursuant to Rule 17a-7 of the 1940 Act, as follows:
Purchases |
Sales |
Realized Gain (Loss) |
$ 5,953,594 |
$— |
$— |
Note 11 – Unfunded Loan Commitments
Pursuant to the terms of certain loan agreements, the Fund held
unfunded loan commitments as of May 31, 2023. The Fund is obligated to fund these loan commitments at the borrower’s discretion.
The Fund reserves against such contingent obligations by designating cash, liquid securities, illiquid securities, and liquid term loans
as a reserve. As of May 31, 2023, the total amount segregated in connection with unfunded loan commitments and reverse repurchase agreements
was $333,360,841.
102 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
The unfunded loan commitments as of May 31, 2023, were as follows:
|
|
|
|
Borrower |
Maturity Date |
Face Amount* |
Value |
Alexander Mann |
12/16/24 |
GBP 444,079 |
$ 23,931 |
Avalara, Inc. |
10/19/28 |
700,000 |
9,101 |
Care BidCo |
05/04/28 |
EUR 1,000,000 |
70,105 |
Fontainbleau Vegas |
01/31/26 |
3,065,194 |
– |
Galls LLC |
01/31/24 |
31,107 |
778 |
Lightning A |
03/01/37 |
11,648,915 |
– |
Lightning B |
03/01/37 |
1,483,588 |
– |
Polaris Newco LLC |
06/04/26 |
1,433,600 |
107,952 |
Schur Flexibles GmbH |
09/30/26 |
EUR 85,220 |
4,327 |
SHO Holding I Corp. |
04/27/24 |
76,000 |
21,660 |
The Facilities Group |
11/30/27 |
303,836 |
6,435 |
Thunderbird A |
03/01/37 |
11,693,255 |
– |
Thunderbird B |
03/01/37 |
1,489,235 |
– |
TK Elevator Midco GmbH |
01/29/27 |
EUR 1,512,098 |
101,041 |
|
|
|
$ 345,330 |
* The face amount is denominated in U.S. dollars unless otherwise
indicated.
EUR – Euro
GBP – British Pound
Note 12 – Restricted Securities
The securities below are considered illiquid and restricted under
guidelines established by the Board:
|
|
|
|
Restricted Securities |
Acquisition Date |
Cost |
Value |
Atlas Mara Ltd. |
|
|
|
due 12/31/211 |
10/01/15 |
$ 945,015 |
$ 238,315 |
CBC Insurance Revenue Securitization LLC |
|
|
|
2016-1 5.25% due 07/15/46 |
08/09/19 |
286,838 |
266,230 |
CFMT LLC |
|
|
|
2022-HB9 3.25% (WAC) due 09/25/372 |
09/23/22 |
2,827,550 |
2,761,230 |
Freddie Mac Military Housing Bonds |
|
|
|
Resecuritization Trust Certificates |
|
|
|
2015-R1 5.94% (WAC), due 11/25/522 |
09/10/19 |
3,434,670 |
2,925,516 |
Mirabela Nickel Ltd. |
|
|
|
due 06/24/191 |
12/31/13 |
2,341,590 |
126,730 |
|
|
$ 9,835,663 |
$ 6,318,021 |
1 | | Security is in default of interest and/or principal obligations. |
2 | | Variable rate security. Rate indicated is the rate effective at May 31, 2023. In some instances,
the effective rate is limited by a minimum rate floor or a maximum rate cap established by the issuer. The settlement status of a position
may also impact the effective rate indicated. In some cases, a position may be unsettled at period end and may not have a stated effective
rate. In instances where multiple underlying reference rates and spread amounts are shown, the effective rate is based on a weighted
average. |
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 103
|
|
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Note 13 – Mergers
On October 25, 2021, the Mergers of Guggenheim Enhanced Equity
Income Fund (GPM) and Guggenheim Credit Allocation Fund (GGM) (the “Target Funds”) with and into GOF (the “Acquiring
Fund”) were completed (each, a “Merger” and together, the “Mergers”).
In the Mergers, common shareholders of GPM and GGM, respectively,
received newly-issued GOF common shares in tax- free transactions having an aggregate net asset value equal to the aggregate net asset
value of their holdings of GPM and/or GGM common shares, as applicable, as determined at the close of business on October 22, 2021. Relevant
details pertaining to the Mergers are as follows:
|
|
|
Fund |
NAV/Share ($) |
Conversion Ratio |
Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund (GOF) |
$16.82 |
N/A |
Guggenheim Credit Allocation Fund (GGM) |
$18.89 |
1.12334682 |
Guggenheim Enhanced Equity Income Fund (GPM) |
$ 8.88 |
0.52792920 |
Investments
The cost, fair value and net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of the investments of the Target Funds as of the date of the Mergers, were as follows:
|
|
|
Target Funds – Prior to Mergers |
GGM |
GPM |
Cost of unaffiliated investments |
$306,647,641 |
$476,112,858 |
Fair value of unaffiliated investments |
$309,306,828 |
$620,925,002 |
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on unaffiliated investments |
$ 2,659,187 |
$144,812,144 |
Cost of affiliated investments |
$ 34,202 |
$ – |
Fair value of affiliated investments |
$ 125,061 |
$ – |
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on affiliated investments |
$ 90,859 |
$ – |
Premiums received on options written |
$ (33,778) |
$ (8,803,701) |
Fair value of options written |
$ (49,820) |
$ (16,184,230) |
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on options written |
$ (16,042) |
$ (7,380,529) |
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on forward foreign |
|
|
currency exchange contracts |
$ (30,383) |
$ – |
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on foreign |
|
|
currency translations |
$ 15 |
$ – |
104 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Common Shares
The common shares outstanding, net assets applicable to common
shares and NAV per common share outstanding immediately before and after the Mergers were as follows:
|
|
|
|
Target Funds – Prior to Mergers |
GGM |
|
GPM |
Common shares outstanding |
11,353,737 |
|
48,390,478 |
Net assets applicable to common shares |
$214,497,022 |
|
$429,639,477 |
NAV per common share |
$ 18.89 |
|
$ 8.88 |
|
Acquiring Fund – Prior to Mergers |
|
|
GOF |
Common shares outstanding |
|
|
55,585,735 |
Net assets applicable to common shares |
|
|
$934,828,474 |
NAV per common share |
|
|
$ 16.82 |
|
Acquiring Fund – Post Mergers |
|
|
GOF |
Common shares outstanding |
|
|
93,886,666 |
Net assets applicable to common shares |
|
$1,578,964,974 |
NAV per common share |
|
$ 16.82 |
Cost and Expenses
In connection with the Mergers, the Target Funds and the Acquiring
Fund did not incur any costs or expenses. All costs were paid by the Adviser.
Pro Forma Results of Operations
Assuming the acquisition had been completed on June 1, 2021, the
beginning of the fiscal reporting period of the Fund, the pro forma results of operations for the year ended May 31, 2022, are as follows:
Acquiring Fund – Pro Forma Results from Operations |
GOF |
Net investment income (loss) |
$ 69,025,370 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (loss) |
$(155,088,662) |
Change in net assets resulting from operations |
$ (86,063,292) |
Because the combined investment portfolios have been managed as
a single integrated portfolio since the acquisition was completed, it is not practicable to separate the amounts of revenue and earnings
of GGM and GPM that have been included in the Fund’s Statement of Operations since October 25, 2021.
Note 14 – Capital
Common Shares
The Fund has an unlimited amount of common shares, $0.01 par value,
authorized and 119,342,322 shares issued and outstanding as of May 31, 2023.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 105
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Transactions in common shares were as follows:
|
|
|
|
Year Ended |
Year Ended |
|
May 31, 2023 |
May 31, 2022 |
Beginning shares |
104,149,415 |
51,503,912 |
Shares issued through at-the-market offering |
13,169,105 |
13,248,243 |
Shares issued through dividend reinvestment |
2,023,802 |
1,096,329 |
Shares issued in fund Mergers |
— |
38,300,931 |
Ending shares |
119,342,322 |
104,149,415 |
On September 20, 2021, the Fund's shelf registration allowing for
delayed or continuous offering of additional shares became effective. The shelf registration statement allows for the issuance of up to
$700,000,000 of common shares. The Fund entered into an at-the-market sales agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. on July 1, 2019,
as amended , to offer and sell common shares having an aggregated initial offering price of up to $374,537,331, from time to time, through
Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. as agent for the Fund. On March 28, 2023, the Fund entered into an at-the-market sales agreement with Cantor
Fitzgerald & Co. to offer and sell common shares having an aggregated initial offering price of up to $330,024,727, from time to time,
through Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. as agent for the Fund.
As of May 31, 2023, up to $296,433,966 remained available under
the at-the-market sales agreement. For the year ended May 31, 2023, the Fund paid $86,391 for offering costs associated with the at-the
market offering, and will be responsible for additional offering costs in the future of up to 0.60% of the offering price of common shares
sold pursuant to the shelf registration statement.
A portion of the proceeds of the foregoing offering is usually
used to pay distributions and may be a return of capital. If the Fund does not conduct such offering, it may not be able to maintain distributions
at historical levels. There is no guarantee that the Fund will sell all of the common shares available for sale under its shelf registration
statement or that there will be any sales of common shares thereunder and, from time to time, the Fund may be unable to sell its common
shares under its shelf registration statement.
Note 15 – Market Risks
The value of, or income generated by, the investments held by the
Fund are subject to the possibility of rapid and unpredictable fluctuation, and loss that may result from various factors. These factors
include, among others, developments affecting individual companies, or from broader influences, including real or perceived changes in
prevailing interest rates, changes in inflation rates or expectations about inflation rates, adverse investor confidence or sentiment,
changing economic, political (including geopolitical), social or financial market conditions, increased instability or general uncertainty,
environmental disasters, governmental actions, public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics and epidemics),
debt crises, actual or threatened wars or other armed conflicts (such as the current Russia-Ukraine conflict and its risk of expansion
or collateral economic and other effects) or ratings downgrades, and other similar events,
106 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued |
May 31, 2023 |
each of which may be temporary or last for extended periods. Moreover,
changing economic, political, geopolitical, social, financial market or other conditions in one country or geographic region could adversely
affect the value, yield and return of the investments held by the Fund in a different country or geographic region, economy, and market
because of the increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets. The duration and extent of the foregoing types of factors
or conditions are highly uncertain and difficult to predict and have in the past, and may in the future, cause volatility and distress
in economies and financial markets or other adverse circumstances, which may negatively affect the value of the Fund’s investments
and performance of the Fund.
Note 16 – Subsequent Events
The Fund evaluated subsequent events through the date the financial
statements are issued and determined there were no material events that would require adjustment to or disclosure in the Fund’s
financial statements.
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 107
|
|
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM |
May 31, 2023 |
To the Shareholders and Board of Trustees of Guggenheim Strategic
Opportunities Fund
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities
of Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund (the “Fund”), including the schedule of investments, as of May 31, 2023, and the
related statements of operations and cash flows for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years
in the period then ended, the 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 Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund at May 31, 2023, the results of its operations and its cash flows for
the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended and its financial highlights for
each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
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 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 the Fund’s 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 procedures
included confirmation of securities owned as of May 31, 2023, by correspondence with the custodian, brokers and paying agents; when replies
were not received from brokers or paying agents, we performed other auditing procedures. 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.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
We have served as the auditor of one or more Guggenheim investment
companies since 1979.
Tysons, Virginia
July 25, 2023
108 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) |
May 31, 2023 |
Federal Income Tax Information
This information is being provided as required by the Internal
Revenue Code. Amounts shown may differ from those elsewhere in the report because of differences in tax and financial reporting practice.
In January 2024, shareholders will be advised on IRS Form 1099
DIV or substitute 1099 DIV as to the federal tax status of the distributions received by shareholders in the calendar year 2023.
The Fund's investment income (dividend income plus short-term capital
gains, if any) qualifies as follows:
Of the taxable ordinary income distributions paid during the fiscal
year ended May 31, 2023, the Fund had the corresponding percentages qualify for the reduced tax rate pursuant to the Jobs and Growth Tax
Relief and Reconciliation Act of 2003 or for the dividends received deduction for corporations. See the qualified dividend income and
dividend received deduction columns, respectively, in the table below.
Additionally, of the taxable ordinary income distributions paid
during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2023, the Fund had the corresponding percentages qualify as interest related dividends as permitted
by IRC Section 871(k)(1) . See the qualified interest income column in the table below.
|
|
|
Qualified |
Dividend |
Qualified |
Dividend |
Received |
Interest |
Income |
Deduction |
Income |
7.66% |
7.56% |
79.32% |
With respect to the taxable year ended May 31, 2023, the Fund hereby
designates as capital gain dividends the amount listed below, or, if subsequently determined to be different, the net capital gain of
such year:
From long-term capital gain: |
$19,952,972 |
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 109
|
|
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Senior Securities
The following table sets forth information about the Fund’s
outstanding senior securities as of the end of each fiscal year for the last ten fiscal years. The outstanding senior securities include
borrowings from certain financial institutions (“Borrowings”) and, effective August 19, 2022, reverse repurchase agreement
transactions. The information in this table for the fiscal years ended 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019 has been audited by Ernst &
Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm. The Fund’s audited financial statements, including the report of Ernst
& Young LLP thereon and accompanying notes thereto, are included in this annual report to shareholders for the year ended May 31,
2023.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Principal |
Asset Coverage |
Fiscal Year Ended |
Title of Security |
Amount Outstanding(1) |
Per $1,000 of Principal Amount |
May 31, 2023 |
Borrowings; Reverse |
$ 343,499,795 |
$ 5,290 |
|
Repurchase Agreements |
|
|
May 31, 2022 |
Borrowings |
$ 128,000,000 |
$ 12,661 |
May 31, 2021 |
Borrowings |
$ 38,500,690 |
$ 23,806 |
May 31, 2020 |
Borrowings |
$ 19,300,000 |
$ 34,621 |
May 31, 2019 |
Borrowings |
$ — |
N/A |
May 31, 2018 |
Borrowings |
$ — |
N/A |
May 31, 2017 |
Borrowings |
$ 16,704,955 |
$ 25,571 |
May 31, 2016 |
Borrowings |
$ 9,354,955 |
$ 34,164 |
May 31, 2015 |
Borrowings |
$ 45,488,955 |
$ 8,540 |
May 31, 2014 |
Borrowings |
$ 60,788,955 |
$ 6,231 |
(1) | | Principal amount outstanding represents the principal amount as of the end of the relevant
fiscal year/period owed by the Fund to lenders or counterparties under arrangements or reverse repurchase agreements in place at the
time. |
Prior to August 19, 2022, as a result of the Fund having earmarked
or segregated cash or liquid securities to collateralize reverse repurchase agreement transactions or otherwise having covered the transactions,
in accordance with releases and interpretive letters issued by the SEC, the Fund did not treat its obligations under such transactions
as senior securities representing indebtedness for purposes of the 1940 Act. Effective August 19, 2022, the Fund's obligations under reverse
repurchase agreement transactions are treated as senior securities representing indebtedness for purposes of the 1940 Act.
110 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM
STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Summary of Fund Expenses
The following table contains information about the costs and expenses
that Common Shareholders will bear directly or indirectly. The table is based on the capital structure of the Fund as of May 31, 2023.
The purpose of the table and the example below is to help you understand the fees and expenses that you, as a holder of Common Shares,
would bear directly or indirectly. The following table should not be considered a representation of the Fund’s future expenses.
The following table shows estimated Fund expenses as a percentage of average net assets attributable to Common Shares and not as a percentage
of Managed Assets.
|
|
|
May 31, 2023 |
Common Shareholder Transaction Expenses |
|
Sales load paid by you (as a percentage of offering price)(1) |
—% |
Offering expenses borne by the Fund (as a percentage of offering price)(1)(2) |
0.60% |
Dividend Reinvestment Plan fees(3) |
None |
|
As a Percentage of |
|
Net Assets Attributable |
|
to Common Shares(4) |
Annual Expenses |
|
Management fees(5) |
1.29% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(6) |
0.07% |
Interest expense(7) |
1.44% |
Other expenses(8) |
0.15% |
Total annual expenses |
2.95% |
(1) | | In connection with an offering of Common Shares, a supplement to the Fund’s prospectus
(“Prospectus Supplement”) will set forth any applicable sales load and the estimated offering expenses borne by the Fund. |
(2) | | The Adviser has incurred on behalf of the Fund all costs associated with the Fund’s
registration statement and any offerings pursuant to such registration statement. The Fund has agreed, in connection with offerings under
the Fund’s registration statement, to reimburse the Adviser for offering expenses incurred by the Adviser on the Fund’s behalf
in an amount up to the lesser of the Fund’s actual offering costs or 0.60% of the total offering price of the Common Shares sold
in such offering. |
(3) | | Common Shareholders will pay brokerage charges if they direct the Plan Agent to sell Common
Shares held in a dividend reinvestment account. |
(4) | | Based upon average net assets applicable to Common Shares during the fiscal year ended May
31, 2023. |
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 111
|
|
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
(5) | | The Fund pays the Adviser a monthly fee in arrears at an annual rate equal to 1.00% of the
Fund’s average daily Managed Assets. The fee shown is based upon outstanding leverage employed through (i) the issuance of senior
securities representing indebtedness, including through borrowing from financial institutions or issuance of debt securities, including
notes or commercial paper, (ii) engaging in reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls and economically similar transactions, (iii)
investments in inverse floating rate securities, which have the economic effect of leverage, and (iv) the issuance of preferred shares
(collectively “Financial Leverage”) of 18.90% of the Fund’s Managed Assets. If Financial Leverage of more than 18.90%
of the Fund’s Managed Assets is used, the management fees shown would be higher. |
(6) | | Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are estimated based on the fees and expenses borne by the
Fund as an investor in other investment companies during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2023. |
(7) | | Includes interest payments on borrowed funds and interest expense on reverse repurchase agreements.
Interest payments on borrowed funds is based upon the Fund’s outstanding Borrowings as of May 31, 2023, which included Borrowings
under the Fund’s committed facility agreement in an amount equal to 2.97% of the Fund’s Managed Assets, at an average interest
rate of 4.43%. Interest expenses on reverse repurchase agreements is based on the Fund’s outstanding reverse repurchase agreements
as of May 31, 2023, which included leverage in the form of reverse repurchase agreements in an amount equal to 15.93% of the Fund’s
Managed Assets, at a weighted average interest rate cost to the Fund of 3.84%. The actual amount of interest payments and expenses by
the Fund will vary over time in accordance with the amount of Borrowings and reverse repurchase agreements and variations in market interest
rates. |
(8) | | Other expenses are estimated based upon those incurred during the fiscal year ended May 31,
2023. |
Example
As required by relevant Securities and Exchange Commission regulations,
the following example illustrates the expenses that you would pay on a $1,000 investment in Common Shares, assuming (1) “Total annual
expenses” of 2.95% of net assets attributable to Common Shares and (2) a 5% annual return*:
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
Total Annual Expenses paid by Common Shareholders(1) |
$36 |
$97 |
$161 |
$333 |
* | | The example should not be considered a representation of future expenses or returns. Actual
expenses may be higher or lower than those assumed and shown. Moreover, the Fund’s actual rate of return may be higher or lower
than the hypothetical 5% return shown in the example. The example assumes that all dividends and distributions are reinvested at net
asset value. |
(1) | | The example does not include sales loads or estimated offering costs. In connection with
an offering of Common Shares, the Prospectus Supplement will set forth an example including sales load and estimated offering costs. |
112 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM
STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Market and Net Asset Value Information
The Fund’s currently outstanding Common Shares are listed
on the NYSE. The Fund’s Common Shares commenced trading on the NYSE on July 27, 2007.
The Common Shares have traded both at a premium and at a discount
in relation to the Fund’s net asset value per share. Although the Common Shares recently have traded at a premium to net asset value,
there can be no assurance that this will continue nor that the Common Shares will not trade at a discount in the future. Shares of closed-end
investment companies frequently trade at a discount to net asset value. The sale of Common Shares by the Fund (or the perception that
such sales may occur) may have an adverse effect on prices of Common Shares in the secondary market. An increase in the number of Common
Shares available may put downward pressure on the market price for Common Shares.
The following table sets forth, for each of the periods indicated,
the high and low closing market prices for the Common Shares on the NYSE, the net asset value per Common Share and the premium or discount
to net asset value per Common Share at which the Common Shares were trading. Net asset value is generally determined on each Tuesday that
the NYSE is open for business and the last business day of each calendar month.
|
|
|
Net Asset Value |
|
|
|
|
|
per Common Share |
Premium/(Discount) |
|
|
|
on Date of Market |
on Date of Market |
|
Market Price |
Price High and Low(1) |
Price High and Low(2) |
Fiscal Quarter Ended |
High |
Low |
High |
Low |
High |
Low |
May 31, 2023 |
$17.15 |
$15.20 |
$12.83 |
$12.26 |
33.67% |
23.98% |
February 28, 2023 |
$17.30 |
$15.11 |
$13.12 |
$12.62 |
31.86% |
19.73% |
November 30, 2023 |
$17.48 |
$14.98 |
$13.51 |
$12.71 |
29.39% |
17.86% |
August 31, 2023 |
$17.84 |
$15.08 |
$14.38 |
$13.46 |
24.06% |
12.04% |
May 31, 2022 |
$19.25 |
$16.73 |
$15.49 |
$14.08 |
24.27% |
18.82% |
February 28, 2022 |
$19.53 |
$17.75 |
$16.12 |
$16.11 |
21.15% |
10.18% |
November 30, 2021 |
$21.62 |
$18.64 |
$17.16 |
$16.76 |
25.99% |
11.22% |
August 31, 2021 |
$21.98 |
$20.92 |
$17.21 |
$16.98 |
27.72% |
23.20% |
May 31, 2021 |
$21.95 |
$19.24 |
$17.10 |
$16.94 |
28.36% |
13.58% |
(1) | | Based on the Fund’s computations. |
(2) | | Calculated based on the information presented. Percentages are rounded. |
The reported market price, net asset value per Common Share and
percentage premium to net asset value per Common Share as of May 31, 2023 was $15.69, $12.34 and 27.15%, respectively. The Fund cannot
predict whether its Common Shares will trade in the future at a premium to or discount from
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 113
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
net asset value, or the level of any premium or discount. Shares
of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount from net asset value. As of May 31, 2023, 119,342,322 Common Shares
of the Fund were outstanding.
Unresolved Staff Comments
The Fund believes that there are no material unresolved written
comments, received 180 days or more before May 31, 2023, from the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding any of its
periodic or current reports under the Securities Exchange Act or the Investment Company Act of 1940 or its registration statement.
Results of Shareholder Votes
The Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Fund was held on April
6, 2023. Shareholders voted on the election of Trustees. With regards to the election of the following Trustees by shareholders of the
Fund:
|
|
|
|
|
# of Shares in Favor |
# of Shares Against |
# of Shares Abstain |
Thomas F. Lydon Jr. |
73,625,238 |
1,235,698 |
1,285,008 |
Ronald A. Nyberg |
73,686,655 |
1,156,821 |
1,302,468 |
Sandra G. Sponem |
73,526,569 |
1,380,209 |
1,239,166 |
Ronald E. Toupin, Jr. |
73,688,195 |
1,174,562 |
1,283,187 |
The other Trustees of the Fund not up for election in 2023 are
Randall C. Barnes, Angela Brock-Kyle and Amy J. Lee.
Delaware Statutory Trust Act-Control Share Acquisition
Under Delaware law applicable to the Fund as of August 1, 2022,
if a shareholder acquires direct or indirect ownership or power to direct the voting of shares of the Fund in an amount that equals or
exceeds certain percentage thresholds specified under Delaware law (beginning at 10% or more of shares of the Fund), the shareholder’s
ability to vote certain of these shares may be limited.
Sector Classification
Information in the “Schedule of Investments” is categorized
by sectors using sector-level classifications used by Bloomberg Industry Classification System, a widely recognized industry classification
system provider. In the Fund’s registration statement, the Fund has investment policies relating to concentration in specific industries.
For purposes of these investment policies, the Fund usually classifies industries based on industry-level classifications used by widely
recognized industry classification system providers such as Bloomberg Industry Classification System, Global Industry Classification Standards
and Barclays Global Classification Scheme.
114 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM
STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Trustees
The Trustees of the Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund and
their principal occupations during the past five years:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Position(s) |
Term
of Office |
|
Number
of |
|
|
Held |
and
Length |
|
Portfolios
in |
|
Name,
Address* |
with |
of
Time |
Principal
Occupation(s) |
Fund
Complex |
Other
Directorships |
and
Year of Birth |
Trust |
Served** |
During
Past Five Years |
Overseen |
Held
by Trustees*** |
Independent
Trustees: |
|
|
|
|
Randall
C. Barnes |
Trustee
and |
Since
2007 |
Current:
Private Investor (2001-present). |
155 |
Current:
Advent Convertible and Income |
(1951) |
Chair
of the |
(Trustee)
Since |
|
|
Fund
(2005-present); Purpose |
|
Valuation |
2020
(Chair of |
Former:
Senior Vice President and Treasurer, PepsiCo, Inc. (1993-1997); |
|
Investments
Funds (2013-present). |
|
Oversight |
the
Valuation |
President,
Pizza Hut International (1991-1993); Senior Vice President, |
|
|
|
Committee |
Oversight |
Strategic
Planning and New Business Development, PepsiCo, Inc. (1987-1990). |
|
Former:
Fiduciary/Claymore Energy |
|
|
Committee) |
|
|
Infrastructure
Fund (2004-2022); |
|
|
|
|
|
Guggenheim
Enhanced Equity Income |
|
|
|
|
|
Fund
(2005-2021); Guggenheim Credit |
|
|
|
|
|
Allocation
Fund (2013-2021). |
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 115
|
|
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Position(s) |
Term
of Office |
|
Number
of |
|
|
Held |
and
Length |
|
Portfolios
in |
|
Name,
Address* |
with |
of
Time |
Principal
Occupation(s) |
Fund
Complex |
Other
Directorships |
and
Year of Birth |
Trust |
Served** |
During
Past Five Years |
Overseen |
Held
by Trustees*** |
Independent
Trustees continued: |
|
|
|
|
Angela
Brock-Kyle |
Trustee |
Since
2019 |
Current:
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, B.O.A.R.D.S. (2013-present); |
154 |
Current:
Bowhead Insurance GP, LLC |
(1959) |
|
|
Member,
Board of Directors, Mutual Fund Directors Forum (2022-present). |
|
(2020-present);
Hunt Companies, Inc. |
|
|
|
|
|
(2019-present). |
|
|
|
Former:
Senior Leader, TIAA (financial services firm) (1987-2012). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Former:
Fiduciary/Claymore Energy |
|
|
|
|
|
Infrastructure
Fund (2019-2022); |
|
|
|
|
|
Guggenheim
Enhanced Equity Income |
|
|
|
|
|
Fund
(2019-2021); Guggenheim Credit |
|
|
|
|
|
Allocation
Fund (2019-2021); Infinity |
|
|
|
|
|
Property
& Casualty Corp. (2014-2018). |
Thomas
F. Lydon, Jr. |
Trustee
and |
Since
2019 |
Current:
President, Global Trends Investments (registered investment adviser) |
154 |
Current:
US Global Investors, Inc. |
(1960) |
Chair
of the |
(Trustee)
Since |
(1996-present);
Chief Executive Officer, ETF Flows, LLC (financial advisor |
|
(GROW)
(1995-present). |
|
Contracts |
2020
(Chair of |
education
and research provider) (2019-present); Chief Executive Officer, Lydon |
|
|
|
Review |
the
Contracts |
Media
(2016-present); Director, GDX Index Partners, LLC (index provider) |
|
Former:
Fiduciary/Claymore Energy |
|
Committee |
Review |
(2021-present);
Vice Chairman, VettaFi (financial advisor content, research and |
|
Infrastructure
Fund (2019-2022); |
|
|
Committee) |
digital
distribution provider) (2022-present). |
|
Guggenheim
Enhanced Equity Income |
|
|
|
|
|
Fund
(2019-2021); Guggenheim Credit |
|
|
|
|
|
Allocation
Fund (2019-2021); Harvest |
|
|
|
|
|
Volatility
Edge Trust (3) (2017-2019). |
116 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM
STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Position(s) |
Term
of Office |
|
Number
of |
|
|
Held |
and
Length |
|
Portfolios
in |
|
Name,
Address* |
with |
of
Time |
Principal
Occupation(s) |
Fund
Complex |
Other
Directorships |
and
Year of Birth |
Trust |
Served** |
During
Past Five Years |
Overseen |
Held
by Trustees*** |
Independent
Trustees continued: |
|
|
|
|
Ronald
A. Nyberg |
Trustee
and |
Since
2007 |
Current:
Of Counsel, Momkus LLP (law firm) (2016-present). |
155 |
Current:
Advent Convertible and Income |
(1953) |
Chair
of the |
|
|
|
Fund
(2003-present); PPM Funds (2) |
|
Nominating |
|
Former:
Partner, Nyberg & Cassioppi, LLC (law firm) (2000-2016); |
|
(2018-present);
NorthShore-Edward- |
|
and
Governance |
|
Executive
Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary, |
|
Elmhurst
Healthcare System |
|
Committee |
|
Van
Kampen Investments (1982-1999). |
|
(2012-present). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Former:
Fiduciary/Claymore Energy |
|
|
|
|
|
Infrastructure
Fund (2004-2022); |
|
|
|
|
|
Guggenheim
Enhanced Equity Income |
|
|
|
|
|
Fund
(2005-2021); Guggenheim Credit |
|
|
|
|
|
Allocation
Fund (2013-2021); Western |
|
|
|
|
|
Asset
Inflation-Linked Opportunities & |
|
|
|
|
|
Income
Fund (2004-2020); Western |
|
|
|
|
|
Asset
Inflation-Linked Income Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
(2003-2020). |
Sandra
G. Sponem |
Trustee
and |
Since
2019 |
Current:
Retired. |
154 |
Current:
SPDR Series Trust (81) (2018- |
(1958) |
Chair
of the |
(Trustee)
Since |
|
|
present);
SPDR Index Shares Funds (30) |
|
Audit |
2020
(Chair of |
Former:
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, M.A. |
|
(2018-present);
SSGA Active Trust (14) |
|
Committee |
the
Audit |
Mortenson-Companies,
Inc. (construction and real estate development |
|
(2018-present). |
|
|
Committee) |
company)
(2007-2017). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Former:
Fiduciary/Claymore Energy |
|
|
|
|
|
Infrastructure
Fund (2019-2022); |
|
|
|
|
|
Guggenheim
Enhanced Equity Income |
|
|
|
|
|
Fund
(2019-2021); Guggenheim Credit |
|
|
|
|
|
Allocation
Fund (2019-2021); SSGA |
|
|
|
|
|
Master
Trust (1) (2018-2020). |
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 117
|
|
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Position(s) |
Term
of Office |
|
Number
of |
|
|
Held |
and
Length |
|
Portfolios
in |
|
Name,
Address* |
with |
of
Time |
Principal
Occupation(s) |
Fund
Complex |
Other
Directorships |
and
Year of Birth |
Trust |
Served** |
During
Past Five Years |
Overseen |
Held
by Trustees*** |
Independent
Trustees continued: |
|
|
|
|
Ronald
E. Toupin, Jr. |
Trustee,
Chair |
Since
2007 |
Current:
Portfolio Consultant (2010-present); Member, Governing Council, |
154 |
Former:
Fiduciary/Claymore Energy |
(1958) |
of
the Board |
|
Independent
Directors Council (2013-present); Governor, Board of Governors, |
|
Infrastructure
Fund (2004-2022); |
|
and
Chair of |
|
Investment
Company Institute (2018-present). |
|
Guggenheim
Enhanced Equity Income |
|
the
Executive |
|
|
|
Fund
(2005-2021); Guggenheim Credit |
|
Committee |
|
Former:
Member, Executive Committee, Independent Directors Council |
|
Allocation
Fund (2013-2021); Western |
|
|
|
(2016-2018);
Vice President, Manager and Portfolio Manager, Nuveen Asset |
|
Asset
Inflation-Linked Opportunities & |
|
|
|
Management
(1998-1999); Vice President, Nuveen Investment Advisory Corp. |
|
Income
Fund (2004-2020); Western Asset |
|
|
|
(1992-1999);
Vice President and Manager, Nuveen Unit Investment Trusts |
|
Inflation-Linked
Income Fund |
|
|
|
(1991-1999);
and Assistant Vice President and Portfolio Manager, Nuveen Unit |
|
(2003-2020). |
|
|
|
Investment
Trusts (1988-1999), each of John Nuveen & Co., Inc. (registered |
|
|
|
|
|
broker
dealer) (1982-1999). |
|
|
118 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM
STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Position(s) |
Term
of Office |
|
Number
of |
|
|
Held |
and
Length |
|
Portfolios
in |
|
Name,
Address* |
with |
of
Time |
Principal
Occupation(s) |
Fund
Complex |
Other
Directorships |
and
Year of Birth |
Trust |
Served** |
During
Past Five Years |
Overseen |
Held
by Trustees*** |
|
Interested
Trustee: |
|
|
|
|
|
Amy
J. Lee**** |
Trustee,
Vice |
Since
2018 |
Current:
Interested Trustee, certain other funds in the Fund Complex |
154 |
Former:
Fiduciary/Claymore Energy |
(1961) |
President
and |
(Trustee)
Since |
(2018-present);
Chief Legal Officer, certain other funds in the Fund Complex |
|
Infrastructure
Fund (2018-2022); |
|
Chief
Legal |
2014
(Chief Legal |
(2014-present);
Vice President, certain other funds in the Fund Complex |
|
Guggenheim
Enhanced Equity Income |
|
Officer |
Officer)
Since |
(2007-present);
Senior Managing Director, Guggenheim Investments |
|
Fund
(2018-2021); Guggenheim Credit |
|
|
2012
(Vice |
(2012-present). |
|
Allocation
Fund (2018-2021). |
|
|
President) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Former: President and Chief Executive Officer, certain other
funds in the Fund |
|
|
|
Complex (2017-2019); Vice President, Associate General Counsel
and Assistant |
|
|
|
Secretary,
Security Benefit Life Insurance Company and Security Benefit |
|
|
|
|
|
Corporation
(2004-2012). |
|
|
* | | The business address of each Trustee is c/o Guggenheim Investments, 227 West Monroe Street,
Chicago, Illinois 60606. |
** | | Each Trustee elected shall hold office until his or her successor shall have been elected
and shall have qualified. After a Trustee’s initial term, each Trustee is expected to serve a two year term concurrent with the
class of Trustees for which he or she serves. |
- | | Mr. Barnes and Mses. Lee and Brock-Kyle are Class I Trustees. Class I Trustees are expected
to stand for re-election at the Fund’s annual meeting of shareholders for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2024. |
- | | Messrs. Nyberg, Lydon, Jr., Toupin, Jr. and Ms. Sponem are Class II Trustees. Class II
Trustees are expected to stand for re-election at the Fund’s annual meeting of shareholders for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2025. |
*** | | Each Trustee also serves on the Boards of Trustees of Guggenheim Funds Trust, Guggenheim
Variable Funds Trust, Guggenheim Strategy Funds Trust, Guggen-heim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust, Guggenheim
Energy & Income Fund, Guggenheim Active Allocation Fund, Rydex Series Funds, Rydex Dynamic Funds, Rydex Variable Trust and Transparent
Value Trust. Messrs. Barnes and Nyberg also serve on the Board of Trustees of Advent Convertible & Income Fund. |
**** | | This Trustee is deemed to be an "interested person" of the Fund under the 1940
Act by reason of her position with the Fund's Adviser and/or the parent of the Adviser. |
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES
FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 119
|
|
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Officers
The Officers of the Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund and
their principal occupations during the past five years:
|
Position(s) |
|
|
|
Held |
Term
of Office |
|
Name,
Address* |
with |
and
Length of |
|
and
Year of Birth |
Trust |
Time
Served** |
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
Officers: |
|
|
|
Brian
E. Binder |
President |
Since
2018 |
Current:
President, Mutual Funds Boards, Guggenheim Investments (2022-present); President and Chief Executive Officer, certain other funds
in |
(1972) |
and
Chief |
|
the
Fund Complex (2018-present); President, Mutual Funds Boards, Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC and, Security Investors, LLC |
|
Executive |
|
(2018-present);
Board Member, Guggenheim Partners Investment Funds plc (2022-present); Board Member, Guggenheim Global Investments |
|
Officer |
|
plc
(2022-present); Board Member, Guggenheim Partners Fund Management (Europe) Limited (2018-present). |
|
|
|
|
Former:
Senior Managing Director and Chief Administrative Officer, Guggenheim Investments (2018-2022); Managing Director and President, |
|
|
|
Deutsche
Funds, and Head of US Product, Trading and Fund Administration, Deutsche Asset Management (2013-2018); Managing Director, |
|
|
|
Chairman
of North American Executive Committee and Head of Business Management and Consulting, Invesco Ltd. (2010-2012). |
Joanna
M. Catalucci |
Chief |
Since
2012 |
Current:
Chief Compliance Officer, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2012-present); Senior Managing Director, Guggenheim Investments |
(1966) |
Compliance |
|
(2014-present). |
|
Officer |
|
|
|
|
|
Former:
AML Officer, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2016-2017); Chief Compliance Officer and Secretary certain other funds in the |
|
|
|
Fund
Complex (2008-2012); Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, Security Investor, LLC and certain affiliates (2010-2012);
Chief |
|
|
|
Compliance
Officer and Senior Vice President, Rydex Advisors, LLC and certain affiliates (2010-2011). |
James
M. Howley |
Chief
Financial |
Since
2022 |
Current:
Managing Director, Guggenheim Investments (2004-present); Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, and Treasurer, certain |
(1972) |
Officer,
Chief |
|
other
funds in the Fund Complex (2022-present). |
|
Accounting |
|
|
|
Officer
and |
|
Former:
Assistant Treasurer, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2006-2022); Manager, Mutual Fund Administration of Van Kampen |
|
Treasurer |
|
Investments,
Inc. (1996-2004). |
Mark
E. Mathiasen |
Secretary |
Since
2008 |
Current:
Secretary, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2007-present); Managing Director, Guggenheim Investments (2007-present). |
(1978) |
|
|
|
Glenn
McWhinnie |
Assistant |
Since
2016 |
Current:
Vice President, Guggenheim Investments (2009-present); Assistant Treasurer, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2016-present). |
(1969) |
Treasurer |
|
|
120 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM
STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
|
|
OTHER INFORMATION (Unaudited) continued |
May 31, 2023 |
|
|
|
|
|
Position(s) |
|
|
|
Held |
Term
of Office |
|
Name,
Address* |
with |
and
Length of |
|
and
Year of Birth |
Trust |
Time
Served** |
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
Officers
continued: |
|
|
|
Michael
P. Megaris |
Assistant |
Since
2014 |
Current:
Assistant Secretary, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2014-present); Managing Director, Guggenheim Investments |
(1984) |
Secretary |
|
(2012-present). |
Kimberly
J. Scott |
Assistant |
Since
2012 |
Current:
Director, Guggenheim Investments (2012-present); Assistant Treasurer, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2012-present). |
(1974) |
Treasurer |
|
|
|
|
|
Former:
Financial Reporting Manager, Invesco, Ltd. (2010-2011); Vice President/Assistant Treasurer, Mutual Fund Administration for Van Kampen |
|
|
|
Investments,
Inc./Morgan Stanley Investment Management (2009-2010); Manager of Mutual Fund Administration, Van Kampen Investments, |
|
|
|
Inc./Morgan
Stanley Investment Management (2005-2009). |
Bryan
Stone |
Vice |
Since
2014 |
Current:
Vice President, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2014-present); Managing Director, Guggenheim Investments |
(1979) |
President |
|
(2013-present). |
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Former:
Senior Vice President, Neuberger Berman Group LLC (2009-2013); Vice President, Morgan Stanley (2002-2009). |
Jon
Szafran |
Assistant |
Since
2017 |
Current:
Director, Guggenheim Investments (2017-present); Assistant Treasurer, certain other funds in the Fund Complex (2017-present). |
(1989) |
Treasurer |
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Former:
Assistant Treasurer of Henderson Global Funds and Manager of US Fund Administration, Henderson Global Investors (North America) |
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Inc.
(““HGINA””), (2017); Senior Analyst of US Fund Administration, HGINA (2014–2017); Senior Associate
of Fund Administration, Cortland |
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Capital
Market Services, LLC (2013-2014); Experienced Associate, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (2012-2013). |
* | | The business address
of each officer is c/o Guggenheim Investments, 227 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois
60606. |
** | | Each officer serves
an indefinite term, until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified. |
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STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES FUND (GOF) (Unaudited) |
May 31, 2022 |
Report of the Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund (GOF)
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees of Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund
(the “Fund”), including the Independent Trustees, unanimously approved the renewal of the investment management agreement
(the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) between the Fund and Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC (“GFIA” or
the “Adviser”) and the investment sub-advisory agreement by and among the Fund, the Adviser and Guggenheim Partners Investment
Management, LLC (“GPIM” or the “Sub-Adviser”) (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement” and together with the
“Investment Advisory Agreement,” the “Agreements”).
GFIA and GPIM are each an indirect subsidiary of Guggenheim Partners,
LLC, a privately-held, global investment and advisory firm (“Guggenheim Partners”). Guggenheim Partners, GFIA, GPIM and their
affiliates may be referred to herein collectively as “Guggenheim.” “Guggenheim Investments” refers to the global
asset management and investment advisory division of Guggenheim Partners and includes GFIA, GPIM, Security Investors, LLC and other affiliated
investment management businesses of Guggenheim Partners.
At meetings held in person on April 17-18, 2023 (the “April
Meeting”) and meetings held by videoconference on May 15, 2023 and in person on May 24, 2023 (the “May Meeting”), the
Contracts Review Committee of the Board (the “Committee”), consisting solely of the Independent Trustees, met separately from
Guggenheim to consider the proposed renewal of the Agreements. As part of its review process, the Committee was represented by independent
legal counsel to the Independent Trustees (“Independent Legal Counsel”), from whom the Independent Trustees received separate
legal advice and with whom they met separately. Independent Legal Counsel reviewed and discussed with the Committee various key aspects
of the Trustees’ legal responsibilities relating to the proposed renewal of the Agreements and other principal contracts. The Committee
took into account various materials received from Guggenheim and Independent Legal Counsel. The Committee also considered the variety
of written materials, reports and oral presentations the Board received throughout the year regarding performance and operating results
of the Fund, and other information relevant to its evaluation of the Agreements.
In connection with the contract review process, FUSE Research Network
LLC (“FUSE”), an independent, third-party research provider, was engaged to prepare advisory contract renewal reports designed
specifically to help the Board fulfill its advisory contract renewal responsibilities. The objective of the FUSE reports is to present
the subject funds’ relative position regarding fees, expenses and total return performance, with comparisons to a peer group of
funds identified by Guggenheim, based on a methodology reviewed by the Board.
In addition, Guggenheim provided materials and data in response
to formal requests for information sent by Independent Legal Counsel on behalf of the Committee. Guggenheim also made a presentation at
the April Meeting. Throughout the process, the Committee asked questions of management and requested certain additional information, which
Guggenheim provided (collectively with the foregoing reports and materials, the “Contract Review Materials”). The
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Committee considered the Contract Review Materials in the context
of its accumulated experience governing the Fund and other Guggenheim funds and weighed the factors and standards discussed with Independent
Legal Counsel.
Following an analysis and discussion of relevant factors, including
those identified below, and in the exercise of its business judgment, the Committee concluded that it was in the best interest of the
Fund to recommend that the Board approve the renewal of the Agreements for an additional annual term. Following its review of the Committee’s
recommendation, the Board approved the renewal of the Agreements for the Fund for a one-year period ending August 1, 2024 at a meeting
held on May 23-24, 2023 (the “May Board Meeting” and together with the May Meeting, the “May Meetings”) and
determined to adopt the Committee’s considerations and conclusions, which follow.
Investment Advisory Agreement
Nature, Extent and Quality of Services Provided by the Adviser:
With respect to the nature, extent and quality of services currently provided by the Adviser, the Committee noted that, although the
Adviser delegated certain portfolio management responsibilities to the Sub-Adviser, as affiliated companies, both the Adviser and the
Sub-Adviser are part of the Guggenheim organization. Further, the Committee took into account Guggenheim’s explanation that investment
advisory-related services are provided by many Guggenheim employees under different related legal entities and thus, the services provided
by the Adviser on the one hand and the Sub-Adviser on the other, as well as the risks assumed by each party, cannot be ascribed to distinct
legal entities.1 As a result, in evaluating the services provided to the Fund, the Committee did not separately consider the
contributions under the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement.
The Committee also considered the secondary market support services
provided by Guggenheim to the Fund and noted the materials describing the activities of Guggenheim’s dedicated Closed-End Fund Team,
including with respect to communication with financial advisors, data dissemination and relationship management. In addition, the Committee
considered the qualifications, experience and skills of key personnel performing services for the Fund, including those personnel providing
compliance and risk oversight, as well as the supervisors and reporting lines for such personnel. The Committee also considered other
information, including Guggenheim’s resources and related efforts to retain, attract and motivate capable personnel to serve the
Fund. In evaluating Guggenheim’s resources and capabilities, the Committee considered Guggenheim’s commitment to focusing
on, and investing resources in support of, funds in the Guggenheim fund complex, including the Fund. The Committee also considered the
acceptability of the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, including the scope of services required to be performed by the Adviser.
The Committee’s review of the services provided by Guggenheim
to the Fund included consideration of Guggenheim’s investment processes and resulting performance, portfolio oversight and risk
management, and the related regular quarterly reports and presentations received by the Board. The
1 | | Consequently, except where the context indicates otherwise, references to “Adviser”
or “Sub-Adviser” should be understood as referring to Guggenheim Investments generally and the services it provides under
the Agreements. |
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Committee took into account the risks borne by Guggenheim in sponsoring
and providing services to the Fund, including regulatory, operational, legal and entrepreneurial risks. The Committee considered the resources
dedicated by Guggenheim to compliance functions and the reporting made to the Board by Guggenheim compliance personnel regarding Guggenheim’s
adherence to regulatory requirements. The Committee also considered the regular reports the Board receives from the Fund’s Chief
Compliance Officer regarding compliance policies and procedures established pursuant to Rule 38a-1 under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended. In connection with the Committee’s evaluation of the overall package of services provided by Guggenheim, the Committee
considered Guggenheim’s administrative services, including its role in supervising, monitoring, coordinating and evaluating the
various services provided by the fund administrator, custodian and other service providers to the Fund. The Committee evaluated the Office
of Chief Financial Officer (the “OCFO”), established to oversee the fund administration, accounting and transfer agency services
provided to funds in the Guggenheim fund complex, including the OCFO’s resources, personnel and services provided.
With respect to Guggenheim’s resources and the ability of
the Adviser to carry out its responsibilities under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Chief Financial Officer of Guggenheim Investments
reviewed with the Committee financial information concerning the holding company for Guggenheim Investments, Guggenheim Partners Investment
Management Holdings, LLC (“GPIMH”), and the various entities comprising Guggenheim Investments, and provided the audited consolidated
financial statements of GPIMH. (Thereafter, the Committee received the audited consolidated financial statements of GPIM.)
Based on the foregoing, and based on other information received
(both oral and written) at the April Meeting and the May Meetings, as well as other considerations, including the Committee’s knowledge
of how the Adviser performs its duties obtained through Board meetings, discussions and reports throughout the year, the Committee concluded
that the Adviser and its personnel were qualified to serve the Fund in such capacity and may reasonably be expected to continue to provide
a high quality of services under the Investment Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund.
Investment Performance: The Committee received data showing,
among other things, the Fund’s total return on a net asset value (“NAV”) and market price basis for the ten-year, five-year,
three-year, one-year and three-month periods ended December 31, 2022, as well as total return based on NAV since inception. The Committee
also received certain performance information as of March 31, 2023. The Committee compared the Fund’s performance to a peer group
of closed-end funds identified by Guggenheim (the “peer group”) and, for NAV returns, performance versus the Fund’s
benchmark for the same time periods. The Committee noted that the Adviser’s peer group selection methodology for the Fund starts
with the entire U.S.-listed taxable closed-end fund universe, excluding term funds, that generally invests greater than 10% in at least
two of the following three investment categories: corporate bonds, asset-backed securities and bank loans, but excludes funds: (i) with
generally less
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than 20% financial leverage; (ii) that generally invest at least
80% in one asset class, sector or country; (iii) that generally invest less than 50% in credit securities; (iv) that generally invest
less than 80% in the U.S.; and (v) that generally invest less than 60% in below investment grade securities. The Committee noted that
the peer group consists of 8 other multi-sector bond closed-end funds, with 3 of 8 peers belonging to the same large fund family. The
Committee also considered that the peer group is consistent with the peer group used for purposes of the Fund’s quarterly performance
reporting. In assessing the Fund’s performance, the Committee considered that the Board receives regular reporting from Guggenheim
regarding performance and evaluates performance throughout the year.
The Committee observed that, on a NAV basis, the returns of the
Fund ranked in the 1st percentile of its peer group for the five-year and three-year periods ended December 31, 2022 and in the 63rd percentile
of its peer group for the one-year period ended December 31, 2022.
In addition, the Committee took into account Guggenheim’s
belief that there is no single optimal performance metric, nor is there a single optimal time period over which to evaluate performance
and that a thorough understanding of performance comes from analyzing measures of returns, risk and risk-adjusted returns, as well as
evaluating strategies both relative to their market benchmarks and to peer groups of competing strategies. Thus, the Committee also reviewed
and considered the additional performance and risk metrics provided by Guggenheim, updated through January 31, 2023, including the Fund’s
standard deviation, tracking error, beta, Sharpe ratio, information ratio and alpha compared to the benchmark, with the Fund’s risk
metrics ranked against its peer group. In assessing the foregoing, the Committee considered Guggenheim’s statement that, as of January
31, 2023, the Fund has consistently outperformed its benchmark and delivered returns ranking in the top decile or top quartile of its
peer group over all relevant periods. The Committee also noted Guggenheim’s statement that, as of January 31, 2023, the Fund’s
risk metrics have generally been among the lowest of its peer group measured by standard deviation and tracking error, but among the highest
of its peer group when measured by beta, and that the Fund’s risk-adjusted returns have generally ranked in the top decile or top
quartile of its peer group over most relevant periods.
The Committee also considered the Fund’s structure and form
of leverage, and, among other information related to leverage, the cost of the leverage and the aggregate leverage outstanding as of December
31, 2022, as well as net yield on leverage assets and net impact on common assets due to leverage for the one-year period ended December
31, 2022 and annualized for the three-year and since-inception periods ended December 31, 2022.
Based on the foregoing, and based on other information received
(both oral and written) at the April Meeting and the May Meetings, as well as other considerations, the Committee concluded that the Fund’s
performance was acceptable.
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Comparative Fees, Costs of Services Provided and the Benefits
Realized by the Adviser from Its Relationship with the Fund: The Committee compared the Fund’s contractual advisory fee (which
includes the sub-advisory fee paid to the Sub-Adviser) calculated at average managed assets for the latest fiscal year,2 and
the Fund’s net effective management fee3 and total net expense ratio, in each case as a percentage of average net assets
for the latest fiscal year, to the peer group and noted the Fund’s percentile rankings in this regard. The Committee also reviewed
the average and median advisory fees (based on average net assets) and expense ratios, including expense ratio components (e.g., transfer
agency fees, administration fees and other operating expenses), of the peer group. In addition, the Committee considered information regarding
Guggenheim’s process for evaluating the competitiveness of the Fund’s fees and expenses, noting Guggenheim’s statement
that evaluations seek to incorporate a variety of factors with a general focus on ensuring fees and expenses: (i) are competitive; (ii)
give consideration to resource support requirements; and (iii) ensure the Fund is able to deliver on shareholder return expectations.
The Committee observed that the Fund’s contractual advisory
fee based on average managed assets ranks in the second quartile (50th percentile) of its peer group; that the Fund’s net effective
management fee based on average net assets ranks in the third quartile (63rd percentile) of its peer group; and that the total net expense
ratio (excluding interest expense) based on average net assets ranks in the second quartile (50th percentile) of its peer group. The Committee
took into account Guggenheim’s unique investment strategy for the Fund, which is to combine a credit-managed fixed-income portfolio
with access to a diversified pool of alternative investments and equity strategies.
As part of its evaluation of the Fund’s advisory fee, the
Committee considered how such fee compared to the advisory fee charged by Guggenheim to one or more other clients that it manages pursuant
to similar investment strategies, noting that, in certain instances, Guggenheim charges a lower advisory fee to such other clients. In
this connection, the Committee considered, among other things, Guggenheim’s representations about the significant differences between
managing registered funds as compared to other types of accounts and differences between managing a closed-end fund as compared to an
open-end fund. The Committee also considered Guggenheim’s explanation that lower fees are charged in certain instances due to various
other factors, including the scope of contract, type of investors, fee structure, applicable legal, governance and capital structures,
tax status and historical pricing reasons. In addition, the Committee took into account Guggenheim’s discussion of the regulatory,
operational, legal and entrepreneurial risks involved with the Fund as compared to other types of accounts. The Committee concluded that
the information it received demonstrated that the aggregate services provided to, and the specific circumstances of, the Fund were sufficiently
different from the services provided to, or the specific circumstances of,
2 | | Contractual advisory fee rankings represent the percentile ranking of the Fund’s contractual
advisory fee relative to peers assuming that the contractual advisory fee for each fund in the peer group is calculated on the basis
of the Fund’s average managed assets. |
3 | | The “net effective management fee” for the Fund represents the combined effective
advisory fee and administration fee as a percentage of average net assets for the latest fiscal year, after any waivers and/or reimbursements. |
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other clients with similar investment strategies and/or that the
risks borne by Guggenheim were sufficiently greater than those associated with managing other clients with similar investment strategies
to support the difference in fees.
With respect to the costs of services provided and benefits realized
by Guggenheim Investments from its relationship with the Fund, the Committee reviewed a profitability analysis and data from management
setting forth the average assets under management for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022, gross revenues received, and expenses
incurred directly or through allocations, by Guggenheim Investments, earnings and the operating margin/profitability rate, including variance
information relative to the foregoing amounts as of December 31, 2021. In addition, the Chief Financial Officer of Guggenheim Investments
reviewed with, and addressed questions from, the Committee concerning the expense allocation methodology employed in producing the profitability
analysis. In the course of its review of Guggenheim Investments’ profitability, the Committee took into account the methods used
by Guggenheim Investments to determine expenses and profit and the representation by the Chief Financial Officer of Guggenheim Investments
that such methods provided a reasonable basis for determining the profitability of the Adviser with respect to the Fund. The Committee
considered all of the foregoing, among other things, in evaluating the costs of services provided, the profitability to Guggenheim Investments
and the profitability rates presented.
The Committee also considered other benefits available to the Adviser
because of its relationship with the Fund and noted Guggenheim’s statement that it does not believe the Adviser derives any such
“fall-out” benefits. In this regard, the Committee noted Guggenheim’s statement that, although it does not consider
such benefits to be fall-out benefits, the Adviser may benefit from certain economies of scale and synergies, such as enhanced visibility
of the Adviser, enhanced leverage in fee negotiations and other synergies arising from offering a broad spectrum of products, including
the Fund.
Based on the foregoing, and based on other information received
(both oral and written) at the April Meeting and the May Meetings, as well as other considerations, the Committee concluded that the comparative
fees and the benefits realized by the Adviser from its relationship with the Fund were appropriate and that the Adviser’s profitability
from its relationship with the Fund was not unreasonable.
Economies of Scale: The Committee received and considered
information regarding whether there have been economies of scale with respect to the management of the Fund as the Fund’s assets
grow, whether the Fund has appropriately benefited from any economies of scale, and whether there is potential for realization of any
further economies of scale. The Committee considered whether
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economies of scale in the provision of services to the Fund were
being passed along to and shared with the shareholders. The Committee considered that advisory fee breakpoints generally are not relevant
given the structural nature of closed-end funds, which, though able to conduct additional share offerings periodically, do not continuously
offer new shares and thus, do not experience daily inflows and outflows of capital. In addition, the Committee considered that the Adviser’s
research-intensive investment strategy for the Fund has required greater resources as the size of the Fund has increased and took into
account Guggenheim’s belief that given the relative size of the Fund, breakpoints are not appropriate at this time. The Committee
also considered the additional shares offered by the Fund through secondary offerings in the past and considered that to the extent the
Fund’s assets increase over time (whether through additional periodic offerings or internal growth from asset appreciation), the
Fund and its shareholders should realize economies of scale as certain expenses, such as Fund fixed costs, become a smaller percentage
of overall assets. In considering whether breakpoints should be added based on the growth in assets, the Committee also took into account
the competitiveness of the Fund’s contractual advisory fee (based on average managed assets), which ranks at the median of its peer
group, the competitiveness of the total expense ratio and performance.
Based on the foregoing, and based on other information received
(both oral and written) at the April Meeting and the May Meetings, as well as other considerations, the Committee concluded that the Fund’s
advisory fee was reasonable.
Sub-Advisory Agreement
Nature, Extent and Quality of Services Provided by the Sub-Adviser:
As noted above, because both the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser for the Fund —GFIA and GPIM, respectively— are part of Guggenheim
Investments and the services provided by the Adviser on the one hand and the Sub-Adviser on the other cannot be ascribed to distinct legal
entities, the Committee did not separately evaluate the services provided under the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory
Agreement. Therefore, the Committee considered the qualifications, experience and skills of the Fund’s portfolio management team
in connection with the Committee’s evaluation of Guggenheim’s investment professionals under the Investment Advisory Agreement.
With respect to Guggenheim’s resources and the Sub-Adviser’s ability to carry out its responsibilities under the Sub-Advisory
Agreement, as noted above, the Committee considered the financial condition of GPIMH and the various entities comprising Guggenheim Investments.
The Committee also considered the acceptability of the terms of the Sub-Advisory Agreement, including the scope of services required to
be performed by the Sub-Adviser.
Investment Performance: The Committee considered the returns
of the Fund under its evaluation of the Investment Advisory Agreement.
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Comparative Fees, Costs of Services Provided and the Benefits
Realized by the SubAdviser from Its Relationship with the Fund: The Committee considered that the Sub-Advisory Agreement is with an
affiliate of the Adviser, that the Adviser compensates the Sub-Adviser from its own fees so that the sub-advisory fee rate for the Fund
does not impact the fees paid by the Fund and that the Sub-Adviser’s revenues were included in the calculation of Guggenheim Investments’
profitability. Given its conclusion of the reasonableness of the advisory fee, the Committee concluded that the sub-advisory fee rate
for the Fund was reasonable.
Economies of Scale: The Committee recognized that, because
the Sub-Adviser’s fees are paid by the Adviser and not the Fund, the analysis of economies of scale was more appropriate in the
context of the Committee’s consideration of the Investment Advisory Agreement, which was separately considered. (See “Investment
Advisory Agreement – Economies of Scale” above.)
Overall Conclusions
The Committee concluded that the investment advisory fees are fair
and reasonable in light of the extent and quality of the services provided and other benefits received and that the renewal of the Agreements
is in the best interest of the Fund. In reaching this conclusion, no single factor was determinative or conclusive and each Committee
member, in the exercise of his or her informed business judgment, may afford different weights to different factors.
Following its review of the Committee’s analysis and determinations,
the Board adopted the considerations and conclusions of the Committee and determined to approve the renewal of the Agreements.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUND (Unaudited) |
May 31, 2023 |
CHANGES OCCURRING DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED MAY 31, 2023
The following information in this annual report is a summary
of certain changes during the most recent fiscal year. This information may not reflect all of the changes that have occurred since you
purchased shares of the Fund.
Change in the Fund’s Portfolio Management Team and Sub-Adviser
The personnel primarily responsible for the day-to-day management
of the Fund’s portfolio are Anne B. Walsh, CFA, JD, Managing Partner, Chief Investment Officer of GPIM and Portfolio Manager; Steven
H. Brown, CFA, Chief Investment Officer - Total Return and Macro Strategies, Senior Managing Director and Portfolio Manager; Adam J. Bloch,
Managing Director and Portfolio Manager; and Evan L. Serdensky, Director and Portfolio Manager.
Scott Minerd previously served as a portfolio manager of the Fund
but unexpectedly passed away in December 2022. Mr. Minerd was the sole member of the team attached to Guggenheim Partners Advisors, LLC,
which served as a sub-adviser to the Fund. That sub-advisory relationship ended effective December 22, 2022.
Changes to the Fund’s Investments
The Fund may invest up to the lower of 10% of its total assets
or 15% of its net assets, measured at the time of investment, in private investment funds that provide exposure to Common Equity Securities
of private companies, as described below.
The following is an updated description of the Fund’s investments
with respect to Investment Funds:
Investment Funds. As an alternative to holding investments
directly, the Fund may also obtain investment exposure to Income Securities and Common Equity Securities by investing in other investment
companies, including registered investment companies, private investment funds and/or other pooled investment vehicles (collectively,
“Investment Funds”), which may be managed by the Adviser, Sub-Adviser and/or their affiliates. The Fund may invest up to 30%
of its total assets in Investment Funds that primarily hold (directly or indirectly) investments in which the Fund may invest directly.
The 1940 Act generally limits a registered investment company’s investments in other registered investment companies to 10% of its
total assets. However, pursuant to exemptions set forth in the 1940 Act and rules and regulations promulgated under the 1940 Act, the
Fund may invest in excess of this and other applicable limitations provided that the conditions of such exemptions are met. The Fund will
invest in private investment funds, commonly referred to as “hedge funds,” or “private equity funds” (including
“single asset continuation funds”) only to the extent permitted by applicable rules, regulations and interpretations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and NYSE. The Fund may invest up to the lower of 10% of its total assets or 15%
of its net assets, measured at the time of investment, in private investment funds that provide exposure to Common Equity Securities of
private companies (i.e., exposure to private equity investments). Investments in other Investment Funds involve operating expenses and
fees at the Investment Fund level that are in addition to the expenses and fees borne by the Fund and are borne indirectly by holders
of the Common Shares.
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Corresponding changes to the Fund’s principal risks are reflected
in the following risks described below:
• Liquidity Risk
• Private Securities Risk
• Risks Associated with Private Company Investments
• Late-Stage Private Companies Risk
• Investment Funds Risk
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The Fund’s investment objective is to maximize total return
through a combination of current income and capital appreciation. The Fund cannot ensure investors that it will achieve its investment
objective. The Fund’s investment objective is considered fundamental and may not be changed without the approval of the holders
of the Fund’s common shares of beneficial interest (“Common Shares”).
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund will pursue a relative value-based investment philosophy,
which utilizes quantitative and qualitative analysis to seek to identify securities or spreads between securities that deviate from their
perceived fair value and/or historical norms. GPIM seeks to combine a credit managed fixed income portfolio with access to a diversified
pool of alternative investments and equity strategies. The Fund’s investment philosophy is predicated upon the belief that thorough
research and independent thought are rewarded with performance that has the potential to outperform benchmark indexes with both lower
volatility and lower correlation of returns as compared to such benchmark indexes.
GPIM’s process for determining whether to buy a security
is a collaborative effort between various groups including: (i) economic research, which focuses on key economic themes and trends, regional
and country-specific analysis, and assessments of event-risk and policy impacts on asset prices, (ii) the Portfolio Construction Group,
which utilize proprietary portfolio construction and risk modeling tools to determine allocation of assets among a variety of sectors,
(iii) its Sector Specialists, who are responsible for identifying investment opportunities in particular securities within these sectors,
including the structuring of certain securities directly with the issuers or with investment banks and dealers involved in the origination
of such securities, and (iv) portfolio managers, who determine which securities best fit the Fund based on the Fund’s investment
objective and top-down sector allocations. In managing the Fund, GPIM uses a process for selecting securities for purchase and sale that
is based on intensive credit research and involves extensive due diligence on each issuer, region and sector. GPIM also considers macroeconomic
outlook and geopolitical issues.
The Fund may allocate its assets among a wide variety of Income
Securities and Common Equity Securities.
The Fund may invest without limitation in below-investment grade
securities (e.g., securities rated below Baa3 by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., below BBB- by Standard & Poor’s Ratings
Group or
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Fitch Ratings or comparably rated by another nationally recognized
statistical rating organization or, if unrated, determined by GPIM to be of comparable quality). Below-investment grade securities are
commonly referred to as “high-yield” or “junk” bonds and are considered speculative with respect to the issuer’s
capacity to pay interest and repay principal. The Fund’s investments in any of the sectors and types of Income Securities in which
the Fund may invest may include, without limitation, below investment grade securities. The Fund’s investments in below investment
grade securities may include distressed and defaulted securities.
Under normal market conditions, the Fund will not invest more than:
• 50% of its total assets in Common Equity Securities consisting
of common stock;
• 30% of its total assets in Investment Funds;
• 20% of its total assets in non-U.S. dollar-denominated Income
Securities of corporate and governmental issuers located outside the United States; and
• 10% of its total assets in Income Securities of issuers
in emerging markets.
The percentage of the Fund’s total assets allocated to any
category of investment may at any given time be significantly less than the maximum percentage permitted pursuant to the above referenced
investment policies.
Unless otherwise stated, the Fund’s investment policies are
considered non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees without approval of holders of Common Shares (“Common Shareholders”).
The Fund will provide investors with at least 60 days’ prior written notice of any change in the Fund’s investment policies.
PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION
The following provides additional information about the types of
securities and other instruments in which the Fund will or may ordinarily invest.
The Fund will seek to achieve its investment objective by investing
in:
Income Securities. The Fund may invest in a wide range of
fixed- income and other debt and senior equity securities (“Income Securities”) selected from a variety of sectors and credit
qualities. The Fund may invest in Income Securities of any credit quality, including, without limitation, Income Securities rated below-investment
grade (commonly referred to as “high-yield” or “junk” bonds), which are considered speculative with respect to
the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal. The sectors and types of Income Securities in which the Fund may invest,
include, but are not limited to:
• Corporate bonds;
• Loans and loan participations (including senior secured
floating rate loans, “second lien” secured floating rate loans, and other types of secured and unsecured loans with fixed
and variable interest rates) (collectively, “Loans”);
• Structured finance investments (including residential and
commercial mortgage-related securities, asset- backed securities, collateralized debt obligations and risk-linked securities);
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• U.S. government and agency securities;
• Mezzanine and preferred securities; and
• Convertible securities.
Common Equity Securities and Covered Call Option Strategy. The
Fund may invest in common stocks, limited liability company interests, trust certificates and other equity investments (“Common
Equity Securities”) that GPIM believes offer attractive yield and/or capital appreciation potential. As part of its Common Equity
Securities strategy, the Fund currently intends to employ a strategy of writing (selling) covered call options and may, from time to time,
buy or sell put options on individual Common Equity Securities and, to a lesser extent, on indices of securities and sectors of securities.
This covered call option strategy is intended to generate current gains from option premiums as a means to enhance distributions payable
to the Common Shareholders.
Structured Finance Investments. The Fund may invest in structured
finance investments, which are Income Securities and Common Equity Securities typically issued by special purpose vehicles that hold income-producing
securities (e.g., mortgage loans, consumer debt payment obligations and other receivables) and other financial assets. Structured finance
investments are tailored, or packaged, to meet certain financial goals of investors. Typically, these investments provide investors with
capital protection, income generation and/or the opportunity to generate capital growth. GPIM believes that structured finance investments
may provide attractive risk-adjusted returns, frequent sector rotation opportunities and prospects for adding value through security selection.
For purposes of the Fund’s investment policies, structured finance investments are not deemed to be “private investment funds”
(as discussed below). Structured finance investments primarily include (among others):
Mortgage-Related Securities. Mortgage-related securities
are a form of derivative collateralized by pools of commercial or residential mortgages. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities
for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. These securities may include complex instruments
such as collateralized mortgage obligations, real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) (including debt and preferred stock issued
by REITs), and other real estate-related securities. The mortgage-related securities in which the Fund may invest include those with fixed,
floating or variable interest rates, those with interest rates that change based on multiples of changes in a specified index of interest
rates, and those with interest rates that change inversely to changes in interest rates, as well as those that do not bear interest. The
Fund may invest in residential and commercial mortgage-related securities issued by governmental entities and private issuers, including
subordinated mortgage-related securities. The underlying assets of certain mortgage-related securities may be subject to prepayments,
which shorten the weighted average maturity and may lower the return of such securities, and extension, which lengthens expected maturity
as payments on principal may occur at a slower rate or later than expected.
Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities (“ABS”)
are a form of structured debt obligation. ABS are payment claims that are securitized in the form of negotiable paper that is issued by
a financing company (generally called a special purpose vehicle). Collateral assets are brought into a pool
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according to specific diversification rules. A special purpose
vehicle is founded for the purpose of securitizing these payment claims and the assets of the special purpose vehicle are the diversified
pool of collateral assets. The special purpose vehicle issues marketable securities that are intended to represent a lower level of risk
than an underlying collateral asset individually, due to the diversification in the pool. The redemption of the securities issued by the
special purpose vehicle takes place out of the cash flow generated by the collected assets. A special purpose vehicle may issue multiple
securities with different priorities to the cash flows generated and the collateral assets. The collateral for ABS may include, among
other assets, home equity loans, automobile and credit card receivables, boat loans, computer leases, airplane leases, mobile home loans,
recreational vehicle loans and hospital account receivables. The Fund may invest in these and other types of ABS that may be developed
in the future. There is the possibility that recoveries on the underlying collateral may not, in some cases, be available or may be insufficient
to support payments on these securities.
Collateralized Debt Obligations. A collateralized debt obligation
(“CDO”) is an asset-backed security whose underlying collateral is typically a portfolio of bonds, bank loans, other structured
finance securities and/or synthetic instruments. Where the underlying collateral is a portfolio of bonds, a CDO is referred to as a collateralized
bond obligation (“CBO”). Where the underlying collateral is a portfolio of bank loans, a CDO is referred to as a collateralized
loan obligation (“CLO”). Investors in CBOs and CLOs bear the credit risk of the underlying collateral. Multiple tranches of
securities are issued by the CLO, offering investors various maturity and credit risk characteristics. Tranches are categorized as senior,
mezzanine, and subordinated/equity, according to their degree of risk. If there are defaults or the CLO’s collateral otherwise underperforms,
scheduled payments to senior tranches take precedence over those of mezzanine tranches, and scheduled payments to mezzanine tranches take
precedence over those to subordinated/equity tranches. This prioritization of the cash flows from a pool of securities among the several
tranches of the CLO is a key feature of the CLO structure. If there are funds remaining after each tranche of debt receives its contractual
interest rate and the CLO meets or exceeds required collateral coverage levels (or other similar covenants), the remaining funds may be
paid to the subordinated (or residual) tranche (often referred to as the “equity” tranche). CLOs are subject to the same risk
of prepayment and extension described with respect to certain mortgage-related and asset-backed securities.
The Fund may invest in senior, rated tranches as well as mezzanine
and subordinated tranches of CLOs. Investment in the subordinated tranche is subject to special risks. The subordinated tranche does not
receive ratings and is considered the riskiest portion of the capital structure of a CLO because it bears the bulk of defaults from the
loans in the CLO and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances.
Risk-Linked Securities. Risk-linked securities (“RLS”)
are a form of derivative issued by insurance companies and insurance-related special purpose vehicles that apply securitization techniques
to catastrophic property and casualty damages. RLS are typically debt obligations for which the return of principal and the payment of
interest are contingent on the non-occurrence of a pre-defined “trigger event.” Depending on the specific terms and structure
of the RLS, this trigger could be the result of a hurricane, earthquake or some other catastrophic event.
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Real Property Asset Companies. The Fund may invest in Income
Securities and Common Equity Securities issued by companies that own, produce, refine, process, transport and market “real property
assets,” such as real estate and the natural resources upon or within real estate (“Real Property Asset Companies”).
Personal Property Asset Companies. The Fund may invest in
Income Securities and Common Equity Securities issued by companies that seek to profit primarily from the ownership, rental, leasing,
financing or disposition of personal (as opposed to real) property assets (“Personal Property Asset Companies”). Personal
(as opposed to real) property includes any tangible, movable property or asset. The Fund will typically seek to invest in Income Securities
and Common Equity Securities of Personal Property Asset Companies the investment performance of which is not expected to be highly correlated
with traditional market indexes because the personal property asset held by such company is non-correlated with traditional debt or equity
markets. Such personal property assets include special situation transportation assets (e.g., railcars, airplanes and ships) and collectibles
(e.g., antiques, wine and fine art).
Private Securities. The Fund may invest in privately issued
Income Securities and Common Equity Securities of both public and private companies (“Private Securities”). Private Securities
have additional risk considerations in addition to those of comparable public securities, including the availability of financial information
about the issuer and valuation and liquidity issues.
Investment Funds. As an alternative to holding investments
directly, the Fund may also obtain investment exposure to Income Securities and Common Equity Securities by investing in other investment
companies, including registered investment companies, private investment funds and/or other pooled investment vehicles (collectively,
“Investment Funds”), which may be managed by the Adviser, Sub-Adviser and/or their affiliates. The Fund may invest up to 30%
of its total assets in Investment Funds that primarily hold (directly or indirectly) investments in which the Fund may invest directly.
The 1940 Act generally limits a registered investment company’s investments in other registered investment companies to 10% of its
total assets. However, pursuant to exemptions set forth in the 1940 Act and rules and regulations promulgated under the 1940 Act, the
Fund may invest in excess of this and other applicable limitations provided that the conditions of such exemptions are met. The Fund will
invest in private investment funds, commonly referred to as “hedge funds,” or “private equity funds” (including
“single asset continuation funds”) only to the extent permitted by applicable rules, regulations and interpretations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and NYSE. The Fund may invest up to the lower of 10% of its total assets or 15%
of its net assets, measured at the time of investment, in private investment funds that provide exposure to Common Equity Securities of
private companies (i.e., exposure to private equity investments). Investments in other Investment Funds involve operating expenses and
fees at the Investment Fund level that are in addition to the expenses and fees borne by the Fund and are borne indirectly by holders
of the Common Shares.
Synthetic Investments. As an alternative to holding investments
directly, the Fund may also obtain investment exposure to Income Securities and Common Equity Securities through the use of
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customized derivative instruments (including swaps, options, forwards,
notional principal contracts or other financial instruments) to seek to replicate, modify or replace the economic attributes associated
with an investment in Income Securities and Common Equity Securities (including interests in Investment Funds).
Derivatives Transactions. The Fund may purchase and sell
derivative instruments (which derive their value by reference to another instrument, asset or index) for investment purposes, such as
obtaining investment exposure to an investment category; risk management purposes, such as hedging against fluctuations in asset prices
or interest rates; diversification purposes; or to change the duration of the Fund. GPIM seeks to allocate derivatives transactions to
limit exposure to any single counterparty. The Fund has not adopted a maximum percentage limit with respect to derivative investments.
Municipal Securities. The Fund may invest directly or indirectly
in municipal securities. Municipal securities include securities issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the
United States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, the payments from which,
in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer, are excludable from gross income for federal income tax purposes. Municipal securities also
include taxable securities issued by such issuers. Municipal bonds may include those backed by, among other things, state taxes and essential
service revenues as well as health care and higher education issuers, among others, or be supported by dedicated revenue streams and/or
statutory liens.
USE OF LEVERAGE
The Fund may employ leverage through (i) the issuance of preferred
shares, (ii) borrowing or the issuance of commercial paper or other forms of debt, (iii) reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls or
similar transactions or (iv) a combination of the foregoing (collectively “Financial Leverage”).
Under the 1940 Act, the Fund may not utilize indebtedness if, immediately
after incurring such indebtedness, the Fund would have asset coverage (as defined in the 1940 Act) of less than 300% (i.e., for every
dollar of indebtedness outstanding, the Fund is required to have at least three dollars of assets). Under the 1940 Act, the Fund may not
issue preferred shares if, immediately after issuance, the Fund would have asset coverage (as defined in the 1940 Act) of less than 200%
(i.e., for every dollar of indebtedness plus preferred shares outstanding, the Fund is required to have at least two dollars of assets).
The Fund may also borrow in excess of such limit for temporary purposes such as the settlement of transactions.
The Fund currently employs leverage through a committed facility
provided to the Fund by BNP Paribas. Although leverage may create an opportunity for increased return for shareholders, it also results
in additional risks and can magnify the effect of any losses. There is no assurance that the strategy will be successful. Leverage may
cause greater changes in the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) and returns than if leverage had not been used.
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The Fund’s borrowings under the committed facility are collateralized
by portfolio assets, which are maintained by the Fund in a separate account with the Fund’s custodian for the benefit of the lender,
which collateral exceeds the amount borrowed. Securities deposited in the collateral account may be rehypothecated by the lender subject
to the terms and conditions of the facility agreements. In the event of a default by the Fund under its committed facility, the lender
has the right to sell such collateral assets to satisfy the Fund’s obligation to the lender. The committed facility agreement includes
usual and customary covenants. These covenants impose on the Fund asset coverage requirements, collateral requirements, investment strategy
requirements, and certain financial obligations. These covenants place limits or restrictions on the Fund’s ability to (i) enter
into additional indebtedness with a party other than BNP Paribas, (ii) change its fundamental investment policy, or (iii) pledge to any
other party, other than to the counterparty, securities owned or held by the Fund over which the counterparty has a lien. In addition,
the Fund is required to deliver financial information to the counterparty within established deadlines, maintain an asset coverage ratio
(as defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act) greater than 300%, comply with the rules of the stock exchange on which its shares are listed,
and maintain its classification as a “closed-end management investment company” as defined in the 1940 Act.
In addition, the Fund may engage in certain derivatives transactions
that have economic characteristics similar to leverage. The Fund’s obligations under such transactions will not be considered indebtedness
for purposes of the 1940 Act, or included in calculating the aggregate amount of the Fund’s Financial Leverage, but the Fund’s
use of such transactions may be limited by the applicable requirements of the SEC.
Investments in Investment Funds frequently expose the Fund to an
additional layer of Financial Leverage and, thus, increase the Fund’s exposure to leverage risk.
TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE INVESTMENTS
At any time when a temporary defensive posture is believed by GPIM
to be warranted (a “temporary defensive period”), the Fund may, without limitation, hold cash or invest its assets in money
market instruments and repurchase agreements in respect of those instruments. The Fund may not achieve its investment objective during
a temporary defensive period or be able to sustain its historical distribution levels.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF THE FUND
Investment in the Fund involves special risk considerations,
which are summarized below. The Fund is designed as a long-term investment and not as a trading vehicle. The Fund is not intended to be
a complete investment program. The Fund’s performance and the value of its investments will vary in response to changes in interest
rates, inflation and other market and economic factors, among others.
The fact that a particular risk below is not specifically identified
as being heightened under current conditions does not mean that the risk is not greater than under normal conditions.
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Not a Complete Investment Program
An investment in the Common Shares should not be considered a complete
investment program. The Fund is intended for long-term investors seeking current income and capital appreciation. An investment in the
Fund is not meant to provide a vehicle for those who wish to play short-term swings in the market. Shareholders should take into account
the Fund’s investment objective as well as shareholder’s other investments when considering an investment in the Fund. Before
making an investment decision, a prospective investor should consider (i) the suitability of this investment with respect to his or her
investment objectives and personal situation and (ii) factors such as his or her personal net worth, income, age, risk tolerance and liquidity
needs.
Investment and Market Risk
An investment in the Common Shares is subject to investment risk,
including the possible loss of the entire principal amount that you invest. During periods of adverse economic, financial, geopolitical,
labor and public health conditions, the risks associated with an investment in Common Shares may be heightened.
An investment in the Common Shares represents an indirect investment
in the securities owned by the Fund. The value of, or income generated by, the investments held by the Fund are subject to the possibility
of rapid and unpredictable fluctuation, and loss. These fluctuations may occur frequently and in large amounts. These movements may result
from factors affecting individual companies, or from broader influences, including real or perceived changes in prevailing interest rates,
changes in inflation rates or expectations about inflation rates, adverse investor confidence or sentiment, changing economic, political
(including geopolitical), social or financial market conditions, tariffs and trade disruptions, recession, changes in currency rates,
increased instability or general uncertainty, natural/environmental disasters, cyber attacks, terrorism, governmental or quasi-governmental
actions, public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics and epidemics), debt crises, actual or threatened
wars or other armed conflicts (such as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and its risk of expansion or collateral economic and other
effects) or ratings downgrades, and other similar events, each of which may be temporary or last for extended periods. For example, the
risks of a borrower’s default or bankruptcy or non-payment of scheduled interest or principal payments from senior floating rate
interests held by the Fund are especially acute under these conditions. Furthermore, interest rates may change and bond yields may fall
as a result of types of events, including responses by governmental entities to such events, which would magnify the Fund’s fixed-income
instruments’ susceptibility to interest rate risk and diminish their yield and performance. Moreover, the Fund’s investments
in ABS are subject to many of the same risks that are applicable to investments in securities generally, including interest rate risk,
credit risk, foreign currency risk, below-investment grade securities risk, leverage risk, prepayment and extension risks and regulatory
risk, which would be elevated under the foregoing circumstances.
Moreover, changing economic, political, social, geopolitical or
financial market or other conditions in one country or geographic region could adversely affect the value, yield and return of the
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investments held by the Fund in a different country or geographic
region and economies, markets and issuers generally because of the increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets.
As a result, there is an increased risk that geopolitical and other events will disrupt economies and markets globally. For example, local
or regional armed conflicts (notably the Russia-Ukraine conflict) have led to significant sanctions by the United States, Europe and other
countries against certain countries (as well as persons and companies connected with certain counties) and led to indirect adverse regional
and global market, economic and other effects. It is difficult to accurately predict or foresee when events or conditions affecting the
U.S. or global financial markets, economies, and issuers may occur, the effects of such events or conditions, potential escalations or
expansions of these events, possible retaliations in response to sanctions or similar actions and the duration or ultimate impact of those
events. There is an increased likelihood that these types of events or conditions can, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, result in
a variety of adverse developments and circumstances, such as reduced liquidity, supply chain disruptions and market volatility, as well
as increased general uncertainty and broad ramifications for markets, economies, issuers, businesses in many sectors and societies globally.
In addition, adverse changes in one sector or industry or with respect to a particular company could negatively impact companies in other
sectors or industries or increase market volatility as a result of the interconnected nature of economies and markets and thus negatively
affect the Fund’s performance. For example, developments in the banking or financial services sectors (or one or more companies
operating in these sectors) could adversely impact a wide range of companies and issuers. These types of adverse developments could negatively
affect the Fund’s performance or operations.
Different sectors, industries and security types may react differently
to such developments and, when the market performs well, there is no assurance that the Fund’s investments will increase in value
along with the broader markets. Periods of market stress and volatility of financial markets, including potentially extreme stress and
volatility caused by the events described above or similar circumstances, can expose the Fund to greater market risk than normal, possibly
resulting in greatly reduced liquidity and increased valuation risks, for certain asset classes, longer than usual trade settlement periods.
The fewer the number of issuers in which the Fund invests and/or the greater the use of leverage, the greater the potential volatility
in the Fund’s portfolio. GPIM potentially could be prevented from considering, managing and executing investment decisions at an
advantageous time or price or at all as a result of any domestic or global market or other disruptions, particularly disruptions causing
heightened market volatility and reduced market liquidity, which have also resulted in impediments to the normal functioning of workforces,
including personnel and systems of the Fund’s service providers and market intermediaries. The Fund’s investments may decline
in value or otherwise be adversely affected due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular issuer,
such as real or perceived economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or changes in investor sentiment or market outlook
generally.
At any point in time, your Common Shares may be worth less than
your original investment, even after including the reinvestment of Fund dividends and distributions.
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The Fund is subject to management risk because it has an actively
managed portfolio. GPIM will apply investment techniques and risk analysis in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can
be no guarantee that these will produce the desired results. The Fund’s allocation of its investments across various asset classes
and sectors may vary significantly over time based on GPIM’s analysis and judgment. As a result, the particular risks most relevant
to an investment in the Fund, as well as the overall risk profile of the Fund’s portfolio, may vary over time. The ability of the
Fund to achieve its investment objective depends, in part, on GPIM’s investment decisions and the ability of GPIM to allocate effectively
the Fund’s assets among multiple investment strategies, Investment Funds and investments and asset classes. There can be no assurance
that the actual allocations will be effective in achieving the Fund’s investment objective or that an investment strategy or Investment
Fund or investment will achieve its particular investment objective.
Income Risk
The income investors receive from the Fund is based in part on
the interest it earns from its investments in Income Securities, which can vary widely over the short- and long-term. If prevailing market
interest rates drop, investors’ income from the Fund could drop as well. The Fund’s income could also be affected adversely
when prevailing short-term interest rates increase and the Fund is utilizing leverage, although this risk may be mitigated to the extent
the Fund invests in floating-rate obligations.
Dividend Risk
Dividends on common stock and other Common Equity Securities which
the Fund may hold are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of an issuer’s board of directors. There is no guarantee that
the issuers of the Common Equity Securities in which the Fund invests will declare dividends in the future or that, if declared, they
will remain at current levels or increase over time. Therefore, there is the possibility that such companies could reduce or eliminate
the payment of dividends in the future or the anticipated acceleration of dividends could not occur as a result of, among other things,
a sharp change in interest rates or an economic downturn. Changes in the dividend policies of companies and capital resources available
for these companies’ dividend payments may adversely affect the Fund. Depending upon market conditions, dividend-paying stocks that
meet the Fund’s investment criteria may not be widely available and/or may be highly concentrated in only a few market sectors.
These circumstances may result from issuer-specific events, adverse economic or market developments, or legislative or regulatory changes
or other developments that limit an issuer’s ability to declare and pay dividends, which would affect the Fund’s performance
and ability to generate income. The dividend income from the Fund’s investment in Common Equity Securities will be influenced by
both general economic activity and issuer-specific factors. In the event of adverse changes in economic conditions or adverse events effecting
a specific industry or issuer, the issuers of the Common Equity Securities held by the Fund may reduce the dividends paid on such securities
(or not declare or pay dividends on such securities).
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In addition to the risks discussed above, Income Securities (notably
the value and income of such investments), including high-yield bonds, are subject to certain risks, including:
Issuer
Risk. The
value of Income Securities may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, the
issuer’s overall level of debt, reduced demand for the issuer’s goods and services, historical and projected earnings, and
the value of its assets.
Spread
Risk. Spread
risk is the risk that the market price can change due to broad based movements in spreads. The difference (or “spread”) between
the yield of a security and the yield of a benchmark measures the additional interest paid. As the spread on a security widens (or increases),
the price (or value) of the security falls. Spread widening may occur, among other reasons, as a result of market concerns over the stability
of the market, excess supply, general credit concerns in other markets, security- or market-specific credit concerns, or general reductions
in risk tolerance.
Credit
Risk. The
Fund could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a debt instrument or a counterparty to a derivatives transaction or other transaction
(such as a repurchase agreement or a loan of portfolio securities or other instruments) is unable or unwilling, or perceived to be unable
or unwilling, to pay interest or repay principal on time or defaults. This risk is heightened in market environments where interest rates
are changing, notably when rates are rising. If an issuer fails to pay interest, the Fund’s income would likely be reduced, and
if an issuer fails to repay principal, the value of the instrument likely would fall and the Fund could lose money. This risk is especially
acute with respect to below investment grade debt instruments (commonly referred to as “high-yield” or “junk”
bonds) and unrated high risk debt instruments, whose issuers are particularly susceptible to fail to meet principal or interest obligations.
Also, the issuer, guarantor or counterparty may suffer adverse changes in its financial condition or be adversely affected by economic,
political or social conditions that could lower the credit quality (or the market’s perception of the credit quality) of the issuer
or instrument, leading to greater volatility in the price of the instrument and in shares of the Fund. Although credit quality rating
may not accurately reflect the true credit risk of an instrument, a change in the credit quality rating of an instrument or an issuer
can have a rapid, adverse effect on the instrument’s value and liquidity and make it more difficult for the Fund to sell at an advantageous
price or time. The risk of the occurrence of these types of events is heightened in market environments where interest rates are changing,
notably when rates are rising.
The degree of credit risk depends on the particular instrument
and the financial condition of the issuer, guarantor or counterparty, which are often reflected in its credit quality. A credit quality
rating is a measure of the issuer’s expected ability to make all required interest and principal payments in a timely manner. An
issuer with the highest credit rating has a very strong capacity with respect to making all payments. An issuer with the second-highest
credit rating has a strong capacity to make all payments, but the degree of safety is somewhat less. An issuer with the lowest credit
quality rating may be in default or have extremely poor prospects of making timely payment of interest and principal. Credit ratings assigned
by rating agencies are based on a number of factors and subjective judgments and therefore do not necessarily represent an issuer’s
actual financial condition or the
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volatility and liquidity of the security. Although higher-rated
securities generally present lower credit risk as compared to lower-rated or unrated securities, an issuer with a high credit rating may
in fact be exposed to heightened levels of credit or liquidity risk.
In addition, during certain market and economic conditions, many
issuers may be unprofitable, have had little cash on hand and/or unable to pay the interest owed on their debt obligations and the number
of such issuers may increase if demand for their goods and services falls, borrowing and other costs rise due to governmental action or
inaction or for other reasons. Also, the issuer, guarantor or counterparty may suffer adverse changes in its financial condition or reduced
demand for its goods and services or be adversely affected by economic, political, public health or social conditions that could lower
the credit quality (or the market’s perception of the credit quality) of the issuer or instrument, leading to greater volatility
in the price of the instrument and in shares of the Fund.
If an issuer, guarantor or counterparty declares bankruptcy or
is declared bankrupt, the Fund would likely be adversely affected in its ability to receive principal or interest owed or otherwise to
enforce the financial obligations of the other party. The Fund may be subject to increased costs associated with the bankruptcy process
and experience losses as a result of the deterioration of the financial condition of the issuer, guarantor or counterparty. The risks
to the Fund related to such bankruptcies are elevated during periods of adverse markets, economic and similar developments.
Interest
Rate Risk. Fixed-income
and other debt instruments are subject to the possibility that interest rates could change (or are expected to change). Changes in interest
rates, including changes in reference rates used in fixed-income and other debt instruments (such as Term SOFR or LIBOR), may adversely
affect the Fund’s investments in these instruments, such as the value or liquidity of, and income generated by, the investments
or increase risks associated with such investments, such as credit or default risks. In addition, changes in interest rates, including
rates that fall below zero, can have unpredictable effects on markets and can adversely affect the Fund’s yield, income and performance.
Generally, when interest rates increase, the values of fixed-income and other debt instruments decline and when interest rates decrease,
the values of fixed-income and other debt instruments rise. Changes in interest rates also adversely affect the yield generated by certain
Income Securities or result in the issuance of lower yielding Income Securities.
The value of a debt instrument with a longer duration will generally
be more sensitive to interest rate changes than a similar instrument with a shorter duration. Similarly, the longer the average duration
(whether positive or negative) of these instruments held by the Fund or to which the Fund is exposed (i.e., the longer the average portfolio
duration of the Fund), the more the Fund’s NAV will likely fluctuate in response to interest rate changes. Duration is a measure
used to determine the sensitivity of a security’s price to changes in interest rates that incorporates a security’s yield,
coupon, final maturity and call features, among other characteristics. For example, the NAV per share of a bond fund with an average duration
of eight years would be expected to fall approximately 8% if interest rates rose by one percentage point.
However, measures such as duration may not accurately reflect the
true interest rate sensitivity of instruments held by the Fund and, in turn, the Fund’s susceptibility to changes in interest rates.
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Certain fixed-income and debt instruments are subject to the risk
that the issuer may exercise its right to redeem (or call) the instrument earlier than anticipated. Although an issuer may call an instrument
for a variety of reasons, if an issuer does so during a time of declining interest rates, the Fund might have to reinvest the proceeds
in an investment offering a lower yield or other less favorable features, and therefore might not benefit from any increase in value as
a result of declining interest rates. Interest only or principal only securities and inverse floaters are particularly sensitive to changes
in interest rates, which may impact the income generated by the security and other features of the security.
Instruments with variable or floating interest rates generally
are less sensitive to interest rate changes, but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much or as fast as interest
rates in general. Conversely, in a decreasing interest rate environment, these instruments will generally not increase in value and the
Fund’s investment in instruments with floating interest rates may prevent the Fund from taking full advantage of decreasing interest
rates in a timely manner. In addition, the income received from such instruments will likely be adversely affected by a decrease in interest
rates.
Adjustable rate securities also react to interest rate changes
in a similar manner as fixed-rate securities but generally to a lesser degree depending on the characteristics of the security, in particular
its reset terms (i.e., the index chosen, frequency of reset and reset caps or floors). During periods of rising interest rates, because
changes in interest rates on adjustable rate securities may lag behind changes in market rates, the value of such securities may decline
until their interest rates reset to market rates. These securities also may be subject to limits on the maximum increase in interest rates.
During periods of declining interest rates, because the interest rates on adjustable rate securities generally reset downward, their market
value is unlikely to rise to the same extent as the value of comparable fixed rate securities. These securities may not be subject to
limits on downward adjustments of interest rates.
During periods of rising interest rates, issuers of debt instruments
or asset-backed securities may pay principal later or more slowly than expected, which may reduce the value of the Fund’s investment
in such securities and may prevent the Fund from receiving higher interest rates on proceeds reinvested in other instruments. During periods
of falling interest rates, issuers of debt securities or asset-backed securities may pay off debts more quickly or earlier than expected,
which could cause the Fund to be unable to recoup the full amount of its initial investment and/or cause the Fund to reinvest in lower-yielding
securities, thereby reducing the Fund’s yield or otherwise adversely impacting the Fund.
Certain debt instruments, such as instruments with a negative duration
or inverse instruments, are also subject to interest rate risk, although such instruments generally react differently to changes in interest
rates than instruments with positive durations. The Fund’s investments in these instruments also may be adversely affected by changes
in interest rates. For example, the value of instruments with negative durations, such as inverse floaters, generally decrease if interest
rates decline.
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The U.S. Federal Reserve (“Federal Reserve”), in recent
periods, has increased interest rates at significant levels and signaled an intention to continue to raise interest rates and maintain
interest rates at increased levels until inflation decreases to the Federal Reserve’s target level. It is difficult to predict how
long the Federal Reserve’s current stance on interest rates will persist and the impact these actions will have on the economy and
the Fund’s investments and the markets where they trade. Such actions may have unforeseen consequences and materially affect economic
and market conditions, the Fund’s investments and the Fund’s performance.
The Fund’s use of leverage will tend to increase Common Share
interest rate risk. The Fund may utilize certain strategies, including taking positions in futures or interest rate swaps, for the purpose
of seeking to reduce the interest rate sensitivity of credit securities held by the Fund or any leverage being employed by the Fund and
seeking to decrease the Fund’s exposure to interest rate risk. The Fund is not required to hedge its exposure to interest rate risk
and may choose not to do so. In addition, there is no assurance that any attempts by the Fund to seek to reduce interest rate risk will
be successful or that any hedges that the Fund may establish will perfectly correlate with movements in interest rates.
Current
Fixed-Income and Debt Market Conditions. Fixed-income
and debt market conditions are highly unpredictable, and some parts of the market are subject to dislocations. In response to the high
inflation in recent periods, governmental authorities have implemented significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including increasing
interest rates and implementation of quantitative tightening. These actions present heightened risks, particularly to fixed-income and
debt instruments, and such risks could be even further heightened if these actions are ineffective in achieving their desired outcomes.
The Federal Reserve has signaled its intention to continue raising interest rates and maintain interest rates at increased levels until
inflation decreases to the Federal Reserve’s target level. It is difficult to accurately predict the effect of these actions. Certain
economic conditions and market environments will expose fixed-income and debt instruments to heightened volatility and reduced liquidity,
which can impact the Fund’s investments and may negatively impact the Fund’s characteristics, which in turn would impact performance.
To the extent the Fund invests in derivatives tied to fixed-income or related markets, the Fund can be more substantially exposed to these
risks than if it did not invest in such derivatives. The liquidity levels of the Fund’s portfolio may also be affected and the Fund
could be required to sell holdings at disadvantageous times or prices.
Corporate Bond Risk
Corporate bonds are debt obligations issued by corporations and
other business entities. Corporate bonds may be either secured or unsecured. Collateral used for secured debt includes real property,
machinery, equipment, accounts receivable, stocks, bonds or notes. If a bond is unsecured, it is known as a debenture. Bondholders, as
creditors, have a prior legal claim over common and preferred stockholders as to both income and assets of the corporation for the principal
and interest due them and may have a prior claim over other creditors if liens or mortgages are involved. Interest on corporate bonds
may be fixed or floating, or the bonds may be zero coupons. Interest on corporate bonds is typically paid semi-annually and is fully taxable
to the bondholder. Corporate
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bonds contain elements of both interest-rate risk and credit risk
and are subject to the risks associated with Income Securities, among other risks. The market value of a corporate bond generally may
be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates and may also be affected by the credit rating of the corporation, the corporation’s
performance and perceptions of the corporation in the marketplace. Depending on the nature of the seniority provisions, a senior corporate
bond may be junior to other credit securities of the issuer.
The market value of a corporate bond may be affected by factors
directly related to the issuer, such as investors’ perceptions of the creditworthiness of the issuer, the issuer’s financial
performance, perceptions of the issuer in the marketplace, performance of management of the issuer, the issuer’s capital structure
and use of financial leverage and demand for the issuer’s goods and services. There is a risk that the issuers of corporate bonds
may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument or at all. Corporate
bonds of below investment grade quality are often high risk and have speculative characteristics and may be particularly susceptible to
adverse issuer-specific and other developments.
Reinvestment Risk
Reinvestment risk is the risk that income from the Fund’s
portfolio will decline if the Fund invests the proceeds from matured, traded or called Income Securities at market interest rates that
are below the Fund portfolio’s current earnings rate. A decline in income could affect the Common Shares’ market price or
the overall return of the Fund. These or similar conditions may also occur in the future.
Extension Risk
Certain debt instruments, including mortgage- and other asset-backed
securities, are subject to the risk that payments on principal may occur at a slower rate or later than expected. In this event, the expected
maturity could lengthen as short or intermediate-term instruments become longer-term instruments, which would make the investment more
sensitive to changes in interest rates. The likelihood that payments on principal will occur at a slower rate or later than expected is
heightened in market environments where interest rates are rising. In addition, the Fund’s investment may sharply decrease in value
and the Fund’s income from the investment may quickly decline. These types of instruments are particularly subject to extension
risk, and offer less potential for gains, during periods of rising interest rates. In addition, the Fund may be delayed in its ability
to reinvest income or proceeds from these instruments in potentially higher yielding investments, which would adversely affect the Fund
to the extent its investments are in lower interest rate debt instruments. Thus, changes in interest rates may cause volatility in the
value of and income received from these types of debt instruments.
Prepayment Risk
Certain debt instruments, including loans and mortgage- and other
asset-backed securities, are subject to the risk that payments on principal may occur more quickly or earlier than expected (or an investment
is converted or redeemed prior to maturity). For example, an issuer may exercise its right to redeem outstanding debt securities prior
to their maturity (known as a “call”) or otherwise pay
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principal earlier than expected for a number of reasons (e.g.,
declining interest rates, changes in credit spreads and improvements in the issuer’s credit quality). If an issuer calls or “prepays”
a security in which the Fund has invested, the Fund may not recoup the full amount of its initial investment and may be required to reinvest
in generally lower-yielding securities, securities with greater credit risks or securities with other, less favorable features or terms
than the security in which the Fund initially invested, thus potentially reducing the Fund’s yield. Income Securities frequently
have call features that allow the issuer to repurchase the security prior to its stated maturity. Loans and mortgage- and other asset-backed
securities are particularly subject to prepayment risk, and offer less potential for gains, during periods of declining interest rates
(or narrower spreads) as issuers of higher interest rate debt instruments pay off debts earlier than expected. In addition, the Fund may
lose any premiums paid to acquire the investment. Other factors, such as excess cash flows, may also contribute to prepayment risk. Thus,
changes in interest rates may cause volatility in the value of and income received from these types of debt instruments.
Variable or floating rate investments may be less vulnerable to
prepayment risk. Most floating rate loans and fixed-income securities allow for prepayment of principal without penalty. Accordingly,
the potential for the value of a floating rate loan or security to increase in response to interest rate declines is limited. Corporate
loans or fixed-income securities purchased to replace a prepaid corporate loan or security may have lower yields than the yield on the
prepaid corporate loan or security.
Liquidity Risk
The Fund may invest without limitation in Income Securities for
which there is no readily available trading market or which are unregistered, restricted or otherwise illiquid, including certain high-yield
securities. The Fund invests in privately issued securities of both public and private companies, which may be illiquid. For example,
Common Equity Securities of private companies (including when held through an Investment Fund) are usually highly illiquid, and the Fund
is usually able to sell such securities only in private transactions with another investor or group of investors, and there can be no
assurance that the Fund will be able to successfully arrange such transactions if and when it desires or that it will obtain favorable
values upon the sale. Securities of below investment grade quality tend to be less liquid than investment grade debt securities, and securities
of financial distressed or bankrupt issuers may be particularly illiquid. Loans typically are not registered with the SEC and are not
listed on any securities exchange and may at times be illiquid. Loan investments through participations and assignments are typically
illiquid. Structured finance securities are typically privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws.
As a result, investments in structured finance securities may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities; however, an active
dealer market may exist which would allow such securities to be considered liquid in some circumstances. The securities and obligations
of foreign issuers, particular issuers in emerging markets, may be more likely to experience periods of illiquidity. Derivative instruments,
particularly privately-negotiated or OTC derivatives, may be illiquid, although can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when
the Fund seeks to close out an exchange-traded derivative position.
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The Fund may not be able to readily dispose of illiquid securities
and obligations at prices that approximate those at which the Fund could sell such assets and obligations if they were more widely traded
and, as a result of such illiquidity, the Fund may have to sell other investments or engage in borrowing transactions if necessary to
raise cash to meet its obligations. As a result, the Fund may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to certain issuers, asset
classes or sectors. The capacity of market makers of fixed-income and other debt instruments has not kept pace with the consistent growth
in these markets over the past decades, which has led to reduced levels in the capacity of these market makers to engage in trading and,
as a result, dealer inventories of corporate fixed-income, floating rate and certain other debt instruments are at or near historic lows
relative to market size. In addition, limited liquidity could affect the market price of Income Securities, thereby adversely affecting
the Fund’s NAV and ability to make distributions. Dislocations in certain parts of markets have in the past and may in the future
result in reduced liquidity for certain investments. Liquidity of financial markets may also be affected by government intervention.
Valuation of Certain Income Securities Risk
GPIM may use the fair value method to value investments if market
quotations for them are not readily available or are deemed unreliable, or if events occurring after the close of a securities market
and before the Fund values its assets would materially affect net asset value. Because the secondary markets for certain investments may
be limited, they may be particularly difficult to value. Where market quotations are not readily available, valuation may require more
research than for more liquid investments. In addition, elements of judgment may play a greater role in valuation in such cases than for
investments with a more active secondary market because there is less reliable objective data available. A security that is fair valued
may be valued at a price higher or lower than the value determined by other funds using their own fair valuation procedures. Prices obtained
by the Fund upon the sale of such securities may not equal the value at which the Fund carried the investment on its books, which would
adversely affect the net asset value of the Fund.
Duration and Maturity Risk
The Fund has no set policy regarding portfolio maturity or duration.
Holding long duration and long maturity investments will expose the Fund to certain magnified risks. These risks include interest rate
risk, credit risk and liquidity risks as discussed above. Generally speaking, the longer the duration of the Fund’s portfolio, the
more exposure the Fund will have to interest rate risk described above.
Below-Investment Grade Securities Risk
The Fund may invest in Income Securities rated below-investment
grade or, if unrated, determined by GPIM to be of comparable credit quality, which are commonly referred to as “high-yield”
or “junk” bonds. Investment in securities of below-investment grade quality involves substantial risk of loss, the risk of
which is particularly acute under adverse economic conditions. Income Securities of below-investment grade quality are predominantly speculative
with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal when due and therefore involve a greater risk of default
or decline in market value or income due to adverse economic and issuer-specific developments.
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Securities of below investment grade quality may involve a greater
risk of default or decline in market value or income due to adverse economic and issuer-specific developments, such as operating results
and outlook and to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions. Generally, the risks associated with high yield
securities are heightened during times of weakening economic conditions or rising interest rates (particularly for issuers that are highly
leveraged). If the Fund is unable to sell an investment at its desired time, the Fund may miss other investment opportunities while it
holds investments it would prefer to sell, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance. In addition, the liquidity of any
Fund investment may change significantly over time as a result of market, economic, trading, issuer-specific and other factors. Accordingly,
the performance of the Fund and a shareholder’s investment in the Fund may be adversely affected if an issuer is unable to pay interest
and repay principal, either on time or at all. Issuers of below investment grade securities are not perceived to be as strong financially
as those with higher credit ratings. These issuers are more vulnerable to financial setbacks and recessions and other adverse economic
developments than more creditworthy issuers, which may impair their ability to make interest and principal payments. Income Securities
of below-investment grade quality display increased price sensitivity to changing interest rates and to a deteriorating economic environment.
The market values, total return and yield for securities of below investment grade quality tend to be more volatile than the market values,
total return and yield for higher quality bonds. Securities of below investment grade quality tend to be less liquid than investment grade
debt securities and therefore more difficult to value accurately and sell at an advantageous price or time and may involve greater transactions
costs and wider bid/ask spreads, than higher-quality securities. To the extent that a secondary market does exist for certain below investment
grade securities, the market for them may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement
periods. Because of the substantial risks associated with investments in below investment grade securities, you could have an increased
risk of losing money on your investment in Common Shares, both in the short-term and the long-term. To the extent that the Fund invests
in securities that have not been rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization, the Fund’s ability to achieve
its investment objective will be more dependent on GPIM’s credit analysis than would be the case when the Fund invests in rated
securities.
Successful investment in lower-medium and lower-rated debt securities
may involve greater investment risk and is highly dependent on GPIM’s credit analysis. The value of securities of below investment
grade quality is particularly vulnerable to changes in interest rates and a real or perceived economic downturn or higher interest rates
could cause a decline in prices of such securities by lessening the ability of issuers to make principal and interest payments. These
securities are often thinly traded or subject to irregular trading and can be more difficult to sell and value accurately than higher-quality
securities because there tends to be less public information available about these securities. Because objective pricing data may be less
available, judgment may play a greater role in the valuation process. In addition, the entire below investment grade market can experience
sudden and sharp price swings due to a variety of factors, including changes in economic forecasts, stock market activity, large or sustained
sales by major investors, a high-profile default, or a change in the market’s psychology. Adverse conditions could make it difficult
at times for the Fund to sell certain
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securities or could result in lower prices than those used in calculating
the Fund’s NAV. During periods of deteriorating economic conditions, such as recessions or periods of rising unemployment, or changing
interest rates (notably increases), high yield securities are particularly susceptible to credit and default risk as delinquencies and
losses could increase, and such increases could be sudden and significant. An economic downturn or individual corporate developments could
adversely affect the market for these investments and reduce the Fund’s ability to sell these investments at an advantageous time
or price. These types of developments could cause high yield securities to lose significant market value, including before a default occurs.
Structured Finance Investments Risk
The Fund’s structured finance investments may include residential
and commercial mortgage-related and other ABS issued by governmental entities and private issuers. While traditional fixed-income securities
typically pay a fixed rate of interest until maturity, when the entire principal amount is due, these investments represent an interest
in a pool of residential or commercial real estate or assets such as automobile loans, credit card receivables or student loans that have
been securitized and provide for monthly payments of interest and principal to the holder based from the cash flow of these assets. Holders
of structured finance investments bear risks of the underlying investments, index or reference obligation and are subject to counterparty
risk. The Fund may have the right to receive payments only from the structured product, and generally does not have direct rights against
the issuer or the entity that sold the assets to be securitized. While certain structured finance investments enable the investor to acquire
interests in a pool of securities without the brokerage and other expenses associated with directly holding the same securities, investors
in structured finance investments generally pay their share of the structured product’s administrative and other expenses. Although
it is difficult to accurately predict whether the prices of indices and securities underlying structured finance investments will rise
or fall, these prices (and, therefore, the prices of structured finance investments) will be influenced by the same types of political,
economic and other events that affect issuers of securities and capital markets generally. If the issuer of a structured product uses
shorter term financing to purchase longer term securities, the issuer may be forced to sell its securities at below market prices if it
experiences difficulty in obtaining short-term financing, which may adversely affect the value of the structured finance investment owned
by the Fund.
The Fund may invest in structured finance products collateralized
by low grade or defaulted loans or securities. Investments in such structured finance products are subject to the risks associated with
below investment grade securities. Such securities are characterized by high risk. It is likely that an economic recession could severely
disrupt the market for such securities and may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities.
The Fund may invest in senior and subordinated classes issued by
structured finance vehicles. The payment of cash flows from the underlying assets to senior classes take precedence over those of subordinated
classes, and therefore subordinated classes are subject to greater risk. Furthermore, the leveraged nature of subordinated classes may
magnify the adverse impact on such class of changes in the value of the assets, changes in the distributions on the assets, defaults and
recoveries
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on the assets, capital gains and losses on the assets, prepayment
on assets and availability, price and interest rates of assets.
Structured finance securities may be thinly traded or have a limited
trading market. Structured finance securities are typically privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities
laws. As a result, investments in structured finance securities may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities; however, an active
dealer market may exist which would allow such securities to be considered liquid in some circumstances.
Structured finance securities, such as mortgage-backed securities,
issued by non-governmental issuers are not guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. government or a government sponsored enterprise
and are typically subject to greater risk than those issued by such governmental entities. For example, privately issued mortgage-backed
securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for underlying mortgages as those issued by governmental entities and,
as a result, mortgage loans underlying such privately issued securities typically have less favorable underwriting characteristics (such
as credit risk and collateral) and a wider range in terms (such as interest rate, term and borrower characteristics).
Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk
Mortgage-Backed Securities (“MBS”) represent an interest
in a pool of mortgages. MBS are subject to certain risks, such as: credit risk associated with the performance of the underlying mortgage
properties and of the borrowers owning these properties; risks associated with their structure and execution (including the collateral,
the process by which principal and interest payments are allocated and distributed to investors and how credit losses affect the return
to investors in such MBS); risks associated with the servicer of the underlying mortgages; adverse changes in economic conditions and
circumstances, which are more likely to have an adverse impact on MBS secured by loans on certain types of commercial properties than
on those secured by loans on residential properties; prepayment and extension risks, which can lead to significant fluctuations in the
value of the MBS; loss of all or part of the premium, if any, paid; and decline in the market value of the security, whether resulting
from changes in interest rates, prepayments on the underlying mortgage collateral or perceptions of the credit risk associated with the
underlying mortgage collateral.
The value of MBS may be substantially dependent on the servicing
of the underlying pool of mortgages. In addition, the Fund’s level of investment in MBS of a particular type or in MBS issued or
guaranteed by affiliated obligors, serviced by the same servicer or backed by underlying collateral located in a specific geographic region,
may subject the Fund to additional risk.
When market interest rates decline, more mortgages are refinanced
and the securities are paid off earlier than expected. Prepayments may also occur on a scheduled basis or due to foreclosure. When market
interest rates increase, the market values of MBS decline. At the same time, however, mortgage refinancings and prepayments slow, which
lengthens the effective maturities of these securities. As a result, the negative effect of the rate increase on the market value of MBS
is usually more pronounced than it is for other types of debt securities. In addition, due to instability in the
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credit markets, the market for some MBS has at times experienced
reduced liquidity and greater volatility with respect to the value of such securities, making it more difficult to value such securities.
The Fund may invest in sub-prime mortgages or MBS that are backed by sub-prime mortgages or defaulted or nonperforming loans.
Additional risks relating to investments in MBS may arise principally
because of the type of MBS in which the Fund invests, with such risks primarily associated with the particular assets collateralizing
the MBS and the structure of such MBS. For example, CMOs, which are MBS that are typically collateralized by mortgage loans or mortgage
pass-through securities and multi-class pass-through securities, are commonly structured as equity interests in a trust composed of mortgage
loans or other MBS. CMOs are usually issued in multiple classes, often referred to as “tranches,” with each tranche having
a specific fixed or floating coupon rate and stated maturity or final distribution date. Under the traditional CMO structure, the cash
flows generated by the mortgages or mortgage pass-through securities in the collateral pool are used to first pay interest and then pay
principal to the holders of the CMOs. Subject to the provisions of individual CMO issues, the cash flow generated by the underlying collateral
(to the extent it exceeds the amount required to pay the stated interest) is used to retire the bonds. As a result of these and other
structural characteristics of CMOs, CMOs may have complex or highly variable prepayment terms, such as companion classes, interest only
or principal only payments, inverse floaters and residuals. These investments generally entail greater market, prepayment and liquidity
risks than other MBS, and may be more volatile or less liquid than other MBS.
Moreover, the relationship between prepayments and interest rates
may give some high-yielding MBS less potential for growth in value than conventional bonds with comparable maturities. In addition, during
periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayment tends to increase. During such periods, the reinvestment of prepayment proceeds
by the Fund will generally be at lower rates than the rates that were carried by the obligations that have been prepaid. Because of these
and other reasons, MBS’s total return and maturity may be difficult to predict precisely. To the extent that the Fund purchases
MBS at a premium, prepayments (which may be made without penalty) may result in loss of the Fund’s principal investment to the extent
of premium paid.
In addition, the general effects of inflation on the U.S. economy
can be wide ranging, as evidenced by rising interest rates, wages, and costs of consumer goods and necessities. The long-term effects
of inflation on the general economy and on any individual mortgagor are unclear, and in certain cases, rising inflation may affect a mortgagor’s
ability to repay its related mortgage loan, thereby reducing the amount received by the holders of MBS with respect to such mortgage loan.
Additionally, increased rates of inflation, as are currently being experienced, may negatively affect the value of certain MBS in the
secondary market.
MBS generally are classified as either commercial mortgage-backed
securities (“CMBS”) or residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”), each of which are subject to certain specific
risks. CMBS and RMBS are also subject to risks similar to those associated with investing in real estate, which are described under “Real
Estate Risks” below.
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Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk
In terms of total outstanding principal amount of issues, the market
for CMBS is relatively small compared to the market for RMBS. CMBS are subject to particular risks, such as those associated with lack
of standardized terms, shorter maturities than residential mortgage loans and payment of all or substantially all of the principal only
at maturity rather than regular amortization of principal. In addition, commercial lending generally is viewed as exposing the lender
to a greater risk of loss than residential lending. Commercial lending typically involves larger loans to single borrowers or groups of
related borrowers than residential mortgage loans. In addition, the repayment of loans secured by income producing properties typically
is dependent upon the successful operation of the related real estate project and the cash flow generated therefrom. Net operating income
of an income-producing property can be affected by, among other things: tenant mix, success of tenant businesses, property management
decisions, property location and condition, competition from comparable types of properties, changes in laws that increase operating expense
or limit rents that may be charged, any need to address environmental contamination at the property, the occurrence of any uninsured casualty
at the property, changes in national, regional or local economic conditions and/or specific industry segments, declines in regional or
local real estate values, declines in regional or local rental or occupancy rates, increases in interest rates, real estate tax rates
and other operating expenses, change in governmental rules, regulations and fiscal policies, including environmental legislation, acts
of God, terrorism, social unrest and civil disturbances.
Consequently, adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances
are more likely to have an adverse impact on MBS secured by loans on commercial properties than on those secured by loans on residential
properties. Economic downturns, rises in unemployment, tightening lending standards and increased interest and lending rates, developments
adverse to the commercial real estate markets, and other developments that limit or reduce demand for commercial retail and office spaces
(including continued or expanded remote working arrangement) as well as increased maintenance or tenant improvement costs and costs to
convert properties for other uses would adversely impact these investments. For example, economic decline in the businesses operated by
the tenants of office or retail properties may increase the likelihood that the tenants may be unable to pay their rent or that properties
may be unable to attract or retain tenants, resulting in vacancies (potentially for extended periods). These developments could also result
from, among other things, population shifts and other demographic changes, changing tastes and preferences as well as cultural, technological
or economic and market developments. In addition, changing interest rate environments and associated changes in lending standards and
higher refinancing rates may adversely affect the commercial real estate and CMBS markets. Moreover, other types of events, domestic or
international, may affect general economic conditions and financial markets, such as pandemics, armed conflicts, energy supply or price
disruptions, natural disasters and man-made disasters, which may have a significant effect on the underlying commercial mortgage loans.
The occurrence of any of the foregoing or similar developments would likely adversely impact the default risk for the properties and loans
underlying CMBS investments and the value of, and income generated by, these investments. These developments could also result in reduced
liquidity for CMBS. Additional risks may be presented by the type and use of a particular commercial property. Special risks are presented
by hospitals, nursing
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homes, hospitality properties and certain other property types.
Commercial property values and net operating income are subject to volatility, which may result in net operating income becoming insufficient
to cover debt service on the related mortgage loan. The exercise of remedies and successful realization of liquidation proceeds relating
to CMBS may be highly dependent on the performance of the servicer or special servicer. There may be a limited number of special servicers
available, particularly those that do not have conflicts of interest.
Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk
Credit-related risk on RMBS primarily arises from losses due to
delinquencies and defaults by the borrowers in payments on the underlying mortgage loans and breaches by originators and servicers of
their obligations under the underlying documentation pursuant to which the RMBS are issued. The rate of delinquencies and defaults on
residential mortgage loans and the aggregate amount of the resulting losses will be affected by a number of factors, including general
economic conditions, particularly those in the area where the related mortgaged property is located, the level of the borrower’s
equity in the mortgaged property and the individual financial circumstances of the borrower. If a residential mortgage loan is in default,
foreclosure on the related residential property may be a lengthy and difficult process involving significant legal and other expenses.
The net proceeds obtained by the holder on a residential mortgage loan following the foreclosure on the related property may be less than
the total amount that remains due on the loan. The prospect of incurring a loss upon the foreclosure of the related property may lead
the holder of the residential mortgage loan to restructure the residential mortgage loan or otherwise delay the foreclosure process.
Income from and values of RMBS also may be greatly affected by
demographic trends, such as population shifts or changing tastes and values, or increasing vacancies or declining rents or property values
resulting from legal, cultural, technological, global or local economic developments, as well as reduced demand for properties.
Sub-Prime Mortgage Market Risk
The residential mortgage market in the United States has at times
experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain mortgages and MBS. Delinquencies and losses
on residential mortgage loans (especially sub-prime and second-lien mortgage loans) generally have increased at times and may again increase,
and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has been experienced at times and may again be experienced in many housing markets)
may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest
rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates.
Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have at times experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Largely
due to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and MBS and increased investor yield requirements has at times caused
limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain MBS, which can adversely affect the market value of MBS. It is possible that such
limited liquidity in such secondary markets could occur again or worsen. If the economy of the United States
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deteriorates, the incidence of mortgage foreclosures, especially
sub-prime mortgages, may increase, which may adversely affect the value of any MBS owned by the Fund.
Any increase in prevailing market interest rates, which until recently
were near historical lows and have begun to rise, may result in increased payments for borrowers who have adjustable rate mortgages. Moreover,
with respect to hybrid mortgage loans after their initial fixed rate period, interest-only products or products having a lower rate, and
with respect to mortgage loans with a negative amortization feature which reach their negative amortization cap, borrowers may experience
a substantial increase in their monthly payment even without an increase in prevailing market interest rates. Increases in payments for
borrowers may result in increased rates of delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgage loans underlying the RMBS.
The significance of the mortgage crisis and loan defaults in residential
mortgage loan sectors led to the enactment of numerous pieces of legislation relating to the mortgage and housing markets. These actions,
along with future legislation or regulation, may have significant impacts on the mortgage market generally and may result in a reduction
of available transactional opportunities for the Fund or an increase in the cost associated with such transactions and may adversely impact
the value of RMBS.
During the mortgage crisis, a number of originators and servicers
of residential and commercial mortgage loans, including some of the largest originators and servicers in the residential and commercial
mortgage loan market, experienced serious financial difficulties. These or similar difficulties may occur in the future and affect the
performance of non-agency RMBS and CMBS. There can be no assurance that originators and servicers of mortgage loans will not continue
to experience serious financial difficulties or experience such difficulties in the future, including becoming subject to bankruptcy or
insolvency proceedings, or that underwriting procedures and policies and protections against fraud will be sufficient in the future to
prevent such financial difficulties or significant levels of default or delinquency on mortgage loans.
Asset-Backed Securities Risk
ABS are a form of structured debt obligation. In addition to the
general risks associated with credit or debt securities discussed herein, ABS are subject to additional risks, and are particularly subject
to interest rate and credit risks. Compared to other fixed income investments with similar maturity and credit risk, ABS generally increase
in value to a lesser extent when interest rates decline and generally decline in value to a similar or greater extent when interest rates
rise. ABS are also subject to liquidity and valuation risk and, therefore, may be difficult to value accurately or sell at an advantageous
time or price and involve greater transaction costs and wider bid/ask spreads than certain other instruments.
While traditional fixed-income securities typically pay a fixed
rate of interest until maturity, when the entire principal amount is due, an ABS represents an interest in a pool of assets, such as automobile
loans, credit card receivables, unsecured consumer loans or student loans, that has been securitized and provides for monthly payments
of interest, at a fixed or floating rate, and principal from the cash
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flow of these assets. This pool of assets (and any related assets
of the issuing entity) is the only source of payment for the ABS. The ability of an ABS issuer to make payments on the ABS, and the timing
of such payments, is therefore dependent on collections on these underlying assets. The recoveries on the underlying collateral may not,
in some cases, be sufficient to support payments on these securities, or may be unavailable in the event of a default and enforcing rights
with respect to these assets or collateral may be difficult and costly, which may result in losses to investors in an ABS.
Generally, obligors may prepay the underlying assets in full or
in part at any time, subjecting the Fund to prepayment risk related to the ABS it holds. While the expected repayment streams on ABS are
determined by the contractual amortization schedules for the underlying assets, an investor’s yield to maturity on an ABS is uncertain
and may be reduced by the rate and speed of prepayments of the underlying assets, which may be influenced by a variety of economic, social
and other factors. Any prepayments, repurchases, purchases or liquidations of the underlying assets could shorten the average life of
the ABS to an extent that cannot be fully predicted. Some ABS may be structured to include a period of rapid amortization triggered by
events such as a significant rise in the default rate of the underlying collateral, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level because
of credit losses on the underlying assets, a specified regulatory event or the bankruptcy of the originator. A rapid amortization event
will cause any revolving period to end earlier than expected and all collections on the underlying assets will be used to pay principal
to investors earlier than expected. In general, the senior most securities will be paid prior to any payments being made on the subordinated
securities, and if such payments are made earlier than expected, the Fund’s yield on such ABS may be negatively affected.
CLO, CDO and CBO Risk
The Fund may invest in CDOs, CBOs and CLOs. A CDO is an ABS whose
underlying collateral is typically a portfolio of other structured finance debt securities or synthetic instruments issued by another
ABS vehicle. A CBO is an ABS whose underlying collateral is a portfolio of bonds. A CLO is an ABS whose underlying collateral is a portfolio
of bank loans.
In addition to the general risks associated with credit or debt
securities discussed herein, CLOs, CDOs and CBOs are subject to additional risks due to their complex structure and highly leveraged nature.
Additionally, the Fund’s investment in CLOs, CDOs and CBOs will provide it with indirect exposure to the underlying collateral;
this indirect investment structure presents certain risks to the Fund. For example, the Fund’s interest in CLO securities may be
less liquid than the loans held by the CLO; thus, it may be more difficult for the Fund to dispose of CLO securities than it would be
for the Fund to dispose of loans if it held such loans directly. Additionally, CLOs, CDOs and CBOs normally charge management fees and
administrative expenses, which fees and expenses would be borne by the Fund.
CLOs, CDOs and CBOs are subject to risks associated with the involvement
of multiple transaction parties related to the underlying collateral and disruptions that may occur as a result of the restructuring or
insolvency of the underlying obligors, which are generally corporate obligors. Unlike a consumer obligor that is generally obligated to
make payments on the collateral backing an ABS,
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the obligor on the collateral backing a CLO, a CDO or a CBO may
have more effective defenses or resources to cause a delay in payment or restructure the underlying obligation. If an obligor is permitted
to restructure its obligations, distributions from collateral securities may not be adequate to make interest or other payments.
The performance of CLOs, CDOs and CBOs depends primarily upon the
quality of the underlying assets and the level of credit support or enhancement in the structure and the relative priority of the interest
in the issuer of the CLO, CDO or CBO purchased by the Fund. In general, CLOs, CDOs and CBOs are actively managed by an asset manager that
is responsible for evaluating and acquiring the assets that will collateralize the CLO, CDO or CBO. The asset manager may have difficulty
in identifying assets that satisfy the eligibility criteria for the assets and may be restricted from trading the collateral. These criteria,
restrictions and requirements, while reducing the overall risk to the Fund, may limit the ability of GPIM to maximize returns on the CLOs,
CDOs and CBOs if an opportunity is identified by the collateral manager. In addition, other parties involved in CLOs, CDOs and CBOs, such
as credit enhancement providers and investors in senior obligations of the CLO, CDO or CBO may have the right to control the activities
and discretion of GPIM in a manner that is adverse to the interests of the Fund. A CLO, CDO or CBO generally includes provisions that
alter the priority of payments if performance metrics related to the underlying collateral, such as interest coverage and minimum overcollateralization,
are not met. These provisions may cause delays in payments on the securities or an increase in prepayments depending on the relative priority
of the securities owned by the Fund. The failure of a CLO, CDO or CBO to make timely payments on a particular tranche may have an adverse
effect on the liquidity and market value of such tranche.
Payments to holders of CLOs, CDOs and CBOs may be subject to deferral.
If cashflows generated by the underlying assets are insufficient to make all current and, if applicable, deferred payments on the CLOs,
CDOs and CBOs, no other assets will be available for payment of the deficiency and, following realization of the underlying assets, the
obligations of the issuer to pay such deficiency will be extinguished.
Securities issued by CLOs, CDOs and CBOs may experience substantial
losses due to defaults or sales of underlying assets at a loss (due to a decline in market value of such assets or otherwise). The value
of securities issued by CLOs, CDOs and CBOs also may decrease because of, among other developments, changes in market value; changes in
the market’s perception of the creditworthiness of the servicer of the assets, the originator of an asset in the pool, or the financial
institution or fund providing credit support or enhancement; loan performance and prices; broader market sentiment, including expectations
regarding future loan defaults, liquidity conditions and supply and demand for structured products.
Investments in CLOs, CDOs and CBOs will expose the Fund to financial
leverage and, thus expose the Fund to the risks associated with financial leverage (such as higher risk of volatility and magnified financial
losses).
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Risks Associated with Risk-Linked Securities
RLS are a form of derivative issued by insurance companies and
insurance-related special purpose vehicles that apply securitization techniques to catastrophic property and casualty damages. Unlike
other insurable low-severity, high-probability events (such as auto collision coverage), the insurance risk of which can be diversified
by writing large numbers of similar policies, the holders of a typical RLS are exposed to the risks from high-severity, low-probability
events such as that posed by major earthquakes or hurricanes. RLS represent a method of reinsurance, by which insurance companies transfer
their own portfolio risk to other reinsurance companies and, in the case of RLS, to the capital markets. A typical RLS provides for income
and return of capital similar to other fixed-income investments, but involves full or partial default (or loss) if losses resulting from
a certain catastrophe exceeded a predetermined amount. In essence, investors invest funds in RLS and if a catastrophe occurs that “triggers”
the RLS, investors may lose some or all of the capital invested. In the case of an event, the funds are paid to the bond sponsor—an
insurer, reinsurer or corporation—to cover losses. In return, the bond sponsors pay interest to investors for this catastrophe protection.
RLS can be structured to pay-off on three types of variables—insurance-industry catastrophe loss indices, insure-specific catastrophe
losses and parametric indices based on the physical characteristics of catastrophic events. Such variables are difficult to predict or
model, and the risk and potential return profiles of RLS may be difficult to assess. No active trading market may exist for certain RLS,
which may impair the ability of the Fund to realize full value in the event of the need to liquidate such assets.
CLO Subordinated Notes Risk
The Fund may invest in any portion of the capital structure of
CLOs (including the subordinated, residual and deep mezzanine debt tranches). The most senior tranches have the lowest yield but the lowest
level of risk relative to other tranches, as they are senior in priority to the more junior tranches with respect to payments made by
the CLO. Conversely, the most subordinated tranches have the highest potential yield relative to other tranches but also the highest level
of risk relative to the other tranches, as they are the lowest in the priority of payments. Thus, losses on underlying assets are borne
first by the holders of the most subordinate tranche, followed by the second-most subordinate tranche, and so forth. In addition, the
subordinated tranche does not receive ratings and is subject to certain payment restrictions. As a result, the subordinated tranche bears
the bulk of defaults from the loans in the CLO. In addition, the subordinated tranche generally has only limited voting rights and generally
does not benefit from any creditors’ rights or ability to exercise remedies under the indenture governing the CLO notes. Certain
mezzanine tranches in which the Fund may invest may also be subject to certain risks similar to risks associated with investment in the
subordinated tranche.
The subordinated tranche is unsecured and ranks behind all of the
secured creditors, known or unknown, of the CLO issuer, including the holders of the secured notes it has issued. Consequently, to the
extent that the value of the issuer’s portfolio of loan investments has been reduced as a result of conditions in the credit markets,
defaulted loans, capital gains and losses on the underlying assets, prepayment or changes in interest rates, the value of the subordinated
tranche realized at redemption could be reduced. If a CLO breaches certain tests set forth in the CLO’s indenture,
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excess cash flow that would otherwise be available for distribution
to the subordinated tranche investors is diverted to prepay CLO debt investors in order of seniority until such time as the covenant breach
is cured. If the covenant breach is not or cannot be cured, the subordinated tranche investors (and potentially other investors in lower
priority rated tranches) may experience a partial or total loss of their investment. Accordingly, the subordinated tranche may not be
paid in full and may be more vulnerable to loss, including up to 100% loss. At the time of issuance, the subordinated tranche of a CLO
is typically under-collateralized in that the liabilities of a CLO at inception exceed its total assets.
The leveraged nature of subordinated notes may magnify the adverse
impact on the subordinated notes of changes in the market value of the investments held by the issuer, changes in the distributions on
those investments, defaults and recoveries on those investments, capital gains and losses on those investments, prepayments on those investments
and availability, prices and interest rates of those investments.
Subordinated notes are not guaranteed by another party. There can
be no assurance that distributions on the assets held by the CLO will be sufficient to make any distributions or that the yield on the
subordinated notes will meet the Fund’s expectations. Investments in the subordinated tranche of a CLO are generally less liquid
than CLO debt tranches and subject to extensive transfer restrictions, and there may be no market for subordinated notes. Therefore, the
Fund may be required to hold subordinated notes for an indefinite period of time or until their stated maturity. Certain mezzanine tranches
in which the Fund may invest may also be subject to certain risks similar to risks associated with investment in the subordinated tranche.
Risks Associated with Structured Notes
Investments in structured notes involve risks associated with the
issuer of the note and the reference instrument. Where the Fund’s investments in structured notes are based upon the movement of
one or more factors, including currency exchange rates, interest rates, referenced bonds and stock indices, depending on the factor used
and the use of multipliers or deflators, changes in interest rates and movement of the factor may cause significant price fluctuations.
Additionally, changes in the reference instrument or security may cause the interest rate on the structured note to be reduced to zero,
and any further changes in the reference instrument may then reduce the principal amount payable on maturity. Structured notes may be
less liquid than other types of securities and more volatile than the reference instrument or security underlying the note.
Senior Loans Risk
The Fund may invest in senior secured floating rate Loans made
to corporations and other nongovernmental entities and issuers (“Senior Loans”). Senior Loans typically hold the most senior
position in the capital structure of the issuing entity, are typically secured with specific collateral and typically have a claim on
the assets of the borrower, including stock owned by the borrower in its subsidiaries, that is senior to that held by junior lien creditors,
subordinated debt holders and stockholders of the borrower. The Fund’s investments in Senior Loans are typically below investment
grade and are considered speculative because of the credit risk of the applicable issuer.
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There is less readily-available, reliable information about most
Senior Loans than is the case for many other types of securities. In addition, there is rarely a minimum rating or other independent evaluation
of a borrower or its securities, and GPIM relies primarily on its own evaluation of a borrower’s credit quality rather than on any
available independent sources. As a result, the Fund is particularly dependent on the analytical abilities of GPIM with respect to investments
in Senior Loans. GPIM’s judgment about the credit quality of a borrower may be wrong.
The risks associated with Senior Loans of below-investment grade
quality are similar to the risks of other lower grade Income Securities, although Senior Loans are typically senior in payment priority
and secured on a senior priority basis, in contrast to subordinated and unsecured Income Securities.
Senior Loans’ higher priority has historically resulted in
generally higher recoveries in the event of a corporate reorganization. In addition, because their interest payments are typically adjusted
for changes in short-term interest rates, investments in Senior Loans generally have less interest rate risk than certain other lower
grade Income Securities, which may have fixed interest rates. The Fund’s investments in Senior Loans are typically below-investment
grade and are considered speculative because of the credit risk of their issuers. Such companies are more likely to default on their payments
of interest and principal owed to the Fund, and such defaults could reduce the Fund’s NAV and income distributions. Further, transactions
in Senior Loans typically settle on a delayed basis and may take longer than seven days to settle. As a result, the Fund may receive the
proceeds from a sale of a Senior Loan on a delayed basis which may affect the Fund’s ability to repay debt, to pay dividends, to
pay expenses, or to take advantage of new investment opportunities. An economic downturn generally leads to a higher non-payment rate,
and a Senior Loan may lose significant value before a default occurs. Moreover, any specific collateral used to secure a Senior Loan may
decline in value or become illiquid, which would adversely affect the Senior Loan’s value.
Economic and other events (whether real or perceived) can reduce
the demand for certain Senior Loans or Senior Loans generally, which may reduce market prices of the Senior Loans and cause the Fund’s
NAV per share to fall or otherwise adversely impact the Fund’s investments in Senior Loans. The frequency and magnitude of such
changes cannot be predicted.
Loans and other debt instruments are also subject to the risk of
price declines due to increases in prevailing interest rates, although floating-rate debt instruments are substantially less exposed to
this risk than fixed-rate debt instruments. Interest rate changes may also increase prepayments of debt obligations and require the Fund
to invest assets at lower yields. During periods of deteriorating economic conditions, such as recessions or periods of rising unemployment,
or changing interest rates (notably increases), delinquencies and losses generally increase, sometimes dramatically, with respect to obligations
under such loans. An economic downturn or individual corporate developments could adversely affect the market for these instruments and
reduce the Fund’s ability to sell these instruments at an advantageous time or price. An economic downturn would generally lead
to a higher non-payment rate and, a Senior Loan may lose significant market value before a default occurs.
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No active trading market may exist for certain Senior Loans, which
may impair the ability of the Fund to realize full value in the event of the need to liquidate such assets and normally make it more difficult
to value Senior Loans (particularly those that are illiquid). Adverse market conditions may impair the liquidity of some actively traded
Senior Loans, meaning that the Fund may not be able to sell them quickly at a desirable price. To the extent that a secondary market does
exist for certain Senior Loans, the market may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement
periods.
Although the Senior Loans in which the Fund will invest generally
will be secured by specific collateral, there can be no assurance that liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the borrower’s
obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In the
event of the bankruptcy of a borrower, the Fund could experience delays or limitations with respect to its ability to realize the benefits
of the collateral securing a Senior Loan. If the terms of a Senior Loan do not require the borrower to pledge additional collateral in
the event of a decline in the value of the already pledged collateral, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the value of the collateral
will not at all times equal or exceed the amount of the borrower’s obligations under the Senior Loans. To the extent that a Senior
Loan is collateralized by stock in the borrower or its subsidiaries, such stock may lose all of its value in the event of the bankruptcy
of the borrower. Such Senior Loans involve a greater risk of loss or illiquidity. Some Senior Loans are subject to the risk that a court,
pursuant to fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws, could subordinate or otherwise adversely affect the priority of the Senior Loans
to presently existing or future indebtedness of the borrower or could take other action detrimental to lenders, including the Fund. Such
court action could under certain circumstances include invalidation of Senior Loans.
Senior Loans are subject to legislative risk. If legislation or
state or federal regulations impose additional requirements or restrictions on the ability of financial institutions to make loans, the
availability of Senior Loans for investment by the Fund may be adversely affected. In addition, such requirements or restrictions could
reduce or eliminate sources of financing for certain borrowers. This could increase the risk of default. If legislation or federal or
state regulations require financial institutions to increase their capital requirements in order to make or hold certain debt investments,
this may cause financial institutions to dispose of Senior Loans that are considered highly levered transactions. Such sales could result
in prices that, in the opinion of the Adviser, do not represent fair value. If the Fund attempts to sell a Senior Loan at a time when
a financial institution is engaging in such a sale, the price the Fund could receive for the Senior Loan may be adversely affected.
The Fund’s investments in Senior Loans may be subject to
lender liability risk. Lender liability refers to a variety of legal theories generally founded on the premise that a lender has violated
a duty of good faith, commercial reasonableness and fair dealing or a similar duty owed to the borrower or has assumed an excessive degree
of control over the borrower resulting in the creation of a fiduciary duty owed to the borrower or its other creditors or shareholders.
Because of the nature of its investments, the Fund may be subject to allegations of lender liability. In addition, under common law principles
that in some cases form the basis for lender liability claims, a court may elect to
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subordinate the claim of an offending lender or bondholder (or
group of offending lenders or bondholders) to the claims of a disadvantaged creditor (or group of creditors).
Economic exposure to Senior Loans through the use of derivatives
transactions may involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the Senior Loan interest directly during a primary distribution
or through assignments or participations in a loan acquired in secondary markets since, in addition to the risks described above, derivatives
transactions to gain exposure to Senior Loans may be subject to leverage risk and greater illiquidity risk, counterparty risk, valuation
risk and other risks associated with derivatives discussed herein.
Second Lien Loans Risk
The Fund may invest in “second lien” secured floating
rate Loans made by public and private corporations and other non-governmental entities and issuers for a variety of purposes (“Second
Lien Loans”). Second Lien Loans are typically second in right of payment and/or second in right of priority with respect to collateral
remedies to one or more Senior Loans of the related borrower. Second Lien Loans are subject to the same risks associated with investment
in Senior Loans and other lower grade Income Securities. However, Second Lien Loans are second in right of payment and/or second in right
of priority with respect to collateral remedies to Senior Loans and therefore are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of
the borrower and/or the value of any property securing the Loan may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments or otherwise be available
to repay the Loan after giving effect to payments in respect of a Senior Loan, including payments made with the proceeds of any property
securing the Loan and any senior secured obligations of the borrower. Second Lien Loans are expected to have greater price volatility
and exposure to losses upon default than Senior Loans and may be less liquid. There is also a possibility that originators will not be
able to sell participations in Second Lien Loans, which would create greater credit risk exposure.
Subordinated Secured Loans Risk
Subordinated secured Loans generally are subject to similar risks
as those associated with investment in Senior Loans, Second Lien Loans and below investment grade securities. However, such loans may
rank lower in right of payment than any outstanding Senior Loans, Second Lien Loans or other debt instruments with higher priority of
the borrower and therefore are subject to additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and any property securing the loan may be
insufficient to meet scheduled payments and repayment of principal in the event of default or bankruptcy after giving effect to the higher
ranking secured obligations of the borrower. Subordinated secured Loans are expected to have greater price volatility than Senior Loans
and Second Lien Loans and may be less liquid.
Unsecured Loans Risk
Unsecured Loans generally are subject to similar risks as those
associated with investment in Senior Loans, Second Lien Loans, subordinated secured Loans and below investment grade securities. However,
because unsecured Loans have lower priority in right of payment to any higher ranking obligations of the borrower and are not backed by
a security interest in any specific collateral, they
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are subject to additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower
and available assets may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments and repayment of principal after giving effect to any higher ranking
obligations of the borrower. Unsecured Loans are expected to have greater price volatility than Senior Loans, Second Lien Loans and subordinated
secured Loans and may be less liquid.
Loans and Loan Participations and Assignments Risk
The Fund may invest in loans directly or through participations
or assignments. The Fund may purchase Loans on a direct assignment basis from a participant in the original syndicate of lenders or from
subsequent assignees of such interests. The Fund may also purchase, without limitation, participations in Loans. The purchaser of an assignment
typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations of the assigning institution and becomes a lender under the credit agreement with
respect to the debt obligation; however, the purchaser’s rights can be more restricted than those of the assigning institution,
and, in any event, the Fund may not be able to unilaterally enforce all rights and remedies under the loan and with regard to any associated
collateral. A participation typically results in a contractual relationship only with the institution participating out the interest,
not with the borrower. In purchasing participations, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with
the terms of the loan agreement against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from the collateral supporting the debt obligation
in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, the Fund will be exposed to the credit risk of both the borrower and the institution
selling the participation. Further, in purchasing participations in lending syndicates, the Fund may not be able to conduct the same due
diligence on the borrower with respect to a Loan that the Fund would otherwise conduct. In addition, as a holder of the participations,
the Fund may not have voting rights or inspection rights that the Fund would otherwise have if it were investing directly in the Loan,
which may result in the Fund being exposed to greater credit or fraud risk with respect to the borrower or the Loan. Lenders selling a
participation and other persons interpositioned between the lender and the Fund with respect to a participation will likely conduct their
principal business activities in the banking, finance and financial services industries. Because the Fund may invest in participations,
the Fund may be more susceptible to economic, political or regulatory occurrences affecting such industries.
Loans are especially vulnerable to the financial health, or perceived
financial health, of the borrower but are also particularly susceptible to economic and market sentiment such that changes in these conditions
or the occurrence of other economic or market events may reduce the demand for loans, increase the risks associated with such investments
and cause their value to decline rapidly and unpredictably. Many loans and loan interests are subject to legal or contractual restrictions
on transfer, resale or assignment that may limit the ability of the Fund to sell its interest in a loan at an advantageous time or price.
The resale, or secondary, market for loans is currently growing, but may become more limited or more difficult to access, and such changes
may be sudden and unpredictable. Transactions in loans are often subject to long settlement periods (in excess of the standard T+2 days
settlement cycle for most securities and often longer than seven days). As a result, sale proceeds potentially will not be available to
the Fund to make additional investments or to use proceeds to meet its current obligations. The Fund thus is subject to the risk of selling
other
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investments at disadvantageous times or prices or taking other
actions necessary to raise cash to meet its obligations such as borrowing from a bank or holding additional cash, particularly during
periods of unusual market or economic conditions or financial stress.
The Fund invests in or is exposed to loans and other similar debt
obligations that are sometimes referred to as “covenant-lite” loans or obligations (“covenant-lite obligations”),
which are loans or other similar debt obligations that lack financial maintenance covenants or possess fewer or contingent financial maintenance
covenants and other financial protections for lenders and investors. Exposure may also be obtained to covenant-lite obligations through
investment in securitization vehicles and other structured products. Covenant-lite obligations may carry more risk than traditional loans
as they allow borrowers to engage in activities that would otherwise be difficult or impossible under a traditional loan agreement. The
Fund may have fewer rights with respect to covenant-lite obligations, including fewer protections against the possibility of default and
fewer remedies in the event of default as the lender may not have the opportunity to negotiate with the borrower prior to default. As
a result, investments in (or exposure to) covenant-lite obligations are subject to more risk than investments in (or exposure to) certain
other types of obligations.
In certain circumstances, the Adviser or its affiliates (including
on behalf of clients other than the Fund) or the Fund may be in possession of material non-public information about a borrower as a result
of its ownership of a loan and/or corporate debt security of a borrower. Because U.S. laws and regulations generally prohibit trading
in securities of issuers while in possession of material, nonpublic information, the Fund might be unable (potentially for a substantial
period of time) to trade securities or other instruments issued by the borrower when it would otherwise be advantageous to do so and,
as such, could incur a loss. In circumstances when the Adviser, GPIM or the Fund determines to avoid or to not receive non-public information
about a borrower for loan investments being considered for acquisition by the Fund or held by the Fund, the Fund may be disadvantaged
relative to other investors that do receive such information, and the Fund may not be able to take advantage of other investment opportunities
that it may otherwise have. The Adviser or its affiliates may participate in the primary and secondary market for loans or other transactions
with possible borrowers. As a result, the Fund may be legally restricted from acquiring some loans and from participating in a restructuring
of a loan or other similar instrument. Further, if the Fund, in combination with other accounts managed by the Adviser or its affiliates,
acquires a large portion of a loan, the Fund’s valuation of its interests in the loan and the Fund’s ability to dispose of
the loan at favorable times or prices may be adversely affected.
The Fund is subject to other risks associated with investments
in (or exposure to) loans and other similar obligations, including that such loans or obligations may not be considered “securities”
and, as a result, the Fund may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections under the federal securities laws and instead may
have to resort to state law and direct claims.
Unfunded Commitments Risk
Certain of the loan participations or assignments acquired by the
Fund may involve unfunded commitments of the lenders, revolving credit facilities, delayed draw credit facilities or other
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investments under which a borrower may from time to time borrow
and repay amounts up to the maximum amount of the facility. In such cases, the Fund would have an obligation to advance its portion of
such additional borrowings upon the terms specified in the loan documentation. Such an obligation may have the effect of requiring the
Fund to increase its investment in a company at a time when it might not be desirable to do so (including at a time when the company’s
financial condition makes it unlikely that such amounts will be repaid). These commitments are generally subject to the borrowers meeting
certain criteria such as compliance with covenants and certain operational metrics. The terms of the borrowings and financings subject
to commitment are comparable to the terms of other loans and related investments in the Fund’s portfolio.
Mezzanine Investments Risk
The Fund may invest in certain lower grade securities known as
“Mezzanine Investments,” which are subordinated debt securities that are generally issued in private placements in connection
with an equity security (e.g., with attached warrants) or may be convertible into equity securities. Mezzanine Investments are subject
to the same risks associated with investment in Senior Loans, Second Lien Loans and other lower grade Income Securities. However, Mezzanine
Investments may rank lower in right of payment than any outstanding Senior Loans and Second Lien Loans of the borrower, or may be unsecured
(i.e., not backed by a security interest in any specific collateral), and are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the
borrower and available assets may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to any higher ranking obligations of
the borrower. Mezzanine Investments are expected to have greater price volatility and exposure to losses upon default than Senior Loans
and Second Lien Loans and may be less liquid.
Distressed and Defaulted Securities Risk
Investments in the securities of financially distressed issuers
involve substantial risks. These securities may present a substantial risk of default or may be in default at the time of investment.
The Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of principal or interest
on its portfolio holdings. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a portfolio company, the Fund may lose its entire
investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than its original investment. Among the risks inherent in
investments in a troubled entity is the fact that it frequently may be difficult to obtain information as to the true financial condition
of such issuer. GPIM’s judgment about the credit quality of the issuer and the relative value and liquidity of its securities may
prove to be wrong.
Convertible Securities Risk
Convertible securities, debt or preferred equity securities convertible
into, or exchangeable for, equity securities, are generally preferred stocks and other securities, including fixed-income securities and
warrants that are convertible into or exercisable for common stock. Convertible securities generally participate in the appreciation or
depreciation of the underlying stock into which they are convertible, but to a lesser degree and are subject to the risks associated with
debt and equity securities, including interest rate, market and issuer risks. For example, if market interest rates rise, the value of
a convertible security usually falls. Certain convertible securities may combine higher or
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lower current income with options and other features. Warrants
are options to buy a stated number of shares of common stock at a specified price anytime during the life of the warrants (generally,
two or more years). Convertible securities may be lower-rated securities subject to greater levels of credit risk. A convertible security
may be converted before it would otherwise be most appropriate, which may have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to achieve
its investment objective.
“Synthetic” convertible securities have economic characteristics
similar to those of a traditional convertible security due to the combination of separate securities that possess the two principal characteristics
of a traditional convertible security, i.e., an income-producing security (“income-producing component”) and the right to
acquire an equity security (“convertible component”). The income-producing component is achieved by investing in non-convertible,
income-producing securities such as bonds, preferred stocks and money market instruments, which may be represented by derivative instruments.
The convertible component is achieved by investing in securities
or instruments such as warrants or options to buy common stock at a certain exercise price, or options on a stock index. A simple example
of a synthetic convertible security is the combination of a traditional corporate bond with a warrant to purchase equity securities of
the issuer of the bond. The income-producing and convertible components of a synthetic convertible security may be issued separately by
different issuers and at different times.
Preferred Securities/Preferred Stock Risk
The Fund may invest in preferred stock, which represents the senior
residual interest in the assets of an issuer after meeting all claims, with priority to corporate income and liquidation payments over
the issuer’s common stock, to the extent proceeds are available after paying any more senior creditors. As such, preferred stock
is inherently riskier than the bonds and other debt instruments of the issuer, but less risky than its common stock. Preferred stocks
may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred stock is subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity
securities. Certain preferred stocks contain provisions that allow an issuer under certain conditions to skip (in the case of “non-cumulative”
preferred stocks) or defer (in the case of “cumulative” preferred stocks) dividend payments. Preferred stocks often contain
provisions that allow for redemption in the event of certain tax or legal changes or at the issuer’s call. Preferred stocks typically
do not provide any voting rights, except in cases when dividends are in arrears beyond a certain time period. There is no assurance that
dividends on preferred stocks in which the Fund invests will be declared or otherwise made payable. If the Fund owns preferred stock that
is deferring its distributions, the Fund may be required to report income for U.S. federal income tax purposes while it is not receiving
cash payments corresponding to such income. When interest rates fall below the rate payable on an issue of preferred stock or for other
reasons, the issuer may redeem the preferred stock, generally after an initial period of call protection in which the stock is not redeemable.
Preferred stocks may be significantly less liquid than many other securities, such as U.S. government securities, corporate debt and common
stock. Preferred stock has properties of both an equity and a debt instrument and is generally considered a hybrid instrument.
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The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in non-U.S. dollar-denominated
Income Securities of foreign issuers. Investing in foreign issuers may involve certain risks not typically associated with investing in
securities of U.S. issuers due to increased exposure to foreign economic, political (including geopolitical) and legal developments, including
favorable or unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates, exchange control regulations (including currency blockage), expropriation
or nationalization of assets, imposition of withholding taxes on payments, and possible difficulty in obtaining and enforcing judgments
against foreign entities. Furthermore, issuers of foreign securities and obligations are subject to different, often less comprehensive,
accounting, reporting and disclosure requirements than domestic issuers, and may be subject to less extensive and transparent accounting,
auditing, recordkeeping, financial reporting and other requirements which limit the quality and availability of financial information.
The securities and obligations of some foreign companies and foreign markets are less liquid and at times more volatile than comparable
U.S. securities, obligations and markets. In addition, such investments are subject to other adverse diplomatic investments, which may
include the imposition of economic or trade sanctions or other measures by the U.S. or other governments and supranational organizations
or changes in trade policies. These risks may be more pronounced to the extent that the Fund invests a significant amount of its assets
in companies located in one region and to the extent that the Fund invests in securities of issuers in emerging markets. The Fund may
also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated Income Securities of foreign issuers, which are subject to many of the risks described above regarding
Income Securities of foreign issuers denominated in foreign currencies. These risks are heightened under adverse economic, market, geopolitical
and other conditions.
Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve certain
considerations and risks not ordinarily associated with investments in securities of domestic issuers. Investments in foreign securities
are generally denominated in foreign currency. As a result, changes in the value of those currencies compared to the U.S. dollar may affect
(positively or negatively) the value of the Fund’s investments. In addition, fluctuations in currency exchange fees and restrictions
on costs associated with the exchange of currencies may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments. The values of foreign
currencies may be affected by changes in the exchange rates between particular foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar or by unfavorable
currency regulations imposed by foreign governments. If the Fund invests in securities issued by foreign issuers, the Fund may be subject
to these risks even if the investment is denominated in U.S. dollars. Foreign companies are not generally subject to uniform accounting,
auditing and financial standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. Foreign securities exchanges, brokers
and listed companies may be subject to less government supervision and regulation that exists in the United States.
Dividend and interest income may be subject to withholding and
other foreign taxes, which may adversely affect the net return on such investments. There may be difficulty in obtaining or enforcing
a court judgment abroad. The governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investments in
their capital markets or in certain industries. In addition, it may be difficult to effect repatriation of capital invested in certain
countries. With respect to certain
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countries, there are risks of expropriation, confiscatory taxation,
political or social instability or diplomatic developments that could affect assets of the Fund held in foreign countries.
Economic sanctions or other similar measures may be, and have been,
imposed against certain countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals. Economic sanctions and other similar governmental
actions or developments could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate the Fund’s ability to purchase or sell certain
foreign securities or groups of foreign securities, and thus may make the Fund’s investments in such securities less liquid or more
difficult to value. In addition, as a result of economic sanctions and other similar governmental actions or developments, the Fund may
be forced to sell or otherwise dispose of foreign investments at inopportune times or prices. The type and severity of sanctions and other
similar measures, including counter sanctions and other retaliatory actions, such as those that have been impacted against Russia and
other countries and that may further be imposed could vary broadly in scope, and their impact is difficult to accurately predict. For
example, the imposition of sanctions and other similar measures likely would, among other things, cause a decline in the value and/or
liquidity of securities issued by the sanctioned country or companies located in or economically tied to the sanctioned country and increase
market volatility and disruption in the sanctioned country and throughout the world. Sanctions and other similar measures could significantly
delay or prevent the settlement of securities transactions or their valuation, and significantly impact the Fund’s liquidity and
performance. Sanctions and other similar measures may be in place for a substantial period of time and enacted with limited advanced notice.
There may be less publicly available information about a foreign
company than a U.S. company. Foreign securities markets may have substantially less volume than U.S. securities markets and some foreign
company securities are less liquid than securities of otherwise comparable U.S. companies. Foreign markets may be more volatile than U.S.
markets and offer less protection to investors. Foreign markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures that could cause
the Fund to encounter difficulties in purchasing and selling securities on such markets and may result in the Fund missing attractive
investment opportunities or experiencing a loss. In addition, a portfolio that includes foreign securities can expect to have a higher
expense ratio because of the increased transaction costs on non-U.S. securities markets and the increased costs of maintaining the custody
of foreign securities. Similar foreign investment risks may apply to futures contracts and other derivative instruments in which the Fund
invests that trade on foreign exchanges. The value of derivative and other instruments denominated in or that pay revenues in foreign
currencies may fluctuate based on changes in the value of those currencies relative to the U.S. dollar, and a decline in applicable foreign
exchange rates could reduce the value of such instruments held by the Fund. Foreign settlement procedures also may involve additional
risks.
American depositary receipts (“ADRs”) are receipts
issued by United States banks or trust companies in respect of securities of foreign issuers held on deposit for use in the United States
securities markets. While ADRs may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the securities into which they may be converted,
many of the risks associated with foreign securities may also apply to ADRs. In addition, the underlying issuers of certain depositary
receipts, particularly
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unsponsored or unregistered depositary receipts, are under no obligation
to distribute shareholder communications to the holders of such receipts, or to pass through to them any voting rights with respect to
the deposited securities.
The Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in Income Securities
the issuers of which are located in countries considered to be emerging markets, and investments in such securities are considered speculative.
Investing in securities in emerging countries generally entails greater risks than investing in securities in developed countries. Securities
issued by governments or issuers in emerging market countries are more likely to have greater exposure to the risks of investing in foreign
securities. These risks are elevated at times based on adverse conditions, including macroeconomic, geopolitical and global health conditions,
and these risks include: (i) less social, political and economic stability and potentially more volatile currency exchange rates; (ii)
the small size of the markets for such securities, limited access to investments in the event of market closures (including due to local
holidays), and the low or nonexistent volume of trading, which result in a lack of liquidity, in greater price volatility, and/or a higher
risk of failed trades or other trading issues; (iii) national policies (including sanctions programs) which may restrict the Fund’s
investment opportunities, including restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests, and trade
barriers; (iv) foreign taxation; (v) the absence of developed legal systems, including structures governing private or foreign investment
or allowing for judicial redress (such as limits on rights and remedies available to the Fund) for investment losses and injury to private
property; (vi) lower levels of government regulation, which could lead to market manipulation, and less extensive and transparent accounting,
auditing, recordkeeping, financial reporting and other requirements which limit the quality and availability of financial information;
(vii) high rates of inflation for prolonged periods and rapid interest rate changes; (viii) dependence on a few key trading partners and
sensitivity to adverse political (including geopolitical) or social events affecting the global economy and the region where an emerging
market is located compared to developed market securities; and (ix) particular sensitivity to global economic conditions, including adverse
effects stemming from recessions, depressions, or other economic crises, or armed conflicts and other hostilities, or reliance on international
or other forms of aid, including trade, taxation and development policies. Furthermore, foreign investors may be required to register
the proceeds of sales and future economic or political crises could lead to price controls, forced mergers, expropriation or confiscatory
taxation, seizure, nationalization or creation of government monopolies. The currencies of emerging market countries may experience significant
declines against the U.S. dollar, and devaluation may occur subsequent to investments in these currencies by the Fund. Inflation and rapid
fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain
emerging market countries. Sovereign debt of emerging countries may be in default or present a greater risk of default, the risk of which
is heightened in market environments where interest rates are changing, notably when rates are rising. These risks are heightened for
investments in frontier markets.
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GPIM has broad discretion to identify countries that it considers
to qualify as “emerging markets.” In determining whether a country is an emerging market, GPIM may take into account specific
or general factors that GPIM deems to be relevant, including interest rates, inflation rates, exchange rates, monetary and fiscal policies,
trade and current account balances and/or legal, social and political developments, as well as whether the country is considered to be
emerging or developing by supranational organizations such as the World Bank, the United Nations or other similar entities. Emerging market
countries generally will include countries with low gross national product per capita and the potential for rapid economic growth and
are likely to be located in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Eastern and Central Europe and Central and South America. In addition, the
impact of the economic and public health situation in emerging market countries may be greater due to their generally less established
healthcare systems and capabilities with respect to fiscal and monetary policies, which may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social
and economic risks.
Foreign Currency Risk
The value of securities denominated or quoted in foreign currencies
may be adversely affected by fluctuations in the relative currency exchange rates and by exchange control regulations. The Fund’s
investment performance may be negatively affected by a devaluation of a currency in which the Fund’s investments are denominated
or quoted. Further, the Fund’s investment performance may be significantly affected, either positively or negatively, by currency
exchange rates because the U.S. dollar value of securities denominated or quoted in another currency will increase or decrease in response
to changes in the value of such currency in relation to the U.S. dollar. Finally, the Fund’s distributions are paid in U.S. dollars,
and to the extent the Fund’s assets are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, there is a risk that the value of
any distribution from such assets may decrease if the currency in which such assets or distributions are denominated falls in relation
to the value of the U.S. dollar. The Fund currently intends to seek to hedge its exposures to foreign currencies but may, at the discretion
of GPIM, at any time limit or eliminate foreign currency hedging activity. To the extent the Fund does not hedge (or is unsuccessful in
seeking to hedge) its foreign currency risk, the value of the Fund’s assets and income could be adversely affected by currency exchange
rate movements.
Sovereign Debt Risk
Investments in sovereign debt securities, such as foreign government
debt or foreign treasury bills, involve special risks, including the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment
is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the government debtor’s policy towards the International
Monetary Fund or international lenders, the political constraints to which the debtor may be subject and other political, social and other
local, regional and global considerations. Periods of economic and political uncertainty may result in the illiquidity and increased price
volatility of sovereign debt securities held by the Fund. The governmental authority that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may
be unwilling or unable to repay the principal and/or interest when due in accordance with the terms of such securities due to the extent
of its foreign reserves. If an issuer of sovereign debt defaults on payments of principal and/or interest, the Fund may have limited or
no legal recourse against the issuer and/or guarantor. In certain cases,
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remedies must be pursued in the courts of the defaulting party
itself. For example, there may be no bankruptcy or similar proceedings through which all or part of the sovereign debt that a governmental
entity has not repaid may be collected. There can be no assurance that the holders of commercial bank loans to the same sovereign entity
may not contest payments to the holders of sovereign debt in the event of default under commercial bank loan agreements.
Certain issuers of sovereign debt may be dependent on disbursements
from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others abroad to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. Such disbursements
may be conditioned upon a debtor’s implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such
debtor’s obligations. A failure on the part of the debtor to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic performance
or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties’ commitments to lend funds to the debtor,
which may impair the debtor’s ability to service its debts on a timely basis. Foreign investment in certain sovereign debt is restricted
or controlled to varying degrees, including requiring governmental approval for the repatriation of income, capital or proceeds of sales
by foreign investors. These restrictions or controls may at times limit or preclude foreign investment in certain sovereign debt and increase
the costs and expenses of the Fund.
As a holder of sovereign debt, the Fund may be requested to participate
in the restructuring of such sovereign indebtedness, including the rescheduling of payments and the extension of further loans to debtors,
which may adversely affect the Fund. There can be no assurance that such restructuring will result in the repayment of all or part of
the debt. Sovereign debt risk is greater for issuers in emerging markets than issuers in developed countries and certain emerging market
countries have at times declared moratoria on the payment of principal and interest on external debt. Certain emerging market countries
have at times experienced difficulty in servicing their sovereign debt on a timely basis, which has led to defaults and the restructuring
of certain indebtedness.
The Fund may also invest in securities or other obligations issued
or backed by supranational organizations, which are international organizations that are designated or supported by government entities
or banking institutions typically to promote economic reconstruction or development. These obligations are subject to the risk that the
government(s) on whose support the organization depends may be unable or unwilling to provide the necessary support. With respect to both
sovereign and supranational obligations, the Fund may have little recourse against the foreign government or supranational organization
that issues or backs the obligation in the event of default. These obligations may be denominated in foreign currencies and the prices
of these obligations may be more volatile than corporate debt obligations.
Common Equity Securities Risk
The Fund may invest up to 50% of its total assets in Common Equity
Securities. An adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report or other corporate development, may depress the value of a particular
common stock held by the Fund. Also, the prices of equity securities are sensitive to general movements in the stock market, so a drop
in the stock market may depress the prices of equity securities to which the Fund has exposure. Common Equity Securities’ prices
fluctuate for a
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number of reasons, including changes in investors’ perceptions
of the financial condition of an issuer, the general condition of the relevant stock market and the economy overall, and broader domestic
and international political and economic events. The prices of Common Equity Securities may also decline due to factors which affect a
particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production and other costs and competitive conditions within an
industry. The value of a particular common stock held by the Fund may decline for a number of other reasons which directly relate to the
issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage, the issuer’s historical and prospective earnings, the value of its assets
and reduced demand for its goods and services. In addition, common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates,
as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase. At times, stock markets can be volatile and stock prices can change substantially
and suddenly. While broad market measures of Common Equity Securities have historically generated higher average returns than most Income
Securities, Common Equity Securities have also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns. Common Equity Securities in
which the Fund may invest are structurally subordinated to preferred stock, bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital
structure in terms of priority to corporate income and are therefore inherently riskier than preferred stock or debt instruments of such
issuers. Dividends on Common Equity Securities which the Fund may hold are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the issuer’s
board of directors. There is no guarantee that the issuers of the Common Equity Securities in which the Fund invests will declare dividends
in the future or that, if declared, they will remain at current levels or increase over time. Equity securities have experienced heightened
volatility over recent periods and, therefore, the Fund’s investments in equity securities are subject to heightened risks related
to volatility and would likely also be subject to such risks in adverse market, economic, geopolitical and public health conditions in
the future.
Risks Associated with the Fund’s Covered Call Option Strategy
and Put Options
The ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective is
partially dependent on the successful implementation of its covered call option strategy. There are significant differences between the
securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to
achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a
well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.
The Fund may write call options on individual securities, securities
indices, exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and baskets of securities. The buyer of an option acquires the right, but not the
obligation, to buy (a call option) or sell (a put option) a certain quantity of a security (the underlying security) or instrument, including
a futures contract or swap, at a certain price up to a specified point in time or on expiration, depending on the terms. The seller or
writer of an option is obligated to sell (a call option) or buy (a put option) the underlying instrument upon exercise of the option.
A call option is “covered” if the Fund owns the security or instrument underlying the call or has an absolute right to acquire
the security or instrument without additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, cash or assets determined
to be liquid by GPIM in such amount are designated or earmarked on the Fund’s books and records). A call option is also covered
if the Fund
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holds a call on the same security as the call written where the
exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise
price of the call written, provided the difference is maintained by the Fund in designated assets determined to be liquid by GPIM as described
above. As a seller of covered call options, the Fund faces the risk that it will forgo the opportunity to profit from increases in the
market value of the security or instrument covering the call option during an option’s life. As the Fund writes covered calls over
more of its portfolio, its ability to benefit from capital appreciation becomes more limited. For certain types of options, the writer
of the option will have no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation under the option.
There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist if and
when the Fund seeks to close out an option position. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing
purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying security or instrument at the
exercise price.
The Fund may purchase and write exchange-listed and OTC options.
Options written by the Fund with respect to non-U.S. securities, indices or sectors and other instruments generally will be OTC options.
OTC options differ from exchange-listed options in several respects. They are transacted directly with the dealers and not with a clearing
corporation, and therefore entail the risk of nonperformance by the dealer. OTC options are available for a greater variety of securities
and for a wider range of expiration dates and exercise prices than are available for exchange-traded options. Because OTC options are
not traded on an exchange, pricing is done normally by reference to information from a market maker. OTC options are subject to heightened
counterparty, credit, liquidity and valuation risks. The Fund’s ability to terminate OTC options is more limited than with exchange-traded
options and may involve the risk that broker-dealers participating in such transactions will not fulfill their obligations. The hours
of trading for options may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. The Fund’s options transactions
will be subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities on which such options
are traded.
The Fund may also purchase put options and write covered put options.
As a seller of put options, the Fund bears the risk of loss if the value of the underlying security or instrument declines below the exercise
price minus the put premium. If the option is exercised, the Fund could incur a loss if it is required to purchase the security or instrument
underlying the put option at a price greater than the market price of the security or instrument at the time of exercise plus the put
premium the Fund received when it wrote the option. The Fund’s potential gain in writing a put option is limited to distributions
earned on the liquid assets securing the put option plus the premium received from the purchaser of the put option; however, the Fund
risks a loss equal to the entire exercise price of the option minus the put premium.
Risks of Real Property Asset Companies
The Fund may invest in Income Securities and Common Equity Securities
issued by Real Property Asset Companies.
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Real
Estate Risks. Because
of the Fund’s ability to make indirect investments in real estate and in the securities of companies in the real estate industry,
it is subject to risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate and the real estate market generally, such as the possible
decline in the value of (or income generated by) the real estate, variations in rental income, fluctuations in occupancy levels and demand
for properties or real estate-related services, and changes in the availability or terms of mortgages and other financing that may render
the sale or refinancing of properties difficult or unattractive. Real estate values or income generated by real estate may be affected
by many additional factors and risks, including, but not limited to: losses from casualty or condemnation; changes in national, state
and local economic conditions (such as the turmoil experienced during 2007 through 2009 in the residential and commercial real estate
market) and real estate market conditions (such as an oversupply of real estate for rent or sale or vacancies, potentially for extended
periods); changes in real estate values and rental income, rising interest rates (which could result in higher costs of capital); changes
in building, environmental, zoning and other regulations and related costs; possible environmental liabilities; regulatory limitations
on rents; increased property taxes and operating expenses; the attractiveness, type and location of the property; reduced demand for commercial
and office space as well as increased maintenance or tenant improvement or other costs to convert properties for other uses; default risk
and credit quality of tenants and borrowers, the financial condition of tenants, buyers and sellers, and the inability to re-lease space
on attractive terms or to obtain mortgage financing on a timely basis at all; overbuilding and intense competition, including for real
estate and related services and technology; construction delays and the supply of real estate generally; extended vacancies of properties
due to economic conditions and tenant bankruptcies; and catastrophic events (such as public health emergencies, earthquakes, hurricanes
and terrorist acts) and other public crises and relief responses thereto. Investments in real estate companies and companies related to
the real estate industry are also subject to risks associated with the management skill, insurance coverage and credit worthiness of the
issuer. Real estate companies tend to have micro-, small- or mid-capitalization, making their securities more volatile and less liquid
than those of companies with larger-capitalizations, and may be subject to heightened cash flow sensitivity. In addition, the real estate
industry has historically been cyclical and particularly sensitive to economic downturns and other events that limit demand for real estate,
which would adversely impact the value of real estate investments.
Real estate income and values and the real estate market also may
be greatly affected by demographic trends, such as population shifts or changing tastes, preferences (such as remote work arrangements)
and values, or increasing vacancies or declining rents or property values resulting from legal, cultural, technological, global or local
economic developments, as well as reduced demand for properties. If the Fund’s real estate-related investments are concentrated
in one geographic area or in one property type, the Fund will be particularly subject to the risks associated with that area or property
type or related real estate conditions. Similarly, real estate industry companies whose underlying properties are concentrated in a particular
industry or geographic region are also particularly subject to risks affecting such industries and regions or related real estate conditions.
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The value or price of real estate company securities may drop because
of, among other adverse events, defaults by tenants and the failure of borrowers to repay their loans and the inability to obtain financing
either on favorable terms or at all. Changing interest rates and credit quality requirements will also affect real estate companies, including
their cash flow and their ability to meet capital needs. If real estate properties do not generate sufficient income to meet operating
expenses, including, where applicable, debt service, ground lease payments, tenant improvements, third-party leasing commissions and other
capital expenditures, the income and ability (or perceived ability) of a real estate company to make payments of interest and principal
on their loans will be adversely affected, which, as a result, may adversely affect the Fund. Many real estate companies, and companies
operating in the real estate industry, utilize leverage, which increases investment risk and could adversely affect a company’s
operations and market value in periods of rising interest rates.
Natural Resources and Commodities Risks
Because of the Fund’s ability to make indirect investments
in natural resources and physical commodities, and in Real Property Asset Companies engaged in oil and gas exploration and production,
gold and other precious metals, steel and iron ore production, energy services, forest products, chemicals, coal, alternative energy sources
and environmental services, as well as related transportation companies and equipment manufacturers, the Fund is subject to risks associated
with special risks, which include (among others):
Supply and Demand Risk
A decrease in the production of a physical commodity or a decrease
in the volume of such commodity available for transportation, mining, processing, storage or distribution may adversely impact the financial
performance of an energy, natural resources, basic materials or an associated company that devotes a portion of its business to that commodity.
Production declines and volume decreases could be caused by various factors, including catastrophic events affecting production, depletion
of resources, labor difficulties, environmental proceedings, increased regulations, equipment failures and unexpected maintenance problems,
import supply disruption, governmental expropriation, political upheaval or conflicts, supply chain disruptions or increased competition
from alternative energy sources or commodity prices. Alternatively, a sustained decline in demand for such commodities could also adversely
affect the financial performance of energy, natural resources, basic materials or associated companies. Factors that could lead to a decline
in demand include economic recession or other adverse economic conditions, higher taxes on commodities or increased governmental regulations,
increases in fuel economy, consumer shifts to the use of alternative commodities or fuel sources, changes in commodity prices, or weather.
Depletion and Exploration Risk
Many energy, natural resources, basic materials and associated
companies are engaged in the production of one or more physical commodities or are engaged in transporting, storing, distributing and
processing these items on behalf of shippers. To maintain or grow their revenues, these companies or their customers need to maintain
or expand their reserves through exploration of new sources of supply, through the development of existing sources, through acquisitions
or
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through long-term contracts to acquire reserves. The financial
performance of energy, natural resources, basic materials and associated companies may be adversely affected if they, or the companies
to whom they provide the service, are unable to cost-effectively acquire additional reserves sufficient to replace the natural decline.
Operational and Geological Risk
Energy, natural resources, basic materials companies and associated
companies are subject to specific operational and geological risks in addition to normal business and management risks. Some examples
of operational risks include mine rock falls, underground explosions and pit wall failures. Geological risk would include faulting of
the ore body and misinterpretation of geotechnical data.
Regulatory Risk
Energy, natural resources, basic materials and associated companies
are subject to significant federal, state and local government regulation in virtually every aspect of their operations, including how
facilities are constructed, maintained and operated, environmental and safety controls, and the prices they may charge for the products
and services they provide. Various governmental authorities have the power to enforce compliance with these regulations and the permits
issued under them, and violators are subject to administrative, civil and criminal penalties, including civil fines, injunctions or both.
Stricter laws, regulations or enforcement policies could be enacted in the future which would likely increase compliance costs and may
adversely affect the operations and financial performance of energy, natural resources and basic materials companies.
Commodity Pricing Risk
The operations and financial performance of energy, natural resources
and basic materials companies may be directly affected by commodity prices, especially those energy, natural resources, basic materials
and associated companies that own the underlying commodity. Commodity prices fluctuate for several reasons, including changes in market
and economic conditions, the impact of weather on demand, levels of domestic production and imported commodities, energy conservation,
domestic and foreign governmental regulation and taxation, the availability of local, intrastate and interstate transportation systems,
governmental expropriation and political upheaval and conflicts. Volatility of commodity prices, which may lead to a reduction in production
or supply, may also negatively impact the performance of energy, natural resources, basic materials and associated companies that are
solely involved in the transportation, processing, storing, distribution or marketing of commodities. Volatility of commodity prices may
also make it more difficult for energy, natural resources, basic materials and associated companies to raise capital to the extent the
market perceives that their performance may be directly or indirectly tied to commodity prices.
Precious Metals Pricing Risk
The Fund may invest in companies that have a material exposure
to precious metals, such as gold, silver and platinum and precious metals related instruments and securities. The price of precious metals
can fluctuate widely and is affected by numerous factors, including: global or regional political, economic or financial events and situations;
investors’ expectations with respect to the
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future rates of inflation and movements in world equity, financial
and property markets; global supply and demand for specific precious metals, which is influenced by such factors as mine production and
net forward selling activities by precious metals producers, central bank purchases and sales, jewelry demand and the supply of recycled
jewelry, net investment demand and industrial demand, net of recycling; interest rates and currency exchange rates, particularly the strength
of and confidence in the U.S. dollar; and investment and trading activities of hedge funds, commodity funds and other speculators. The
Fund does not intend to hold physical precious metals.
Risks of Personal Property Asset Companies
The Fund may invest in Income Securities and Common Equity Securities
issued by Personal Property Asset Companies. Personal (as opposed to real) property includes any tangible, movable property or asset.
The Fund seeks to invest in Income Securities and Common Equity Securities of Personal Property Asset Companies that are associated with
personal property assets with investment performance that is not highly correlated with traditional market indexes, such as special situation
transportation assets (e.g., railcars, airplanes and ships) and collectibles (e.g., antiques, wine and fine art).
Special Situation Transportation Assets Risks
The risks of special situation transportation assets include (among
others):
Cyclicality
of Supply and Demand for Transportation Assets Risk. The
transportation asset leasing and sales industry has periodically experienced cycles of oversupply and undersupply of railcars, aircraft
and ships. The oversupply of a specific type of transportation asset in the market is likely to depress the values of that type of transportation
asset. The supply and demand of transportation assets is affected by various cyclical factors, including: (i) passenger and cargo demand;
(ii) commercial demand for certain types of transportation assets, (iii) fuel costs and general economic conditions affecting lessees’
operations; (iv) government regulation, including operating restrictions; (v) interest rates; (vi) the availability of credit; (vii) manufacturer
production level; (viii) retirement and obsolescence of certain classes of transportation assets; (ix) re-introduction into service of
transportation assets previously in storage; and (x) traffic control infrastructure constraints.
Risk
of Decline in Value of Transportation Assets and Rental Values. In
addition to factors linked to the railway, aviation and shipping industries, other factors that may affect the value of transportation
assets, and thus of the Personal Property Asset Companies in which the Fund invests, include (among others): (i) manufacturers merging
or exiting the industry or ceasing to produce specific types of transportation asset; (ii) the particular maintenance and operating history
of the transportation assets; (iii) the number of operators using that type of transportation asset; (iv) whether the railcar, aircraft
or ship is subject to a lease; (v) any regulatory and legal requirements that must be satisfied before the transportation asset can be
operated, sold or re-leased, (vi) compatibility of parts and layout of the transportation asset among operators of particular asset;
and (vii) any renegotiation of a lease on less favorable terms.
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Technological
Risks. The
availability for sale or lease of new, technologically advanced transportation assets and the imposition of stringent noise, emissions
or environmental regulations may make certain types of transportation assets less desirable in the marketplace and therefore may adversely
affect the owners’ ability to lease or sell such transportation assets. Consequently, the owner will have to lease or sell many
of the transportation assets close to the end of their useful economic life. The owners’ ability to manage these technological risks
by modifying or selling transportation assets will likely be limited.
Risks
Relating to Leases of Transportation Assets. Owner/lessors
of transportation assets will typically require lessees of assets to maintain customary and appropriate insurance. There can be no assurance
that the lessees’ insurance will cover all types of claims that may be asserted against the owner, which could adversely affect
the value of the Fund’s investment in the Personal Property Asset Company owning such transportation asset. Personal Property Asset
Companies are subject to credit risk of the lessees’ ability to the provisions of the lease of the transportation asset and supply
chain disruptions. The Personal Property Asset Company needs to release or sell transportation assets as the current leases expire in
order to continue to generate revenues. The ability to re-lease or sell transportation assets depends on general market and competitive
conditions. Some of the competitors of the Personal Property Asset Company may have greater access to financial resources and may have
greater operational flexibility. If the Personal Property Asset Company is not able to release a transportation asset, it may need to
attempt to sell the aircraft to provide funds for its investors, including the Fund.
The risks of collectible assets include (among others):
Valuation
of Collectible Assets Risk. The
market for collectible assets as a financial investment is developing. Collectible assets are typically bought and sold through auction
houses, and estimates of prices of collectible assets at auction are imprecise. Accordingly, collectible assets are difficult to value.
Liquidity
of Collectible Assets Risk. There
are relatively few auction houses in comparison to brokers and dealers of traditional financial assets. The ability to sell collectible
assets is dependent on the demand for particular classes of collectible assets, which demand has been volatile and erratic in the past.
There is no assurance that collectible assets can be sold within a particular timeframe or at the price at which such collectible assets
are valued, which may impair the ability of the Fund to realize full value of Personal Property Asset Companies in the event of the need
to liquidate such assets.
Authenticity
of Collectible Assets Risk. The
value of collectible assets often depends on its rarity or scarcity, or of its attribution as the product of a particular artisan. Collectible
Assets are subject to forgery and to the inabilities to assess the authenticity of the collectible asset, which may significantly impair
the value of the collectible asset.
High
Transaction and Related Costs Risk. Collectible
assets are typically bought and sold through auction houses, which typically charge commissions to the purchaser and to the seller which
may
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exceed 20% of the sale price of the collectible asset. In addition,
holding collectible assets entails storage and insurance costs, which may be substantial.
Private Securities Risk
The Fund may invest directly or indirectly in privately issued
securities (Income Securities and Common Equity Securities) of both public and private companies. Private Securities have additional risk
considerations relative to investments in comparable public investments. Whenever the Fund invests in companies that do not publicly report
financial and other material information, it assumes a greater degree of investment risk and reliance upon GPIM’s ability to obtain
and evaluate applicable information concerning such companies’ creditworthiness and other investment considerations, which information
cannot be independently verified. The Fund also depends on the expertise, skill and network of business contacts of GPIM to evaluate,
negotiate, structure, execute and monitor the Private Securities. Private Securities are often illiquid. Because there is often no readily
available trading market for Private Securities, the Fund will not be able to readily dispose of such investments at prices that approximate
those at which the Fund could sell them if they were more widely traded. Subscriptions to purchase Private Securities are typically subject
to restrictions or delays. Private Securities are also more difficult to value. Valuation will require more research, and elements of
judgment will play a greater role in the valuation of Private Securities as compared to public securities because there is less reliable
objective data available.
In addition to the risks discussed above, investments in Common
Equity Securities of private issuers (often called private equity investments) are subject to certain risks (whether made directly or
through Investment Funds), including:
Limited
Operating History. Private
equity investments may have limited operating histories, and the information GPIM will obtain about such investments may be limited and,
in many cases, cannot be independently verified. As such, GPIM’s ability to evaluate past performance of a private equity investment
or to validate its investment strategies will be limited. Moreover, even to the extent a private equity investment has a longer operating
history, its past performance should not be construed as an indication of the future results of the private equity investment or the Fund,
particularly as the investment professionals responsible for the performance of the private equity investment may change over time.
Concentration
and Non-Diversification Risk. Investment
Funds that have exposure to private equity investments, such as private equity funds in which the Fund can invest, may at certain times
hold large positions in a relatively limited number of investments. In addition, private equity funds may target or concentrate their
investments in particular markets, sectors or industries. Those funds that concentrate in a specific industry or target a specific sector
will also be subject to the risks of that industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, rapid obsolescence of technology,
sensitivity to regulatory changes, minimal barriers to entry and sensitivity to overall market swings. Some of these Investment Funds
may hold a single asset and thus are subject to even higher risks. As a result, the net asset values of such funds
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may be subject to greater volatility than those of investment companies
that are subject to diversification requirements, which may negatively impact the value of the Common Shares.
Liquidity
Risk. The
securities held by private equity funds are often illiquid, and subscriptions to purchase these securities are typically subject to restrictions
or delays. There is no regular market for interests in many private equity funds or portfolio companies, which typically must be sold
in privately negotiated transactions subject to high conflicts, valuation and liquidity risks. Any such sales would likely require the
consent of the manager of the applicable private equity fund or the board of the portfolio company and could occur at a material discount
to the stated net asset value. If GPIM determines to cause the Fund to sell its interest in a private equity investment, the Fund may
be unable to sell such interest quickly, if at all, and could therefore be obligated to continue to hold such interest for an extended
period of time, or to accept a materially lower price.
Valuation
Risk. A
large percentage of private equity investments will not have a readily determinable market value and may be reported at an estimate of
fair value determined by private equity fund managers or the co-investment sponsor that are subject to conflicts (when held through an
Investment Fund). In this regard, a private equity fund manager or a co-investment sponsor may face a conflict of interest in valuing
the securities, as their value may affect the compensation of the manager or sponsor or the manager’s or sponsor’s ability
to raise additional funds in the future. As a result, valuations of the securities may be subjective and could subsequently prove to have
been inaccurate, potentially by significant amounts.
Private Securities that are debt securities generally are of below-investment
grade quality, frequently are unrated and present many of the same risks as investing in below-investment grade public debt securities.
Investing in private debt instruments is a highly specialized investment practice that depends more heavily on independent credit analysis
than investments in other types of obligations.
Risks Associated with Private Company Investments
Private companies are generally not subject to SEC reporting requirements,
are not required to maintain their accounting records in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and are not required
to maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting. As a result, GPIM may not have timely or accurate information about
the business, financial condition and results of operations of the private companies in which the Fund invests. There is risk that the
Fund will invest on the basis of incomplete or inaccurate information, which will adversely affect the Fund’s investment performance.
Some Private companies in which the Fund invests have limited financial resources, shorter operating histories, more asset concentration
risk, narrower product lines and smaller market shares than larger businesses, which tend to render such private companies more vulnerable
to competitors’ actions and market conditions, as well as general economic downturns. In addition, the management of private companies
may depend on one or two key individuals, and the loss of the services of any such individual may adversely affect the performance of
the private company.
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These companies generally have less predictable operating results,
may from time to time be parties to litigation, may be engaged in rapidly changing businesses with products subject to a substantial risk
of obsolescence, and may require substantial additional capital to support their operations, finance expansion or maintain their competitive
position. These companies may have difficulty accessing the capital markets to meet future capital needs, which may limit their ability
to grow or to repay their outstanding indebtedness upon maturity. In addition, the Fund’s investment also may be structured as pay-in-kind
securities with minimal or no cash interest or dividends until the company meets certain growth and liquidity objectives.
Typically, investments in private companies are in restricted securities
that are not traded in public markets and subject to substantial holding periods, so that the Fund may not be able to resell some of its
holdings for extended periods, which may be several years. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to realize the value of
private company investments in a timely manner, and these investments are subject to heightened valuation risks.
Late-Stage Private Companies Risk
Investments in late-stage private companies involve greater risks
than investments in shares of companies that have traded publicly on an exchange for extended periods of time. These investments may present
significant opportunities for capital appreciation but involve a high degree of risk that may result in significant decreases in the value
of these investments. The Fund may not be able to sell such investments when GPIM deems it appropriate to do so because they are not publicly
traded. As such, these investments are generally considered to be illiquid until a company’s public offering (which may never occur)
and are often subject to additional contractual restrictions on resale following any public offering that may prevent the Fund from selling
its shares of these companies for a period of time. Market conditions, developments within a company, investor perception or regulatory
decisions or other factors may adversely affect a late-stage private company and delay or prevent such a company from ultimately offering
its securities to the public. If a company issues shares in an IPO, IPOs are risky and volatile and may cause the value of the Fund’s
investment to decrease significantly.
Investment Funds Risk
As an alternative to holding investments directly, the Fund may
also obtain investment exposure to Income Securities and Common Equity Securities by investing up to 30% of its total assets in Investment
Funds. These investments include open-end funds, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds and business development companies as well as
other pooled investment vehicles. Investment Funds may include those advised by the Adviser and/or its affiliates. Investments in Investment
Funds present certain special considerations and risks not present in making direct investments in Income Securities and Common Equity
Securities, and in addition to these risks, investments in Investment Funds subject the Fund to the risks affecting such Investment Funds
and involve operating expenses and fees that are in addition to the expenses and fees borne by the Fund. Such expenses and fees attributable
to the Fund’s investment in another Investment Fund are borne indirectly by Common Shareholders. Accordingly, investment in such
entities involves expenses and
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fees at both levels. Fees and expenses borne by other Investment
Funds in which the Fund invests may be similar to the fees and expenses borne by the Fund and can include asset-based management fees
and administrative fees payable to such entities’ advisers and managers as well as other expenses borne by such entities, thus resulting
in fees and expenses at both levels. To the extent management fees of Investment Funds are based on total gross assets, it may create
an incentive for such entities’ managers to employ Financial Leverage, thereby adding additional expense and increasing volatility
and risk (including the Fund’s overall exposure to leverage risk). Fees payable to advisers and managers of Investment Funds may
include performance-based incentive fees calculated as a percentage of profits. Such incentive fees directly reduce the return that otherwise
would have been earned by investors over the applicable period. A performance-based fee arrangement may create incentives for an adviser
or manager to take greater investment risks in the hope of earning a higher profit participation.
Investments in Investment Funds frequently expose the Fund to an
additional layer of Financial Leverage and, thus, increase the Fund’s exposure to leverage risk and costs. From time to time, the
Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in Investment Funds that employ leverage. The use of leverage by Investment Funds
may cause the Investments Funds’ market price of common shares and/or NAV to be more volatile and can magnify the effect of any
losses. From time to time, the Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in Investment Funds that employ leverage.
Investments in Investment Funds expose the Fund to additional management
risk. The success of the Fund’s investments in Investment Funds will depend in large part on the investment skills and implementation
abilities of the advisers or managers of such entities. Decisions made by the advisers or managers of such entities may cause the Fund
to incur losses or to miss profit opportunities. While GPIM will seek to evaluate managers of Investment Funds and where possible independently
evaluate the underlying assets, a substantial degree of reliance on such entities’ managers is nevertheless present with such investments.
The Fund may invest in Investment Funds in excess of statutory
limits imposed by the 1940 Act in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act. These investments would be subject to the applicable conditions
of Rule 12d1-4, which in part could affect or otherwise impose certain limits on the investments and operations of the underlying Investment
Fund (notably such fund’s ability to invest in other investment companies and private funds, which include certain structured finance
vehicles). It is uncertain what effect the conditions of Rule 12d1-4 will have on the Fund’s investment strategies and operations
or those of the Investment Funds in which the Fund may invest.
If the Fund invests in Investment Funds, the Fund’s realized
losses on sales of shares of an underlying Investment Fund may be indefinitely or permanently deferred as “wash sales.” Distributions
of short-term capital gains by an underlying Investment Fund will be recognized as ordinary income by the Fund and would not be offset
by the Fund’s capital loss carryforwards, if any. Capital loss carryforwards of an underlying Investment Fund, if any, would not
offset net capital gain of the Fund or of another underlying Investment Fund.
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When the Fund invests in private investment funds, such investments
pose additional risks to the Fund, in addition to those risks described above with respect to all Investment Funds. Certain private investment
funds involve capital call provisions under which an investor is obligated to make additional investments at specified levels even if
it would otherwise choose not to. Investments in private investment funds may have very limited liquidity. Often there will be no secondary
market for such investments and the ability to redeem or otherwise withdraw from a private investment fund may be prohibited during the
term of the private investment fund or, if permitted, may be infrequent. Certain private investment funds are subject to “lock-up”
periods of a year or more. The valuation of investments in private investment funds are often subject to high conflicts and valuation
risks. Investors in private investment funds are also often exposed to increased leverage risk.
Synthetic Investments Risk
As an alternative to holding investments directly, the Fund may
also obtain investment exposure to Income Securities and Common Equity Securities through the use of customized derivative instruments
(including swaps, options, forwards, notional principal contracts or other financial instruments) to seek to replicate, modify or replace
the economic attributes associated with an investment in Income Securities and Common Equity Securities (including interests in Investment
Funds). The Fund may be exposed to certain additional risks to the extent GPIM uses derivatives as a means to synthetically implement
the Fund’s investment strategies. If the Fund enters into a derivative instrument whereby it agrees to receive the return of a security
or financial instrument or a basket of securities or financial instruments, it will typically contract to receive such returns for a predetermined
period of time. During such period, the Fund may not have the ability to increase or decrease its exposure. In addition, such customized
derivative instruments will likely be highly illiquid, and it is possible that the Fund will not be able to terminate such derivative
instruments prior to their expiration date or that the penalties associated with such a termination might impact the Fund’s performance
in a material adverse manner. Furthermore, certain derivative instruments contain provisions giving the counterparty the right to terminate
the contract upon the occurrence of certain events. Such events may include a decline in the value of the reference securities and material
violations of the terms of the contract or the portfolio guidelines as well as other events determined by the counterparty. If a termination
were to occur, the Fund’s return could be adversely affected as it would lose the benefit of the indirect exposure to the reference
securities and it may incur significant termination expenses.
In the event the Fund seeks to participate in Investment Funds
(including Private Investment Funds) through the use of such synthetic derivative instruments, the Fund will not acquire any voting interests
or other shareholder rights that would be acquired with a direct investment in the underlying Investment Fund. Accordingly, the Fund will
not participate in matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders. In addition, the Fund may not receive all of the information and reports
to shareholders that the Fund would receive with a direct investment in such Investment Fund.
Further, the Fund will pay the counterparty to any such customized
derivative instrument structuring fees and ongoing transaction fees, which will reduce the investment performance of the Fund.
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Finally, certain tax aspects of such customized derivative instruments
are uncertain and a Common Shareholder’s return could be adversely affected by an adverse tax ruling.
Inflation/Deflation Risk
Inflation risk is the risk that the intrinsic value of assets or
income from investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the purchasing power and value of money. As inflation
increases, the real value of the Common Shares and distributions can decline. Inflation rates may change frequently and significantly
as a result of various factors, including unexpected shifts in the domestic or global economy and changes in monetary or economic policies
(or expectations that these policies may change), and the Fund’s investments may not keep pace with inflation, which would adversely
affect the Fund. The market price of debt instruments generally falls as inflation increases because the purchasing power of the future
income and repaid principal is expected to be worth less when received by the Fund. The risk of inflation is greater for debt instruments
with longer maturities and especially those that pay a fixed rather than variable interest rate. Inflation has reached historically high
levels in recent periods, and the Federal Reserve has increased interest rates significantly to seek to reduce it. In addition, during
any periods of rising inflation, the dividend rates or borrowing costs associated with the Fund’s use of Financial Leverage would
likely increase, which would tend to further reduce returns to Common Shareholders. Deflation risk is the risk that prices throughout
the economy decline over time-the opposite of inflation. Deflation may have an adverse effect on the creditworthiness of issuers and may
make issuer default more likely, which may result in a decline in the value of the Fund’s portfolio.
Market Discount Risk
The Common Shares have traded both at a premium and at a discount
in relation to net asset value. The Fund cannot predict whether the Common Shares will trade at a premium or discount to net asset value
and the market price for the Common Shares will change based on a variety of factors. The Common Shares have recently traded at a premium
to net asset value per share, which may not be sustainable. If the Common Shares are trading at a premium to net asset value at the time
you purchase Common Shares, the net asset value per share of the Common Shares purchased will be less than the purchase price paid. Shares
of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount from net asset value, but in some cases have traded above net asset
value. The risk of the Common Shares trading at a discount is a risk separate from the risk of a decline in the Fund’s net asset
value as a result of the Fund’s investment activities. The Fund’s net asset value will be reduced immediately following an
offering of the Common Shares due to the costs of such offering, which will be borne entirely by the Fund. The sale of Common Shares by
the Fund (or the perception that such sales may occur) may have an adverse effect on prices of Common Shares in the secondary market.
An increase in the number of Common Shares available may put downward pressure on the market price for Common Shares. The Fund may, from
time to time, seek the consent of Common Shareholders to permit the issuance and sale by the Fund of Common Shares at a price below the
Fund’s then-current net asset value, subject to certain conditions, and such sales of Common Shares at price below net asset value,
if any, may increase downward pressure on the market price for
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Common Shares. These sales, if any, also might make it more difficult
for the Fund to sell additional Common Shares in the future at a time and price it deems appropriate.
Whether a Common Shareholder will realize a gain or loss upon the
sale of Common Shares depends upon whether the market value of the Common Shares at the time of sale is above or below the price the Common
Shareholder paid, taking into account transaction costs for the Common Shares, and is not directly dependent upon the Fund’s net
asset value. Because the market value of the Common Shares will be determined by factors such as net asset value, dividend and distribution
levels (which are dependent, in part, on expenses), supply of and demand for Common Shares, stability of dividends or distributions, trading
volume of Common Shares, general market and economic conditions and other factors beyond the Fund’s control, the Fund cannot predict
whether the Common Shares will trade at, below or above net asset value, or at, below or above the public offering price for the Common
Shares. Common Shares are designed primarily for long-term investors; investors in Common Shares should not view the Fund as a vehicle
for trading purposes.
Dilution Risk
The voting power of current Common Shareholders will be diluted
to the extent that current Common Shareholders do not purchase Common Shares in any future offerings of Common Shares or do not purchase
sufficient Common Shares to maintain their percentage interest. If the Fund is unable to invest the proceeds of such offering as intended
or if investments made with these proceeds perform poorly, the Fund’s per Common Share distribution may decrease and the Fund may
not participate in market advances to the same extent as if such proceeds were fully invested as planned. If the Fund sells Common Shares
at a price below net asset value pursuant to the consent of Common Shareholders, shareholders will experience a dilution of the aggregate
net asset value per Common Share because the sale price will be less than the Fund’s then-current net asset value per Common Share.
Similarly, were the expenses of the offering to exceed the amount by which the sale price exceeded the Fund’s then-current net asset
value per Common Share, shareholders would experience a dilution of the aggregate net asset value per Common Share. This dilution will
be experienced by all shareholders, irrespective of whether they purchase Common Shares in any such offering.
Financial Leverage and Leveraged Transactions Risk
Although the use of Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions
by the Fund may create an opportunity for increased after-tax total return for the Common Shares, it also results in additional risks
and can magnify the effect of any losses. If the income and gains earned on securities purchased with Financial Leverage and leveraged
transactions proceeds are greater than the cost of Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions, the Fund’s return will be greater
than if Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions had not been used. Conversely, if the income or gains from the securities purchased
with such proceeds does not cover the cost of Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions, the return to the Fund will be less than
if Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions had not been used. There can be no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be implemented
or that it will be successful during any period during which it is employed.
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Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions are a speculative
techniques that exposes the Fund to greater risk and increased costs than if they were not implemented. Increases and decreases in the
value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions. As a result, Financial
Leverage and leveraged transactions may cause greater changes in the Fund’s NAV and returns than if Financial Leverage and leveraged
transactions had not been used. The Fund will also have to pay interest on its indebtedness, if any, which may reduce the Fund’s
return. This interest expense may be greater than the Fund’s return on the underlying investment, which would negatively affect
the performance of the Fund.
Financial Leverage and the use of leveraged transactions involve
risks and special considerations for shareholders, including the likelihood of greater volatility of NAV and market price of and dividends
on the Common Shares than a comparable portfolio without leverage; the risk that fluctuations in interest rates on indebtedness or in
the dividend rate on any preferred shares that the Fund must pay will reduce the return to the Common Shareholders; and the effect of
Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions in a declining market, which is likely to cause a greater decline in the NAV of the Common
Shares than if the Fund were not leveraged, which may result in a greater decline in the market price of the Common Shares.
Because the fees received by the Adviser are based on the Managed
Assets of the Fund (including the proceeds of any Financial Leverage), the Adviser has a financial incentive for the Fund to utilize Financial
Leverage, which may create a conflict of interest between the Adviser and the Common Shareholders. Common Shareholders bear the portion
of the investment advisory fee attributable to the assets purchased with the proceeds of Financial Leverage, which means that Common Shareholders
effectively bear the entire advisory fee.
Indebtedness may subject the Fund to covenants in credit agreements
relating to asset coverage and portfolio composition requirements. Indebtedness by the Fund also may subject the Fund to certain restrictions
on investments imposed by guidelines of one or more rating agencies, which may issue ratings for such indebtedness. Such guidelines may
impose asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed by the 1940 Act. It is not anticipated
that these covenants or guidelines will impede the Adviser or GPIM from managing the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s
investment objective and policies.
The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with the
same parties with whom it may enter into repurchase agreements (as described below). Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund would
sell securities or other assets and agree to repurchase them at a particular price at a future date. Reverse repurchase agreements involve
the risks that the interest income earned on the investment of the proceeds will be less than the interest expense and Fund expenses associated
with the repurchase agreement, that the market value of the securities or other assets sold by the Fund may decline below the price at
which the Fund is obligated to repurchase such securities and that the securities may not be returned to the Fund. There is no assurance
that reverse repurchase agreements can be successfully employed. In the event of the insolvency of the counterparty to a reverse repurchase
agreement, recovery of the securities or other assets sold by the Fund may be delayed. The
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counterparty’s insolvency may result in a loss equal to the
amount by which the value of the securities or other assets sold by the Fund exceeds the repurchase price payable by the Fund; if the
value of the purchased securities or other assets increases during such a delay, that loss may also be increased. When the Fund enters
into a reverse repurchase agreement, any fluctuations in the market value of either the securities or other assets transferred to another
party or the securities or other assets in which the proceeds may be invested would affect the market value of the Fund’s assets.
As a result, such transactions may increase fluctuations in the net asset value of the Fund’s shares.
The Fund may enter into dollar roll transactions, in which the
Fund sells a mortgage-backed or other security for settlement on one date and agrees to purchase a substantially similar security (but
not the same security) for settlement at a later date at an agreed-upon price. During the roll-period, the Fund gives up the principal
and interest payments on the sold security, but may invest the sale proceeds. When the Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction, any
fluctuation in the market value of the security transferred or the securities in which the sales proceeds are invested can affect the
market value of the Fund’s assets, and therefore, the Fund’s NAV. Successful use of dollar rolls may depend upon, among other
things, GPIM’s ability to correctly predict interest rates and prepayments. There is no assurance that dollar rolls can be successfully
employed. Dollar roll transactions also involve the risk that the market value of the securities the Fund is required to deliver may decline
below the agreed upon repurchase price of those securities. In addition, in the event that the Fund’s counterparty becomes insolvent
or otherwise unable or unwilling to perform its obligations, the Fund’s use of the proceeds may become restricted pending a determination
as to whether to enforce the Fund’s obligation to purchase the substantially similar securities.
The Fund’s use of leverage through reverse repurchase agreements,
dollar rolls and economically similar transactions will be included when calculating the Fund’s Financial Leverage and therefore
will be limited by the Fund’s maximum overall Financial Leverage levels approved by the Board of Trustees and may be further limited
by the applicable requirements of the SEC discussed herein.
In addition, the Fund may engage in certain derivatives transactions
that have economic characteristics similar to leverage. The Fund’s obligations under such transactions will not be considered indebtedness
for purposes of the 1940 Act and will not be included in calculating the aggregate amount of the Fund’s Financial Leverage, but
the Fund’s use of such transactions may be limited by the applicable requirements of the SEC.
The Fund may have Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions
outstanding during a short term period during which such Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions may not be beneficial to the Fund
if GPIM believes that the long-term benefits to Common Shareholders of such Financial Leverage would outweigh the costs and portfolio
disruptions associated with redeeming and reissuing or closing out and reopening such Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions. However,
there can be no assurance that GPIM’s judgment in weighing such costs and benefits will be correct.
Economic and market events have at times caused severe market volatility
and severe liquidity strains in the credit markets. The terms of the Fund’s credit facility include a variable interest rate.
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Accordingly, during periods when interest rates or the applicable
reference rate for the credit facility rise or there are dislocations in the credit markets, the Fund’s leverage costs may increase
and there is a risk that the Fund may not be able to renew or replace existing leverage on favorable terms or at all. If the cost of leverage
is no longer favorable, or if the Fund is otherwise required to reduce its leverage, the Fund may not be able to maintain distributions
on Common Shares at historical levels and Common Shareholders will bear any costs associated with selling portfolio securities. The cost
of leverage and the risks highlighted above are heightened during periods of rising interest rates.
The Fund’s total Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions
may vary significantly over time. To the extent the Fund increases its amount of Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions outstanding,
it will be more exposed to these risks.
Investments in Investment Funds and certain other pooled and structured
finance vehicles, such as collateralized loan obligations, frequently expose the Fund to an additional layer of financial leverage and,
thus, increase the Fund’s exposure to leverage risk. From time to time, the Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets
in Investment Funds that employ leverage.
Derivatives Transactions Risk
Derivatives Transactions Risk In General. In addition to
the covered call option strategy described above, the Fund may, but is not required to, utilize other derivatives, including futures contracts,
swaps transactions and other strategic transactions to seek to earn income, facilitate portfolio management and mitigate risks. Participation
in derivatives markets transactions involves investment risks and transaction costs to which the Fund would not be subject absent the
use of these strategies (other than its covered call writing strategy). Certain derivatives transactions that involve leverage can result
in losses that greatly exceed the amount originally invested. Derivatives transactions utilizing instruments denominated in foreign currencies
will expose the Fund to foreign currency risk. Derivatives transactions involve risks of mispricing or improper valuation, and the documentation
governing a derivative instrument or transaction may be unfavorable or ambiguous. Derivatives transactions may involve commissions and
other costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses and reduce its return. Various legislative and regulatory initiatives may impact
the availability, liquidity and cost of derivative instruments, limit or restrict the ability of the Fund to use certain derivative instruments
or transact with certain counterparties as a part of its investment strategy, increase the costs of using derivative instruments or make
derivative instruments less effective.
The Fund may be required to deposit amounts as premiums or to be
held in margin accounts. Such amounts may not otherwise be available to the Fund for investment purposes. The Fund may earn a lower return
on its portfolio than it might otherwise earn if it did not have to maintain such assets in respect of its derivatives transactions positions.
Participation in derivatives market transactions involves investment risks and transaction costs to which the Fund would not be subject
absent the use of these strategies. To the extent the Fund engages in derivatives transactions in an attempt to hedge certain exposures
or risks, there can be no assurance that the Fund’s hedging investments or transactions will be effective. In addition, hedging
investments or transactions involve costs and may
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reduce gains or result in losses, which may adversely affect the
Fund. Changes in the value of a derivatives transaction may also create sudden margin delivery or settlement payment obligations for the
Fund, which can materially affect the performance of the Fund and its liquidity and other risk profiles. The skills necessary to successfully
execute derivatives strategies may be different from those for more traditional portfolio management techniques, and if GPIM is incorrect
about its expectations of market conditions, the use of derivatives could also result in a loss, which in some cases may be unlimited.
Additional risks inherent in the use of derivatives include (among others):
• | | dependence on GPIM’s ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of interest
rates and securities prices; |
• | | imperfect correlation between the price of derivatives and movements in the prices of the
securities being hedged; |
• | | the fact that skills needed to use these strategies are different from those needed to select
portfolio securities; |
• | | the possible absence of a liquid secondary market for any particular instrument at any time; |
• | | the possible need to defer closing out certain hedged positions to avoid adverse tax consequences; |
• | | the possible inability of the Fund to purchase or sell a security at a time that otherwise
would be favorable for it to do so, or the possible need for the Fund to sell a security at a disadvantageous time due to a need for
the Fund to make margin or settlement payments in connection with such derivatives transactions; and |
• | | the creditworthiness of counterparties. |
Futures Transactions Risk. The Fund may invest in futures
contracts and options on futures contracts. Futures and options on futures involve the risks discussed under “Derivatives Transactions
Risk” above and certain additional risks, including but not limited to the following:
• | | no assurance that futures contracts or options on futures can be offset at favorable prices; |
• | | possible reduction of the return of the Fund due to their use for hedging; |
• | | possible reduction in value of both the securities hedged and the hedging instrument; |
• | | possible lack of liquidity, trading restrictions or limitations that may be imposed by an
exchange, and the potential that government regulations may restrict trading; |
• | | imperfect correlation between the contracts and the securities being hedged; and |
• | | losses from investing in futures transactions that are potentially unlimited and losses resulting
from the default or insolvency of intermediaries such as the Fund’s futures commission merchant. |
The Fund is required to trade derivatives and other transactions
that create future payment or delivery obligations (except reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions) subject to
value-at-risk (“VaR”) leverage limits and derivatives risk management program and reporting requirements. Generally, these
requirements apply unless a fund satisfies a “limited derivatives users” exception that is included in the final rule. When
the Fund trades reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions, including certain tender option bonds, it
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needs to aggregate the amount of indebtedness associated with the
reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing
indebtedness when calculating the Fund’s asset coverage ratio or treat all such transactions as derivatives transactions. Reverse
repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions aggregated with other indebtedness do not need to be included in the calculation
of whether a fund satisfies the limited derivatives users exception, but for funds subject to the VaR testing requirement, reverse repurchase
agreements and similar financing transactions must be included for purposes of such testing whether treated as derivatives transactions
or not. The SEC also provided guidance regarding the use of securities lending collateral that may limit the Fund’s securities lending
activities. In addition, the Fund is permitted to invest in a security on a when-issued or forward-settling basis, or with a non-standard
settlement cycle, and the transaction will be deemed not to involve a senior security, provided that (i) the Fund intends to physically
settle the transaction and (ii) the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date (the “Delayed-Settlement Securities
Provision”). The Fund may otherwise engage in such transactions that do not meet the conditions of the Delayed-Settlement Securities
Provision so long as the Fund treats any such transaction as a “derivatives transaction” for purposes of compliance with the
rule. Furthermore, under the rule, the Fund is permitted to enter into an unfunded commitment agreement, and such unfunded commitment
agreement will not be subject to the asset coverage requirements under the 1940 Act, if the Fund reasonably believes, at the time it enters
into such agreement, that it will have sufficient cash and cash equivalents to meet its obligations with respect to all such agreements
as they come due. These requirements may limit the ability of the Fund to use derivatives, reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing
transactions, and the other relevant transactions as part of its investment strategies. These requirements may increase the cost of the
Fund’s investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.
Swap Risk
Swap agreements are contracts for periods ranging from one day
to more than one year and may be negotiated bilaterally and traded OTC between two parties or, for certain standardized swaps, must be
exchange-traded through a futures commission merchant or swap execution facility and/or cleared through a clearinghouse that serves as
a central counterparty. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return)
earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The Fund may enter into swap transactions, including credit
default swaps, total return swaps, index swaps, currency swaps, commodity swaps and interest rate swaps, as well as options thereon, and
may purchase or sell interest rate caps, floors and collars. The Fund may utilize swap agreements in an attempt to gain exposure to certain
assets without purchasing those assets, to hedge other positions or for investment purposes.
Risks associated with the use of swap agreements are different
from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions, largely due to the fact they could be considered illiquid and many
swaps currently trade on the OTC market. If GPIM is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, interest rates or currency exchange rates,
the investment performance of the Fund may be less
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favorable than it would have been if these investment techniques
were not used. Such transactions are subject to various risks, including market risk, risk of default by the other party to the transaction
and risk of imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets and may involve commissions or other
costs. Written credit default swaps also are subject to the risk of default on the instrument underlying the swap, which may result in
the Fund being obligated to pay the counterparty to the swap the principal amount of the underlying instrument. Cash-settled swaps generally
do not involve the delivery of securities, other underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to such swaps
generally is limited to the net amount of payments and margin that the Fund is contractually obligated to make, or in the case of the
other party to a swap defaulting, the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive. Swaps are subject to
valuation, liquidity and leveraging risks and could result in substantial losses to the Fund. In addition, the Fund may pay fees or incur
costs each time it enters into, amends or terminates a swap agreement.
Swaps may effectively add leverage to the Fund’s portfolio
because the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the full notional amount of the swap. Swaps are subject to the risk that a
counterparty will default on its payment obligations to the Fund thereunder.
When the Fund acts as a seller of a credit default swap agreement
with respect to a debt security, it is subject to the risk that an adverse credit event may occur with respect to the issuer of the debt
security and the Fund may be required to pay the buyer the full notional value of the debt security under the swap net of any amounts
owed to the Fund by the buyer under the swap (such as the buyer’s obligation to deliver the debt security to the Fund). As a result,
the Fund bears the entire risk of loss due to a decline in value of a referenced debt security on a credit default swap it has sold if
there is a credit event with respect to the issuer of the security. If the Fund is a buyer of a credit default swap and no credit event
occurs, the Fund may recover nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the Fund generally
may elect to receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference
entity whose value may have significantly decreased.
The swap market has become more standardized in recent years with
a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation.
As a result, some swaps have become relatively liquid. Although
liquidity of certain swaps has improved, certain types of derivatives products, such as caps, floors and collars may be less liquid than
swaps in general.
Certain standardized swaps are subject to mandatory exchange-trading
and central clearing. While exchange-trading and central clearing are intended to reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity,
they do not make swap transactions risk-free. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”)
and related regulatory developments require the clearing and exchange-trading of certain OTC derivative instruments that the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and SEC have defined as “swaps.” Mandatory exchange-trading and
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clearing are occurring on a phased-in basis based on CFTC approval
of contracts for central clearing. Depending on the Fund’s size and other factors, the margin required under the rules of the clearinghouse
and by the clearing member may be in excess of the collateral required to be posted by the Fund to support its obligations under a similar
bilateral swap. In addition, regulators have developed rules that require trading and execution of the most liquid swaps on trading facilities.
Moving trading to an exchange-type system may increase market transparency
and liquidity but may require the Fund to incur increased expenses to access the same types of cleared and uncleared swaps. In addition,
the CFTC and other applicable regulators have adopted rules imposing certain margin requirements, including minimums, on uncleared swaps
which may result in the Fund and its counterparties posting higher margin amounts for uncleared swaps. Recently adopted rules also require
centralized reporting of detailed information about many types of cleared and uncleared swaps. Reporting of swap data may result in greater
market transparency, but may subject the Fund to additional administrative burdens and the safeguards established to protect trader anonymity
may not function as expected. GPIM will continue to monitor developments in this area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect
the ability of the Fund to enter into swap agreements. In addition, the CFTC has established certain position limits for 25 specified
physical commodity futures and related options contracts traded on exchanges, other futures contracts and related options directly or
indirectly linked to such 25 specified contracts, and any OTC transactions that are economically equivalent to the 25 specified contracts.
Further regulatory developments in the swap market may adversely
impact the swap market generally or the Fund’s ability to use swaps.
Counterparty Risk
Counterparty risk is the risk that a counterparty to a fund transaction
(e.g., prime brokerage or securities lending arrangement or derivatives transaction) will be unable or unwilling to perform its contractual
obligation to the Fund. The Fund is exposed to credit risks that the counterparty may be unwilling or unable to make timely payments or
otherwise meet its contractual obligations. If the counterparty becomes bankrupt or defaults on (or otherwise becomes unable or unwilling
to perform) its payment or other obligations to the Fund, the Fund may not receive the full amount that it is entitled to receive or may
experience delays in recovering the collateral or other assets held by, or on behalf of, the counterparty. If this occurs, or if exercising
contractual rights involves delays or costs for the Fund, the value of your shares in the Fund may decrease. Such risk is heightened in
market environments where interest rates are changing, notably when rates are rising. Counterparty credit risk also includes the related
risk of having concentrated exposure to such counterparty.
The Fund bears the risk that counterparties may be adversely affected
by legislative or regulatory changes, adverse market conditions, increased competition, and/or wide scale credit losses resulting from
financial difficulties of the counterparties’ other trading partners or borrowers.
The counterparty risk for cleared derivatives is generally lower
than for uncleared OTC derivatives transactions since generally a clearing organization becomes substituted for each counterparty to a
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cleared derivative contract and, in effect, guarantees the parties’
performance under the contract as each party to a trade looks only to the clearing organization for performance of financial obligations
under the derivative contract. However, there can be no assurance that a clearing organization, or its members, will satisfy its obligations
to the Fund.
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies Risk
The Fund may invest in stock, warrants, rights and other securities
of special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”) or similar special purpose entities in a private placement transaction
or as part of a public offering. As an alternative to obtaining a public listing through a traditional IPO, SPAC investments carry many
of the same risks as investments in IPO securities. These may include, but are not limited to, erratic price movements, greater risk of
loss, lack of information about the issuer, limited operating and little public or no trading history, and higher transaction costs.
Investments in SPACs also have risks peculiar to the SPAC structure
and investment process. Until an acquisition or merger is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets, less a portion retained to cover
expenses, in U.S. government securities, money market securities and cash and does not typically pay dividends in respect of its common
stock. To the extent a SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities, this may impact the Fund’s ability to meet its investment
objective. SPAC investments are also subject to the risk that a significant portion of the funds raised by the SPAC may be expended during
the search for a target acquisition or merger. Some SPACs pursue acquisitions and mergers only within certain market sectors or regions,
which can increase the volatility of their prices. Conversely, other SPACs may invest without such limitations, in which case management
may have limited experience or knowledge of the market sector or region in which the transaction is contemplated. Moreover, interests
in SPACs may be illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale, which may remain for an extended time, and may only be traded in
the over-the-counter market. If there is no market for interests in a SPAC, or only a thinly traded market for interests in a SPAC develops,
the Fund may not be able to sell its interest in a SPAC, or may be able to sell its interest only at a price below what the Fund believes
is the SPAC interest’s value.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
The Fund’s annual portfolio turnover rate may vary greatly
from year to year. Portfolio turnover rate is not considered a limiting factor in the execution of investment decisions for the Fund.
A higher portfolio turnover rate results in correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transactional expenses that are borne
by the Fund. High portfolio turnover may result in an increased realization of net short-term capital gains by the Fund which, when distributed
to Common Shareholders, will be taxable as ordinary income. Additionally, in a declining market, portfolio turnover may create realized
capital losses.
U.S. Government Securities Risk
Different types of U.S. government securities have different relative
levels of credit risk depending on the nature of the particular government support for that security. U.S. government securities may be
supported by: (i) the full faith and credit of the United States government; (ii) the ability of the
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issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (iii) the credit of the
issuing agency, instrumentality or government-sponsored entity (“GSE”); (iv) pools of assets (e.g., mortgage-backed securities);
or (v) the United States in some other way. The U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities do not guarantee the market value
of their securities, which may fluctuate in value and are subject to investment risks, and certain U.S. government securities may not
be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. Any downgrades of the U.S. credit rating could increase volatility
in both stock and bond markets, result in higher interest rates and higher Treasury yields and increase the costs of all debt generally.
The value of U.S. government obligations may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates. It is possible that the issuers of some
U.S. government securities will not have the funds to timely meet their payment obligations in the future and there is a risk of default.
For certain agency and GSE issued securities, there is no guarantee the U.S. government will support the agency or GSE if it is unable
to meet its obligations.
UK Departure from EU (“Brexit”) Risk
On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom officially withdrew from
the European Union (“EU”) which started an 11-month transition period ending on December 31, 2020. The United Kingdom and
the EU entered into a bilateral trade agreement on December 30, 2020, governing certain aspects of the EU’s and the United Kingdom’s
relationship following the end of the transition period, the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (the “TCA”). The TCA provisionally
went into effect on January 1, 2021, and was ratified by the United Kingdom Parliament in December 2020 and by the EU Parliament in April
2021. Brexit has resulted in considerable uncertainty as to the United Kingdom’s post-transition framework, how future negotiations
between the United Kingdom and the EU will proceed on economic, trade, foreign policy and social issues and how the financial markets
will react in the near future and on an ongoing basis. Brexit has resulted in increased volatility and illiquidity and could result in
lower economic growth. It is not possible to anticipate the long-term impact to the economic, legal, political, regulatory and social
framework that will result from Brexit. Brexit may have a negative impact on the economy and currency of the United Kingdom and EU as
a result of anticipated, perceived or actual changes to the United Kingdom’s economic and political relations with the EU. Brexit
may also have a destabilizing impact on the EU to the extent other member states similarly seek to withdraw from the union. Any further
exits from member states of the EU, or the possibility of such exits, would likely cause additional market disruption globally and introduce
new legal and regulatory uncertainties. Any or all of these challenges may affect the value of the Fund’s investments that are economically
tied to the United Kingdom or the EU, and could have an adverse impact on the Fund’s performance.
Redenomination Risk
The result of Brexit, the progression of the European debt crisis
and the possibility of one or more Eurozone countries exiting the European Monetary Union (“EMU”), or even the collapse of
the euro as a common currency, has in recent years created significant volatility in currency and financial markets generally. The effects
of the collapse of the euro, or of the exit of one or more countries from the EMU, on the U.S. and global economies and securities markets
are impossible to predict and any such events could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Fund’s
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portfolio. Any partial or complete dissolution of the EMU could
have significant adverse effects on currency and financial markets, and on the values of the Fund’s portfolio investments. If one
or more EMU countries were to stop using the euro as its primary currency, the Fund’s investments in such countries may be redenominated
into a different or newly adopted currency. As a result, the value of those investments could decline significantly and unpredictably.
In addition, securities or other investments that are redenominated may be subject to foreign currency risk, liquidity risk and valuation
risk to a greater extent than similar investments currently denominated in euros. To the extent a currency used for redenomination purposes
is not specified in respect of certain EMU-related investments, or should the euro cease to be used entirely, the currency in which such
investments are denominated may be unclear, making such investments particularly difficult to value or dispose of. The Fund may incur
additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek judicial or other clarification of the denomination or value of such securities.
Legislation and Regulation Risk
At any time after the date hereof, U.S. and non-U.S. governmental
agencies and other regulators may implement additional regulations and legislators may pass new laws that affect the investments held
by the Fund, the strategies used by the Fund or the level of regulation or taxation applying to the Fund (such as regulations related
to investments in derivatives and other transactions). These regulations and laws may impact the investment strategies, performance, costs
and operations of the Fund, as well as the way investments in, and shareholders of, the Fund are taxed.
LIBOR Replacement Risk
The terms of many investments, financings or other transactions
in the U.S. and globally have been historically tied to interbank reference rates (referred to collectively as the “London Interbank
Offered Rate” or “LIBOR”), which function as a reference rate or benchmark for such investments, financings or other
transactions.
After June 30, 2023, all tenors of LIBOR have either ceased to
be published or, in the case of 1-month, 3-month and 6-month U.S. dollar LIBOR settings, are no longer being published on a representative
basis. On April 3, 2023, the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority announced its decision to require LIBOR’s administrator
to publish an unrepresentative “synthetic LIBOR” using a changed methodology until at least end-September 2024. The impact
of synthetic LIBOR is uncertain and some LIBOR contracts may use synthetic LIBOR instead of other alternative reference rates and accordingly
synthetic LIBOR may be a significant factor in the cost of financing of certain Fund investments or the value or return on certain other
Fund investments.
Various financial industry groups have and certain regulators have
taken actions to establish alternative reference rates that are intended to replace LIBOR including rates such as the Secured Overnight
Financing Rate (“SOFR”), which measures the cost of overnight borrowings through repurchase agreement transactions collateralized
with U.S. Treasury securities, or other rates derived from markets connected to SOFR such as Term SOFR. There is no assurance that the
composition or characteristics of any alternative reference rate will be similar to or produce the same value or economic equivalence
as LIBOR or that it will have the same volume or liquidity as did LIBOR prior
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to its discontinuance or change in methodology, which may affect
the value or liquidity or return on certain of the Fund’s investments and result in costs incurred in connection with closing out
positions and entering into new trades. However, there have been and may continue to be challenges to converting certain contracts and
transactions to a new benchmark and neither the full effects of the transition process nor its ultimate outcome is known.
The transition process may result in increased volatility and illiquidity
in markets for instruments with terms that were tied to LIBOR or continue to be tied to synthetic LIBOR. It could also lead to a reduction
in the interest rates on, and the value of, some of these instruments and could reduce the effectiveness of hedges mitigating risk in
connection with these investments. Although some LIBOR-based instruments may contemplate a scenario where LIBOR is no longer available
by providing for an alternative rate-setting methodology and/or increased costs for certain LIBOR-related instruments or financing transactions,
others may not have such provisions and there may be significant uncertainty regarding whether and when these provisions would be triggered,
how these provisions are implemented and the effectiveness of any such alternative methodologies. Instruments that include robust fallback
provisions to facilitate the transition from LIBOR to an alternative reference rate may also include adjustments that do not adequately
compensate the holder for the different characteristics of the alternative reference rate. The result may be that the fallback provision
results in a value transfer from one party to the instrument to the counterparty. Instruments based on alternative reference rates may
be subject to credit spread adjustments (“CSAs”) and the CSAs themselves are subject to negotiations and may vary from instrument
to instrument. Additionally, because such provisions may differ across instruments (e.g., hedges versus cash positions hedged or investments
in structured finance products transitioning to a different rate or at a different time as the assets underlying those structured finance
products), LIBOR’s replacement may give rise to basis risk and render hedges less effective. Adverse conditions with respect to
instruments that were formerly based on LIBOR or are based on synthetic LIBOR may continue to occur. The effects of the LIBOR transition
on the Fund will vary depending, among other things, on (1) existing fallback or termination provisions in individual contracts and the
possible renegotiation of existing contracts and (2) how industry participants develop and adopt new reference rates and fallbacks for
both legacy and new products and instruments. Fund investments may also be tied to other interbank offered rates and currencies, which
also will face similar issues. In many cases, in the event that an instrument falls back to an alternative reference rate, including SOFR
or any reference rate based on SOFR, the alternative reference rate will not perform the same as would have and may not include adjustments
to such alternative reference rate that are reflective of current economic circumstances or differences between such alternative reference
rate and LIBOR. SOFR is based on a secured lending markets in U.S. government securities and does not reflect credit risk in the inter-bank
lending market in the way that LIBOR did. In the event of a credit crisis, floating rate instruments using alternative reference rates
could perform differently than those instruments using a rate indexed to the interbank lending market.
Various pieces of legislation, including enacted federal legislation
and laws enacted by states such as New York and Alabama, may affect the transition of LIBOR-based instruments as well by permitting
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trustees and calculation agents to transition instruments with
no LIBOR transition language to an alternative reference rate. Such pieces of legislation also include applicable safe harbors from liability,
which may limit the recourse the Fund may have if the alternative reference rate does not fully compensate the Fund for the transition
of an instrument from LIBOR. It is uncertain what impact any such legislation may have or that any such legislation will be effective
with respect to any particular instrument. Certain of the Fund’s investments could be impacted by such federal or state laws because
they have terms that do not contemplate the replacement of LIBOR, rely on methods such as bank polls to replace LIBOR or have determining
persons who did not act to replace LIBOR prior to June 30, 2023.
Certain classes of instruments invested in by the Fund may be more
sensitive to the replacement of LIBOR than others. For example, floating rate notes or syndicated and other business loans formerly tied
to LIBOR may replace LIBOR with alternative reference rates that reduce the value of these instruments. Securitizations and other asset-backed
transactions may experience disruption as a result of inconsistencies between when collateral assets shift from LIBOR and what rate those
assets replace LIBOR with, on the one hand, and when the securitization notes shift from LIBOR and what rate the securitization notes
replace LIBOR with.
These developments could negatively impact financial markets in
general and present heightened risks, including with respect to the Fund’s investments. As a result of this uncertainty and developments
relating to the transition process, the Fund and its investments (including their liquidity, value and volatility) may be adversely affected.
Recent Market Developments Risk
Periods of market volatility remain, and may continue to occur
in the future, in response to various market, political, social, geopolitical, economic and public health events both within and outside
of the United States. These conditions have resulted in, and in many cases continue to result in, greater price volatility, less liquidity,
widening credit spreads and a lack of price transparency, with certain securities remaining illiquid and of uncertain value. Such market
conditions may adversely affect the Fund, including by making valuation of some of the Fund’s securities uncertain and/or result
in sudden and significant valuation increases or declines in the Fund’s holdings. If there is a significant decline in the value
of the Fund’s portfolio, this may impact the asset coverage levels for the Fund’s outstanding leverage.
Risks resulting from any future debt or other economic or public
health situation could also have a detrimental impact on the global economies, the financial condition of financial institutions, operations
of businesses and the Fund’s business, financial condition and results of operation. Market and economic disruptions have affected,
and may in the future affect, consumer confidence levels and spending, personal bankruptcy rates, levels of incurrence and default on
consumer and other debt and home prices, among other factors. To the extent uncertainty regarding the U.S. or global economy negatively
impacts consumer confidence and consumer credit factors, the Fund’s business, financial condition and results of operations could
be significantly and adversely affected. Downgrades to the credit ratings of major banks could result in increased borrowing costs for
such
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banks and negatively affect the broader economy. Moreover, Federal
Reserve policy, including with respect to certain interest rates, may also adversely affect the value, volatility and liquidity of various
investments, notably dividend- and interest-paying securities. Market volatility, changing interest rates and/or unfavorable economic
conditions could impair the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. Economies and markets are experiencing, and have
experienced in recent periods, high inflation rates. In response to such inflation, government authorities have implemented significant
fiscal and monetary policies such as increasing interest rates and quantitative tightening (reduction of money available in the market),
which may adversely impact financial markets and the broader economy, as well as the Fund’s performance, and have unintended adverse
consequences.
The value of, or income generated by, the investments held by the
Fund are subject to the possibility of rapid and unpredictable fluctuation, and loss. These movements may result from factors affecting
individual companies, or from broader influences, including real or perceived changes in prevailing interest rates, changes in inflation
rates or expectations about inflation rates, adverse investor confidence or sentiment, changing economic, political (including geopolitical),
social or financial market conditions, tariffs and trade disruptions, recession, changes in currency rates, increased instability or general
uncertainty, environmental disasters, governmental actions, public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics
and epidemics), debt crises, actual or threatened wars or other armed conflicts (such as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and its risk
of expansion or collateral economic and other effects) or ratings downgrades, and other similar events, each of which may be temporary
or last for extended periods.
Moreover, changing economic, political, social, geopolitical, financial
market or other conditions in one country or geographic region could adversely affect the value, yield and return of the investments held
by the Fund in a different country or geographic region and economies, markets and issuers generally because of the increasingly interconnected
global economies and financial markets. As a result, there is an increased risk that geopolitical and other events will disrupt economies
and markets globally. For example, local or regional armed conflicts (notably the Russia-Ukraine conflict) have led to significant sanctions
by the United States, Europe and other countries against certain countries (as well as persons and companies connected with certain counties)
and led to indirect adverse regional and global market, economic and other effects. It is difficult to accurately predict or foresee when
events or conditions affecting the U.S. or global financial markets, economies, and issuers may occur, the effects of such events or conditions,
potential escalations or expansions of these events, possible retaliations in response to sanctions or similar actions and the duration
or ultimate impact of those events. There is an increased likelihood that these types of events or conditions can, sometimes rapidly and
unpredictably, result in a variety of adverse developments and circumstances, such as reduced liquidity, supply chain disruptions and
market volatility, as well as increased general uncertainty and broad ramifications for markets, economies, issuers, businesses in many
sectors and societies globally. In addition, adverse changes in one sector or industry or with respect to a particular company could negatively
impact companies in other sectors or industries or increase market volatility as a result of the interconnected nature of
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economies and markets and thus negatively affect the Fund’s
performance. For example, developments in the banking or financial services sectors (or one or more companies operating in these sectors)
could adversely impact a wide range of companies and issuers. These types of adverse developments could negatively affect the Fund’s
performance or operations.
Increasing Government and other Public Debt Risk
Government and other public debt, including municipal obligations
in which the Fund may invest, can be adversely affected by large and sudden changes in local and global economic conditions that result
in increased debt levels. Although high levels of government and other public debt do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems,
high levels of debt may create certain systemic risks if sound debt management practices are not implemented. A high debt level may increase
market pressures to meet an issuer’s funding needs, which may increase borrowing costs and cause a government or public or municipal
entity to issue additional debt, thereby increasing the risk of refinancing. A high debt level also raises concerns that the issuer may
be unable or unwilling to repay the principal or interest on its debt, which may adversely impact instruments held by the Fund that rely
on such payments. Extraordinary governmental and quasigovernmental responses to economic, market, labor and public health conditions designed
to support the markets may, at times, significantly increase government and other public debt, which heighten these risks and the long
term consequences of these actions are not known. Unsustainable debt levels can decline the valuation of currencies, and can prevent a
government from implementing effective counter-cyclical fiscal policy during economic downturns or can lead to increases in inflation
or generate or contribute to an economic downturn.
Municipal Securities Risk
Municipal securities are subject to a variety of risks, including
credit, interest, prepayment, liquidity, and valuation risks. In addition, municipal securities can be adversely affected by (i) unfavorable
legislative, political or other developments or events, including natural disasters and public health conditions, and (ii) changes in
the economic and fiscal conditions of issuers of municipal securities or the federal government (in cases where it provides financial
support to such issuers). Municipal securities may be fully or partially backed by the taxing authority or revenue of a local government,
the credit of a private issuer, or the current or anticipated revenues from a specific project, which may be adversely affected by actual
or perceived changes in economic, social or public health conditions. Moreover, the income, value and/or risk of municipal securities
is often correlated to specific project or other revenue sources (such as taxes), which can be negatively affected by demographic trends,
such as population shifts or changing tastes and values, or increasing vacancies or declining rents or property values resulting from
legal, cultural, technological, global or local economic developments, as well as reduced demand for properties, revenues or goods or
services.
To the extent the Fund invests a substantial portion of its assets
in municipal securities issued by issuers in a particular state, municipality or project, the Fund will be particularly sensitive to developments
and events adversely affecting such state or municipality or with respect to a particular project. Certain sectors of the municipal bond
market have special risks that can affect
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them more significantly than the market as a whole. Because many
municipal instruments are issued to finance similar projects (such as education, health care, transportation and utilities), conditions
in these industries can significantly affect the overall municipal market.
Municipal securities that are insured may be adversely affected
by developments relevant to that particular insurer, or more general developments relevant to the market as a whole. The Fund’s
vulnerability to potential losses associated with such developments may be reduced through investment in municipal securities that feature
credit enhancements (such as bond insurance). Although insurance may reduce the credit risk of a municipal security, it does not protect
against fluctuations in the value of the Fund’s shares caused by market changes. It is important to note that, although insurance
may increase the credit safety of investments held by the Fund, it decreases the Fund’s yield as the Fund may pay for the insurance
directly or indirectly. In addition, while the obligation of a municipal bond insurance company to pay a claim extends over the life of
an insured bond, there is no assurance that insurers will meet their claims. A higher-than-anticipated default rate on municipal bonds
(or other insurance the insurer provides) could strain the insurer’s loss reserves and adversely affect its ability to pay claims
to bondholders.
Municipal securities can be difficult to value and be less liquid
than other investments, which may affect performance. Additionally, the amount of public information available about municipal securities
is generally less than that for corporate equities or bonds, and the investment performance of the Fund’s municipal securities investments
may therefore be more dependent on the analytical abilities of the Adviser. Information related to municipal securities and their risks
may be provided by the municipality itself, which may not always be accurate. The secondary market for municipal securities, particularly
below investment grade municipal securities, also tends to be less well-developed or liquid than many other securities markets, which
may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to sell such securities at prices approximating those at which the Fund may currently value
them.
Investments in municipal securities are subject to risks associated
with the financial health of the issuers of such securities or the revenue associated with underlying projects or other sources. For example,
social, political, economic, market or public health conditions can, and have at times, significantly stressed the financial resources
of many municipalities and other issuers of municipal securities, which may impair their ability to meet their financial obligations and
may harm the value or liquidity of the Fund’s investments in municipal securities. In recent periods, a number of municipal issuers
have defaulted on obligations, been downgraded or commenced insolvency proceedings. Financial difficulties of issuers of municipal securities
may continue and the financial condition of such issuers may decline quickly. The ability of municipal issuers to make timely payments
of interest and principal may be diminished during general economic downturns and as governmental cost burdens are reallocated among federal,
state and local governments. The taxing power of any governmental entity may be limited by provisions of state constitutions or laws and
an entity’s credit will depend on many factors, including the entity’s tax base, the extent to which the entity relies on
federal or state aid and other factors which are beyond the entity’s control. In addition, laws enacted or that may be enacted in
the future by governmental authorities could extend
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the time for payment of principal and/or interest, or impose other
constraints on enforcement of such obligations or on the ability of municipalities to levy taxes.
Moreover, as a result of economic, market and other factors, there
could be reduced tax or other revenue available to issuers of municipal securities and, in turn, increased budgetary and financial pressure
on the municipality and other issuers of municipal securities, which could increase the risks associated with municipal securities of
such issuer. As a result, the Fund’s investments in municipal obligations or other securities may be subject to heightened risks
relating to the occurrence of such developments. Issuers of municipal securities might seek protection under bankruptcy laws. In the event
of bankruptcy of such an issuer, holders of municipal securities could experience delays in collecting principal and interest and such
holders may not be able to collect all principal and interest to which they are entitled. Legislative developments may result in changes
to the laws relating to municipal bankruptcies, which may adversely affect the Fund’s investments in municipal securities.
When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Transactions Risk
Securities purchased on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis
may expose the Fund to counterparty risk of default as well as the risk that securities may experience fluctuations in value prior to
their actual delivery. The Fund generally will not accrue income with respect to a when-issued or delayed delivery security prior to its
stated delivery date. Purchasing securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis can involve the additional risk that the price
or yield available in the market when the delivery takes place may not be as favorable as that obtained in the transaction itself.
Short Sales Risk
The Fund may make short sales of securities. Short selling a security
involves selling a borrowed security with the expectation that the value of that security will decline, so that the security may be purchased
at a lower price when returning the borrowed security. If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short
sale and the time the Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will
realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss will be increased, by the transaction costs incurred by the Fund, including
the costs associated with providing collateral to the broker-dealer (usually cash and liquid securities) and the maintenance of collateral
with its custodian. Although the Fund’s gain is limited to the price at which it sold the security short, its potential loss is
theoretically unlimited and may be greater than a direct investment in the security itself because the price of the borrowed or reference
security may rise. The Fund may not always be able to close out a short position at a particular time or at an acceptable price. A lender
may request that borrowed securities be returned to it on short notice, and the Fund may have to buy the borrowed securities at an unfavorable
price, resulting in a loss. The Fund may have to pay a premium to borrow the securities and must pay any dividends or interest payable
on the securities until they are replaced, which will be expenses of the Fund. Short sales also subject the Fund to risks related to the
lender (such as bankruptcy risks) or the general risk that the lender does not comply with its obligations. Government actions also may
affect the Fund’s ability to engage in short selling. The use of physical short sales is typically more expensive than gaining short
exposure through derivatives.
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Repurchase Agreement Risk
The Fund may enter into bilateral and tri-party repurchase agreements.
In a typical Fund repurchase agreement, the Fund enters into a contract with a broker, dealer, or bank (the “counterparty”
to the transaction) for the purchase of securities or other assets. The counterparty agrees to repurchase the securities or other assets
at a specified future date, or on demand, for a price that is sufficient to return to the Fund its original purchase price, plus an additional
amount representing the return on the Fund’s investment. Such repurchase agreements economically function as a secured loan from
the Fund to a counterparty. If the counterparty defaults on the repurchase agreement, the Fund will retain possession of the underlying
securities or other assets. If bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller, realization on the collateral by the Fund
may be delayed or limited and the Fund may incur additional costs. In such case, the Fund will be subject to risks associated with changes
in market value of the collateral securities or other assets. The Fund intends to enter into repurchase agreements only with brokers,
dealers, or banks or other permitted counterparties after the Adviser (or GPIM) evaluates the creditworthiness of the counterparty. The
Fund will not enter into repurchase agreements with the Adviser or Sub-Adviser or their affiliates. Except as provided under applicable
law, the Fund may enter into repurchase agreements without limitation.
Repurchase agreements collateralized fully by cash items, U.S.
government securities or by securities issued by an issuer that the Adviser or GPIM has determined at the time the repurchase agreement
is entered into has an exceptionally strong capacity to meet its financial obligations (“Qualifying Collateral”) and meet
certain liquidity standards generally may be deemed to be “collateralized fully” and may be deemed to be investments in the
underlying securities for certain purposes. The Fund may accept collateral other than Qualifying Collateral determined by the Adviser
or GPIM to be in the best interests of the Fund to accept as collateral for such repurchase agreement (which may include high yield debt
instruments that are rated below investment grade) (“Alternative Collateral”). Repurchase agreements secured by Alternative
Collateral are not deemed to be “collateralized fully” under applicable regulations and the repurchase agreement is therefore
considered a separate security issued by the counterparty to the Fund. Accordingly, the Fund must include repurchase agreements that are
not “collateralized fully” in its calculations of securities issued by the selling institution held by the Fund for purposes
of various portfolio diversification and concentration requirements applicable to the Fund. In addition, Alternative Collateral may not
qualify as permitted or appropriate investments for the Fund under the Fund’s investment strategies and limitations. Accordingly,
if a counterparty to a repurchase agreement defaults and the Fund takes possession of Alternative Collateral, the Fund may need to promptly
dispose of the Alternative Collateral (or other securities held by the Fund, if the Fund exceeds a limitation on a permitted investment
by virtue of taking possession of the Alternative Collateral). The Alternative Collateral may be particularly illiquid, especially in
times of market volatility or in the case of a counterparty insolvency or bankruptcy, which may restrict the Fund’s ability to dispose
of Alternative Collateral received from the counterparty. Depending on the terms of the repurchase agreement, the Fund may determine to
sell the collateral during the term of the repurchase agreement and then purchase the same collateral at the market price at the time
of the resale. In tri-party repurchase agreements, an unaffiliated third
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party custodian maintains accounts to hold collateral for the Fund
and its counterparties and, therefore, the Fund may be subject to the credit risk of those custodians. Securities subject to repurchase
agreements (other than tri-party repurchase agreements) and purchase and sale contracts will be held by the Fund’s custodian (or
sub-custodian) in the Federal Reserve/Treasury book-entry system or by another authorized securities depository.
Securities Lending Risk
The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to banks or dealers
which meet the Fund's creditworthiness standards. Securities lending is subject to the risk that loaned securities may not be available
to the Fund on a timely basis and the Fund may therefore lose the opportunity to sell the securities at a desirable price. Any loss in
the market price of securities loaned by the Fund that occurs during the term of the loan would be borne by the Fund and would adversely
affect the Fund’s performance. Also, there may be delays in recovery, or no recovery, of securities loaned or even a loss of rights
in the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially while the loan is outstanding.
Risk of Failure to Qualify as a RIC
To qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment
generally accorded to RICs, the Fund must, among other things, derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from certain
prescribed sources, meet certain asset diversification tests and distribute for each taxable year at least 90% of its “investment
company taxable income” (generally, ordinary income plus the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital
loss). If for any taxable year the Fund does not qualify as a RIC, all of its taxable income for that year (including its net capital
gain) would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and such distributions
would be taxable as ordinary dividends to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.
Conflicts of Interest Risk
Guggenheim Partners, LLC (“Guggenheim Partners”) is
a global asset management and investment advisory organization. Guggenheim Partners and its affiliates advise clients in various markets
and transactions and purchase, sell, hold and recommend a broad array of investments for their own accounts and the accounts of clients
and of their personnel and the relationships and products they sponsor, manage and advise. Accordingly, Guggenheim Partners and its affiliates
may have direct and indirect interests in a variety of global markets and the securities of issuers in which the Fund may directly or
indirectly invest. These interests may cause the Fund to be subject to regulatory limits, and in certain circumstances, these various
activities may prevent the Fund from participating in an investment decision.
An investment in the Fund is subject to a number of actual or potential
conflicts of interest. For example, the Adviser and its affiliates are engaged in a variety of business activities that are unrelated
to managing the Fund, which may give rise to actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest in connection with making investment
decisions for the Fund. As a result, activities and
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dealings of Guggenheim Partners and its affiliates may affect the
Fund in ways that may disadvantage or restrict the Fund or be deemed to benefit Guggenheim Partners and its affiliates. From time to time,
conflicts of interest may arise between a portfolio manager’s management of the investments of the Fund on the one hand and the
management of other registered investment companies, pooled investment vehicles and other accounts (collectively, “other accounts”)
on the other. The other accounts might have similar investment objectives or strategies as the Fund or otherwise hold, purchase, or sell
securities that are eligible to be held, purchased or sold by the Fund. In certain circumstances, and subject to its fiduciary obligations
under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Adviser or GPIM may have to allocate a limited investment
opportunity among its clients. The other accounts might also have different investment objectives or strategies than the Fund. In addition,
the Fund may be limited in its ability to invest in, or hold securities of, any companies that the Adviser or its affiliates (or other
accounts managed by the Adviser or its affiliates) control, or companies in which the Adviser or its affiliates have interests or with
whom they do business. For example, affiliates of the Adviser may act as underwriter, lead agent or administrative agent for loans or
otherwise participate in the market for loans. Because of limitations imposed by applicable law, the presence of the Adviser’s affiliates
in the markets for loans may restrict the Fund’s ability to acquire some loans or affect the timing or price of such acquisitions.
To address these conflicts, the Fund and Guggenheim Partners and its affiliates have established various policies and procedures that
are reasonably designed to detect and prevent such conflicts and prevent the Fund from being disadvantaged. There can be no guarantee
that these policies and procedures will be successful in every instance.
Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk
The Fund does not know and cannot predict how long the securities
markets may be affected by geopolitical events and the effects of these and similar events in the future on the U.S. economy and securities
markets. The Fund may be adversely affected by abrogation of international agreements and national laws which have created the market
instruments in which the Fund may invest, failure of the designated national and international authorities to enforce compliance with
the same laws and agreements, failure of local, national and international organization to carry out their duties prescribed to them under
the relevant agreements, revisions of these laws and agreements which dilute their effectiveness or conflicting interpretation of provisions
of the same laws and agreements. The Fund may be adversely affected by uncertainties such as terrorism, international political developments,
and changes in government policies, taxation, restrictions on foreign investment and currency repatriation, currency fluctuations and
other developments in the laws and regulations of the countries in which it is invested and the risks associated with financial, economic,
geopolitical, public health, labor and other global market developments and disruptions, such as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and
its risk of expansion or collateral economic and other effects.
Technology Risk
The Fund and its service providers and markets generally have become
more susceptible to potential operational risks related to intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund or a service provider
to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. There
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can be no guarantee that any risk management systems established
by the Fund, its service providers, or issuers of the securities in which the Fund invests to reduce technology and cyber security risks
will succeed, and the Fund cannot control such systems put in place by service providers, issuers or other third parties whose operations
may affect the Fund.
Cyber Security, Market Disruptions and Operational Risk
Like other funds and other parts of the modern economy, the Fund
and its service providers, as well as exchanges and market participants through or with which the Fund trades and exchanges on which its
shares trade and other infrastructures, services and parties on which the Fund, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser or the Fund’s other
service providers rely, are susceptible to ongoing risks related to cyber incidents and the risks associated with financial, economic,
public health, labor and other global market developments and disruptions, including those arising out of geopolitical events, public
health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics and epidemics), natural/environmental disasters, war, terrorism
and governmental or quasi-governmental actions. Cyber incidents can result from unintentional events (such as an inadvertent release of
confidential information) or deliberate attacks by insiders or third parties, including cyber criminals, competitors, nation-states and
“hacktivists,” and can be perpetrated by a variety of complex means, including the use of stolen access credentials, malware
or other computer viruses, ransomware, phishing, structured query language injection attacks, and distributed denial of service attacks,
among other means. Cyber incidents and market disruptions may result in actual or potential adverse consequences for critical information
and communications technology, systems and networks that are vital to the operations of the Fund or its service providers, or otherwise
impair Fund or service provider operations. For example, a cyber incident may cause operational disruptions and failures impacting information
systems or information that a system processes, stores, or transmits, such as by theft, damage or destruction, or corruption or modification
of and denial of access to data maintained online or digitally, denial of service on websites rendering the websites unavailable to intended
users or not accessible for such users in a timely manner, and the unauthorized release or other exploitation of confidential information.
A cyber incident or sudden market disruption could adversely impact
the Fund, its service providers or its shareholders by, among other things, interfering with the processing of transactions or other operational
functionality, impacting the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV or other data, causing the release of private shareholder information
(i.e., identity theft or other privacy breaches) or confidential Fund information or otherwise compromising the security and reliability
of information, impeding trading, causing reputational damage, and subjecting the Fund or is service providers to regulatory fines, penalties
or financial losses, reimbursement or other compensation or remediation costs, litigation expenses and additional compliance and cyber
security risk management costs, which may be substantial. The same could affect the exchange through which Fund shares trade. A cyber
incident could also adversely affect the ability of the Fund (and its Adviser) to invest or manage the Fund’s assets.
204 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
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Cyber incidents and developments and disruptions to financial,
economic, public health, labor and other global market conditions can obstruct the regular functioning of business workforces (including
requiring employees to work from external locations or from their homes), cause business slowdowns or temporary suspensions of business
activities, each of which can negatively impact Fund service providers and Fund operations. Although the Fund and its service providers,
as well as exchanges and market participants through or with which the Fund trades and other infrastructures on which the Fund or its
service providers rely, may have established business continuity plans and systems reasonably designed to protect from and/or defend against
the risks or adverse consequences associated with cyber incidents and market disruptions, there are inherent limitations in these plans
and systems, including that certain risks may not yet be identified, in large part because different or unknown threats may emerge in
the future and the threats continue to rapidly evolve and increase in sophistication. As a result, it is not possible to anticipate and
prevent every cyber incident and possible obstruction to the normal activities of these entities’ employees resulting from market
disruptions and attempts to mitigate the occurrence or impact of such events may be unsuccessful. For example, public health emergencies
and governmental responses to such emergencies, including through quarantine measures and travel restrictions, can create difficulties
in carrying out the normal working processes of these entities’ employees, disrupt their operations and hamper their capabilities.
The nature, extent, and potential magnitude of the adverse consequences of these events cannot be predicted accurately but may result
in significant risks, adverse consequences and costs to the Fund and its shareholders.
The issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject
to the ongoing risks and threats associated with cyber incidents and market disruptions. These incidents could result in adverse consequences
for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investment in such securities to lose value. For example, a cyber incident involving an
issuer may include the theft, destruction or misappropriation of financial assets, intellectual property or other sensitive information
belonging to the issuer or their customers (i.e., identity theft or other privacy breaches) and a market disruption involving an issuer
may include materially reduced consumer demand and output, disrupted supply chains, market closures, travel restrictions and quarantines.
As a result, the issuer may experience the types of adverse consequences summarized above, among others (such as loss of revenue), despite
having implemented preventative and other measures reasonably designed to protect from and/or defend against the risks or adverse effects
associated with cyber incidents and market disruptions.
The Fund and its service providers, as well as exchanges and market
participants through or with which the Fund trades and other infrastructures on which the Fund or its service providers rely, are also
subject to the risks associated with technological and operational disruptions or failures arising from, for example, processing errors
and human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, errors in algorithms used with
respect to the Fund, changes in personnel, and errors caused by third parties or trading counterparties. Although the Fund attempts to
minimize such failures through controls and oversight, it is not possible to identify
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all of the operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop
processes and controls that completely eliminate or mitigate the occurrence of such failures or other disruptions in service.
Cyber incidents, market disruptions and operational errors or failures
or other technological issues may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV correctly, in a timely manner or process
trades or Fund or shareholder transactions may be adversely affected, including over a potentially extended period. The Fund does not
control the cyber security, disaster recovery, or other operational defense plans or systems of its service providers, intermediaries,
exchanges where its shares trades, companies in which it invests or other third-parties. The value of an investment in Fund shares may
be adversely affected by the occurrence of the cyber incidents, market disruptions and operational errors or failures or technological
issues summarized above or other similar events and the Fund and its shareholders may bear costs tied to these risks. In addition, work-from-home
arrangements by the Fund, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser (or their service providers) could increase all of the above risks, create additional
data and information accessibility concerns, and make the Fund, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser (or their service providers) more susceptible
to operational disruptions, any of which could adversely impact their operations. Furthermore, the Fund may be appealing targets for cybersecurity
threats such as hackers and malware.
ANTI-TAKEOVER PROVISIONS
The Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Bylaws
include provisions that could limit the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or convert the Fund to an
open-end fund. These provisions could have the effect of depriving the Common Shareholders of opportunities to sell their Common Shares
at a premium over the then-current market price of the Common Shares.
In addition, investors should note that the Fund reserves the
right to merge or reorganize with another fund, liquidate or convert into an open-end fund, in each case subject to applicable approvals
by shareholders and the Fund’s Board of Trustees as required by law and the Fund’s governing documents.
EFFECTS OF LEVERAGE
Assuming that the Fund’s total Financial Leverage represented
approximately 18.9% of the Fund’s Managed Assets (based on the Fund’s outstanding Financial Leverage of $343,499,795 and interest
costs to the Fund at a combined average annual rate of 3.93% (based on the Fund’s average annual leverage costs for the fiscal year
ended May 31, 2023) with respect to such Financial Leverage, then the incremental income generated by the Fund’s portfolio (net
of estimated expenses including expenses related to the Financial Leverage) must exceed approximately 0.74% to cover such interest specifically
related to the debt. These numbers are merely estimates used for illustration. Actual interest rates may vary frequently and may be significantly
higher or lower than the rate estimated above.
The following table is furnished pursuant to requirements of the
SEC. It is designed to illustrate the effect of leverage on Common Share total return, assuming investment portfolio total returns (comprised
of income, net expenses and changes in the value of investments held in the Fund’s
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portfolio) of -10%, -5%, 0%, 5% and 10%. These assumed investment
portfolio returns are hypothetical figures and are not necessarily indicative of what the Fund’s investment portfolio returns will
be. The table further reflects the issuance of Financial Leverage representing approximately 18.9% of the Fund’s Managed Assets
and interest costs to the Fund at a combined average annual rate of 3.93% with respect to such Financial Leverage. The table does not
reflect any offering costs of Common Shares or Borrowings.
Assumed portfolio total return (net of expenses) |
(10.00%) |
(5.00%) |
0.00% |
5.00% |
10.00% |
Common Share total return |
(13.25)% |
(7.08)% |
(0.92)% |
5.25% |
11.41% |
Common Share total return is composed of two elements—the
Common Share dividends paid by the Fund (the amount of which is largely determined by the Fund’s net investment income after paying
the carrying cost of Financial Leverage) and realized and unrealized gains or losses on the value of the securities the Fund owns. As
required by SEC rules, the table assumes that the Fund is more likely to suffer capital loss than to enjoy capital appreciation. For example,
to assume a total return of 0%, the Fund must assume that the net investment income it receives on its investments is entirely offset
by losses on the value of those investments. This table reflects the hypothetical performance of the Fund’s portfolio and not the
performance of the Common Shares, the value of which will be determined by market and other factors.
During the time in which the Fund is utilizing Financial Leverage,
the amount of the fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund (and by the Adviser to the Sub-Adviser) for investment advisory services will be
higher than if the Fund did not utilize Financial Leverage because the fees paid will be calculated based on the Fund’s Managed
Assets which may create a conflict of interest between the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser and the Common Shareholders. Because the Financial
Leverage costs will be borne by the Fund at a specified rate, only the Common Shareholders will bear the cost of the Fund’s fees
and expenses. The Fund generally will not use Financial Leverage if the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser anticipate that such use would result
in a lower return to Common Shareholders for any significant amount of time.
INTEREST RATE TRANSACTIONS
In connection with the Fund’s use of Financial Leverage,
the Fund may enter into interest rate swap or cap transactions. Interest rate swaps involve the Fund’s agreement with the swap counterparty
to pay a fixed-rate payment in exchange for the counterparty’s paying the Fund a variable rate payment that is intended to approximate
all or a portion of the Fund’s variable-rate payment obligation on the Fund’s Financial Leverage. The payment obligation would
be based on the notional amount of the swap, which will not exceed the amount of the Fund’s Financial Leverage.
The Fund may use an interest rate cap, which would require it to
pay a premium to the cap counterparty and would entitle it, to the extent that a specified variable-rate index exceeds a predetermined
fixed rate, to receive payment from the counterparty of the difference based on the notional amount. The Fund would use interest rate
swaps or caps only with the intent to reduce or
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eliminate the risk that an increase in short-term interest rates
could have on Common Share net earnings as a result of Financial Leverage.
The Fund will usually enter into swaps or caps on a net basis;
that is, the two payment streams will be netted out in a cash settlement on the payment date or dates specified in the instrument, with
the Fund’s receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments.
The use of interest rate swaps and caps is a highly specialized
activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions.
Depending on the state of interest rates in general, the Fund’s use of interest rate instruments could enhance or harm the overall
performance of the Common Shares. To the extent there is a decline in interest rates, the net amount receivable by the Fund under the
interest rate swap or cap could decline and could thus result in a decline in the net asset value of the Common Shares. In addition, if
short-term interest rates are lower than the Fund’s fixed rate of payment on the interest rate swap, the swap will reduce Common
Share net earnings if the Fund must make net payments to the counterparty. If, on the other hand, short-term interest rates are higher
than the fixed rate of payment on the interest rate swap, the swap will enhance Common Share net earnings if the Fund receives net payments
from the counterparty. Buying interest rate caps could enhance the performance of the Common Shares by limiting the Fund’s maximum
leverage expense.
Buying interest rate caps could also decrease the net earnings
of the Common Shares if the premium paid by the Fund to the counterparty exceeds the additional cost of the Financial Leverage that the
Fund would have been required to pay had it not entered into the cap agreement.
Interest rate swaps and caps do not involve the delivery of securities
or other underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to interest rate swaps is limited to the net amount
of interest payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. The Fund will be subject to credit risk with respect to the counterparties
to interest rate transactions entered into by the Fund. If a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations
under a derivative contract, the Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery under the derivative contract in bankruptcy
or other reorganization proceedings. The Fund may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances. Depending
on whether the Fund would be entitled to receive net payments from the counterparty on the swap or cap, which in turn would depend on
the general state of short-term interest rates at that point in time, such default by a counterparty could negatively impact the performance
of the Common Shares.
Although this will not guarantee that the counterparty does not
default, the Fund will not enter into an interest rate swap or cap transaction with any counterparty that GPIM believes does not have
the financial resources to honor its obligation under the interest rate swap or cap transaction. Further, GPIM will regularly monitor
the financial stability of a counterparty to an interest rate swap or cap transaction in an effort to seek to proactively protect the
Fund’s investments.
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In addition, at the time the interest rate swap or cap transaction
reaches its scheduled termination date, there is a risk that the Fund will not be able to obtain a replacement transaction or that the
terms of the replacement will not be as favorable as on the expiring transaction. If this occurs, it could have a negative impact on the
performance of the Common Shares.
The Fund may choose or be required to prepay Indebtedness. Such
a prepayment would likely result in the Fund’s seeking to terminate early all or a portion of any swap or cap transaction. Such
early termination of a swap could result in a termination payment by or to the Fund. An early termination of a cap could result in a termination
payment to the Fund. There may also be penalties associated with early termination.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The Fund operates under the following restrictions that constitute
fundamental policies that, except as otherwise noted, cannot be changed without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Fund voting together as a single class, which is defined by the 1940 Act as the lesser of (i) 67%
or more of the Fund’s voting securities present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding voting
securities are present or represented by proxy; or (ii) more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. Except as otherwise
noted, all percentage limitations set forth below apply immediately after a purchase or initial investment and any subsequent change in
any applicable percentage resulting from market fluctuations does not require any action. These restrictions provide that the Fund shall
not:
1. | | Issue senior securities nor borrow money, except the Fund may issue senior securities or
borrow money to the extent permitted by applicable law. |
2. | | Act as an underwriter of securities issued by others, except to the extent that, in connection
with the disposition of portfolio securities, it may be deemed to be an underwriter under applicable securities laws. |
3. | | Invest in any security if, as a result, 25% or more of the value of the Fund’s total
assets, taken at market value at the time of each investment, are in the securities of issuers in any particular industry, except that
this policy shall not apply to securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities or tax-exempt
securities of state and municipal governments or their political subdivisions. |
4. | | Purchase or sell real estate except that the Fund may: (a) acquire or lease office space
for its own use, (b) invest in securities of issuers that invest in real estate or interests therein or that are engaged in or operate
in the real estate industry, (c) invest in securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein, (d) purchase and sell mortgage-related
securities, (e) hold and sell real estate acquired by the Fund as a result of the ownership of securities and (f) as otherwise permitted
by applicable law. |
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5. | | Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities
or other instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit the Fund from purchasing or selling options, futures contracts
and related options thereon, forward contracts, swaps, caps, floors, collars and any other financial instruments or from investing in
securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities or as otherwise permitted by applicable law. |
6. | | Make loans of money or property to any person, except (a) to the extent that securities or
interests in which the Fund may invest are considered to be loans, (b) through the loan of portfolio securities in an amount up to 33%
of the Fund’s total assets, (c) by engaging in repurchase agreements or (d) as may otherwise be permitted by applicable law. |
The Fund is a diversified, closed-end management investment company
and will not invest in a manner inconsistent with its classification as a “diversified company” as provided by the 1940 Act,
the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC under the 1940 Act or an exemption or other relief applicable to the Fund from provisions
of the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, a “diversified company” may not with respect to 75% of its total assets, invest more
than 5% of the value of its total assets in the securities of any single issuer or purchase more than 10% of the outstanding securities
of any one issuer. The Fund’s classification as a diversified management investment company cannot be changed without the affirmative
vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund voting together as a single class.
For purposes of applying the limitation set forth in subparagraph
(3) above to securities that have a security interest or other collateral claim on specified underlying collateral (such as asset-backed
securities, mortgage-backed securities and collateralized debt and loan obligations) the Fund will determine the industry classifications
of such investments based on GPIM’s evaluation of the risks associated with the collateral underlying such investments.
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DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN (Unaudited) |
May 31, 2023 |
Unless the registered owner of common shares elects to receive
cash by contacting Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (the “Plan Administrator”), all dividends declared on common shares of
the Fund will be automatically reinvested by the Plan Administrator for shareholders in the Fund’s Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the
“Plan”), in additional common shares of the Fund. Participation in the Plan is completely voluntary and may be terminated
or resumed at any time without penalty by notice if received and processed by the Plan Administrator prior to the dividend record date;
otherwise such termination or resumption will be effective with respect to any subsequently declared dividend or other distribution. Some
brokers may automatically elect to receive cash on your behalf and may re-invest that cash in additional common shares of the Fund for
you. If you wish for all dividends declared on your common shares of the Fund to be automatically reinvested pursuant to the Plan, please
contact your broker.
The Plan Administrator will open an account for each common shareholder
under the Plan in the same name in which such common shareholder’s common shares are registered. Whenever the Fund declares a dividend
or other distribution (together, a “Dividend”) payable in cash, nonparticipants in the Plan will receive cash and participants
in the Plan will receive the equivalent in common shares. The common shares will be acquired by the Plan Administrator for the participants’
accounts, depending upon the circumstances described below, either (i) through receipt of additional unissued but authorized common shares
from the Fund (“Newly Issued Common Shares”) or (ii) by purchase of outstanding common shares on the open market (“Open-
Market Purchases”) on the New York Stock Exchange or elsewhere. If, on the payment date for any Dividend, the closing market price
plus estimated brokerage commission per common share is greater than the net asset value per common share, the Plan Administrator will
invest the Dividend amount in Newly Issued Common Shares on behalf of the participants. The number of Newly Issued Common Shares to be
credited to each participant’s account will be determined by dividing the dollar amount of the Dividend by the net asset value per
common share on the payment date; provided that, if the net asset value is less than or equal to 95% of the closing market value on the
payment date, the dollar amount of the Dividend will be divided by 95% of the closing market price per common share on the payment date.
If, on the payment date for any Dividend, the net asset value per common share is greater than the closing market value plus estimated
brokerage commission, the Plan Administrator will invest the Dividend amount in common shares acquired on behalf of the participants in
Open-Market Purchases. For federal income tax purposes, the Fund generally would be able to claim a deduction for distributions to shareholders
with respect to the common shares issued at up to a 5-percent discount from the closing market value pursuant to the Plan.
If, before the Plan Administrator has completed its Open-Market
Purchases, the market price per common share exceeds the net asset value per common share, the average per common share purchase price
paid by the Plan Administrator may exceed the net asset value of the common shares, resulting in the acquisition of fewer common shares
than if the Dividend had been paid in Newly Issued Common Shares on the Dividend payment date. Because of the foregoing difficulty with
respect to Open-Market Purchases, the Plan provides that if the Plan Administrator is unable to invest the full Dividend amount in Open-Market
Purchases during the purchase period or if the
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May 31, 2023 |
market discount shifts to a market premium during the purchase
period, the Plan Administrator may cease making Open-Market Purchases and may invest the uninvested portion of the Dividend amount in
Newly Issued Common Shares at net asset value per common share at the close of business on the Last Purchase Date provided that, if the
net asset value is less than 95% of the then current market price per common share; the dollar amount of the Dividend will be divided
by 95% of the market price on the payment date.
The Plan Administrator maintains all shareholders’ accounts
in the Plan and furnishes written confirmation of all transactions in the accounts, including information needed by shareholders for tax
records. Common shares in the account of each Plan participant will be held by the Plan Administrator on behalf of the Plan participant,
and each shareholder proxy will include those shares purchased or received pursuant to the Plan. The Plan Administrator will forward all
proxy solicitation materials to participants and vote proxies for shares held under the Plan in accordance with the instruction of the
participants.
There will be no brokerage charges with respect to common shares
issued directly by the Fund. However, each participant will pay a pro rata share of brokerage commission incurred in connection with Open-Market
Purchases. The automatic reinvestment of Dividends will not relieve participants of any Federal, state or local income tax that may be
payable (or required to be withheld) on such Dividends.
The Fund reserves the right to amend or terminate the Plan. There
is no direct service charge to participants with regard to purchases in the Plan; however, the Fund reserves the right to amend the Plan
to include a service charge payable by the participants.
All correspondence or questions concerning the Plan should be directed
to the Plan Administrator, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., P.O. Box 30170 College Station, TX 77842-3170: Attention: Shareholder Services
Department, Phone Number: (866) 488-3559 or online at www.computershare.com/investor.
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Board of Trustees |
Investment Adviser |
Randall C. Barnes
Angela Brock-Kyle
Amy J. Lee*
Thomas F. Lydon,
Jr.
Ronald A. Nyberg
Sandra G. Sponem
Ronald E. Toupin, Jr.,
Chairman
* This Trustee is an “interested person” (as defined
in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act) (“Interested Trustee”) of the Fund because of her affiliation with Guggenheim Investments.
Principal Executive Officers
Brian E. Binder
President and Chief Executive Officer
Joanna M. Catalucci
Chief Compliance Officer
Amy J. Lee
Vice President and Chief Legal Officer
Mark E. Mathiasen
Secretary
James M. Howley
Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer
|
Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC
Chicago, IL
Investment Sub-Adviser
Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC
Santa Monica, CA
Administrator and Accounting Agent
MUFG Investor Services (US), LLC
Rockville, MD
Custodian
The Bank of New York Mellon Corp.
New York, NY
Legal Counsel
Dechert LLP
Washington, D.C.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Ernst & Young LLP
Tysons, VA
|
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FUND INFORMATION continued |
May 31, 2023 |
Privacy Principles of Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund
for Shareholders
The Fund is committed to maintaining the privacy of its shareholders
and to safeguarding its non-public personal information. The following information is provided to help you understand what personal information
the Fund collects, how we protect that information and why, in certain cases, we may share information with select other parties.
Generally, the Fund does not receive any non-public personal information
relating to its shareholders, although certain non-public personal information of its shareholders may become available to the Fund. The
Fund does not disclose any non-public personal information about its shareholders or former shareholders to anyone except as permitted
by law or as is necessary in order to service shareholder accounts (for example, to a transfer agent or third party administrator).
The Fund restricts access to non-public personal information about
the shareholders to Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC employees with a legitimate business need for the information. The Fund
maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards designed to protect the non-public personal information of its shareholders.
Questions concerning your shares of Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities
Fund?
• If your shares are held in a Brokerage Account, contact
your Broker.
• If you have physical possession of your shares in certificate
form, contact the Fund’s Transfer Agent:
Computershare Trust Company, N.A., P.O. Box 30170 College Station,
TX 77842-3170; (866) 488-3559 or online at www.computershare.com/investor
This report is provided to shareholders of Guggenheim Strategic
Opportunities Fund for their information. It is not a Prospectus, circular or representation intended for use in the purchase or sale
of shares of the Fund or of any securities mentioned in this report.
Paper copies of the Fund’s annual and semi-annual shareholder
reports are not sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports are made available on
a website, and you are notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website address to access the report.
You may elect to receive paper copies of all future shareholder
reports free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you
may receive paper copies of your shareholder reports; if you invest directly with the Fund, you may call Computershare at 1-866-488-3559.
Your election to receive reports in paper form may apply to all funds held in your account with your financial intermediary or, if you
invest directly, to all Guggenheim closed-end funds you hold.
The Fund's Statement of Additional Information includes additional
information about directors of the Fund and is available, without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund at (888) 991-0091.
A description of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures
related to portfolio securities is available without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund at (888) 991-0091 and on the SEC's website
at www.sec.gov.
Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies for portfolio
securities, if applicable, during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30, is also available, without charge and upon request by
calling (888) 991-0091, by visiting the Fund’s website at guggenheiminvestments.com/gof or by accessing the Fund’s Form N-PX
on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) website at www.sec.gov.
The Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with
the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-PORT, and for the reporting periods ended prior to August 31, 2019,
filed such information on Form N-Q. The Fund’s Forms N-PORT and N-Q are available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov or at guggenheiminvestments.com/gof.
Notice to Shareholders
Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 23(c) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, that the Fund from time to time may purchase shares of its common stock in the open market
or in private transactions.
214 l GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
GOF l GUGGENHEIM STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ANNUAL REPORT l 215
ABOUT THE FUND MANAGERS
Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC
Guggenheim Investments represents the investment management businesses
of Guggenheim Partners, LLC (“Guggenheim”), which includes Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC (“GFIA”)
the investment adviser to the referenced fund. Collectively Guggenheim Investments has a long, distinguished history of serving institutional
investors, ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices and financial intermediaries. Guggenheim Investments offers clients a wide
range of differentiated capabilities built on a proven commitment to investment excellence.
Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC
Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC (“GPIM”)
is an indirect subsidiary of Guggenheim Partners, LLC, a diversified financial services firm. The firm provides capital markets services,
portfolio and risk management expertise, wealth management, and investment advisory services. Clients of Guggenheim Partners, LLC subsidiaries
are an elite mix of individuals, family offices, endowments, foundations, insurance companies and other institutions.
Investment Philosophy
GPIM’s investment philosophy is predicated upon the belief
that thorough research and independent thought are rewarded with performance that has the potential to outperform benchmark indexes with
both lower volatility and lower correlation of returns over time as compared to such benchmark indexes.
Investment Process
GPIM’s investment process is a collaborative effort between
various groups including the Portfolio Construction Group, which utilize proprietary portfolio construction and risk modeling tools to
determine allocation of assets among a variety of sectors, and its Sector Specialists, who are responsible for security selection within
these sectors and for implementing securities transactions, including the structuring of certain securities directly with the issuers
or with investment banks and dealers involved in the origination of such securities.
|
Guggenheim Funds Distributors, LLC
227 West Monroe Street
Chicago, IL 60606
Member FINRA/SIPC (07/23) |
NOT FDIC-INSURED l NOT BANK-GUARANTEED
l MAY LOSE VALUE
CEF-GOF-AR-0523
Item 2. Code of Ethics.
(a) The registrant has
adopted a code of ethics (the "Code of Ethics") that applies to its principal executive officer, principal financial officer,
principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions.
(b) No information need
be disclosed pursuant to this paragraph.
(c) The registrant has
not amended its Code of Ethics during the period covered by the report presented in Item 1 hereto.
(d) The registrant has
not granted a waiver or an implicit waiver to its principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer
or controller, or persons performing similar functions from a provision of its Code of Ethics during the period covered by this report.
(e) Not applicable.
(f) (1) The registrant's
Code of Ethics is attached hereto as Exhibit (a)(1).
(2) Not applicable.
(3) Not applicable.
Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.
The registrant's Board of Trustees has determined that it has at least
one audit committee financial expert serving on its audit committee (the “Audit Committee”), Sandra G. Sponem. Ms. Sponem
is “independent,” meaning that she is not an “interested person” of the Registrant (as that term is defined in
Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) and she does not accept any consulting, advisory, or other compensatory
fee from the Registrant (except in her capacity as a Board or committee member).
(Under applicable securities laws, a person who is determined to
be an audit committee financial expert will not be deemed an "expert" for any purpose, including without limitation for the
purposes of Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933, as a result of being designated or identified as an audit committee financial expert.
The designation or identification of a person as an audit committee financial expert does not impose on such person any duties, obligations,
or liabilities that are greater than the duties, obligations, and liabilities imposed on such person as a member of the audit committee
and Board of Trustees in the absence of such designation or identification. The designation or identification of a person as an audit
committee financial expert does not affect the duties, obligations or liability of any other member of the audit committee or Board of
Trustees.)
Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
(a) Audit Fees: the aggregate Audit
Fees billed for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for the 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 were $100,544
and $100,544 for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2023, and May 31, 2022, respectively.
(b) Audit-Related Fees: the aggregate
Audit-Related Fees billed for assurance and related services by the principal accountant that are reasonably related to the performance
of the audit of the registrant’s financial statements and are not reported under paragraph 4(a) of this Item 4, were $14,167 and
$36,200 for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2023, and May 31, 2022, respectively.
(c) Tax Fees: the aggregate Tax Fees
billed for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning, including federal,
state and local income tax return preparation and related advice and determination of taxable income and miscellaneous tax advice were
$34,338 and $25,461 for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2023, and May 31, 2022, respectively. These services consisted of [(i) preparation
of U.S. federal, state and excise tax returns; (ii) U.S. federal and state tax planning, advice and assistance regarding statutory, regulatory
or administrative developments, (iii) tax advice regarding tax qualification matters and/or treatment of various financial instruments
held or proposed to be acquired and (iv) review of U.S. federal excise distribution calculations.
(d) All Other Fees: the aggregate All
Other Fees billed for products and services provided by the principal accountant, other than the services reported in paragraphs (a) through
(c) of this Item 4 were $0 and $0 for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2023, and May 31, 2022, respectively.
(e) Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures.
1. Pre-Approval Policy (Trusts). Pre-approve any engagement of
the independent auditors to provide any services, other than “prohibited non-audit services,” to the Trust, including the
fees and other compensation to be paid to the independent auditors (unless an exception is available under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X).
(a) The categories of services to be reviewed and considered for
pre-approval include those services set forth under Section II.A.1. of the Background and Definitions for Audit Committee Charter (collectively,
“Identified Services”).
(b) The Committee has pre-approved Identified
Services for which the estimated fees are less than $25,000.
(c) For Identified Services with estimated fees of $25,000 or more,
but less than $50,000, the Chair or any member of the Committee designated by the Chair is hereby authorized to pre-approve such Identified
Services on behalf of the Committee.
(d) For Identified Services with estimated fees of $50,000 or more,
such Identified Services require pre-approval by the Committee.
(e) All requests for Identified Services to be provided by the
independent auditor that were pre-approved by the Committee shall be submitted to the Principal/Chief Accounting Officer (“CAO”)
of the Trust by the independent auditor using the pre-approval request form. The Trust’s CAO will determine whether such services
are included within the list of services that have received the general pre-approval of the Committee.
(f) The independent auditors or the CAO of the Trust (or an officer
of the Trust who reports to the CAO) shall report to the Committee at each of its regular scheduled meetings all audit, audit-related
and permissible non-audit services initiated since the last such report (unless the services were contained in the initial audit plan,
as previously presented to, and approved by, the Committee). The report shall include a general description of the services and projected
fees, and the means by which such services were approved by the Committee (including the particular category of Identified Services under
which pre-approval was obtained).
2. Pre-Approval Policy (Adviser or Any Control Affiliate). Pre-approve
any engagement of the independent auditors, including the fees and other compensation to be paid to the independent auditors, to provide
any non-audit services to the Adviser (or any “control affiliate” of the Adviser providing ongoing services to the Trust),
if the engagement relates directly to the operations or financial reporting of the Trust (unless an exception is available under Rule
2-01 of Regulation S-X).
(a) The Chair or any member of the Committee designated by the
Chair may grant the pre-approval for non-audit services to the Adviser (or any “control affiliate” of the Adviser providing
ongoing services to the Trust) relating directly to the operations or financial reporting of the Trust for which the estimated fees are
less than $25,000. All such delegated pre-approvals shall be presented to the Committee no later than the next Committee meeting.
(b) For non-audit services to the Adviser (or any “control
affiliate” of the Adviser providing ongoing services to the Trust) relating directly to the operations or financial reporting of
the Trust for which the estimated fees are $25,000 or more, such services require pre-approval by the Committee.
a. Pre-Approval Requirements
i. Categories of Services to be Reviewed
and Considered for Pre-Approval
1. Audit Services
a. Annual financial statement audits
b. Seed audits (related to new product filings,
as required)
c. SEC and regulatory filings and consents
2. Audit-Related Services
a. Accounting consultations
b. Fund merger/reorganization support services
c. Other accounting related matters
d. Agreed upon procedures reports
e. Attestation reports
f. Other internal control reports
3. Tax Services
a. Recurring tax services:
i. Preparation of Federal and state income tax returns, including
extensions
ii. Preparation of calculations of taxable income, including
fiscal year tax designations
iii.Preparation of annual Federal excise tax returns (if applicable)
iv.Preparation of calendar year excise distribution calculations
v. Calculation of tax equalization on an as-needed basis
vi.Preparation of monthly/quarterly estimates of tax undistributed
position for closed-end funds
vii.Preparation of the estimated excise distribution calculations
on an as-needed basis
viii.Preparation of calendar year shareholder reporting designations
on Form 1099
ix.Preparation of quarterly Federal, state and local and franchise
tax estimated tax payments on an as-needed basis
x. Preparation of state apportionment calculations to properly
allocate Fund taxable income among the states for state tax filing purposes
xi.Assistance with management’s identification of passive
foreign investment companies (PFICs) for tax purposes
b. Permissible non-recurring tax services
upon request:
i. Assistance with determining ownership changes which impact
a Fund’s utilization of loss carryforwards
ii. Assistance with corporate actions and tax treatment of complex
securities and structured products
iii.Assistance with IRS ruling requests and calculation of deficiency
dividends
iv.Conduct training sessions for the Adviser’s internal
tax resources
v. Assistance with Federal, state, local and international tax
planning and advice regarding the tax consequences of proposed or actual transactions
vi.Tax services related to amendments to Federal, state and local
returns and sales and use tax compliance
vii.RIC qualification reviews
viii.Tax distribution analysis and planning
ix.Tax authority examination services
x. Tax appeals support services
xi.Tax accounting methods studies
xii.Fund merger, reorganization and liquidation support services
xiii.Tax compliance, planning and advice services and related
projects
xiv.Assistance with out of state residency status
xv.Provision of tax compliance services in India for Funds with
direct investments in India
(2) None of the services described in each of Items 4(b) through
(d) were approved by the Audit Committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.
(f) Not applicable.
(g) The aggregate non-audit fees billed by the registrant's accountant
for services rendered to the registrant, the registrant’s investment adviser (not including a sub-adviser whose role is primarily
portfolio management and is sub-contracted with or overseen by another investment adviser) and/or any entity controlling, controlled by,
or under common control with the adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant that directly related to the operations and
financial reporting of the registrant were $48,505 and $61,661 for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2023 and May 31, 2022, respectively.
(h) Not applicable.
Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.
(a) The registrant has a separately
designated standing audit committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
The Audit Committee of the registrant is composed of: Randall C. Barnes; Angela Brock-Kyle; Thomas F. Lydon, Jr.; Ronald A. Nyberg; Sandra
G. Sponem; and Ronald E. Toupin, Jr.
(b) Not applicable.
Item 6. Schedule of Investments.
The Schedule of Investments is included as part of Item 1.
Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for
Closed-End Management Investment Companies.
The registrant has delegated the voting of proxies relating to its
voting securities to the registrant’s investment sub-adviser, Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC (“GPIM”).
Guggenheim’s proxy voting policies and procedures are included as Exhibit (c) hereto.
Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment
Companies.
(a)(1) GPIM serves as sub-adviser for the registrant and is responsible
for the day-to-day management of the registrant’s portfolio. GPIM uses a team approach to manage client portfolios. Day
to day management of a client portfolio is conducted under the auspices of GPIM’s Portfolio Construction Group (“PCG”). PCG’s
members include the Chief Investment Officer (“CIO”) and other key investment personnel. The PCG, in consultation
with the CIO, provides direction for overall investment strategy. The PCG performs several duties as it relates to client portfolios
including: determining both tactical and strategic asset allocations; monitoring portfolio adherence to asset allocation targets; providing
sector specialists with
direction for overall investment strategy, which may include portfolio design and the rebalancing of portfolios;
performing risk management oversight; assisting sector managers and research staff in determining the relative valuation of market sectors;
and providing a forum for the regular discussion of the economy and the financial markets to enhance the robustness of GPIM’s strategic
and tactical policy directives.
The following individuals at GPIM share primary responsibility
for the management of the registrant’s portfolio and is provided as of May 31, 2023:
Name |
Since |
Professional Experience During the Last Five Years |
|
|
|
|
Anne B. Walsh, CFA, FLMI –Managing Partner and CIO |
2007 |
Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC: Senior Managing Director and Assistant CIO – 2007–2021; Managing Partner and CIO- Fixed Income - 2021- Present |
|
|
|
|
|
Steven Brown – Senior Managing Director |
2017 |
Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC Senior Managing Director 2019- Present; Managing Director – 2016 to 2019; Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC – Director 2014 to 2016; Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC – Vice President 2013 to 2014; Senior Associate 2012 to 2013.
|
|
Adam Bloch – Managing Director |
2018 |
Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC: Managing Director 2019- Present; Director – 2015- 2019; Vice President – 2014-2015; Senior Associate – 2013-2014; Associate – 2012-2013. Bank of America Merrill Lynch: Associate – 2011-2012.
|
|
Evan Serdensky - Director |
2022 |
Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC: Director 2018- Present; |
|
(a)(2)(i-iii) Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Managers
The following tables summarize information regarding each of the other
accounts managed by the Guggenheim portfolio managers as of May 31, 2023:
Anne B. Walsh:
Type of Account |
Number of Accounts |
Total Assets in the Accounts |
Number of Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Total Assets in the Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Registered investments companies |
16 |
$37,368,996,655 |
0 |
$0 |
Other pooled investment vehicles |
5 |
$3,111,978,933 |
3 |
$1,806,432,540 |
Other accounts |
52 |
$113,949,467,298 |
2 |
$676,006,747 |
Steven Brown:
Type of Account |
Number of Accounts |
Total Assets in the Accounts |
Number of Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Total Assets in the Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Registered investments companies |
15 |
$36,363,959,599 |
0 |
$0 |
Other pooled investment vehicles |
5 |
$3,111,978,933 |
3 |
$1,806,432,540 |
Other accounts |
34 |
$16,755,922,337 |
2 |
$676,006,747 |
Adam Bloch:
Type of Account |
Number of Accounts |
Total Assets in the Accounts |
Number of Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Total Assets in the Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Registered investments companies |
21 |
$36,542,108,321 |
0 |
$0 |
Other pooled investment vehicles |
5 |
$3,111,978,933 |
3 |
$1,806,432,540 |
Other accounts |
34 |
$16,755,922,337 |
2 |
$676,006,747 |
Evan Serdensky:
Type of Account |
Number of Accounts |
Total Assets in the Accounts |
Number of Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Total Assets in the Accounts In Which the Advisory Fee is Based on Performance |
Registered investments companies |
2 |
$2,528,484,233 |
0 |
$0 |
Other pooled investment vehicles |
0 |
$0 |
0 |
$0 |
Other accounts |
0 |
$0 |
0 |
$0 |
(a)(2)(iv) Potential Conflicts of Interest
Actual or apparent conflicts of interest may arise when a portfolio manager
has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to more than one fund or other account. More specifically, portfolio managers
who manage multiple funds and/or other accounts may be presented with one or more of the following potential conflicts.
The management of multiple funds and/or other accounts may result in a
portfolio manager devoting unequal time and attention to the management of each fund and/or other account. GPIM seeks to manage such competing
interests for the time and attention of a portfolio manager by having the portfolio manager focus on a particular investment discipline.
Specifically, the ultimate decision maker for security selection for each client portfolio is the Sector Specialist
Portfolio Manager. They
are responsible for analyzing and selecting specific securities that they believe best reflect the risk and return level as provided in
each client’s investment guidelines.
GPIM may have clients with similar investment strategies. As
a result, if an investment opportunity would be appropriate for more than one client, GPIM may be required to choose among those clients
in allocating such opportunity, or to allocate less of such opportunity to a client than it would ideally allocate if it did not have
to allocate to multiple clients. In addition, GPIM may determine that an investment opportunity is appropriate for a particular
account, but not for another.
Allocation decisions are made in accordance with the investment objectives,
guidelines, and restrictions governing the respective clients and in a manner that will not unfairly favor one client over another. GPIM’s
allocation policy provides that investment decisions must never be based upon account performance or fee structure. Accordingly,
GPIM’s allocation procedures are designed to ensure that investment opportunities are allocated equitably among different client
accounts over time. The procedures also seek to ensure reasonable efficiency in client transactions and to provide portfolio
managers with flexibility to use allocation methodologies appropriate to GPIM’s investment disciplines and the specific goals and
objectives of each client account.
In order to minimize execution costs and obtain best execution for clients,
trades in the same security transacted on behalf of more than one client may be aggregated. In the event trades are aggregated,
GPIM’s policy and procedures provide as follows: (i) treat all participating client accounts fairly; (ii) continue to seek best
execution; (iii) ensure that clients who participate in an aggregated order will participate at the average share price with all transaction
costs shared on a pro-rata basis based on each client’s participation in the transaction; (iv) disclose its aggregation policy to
clients.
GPIM, as a fiduciary to its clients, considers numerous factors in arranging
for the purchase and sale of clients’ portfolio securities in order to achieve best execution for its clients. When selecting
a broker, individuals making trades on behalf of GPIM clients consider the full range and quality of a broker’s services, including
execution capability, commission rate, price, financial stability and reliability. GPIM is not obliged to merely get the lowest
price or commission but also must determine whether the transaction represents the best qualitative execution for the account.
In the event that multiple broker/dealers make a market in a particular
security, GPIM’s Portfolio Managers are responsible for selecting the broker-dealer to use with respect to executing the transaction. The
broker-dealer will be selected on the basis of how the transaction can be executed to achieve the most favorable execution for the client
under the circumstances. In many instances, there may only be one counter-party active in a particular security at a given
time. In such situations the Employee executing the trade will use his/her best effort to obtain the best execution from the
counter-party.
GPIM and the registrant have adopted certain compliance procedures which
are designed to address these types of conflicts. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation
in which a conflict arises.
(a)(3) Portfolio Manager Compensation
GPIM compensates the portfolio managers for their management of the registrant’s
portfolio. Compensation is evaluated based on their contribution to investment performance relative to pertinent benchmarks and qualitatively
based on factors such as teamwork and client service efforts. GPIM’s staff incentives may include: a competitive base
salary, bonus determined by individual and firm wide performance, equity participation, and participation opportunities in various GPIM
investments. All GPIM employees are also eligible to participate in a 401(k) plan to which GPIM may make a discretionary match
after the completion of each plan year.
(a)(4) Portfolio Manager Securities Ownership
The following table discloses the dollar range of equity securities of
the registrant beneficially owned by each GPIM portfolio manager as of May 31, 2023:
Name of Portfolio Manager |
Dollar Amount of Equity Securities in Fund |
Anne B. Walsh |
$500,001-$1,000,000 |
Steven Brown |
None |
Adam Bloch |
None |
Evan Serdensky |
None |
Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management
Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.
None.
Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
The registrant has not made any material changes to the procedures
by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the registrant’s Board of Trustees.
Item 11. Controls and Procedures.
(a) The registrant's principal executive officer and principal financial
officer have evaluated the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act)
as of a date within 90 days of this filing and have concluded based on such evaluation, as required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the Investment
Company Act, that the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures were effective, as of that date, in ensuring that information required
to be disclosed by the registrant in this Form N-CSR was recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified
in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms.
(b) There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control
over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act) that occurred during the registrant’s 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 12. Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End
Management Investment Companies.
(a) The registrant has not participated in securities lending activities
during the period covered by this report.
(b) Not applicable
Item 13. Exhibits.
(a)(1) Code of Ethics for Chief Executive and Senior Financial Officers.
(a)(2) Certifications of principal executive officer and principal financial officer pursuant to Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act.
(a)(3) Not applicable.
(b) Certification of principal executive officer and principal financial officer pursuant to Rule 30a-2(b) under the Investment Company Act and Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
(c) Guggenheim Partners
Investment Management, LLC Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures.
(d) Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
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) Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund
By: /s/ Brian E. Binder
Name: Brian E. Binder
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
Date: August 2, 2023
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the registrant
and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
By: /s/ Brian E. Binder
Name: Brian E. Binder
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
Date: August 2, 2023
By: /s/ James M. Howley
Name: James M. Howley
Title: Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and
Treasurer
Date: August 2, 2023
EXHIBIT (a)(1)
APPENDIX A
CODE OF ETHICS FOR PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE AND
SENIOR FINANCIAL OFFICERS
I. Covered
Officers/Purpose of the Code
This code of ethics (the “Code”) is applicable
to Guggenheim Funds (each a “Company” and together the “Companies,” each set forth in Exhibit A) and applies to
the Companies’ President/CEO (Principal Executive Officer), and CFO/Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer) (the “Covered
Officers”) for the purpose of promoting:
- honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent
conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships;
- full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in reports and
documents that a registrant files with, or submits to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and in other public
communications made by the Company;
- compliance with applicable laws and governmental rules and regulations;
- the prompt internal reporting of violations of the Code to an appropriate
person or persons identified in the Code; and
- accountability for adherence to the Code.
Covered Officers are expected to dedicate their best
efforts to advancing the Trust’s interests and to use objective and unbiased standards when making decisions that affect the Trust,
while being sensitive to situations that may give rise to actual conflicts of interest, as well as apparent conflicts of interest.
| II. | Covered Officers Should Handle Ethically Actual and Apparent Conflicts of Interest |
Overview. A “conflict
of interest” occurs when a Covered Officer’s private interest interferes with the interests of, or his or her service to,
the Company. For example, a conflict of interest would arise if a Covered Officer, or a member of his or her family, receives improper
personal benefits as a result of his or her position with the Company.
Certain conflicts of interest
arise out of the relationships between Covered Officers and the Company and already are subject to conflict of interest provisions in
the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Investment Company Act”) and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Investment Advisers
Act”). For example, Covered Officers may not individually engage in certain transactions (such as the purchase or sale of securities
or other property) with the Company because of their status as “affiliated persons” of the Company. The Company's and the
investment adviser's compliance programs and procedures are designed to prevent, or identify and correct, violations of these provisions.
This Code does not, and is not intended to, repeat or replace these programs and procedures, and such conflicts fall outside of the parameters
of this Code.
Although typically not presenting
an opportunity for improper personal benefit, conflicts arise from, or result from, the contractual relationship between the Company and
the investment adviser of which the Covered Officers are also officers or employees. As a result, this Code recognizes that the Covered
Officers will, in the normal course of their duties (whether formally for the Company or for the adviser, or for both), be involved in
establishing policies and implementing decisions that will have different effects on the adviser and the Company. The participation of
the Covered Officers in such activities is inherent in the contractual relationship between the Company and the adviser and is consistent
with the performance by the Covered Officers of their duties as officers of the Company. Thus, if performed in conformity with the provisions
of the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act, such activities will be deemed to have been handled ethically. In addition,
it is recognized by the Funds’ Boards of Trustees (“Boards”) that the Covered Officers may also be officers or employees
of one or more other investment companies covered by this code.
Other conflicts of interest are
covered by the Code, even if such conflicts of interest are not subject to provisions in the Investment Company Act and the Investment
Advisers Act. The following list provides examples of conflicts of interest under the Code, but Covered Officers should keep in mind that
these examples are not exhaustive. The overarching principle is that the personal interest of a Covered Officer should not be placed
improperly before the interest of the Company.
***
Each Covered Officer must:
- not use his or her personal influence or personal relationships improperly
to influence investment decisions or financial reporting by the Company whereby the Covered Officer would benefit personally to the detriment
of the Company;
- not cause the Company to take action, or fail to take action, for the individual
personal benefit of the Covered Officer rather than the benefit the Company;
- report at least annually his or her affiliations or other relationships which
may give rise to conflicts of interest with the Funds (provided that annual completion of the Funds’ Trustees and Officers Questionnaire
shall satisfy the requirements of this bullet point).
There are some conflict of interest situations that
should always be discussed with the Secretary of the Funds (the "Secretary"), or other senior legal officer, if material. Examples
of these include:1
- service as a director on the board of any public company;
- the receipt of any non-de minimus gifts;
- the receipt of any entertainment from any company with which the Company has
current or prospective business dealings unless such entertainment is business-related, reasonable in cost, appropriate as to time and
place, and not so frequent as to raise any question of impropriety;
- any ownership interest in, or any consulting or employment relationship with,
any of the Company’s service providers, other than its investment adviser, principal underwriter, administrator or any affiliated
person thereof;
- a direct or indirect financial interest in commissions, transaction charges
or spreads paid by the Company for effecting portfolio transactions or for selling or redeeming shares other than an interest arising
from the Covered Officer’s employment, such as compensation or equity ownership.
III. Disclosure
and Compliance
- Each Covered Officer should familiarize himself or herself with the disclosure
requirements generally applicable to the Company;
- each Covered Officer should not knowingly misrepresent, or cause others to
misrepresent, facts about the Company to others, whether within or outside the Company, including to the Company’s directors and
auditors, and to governmental regulators and self-regulatory organizations;
- each Covered Officer should, to the extent appropriate within his or her area
of responsibility, consult with other officers and employees of the Funds and the adviser with the goal of promoting full, fair, accurate,
timely and understandable disclosure in the reports and documents the Funds file with, or submit to, the SEC and in other public communications
made by the Funds; and
1 | | Any activity or relationship that would present a conflict for a Covered Officer would likely
also present a conflict for the Covered Officer if a member of the Covered Officer’s family engages in such an activity or has
such a relationship. |
- it is the responsibility of each Covered Officer to promote compliance with
the standards and restrictions imposed by applicable laws, rules and regulations.
IV. Reporting
and Accountability
Each Covered Officer must:
- upon adoption of the Code (or thereafter as applicable, upon becoming a Covered
Officer), affirm in writing to the Board that he or she has received, read, and understands the Code;
- annually thereafter affirm to the Board that he or she has complied with the
requirements of the Code;
- not retaliate against any other Covered Officer or any employee of the Funds
or their affiliated persons for reports of potential violations that are made in good faith; and
- notify the Secretary promptly if he or she knows of any violation of this
Code. Failure to do so is itself a violation of this Code.
The Secretary, or other designated senior
legal officer of the Funds’ investment adviser, is responsible for applying this Code to specific situations in which questions
are presented under it and has the authority to interpret this Code in any particular situation.2 However, any approvals or
waivers3 sought by the President/ CEO will be considered by the Audit Committee of the Funds (the “Committee”).
The Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Trust is authorized and encouraged to consult, as appropriate, with the Chairman of the Board
of Trustees of the Trust, the Independent Trustees or the Board of Trustees of the Trust and/or with counsel to the Trust, the Investment
Adviser(s) or the Independent Trustees.
The Independent Trustees are responsible for granting
waivers of this Code of Ethics, as appropriate. Any changes to or waivers of this Code of Ethics will be disclosed on Form N-CSR3
to the extent required by Securities and Exchange Commission rules.
The Funds will follow these procedures in investigating
and enforcing this Code:
- the Secretary or other designated senior legal officer will take all appropriate
action to investigate any potential violations reported to him or her;
- if, after such investigation, the Secretary believes that no violation has
occurred, the Secretary is not required to take any further action;
- any matter that the Secretary believes is a violation will be reported to
the Committee;
- if the Committee concurs that a violation has occurred, it will inform and
make a recommendation to the Board, which will consider appropriate action, which may include review of, and appropriate modifications
to, applicable policies and procedures; notification to appropriate personnel of the investment adviser or its board; or a recommendation
to dismiss the Covered Officer as an officer of the Funds;
2 | | The Secretary or other designated senior legal officer is authorized to consult, as appropriate,
with counsel to the Company and counsel to the Independent Trustees, and is encouraged to do so. |
3 | | Item 2 of Form N-CSR defines “waiver” as “the approval by the registrant
of a material departure from a provision of the code of ethics” and “implicit waiver,” which must also be disclosed,
as “the registrant’s failure to take action within a reasonable period of time regarding a material departure from a provision
of the code of ethics that has been made known to an executive officer” of the registrant. |
- the Board will be responsible for granting waivers, as appropriate; and
- any changes to or waivers of this Code will, to the extent required, be disclosed
as provided by SEC rules.
V. Other
Policies and Procedures
This Code shall be the sole code of ethics
adopted by the Funds for purposes of Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and forms applicable to registered investment
companies thereunder. Insofar as other policies or procedures of the Funds, the Funds’ adviser, principal underwriter, or other
service providers govern or purport to govern the behavior or activities of the Covered Officers who are subject to this Code, they are
superseded by this Code to the extent that they overlap or conflict with the provisions of this Code. The Funds’ and their investment
adviser’s and principal underwriter’s codes of ethics under Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act are separate requirements
applying to the Covered Officers and others, and are not part of this Code.
VI. Amendments
Any amendments to this Code must be approved or ratified
by a majority vote of the Board, including a majority of independent directors/trustees.
VII Confidentiality
All reports and records prepared or maintained pursuant
to this Code will be considered confidential and shall be maintained and protected accordingly. Except as otherwise required by law or
this Code, such matters shall not be disclosed to anyone other than the Board and its counsel, the Funds’ counsel, the Adviser and
its counsel and any other advisers, consultants or counsel retained by the Board of Trustees.
VIII. Internal
Use
The Code is intended solely for the internal use
by the Funds and does not constitute an admission, by or on behalf of any Company, as to any fact, circumstance, or legal conclusion.
Exhibit A - Covered Entities
Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment
Grade Debt Trust (“GBAB”)
Guggenheim Active Allocation Fund (“GUG”)
Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund (“GOF”)
Guggenheim Energy & Income Fund (“XGEIX”)
Guggenheim Funds Trust (“GFT” and its
series, the “Open-End Funds”)
Guggenheim Variable Funds Trust (“GVGT”
and its series, the “Variable Insurance Funds”)
Guggenheim Strategy Funds Trust (“GSFT”)
Transparent Value Trust
Rydex Series Funds
Rydex Dynamic Funds
Rydex Variable Trust
Exhibit P-2
CERTIFICATION FORM
This is to certify that I have received, read and understand the
Code of Ethics for Chief Executive and Senior Financial Officers and that I recognize that I am subject to the provisions thereof and
will comply with the policy and procedures contained therein.
This is to further certify that I have complied with the requirements
of the Code of Ethics for Chief Executive and Senior Financial Officers.
Signature: ____________________
Name: _______________________
Date: August 2, 2023____________
Please sign two copies of this Certification Form, return one copy
to the Chief Compliance Officer and retain the other copy, together with a copy of the Code of Ethics for Chief Executive and Senior
Financial Officers, for your records.
EXHIBIT (a)(2)
CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
CERTIFICATIONS
I, Brian
E. Binder, certify that:
1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR
of Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund;
2. Based on my knowledge, this report does
not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of
the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements,
and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations,
changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include a statement of cash flows) of the registrant
as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4. The registrant's other certifying officer
and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment
Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940)
for the registrant and have:
(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures,
or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to
the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the
period in which this report is being prepared;
(b) Designed such internal control over financial
reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance
regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles;
(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s
disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based on such evaluation; and
(d) Disclosed in this report any change in
the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by this report that has materially
affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting: and
5. The registrant's other certifying officer
and I have disclosed to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing
the equivalent functions):
(a) All significant deficiencies and material
weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the
registrant's ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and
(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that
involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.
Date: August 2, 2023
/s/ Brian E. Binder
Brian
E. Binder
President and Chief Executive Officer
CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
CERTIFICATIONS
I, James M. Howley, certify that:
1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR
of Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund;
2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the
circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements,
and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations,
changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include a statement of cash flows) of the registrant
as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4. The registrant's other certifying officer
and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment
Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940)
for the registrant and have:
(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures,
or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to
the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the
period in which this report is being prepared;
(b) Designed such internal control over financial
reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance
regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles;
(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s
disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based on such evaluation; and
(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the
registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by this report that has materially
affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting: and
5. The registrant's other certifying officer
and I have disclosed to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing
the equivalent functions):
(a) All significant deficiencies and material
weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the
registrant's ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and
(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that
involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.
Date: August 2, 2023
/s/ James M. Howley
James M. Howley
Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer
EXHIBIT (b)
Certification of CEO and CFO Pursuant to
18 U.S.C. Section 1350,
as Adopted Pursuant to
Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002
In connection with the Report on Form N-CSR of Guggenheim Strategic
Opportunities Fund (the “Issuer”) for the annual period ended May 31, 2023 (the “Report”), Brian E. Binder, as
President and Chief Executive Officer of the Issuer, and James M. Howley, as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer
of the Issuer, each hereby certifies, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of 2002, that, to the best of his knowledge:
| (1) | the Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and |
| (2) | the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations
of the Issuer. |
Dated: August 2, 2023
/s/ Brian E. Binder
Name: Brian E. Binder
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
/s/ James M. Howley
Name: James M. Howley
Title: Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and
Treasurer
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting
Firm
We consent to the references to our
firm under the captions “Senior Securities” and “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” included in this
Annual Report to Shareholders (Form N-CSR) for the year ended May 31, 2023.
We consent to the incorporation by
reference of our report dated July 25, 2023, with respect to the financial statements and financial highlights of Guggenheim Strategic
Opportunities Fund included in this Annual Report to Shareholders (Form N-CSR) for the year ended May 31, 2023, into the Registration
Statement (Form N-2, File No 333-259592), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
Tysons, Virginia
August 2, 2023
v3.23.2
N-2
|
12 Months Ended |
May 31, 2023
shares
|
Cover [Abstract] |
|
Entity Central Index Key |
0001380936
|
Amendment Flag |
false
|
Document Type |
N-CSR
|
Entity Registrant Name |
Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund
|
General Description of Registrant [Abstract] |
|
Investment Objectives and Practices [Text Block] |
The Fund’s investment objective is to maximize total return
through a combination of current income and capital appreciation. The Fund cannot ensure investors that it will achieve its investment
objective. The Fund’s investment objective is considered fundamental and may not be changed without the approval of the holders
of the Fund’s common shares of beneficial interest (“Common Shares”).
|
Risk [Text Block] |
Investment in the Fund involves special risk considerations,
which are summarized below. The Fund is designed as a long-term investment and not as a trading vehicle. The Fund is not intended to be
a complete investment program. The Fund’s performance and the value of its investments will vary in response to changes in interest
rates, inflation and other market and economic factors, among others.
The fact that a particular risk below is not specifically identified
as being heightened under current conditions does not mean that the risk is not greater than under normal conditions. Not a Complete Investment Program An investment in the Common Shares should not be considered a complete
investment program. The Fund is intended for long-term investors seeking current income and capital appreciation. An investment in the
Fund is not meant to provide a vehicle for those who wish to play short-term swings in the market. Shareholders should take into account
the Fund’s investment objective as well as shareholder’s other investments when considering an investment in the Fund. Before
making an investment decision, a prospective investor should consider (i) the suitability of this investment with respect to his or her
investment objectives and personal situation and (ii) factors such as his or her personal net worth, income, age, risk tolerance and liquidity
needs. Investment and Market Risk
An investment in the Common Shares is subject to investment risk,
including the possible loss of the entire principal amount that you invest. During periods of adverse economic, financial, geopolitical,
labor and public health conditions, the risks associated with an investment in Common Shares may be heightened.
An investment in the Common Shares represents an indirect investment
in the securities owned by the Fund. The value of, or income generated by, the investments held by the Fund are subject to the possibility
of rapid and unpredictable fluctuation, and loss. These fluctuations may occur frequently and in large amounts. These movements may result
from factors affecting individual companies, or from broader influences, including real or perceived changes in prevailing interest rates,
changes in inflation rates or expectations about inflation rates, adverse investor confidence or sentiment, changing economic, political
(including geopolitical), social or financial market conditions, tariffs and trade disruptions, recession, changes in currency rates,
increased instability or general uncertainty, natural/environmental disasters, cyber attacks, terrorism, governmental or quasi-governmental
actions, public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics and epidemics), debt crises, actual or threatened
wars or other armed conflicts (such as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and its risk of expansion or collateral economic and other
effects) or ratings downgrades, and other similar events, each of which may be temporary or last for extended periods. For example, the
risks of a borrower’s default or bankruptcy or non-payment of scheduled interest or principal payments from senior floating rate
interests held by the Fund are especially acute under these conditions. Furthermore, interest rates may change and bond yields may fall
as a result of types of events, including responses by governmental entities to such events, which would magnify the Fund’s fixed-income
instruments’ susceptibility to interest rate risk and diminish their yield and performance. Moreover, the Fund’s investments
in ABS are subject to many of the same risks that are applicable to investments in securities generally, including interest rate risk,
credit risk, foreign currency risk, below-investment grade securities risk, leverage risk, prepayment and extension risks and regulatory
risk, which would be elevated under the foregoing circumstances.
Moreover, changing economic, political, social, geopolitical or
financial market or other conditions in one country or geographic region could adversely affect the value, yield and return of the investments held by the Fund in a different country or geographic
region and economies, markets and issuers generally because of the increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets.
As a result, there is an increased risk that geopolitical and other events will disrupt economies and markets globally. For example, local
or regional armed conflicts (notably the Russia-Ukraine conflict) have led to significant sanctions by the United States, Europe and other
countries against certain countries (as well as persons and companies connected with certain counties) and led to indirect adverse regional
and global market, economic and other effects. It is difficult to accurately predict or foresee when events or conditions affecting the
U.S. or global financial markets, economies, and issuers may occur, the effects of such events or conditions, potential escalations or
expansions of these events, possible retaliations in response to sanctions or similar actions and the duration or ultimate impact of those
events. There is an increased likelihood that these types of events or conditions can, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, result in
a variety of adverse developments and circumstances, such as reduced liquidity, supply chain disruptions and market volatility, as well
as increased general uncertainty and broad ramifications for markets, economies, issuers, businesses in many sectors and societies globally.
In addition, adverse changes in one sector or industry or with respect to a particular company could negatively impact companies in other
sectors or industries or increase market volatility as a result of the interconnected nature of economies and markets and thus negatively
affect the Fund’s performance. For example, developments in the banking or financial services sectors (or one or more companies
operating in these sectors) could adversely impact a wide range of companies and issuers. These types of adverse developments could negatively
affect the Fund’s performance or operations. Different sectors, industries and security types may react differently
to such developments and, when the market performs well, there is no assurance that the Fund’s investments will increase in value
along with the broader markets. Periods of market stress and volatility of financial markets, including potentially extreme stress and
volatility caused by the events described above or similar circumstances, can expose the Fund to greater market risk than normal, possibly
resulting in greatly reduced liquidity and increased valuation risks, for certain asset classes, longer than usual trade settlement periods.
The fewer the number of issuers in which the Fund invests and/or the greater the use of leverage, the greater the potential volatility
in the Fund’s portfolio. GPIM potentially could be prevented from considering, managing and executing investment decisions at an
advantageous time or price or at all as a result of any domestic or global market or other disruptions, particularly disruptions causing
heightened market volatility and reduced market liquidity, which have also resulted in impediments to the normal functioning of workforces,
including personnel and systems of the Fund’s service providers and market intermediaries. The Fund’s investments may decline
in value or otherwise be adversely affected due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular issuer,
such as real or perceived economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or changes in investor sentiment or market outlook
generally.
At any point in time, your Common Shares may be worth less than
your original investment, even after including the reinvestment of Fund dividends and distributions. Management Risk The Fund is subject to management risk because it has an actively
managed portfolio. GPIM will apply investment techniques and risk analysis in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can
be no guarantee that these will produce the desired results. The Fund’s allocation of its investments across various asset classes
and sectors may vary significantly over time based on GPIM’s analysis and judgment. As a result, the particular risks most relevant
to an investment in the Fund, as well as the overall risk profile of the Fund’s portfolio, may vary over time. The ability of the
Fund to achieve its investment objective depends, in part, on GPIM’s investment decisions and the ability of GPIM to allocate effectively
the Fund’s assets among multiple investment strategies, Investment Funds and investments and asset classes. There can be no assurance
that the actual allocations will be effective in achieving the Fund’s investment objective or that an investment strategy or Investment
Fund or investment will achieve its particular investment objective. Income Risk
The income investors receive from the Fund is based in part on
the interest it earns from its investments in Income Securities, which can vary widely over the short- and long-term. If prevailing market
interest rates drop, investors’ income from the Fund could drop as well. The Fund’s income could also be affected adversely
when prevailing short-term interest rates increase and the Fund is utilizing leverage, although this risk may be mitigated to the extent
the Fund invests in floating-rate obligations.
Dividend Risk
Dividends on common stock and other Common Equity Securities which
the Fund may hold are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of an issuer’s board of directors. There is no guarantee that
the issuers of the Common Equity Securities in which the Fund invests will declare dividends in the future or that, if declared, they
will remain at current levels or increase over time. Therefore, there is the possibility that such companies could reduce or eliminate
the payment of dividends in the future or the anticipated acceleration of dividends could not occur as a result of, among other things,
a sharp change in interest rates or an economic downturn. Changes in the dividend policies of companies and capital resources available
for these companies’ dividend payments may adversely affect the Fund. Depending upon market conditions, dividend-paying stocks that
meet the Fund’s investment criteria may not be widely available and/or may be highly concentrated in only a few market sectors.
These circumstances may result from issuer-specific events, adverse economic or market developments, or legislative or regulatory changes
or other developments that limit an issuer’s ability to declare and pay dividends, which would affect the Fund’s performance
and ability to generate income. The dividend income from the Fund’s investment in Common Equity Securities will be influenced by
both general economic activity and issuer-specific factors. In the event of adverse changes in economic conditions or adverse events effecting
a specific industry or issuer, the issuers of the Common Equity Securities held by the Fund may reduce the dividends paid on such securities
(or not declare or pay dividends on such securities). Income Securities Risk In addition to the risks discussed above, Income Securities (notably
the value and income of such investments), including high-yield bonds, are subject to certain risks, including: Issuer
Risk. The
value of Income Securities may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, the
issuer’s overall level of debt, reduced demand for the issuer’s goods and services, historical and projected earnings, and
the value of its assets.
Spread
Risk. Spread
risk is the risk that the market price can change due to broad based movements in spreads. The difference (or “spread”) between
the yield of a security and the yield of a benchmark measures the additional interest paid. As the spread on a security widens (or increases),
the price (or value) of the security falls. Spread widening may occur, among other reasons, as a result of market concerns over the stability
of the market, excess supply, general credit concerns in other markets, security- or market-specific credit concerns, or general reductions
in risk tolerance.
Credit
Risk. The
Fund could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a debt instrument or a counterparty to a derivatives transaction or other transaction
(such as a repurchase agreement or a loan of portfolio securities or other instruments) is unable or unwilling, or perceived to be unable
or unwilling, to pay interest or repay principal on time or defaults. This risk is heightened in market environments where interest rates
are changing, notably when rates are rising. If an issuer fails to pay interest, the Fund’s income would likely be reduced, and
if an issuer fails to repay principal, the value of the instrument likely would fall and the Fund could lose money. This risk is especially
acute with respect to below investment grade debt instruments (commonly referred to as “high-yield” or “junk”
bonds) and unrated high risk debt instruments, whose issuers are particularly susceptible to fail to meet principal or interest obligations.
Also, the issuer, guarantor or counterparty may suffer adverse changes in its financial condition or be adversely affected by economic,
political or social conditions that could lower the credit quality (or the market’s perception of the credit quality) of the issuer
or instrument, leading to greater volatility in the price of the instrument and in shares of the Fund. Although credit quality rating
may not accurately reflect the true credit risk of an instrument, a change in the credit quality rating of an instrument or an issuer
can have a rapid, adverse effect on the instrument’s value and liquidity and make it more difficult for the Fund to sell at an advantageous
price or time. The risk of the occurrence of these types of events is heightened in market environments where interest rates are changing,
notably when rates are rising.
The degree of credit risk depends on the particular instrument
and the financial condition of the issuer, guarantor or counterparty, which are often reflected in its credit quality. A credit quality
rating is a measure of the issuer’s expected ability to make all required interest and principal payments in a timely manner. An
issuer with the highest credit rating has a very strong capacity with respect to making all payments. An issuer with the second-highest
credit rating has a strong capacity to make all payments, but the degree of safety is somewhat less. An issuer with the lowest credit
quality rating may be in default or have extremely poor prospects of making timely payment of interest and principal. Credit ratings assigned
by rating agencies are based on a number of factors and subjective judgments and therefore do not necessarily represent an issuer’s
actual financial condition or the volatility and liquidity of the security. Although higher-rated
securities generally present lower credit risk as compared to lower-rated or unrated securities, an issuer with a high credit rating may
in fact be exposed to heightened levels of credit or liquidity risk. In addition, during certain market and economic conditions, many
issuers may be unprofitable, have had little cash on hand and/or unable to pay the interest owed on their debt obligations and the number
of such issuers may increase if demand for their goods and services falls, borrowing and other costs rise due to governmental action or
inaction or for other reasons. Also, the issuer, guarantor or counterparty may suffer adverse changes in its financial condition or reduced
demand for its goods and services or be adversely affected by economic, political, public health or social conditions that could lower
the credit quality (or the market’s perception of the credit quality) of the issuer or instrument, leading to greater volatility
in the price of the instrument and in shares of the Fund.
If an issuer, guarantor or counterparty declares bankruptcy or
is declared bankrupt, the Fund would likely be adversely affected in its ability to receive principal or interest owed or otherwise to
enforce the financial obligations of the other party. The Fund may be subject to increased costs associated with the bankruptcy process
and experience losses as a result of the deterioration of the financial condition of the issuer, guarantor or counterparty. The risks
to the Fund related to such bankruptcies are elevated during periods of adverse markets, economic and similar developments.
Interest
Rate Risk. Fixed-income
and other debt instruments are subject to the possibility that interest rates could change (or are expected to change). Changes in interest
rates, including changes in reference rates used in fixed-income and other debt instruments (such as Term SOFR or LIBOR), may adversely
affect the Fund’s investments in these instruments, such as the value or liquidity of, and income generated by, the investments
or increase risks associated with such investments, such as credit or default risks. In addition, changes in interest rates, including
rates that fall below zero, can have unpredictable effects on markets and can adversely affect the Fund’s yield, income and performance.
Generally, when interest rates increase, the values of fixed-income and other debt instruments decline and when interest rates decrease,
the values of fixed-income and other debt instruments rise. Changes in interest rates also adversely affect the yield generated by certain
Income Securities or result in the issuance of lower yielding Income Securities.
The value of a debt instrument with a longer duration will generally
be more sensitive to interest rate changes than a similar instrument with a shorter duration. Similarly, the longer the average duration
(whether positive or negative) of these instruments held by the Fund or to which the Fund is exposed (i.e., the longer the average portfolio
duration of the Fund), the more the Fund’s NAV will likely fluctuate in response to interest rate changes. Duration is a measure
used to determine the sensitivity of a security’s price to changes in interest rates that incorporates a security’s yield,
coupon, final maturity and call features, among other characteristics. For example, the NAV per share of a bond fund with an average duration
of eight years would be expected to fall approximately 8% if interest rates rose by one percentage point.
However, measures such as duration may not accurately reflect the
true interest rate sensitivity of instruments held by the Fund and, in turn, the Fund’s susceptibility to changes in interest rates. Certain fixed-income and debt instruments are subject to the risk
that the issuer may exercise its right to redeem (or call) the instrument earlier than anticipated. Although an issuer may call an instrument
for a variety of reasons, if an issuer does so during a time of declining interest rates, the Fund might have to reinvest the proceeds
in an investment offering a lower yield or other less favorable features, and therefore might not benefit from any increase in value as
a result of declining interest rates. Interest only or principal only securities and inverse floaters are particularly sensitive to changes
in interest rates, which may impact the income generated by the security and other features of the security. Instruments with variable or floating interest rates generally
are less sensitive to interest rate changes, but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much or as fast as interest
rates in general. Conversely, in a decreasing interest rate environment, these instruments will generally not increase in value and the
Fund’s investment in instruments with floating interest rates may prevent the Fund from taking full advantage of decreasing interest
rates in a timely manner. In addition, the income received from such instruments will likely be adversely affected by a decrease in interest
rates.
Adjustable rate securities also react to interest rate changes
in a similar manner as fixed-rate securities but generally to a lesser degree depending on the characteristics of the security, in particular
its reset terms (i.e., the index chosen, frequency of reset and reset caps or floors). During periods of rising interest rates, because
changes in interest rates on adjustable rate securities may lag behind changes in market rates, the value of such securities may decline
until their interest rates reset to market rates. These securities also may be subject to limits on the maximum increase in interest rates.
During periods of declining interest rates, because the interest rates on adjustable rate securities generally reset downward, their market
value is unlikely to rise to the same extent as the value of comparable fixed rate securities. These securities may not be subject to
limits on downward adjustments of interest rates.
During periods of rising interest rates, issuers of debt instruments
or asset-backed securities may pay principal later or more slowly than expected, which may reduce the value of the Fund’s investment
in such securities and may prevent the Fund from receiving higher interest rates on proceeds reinvested in other instruments. During periods
of falling interest rates, issuers of debt securities or asset-backed securities may pay off debts more quickly or earlier than expected,
which could cause the Fund to be unable to recoup the full amount of its initial investment and/or cause the Fund to reinvest in lower-yielding
securities, thereby reducing the Fund’s yield or otherwise adversely impacting the Fund.
Certain debt instruments, such as instruments with a negative duration
or inverse instruments, are also subject to interest rate risk, although such instruments generally react differently to changes in interest
rates than instruments with positive durations. The Fund’s investments in these instruments also may be adversely affected by changes
in interest rates. For example, the value of instruments with negative durations, such as inverse floaters, generally decrease if interest
rates decline. The U.S. Federal Reserve (“Federal Reserve”), in recent
periods, has increased interest rates at significant levels and signaled an intention to continue to raise interest rates and maintain
interest rates at increased levels until inflation decreases to the Federal Reserve’s target level. It is difficult to predict how
long the Federal Reserve’s current stance on interest rates will persist and the impact these actions will have on the economy and
the Fund’s investments and the markets where they trade. Such actions may have unforeseen consequences and materially affect economic
and market conditions, the Fund’s investments and the Fund’s performance. The Fund’s use of leverage will tend to increase Common Share
interest rate risk. The Fund may utilize certain strategies, including taking positions in futures or interest rate swaps, for the purpose
of seeking to reduce the interest rate sensitivity of credit securities held by the Fund or any leverage being employed by the Fund and
seeking to decrease the Fund’s exposure to interest rate risk. The Fund is not required to hedge its exposure to interest rate risk
and may choose not to do so. In addition, there is no assurance that any attempts by the Fund to seek to reduce interest rate risk will
be successful or that any hedges that the Fund may establish will perfectly correlate with movements in interest rates.
Current
Fixed-Income and Debt Market Conditions. Fixed-income
and debt market conditions are highly unpredictable, and some parts of the market are subject to dislocations. In response to the high
inflation in recent periods, governmental authorities have implemented significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including increasing
interest rates and implementation of quantitative tightening. These actions present heightened risks, particularly to fixed-income and
debt instruments, and such risks could be even further heightened if these actions are ineffective in achieving their desired outcomes.
The Federal Reserve has signaled its intention to continue raising interest rates and maintain interest rates at increased levels until
inflation decreases to the Federal Reserve’s target level. It is difficult to accurately predict the effect of these actions. Certain
economic conditions and market environments will expose fixed-income and debt instruments to heightened volatility and reduced liquidity,
which can impact the Fund’s investments and may negatively impact the Fund’s characteristics, which in turn would impact performance.
To the extent the Fund invests in derivatives tied to fixed-income or related markets, the Fund can be more substantially exposed to these
risks than if it did not invest in such derivatives. The liquidity levels of the Fund’s portfolio may also be affected and the Fund
could be required to sell holdings at disadvantageous times or prices.
Corporate Bond Risk
Corporate bonds are debt obligations issued by corporations and
other business entities. Corporate bonds may be either secured or unsecured. Collateral used for secured debt includes real property,
machinery, equipment, accounts receivable, stocks, bonds or notes. If a bond is unsecured, it is known as a debenture. Bondholders, as
creditors, have a prior legal claim over common and preferred stockholders as to both income and assets of the corporation for the principal
and interest due them and may have a prior claim over other creditors if liens or mortgages are involved. Interest on corporate bonds
may be fixed or floating, or the bonds may be zero coupons. Interest on corporate bonds is typically paid semi-annually and is fully taxable
to the bondholder. Corporate bonds contain elements of both interest-rate risk and credit risk
and are subject to the risks associated with Income Securities, among other risks. The market value of a corporate bond generally may
be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates and may also be affected by the credit rating of the corporation, the corporation’s
performance and perceptions of the corporation in the marketplace. Depending on the nature of the seniority provisions, a senior corporate
bond may be junior to other credit securities of the issuer. The market value of a corporate bond may be affected by factors
directly related to the issuer, such as investors’ perceptions of the creditworthiness of the issuer, the issuer’s financial
performance, perceptions of the issuer in the marketplace, performance of management of the issuer, the issuer’s capital structure
and use of financial leverage and demand for the issuer’s goods and services. There is a risk that the issuers of corporate bonds
may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument or at all. Corporate
bonds of below investment grade quality are often high risk and have speculative characteristics and may be particularly susceptible to
adverse issuer-specific and other developments.
Reinvestment Risk
Reinvestment risk is the risk that income from the Fund’s
portfolio will decline if the Fund invests the proceeds from matured, traded or called Income Securities at market interest rates that
are below the Fund portfolio’s current earnings rate. A decline in income could affect the Common Shares’ market price or
the overall return of the Fund. These or similar conditions may also occur in the future.
Extension Risk
Certain debt instruments, including mortgage- and other asset-backed
securities, are subject to the risk that payments on principal may occur at a slower rate or later than expected. In this event, the expected
maturity could lengthen as short or intermediate-term instruments become longer-term instruments, which would make the investment more
sensitive to changes in interest rates. The likelihood that payments on principal will occur at a slower rate or later than expected is
heightened in market environments where interest rates are rising. In addition, the Fund’s investment may sharply decrease in value
and the Fund’s income from the investment may quickly decline. These types of instruments are particularly subject to extension
risk, and offer less potential for gains, during periods of rising interest rates. In addition, the Fund may be delayed in its ability
to reinvest income or proceeds from these instruments in potentially higher yielding investments, which would adversely affect the Fund
to the extent its investments are in lower interest rate debt instruments. Thus, changes in interest rates may cause volatility in the
value of and income received from these types of debt instruments.
Prepayment Risk
Certain debt instruments, including loans and mortgage- and other
asset-backed securities, are subject to the risk that payments on principal may occur more quickly or earlier than expected (or an investment
is converted or redeemed prior to maturity). For example, an issuer may exercise its right to redeem outstanding debt securities prior
to their maturity (known as a “call”) or otherwise pay principal earlier than expected for a number of reasons (e.g.,
declining interest rates, changes in credit spreads and improvements in the issuer’s credit quality). If an issuer calls or “prepays”
a security in which the Fund has invested, the Fund may not recoup the full amount of its initial investment and may be required to reinvest
in generally lower-yielding securities, securities with greater credit risks or securities with other, less favorable features or terms
than the security in which the Fund initially invested, thus potentially reducing the Fund’s yield. Income Securities frequently
have call features that allow the issuer to repurchase the security prior to its stated maturity. Loans and mortgage- and other asset-backed
securities are particularly subject to prepayment risk, and offer less potential for gains, during periods of declining interest rates
(or narrower spreads) as issuers of higher interest rate debt instruments pay off debts earlier than expected. In addition, the Fund may
lose any premiums paid to acquire the investment. Other factors, such as excess cash flows, may also contribute to prepayment risk. Thus,
changes in interest rates may cause volatility in the value of and income received from these types of debt instruments. Variable or floating rate investments may be less vulnerable to
prepayment risk. Most floating rate loans and fixed-income securities allow for prepayment of principal without penalty. Accordingly,
the potential for the value of a floating rate loan or security to increase in response to interest rate declines is limited. Corporate
loans or fixed-income securities purchased to replace a prepaid corporate loan or security may have lower yields than the yield on the
prepaid corporate loan or security.
Liquidity Risk
The Fund may invest without limitation in Income Securities for
which there is no readily available trading market or which are unregistered, restricted or otherwise illiquid, including certain high-yield
securities. The Fund invests in privately issued securities of both public and private companies, which may be illiquid. For example,
Common Equity Securities of private companies (including when held through an Investment Fund) are usually highly illiquid, and the Fund
is usually able to sell such securities only in private transactions with another investor or group of investors, and there can be no
assurance that the Fund will be able to successfully arrange such transactions if and when it desires or that it will obtain favorable
values upon the sale. Securities of below investment grade quality tend to be less liquid than investment grade debt securities, and securities
of financial distressed or bankrupt issuers may be particularly illiquid. Loans typically are not registered with the SEC and are not
listed on any securities exchange and may at times be illiquid. Loan investments through participations and assignments are typically
illiquid. Structured finance securities are typically privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws.
As a result, investments in structured finance securities may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities; however, an active
dealer market may exist which would allow such securities to be considered liquid in some circumstances. The securities and obligations
of foreign issuers, particular issuers in emerging markets, may be more likely to experience periods of illiquidity. Derivative instruments,
particularly privately-negotiated or OTC derivatives, may be illiquid, although can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when
the Fund seeks to close out an exchange-traded derivative position. The Fund may not be able to readily dispose of illiquid securities
and obligations at prices that approximate those at which the Fund could sell such assets and obligations if they were more widely traded
and, as a result of such illiquidity, the Fund may have to sell other investments or engage in borrowing transactions if necessary to
raise cash to meet its obligations. As a result, the Fund may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to certain issuers, asset
classes or sectors. The capacity of market makers of fixed-income and other debt instruments has not kept pace with the consistent growth
in these markets over the past decades, which has led to reduced levels in the capacity of these market makers to engage in trading and,
as a result, dealer inventories of corporate fixed-income, floating rate and certain other debt instruments are at or near historic lows
relative to market size. In addition, limited liquidity could affect the market price of Income Securities, thereby adversely affecting
the Fund’s NAV and ability to make distributions. Dislocations in certain parts of markets have in the past and may in the future
result in reduced liquidity for certain investments. Liquidity of financial markets may also be affected by government intervention. Valuation of Certain Income Securities Risk
GPIM may use the fair value method to value investments if market
quotations for them are not readily available or are deemed unreliable, or if events occurring after the close of a securities market
and before the Fund values its assets would materially affect net asset value. Because the secondary markets for certain investments may
be limited, they may be particularly difficult to value. Where market quotations are not readily available, valuation may require more
research than for more liquid investments. In addition, elements of judgment may play a greater role in valuation in such cases than for
investments with a more active secondary market because there is less reliable objective data available. A security that is fair valued
may be valued at a price higher or lower than the value determined by other funds using their own fair valuation procedures. Prices obtained
by the Fund upon the sale of such securities may not equal the value at which the Fund carried the investment on its books, which would
adversely affect the net asset value of the Fund.
Duration and Maturity Risk
The Fund has no set policy regarding portfolio maturity or duration.
Holding long duration and long maturity investments will expose the Fund to certain magnified risks. These risks include interest rate
risk, credit risk and liquidity risks as discussed above. Generally speaking, the longer the duration of the Fund’s portfolio, the
more exposure the Fund will have to interest rate risk described above.
Below-Investment Grade Securities Risk
The Fund may invest in Income Securities rated below-investment
grade or, if unrated, determined by GPIM to be of comparable credit quality, which are commonly referred to as “high-yield”
or “junk” bonds. Investment in securities of below-investment grade quality involves substantial risk of loss, the risk of
which is particularly acute under adverse economic conditions. Income Securities of below-investment grade quality are predominantly speculative
with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal when due and therefore involve a greater risk of default
or decline in market value or income due to adverse economic and issuer-specific developments. Securities of below investment grade quality may involve a greater
risk of default or decline in market value or income due to adverse economic and issuer-specific developments, such as operating results
and outlook and to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions. Generally, the risks associated with high yield
securities are heightened during times of weakening economic conditions or rising interest rates (particularly for issuers that are highly
leveraged). If the Fund is unable to sell an investment at its desired time, the Fund may miss other investment opportunities while it
holds investments it would prefer to sell, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance. In addition, the liquidity of any
Fund investment may change significantly over time as a result of market, economic, trading, issuer-specific and other factors. Accordingly,
the performance of the Fund and a shareholder’s investment in the Fund may be adversely affected if an issuer is unable to pay interest
and repay principal, either on time or at all. Issuers of below investment grade securities are not perceived to be as strong financially
as those with higher credit ratings. These issuers are more vulnerable to financial setbacks and recessions and other adverse economic
developments than more creditworthy issuers, which may impair their ability to make interest and principal payments. Income Securities
of below-investment grade quality display increased price sensitivity to changing interest rates and to a deteriorating economic environment.
The market values, total return and yield for securities of below investment grade quality tend to be more volatile than the market values,
total return and yield for higher quality bonds. Securities of below investment grade quality tend to be less liquid than investment grade
debt securities and therefore more difficult to value accurately and sell at an advantageous price or time and may involve greater transactions
costs and wider bid/ask spreads, than higher-quality securities. To the extent that a secondary market does exist for certain below investment
grade securities, the market for them may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement
periods. Because of the substantial risks associated with investments in below investment grade securities, you could have an increased
risk of losing money on your investment in Common Shares, both in the short-term and the long-term. To the extent that the Fund invests
in securities that have not been rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization, the Fund’s ability to achieve
its investment objective will be more dependent on GPIM’s credit analysis than would be the case when the Fund invests in rated
securities. Successful investment in lower-medium and lower-rated debt securities
may involve greater investment risk and is highly dependent on GPIM’s credit analysis. The value of securities of below investment
grade quality is particularly vulnerable to changes in interest rates and a real or perceived economic downturn or higher interest rates
could cause a decline in prices of such securities by lessening the ability of issuers to make principal and interest payments. These
securities are often thinly traded or subject to irregular trading and can be more difficult to sell and value accurately than higher-quality
securities because there tends to be less public information available about these securities. Because objective pricing data may be less
available, judgment may play a greater role in the valuation process. In addition, the entire below investment grade market can experience
sudden and sharp price swings due to a variety of factors, including changes in economic forecasts, stock market activity, large or sustained
sales by major investors, a high-profile default, or a change in the market’s psychology. Adverse conditions could make it difficult
at times for the Fund to sell certain securities or could result in lower prices than those used in calculating
the Fund’s NAV. During periods of deteriorating economic conditions, such as recessions or periods of rising unemployment, or changing
interest rates (notably increases), high yield securities are particularly susceptible to credit and default risk as delinquencies and
losses could increase, and such increases could be sudden and significant. An economic downturn or individual corporate developments could
adversely affect the market for these investments and reduce the Fund’s ability to sell these investments at an advantageous time
or price. These types of developments could cause high yield securities to lose significant market value, including before a default occurs. Structured Finance Investments Risk
The Fund’s structured finance investments may include residential
and commercial mortgage-related and other ABS issued by governmental entities and private issuers. While traditional fixed-income securities
typically pay a fixed rate of interest until maturity, when the entire principal amount is due, these investments represent an interest
in a pool of residential or commercial real estate or assets such as automobile loans, credit card receivables or student loans that have
been securitized and provide for monthly payments of interest and principal to the holder based from the cash flow of these assets. Holders
of structured finance investments bear risks of the underlying investments, index or reference obligation and are subject to counterparty
risk. The Fund may have the right to receive payments only from the structured product, and generally does not have direct rights against
the issuer or the entity that sold the assets to be securitized. While certain structured finance investments enable the investor to acquire
interests in a pool of securities without the brokerage and other expenses associated with directly holding the same securities, investors
in structured finance investments generally pay their share of the structured product’s administrative and other expenses. Although
it is difficult to accurately predict whether the prices of indices and securities underlying structured finance investments will rise
or fall, these prices (and, therefore, the prices of structured finance investments) will be influenced by the same types of political,
economic and other events that affect issuers of securities and capital markets generally. If the issuer of a structured product uses
shorter term financing to purchase longer term securities, the issuer may be forced to sell its securities at below market prices if it
experiences difficulty in obtaining short-term financing, which may adversely affect the value of the structured finance investment owned
by the Fund.
The Fund may invest in structured finance products collateralized
by low grade or defaulted loans or securities. Investments in such structured finance products are subject to the risks associated with
below investment grade securities. Such securities are characterized by high risk. It is likely that an economic recession could severely
disrupt the market for such securities and may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities.
The Fund may invest in senior and subordinated classes issued by
structured finance vehicles. The payment of cash flows from the underlying assets to senior classes take precedence over those of subordinated
classes, and therefore subordinated classes are subject to greater risk. Furthermore, the leveraged nature of subordinated classes may
magnify the adverse impact on such class of changes in the value of the assets, changes in the distributions on the assets, defaults and
recoveries on the assets, capital gains and losses on the assets, prepayment
on assets and availability, price and interest rates of assets. Structured finance securities may be thinly traded or have a limited
trading market. Structured finance securities are typically privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities
laws. As a result, investments in structured finance securities may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities; however, an active
dealer market may exist which would allow such securities to be considered liquid in some circumstances.
Structured finance securities, such as mortgage-backed securities,
issued by non-governmental issuers are not guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. government or a government sponsored enterprise
and are typically subject to greater risk than those issued by such governmental entities. For example, privately issued mortgage-backed
securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for underlying mortgages as those issued by governmental entities and,
as a result, mortgage loans underlying such privately issued securities typically have less favorable underwriting characteristics (such
as credit risk and collateral) and a wider range in terms (such as interest rate, term and borrower characteristics).
Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk
Mortgage-Backed Securities (“MBS”) represent an interest
in a pool of mortgages. MBS are subject to certain risks, such as: credit risk associated with the performance of the underlying mortgage
properties and of the borrowers owning these properties; risks associated with their structure and execution (including the collateral,
the process by which principal and interest payments are allocated and distributed to investors and how credit losses affect the return
to investors in such MBS); risks associated with the servicer of the underlying mortgages; adverse changes in economic conditions and
circumstances, which are more likely to have an adverse impact on MBS secured by loans on certain types of commercial properties than
on those secured by loans on residential properties; prepayment and extension risks, which can lead to significant fluctuations in the
value of the MBS; loss of all or part of the premium, if any, paid; and decline in the market value of the security, whether resulting
from changes in interest rates, prepayments on the underlying mortgage collateral or perceptions of the credit risk associated with the
underlying mortgage collateral.
The value of MBS may be substantially dependent on the servicing
of the underlying pool of mortgages. In addition, the Fund’s level of investment in MBS of a particular type or in MBS issued or
guaranteed by affiliated obligors, serviced by the same servicer or backed by underlying collateral located in a specific geographic region,
may subject the Fund to additional risk.
When market interest rates decline, more mortgages are refinanced
and the securities are paid off earlier than expected. Prepayments may also occur on a scheduled basis or due to foreclosure. When market
interest rates increase, the market values of MBS decline. At the same time, however, mortgage refinancings and prepayments slow, which
lengthens the effective maturities of these securities. As a result, the negative effect of the rate increase on the market value of MBS
is usually more pronounced than it is for other types of debt securities. In addition, due to instability in the credit markets, the market for some MBS has at times experienced
reduced liquidity and greater volatility with respect to the value of such securities, making it more difficult to value such securities.
The Fund may invest in sub-prime mortgages or MBS that are backed by sub-prime mortgages or defaulted or nonperforming loans. Additional risks relating to investments in MBS may arise principally
because of the type of MBS in which the Fund invests, with such risks primarily associated with the particular assets collateralizing
the MBS and the structure of such MBS. For example, CMOs, which are MBS that are typically collateralized by mortgage loans or mortgage
pass-through securities and multi-class pass-through securities, are commonly structured as equity interests in a trust composed of mortgage
loans or other MBS. CMOs are usually issued in multiple classes, often referred to as “tranches,” with each tranche having
a specific fixed or floating coupon rate and stated maturity or final distribution date. Under the traditional CMO structure, the cash
flows generated by the mortgages or mortgage pass-through securities in the collateral pool are used to first pay interest and then pay
principal to the holders of the CMOs. Subject to the provisions of individual CMO issues, the cash flow generated by the underlying collateral
(to the extent it exceeds the amount required to pay the stated interest) is used to retire the bonds. As a result of these and other
structural characteristics of CMOs, CMOs may have complex or highly variable prepayment terms, such as companion classes, interest only
or principal only payments, inverse floaters and residuals. These investments generally entail greater market, prepayment and liquidity
risks than other MBS, and may be more volatile or less liquid than other MBS.
Moreover, the relationship between prepayments and interest rates
may give some high-yielding MBS less potential for growth in value than conventional bonds with comparable maturities. In addition, during
periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayment tends to increase. During such periods, the reinvestment of prepayment proceeds
by the Fund will generally be at lower rates than the rates that were carried by the obligations that have been prepaid. Because of these
and other reasons, MBS’s total return and maturity may be difficult to predict precisely. To the extent that the Fund purchases
MBS at a premium, prepayments (which may be made without penalty) may result in loss of the Fund’s principal investment to the extent
of premium paid.
In addition, the general effects of inflation on the U.S. economy
can be wide ranging, as evidenced by rising interest rates, wages, and costs of consumer goods and necessities. The long-term effects
of inflation on the general economy and on any individual mortgagor are unclear, and in certain cases, rising inflation may affect a mortgagor’s
ability to repay its related mortgage loan, thereby reducing the amount received by the holders of MBS with respect to such mortgage loan.
Additionally, increased rates of inflation, as are currently being experienced, may negatively affect the value of certain MBS in the
secondary market.
MBS generally are classified as either commercial mortgage-backed
securities (“CMBS”) or residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”), each of which are subject to certain specific
risks. CMBS and RMBS are also subject to risks similar to those associated with investing in real estate, which are described under “Real
Estate Risks” below. Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk In terms of total outstanding principal amount of issues, the market
for CMBS is relatively small compared to the market for RMBS. CMBS are subject to particular risks, such as those associated with lack
of standardized terms, shorter maturities than residential mortgage loans and payment of all or substantially all of the principal only
at maturity rather than regular amortization of principal. In addition, commercial lending generally is viewed as exposing the lender
to a greater risk of loss than residential lending. Commercial lending typically involves larger loans to single borrowers or groups of
related borrowers than residential mortgage loans. In addition, the repayment of loans secured by income producing properties typically
is dependent upon the successful operation of the related real estate project and the cash flow generated therefrom. Net operating income
of an income-producing property can be affected by, among other things: tenant mix, success of tenant businesses, property management
decisions, property location and condition, competition from comparable types of properties, changes in laws that increase operating expense
or limit rents that may be charged, any need to address environmental contamination at the property, the occurrence of any uninsured casualty
at the property, changes in national, regional or local economic conditions and/or specific industry segments, declines in regional or
local real estate values, declines in regional or local rental or occupancy rates, increases in interest rates, real estate tax rates
and other operating expenses, change in governmental rules, regulations and fiscal policies, including environmental legislation, acts
of God, terrorism, social unrest and civil disturbances. Consequently, adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances
are more likely to have an adverse impact on MBS secured by loans on commercial properties than on those secured by loans on residential
properties. Economic downturns, rises in unemployment, tightening lending standards and increased interest and lending rates, developments
adverse to the commercial real estate markets, and other developments that limit or reduce demand for commercial retail and office spaces
(including continued or expanded remote working arrangement) as well as increased maintenance or tenant improvement costs and costs to
convert properties for other uses would adversely impact these investments. For example, economic decline in the businesses operated by
the tenants of office or retail properties may increase the likelihood that the tenants may be unable to pay their rent or that properties
may be unable to attract or retain tenants, resulting in vacancies (potentially for extended periods). These developments could also result
from, among other things, population shifts and other demographic changes, changing tastes and preferences as well as cultural, technological
or economic and market developments. In addition, changing interest rate environments and associated changes in lending standards and
higher refinancing rates may adversely affect the commercial real estate and CMBS markets. Moreover, other types of events, domestic or
international, may affect general economic conditions and financial markets, such as pandemics, armed conflicts, energy supply or price
disruptions, natural disasters and man-made disasters, which may have a significant effect on the underlying commercial mortgage loans.
The occurrence of any of the foregoing or similar developments would likely adversely impact the default risk for the properties and loans
underlying CMBS investments and the value of, and income generated by, these investments. These developments could also result in reduced
liquidity for CMBS. Additional risks may be presented by the type and use of a particular commercial property. Special risks are presented
by hospitals, nursing homes, hospitality properties and certain other property types.
Commercial property values and net operating income are subject to volatility, which may result in net operating income becoming insufficient
to cover debt service on the related mortgage loan. The exercise of remedies and successful realization of liquidation proceeds relating
to CMBS may be highly dependent on the performance of the servicer or special servicer. There may be a limited number of special servicers
available, particularly those that do not have conflicts of interest. Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk
Credit-related risk on RMBS primarily arises from losses due to
delinquencies and defaults by the borrowers in payments on the underlying mortgage loans and breaches by originators and servicers of
their obligations under the underlying documentation pursuant to which the RMBS are issued. The rate of delinquencies and defaults on
residential mortgage loans and the aggregate amount of the resulting losses will be affected by a number of factors, including general
economic conditions, particularly those in the area where the related mortgaged property is located, the level of the borrower’s
equity in the mortgaged property and the individual financial circumstances of the borrower. If a residential mortgage loan is in default,
foreclosure on the related residential property may be a lengthy and difficult process involving significant legal and other expenses.
The net proceeds obtained by the holder on a residential mortgage loan following the foreclosure on the related property may be less than
the total amount that remains due on the loan. The prospect of incurring a loss upon the foreclosure of the related property may lead
the holder of the residential mortgage loan to restructure the residential mortgage loan or otherwise delay the foreclosure process.
Income from and values of RMBS also may be greatly affected by
demographic trends, such as population shifts or changing tastes and values, or increasing vacancies or declining rents or property values
resulting from legal, cultural, technological, global or local economic developments, as well as reduced demand for properties.
Sub-Prime Mortgage Market Risk
The residential mortgage market in the United States has at times
experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain mortgages and MBS. Delinquencies and losses
on residential mortgage loans (especially sub-prime and second-lien mortgage loans) generally have increased at times and may again increase,
and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has been experienced at times and may again be experienced in many housing markets)
may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest
rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates.
Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have at times experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Largely
due to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and MBS and increased investor yield requirements has at times caused
limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain MBS, which can adversely affect the market value of MBS. It is possible that such
limited liquidity in such secondary markets could occur again or worsen. If the economy of the United States deteriorates, the incidence of mortgage foreclosures, especially
sub-prime mortgages, may increase, which may adversely affect the value of any MBS owned by the Fund. Any increase in prevailing market interest rates, which until recently
were near historical lows and have begun to rise, may result in increased payments for borrowers who have adjustable rate mortgages. Moreover,
with respect to hybrid mortgage loans after their initial fixed rate period, interest-only products or products having a lower rate, and
with respect to mortgage loans with a negative amortization feature which reach their negative amortization cap, borrowers may experience
a substantial increase in their monthly payment even without an increase in prevailing market interest rates. Increases in payments for
borrowers may result in increased rates of delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgage loans underlying the RMBS.
The significance of the mortgage crisis and loan defaults in residential
mortgage loan sectors led to the enactment of numerous pieces of legislation relating to the mortgage and housing markets. These actions,
along with future legislation or regulation, may have significant impacts on the mortgage market generally and may result in a reduction
of available transactional opportunities for the Fund or an increase in the cost associated with such transactions and may adversely impact
the value of RMBS.
During the mortgage crisis, a number of originators and servicers
of residential and commercial mortgage loans, including some of the largest originators and servicers in the residential and commercial
mortgage loan market, experienced serious financial difficulties. These or similar difficulties may occur in the future and affect the
performance of non-agency RMBS and CMBS. There can be no assurance that originators and servicers of mortgage loans will not continue
to experience serious financial difficulties or experience such difficulties in the future, including becoming subject to bankruptcy or
insolvency proceedings, or that underwriting procedures and policies and protections against fraud will be sufficient in the future to
prevent such financial difficulties or significant levels of default or delinquency on mortgage loans.
Asset-Backed Securities Risk
ABS are a form of structured debt obligation. In addition to the
general risks associated with credit or debt securities discussed herein, ABS are subject to additional risks, and are particularly subject
to interest rate and credit risks. Compared to other fixed income investments with similar maturity and credit risk, ABS generally increase
in value to a lesser extent when interest rates decline and generally decline in value to a similar or greater extent when interest rates
rise. ABS are also subject to liquidity and valuation risk and, therefore, may be difficult to value accurately or sell at an advantageous
time or price and involve greater transaction costs and wider bid/ask spreads than certain other instruments.
While traditional fixed-income securities typically pay a fixed
rate of interest until maturity, when the entire principal amount is due, an ABS represents an interest in a pool of assets, such as automobile
loans, credit card receivables, unsecured consumer loans or student loans, that has been securitized and provides for monthly payments
of interest, at a fixed or floating rate, and principal from the cash flow of these assets. This pool of assets (and any related assets
of the issuing entity) is the only source of payment for the ABS. The ability of an ABS issuer to make payments on the ABS, and the timing
of such payments, is therefore dependent on collections on these underlying assets. The recoveries on the underlying collateral may not,
in some cases, be sufficient to support payments on these securities, or may be unavailable in the event of a default and enforcing rights
with respect to these assets or collateral may be difficult and costly, which may result in losses to investors in an ABS. Generally, obligors may prepay the underlying assets in full or
in part at any time, subjecting the Fund to prepayment risk related to the ABS it holds. While the expected repayment streams on ABS are
determined by the contractual amortization schedules for the underlying assets, an investor’s yield to maturity on an ABS is uncertain
and may be reduced by the rate and speed of prepayments of the underlying assets, which may be influenced by a variety of economic, social
and other factors. Any prepayments, repurchases, purchases or liquidations of the underlying assets could shorten the average life of
the ABS to an extent that cannot be fully predicted. Some ABS may be structured to include a period of rapid amortization triggered by
events such as a significant rise in the default rate of the underlying collateral, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level because
of credit losses on the underlying assets, a specified regulatory event or the bankruptcy of the originator. A rapid amortization event
will cause any revolving period to end earlier than expected and all collections on the underlying assets will be used to pay principal
to investors earlier than expected. In general, the senior most securities will be paid prior to any payments being made on the subordinated
securities, and if such payments are made earlier than expected, the Fund’s yield on such ABS may be negatively affected.
CLO, CDO and CBO Risk
The Fund may invest in CDOs, CBOs and CLOs. A CDO is an ABS whose
underlying collateral is typically a portfolio of other structured finance debt securities or synthetic instruments issued by another
ABS vehicle. A CBO is an ABS whose underlying collateral is a portfolio of bonds. A CLO is an ABS whose underlying collateral is a portfolio
of bank loans.
In addition to the general risks associated with credit or debt
securities discussed herein, CLOs, CDOs and CBOs are subject to additional risks due to their complex structure and highly leveraged nature.
Additionally, the Fund’s investment in CLOs, CDOs and CBOs will provide it with indirect exposure to the underlying collateral;
this indirect investment structure presents certain risks to the Fund. For example, the Fund’s interest in CLO securities may be
less liquid than the loans held by the CLO; thus, it may be more difficult for the Fund to dispose of CLO securities than it would be
for the Fund to dispose of loans if it held such loans directly. Additionally, CLOs, CDOs and CBOs normally charge management fees and
administrative expenses, which fees and expenses would be borne by the Fund.
CLOs, CDOs and CBOs are subject to risks associated with the involvement
of multiple transaction parties related to the underlying collateral and disruptions that may occur as a result of the restructuring or
insolvency of the underlying obligors, which are generally corporate obligors. Unlike a consumer obligor that is generally obligated to
make payments on the collateral backing an ABS, the obligor on the collateral backing a CLO, a CDO or a CBO may
have more effective defenses or resources to cause a delay in payment or restructure the underlying obligation. If an obligor is permitted
to restructure its obligations, distributions from collateral securities may not be adequate to make interest or other payments. The performance of CLOs, CDOs and CBOs depends primarily upon the
quality of the underlying assets and the level of credit support or enhancement in the structure and the relative priority of the interest
in the issuer of the CLO, CDO or CBO purchased by the Fund. In general, CLOs, CDOs and CBOs are actively managed by an asset manager that
is responsible for evaluating and acquiring the assets that will collateralize the CLO, CDO or CBO. The asset manager may have difficulty
in identifying assets that satisfy the eligibility criteria for the assets and may be restricted from trading the collateral. These criteria,
restrictions and requirements, while reducing the overall risk to the Fund, may limit the ability of GPIM to maximize returns on the CLOs,
CDOs and CBOs if an opportunity is identified by the collateral manager. In addition, other parties involved in CLOs, CDOs and CBOs, such
as credit enhancement providers and investors in senior obligations of the CLO, CDO or CBO may have the right to control the activities
and discretion of GPIM in a manner that is adverse to the interests of the Fund. A CLO, CDO or CBO generally includes provisions that
alter the priority of payments if performance metrics related to the underlying collateral, such as interest coverage and minimum overcollateralization,
are not met. These provisions may cause delays in payments on the securities or an increase in prepayments depending on the relative priority
of the securities owned by the Fund. The failure of a CLO, CDO or CBO to make timely payments on a particular tranche may have an adverse
effect on the liquidity and market value of such tranche.
Payments to holders of CLOs, CDOs and CBOs may be subject to deferral.
If cashflows generated by the underlying assets are insufficient to make all current and, if applicable, deferred payments on the CLOs,
CDOs and CBOs, no other assets will be available for payment of the deficiency and, following realization of the underlying assets, the
obligations of the issuer to pay such deficiency will be extinguished.
Securities issued by CLOs, CDOs and CBOs may experience substantial
losses due to defaults or sales of underlying assets at a loss (due to a decline in market value of such assets or otherwise). The value
of securities issued by CLOs, CDOs and CBOs also may decrease because of, among other developments, changes in market value; changes in
the market’s perception of the creditworthiness of the servicer of the assets, the originator of an asset in the pool, or the financial
institution or fund providing credit support or enhancement; loan performance and prices; broader market sentiment, including expectations
regarding future loan defaults, liquidity conditions and supply and demand for structured products.
Investments in CLOs, CDOs and CBOs will expose the Fund to financial
leverage and, thus expose the Fund to the risks associated with financial leverage (such as higher risk of volatility and magnified financial
losses). Risks Associated with Risk-Linked Securities RLS are a form of derivative issued by insurance companies and
insurance-related special purpose vehicles that apply securitization techniques to catastrophic property and casualty damages. Unlike
other insurable low-severity, high-probability events (such as auto collision coverage), the insurance risk of which can be diversified
by writing large numbers of similar policies, the holders of a typical RLS are exposed to the risks from high-severity, low-probability
events such as that posed by major earthquakes or hurricanes. RLS represent a method of reinsurance, by which insurance companies transfer
their own portfolio risk to other reinsurance companies and, in the case of RLS, to the capital markets. A typical RLS provides for income
and return of capital similar to other fixed-income investments, but involves full or partial default (or loss) if losses resulting from
a certain catastrophe exceeded a predetermined amount. In essence, investors invest funds in RLS and if a catastrophe occurs that “triggers”
the RLS, investors may lose some or all of the capital invested. In the case of an event, the funds are paid to the bond sponsor—an
insurer, reinsurer or corporation—to cover losses. In return, the bond sponsors pay interest to investors for this catastrophe protection.
RLS can be structured to pay-off on three types of variables—insurance-industry catastrophe loss indices, insure-specific catastrophe
losses and parametric indices based on the physical characteristics of catastrophic events. Such variables are difficult to predict or
model, and the risk and potential return profiles of RLS may be difficult to assess. No active trading market may exist for certain RLS,
which may impair the ability of the Fund to realize full value in the event of the need to liquidate such assets. CLO Subordinated Notes Risk
The Fund may invest in any portion of the capital structure of
CLOs (including the subordinated, residual and deep mezzanine debt tranches). The most senior tranches have the lowest yield but the lowest
level of risk relative to other tranches, as they are senior in priority to the more junior tranches with respect to payments made by
the CLO. Conversely, the most subordinated tranches have the highest potential yield relative to other tranches but also the highest level
of risk relative to the other tranches, as they are the lowest in the priority of payments. Thus, losses on underlying assets are borne
first by the holders of the most subordinate tranche, followed by the second-most subordinate tranche, and so forth. In addition, the
subordinated tranche does not receive ratings and is subject to certain payment restrictions. As a result, the subordinated tranche bears
the bulk of defaults from the loans in the CLO. In addition, the subordinated tranche generally has only limited voting rights and generally
does not benefit from any creditors’ rights or ability to exercise remedies under the indenture governing the CLO notes. Certain
mezzanine tranches in which the Fund may invest may also be subject to certain risks similar to risks associated with investment in the
subordinated tranche.
The subordinated tranche is unsecured and ranks behind all of the
secured creditors, known or unknown, of the CLO issuer, including the holders of the secured notes it has issued. Consequently, to the
extent that the value of the issuer’s portfolio of loan investments has been reduced as a result of conditions in the credit markets,
defaulted loans, capital gains and losses on the underlying assets, prepayment or changes in interest rates, the value of the subordinated
tranche realized at redemption could be reduced. If a CLO breaches certain tests set forth in the CLO’s indenture, excess cash flow that would otherwise be available for distribution
to the subordinated tranche investors is diverted to prepay CLO debt investors in order of seniority until such time as the covenant breach
is cured. If the covenant breach is not or cannot be cured, the subordinated tranche investors (and potentially other investors in lower
priority rated tranches) may experience a partial or total loss of their investment. Accordingly, the subordinated tranche may not be
paid in full and may be more vulnerable to loss, including up to 100% loss. At the time of issuance, the subordinated tranche of a CLO
is typically under-collateralized in that the liabilities of a CLO at inception exceed its total assets. The leveraged nature of subordinated notes may magnify the adverse
impact on the subordinated notes of changes in the market value of the investments held by the issuer, changes in the distributions on
those investments, defaults and recoveries on those investments, capital gains and losses on those investments, prepayments on those investments
and availability, prices and interest rates of those investments.
Subordinated notes are not guaranteed by another party. There can
be no assurance that distributions on the assets held by the CLO will be sufficient to make any distributions or that the yield on the
subordinated notes will meet the Fund’s expectations. Investments in the subordinated tranche of a CLO are generally less liquid
than CLO debt tranches and subject to extensive transfer restrictions, and there may be no market for subordinated notes. Therefore, the
Fund may be required to hold subordinated notes for an indefinite period of time or until their stated maturity. Certain mezzanine tranches
in which the Fund may invest may also be subject to certain risks similar to risks associated with investment in the subordinated tranche.
Risks Associated with Structured Notes
Investments in structured notes involve risks associated with the
issuer of the note and the reference instrument. Where the Fund’s investments in structured notes are based upon the movement of
one or more factors, including currency exchange rates, interest rates, referenced bonds and stock indices, depending on the factor used
and the use of multipliers or deflators, changes in interest rates and movement of the factor may cause significant price fluctuations.
Additionally, changes in the reference instrument or security may cause the interest rate on the structured note to be reduced to zero,
and any further changes in the reference instrument may then reduce the principal amount payable on maturity. Structured notes may be
less liquid than other types of securities and more volatile than the reference instrument or security underlying the note.
Senior Loans Risk
The Fund may invest in senior secured floating rate Loans made
to corporations and other nongovernmental entities and issuers (“Senior Loans”). Senior Loans typically hold the most senior
position in the capital structure of the issuing entity, are typically secured with specific collateral and typically have a claim on
the assets of the borrower, including stock owned by the borrower in its subsidiaries, that is senior to that held by junior lien creditors,
subordinated debt holders and stockholders of the borrower. The Fund’s investments in Senior Loans are typically below investment
grade and are considered speculative because of the credit risk of the applicable issuer. There is less readily-available, reliable information about most
Senior Loans than is the case for many other types of securities. In addition, there is rarely a minimum rating or other independent evaluation
of a borrower or its securities, and GPIM relies primarily on its own evaluation of a borrower’s credit quality rather than on any
available independent sources. As a result, the Fund is particularly dependent on the analytical abilities of GPIM with respect to investments
in Senior Loans. GPIM’s judgment about the credit quality of a borrower may be wrong. The risks associated with Senior Loans of below-investment grade
quality are similar to the risks of other lower grade Income Securities, although Senior Loans are typically senior in payment priority
and secured on a senior priority basis, in contrast to subordinated and unsecured Income Securities.
Senior Loans’ higher priority has historically resulted in
generally higher recoveries in the event of a corporate reorganization. In addition, because their interest payments are typically adjusted
for changes in short-term interest rates, investments in Senior Loans generally have less interest rate risk than certain other lower
grade Income Securities, which may have fixed interest rates. The Fund’s investments in Senior Loans are typically below-investment
grade and are considered speculative because of the credit risk of their issuers. Such companies are more likely to default on their payments
of interest and principal owed to the Fund, and such defaults could reduce the Fund’s NAV and income distributions. Further, transactions
in Senior Loans typically settle on a delayed basis and may take longer than seven days to settle. As a result, the Fund may receive the
proceeds from a sale of a Senior Loan on a delayed basis which may affect the Fund’s ability to repay debt, to pay dividends, to
pay expenses, or to take advantage of new investment opportunities. An economic downturn generally leads to a higher non-payment rate,
and a Senior Loan may lose significant value before a default occurs. Moreover, any specific collateral used to secure a Senior Loan may
decline in value or become illiquid, which would adversely affect the Senior Loan’s value.
Economic and other events (whether real or perceived) can reduce
the demand for certain Senior Loans or Senior Loans generally, which may reduce market prices of the Senior Loans and cause the Fund’s
NAV per share to fall or otherwise adversely impact the Fund’s investments in Senior Loans. The frequency and magnitude of such
changes cannot be predicted.
Loans and other debt instruments are also subject to the risk of
price declines due to increases in prevailing interest rates, although floating-rate debt instruments are substantially less exposed to
this risk than fixed-rate debt instruments. Interest rate changes may also increase prepayments of debt obligations and require the Fund
to invest assets at lower yields. During periods of deteriorating economic conditions, such as recessions or periods of rising unemployment,
or changing interest rates (notably increases), delinquencies and losses generally increase, sometimes dramatically, with respect to obligations
under such loans. An economic downturn or individual corporate developments could adversely affect the market for these instruments and
reduce the Fund’s ability to sell these instruments at an advantageous time or price. An economic downturn would generally lead
to a higher non-payment rate and, a Senior Loan may lose significant market value before a default occurs. No active trading market may exist for certain Senior Loans, which
may impair the ability of the Fund to realize full value in the event of the need to liquidate such assets and normally make it more difficult
to value Senior Loans (particularly those that are illiquid). Adverse market conditions may impair the liquidity of some actively traded
Senior Loans, meaning that the Fund may not be able to sell them quickly at a desirable price. To the extent that a secondary market does
exist for certain Senior Loans, the market may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement
periods. Although the Senior Loans in which the Fund will invest generally
will be secured by specific collateral, there can be no assurance that liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the borrower’s
obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In the
event of the bankruptcy of a borrower, the Fund could experience delays or limitations with respect to its ability to realize the benefits
of the collateral securing a Senior Loan. If the terms of a Senior Loan do not require the borrower to pledge additional collateral in
the event of a decline in the value of the already pledged collateral, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the value of the collateral
will not at all times equal or exceed the amount of the borrower’s obligations under the Senior Loans. To the extent that a Senior
Loan is collateralized by stock in the borrower or its subsidiaries, such stock may lose all of its value in the event of the bankruptcy
of the borrower. Such Senior Loans involve a greater risk of loss or illiquidity. Some Senior Loans are subject to the risk that a court,
pursuant to fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws, could subordinate or otherwise adversely affect the priority of the Senior Loans
to presently existing or future indebtedness of the borrower or could take other action detrimental to lenders, including the Fund. Such
court action could under certain circumstances include invalidation of Senior Loans.
Senior Loans are subject to legislative risk. If legislation or
state or federal regulations impose additional requirements or restrictions on the ability of financial institutions to make loans, the
availability of Senior Loans for investment by the Fund may be adversely affected. In addition, such requirements or restrictions could
reduce or eliminate sources of financing for certain borrowers. This could increase the risk of default. If legislation or federal or
state regulations require financial institutions to increase their capital requirements in order to make or hold certain debt investments,
this may cause financial institutions to dispose of Senior Loans that are considered highly levered transactions. Such sales could result
in prices that, in the opinion of the Adviser, do not represent fair value. If the Fund attempts to sell a Senior Loan at a time when
a financial institution is engaging in such a sale, the price the Fund could receive for the Senior Loan may be adversely affected.
The Fund’s investments in Senior Loans may be subject to
lender liability risk. Lender liability refers to a variety of legal theories generally founded on the premise that a lender has violated
a duty of good faith, commercial reasonableness and fair dealing or a similar duty owed to the borrower or has assumed an excessive degree
of control over the borrower resulting in the creation of a fiduciary duty owed to the borrower or its other creditors or shareholders.
Because of the nature of its investments, the Fund may be subject to allegations of lender liability. In addition, under common law principles
that in some cases form the basis for lender liability claims, a court may elect to subordinate the claim of an offending lender or bondholder (or
group of offending lenders or bondholders) to the claims of a disadvantaged creditor (or group of creditors). Economic exposure to Senior Loans through the use of derivatives
transactions may involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the Senior Loan interest directly during a primary distribution
or through assignments or participations in a loan acquired in secondary markets since, in addition to the risks described above, derivatives
transactions to gain exposure to Senior Loans may be subject to leverage risk and greater illiquidity risk, counterparty risk, valuation
risk and other risks associated with derivatives discussed herein.
Second Lien Loans Risk
The Fund may invest in “second lien” secured floating
rate Loans made by public and private corporations and other non-governmental entities and issuers for a variety of purposes (“Second
Lien Loans”). Second Lien Loans are typically second in right of payment and/or second in right of priority with respect to collateral
remedies to one or more Senior Loans of the related borrower. Second Lien Loans are subject to the same risks associated with investment
in Senior Loans and other lower grade Income Securities. However, Second Lien Loans are second in right of payment and/or second in right
of priority with respect to collateral remedies to Senior Loans and therefore are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of
the borrower and/or the value of any property securing the Loan may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments or otherwise be available
to repay the Loan after giving effect to payments in respect of a Senior Loan, including payments made with the proceeds of any property
securing the Loan and any senior secured obligations of the borrower. Second Lien Loans are expected to have greater price volatility
and exposure to losses upon default than Senior Loans and may be less liquid. There is also a possibility that originators will not be
able to sell participations in Second Lien Loans, which would create greater credit risk exposure.
Subordinated Secured Loans Risk
Subordinated secured Loans generally are subject to similar risks
as those associated with investment in Senior Loans, Second Lien Loans and below investment grade securities. However, such loans may
rank lower in right of payment than any outstanding Senior Loans, Second Lien Loans or other debt instruments with higher priority of
the borrower and therefore are subject to additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and any property securing the loan may be
insufficient to meet scheduled payments and repayment of principal in the event of default or bankruptcy after giving effect to the higher
ranking secured obligations of the borrower. Subordinated secured Loans are expected to have greater price volatility than Senior Loans
and Second Lien Loans and may be less liquid.
Unsecured Loans Risk
Unsecured Loans generally are subject to similar risks as those
associated with investment in Senior Loans, Second Lien Loans, subordinated secured Loans and below investment grade securities. However,
because unsecured Loans have lower priority in right of payment to any higher ranking obligations of the borrower and are not backed by
a security interest in any specific collateral, they are subject to additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower
and available assets may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments and repayment of principal after giving effect to any higher ranking
obligations of the borrower. Unsecured Loans are expected to have greater price volatility than Senior Loans, Second Lien Loans and subordinated
secured Loans and may be less liquid. Loans and Loan Participations and Assignments Risk
The Fund may invest in loans directly or through participations
or assignments. The Fund may purchase Loans on a direct assignment basis from a participant in the original syndicate of lenders or from
subsequent assignees of such interests. The Fund may also purchase, without limitation, participations in Loans. The purchaser of an assignment
typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations of the assigning institution and becomes a lender under the credit agreement with
respect to the debt obligation; however, the purchaser’s rights can be more restricted than those of the assigning institution,
and, in any event, the Fund may not be able to unilaterally enforce all rights and remedies under the loan and with regard to any associated
collateral. A participation typically results in a contractual relationship only with the institution participating out the interest,
not with the borrower. In purchasing participations, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with
the terms of the loan agreement against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from the collateral supporting the debt obligation
in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, the Fund will be exposed to the credit risk of both the borrower and the institution
selling the participation. Further, in purchasing participations in lending syndicates, the Fund may not be able to conduct the same due
diligence on the borrower with respect to a Loan that the Fund would otherwise conduct. In addition, as a holder of the participations,
the Fund may not have voting rights or inspection rights that the Fund would otherwise have if it were investing directly in the Loan,
which may result in the Fund being exposed to greater credit or fraud risk with respect to the borrower or the Loan. Lenders selling a
participation and other persons interpositioned between the lender and the Fund with respect to a participation will likely conduct their
principal business activities in the banking, finance and financial services industries. Because the Fund may invest in participations,
the Fund may be more susceptible to economic, political or regulatory occurrences affecting such industries.
Loans are especially vulnerable to the financial health, or perceived
financial health, of the borrower but are also particularly susceptible to economic and market sentiment such that changes in these conditions
or the occurrence of other economic or market events may reduce the demand for loans, increase the risks associated with such investments
and cause their value to decline rapidly and unpredictably. Many loans and loan interests are subject to legal or contractual restrictions
on transfer, resale or assignment that may limit the ability of the Fund to sell its interest in a loan at an advantageous time or price.
The resale, or secondary, market for loans is currently growing, but may become more limited or more difficult to access, and such changes
may be sudden and unpredictable. Transactions in loans are often subject to long settlement periods (in excess of the standard T+2 days
settlement cycle for most securities and often longer than seven days). As a result, sale proceeds potentially will not be available to
the Fund to make additional investments or to use proceeds to meet its current obligations. The Fund thus is subject to the risk of selling
other investments at disadvantageous times or prices or taking other
actions necessary to raise cash to meet its obligations such as borrowing from a bank or holding additional cash, particularly during
periods of unusual market or economic conditions or financial stress. The Fund invests in or is exposed to loans and other similar debt
obligations that are sometimes referred to as “covenant-lite” loans or obligations (“covenant-lite obligations”),
which are loans or other similar debt obligations that lack financial maintenance covenants or possess fewer or contingent financial maintenance
covenants and other financial protections for lenders and investors. Exposure may also be obtained to covenant-lite obligations through
investment in securitization vehicles and other structured products. Covenant-lite obligations may carry more risk than traditional loans
as they allow borrowers to engage in activities that would otherwise be difficult or impossible under a traditional loan agreement. The
Fund may have fewer rights with respect to covenant-lite obligations, including fewer protections against the possibility of default and
fewer remedies in the event of default as the lender may not have the opportunity to negotiate with the borrower prior to default. As
a result, investments in (or exposure to) covenant-lite obligations are subject to more risk than investments in (or exposure to) certain
other types of obligations.
In certain circumstances, the Adviser or its affiliates (including
on behalf of clients other than the Fund) or the Fund may be in possession of material non-public information about a borrower as a result
of its ownership of a loan and/or corporate debt security of a borrower. Because U.S. laws and regulations generally prohibit trading
in securities of issuers while in possession of material, nonpublic information, the Fund might be unable (potentially for a substantial
period of time) to trade securities or other instruments issued by the borrower when it would otherwise be advantageous to do so and,
as such, could incur a loss. In circumstances when the Adviser, GPIM or the Fund determines to avoid or to not receive non-public information
about a borrower for loan investments being considered for acquisition by the Fund or held by the Fund, the Fund may be disadvantaged
relative to other investors that do receive such information, and the Fund may not be able to take advantage of other investment opportunities
that it may otherwise have. The Adviser or its affiliates may participate in the primary and secondary market for loans or other transactions
with possible borrowers. As a result, the Fund may be legally restricted from acquiring some loans and from participating in a restructuring
of a loan or other similar instrument. Further, if the Fund, in combination with other accounts managed by the Adviser or its affiliates,
acquires a large portion of a loan, the Fund’s valuation of its interests in the loan and the Fund’s ability to dispose of
the loan at favorable times or prices may be adversely affected.
The Fund is subject to other risks associated with investments
in (or exposure to) loans and other similar obligations, including that such loans or obligations may not be considered “securities”
and, as a result, the Fund may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections under the federal securities laws and instead may
have to resort to state law and direct claims.
Unfunded Commitments Risk
Certain of the loan participations or assignments acquired by the
Fund may involve unfunded commitments of the lenders, revolving credit facilities, delayed draw credit facilities or other investments under which a borrower may from time to time borrow
and repay amounts up to the maximum amount of the facility. In such cases, the Fund would have an obligation to advance its portion of
such additional borrowings upon the terms specified in the loan documentation. Such an obligation may have the effect of requiring the
Fund to increase its investment in a company at a time when it might not be desirable to do so (including at a time when the company’s
financial condition makes it unlikely that such amounts will be repaid). These commitments are generally subject to the borrowers meeting
certain criteria such as compliance with covenants and certain operational metrics. The terms of the borrowings and financings subject
to commitment are comparable to the terms of other loans and related investments in the Fund’s portfolio. Mezzanine Investments Risk
The Fund may invest in certain lower grade securities known as
“Mezzanine Investments,” which are subordinated debt securities that are generally issued in private placements in connection
with an equity security (e.g., with attached warrants) or may be convertible into equity securities. Mezzanine Investments are subject
to the same risks associated with investment in Senior Loans, Second Lien Loans and other lower grade Income Securities. However, Mezzanine
Investments may rank lower in right of payment than any outstanding Senior Loans and Second Lien Loans of the borrower, or may be unsecured
(i.e., not backed by a security interest in any specific collateral), and are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the
borrower and available assets may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to any higher ranking obligations of
the borrower. Mezzanine Investments are expected to have greater price volatility and exposure to losses upon default than Senior Loans
and Second Lien Loans and may be less liquid.
Distressed and Defaulted Securities Risk
Investments in the securities of financially distressed issuers
involve substantial risks. These securities may present a substantial risk of default or may be in default at the time of investment.
The Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of principal or interest
on its portfolio holdings. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a portfolio company, the Fund may lose its entire
investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than its original investment. Among the risks inherent in
investments in a troubled entity is the fact that it frequently may be difficult to obtain information as to the true financial condition
of such issuer. GPIM’s judgment about the credit quality of the issuer and the relative value and liquidity of its securities may
prove to be wrong.
Convertible Securities Risk
Convertible securities, debt or preferred equity securities convertible
into, or exchangeable for, equity securities, are generally preferred stocks and other securities, including fixed-income securities and
warrants that are convertible into or exercisable for common stock. Convertible securities generally participate in the appreciation or
depreciation of the underlying stock into which they are convertible, but to a lesser degree and are subject to the risks associated with
debt and equity securities, including interest rate, market and issuer risks. For example, if market interest rates rise, the value of
a convertible security usually falls. Certain convertible securities may combine higher or lower current income with options and other features. Warrants
are options to buy a stated number of shares of common stock at a specified price anytime during the life of the warrants (generally,
two or more years). Convertible securities may be lower-rated securities subject to greater levels of credit risk. A convertible security
may be converted before it would otherwise be most appropriate, which may have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to achieve
its investment objective. “Synthetic” convertible securities have economic characteristics
similar to those of a traditional convertible security due to the combination of separate securities that possess the two principal characteristics
of a traditional convertible security, i.e., an income-producing security (“income-producing component”) and the right to
acquire an equity security (“convertible component”). The income-producing component is achieved by investing in non-convertible,
income-producing securities such as bonds, preferred stocks and money market instruments, which may be represented by derivative instruments.
The convertible component is achieved by investing in securities
or instruments such as warrants or options to buy common stock at a certain exercise price, or options on a stock index. A simple example
of a synthetic convertible security is the combination of a traditional corporate bond with a warrant to purchase equity securities of
the issuer of the bond. The income-producing and convertible components of a synthetic convertible security may be issued separately by
different issuers and at different times.
Preferred Securities/Preferred Stock Risk
The Fund may invest in preferred stock, which represents the senior
residual interest in the assets of an issuer after meeting all claims, with priority to corporate income and liquidation payments over
the issuer’s common stock, to the extent proceeds are available after paying any more senior creditors. As such, preferred stock
is inherently riskier than the bonds and other debt instruments of the issuer, but less risky than its common stock. Preferred stocks
may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred stock is subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity
securities. Certain preferred stocks contain provisions that allow an issuer under certain conditions to skip (in the case of “non-cumulative”
preferred stocks) or defer (in the case of “cumulative” preferred stocks) dividend payments. Preferred stocks often contain
provisions that allow for redemption in the event of certain tax or legal changes or at the issuer’s call. Preferred stocks typically
do not provide any voting rights, except in cases when dividends are in arrears beyond a certain time period. There is no assurance that
dividends on preferred stocks in which the Fund invests will be declared or otherwise made payable. If the Fund owns preferred stock that
is deferring its distributions, the Fund may be required to report income for U.S. federal income tax purposes while it is not receiving
cash payments corresponding to such income. When interest rates fall below the rate payable on an issue of preferred stock or for other
reasons, the issuer may redeem the preferred stock, generally after an initial period of call protection in which the stock is not redeemable.
Preferred stocks may be significantly less liquid than many other securities, such as U.S. government securities, corporate debt and common
stock. Preferred stock has properties of both an equity and a debt instrument and is generally considered a hybrid instrument. Foreign Securities Risk The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in non-U.S. dollar-denominated
Income Securities of foreign issuers. Investing in foreign issuers may involve certain risks not typically associated with investing in
securities of U.S. issuers due to increased exposure to foreign economic, political (including geopolitical) and legal developments, including
favorable or unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates, exchange control regulations (including currency blockage), expropriation
or nationalization of assets, imposition of withholding taxes on payments, and possible difficulty in obtaining and enforcing judgments
against foreign entities. Furthermore, issuers of foreign securities and obligations are subject to different, often less comprehensive,
accounting, reporting and disclosure requirements than domestic issuers, and may be subject to less extensive and transparent accounting,
auditing, recordkeeping, financial reporting and other requirements which limit the quality and availability of financial information.
The securities and obligations of some foreign companies and foreign markets are less liquid and at times more volatile than comparable
U.S. securities, obligations and markets. In addition, such investments are subject to other adverse diplomatic investments, which may
include the imposition of economic or trade sanctions or other measures by the U.S. or other governments and supranational organizations
or changes in trade policies. These risks may be more pronounced to the extent that the Fund invests a significant amount of its assets
in companies located in one region and to the extent that the Fund invests in securities of issuers in emerging markets. The Fund may
also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated Income Securities of foreign issuers, which are subject to many of the risks described above regarding
Income Securities of foreign issuers denominated in foreign currencies. These risks are heightened under adverse economic, market, geopolitical
and other conditions. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve certain
considerations and risks not ordinarily associated with investments in securities of domestic issuers. Investments in foreign securities
are generally denominated in foreign currency. As a result, changes in the value of those currencies compared to the U.S. dollar may affect
(positively or negatively) the value of the Fund’s investments. In addition, fluctuations in currency exchange fees and restrictions
on costs associated with the exchange of currencies may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments. The values of foreign
currencies may be affected by changes in the exchange rates between particular foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar or by unfavorable
currency regulations imposed by foreign governments. If the Fund invests in securities issued by foreign issuers, the Fund may be subject
to these risks even if the investment is denominated in U.S. dollars. Foreign companies are not generally subject to uniform accounting,
auditing and financial standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. Foreign securities exchanges, brokers
and listed companies may be subject to less government supervision and regulation that exists in the United States.
Dividend and interest income may be subject to withholding and
other foreign taxes, which may adversely affect the net return on such investments. There may be difficulty in obtaining or enforcing
a court judgment abroad. The governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investments in
their capital markets or in certain industries. In addition, it may be difficult to effect repatriation of capital invested in certain
countries. With respect to certain countries, there are risks of expropriation, confiscatory taxation,
political or social instability or diplomatic developments that could affect assets of the Fund held in foreign countries. Economic sanctions or other similar measures may be, and have been,
imposed against certain countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals. Economic sanctions and other similar governmental
actions or developments could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate the Fund’s ability to purchase or sell certain
foreign securities or groups of foreign securities, and thus may make the Fund’s investments in such securities less liquid or more
difficult to value. In addition, as a result of economic sanctions and other similar governmental actions or developments, the Fund may
be forced to sell or otherwise dispose of foreign investments at inopportune times or prices. The type and severity of sanctions and other
similar measures, including counter sanctions and other retaliatory actions, such as those that have been impacted against Russia and
other countries and that may further be imposed could vary broadly in scope, and their impact is difficult to accurately predict. For
example, the imposition of sanctions and other similar measures likely would, among other things, cause a decline in the value and/or
liquidity of securities issued by the sanctioned country or companies located in or economically tied to the sanctioned country and increase
market volatility and disruption in the sanctioned country and throughout the world. Sanctions and other similar measures could significantly
delay or prevent the settlement of securities transactions or their valuation, and significantly impact the Fund’s liquidity and
performance. Sanctions and other similar measures may be in place for a substantial period of time and enacted with limited advanced notice.
There may be less publicly available information about a foreign
company than a U.S. company. Foreign securities markets may have substantially less volume than U.S. securities markets and some foreign
company securities are less liquid than securities of otherwise comparable U.S. companies. Foreign markets may be more volatile than U.S.
markets and offer less protection to investors. Foreign markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures that could cause
the Fund to encounter difficulties in purchasing and selling securities on such markets and may result in the Fund missing attractive
investment opportunities or experiencing a loss. In addition, a portfolio that includes foreign securities can expect to have a higher
expense ratio because of the increased transaction costs on non-U.S. securities markets and the increased costs of maintaining the custody
of foreign securities. Similar foreign investment risks may apply to futures contracts and other derivative instruments in which the Fund
invests that trade on foreign exchanges. The value of derivative and other instruments denominated in or that pay revenues in foreign
currencies may fluctuate based on changes in the value of those currencies relative to the U.S. dollar, and a decline in applicable foreign
exchange rates could reduce the value of such instruments held by the Fund. Foreign settlement procedures also may involve additional
risks.
American depositary receipts (“ADRs”) are receipts
issued by United States banks or trust companies in respect of securities of foreign issuers held on deposit for use in the United States
securities markets. While ADRs may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the securities into which they may be converted,
many of the risks associated with foreign securities may also apply to ADRs. In addition, the underlying issuers of certain depositary
receipts, particularly unsponsored or unregistered depositary receipts, are under no obligation
to distribute shareholder communications to the holders of such receipts, or to pass through to them any voting rights with respect to
the deposited securities. Emerging Markets Risk
The Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in Income Securities
the issuers of which are located in countries considered to be emerging markets, and investments in such securities are considered speculative.
Investing in securities in emerging countries generally entails greater risks than investing in securities in developed countries. Securities
issued by governments or issuers in emerging market countries are more likely to have greater exposure to the risks of investing in foreign
securities. These risks are elevated at times based on adverse conditions, including macroeconomic, geopolitical and global health conditions,
and these risks include: (i) less social, political and economic stability and potentially more volatile currency exchange rates; (ii)
the small size of the markets for such securities, limited access to investments in the event of market closures (including due to local
holidays), and the low or nonexistent volume of trading, which result in a lack of liquidity, in greater price volatility, and/or a higher
risk of failed trades or other trading issues; (iii) national policies (including sanctions programs) which may restrict the Fund’s
investment opportunities, including restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests, and trade
barriers; (iv) foreign taxation; (v) the absence of developed legal systems, including structures governing private or foreign investment
or allowing for judicial redress (such as limits on rights and remedies available to the Fund) for investment losses and injury to private
property; (vi) lower levels of government regulation, which could lead to market manipulation, and less extensive and transparent accounting,
auditing, recordkeeping, financial reporting and other requirements which limit the quality and availability of financial information;
(vii) high rates of inflation for prolonged periods and rapid interest rate changes; (viii) dependence on a few key trading partners and
sensitivity to adverse political (including geopolitical) or social events affecting the global economy and the region where an emerging
market is located compared to developed market securities; and (ix) particular sensitivity to global economic conditions, including adverse
effects stemming from recessions, depressions, or other economic crises, or armed conflicts and other hostilities, or reliance on international
or other forms of aid, including trade, taxation and development policies. Furthermore, foreign investors may be required to register
the proceeds of sales and future economic or political crises could lead to price controls, forced mergers, expropriation or confiscatory
taxation, seizure, nationalization or creation of government monopolies. The currencies of emerging market countries may experience significant
declines against the U.S. dollar, and devaluation may occur subsequent to investments in these currencies by the Fund. Inflation and rapid
fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain
emerging market countries. Sovereign debt of emerging countries may be in default or present a greater risk of default, the risk of which
is heightened in market environments where interest rates are changing, notably when rates are rising. These risks are heightened for
investments in frontier markets. GPIM has broad discretion to identify countries that it considers
to qualify as “emerging markets.” In determining whether a country is an emerging market, GPIM may take into account specific
or general factors that GPIM deems to be relevant, including interest rates, inflation rates, exchange rates, monetary and fiscal policies,
trade and current account balances and/or legal, social and political developments, as well as whether the country is considered to be
emerging or developing by supranational organizations such as the World Bank, the United Nations or other similar entities. Emerging market
countries generally will include countries with low gross national product per capita and the potential for rapid economic growth and
are likely to be located in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Eastern and Central Europe and Central and South America. In addition, the
impact of the economic and public health situation in emerging market countries may be greater due to their generally less established
healthcare systems and capabilities with respect to fiscal and monetary policies, which may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social
and economic risks. Foreign Currency Risk
The value of securities denominated or quoted in foreign currencies
may be adversely affected by fluctuations in the relative currency exchange rates and by exchange control regulations. The Fund’s
investment performance may be negatively affected by a devaluation of a currency in which the Fund’s investments are denominated
or quoted. Further, the Fund’s investment performance may be significantly affected, either positively or negatively, by currency
exchange rates because the U.S. dollar value of securities denominated or quoted in another currency will increase or decrease in response
to changes in the value of such currency in relation to the U.S. dollar. Finally, the Fund’s distributions are paid in U.S. dollars,
and to the extent the Fund’s assets are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, there is a risk that the value of
any distribution from such assets may decrease if the currency in which such assets or distributions are denominated falls in relation
to the value of the U.S. dollar. The Fund currently intends to seek to hedge its exposures to foreign currencies but may, at the discretion
of GPIM, at any time limit or eliminate foreign currency hedging activity. To the extent the Fund does not hedge (or is unsuccessful in
seeking to hedge) its foreign currency risk, the value of the Fund’s assets and income could be adversely affected by currency exchange
rate movements.
Sovereign Debt Risk
Investments in sovereign debt securities, such as foreign government
debt or foreign treasury bills, involve special risks, including the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment
is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the government debtor’s policy towards the International
Monetary Fund or international lenders, the political constraints to which the debtor may be subject and other political, social and other
local, regional and global considerations. Periods of economic and political uncertainty may result in the illiquidity and increased price
volatility of sovereign debt securities held by the Fund. The governmental authority that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may
be unwilling or unable to repay the principal and/or interest when due in accordance with the terms of such securities due to the extent
of its foreign reserves. If an issuer of sovereign debt defaults on payments of principal and/or interest, the Fund may have limited or
no legal recourse against the issuer and/or guarantor. In certain cases, remedies must be pursued in the courts of the defaulting party
itself. For example, there may be no bankruptcy or similar proceedings through which all or part of the sovereign debt that a governmental
entity has not repaid may be collected. There can be no assurance that the holders of commercial bank loans to the same sovereign entity
may not contest payments to the holders of sovereign debt in the event of default under commercial bank loan agreements. Certain issuers of sovereign debt may be dependent on disbursements
from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others abroad to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. Such disbursements
may be conditioned upon a debtor’s implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such
debtor’s obligations. A failure on the part of the debtor to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic performance
or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties’ commitments to lend funds to the debtor,
which may impair the debtor’s ability to service its debts on a timely basis. Foreign investment in certain sovereign debt is restricted
or controlled to varying degrees, including requiring governmental approval for the repatriation of income, capital or proceeds of sales
by foreign investors. These restrictions or controls may at times limit or preclude foreign investment in certain sovereign debt and increase
the costs and expenses of the Fund.
As a holder of sovereign debt, the Fund may be requested to participate
in the restructuring of such sovereign indebtedness, including the rescheduling of payments and the extension of further loans to debtors,
which may adversely affect the Fund. There can be no assurance that such restructuring will result in the repayment of all or part of
the debt. Sovereign debt risk is greater for issuers in emerging markets than issuers in developed countries and certain emerging market
countries have at times declared moratoria on the payment of principal and interest on external debt. Certain emerging market countries
have at times experienced difficulty in servicing their sovereign debt on a timely basis, which has led to defaults and the restructuring
of certain indebtedness.
The Fund may also invest in securities or other obligations issued
or backed by supranational organizations, which are international organizations that are designated or supported by government entities
or banking institutions typically to promote economic reconstruction or development. These obligations are subject to the risk that the
government(s) on whose support the organization depends may be unable or unwilling to provide the necessary support. With respect to both
sovereign and supranational obligations, the Fund may have little recourse against the foreign government or supranational organization
that issues or backs the obligation in the event of default. These obligations may be denominated in foreign currencies and the prices
of these obligations may be more volatile than corporate debt obligations.
Common Equity Securities Risk
The Fund may invest up to 50% of its total assets in Common Equity
Securities. An adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report or other corporate development, may depress the value of a particular
common stock held by the Fund. Also, the prices of equity securities are sensitive to general movements in the stock market, so a drop
in the stock market may depress the prices of equity securities to which the Fund has exposure. Common Equity Securities’ prices
fluctuate for a number of reasons, including changes in investors’ perceptions
of the financial condition of an issuer, the general condition of the relevant stock market and the economy overall, and broader domestic
and international political and economic events. The prices of Common Equity Securities may also decline due to factors which affect a
particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production and other costs and competitive conditions within an
industry. The value of a particular common stock held by the Fund may decline for a number of other reasons which directly relate to the
issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage, the issuer’s historical and prospective earnings, the value of its assets
and reduced demand for its goods and services. In addition, common stock prices may be particularly sensitive to rising interest rates,
as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase. At times, stock markets can be volatile and stock prices can change substantially
and suddenly. While broad market measures of Common Equity Securities have historically generated higher average returns than most Income
Securities, Common Equity Securities have also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns. Common Equity Securities in
which the Fund may invest are structurally subordinated to preferred stock, bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital
structure in terms of priority to corporate income and are therefore inherently riskier than preferred stock or debt instruments of such
issuers. Dividends on Common Equity Securities which the Fund may hold are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the issuer’s
board of directors. There is no guarantee that the issuers of the Common Equity Securities in which the Fund invests will declare dividends
in the future or that, if declared, they will remain at current levels or increase over time. Equity securities have experienced heightened
volatility over recent periods and, therefore, the Fund’s investments in equity securities are subject to heightened risks related
to volatility and would likely also be subject to such risks in adverse market, economic, geopolitical and public health conditions in
the future. Risks Associated with the Fund’s Covered Call Option Strategy
and Put Options
The ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective is
partially dependent on the successful implementation of its covered call option strategy. There are significant differences between the
securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to
achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a
well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.
The Fund may write call options on individual securities, securities
indices, exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and baskets of securities. The buyer of an option acquires the right, but not the
obligation, to buy (a call option) or sell (a put option) a certain quantity of a security (the underlying security) or instrument, including
a futures contract or swap, at a certain price up to a specified point in time or on expiration, depending on the terms. The seller or
writer of an option is obligated to sell (a call option) or buy (a put option) the underlying instrument upon exercise of the option.
A call option is “covered” if the Fund owns the security or instrument underlying the call or has an absolute right to acquire
the security or instrument without additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, cash or assets determined
to be liquid by GPIM in such amount are designated or earmarked on the Fund’s books and records). A call option is also covered
if the Fund holds a call on the same security as the call written where the
exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise
price of the call written, provided the difference is maintained by the Fund in designated assets determined to be liquid by GPIM as described
above. As a seller of covered call options, the Fund faces the risk that it will forgo the opportunity to profit from increases in the
market value of the security or instrument covering the call option during an option’s life. As the Fund writes covered calls over
more of its portfolio, its ability to benefit from capital appreciation becomes more limited. For certain types of options, the writer
of the option will have no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation under the option. There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist if and
when the Fund seeks to close out an option position. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing
purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying security or instrument at the
exercise price.
The Fund may purchase and write exchange-listed and OTC options.
Options written by the Fund with respect to non-U.S. securities, indices or sectors and other instruments generally will be OTC options.
OTC options differ from exchange-listed options in several respects. They are transacted directly with the dealers and not with a clearing
corporation, and therefore entail the risk of nonperformance by the dealer. OTC options are available for a greater variety of securities
and for a wider range of expiration dates and exercise prices than are available for exchange-traded options. Because OTC options are
not traded on an exchange, pricing is done normally by reference to information from a market maker. OTC options are subject to heightened
counterparty, credit, liquidity and valuation risks. The Fund’s ability to terminate OTC options is more limited than with exchange-traded
options and may involve the risk that broker-dealers participating in such transactions will not fulfill their obligations. The hours
of trading for options may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. The Fund’s options transactions
will be subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities on which such options
are traded.
The Fund may also purchase put options and write covered put options.
As a seller of put options, the Fund bears the risk of loss if the value of the underlying security or instrument declines below the exercise
price minus the put premium. If the option is exercised, the Fund could incur a loss if it is required to purchase the security or instrument
underlying the put option at a price greater than the market price of the security or instrument at the time of exercise plus the put
premium the Fund received when it wrote the option. The Fund’s potential gain in writing a put option is limited to distributions
earned on the liquid assets securing the put option plus the premium received from the purchaser of the put option; however, the Fund
risks a loss equal to the entire exercise price of the option minus the put premium.
Risks of Real Property Asset Companies
The Fund may invest in Income Securities and Common Equity Securities
issued by Real Property Asset Companies. Real
Estate Risks. Because
of the Fund’s ability to make indirect investments in real estate and in the securities of companies in the real estate industry,
it is subject to risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate and the real estate market generally, such as the possible
decline in the value of (or income generated by) the real estate, variations in rental income, fluctuations in occupancy levels and demand
for properties or real estate-related services, and changes in the availability or terms of mortgages and other financing that may render
the sale or refinancing of properties difficult or unattractive. Real estate values or income generated by real estate may be affected
by many additional factors and risks, including, but not limited to: losses from casualty or condemnation; changes in national, state
and local economic conditions (such as the turmoil experienced during 2007 through 2009 in the residential and commercial real estate
market) and real estate market conditions (such as an oversupply of real estate for rent or sale or vacancies, potentially for extended
periods); changes in real estate values and rental income, rising interest rates (which could result in higher costs of capital); changes
in building, environmental, zoning and other regulations and related costs; possible environmental liabilities; regulatory limitations
on rents; increased property taxes and operating expenses; the attractiveness, type and location of the property; reduced demand for commercial
and office space as well as increased maintenance or tenant improvement or other costs to convert properties for other uses; default risk
and credit quality of tenants and borrowers, the financial condition of tenants, buyers and sellers, and the inability to re-lease space
on attractive terms or to obtain mortgage financing on a timely basis at all; overbuilding and intense competition, including for real
estate and related services and technology; construction delays and the supply of real estate generally; extended vacancies of properties
due to economic conditions and tenant bankruptcies; and catastrophic events (such as public health emergencies, earthquakes, hurricanes
and terrorist acts) and other public crises and relief responses thereto. Investments in real estate companies and companies related to
the real estate industry are also subject to risks associated with the management skill, insurance coverage and credit worthiness of the
issuer. Real estate companies tend to have micro-, small- or mid-capitalization, making their securities more volatile and less liquid
than those of companies with larger-capitalizations, and may be subject to heightened cash flow sensitivity. In addition, the real estate
industry has historically been cyclical and particularly sensitive to economic downturns and other events that limit demand for real estate,
which would adversely impact the value of real estate investments. Real estate income and values and the real estate market also may
be greatly affected by demographic trends, such as population shifts or changing tastes, preferences (such as remote work arrangements)
and values, or increasing vacancies or declining rents or property values resulting from legal, cultural, technological, global or local
economic developments, as well as reduced demand for properties. If the Fund’s real estate-related investments are concentrated
in one geographic area or in one property type, the Fund will be particularly subject to the risks associated with that area or property
type or related real estate conditions. Similarly, real estate industry companies whose underlying properties are concentrated in a particular
industry or geographic region are also particularly subject to risks affecting such industries and regions or related real estate conditions. The value or price of real estate company securities may drop because
of, among other adverse events, defaults by tenants and the failure of borrowers to repay their loans and the inability to obtain financing
either on favorable terms or at all. Changing interest rates and credit quality requirements will also affect real estate companies, including
their cash flow and their ability to meet capital needs. If real estate properties do not generate sufficient income to meet operating
expenses, including, where applicable, debt service, ground lease payments, tenant improvements, third-party leasing commissions and other
capital expenditures, the income and ability (or perceived ability) of a real estate company to make payments of interest and principal
on their loans will be adversely affected, which, as a result, may adversely affect the Fund. Many real estate companies, and companies
operating in the real estate industry, utilize leverage, which increases investment risk and could adversely affect a company’s
operations and market value in periods of rising interest rates. Natural Resources and Commodities Risks
Because of the Fund’s ability to make indirect investments
in natural resources and physical commodities, and in Real Property Asset Companies engaged in oil and gas exploration and production,
gold and other precious metals, steel and iron ore production, energy services, forest products, chemicals, coal, alternative energy sources
and environmental services, as well as related transportation companies and equipment manufacturers, the Fund is subject to risks associated
with special risks, which include (among others):
Supply and Demand Risk
A decrease in the production of a physical commodity or a decrease
in the volume of such commodity available for transportation, mining, processing, storage or distribution may adversely impact the financial
performance of an energy, natural resources, basic materials or an associated company that devotes a portion of its business to that commodity.
Production declines and volume decreases could be caused by various factors, including catastrophic events affecting production, depletion
of resources, labor difficulties, environmental proceedings, increased regulations, equipment failures and unexpected maintenance problems,
import supply disruption, governmental expropriation, political upheaval or conflicts, supply chain disruptions or increased competition
from alternative energy sources or commodity prices. Alternatively, a sustained decline in demand for such commodities could also adversely
affect the financial performance of energy, natural resources, basic materials or associated companies. Factors that could lead to a decline
in demand include economic recession or other adverse economic conditions, higher taxes on commodities or increased governmental regulations,
increases in fuel economy, consumer shifts to the use of alternative commodities or fuel sources, changes in commodity prices, or weather.
Depletion and Exploration Risk
Many energy, natural resources, basic materials and associated
companies are engaged in the production of one or more physical commodities or are engaged in transporting, storing, distributing and
processing these items on behalf of shippers. To maintain or grow their revenues, these companies or their customers need to maintain
or expand their reserves through exploration of new sources of supply, through the development of existing sources, through acquisitions
or through long-term contracts to acquire reserves. The financial
performance of energy, natural resources, basic materials and associated companies may be adversely affected if they, or the companies
to whom they provide the service, are unable to cost-effectively acquire additional reserves sufficient to replace the natural decline. Operational and Geological Risk
Energy, natural resources, basic materials companies and associated
companies are subject to specific operational and geological risks in addition to normal business and management risks. Some examples
of operational risks include mine rock falls, underground explosions and pit wall failures. Geological risk would include faulting of
the ore body and misinterpretation of geotechnical data.
Regulatory Risk
Energy, natural resources, basic materials and associated companies
are subject to significant federal, state and local government regulation in virtually every aspect of their operations, including how
facilities are constructed, maintained and operated, environmental and safety controls, and the prices they may charge for the products
and services they provide. Various governmental authorities have the power to enforce compliance with these regulations and the permits
issued under them, and violators are subject to administrative, civil and criminal penalties, including civil fines, injunctions or both.
Stricter laws, regulations or enforcement policies could be enacted in the future which would likely increase compliance costs and may
adversely affect the operations and financial performance of energy, natural resources and basic materials companies.
Commodity Pricing Risk
The operations and financial performance of energy, natural resources
and basic materials companies may be directly affected by commodity prices, especially those energy, natural resources, basic materials
and associated companies that own the underlying commodity. Commodity prices fluctuate for several reasons, including changes in market
and economic conditions, the impact of weather on demand, levels of domestic production and imported commodities, energy conservation,
domestic and foreign governmental regulation and taxation, the availability of local, intrastate and interstate transportation systems,
governmental expropriation and political upheaval and conflicts. Volatility of commodity prices, which may lead to a reduction in production
or supply, may also negatively impact the performance of energy, natural resources, basic materials and associated companies that are
solely involved in the transportation, processing, storing, distribution or marketing of commodities. Volatility of commodity prices may
also make it more difficult for energy, natural resources, basic materials and associated companies to raise capital to the extent the
market perceives that their performance may be directly or indirectly tied to commodity prices.
Precious Metals Pricing Risk
The Fund may invest in companies that have a material exposure
to precious metals, such as gold, silver and platinum and precious metals related instruments and securities. The price of precious metals
can fluctuate widely and is affected by numerous factors, including: global or regional political, economic or financial events and situations;
investors’ expectations with respect to the future rates of inflation and movements in world equity, financial
and property markets; global supply and demand for specific precious metals, which is influenced by such factors as mine production and
net forward selling activities by precious metals producers, central bank purchases and sales, jewelry demand and the supply of recycled
jewelry, net investment demand and industrial demand, net of recycling; interest rates and currency exchange rates, particularly the strength
of and confidence in the U.S. dollar; and investment and trading activities of hedge funds, commodity funds and other speculators. The
Fund does not intend to hold physical precious metals. Risks of Personal Property Asset Companies
The Fund may invest in Income Securities and Common Equity Securities
issued by Personal Property Asset Companies. Personal (as opposed to real) property includes any tangible, movable property or asset.
The Fund seeks to invest in Income Securities and Common Equity Securities of Personal Property Asset Companies that are associated with
personal property assets with investment performance that is not highly correlated with traditional market indexes, such as special situation
transportation assets (e.g., railcars, airplanes and ships) and collectibles (e.g., antiques, wine and fine art).
Special Situation Transportation Assets Risks
The risks of special situation transportation assets include (among
others): Cyclicality
of Supply and Demand for Transportation Assets Risk. The
transportation asset leasing and sales industry has periodically experienced cycles of oversupply and undersupply of railcars, aircraft
and ships. The oversupply of a specific type of transportation asset in the market is likely to depress the values of that type of transportation
asset. The supply and demand of transportation assets is affected by various cyclical factors, including: (i) passenger and cargo demand;
(ii) commercial demand for certain types of transportation assets, (iii) fuel costs and general economic conditions affecting lessees’
operations; (iv) government regulation, including operating restrictions; (v) interest rates; (vi) the availability of credit; (vii) manufacturer
production level; (viii) retirement and obsolescence of certain classes of transportation assets; (ix) re-introduction into service of
transportation assets previously in storage; and (x) traffic control infrastructure constraints. Risk
of Decline in Value of Transportation Assets and Rental Values. In
addition to factors linked to the railway, aviation and shipping industries, other factors that may affect the value of transportation
assets, and thus of the Personal Property Asset Companies in which the Fund invests, include (among others): (i) manufacturers merging
or exiting the industry or ceasing to produce specific types of transportation asset; (ii) the particular maintenance and operating history
of the transportation assets; (iii) the number of operators using that type of transportation asset; (iv) whether the railcar, aircraft
or ship is subject to a lease; (v) any regulatory and legal requirements that must be satisfied before the transportation asset can be
operated, sold or re-leased, (vi) compatibility of parts and layout of the transportation asset among operators of particular asset;
and (vii) any renegotiation of a lease on less favorable terms. Technological
Risks. The
availability for sale or lease of new, technologically advanced transportation assets and the imposition of stringent noise, emissions
or environmental regulations may make certain types of transportation assets less desirable in the marketplace and therefore may adversely
affect the owners’ ability to lease or sell such transportation assets. Consequently, the owner will have to lease or sell many
of the transportation assets close to the end of their useful economic life. The owners’ ability to manage these technological risks
by modifying or selling transportation assets will likely be limited. Risks
Relating to Leases of Transportation Assets. Owner/lessors
of transportation assets will typically require lessees of assets to maintain customary and appropriate insurance. There can be no assurance
that the lessees’ insurance will cover all types of claims that may be asserted against the owner, which could adversely affect
the value of the Fund’s investment in the Personal Property Asset Company owning such transportation asset. Personal Property Asset
Companies are subject to credit risk of the lessees’ ability to the provisions of the lease of the transportation asset and supply
chain disruptions. The Personal Property Asset Company needs to release or sell transportation assets as the current leases expire in
order to continue to generate revenues. The ability to re-lease or sell transportation assets depends on general market and competitive
conditions. Some of the competitors of the Personal Property Asset Company may have greater access to financial resources and may have
greater operational flexibility. If the Personal Property Asset Company is not able to release a transportation asset, it may need to
attempt to sell the aircraft to provide funds for its investors, including the Fund. Collectible Assets Risks The risks of collectible assets include (among others): Valuation
of Collectible Assets Risk. The
market for collectible assets as a financial investment is developing. Collectible assets are typically bought and sold through auction
houses, and estimates of prices of collectible assets at auction are imprecise. Accordingly, collectible assets are difficult to value. Liquidity
of Collectible Assets Risk. There
are relatively few auction houses in comparison to brokers and dealers of traditional financial assets. The ability to sell collectible
assets is dependent on the demand for particular classes of collectible assets, which demand has been volatile and erratic in the past.
There is no assurance that collectible assets can be sold within a particular timeframe or at the price at which such collectible assets
are valued, which may impair the ability of the Fund to realize full value of Personal Property Asset Companies in the event of the need
to liquidate such assets. Authenticity
of Collectible Assets Risk. The
value of collectible assets often depends on its rarity or scarcity, or of its attribution as the product of a particular artisan. Collectible
Assets are subject to forgery and to the inabilities to assess the authenticity of the collectible asset, which may significantly impair
the value of the collectible asset. High
Transaction and Related Costs Risk. Collectible
assets are typically bought and sold through auction houses, which typically charge commissions to the purchaser and to the seller which
may exceed 20% of the sale price of the collectible asset. In addition,
holding collectible assets entails storage and insurance costs, which may be substantial. Private Securities Risk
The Fund may invest directly or indirectly in privately issued
securities (Income Securities and Common Equity Securities) of both public and private companies. Private Securities have additional risk
considerations relative to investments in comparable public investments. Whenever the Fund invests in companies that do not publicly report
financial and other material information, it assumes a greater degree of investment risk and reliance upon GPIM’s ability to obtain
and evaluate applicable information concerning such companies’ creditworthiness and other investment considerations, which information
cannot be independently verified. The Fund also depends on the expertise, skill and network of business contacts of GPIM to evaluate,
negotiate, structure, execute and monitor the Private Securities. Private Securities are often illiquid. Because there is often no readily
available trading market for Private Securities, the Fund will not be able to readily dispose of such investments at prices that approximate
those at which the Fund could sell them if they were more widely traded. Subscriptions to purchase Private Securities are typically subject
to restrictions or delays. Private Securities are also more difficult to value. Valuation will require more research, and elements of
judgment will play a greater role in the valuation of Private Securities as compared to public securities because there is less reliable
objective data available.
In addition to the risks discussed above, investments in Common
Equity Securities of private issuers (often called private equity investments) are subject to certain risks (whether made directly or
through Investment Funds), including: Limited
Operating History. Private
equity investments may have limited operating histories, and the information GPIM will obtain about such investments may be limited and,
in many cases, cannot be independently verified. As such, GPIM’s ability to evaluate past performance of a private equity investment
or to validate its investment strategies will be limited. Moreover, even to the extent a private equity investment has a longer operating
history, its past performance should not be construed as an indication of the future results of the private equity investment or the Fund,
particularly as the investment professionals responsible for the performance of the private equity investment may change over time. Concentration
and Non-Diversification Risk. Investment
Funds that have exposure to private equity investments, such as private equity funds in which the Fund can invest, may at certain times
hold large positions in a relatively limited number of investments. In addition, private equity funds may target or concentrate their
investments in particular markets, sectors or industries. Those funds that concentrate in a specific industry or target a specific sector
will also be subject to the risks of that industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, rapid obsolescence of technology,
sensitivity to regulatory changes, minimal barriers to entry and sensitivity to overall market swings. Some of these Investment Funds
may hold a single asset and thus are subject to even higher risks. As a result, the net asset values of such funds may be subject to greater volatility than those of investment companies
that are subject to diversification requirements, which may negatively impact the value of the Common Shares. Liquidity
Risk. The
securities held by private equity funds are often illiquid, and subscriptions to purchase these securities are typically subject to restrictions
or delays. There is no regular market for interests in many private equity funds or portfolio companies, which typically must be sold
in privately negotiated transactions subject to high conflicts, valuation and liquidity risks. Any such sales would likely require the
consent of the manager of the applicable private equity fund or the board of the portfolio company and could occur at a material discount
to the stated net asset value. If GPIM determines to cause the Fund to sell its interest in a private equity investment, the Fund may
be unable to sell such interest quickly, if at all, and could therefore be obligated to continue to hold such interest for an extended
period of time, or to accept a materially lower price. Valuation
Risk. A
large percentage of private equity investments will not have a readily determinable market value and may be reported at an estimate of
fair value determined by private equity fund managers or the co-investment sponsor that are subject to conflicts (when held through an
Investment Fund). In this regard, a private equity fund manager or a co-investment sponsor may face a conflict of interest in valuing
the securities, as their value may affect the compensation of the manager or sponsor or the manager’s or sponsor’s ability
to raise additional funds in the future. As a result, valuations of the securities may be subjective and could subsequently prove to have
been inaccurate, potentially by significant amounts. Private Securities that are debt securities generally are of below-investment
grade quality, frequently are unrated and present many of the same risks as investing in below-investment grade public debt securities.
Investing in private debt instruments is a highly specialized investment practice that depends more heavily on independent credit analysis
than investments in other types of obligations. Risks Associated with Private Company Investments
Private companies are generally not subject to SEC reporting requirements,
are not required to maintain their accounting records in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and are not required
to maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting. As a result, GPIM may not have timely or accurate information about
the business, financial condition and results of operations of the private companies in which the Fund invests. There is risk that the
Fund will invest on the basis of incomplete or inaccurate information, which will adversely affect the Fund’s investment performance.
Some Private companies in which the Fund invests have limited financial resources, shorter operating histories, more asset concentration
risk, narrower product lines and smaller market shares than larger businesses, which tend to render such private companies more vulnerable
to competitors’ actions and market conditions, as well as general economic downturns. In addition, the management of private companies
may depend on one or two key individuals, and the loss of the services of any such individual may adversely affect the performance of
the private company. These companies generally have less predictable operating results,
may from time to time be parties to litigation, may be engaged in rapidly changing businesses with products subject to a substantial risk
of obsolescence, and may require substantial additional capital to support their operations, finance expansion or maintain their competitive
position. These companies may have difficulty accessing the capital markets to meet future capital needs, which may limit their ability
to grow or to repay their outstanding indebtedness upon maturity. In addition, the Fund’s investment also may be structured as pay-in-kind
securities with minimal or no cash interest or dividends until the company meets certain growth and liquidity objectives. Typically, investments in private companies are in restricted securities
that are not traded in public markets and subject to substantial holding periods, so that the Fund may not be able to resell some of its
holdings for extended periods, which may be several years. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to realize the value of
private company investments in a timely manner, and these investments are subject to heightened valuation risks.
Late-Stage Private Companies Risk
Investments in late-stage private companies involve greater risks
than investments in shares of companies that have traded publicly on an exchange for extended periods of time. These investments may present
significant opportunities for capital appreciation but involve a high degree of risk that may result in significant decreases in the value
of these investments. The Fund may not be able to sell such investments when GPIM deems it appropriate to do so because they are not publicly
traded. As such, these investments are generally considered to be illiquid until a company’s public offering (which may never occur)
and are often subject to additional contractual restrictions on resale following any public offering that may prevent the Fund from selling
its shares of these companies for a period of time. Market conditions, developments within a company, investor perception or regulatory
decisions or other factors may adversely affect a late-stage private company and delay or prevent such a company from ultimately offering
its securities to the public. If a company issues shares in an IPO, IPOs are risky and volatile and may cause the value of the Fund’s
investment to decrease significantly.
Investment Funds Risk
As an alternative to holding investments directly, the Fund may
also obtain investment exposure to Income Securities and Common Equity Securities by investing up to 30% of its total assets in Investment
Funds. These investments include open-end funds, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds and business development companies as well as
other pooled investment vehicles. Investment Funds may include those advised by the Adviser and/or its affiliates. Investments in Investment
Funds present certain special considerations and risks not present in making direct investments in Income Securities and Common Equity
Securities, and in addition to these risks, investments in Investment Funds subject the Fund to the risks affecting such Investment Funds
and involve operating expenses and fees that are in addition to the expenses and fees borne by the Fund. Such expenses and fees attributable
to the Fund’s investment in another Investment Fund are borne indirectly by Common Shareholders. Accordingly, investment in such
entities involves expenses and fees at both levels. Fees and expenses borne by other Investment
Funds in which the Fund invests may be similar to the fees and expenses borne by the Fund and can include asset-based management fees
and administrative fees payable to such entities’ advisers and managers as well as other expenses borne by such entities, thus resulting
in fees and expenses at both levels. To the extent management fees of Investment Funds are based on total gross assets, it may create
an incentive for such entities’ managers to employ Financial Leverage, thereby adding additional expense and increasing volatility
and risk (including the Fund’s overall exposure to leverage risk). Fees payable to advisers and managers of Investment Funds may
include performance-based incentive fees calculated as a percentage of profits. Such incentive fees directly reduce the return that otherwise
would have been earned by investors over the applicable period. A performance-based fee arrangement may create incentives for an adviser
or manager to take greater investment risks in the hope of earning a higher profit participation. Investments in Investment Funds frequently expose the Fund to an
additional layer of Financial Leverage and, thus, increase the Fund’s exposure to leverage risk and costs. From time to time, the
Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in Investment Funds that employ leverage. The use of leverage by Investment Funds
may cause the Investments Funds’ market price of common shares and/or NAV to be more volatile and can magnify the effect of any
losses. From time to time, the Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in Investment Funds that employ leverage.
Investments in Investment Funds expose the Fund to additional management
risk. The success of the Fund’s investments in Investment Funds will depend in large part on the investment skills and implementation
abilities of the advisers or managers of such entities. Decisions made by the advisers or managers of such entities may cause the Fund
to incur losses or to miss profit opportunities. While GPIM will seek to evaluate managers of Investment Funds and where possible independently
evaluate the underlying assets, a substantial degree of reliance on such entities’ managers is nevertheless present with such investments.
The Fund may invest in Investment Funds in excess of statutory
limits imposed by the 1940 Act in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act. These investments would be subject to the applicable conditions
of Rule 12d1-4, which in part could affect or otherwise impose certain limits on the investments and operations of the underlying Investment
Fund (notably such fund’s ability to invest in other investment companies and private funds, which include certain structured finance
vehicles). It is uncertain what effect the conditions of Rule 12d1-4 will have on the Fund’s investment strategies and operations
or those of the Investment Funds in which the Fund may invest.
If the Fund invests in Investment Funds, the Fund’s realized
losses on sales of shares of an underlying Investment Fund may be indefinitely or permanently deferred as “wash sales.” Distributions
of short-term capital gains by an underlying Investment Fund will be recognized as ordinary income by the Fund and would not be offset
by the Fund’s capital loss carryforwards, if any. Capital loss carryforwards of an underlying Investment Fund, if any, would not
offset net capital gain of the Fund or of another underlying Investment Fund. When the Fund invests in private investment funds, such investments
pose additional risks to the Fund, in addition to those risks described above with respect to all Investment Funds. Certain private investment
funds involve capital call provisions under which an investor is obligated to make additional investments at specified levels even if
it would otherwise choose not to. Investments in private investment funds may have very limited liquidity. Often there will be no secondary
market for such investments and the ability to redeem or otherwise withdraw from a private investment fund may be prohibited during the
term of the private investment fund or, if permitted, may be infrequent. Certain private investment funds are subject to “lock-up”
periods of a year or more. The valuation of investments in private investment funds are often subject to high conflicts and valuation
risks. Investors in private investment funds are also often exposed to increased leverage risk. Synthetic Investments Risk
As an alternative to holding investments directly, the Fund may
also obtain investment exposure to Income Securities and Common Equity Securities through the use of customized derivative instruments
(including swaps, options, forwards, notional principal contracts or other financial instruments) to seek to replicate, modify or replace
the economic attributes associated with an investment in Income Securities and Common Equity Securities (including interests in Investment
Funds). The Fund may be exposed to certain additional risks to the extent GPIM uses derivatives as a means to synthetically implement
the Fund’s investment strategies. If the Fund enters into a derivative instrument whereby it agrees to receive the return of a security
or financial instrument or a basket of securities or financial instruments, it will typically contract to receive such returns for a predetermined
period of time. During such period, the Fund may not have the ability to increase or decrease its exposure. In addition, such customized
derivative instruments will likely be highly illiquid, and it is possible that the Fund will not be able to terminate such derivative
instruments prior to their expiration date or that the penalties associated with such a termination might impact the Fund’s performance
in a material adverse manner. Furthermore, certain derivative instruments contain provisions giving the counterparty the right to terminate
the contract upon the occurrence of certain events. Such events may include a decline in the value of the reference securities and material
violations of the terms of the contract or the portfolio guidelines as well as other events determined by the counterparty. If a termination
were to occur, the Fund’s return could be adversely affected as it would lose the benefit of the indirect exposure to the reference
securities and it may incur significant termination expenses.
In the event the Fund seeks to participate in Investment Funds
(including Private Investment Funds) through the use of such synthetic derivative instruments, the Fund will not acquire any voting interests
or other shareholder rights that would be acquired with a direct investment in the underlying Investment Fund. Accordingly, the Fund will
not participate in matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders. In addition, the Fund may not receive all of the information and reports
to shareholders that the Fund would receive with a direct investment in such Investment Fund.
Further, the Fund will pay the counterparty to any such customized
derivative instrument structuring fees and ongoing transaction fees, which will reduce the investment performance of the Fund. Finally, certain tax aspects of such customized derivative instruments
are uncertain and a Common Shareholder’s return could be adversely affected by an adverse tax ruling. Inflation/Deflation Risk
Inflation risk is the risk that the intrinsic value of assets or
income from investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the purchasing power and value of money. As inflation
increases, the real value of the Common Shares and distributions can decline. Inflation rates may change frequently and significantly
as a result of various factors, including unexpected shifts in the domestic or global economy and changes in monetary or economic policies
(or expectations that these policies may change), and the Fund’s investments may not keep pace with inflation, which would adversely
affect the Fund. The market price of debt instruments generally falls as inflation increases because the purchasing power of the future
income and repaid principal is expected to be worth less when received by the Fund. The risk of inflation is greater for debt instruments
with longer maturities and especially those that pay a fixed rather than variable interest rate. Inflation has reached historically high
levels in recent periods, and the Federal Reserve has increased interest rates significantly to seek to reduce it. In addition, during
any periods of rising inflation, the dividend rates or borrowing costs associated with the Fund’s use of Financial Leverage would
likely increase, which would tend to further reduce returns to Common Shareholders. Deflation risk is the risk that prices throughout
the economy decline over time-the opposite of inflation. Deflation may have an adverse effect on the creditworthiness of issuers and may
make issuer default more likely, which may result in a decline in the value of the Fund’s portfolio.
Market Discount Risk
The Common Shares have traded both at a premium and at a discount
in relation to net asset value. The Fund cannot predict whether the Common Shares will trade at a premium or discount to net asset value
and the market price for the Common Shares will change based on a variety of factors. The Common Shares have recently traded at a premium
to net asset value per share, which may not be sustainable. If the Common Shares are trading at a premium to net asset value at the time
you purchase Common Shares, the net asset value per share of the Common Shares purchased will be less than the purchase price paid. Shares
of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount from net asset value, but in some cases have traded above net asset
value. The risk of the Common Shares trading at a discount is a risk separate from the risk of a decline in the Fund’s net asset
value as a result of the Fund’s investment activities. The Fund’s net asset value will be reduced immediately following an
offering of the Common Shares due to the costs of such offering, which will be borne entirely by the Fund. The sale of Common Shares by
the Fund (or the perception that such sales may occur) may have an adverse effect on prices of Common Shares in the secondary market.
An increase in the number of Common Shares available may put downward pressure on the market price for Common Shares. The Fund may, from
time to time, seek the consent of Common Shareholders to permit the issuance and sale by the Fund of Common Shares at a price below the
Fund’s then-current net asset value, subject to certain conditions, and such sales of Common Shares at price below net asset value,
if any, may increase downward pressure on the market price for Common Shares. These sales, if any, also might make it more difficult
for the Fund to sell additional Common Shares in the future at a time and price it deems appropriate. Whether a Common Shareholder will realize a gain or loss upon the
sale of Common Shares depends upon whether the market value of the Common Shares at the time of sale is above or below the price the Common
Shareholder paid, taking into account transaction costs for the Common Shares, and is not directly dependent upon the Fund’s net
asset value. Because the market value of the Common Shares will be determined by factors such as net asset value, dividend and distribution
levels (which are dependent, in part, on expenses), supply of and demand for Common Shares, stability of dividends or distributions, trading
volume of Common Shares, general market and economic conditions and other factors beyond the Fund’s control, the Fund cannot predict
whether the Common Shares will trade at, below or above net asset value, or at, below or above the public offering price for the Common
Shares. Common Shares are designed primarily for long-term investors; investors in Common Shares should not view the Fund as a vehicle
for trading purposes.
Dilution Risk
The voting power of current Common Shareholders will be diluted
to the extent that current Common Shareholders do not purchase Common Shares in any future offerings of Common Shares or do not purchase
sufficient Common Shares to maintain their percentage interest. If the Fund is unable to invest the proceeds of such offering as intended
or if investments made with these proceeds perform poorly, the Fund’s per Common Share distribution may decrease and the Fund may
not participate in market advances to the same extent as if such proceeds were fully invested as planned. If the Fund sells Common Shares
at a price below net asset value pursuant to the consent of Common Shareholders, shareholders will experience a dilution of the aggregate
net asset value per Common Share because the sale price will be less than the Fund’s then-current net asset value per Common Share.
Similarly, were the expenses of the offering to exceed the amount by which the sale price exceeded the Fund’s then-current net asset
value per Common Share, shareholders would experience a dilution of the aggregate net asset value per Common Share. This dilution will
be experienced by all shareholders, irrespective of whether they purchase Common Shares in any such offering.
Financial Leverage and Leveraged Transactions Risk
Although the use of Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions
by the Fund may create an opportunity for increased after-tax total return for the Common Shares, it also results in additional risks
and can magnify the effect of any losses. If the income and gains earned on securities purchased with Financial Leverage and leveraged
transactions proceeds are greater than the cost of Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions, the Fund’s return will be greater
than if Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions had not been used. Conversely, if the income or gains from the securities purchased
with such proceeds does not cover the cost of Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions, the return to the Fund will be less than
if Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions had not been used. There can be no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be implemented
or that it will be successful during any period during which it is employed. Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions are a speculative
techniques that exposes the Fund to greater risk and increased costs than if they were not implemented. Increases and decreases in the
value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions. As a result, Financial
Leverage and leveraged transactions may cause greater changes in the Fund’s NAV and returns than if Financial Leverage and leveraged
transactions had not been used. The Fund will also have to pay interest on its indebtedness, if any, which may reduce the Fund’s
return. This interest expense may be greater than the Fund’s return on the underlying investment, which would negatively affect
the performance of the Fund. Financial Leverage and the use of leveraged transactions involve
risks and special considerations for shareholders, including the likelihood of greater volatility of NAV and market price of and dividends
on the Common Shares than a comparable portfolio without leverage; the risk that fluctuations in interest rates on indebtedness or in
the dividend rate on any preferred shares that the Fund must pay will reduce the return to the Common Shareholders; and the effect of
Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions in a declining market, which is likely to cause a greater decline in the NAV of the Common
Shares than if the Fund were not leveraged, which may result in a greater decline in the market price of the Common Shares.
Because the fees received by the Adviser are based on the Managed
Assets of the Fund (including the proceeds of any Financial Leverage), the Adviser has a financial incentive for the Fund to utilize Financial
Leverage, which may create a conflict of interest between the Adviser and the Common Shareholders. Common Shareholders bear the portion
of the investment advisory fee attributable to the assets purchased with the proceeds of Financial Leverage, which means that Common Shareholders
effectively bear the entire advisory fee.
Indebtedness may subject the Fund to covenants in credit agreements
relating to asset coverage and portfolio composition requirements. Indebtedness by the Fund also may subject the Fund to certain restrictions
on investments imposed by guidelines of one or more rating agencies, which may issue ratings for such indebtedness. Such guidelines may
impose asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed by the 1940 Act. It is not anticipated
that these covenants or guidelines will impede the Adviser or GPIM from managing the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s
investment objective and policies.
The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with the
same parties with whom it may enter into repurchase agreements (as described below). Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund would
sell securities or other assets and agree to repurchase them at a particular price at a future date. Reverse repurchase agreements involve
the risks that the interest income earned on the investment of the proceeds will be less than the interest expense and Fund expenses associated
with the repurchase agreement, that the market value of the securities or other assets sold by the Fund may decline below the price at
which the Fund is obligated to repurchase such securities and that the securities may not be returned to the Fund. There is no assurance
that reverse repurchase agreements can be successfully employed. In the event of the insolvency of the counterparty to a reverse repurchase
agreement, recovery of the securities or other assets sold by the Fund may be delayed. The counterparty’s insolvency may result in a loss equal to the
amount by which the value of the securities or other assets sold by the Fund exceeds the repurchase price payable by the Fund; if the
value of the purchased securities or other assets increases during such a delay, that loss may also be increased. When the Fund enters
into a reverse repurchase agreement, any fluctuations in the market value of either the securities or other assets transferred to another
party or the securities or other assets in which the proceeds may be invested would affect the market value of the Fund’s assets.
As a result, such transactions may increase fluctuations in the net asset value of the Fund’s shares. The Fund may enter into dollar roll transactions, in which the
Fund sells a mortgage-backed or other security for settlement on one date and agrees to purchase a substantially similar security (but
not the same security) for settlement at a later date at an agreed-upon price. During the roll-period, the Fund gives up the principal
and interest payments on the sold security, but may invest the sale proceeds. When the Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction, any
fluctuation in the market value of the security transferred or the securities in which the sales proceeds are invested can affect the
market value of the Fund’s assets, and therefore, the Fund’s NAV. Successful use of dollar rolls may depend upon, among other
things, GPIM’s ability to correctly predict interest rates and prepayments. There is no assurance that dollar rolls can be successfully
employed. Dollar roll transactions also involve the risk that the market value of the securities the Fund is required to deliver may decline
below the agreed upon repurchase price of those securities. In addition, in the event that the Fund’s counterparty becomes insolvent
or otherwise unable or unwilling to perform its obligations, the Fund’s use of the proceeds may become restricted pending a determination
as to whether to enforce the Fund’s obligation to purchase the substantially similar securities.
The Fund’s use of leverage through reverse repurchase agreements,
dollar rolls and economically similar transactions will be included when calculating the Fund’s Financial Leverage and therefore
will be limited by the Fund’s maximum overall Financial Leverage levels approved by the Board of Trustees and may be further limited
by the applicable requirements of the SEC discussed herein.
In addition, the Fund may engage in certain derivatives transactions
that have economic characteristics similar to leverage. The Fund’s obligations under such transactions will not be considered indebtedness
for purposes of the 1940 Act and will not be included in calculating the aggregate amount of the Fund’s Financial Leverage, but
the Fund’s use of such transactions may be limited by the applicable requirements of the SEC.
The Fund may have Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions
outstanding during a short term period during which such Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions may not be beneficial to the Fund
if GPIM believes that the long-term benefits to Common Shareholders of such Financial Leverage would outweigh the costs and portfolio
disruptions associated with redeeming and reissuing or closing out and reopening such Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions. However,
there can be no assurance that GPIM’s judgment in weighing such costs and benefits will be correct.
Economic and market events have at times caused severe market volatility
and severe liquidity strains in the credit markets. The terms of the Fund’s credit facility include a variable interest rate. Accordingly, during periods when interest rates or the applicable
reference rate for the credit facility rise or there are dislocations in the credit markets, the Fund’s leverage costs may increase
and there is a risk that the Fund may not be able to renew or replace existing leverage on favorable terms or at all. If the cost of leverage
is no longer favorable, or if the Fund is otherwise required to reduce its leverage, the Fund may not be able to maintain distributions
on Common Shares at historical levels and Common Shareholders will bear any costs associated with selling portfolio securities. The cost
of leverage and the risks highlighted above are heightened during periods of rising interest rates. The Fund’s total Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions
may vary significantly over time. To the extent the Fund increases its amount of Financial Leverage and leveraged transactions outstanding,
it will be more exposed to these risks.
Investments in Investment Funds and certain other pooled and structured
finance vehicles, such as collateralized loan obligations, frequently expose the Fund to an additional layer of financial leverage and,
thus, increase the Fund’s exposure to leverage risk. From time to time, the Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets
in Investment Funds that employ leverage.
Derivatives Transactions Risk
Derivatives Transactions Risk In General. In addition to
the covered call option strategy described above, the Fund may, but is not required to, utilize other derivatives, including futures contracts,
swaps transactions and other strategic transactions to seek to earn income, facilitate portfolio management and mitigate risks. Participation
in derivatives markets transactions involves investment risks and transaction costs to which the Fund would not be subject absent the
use of these strategies (other than its covered call writing strategy). Certain derivatives transactions that involve leverage can result
in losses that greatly exceed the amount originally invested. Derivatives transactions utilizing instruments denominated in foreign currencies
will expose the Fund to foreign currency risk. Derivatives transactions involve risks of mispricing or improper valuation, and the documentation
governing a derivative instrument or transaction may be unfavorable or ambiguous. Derivatives transactions may involve commissions and
other costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses and reduce its return. Various legislative and regulatory initiatives may impact
the availability, liquidity and cost of derivative instruments, limit or restrict the ability of the Fund to use certain derivative instruments
or transact with certain counterparties as a part of its investment strategy, increase the costs of using derivative instruments or make
derivative instruments less effective.
The Fund may be required to deposit amounts as premiums or to be
held in margin accounts. Such amounts may not otherwise be available to the Fund for investment purposes. The Fund may earn a lower return
on its portfolio than it might otherwise earn if it did not have to maintain such assets in respect of its derivatives transactions positions.
Participation in derivatives market transactions involves investment risks and transaction costs to which the Fund would not be subject
absent the use of these strategies. To the extent the Fund engages in derivatives transactions in an attempt to hedge certain exposures
or risks, there can be no assurance that the Fund’s hedging investments or transactions will be effective. In addition, hedging
investments or transactions involve costs and may reduce gains or result in losses, which may adversely affect the
Fund. Changes in the value of a derivatives transaction may also create sudden margin delivery or settlement payment obligations for the
Fund, which can materially affect the performance of the Fund and its liquidity and other risk profiles. The skills necessary to successfully
execute derivatives strategies may be different from those for more traditional portfolio management techniques, and if GPIM is incorrect
about its expectations of market conditions, the use of derivatives could also result in a loss, which in some cases may be unlimited.
Additional risks inherent in the use of derivatives include (among others):
• | | dependence on GPIM’s ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of interest
rates and securities prices; |
• | | imperfect correlation between the price of derivatives and movements in the prices of the
securities being hedged; |
• | | the fact that skills needed to use these strategies are different from those needed to select
portfolio securities; |
• | | the possible absence of a liquid secondary market for any particular instrument at any time; |
• | | the possible need to defer closing out certain hedged positions to avoid adverse tax consequences; |
• | | the possible inability of the Fund to purchase or sell a security at a time that otherwise
would be favorable for it to do so, or the possible need for the Fund to sell a security at a disadvantageous time due to a need for
the Fund to make margin or settlement payments in connection with such derivatives transactions; and |
• | | the creditworthiness of counterparties. |
Futures Transactions Risk. The Fund may invest in futures
contracts and options on futures contracts. Futures and options on futures involve the risks discussed under “Derivatives Transactions
Risk” above and certain additional risks, including but not limited to the following:
• | | no assurance that futures contracts or options on futures can be offset at favorable prices; |
• | | possible reduction of the return of the Fund due to their use for hedging; |
• | | possible reduction in value of both the securities hedged and the hedging instrument; |
• | | possible lack of liquidity, trading restrictions or limitations that may be imposed by an
exchange, and the potential that government regulations may restrict trading; |
• | | imperfect correlation between the contracts and the securities being hedged; and |
• | | losses from investing in futures transactions that are potentially unlimited and losses resulting
from the default or insolvency of intermediaries such as the Fund’s futures commission merchant. |
The Fund is required to trade derivatives and other transactions
that create future payment or delivery obligations (except reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions) subject to
value-at-risk (“VaR”) leverage limits and derivatives risk management program and reporting requirements. Generally, these
requirements apply unless a fund satisfies a “limited derivatives users” exception that is included in the final rule. When
the Fund trades reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions, including certain tender option bonds, it needs to aggregate the amount of indebtedness associated with the
reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing
indebtedness when calculating the Fund’s asset coverage ratio or treat all such transactions as derivatives transactions. Reverse
repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions aggregated with other indebtedness do not need to be included in the calculation
of whether a fund satisfies the limited derivatives users exception, but for funds subject to the VaR testing requirement, reverse repurchase
agreements and similar financing transactions must be included for purposes of such testing whether treated as derivatives transactions
or not. The SEC also provided guidance regarding the use of securities lending collateral that may limit the Fund’s securities lending
activities. In addition, the Fund is permitted to invest in a security on a when-issued or forward-settling basis, or with a non-standard
settlement cycle, and the transaction will be deemed not to involve a senior security, provided that (i) the Fund intends to physically
settle the transaction and (ii) the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date (the “Delayed-Settlement Securities
Provision”). The Fund may otherwise engage in such transactions that do not meet the conditions of the Delayed-Settlement Securities
Provision so long as the Fund treats any such transaction as a “derivatives transaction” for purposes of compliance with the
rule. Furthermore, under the rule, the Fund is permitted to enter into an unfunded commitment agreement, and such unfunded commitment
agreement will not be subject to the asset coverage requirements under the 1940 Act, if the Fund reasonably believes, at the time it enters
into such agreement, that it will have sufficient cash and cash equivalents to meet its obligations with respect to all such agreements
as they come due. These requirements may limit the ability of the Fund to use derivatives, reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing
transactions, and the other relevant transactions as part of its investment strategies. These requirements may increase the cost of the
Fund’s investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors. Swap Risk
Swap agreements are contracts for periods ranging from one day
to more than one year and may be negotiated bilaterally and traded OTC between two parties or, for certain standardized swaps, must be
exchange-traded through a futures commission merchant or swap execution facility and/or cleared through a clearinghouse that serves as
a central counterparty. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return)
earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The Fund may enter into swap transactions, including credit
default swaps, total return swaps, index swaps, currency swaps, commodity swaps and interest rate swaps, as well as options thereon, and
may purchase or sell interest rate caps, floors and collars. The Fund may utilize swap agreements in an attempt to gain exposure to certain
assets without purchasing those assets, to hedge other positions or for investment purposes.
Risks associated with the use of swap agreements are different
from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions, largely due to the fact they could be considered illiquid and many
swaps currently trade on the OTC market. If GPIM is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, interest rates or currency exchange rates,
the investment performance of the Fund may be less favorable than it would have been if these investment techniques
were not used. Such transactions are subject to various risks, including market risk, risk of default by the other party to the transaction
and risk of imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets and may involve commissions or other
costs. Written credit default swaps also are subject to the risk of default on the instrument underlying the swap, which may result in
the Fund being obligated to pay the counterparty to the swap the principal amount of the underlying instrument. Cash-settled swaps generally
do not involve the delivery of securities, other underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to such swaps
generally is limited to the net amount of payments and margin that the Fund is contractually obligated to make, or in the case of the
other party to a swap defaulting, the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive. Swaps are subject to
valuation, liquidity and leveraging risks and could result in substantial losses to the Fund. In addition, the Fund may pay fees or incur
costs each time it enters into, amends or terminates a swap agreement. Swaps may effectively add leverage to the Fund’s portfolio
because the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the full notional amount of the swap. Swaps are subject to the risk that a
counterparty will default on its payment obligations to the Fund thereunder.
When the Fund acts as a seller of a credit default swap agreement
with respect to a debt security, it is subject to the risk that an adverse credit event may occur with respect to the issuer of the debt
security and the Fund may be required to pay the buyer the full notional value of the debt security under the swap net of any amounts
owed to the Fund by the buyer under the swap (such as the buyer’s obligation to deliver the debt security to the Fund). As a result,
the Fund bears the entire risk of loss due to a decline in value of a referenced debt security on a credit default swap it has sold if
there is a credit event with respect to the issuer of the security. If the Fund is a buyer of a credit default swap and no credit event
occurs, the Fund may recover nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the Fund generally
may elect to receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference
entity whose value may have significantly decreased.
The swap market has become more standardized in recent years with
a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation.
As a result, some swaps have become relatively liquid. Although
liquidity of certain swaps has improved, certain types of derivatives products, such as caps, floors and collars may be less liquid than
swaps in general.
Certain standardized swaps are subject to mandatory exchange-trading
and central clearing. While exchange-trading and central clearing are intended to reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity,
they do not make swap transactions risk-free. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”)
and related regulatory developments require the clearing and exchange-trading of certain OTC derivative instruments that the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and SEC have defined as “swaps.” Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing are occurring on a phased-in basis based on CFTC approval
of contracts for central clearing. Depending on the Fund’s size and other factors, the margin required under the rules of the clearinghouse
and by the clearing member may be in excess of the collateral required to be posted by the Fund to support its obligations under a similar
bilateral swap. In addition, regulators have developed rules that require trading and execution of the most liquid swaps on trading facilities. Moving trading to an exchange-type system may increase market transparency
and liquidity but may require the Fund to incur increased expenses to access the same types of cleared and uncleared swaps. In addition,
the CFTC and other applicable regulators have adopted rules imposing certain margin requirements, including minimums, on uncleared swaps
which may result in the Fund and its counterparties posting higher margin amounts for uncleared swaps. Recently adopted rules also require
centralized reporting of detailed information about many types of cleared and uncleared swaps. Reporting of swap data may result in greater
market transparency, but may subject the Fund to additional administrative burdens and the safeguards established to protect trader anonymity
may not function as expected. GPIM will continue to monitor developments in this area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect
the ability of the Fund to enter into swap agreements. In addition, the CFTC has established certain position limits for 25 specified
physical commodity futures and related options contracts traded on exchanges, other futures contracts and related options directly or
indirectly linked to such 25 specified contracts, and any OTC transactions that are economically equivalent to the 25 specified contracts.
Further regulatory developments in the swap market may adversely
impact the swap market generally or the Fund’s ability to use swaps.
Counterparty Risk
Counterparty risk is the risk that a counterparty to a fund transaction
(e.g., prime brokerage or securities lending arrangement or derivatives transaction) will be unable or unwilling to perform its contractual
obligation to the Fund. The Fund is exposed to credit risks that the counterparty may be unwilling or unable to make timely payments or
otherwise meet its contractual obligations. If the counterparty becomes bankrupt or defaults on (or otherwise becomes unable or unwilling
to perform) its payment or other obligations to the Fund, the Fund may not receive the full amount that it is entitled to receive or may
experience delays in recovering the collateral or other assets held by, or on behalf of, the counterparty. If this occurs, or if exercising
contractual rights involves delays or costs for the Fund, the value of your shares in the Fund may decrease. Such risk is heightened in
market environments where interest rates are changing, notably when rates are rising. Counterparty credit risk also includes the related
risk of having concentrated exposure to such counterparty.
The Fund bears the risk that counterparties may be adversely affected
by legislative or regulatory changes, adverse market conditions, increased competition, and/or wide scale credit losses resulting from
financial difficulties of the counterparties’ other trading partners or borrowers.
The counterparty risk for cleared derivatives is generally lower
than for uncleared OTC derivatives transactions since generally a clearing organization becomes substituted for each counterparty to a cleared derivative contract and, in effect, guarantees the parties’
performance under the contract as each party to a trade looks only to the clearing organization for performance of financial obligations
under the derivative contract. However, there can be no assurance that a clearing organization, or its members, will satisfy its obligations
to the Fund. Special Purpose Acquisition Companies Risk
The Fund may invest in stock, warrants, rights and other securities
of special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”) or similar special purpose entities in a private placement transaction
or as part of a public offering. As an alternative to obtaining a public listing through a traditional IPO, SPAC investments carry many
of the same risks as investments in IPO securities. These may include, but are not limited to, erratic price movements, greater risk of
loss, lack of information about the issuer, limited operating and little public or no trading history, and higher transaction costs.
Investments in SPACs also have risks peculiar to the SPAC structure
and investment process. Until an acquisition or merger is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets, less a portion retained to cover
expenses, in U.S. government securities, money market securities and cash and does not typically pay dividends in respect of its common
stock. To the extent a SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities, this may impact the Fund’s ability to meet its investment
objective. SPAC investments are also subject to the risk that a significant portion of the funds raised by the SPAC may be expended during
the search for a target acquisition or merger. Some SPACs pursue acquisitions and mergers only within certain market sectors or regions,
which can increase the volatility of their prices. Conversely, other SPACs may invest without such limitations, in which case management
may have limited experience or knowledge of the market sector or region in which the transaction is contemplated. Moreover, interests
in SPACs may be illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale, which may remain for an extended time, and may only be traded in
the over-the-counter market. If there is no market for interests in a SPAC, or only a thinly traded market for interests in a SPAC develops,
the Fund may not be able to sell its interest in a SPAC, or may be able to sell its interest only at a price below what the Fund believes
is the SPAC interest’s value.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
The Fund’s annual portfolio turnover rate may vary greatly
from year to year. Portfolio turnover rate is not considered a limiting factor in the execution of investment decisions for the Fund.
A higher portfolio turnover rate results in correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transactional expenses that are borne
by the Fund. High portfolio turnover may result in an increased realization of net short-term capital gains by the Fund which, when distributed
to Common Shareholders, will be taxable as ordinary income. Additionally, in a declining market, portfolio turnover may create realized
capital losses.
U.S. Government Securities Risk
Different types of U.S. government securities have different relative
levels of credit risk depending on the nature of the particular government support for that security. U.S. government securities may be
supported by: (i) the full faith and credit of the United States government; (ii) the ability of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (iii) the credit of the
issuing agency, instrumentality or government-sponsored entity (“GSE”); (iv) pools of assets (e.g., mortgage-backed securities);
or (v) the United States in some other way. The U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities do not guarantee the market value
of their securities, which may fluctuate in value and are subject to investment risks, and certain U.S. government securities may not
be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. Any downgrades of the U.S. credit rating could increase volatility
in both stock and bond markets, result in higher interest rates and higher Treasury yields and increase the costs of all debt generally.
The value of U.S. government obligations may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates. It is possible that the issuers of some
U.S. government securities will not have the funds to timely meet their payment obligations in the future and there is a risk of default.
For certain agency and GSE issued securities, there is no guarantee the U.S. government will support the agency or GSE if it is unable
to meet its obligations. UK Departure from EU (“Brexit”) Risk
On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom officially withdrew from
the European Union (“EU”) which started an 11-month transition period ending on December 31, 2020. The United Kingdom and
the EU entered into a bilateral trade agreement on December 30, 2020, governing certain aspects of the EU’s and the United Kingdom’s
relationship following the end of the transition period, the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (the “TCA”). The TCA provisionally
went into effect on January 1, 2021, and was ratified by the United Kingdom Parliament in December 2020 and by the EU Parliament in April
2021. Brexit has resulted in considerable uncertainty as to the United Kingdom’s post-transition framework, how future negotiations
between the United Kingdom and the EU will proceed on economic, trade, foreign policy and social issues and how the financial markets
will react in the near future and on an ongoing basis. Brexit has resulted in increased volatility and illiquidity and could result in
lower economic growth. It is not possible to anticipate the long-term impact to the economic, legal, political, regulatory and social
framework that will result from Brexit. Brexit may have a negative impact on the economy and currency of the United Kingdom and EU as
a result of anticipated, perceived or actual changes to the United Kingdom’s economic and political relations with the EU. Brexit
may also have a destabilizing impact on the EU to the extent other member states similarly seek to withdraw from the union. Any further
exits from member states of the EU, or the possibility of such exits, would likely cause additional market disruption globally and introduce
new legal and regulatory uncertainties. Any or all of these challenges may affect the value of the Fund’s investments that are economically
tied to the United Kingdom or the EU, and could have an adverse impact on the Fund’s performance.
Redenomination Risk
The result of Brexit, the progression of the European debt crisis
and the possibility of one or more Eurozone countries exiting the European Monetary Union (“EMU”), or even the collapse of
the euro as a common currency, has in recent years created significant volatility in currency and financial markets generally. The effects
of the collapse of the euro, or of the exit of one or more countries from the EMU, on the U.S. and global economies and securities markets
are impossible to predict and any such events could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Fund’s portfolio. Any partial or complete dissolution of the EMU could
have significant adverse effects on currency and financial markets, and on the values of the Fund’s portfolio investments. If one
or more EMU countries were to stop using the euro as its primary currency, the Fund’s investments in such countries may be redenominated
into a different or newly adopted currency. As a result, the value of those investments could decline significantly and unpredictably.
In addition, securities or other investments that are redenominated may be subject to foreign currency risk, liquidity risk and valuation
risk to a greater extent than similar investments currently denominated in euros. To the extent a currency used for redenomination purposes
is not specified in respect of certain EMU-related investments, or should the euro cease to be used entirely, the currency in which such
investments are denominated may be unclear, making such investments particularly difficult to value or dispose of. The Fund may incur
additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek judicial or other clarification of the denomination or value of such securities. Legislation and Regulation Risk
At any time after the date hereof, U.S. and non-U.S. governmental
agencies and other regulators may implement additional regulations and legislators may pass new laws that affect the investments held
by the Fund, the strategies used by the Fund or the level of regulation or taxation applying to the Fund (such as regulations related
to investments in derivatives and other transactions). These regulations and laws may impact the investment strategies, performance, costs
and operations of the Fund, as well as the way investments in, and shareholders of, the Fund are taxed.
LIBOR Replacement Risk
The terms of many investments, financings or other transactions
in the U.S. and globally have been historically tied to interbank reference rates (referred to collectively as the “London Interbank
Offered Rate” or “LIBOR”), which function as a reference rate or benchmark for such investments, financings or other
transactions.
After June 30, 2023, all tenors of LIBOR have either ceased to
be published or, in the case of 1-month, 3-month and 6-month U.S. dollar LIBOR settings, are no longer being published on a representative
basis. On April 3, 2023, the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority announced its decision to require LIBOR’s administrator
to publish an unrepresentative “synthetic LIBOR” using a changed methodology until at least end-September 2024. The impact
of synthetic LIBOR is uncertain and some LIBOR contracts may use synthetic LIBOR instead of other alternative reference rates and accordingly
synthetic LIBOR may be a significant factor in the cost of financing of certain Fund investments or the value or return on certain other
Fund investments.
Various financial industry groups have and certain regulators have
taken actions to establish alternative reference rates that are intended to replace LIBOR including rates such as the Secured Overnight
Financing Rate (“SOFR”), which measures the cost of overnight borrowings through repurchase agreement transactions collateralized
with U.S. Treasury securities, or other rates derived from markets connected to SOFR such as Term SOFR. There is no assurance that the
composition or characteristics of any alternative reference rate will be similar to or produce the same value or economic equivalence
as LIBOR or that it will have the same volume or liquidity as did LIBOR prior to its discontinuance or change in methodology, which may affect
the value or liquidity or return on certain of the Fund’s investments and result in costs incurred in connection with closing out
positions and entering into new trades. However, there have been and may continue to be challenges to converting certain contracts and
transactions to a new benchmark and neither the full effects of the transition process nor its ultimate outcome is known. The transition process may result in increased volatility and illiquidity
in markets for instruments with terms that were tied to LIBOR or continue to be tied to synthetic LIBOR. It could also lead to a reduction
in the interest rates on, and the value of, some of these instruments and could reduce the effectiveness of hedges mitigating risk in
connection with these investments. Although some LIBOR-based instruments may contemplate a scenario where LIBOR is no longer available
by providing for an alternative rate-setting methodology and/or increased costs for certain LIBOR-related instruments or financing transactions,
others may not have such provisions and there may be significant uncertainty regarding whether and when these provisions would be triggered,
how these provisions are implemented and the effectiveness of any such alternative methodologies. Instruments that include robust fallback
provisions to facilitate the transition from LIBOR to an alternative reference rate may also include adjustments that do not adequately
compensate the holder for the different characteristics of the alternative reference rate. The result may be that the fallback provision
results in a value transfer from one party to the instrument to the counterparty. Instruments based on alternative reference rates may
be subject to credit spread adjustments (“CSAs”) and the CSAs themselves are subject to negotiations and may vary from instrument
to instrument. Additionally, because such provisions may differ across instruments (e.g., hedges versus cash positions hedged or investments
in structured finance products transitioning to a different rate or at a different time as the assets underlying those structured finance
products), LIBOR’s replacement may give rise to basis risk and render hedges less effective. Adverse conditions with respect to
instruments that were formerly based on LIBOR or are based on synthetic LIBOR may continue to occur. The effects of the LIBOR transition
on the Fund will vary depending, among other things, on (1) existing fallback or termination provisions in individual contracts and the
possible renegotiation of existing contracts and (2) how industry participants develop and adopt new reference rates and fallbacks for
both legacy and new products and instruments. Fund investments may also be tied to other interbank offered rates and currencies, which
also will face similar issues. In many cases, in the event that an instrument falls back to an alternative reference rate, including SOFR
or any reference rate based on SOFR, the alternative reference rate will not perform the same as would have and may not include adjustments
to such alternative reference rate that are reflective of current economic circumstances or differences between such alternative reference
rate and LIBOR. SOFR is based on a secured lending markets in U.S. government securities and does not reflect credit risk in the inter-bank
lending market in the way that LIBOR did. In the event of a credit crisis, floating rate instruments using alternative reference rates
could perform differently than those instruments using a rate indexed to the interbank lending market.
Various pieces of legislation, including enacted federal legislation
and laws enacted by states such as New York and Alabama, may affect the transition of LIBOR-based instruments as well by permitting trustees and calculation agents to transition instruments with
no LIBOR transition language to an alternative reference rate. Such pieces of legislation also include applicable safe harbors from liability,
which may limit the recourse the Fund may have if the alternative reference rate does not fully compensate the Fund for the transition
of an instrument from LIBOR. It is uncertain what impact any such legislation may have or that any such legislation will be effective
with respect to any particular instrument. Certain of the Fund’s investments could be impacted by such federal or state laws because
they have terms that do not contemplate the replacement of LIBOR, rely on methods such as bank polls to replace LIBOR or have determining
persons who did not act to replace LIBOR prior to June 30, 2023. Certain classes of instruments invested in by the Fund may be more
sensitive to the replacement of LIBOR than others. For example, floating rate notes or syndicated and other business loans formerly tied
to LIBOR may replace LIBOR with alternative reference rates that reduce the value of these instruments. Securitizations and other asset-backed
transactions may experience disruption as a result of inconsistencies between when collateral assets shift from LIBOR and what rate those
assets replace LIBOR with, on the one hand, and when the securitization notes shift from LIBOR and what rate the securitization notes
replace LIBOR with.
These developments could negatively impact financial markets in
general and present heightened risks, including with respect to the Fund’s investments. As a result of this uncertainty and developments
relating to the transition process, the Fund and its investments (including their liquidity, value and volatility) may be adversely affected.
Recent Market Developments Risk
Periods of market volatility remain, and may continue to occur
in the future, in response to various market, political, social, geopolitical, economic and public health events both within and outside
of the United States. These conditions have resulted in, and in many cases continue to result in, greater price volatility, less liquidity,
widening credit spreads and a lack of price transparency, with certain securities remaining illiquid and of uncertain value. Such market
conditions may adversely affect the Fund, including by making valuation of some of the Fund’s securities uncertain and/or result
in sudden and significant valuation increases or declines in the Fund’s holdings. If there is a significant decline in the value
of the Fund’s portfolio, this may impact the asset coverage levels for the Fund’s outstanding leverage.
Risks resulting from any future debt or other economic or public
health situation could also have a detrimental impact on the global economies, the financial condition of financial institutions, operations
of businesses and the Fund’s business, financial condition and results of operation. Market and economic disruptions have affected,
and may in the future affect, consumer confidence levels and spending, personal bankruptcy rates, levels of incurrence and default on
consumer and other debt and home prices, among other factors. To the extent uncertainty regarding the U.S. or global economy negatively
impacts consumer confidence and consumer credit factors, the Fund’s business, financial condition and results of operations could
be significantly and adversely affected. Downgrades to the credit ratings of major banks could result in increased borrowing costs for
such banks and negatively affect the broader economy. Moreover, Federal
Reserve policy, including with respect to certain interest rates, may also adversely affect the value, volatility and liquidity of various
investments, notably dividend- and interest-paying securities. Market volatility, changing interest rates and/or unfavorable economic
conditions could impair the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. Economies and markets are experiencing, and have
experienced in recent periods, high inflation rates. In response to such inflation, government authorities have implemented significant
fiscal and monetary policies such as increasing interest rates and quantitative tightening (reduction of money available in the market),
which may adversely impact financial markets and the broader economy, as well as the Fund’s performance, and have unintended adverse
consequences. The value of, or income generated by, the investments held by the
Fund are subject to the possibility of rapid and unpredictable fluctuation, and loss. These movements may result from factors affecting
individual companies, or from broader influences, including real or perceived changes in prevailing interest rates, changes in inflation
rates or expectations about inflation rates, adverse investor confidence or sentiment, changing economic, political (including geopolitical),
social or financial market conditions, tariffs and trade disruptions, recession, changes in currency rates, increased instability or general
uncertainty, environmental disasters, governmental actions, public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics
and epidemics), debt crises, actual or threatened wars or other armed conflicts (such as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and its risk
of expansion or collateral economic and other effects) or ratings downgrades, and other similar events, each of which may be temporary
or last for extended periods.
Moreover, changing economic, political, social, geopolitical, financial
market or other conditions in one country or geographic region could adversely affect the value, yield and return of the investments held
by the Fund in a different country or geographic region and economies, markets and issuers generally because of the increasingly interconnected
global economies and financial markets. As a result, there is an increased risk that geopolitical and other events will disrupt economies
and markets globally. For example, local or regional armed conflicts (notably the Russia-Ukraine conflict) have led to significant sanctions
by the United States, Europe and other countries against certain countries (as well as persons and companies connected with certain counties)
and led to indirect adverse regional and global market, economic and other effects. It is difficult to accurately predict or foresee when
events or conditions affecting the U.S. or global financial markets, economies, and issuers may occur, the effects of such events or conditions,
potential escalations or expansions of these events, possible retaliations in response to sanctions or similar actions and the duration
or ultimate impact of those events. There is an increased likelihood that these types of events or conditions can, sometimes rapidly and
unpredictably, result in a variety of adverse developments and circumstances, such as reduced liquidity, supply chain disruptions and
market volatility, as well as increased general uncertainty and broad ramifications for markets, economies, issuers, businesses in many
sectors and societies globally. In addition, adverse changes in one sector or industry or with respect to a particular company could negatively
impact companies in other sectors or industries or increase market volatility as a result of the interconnected nature of economies and markets and thus negatively affect the Fund’s
performance. For example, developments in the banking or financial services sectors (or one or more companies operating in these sectors)
could adversely impact a wide range of companies and issuers. These types of adverse developments could negatively affect the Fund’s
performance or operations. Increasing Government and other Public Debt Risk
Government and other public debt, including municipal obligations
in which the Fund may invest, can be adversely affected by large and sudden changes in local and global economic conditions that result
in increased debt levels. Although high levels of government and other public debt do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems,
high levels of debt may create certain systemic risks if sound debt management practices are not implemented. A high debt level may increase
market pressures to meet an issuer’s funding needs, which may increase borrowing costs and cause a government or public or municipal
entity to issue additional debt, thereby increasing the risk of refinancing. A high debt level also raises concerns that the issuer may
be unable or unwilling to repay the principal or interest on its debt, which may adversely impact instruments held by the Fund that rely
on such payments. Extraordinary governmental and quasigovernmental responses to economic, market, labor and public health conditions designed
to support the markets may, at times, significantly increase government and other public debt, which heighten these risks and the long
term consequences of these actions are not known. Unsustainable debt levels can decline the valuation of currencies, and can prevent a
government from implementing effective counter-cyclical fiscal policy during economic downturns or can lead to increases in inflation
or generate or contribute to an economic downturn.
Municipal Securities Risk
Municipal securities are subject to a variety of risks, including
credit, interest, prepayment, liquidity, and valuation risks. In addition, municipal securities can be adversely affected by (i) unfavorable
legislative, political or other developments or events, including natural disasters and public health conditions, and (ii) changes in
the economic and fiscal conditions of issuers of municipal securities or the federal government (in cases where it provides financial
support to such issuers). Municipal securities may be fully or partially backed by the taxing authority or revenue of a local government,
the credit of a private issuer, or the current or anticipated revenues from a specific project, which may be adversely affected by actual
or perceived changes in economic, social or public health conditions. Moreover, the income, value and/or risk of municipal securities
is often correlated to specific project or other revenue sources (such as taxes), which can be negatively affected by demographic trends,
such as population shifts or changing tastes and values, or increasing vacancies or declining rents or property values resulting from
legal, cultural, technological, global or local economic developments, as well as reduced demand for properties, revenues or goods or
services.
To the extent the Fund invests a substantial portion of its assets
in municipal securities issued by issuers in a particular state, municipality or project, the Fund will be particularly sensitive to developments
and events adversely affecting such state or municipality or with respect to a particular project. Certain sectors of the municipal bond
market have special risks that can affect them more significantly than the market as a whole. Because many
municipal instruments are issued to finance similar projects (such as education, health care, transportation and utilities), conditions
in these industries can significantly affect the overall municipal market. Municipal securities that are insured may be adversely affected
by developments relevant to that particular insurer, or more general developments relevant to the market as a whole. The Fund’s
vulnerability to potential losses associated with such developments may be reduced through investment in municipal securities that feature
credit enhancements (such as bond insurance). Although insurance may reduce the credit risk of a municipal security, it does not protect
against fluctuations in the value of the Fund’s shares caused by market changes. It is important to note that, although insurance
may increase the credit safety of investments held by the Fund, it decreases the Fund’s yield as the Fund may pay for the insurance
directly or indirectly. In addition, while the obligation of a municipal bond insurance company to pay a claim extends over the life of
an insured bond, there is no assurance that insurers will meet their claims. A higher-than-anticipated default rate on municipal bonds
(or other insurance the insurer provides) could strain the insurer’s loss reserves and adversely affect its ability to pay claims
to bondholders.
Municipal securities can be difficult to value and be less liquid
than other investments, which may affect performance. Additionally, the amount of public information available about municipal securities
is generally less than that for corporate equities or bonds, and the investment performance of the Fund’s municipal securities investments
may therefore be more dependent on the analytical abilities of the Adviser. Information related to municipal securities and their risks
may be provided by the municipality itself, which may not always be accurate. The secondary market for municipal securities, particularly
below investment grade municipal securities, also tends to be less well-developed or liquid than many other securities markets, which
may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to sell such securities at prices approximating those at which the Fund may currently value
them.
Investments in municipal securities are subject to risks associated
with the financial health of the issuers of such securities or the revenue associated with underlying projects or other sources. For example,
social, political, economic, market or public health conditions can, and have at times, significantly stressed the financial resources
of many municipalities and other issuers of municipal securities, which may impair their ability to meet their financial obligations and
may harm the value or liquidity of the Fund’s investments in municipal securities. In recent periods, a number of municipal issuers
have defaulted on obligations, been downgraded or commenced insolvency proceedings. Financial difficulties of issuers of municipal securities
may continue and the financial condition of such issuers may decline quickly. The ability of municipal issuers to make timely payments
of interest and principal may be diminished during general economic downturns and as governmental cost burdens are reallocated among federal,
state and local governments. The taxing power of any governmental entity may be limited by provisions of state constitutions or laws and
an entity’s credit will depend on many factors, including the entity’s tax base, the extent to which the entity relies on
federal or state aid and other factors which are beyond the entity’s control. In addition, laws enacted or that may be enacted in
the future by governmental authorities could extend the time for payment of principal and/or interest, or impose other
constraints on enforcement of such obligations or on the ability of municipalities to levy taxes. Moreover, as a result of economic, market and other factors, there
could be reduced tax or other revenue available to issuers of municipal securities and, in turn, increased budgetary and financial pressure
on the municipality and other issuers of municipal securities, which could increase the risks associated with municipal securities of
such issuer. As a result, the Fund’s investments in municipal obligations or other securities may be subject to heightened risks
relating to the occurrence of such developments. Issuers of municipal securities might seek protection under bankruptcy laws. In the event
of bankruptcy of such an issuer, holders of municipal securities could experience delays in collecting principal and interest and such
holders may not be able to collect all principal and interest to which they are entitled. Legislative developments may result in changes
to the laws relating to municipal bankruptcies, which may adversely affect the Fund’s investments in municipal securities.
When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Transactions Risk
Securities purchased on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis
may expose the Fund to counterparty risk of default as well as the risk that securities may experience fluctuations in value prior to
their actual delivery. The Fund generally will not accrue income with respect to a when-issued or delayed delivery security prior to its
stated delivery date. Purchasing securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis can involve the additional risk that the price
or yield available in the market when the delivery takes place may not be as favorable as that obtained in the transaction itself.
Short Sales Risk
The Fund may make short sales of securities. Short selling a security
involves selling a borrowed security with the expectation that the value of that security will decline, so that the security may be purchased
at a lower price when returning the borrowed security. If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short
sale and the time the Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will
realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss will be increased, by the transaction costs incurred by the Fund, including
the costs associated with providing collateral to the broker-dealer (usually cash and liquid securities) and the maintenance of collateral
with its custodian. Although the Fund’s gain is limited to the price at which it sold the security short, its potential loss is
theoretically unlimited and may be greater than a direct investment in the security itself because the price of the borrowed or reference
security may rise. The Fund may not always be able to close out a short position at a particular time or at an acceptable price. A lender
may request that borrowed securities be returned to it on short notice, and the Fund may have to buy the borrowed securities at an unfavorable
price, resulting in a loss. The Fund may have to pay a premium to borrow the securities and must pay any dividends or interest payable
on the securities until they are replaced, which will be expenses of the Fund. Short sales also subject the Fund to risks related to the
lender (such as bankruptcy risks) or the general risk that the lender does not comply with its obligations. Government actions also may
affect the Fund’s ability to engage in short selling. The use of physical short sales is typically more expensive than gaining short
exposure through derivatives. Repurchase Agreement Risk The Fund may enter into bilateral and tri-party repurchase agreements.
In a typical Fund repurchase agreement, the Fund enters into a contract with a broker, dealer, or bank (the “counterparty”
to the transaction) for the purchase of securities or other assets. The counterparty agrees to repurchase the securities or other assets
at a specified future date, or on demand, for a price that is sufficient to return to the Fund its original purchase price, plus an additional
amount representing the return on the Fund’s investment. Such repurchase agreements economically function as a secured loan from
the Fund to a counterparty. If the counterparty defaults on the repurchase agreement, the Fund will retain possession of the underlying
securities or other assets. If bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller, realization on the collateral by the Fund
may be delayed or limited and the Fund may incur additional costs. In such case, the Fund will be subject to risks associated with changes
in market value of the collateral securities or other assets. The Fund intends to enter into repurchase agreements only with brokers,
dealers, or banks or other permitted counterparties after the Adviser (or GPIM) evaluates the creditworthiness of the counterparty. The
Fund will not enter into repurchase agreements with the Adviser or Sub-Adviser or their affiliates. Except as provided under applicable
law, the Fund may enter into repurchase agreements without limitation. Repurchase agreements collateralized fully by cash items, U.S.
government securities or by securities issued by an issuer that the Adviser or GPIM has determined at the time the repurchase agreement
is entered into has an exceptionally strong capacity to meet its financial obligations (“Qualifying Collateral”) and meet
certain liquidity standards generally may be deemed to be “collateralized fully” and may be deemed to be investments in the
underlying securities for certain purposes. The Fund may accept collateral other than Qualifying Collateral determined by the Adviser
or GPIM to be in the best interests of the Fund to accept as collateral for such repurchase agreement (which may include high yield debt
instruments that are rated below investment grade) (“Alternative Collateral”). Repurchase agreements secured by Alternative
Collateral are not deemed to be “collateralized fully” under applicable regulations and the repurchase agreement is therefore
considered a separate security issued by the counterparty to the Fund. Accordingly, the Fund must include repurchase agreements that are
not “collateralized fully” in its calculations of securities issued by the selling institution held by the Fund for purposes
of various portfolio diversification and concentration requirements applicable to the Fund. In addition, Alternative Collateral may not
qualify as permitted or appropriate investments for the Fund under the Fund’s investment strategies and limitations. Accordingly,
if a counterparty to a repurchase agreement defaults and the Fund takes possession of Alternative Collateral, the Fund may need to promptly
dispose of the Alternative Collateral (or other securities held by the Fund, if the Fund exceeds a limitation on a permitted investment
by virtue of taking possession of the Alternative Collateral). The Alternative Collateral may be particularly illiquid, especially in
times of market volatility or in the case of a counterparty insolvency or bankruptcy, which may restrict the Fund’s ability to dispose
of Alternative Collateral received from the counterparty. Depending on the terms of the repurchase agreement, the Fund may determine to
sell the collateral during the term of the repurchase agreement and then purchase the same collateral at the market price at the time
of the resale. In tri-party repurchase agreements, an unaffiliated third party custodian maintains accounts to hold collateral for the Fund
and its counterparties and, therefore, the Fund may be subject to the credit risk of those custodians. Securities subject to repurchase
agreements (other than tri-party repurchase agreements) and purchase and sale contracts will be held by the Fund’s custodian (or
sub-custodian) in the Federal Reserve/Treasury book-entry system or by another authorized securities depository. Securities Lending Risk
The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to banks or dealers
which meet the Fund's creditworthiness standards. Securities lending is subject to the risk that loaned securities may not be available
to the Fund on a timely basis and the Fund may therefore lose the opportunity to sell the securities at a desirable price. Any loss in
the market price of securities loaned by the Fund that occurs during the term of the loan would be borne by the Fund and would adversely
affect the Fund’s performance. Also, there may be delays in recovery, or no recovery, of securities loaned or even a loss of rights
in the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially while the loan is outstanding.
Risk of Failure to Qualify as a RIC
To qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment
generally accorded to RICs, the Fund must, among other things, derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from certain
prescribed sources, meet certain asset diversification tests and distribute for each taxable year at least 90% of its “investment
company taxable income” (generally, ordinary income plus the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital
loss). If for any taxable year the Fund does not qualify as a RIC, all of its taxable income for that year (including its net capital
gain) would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and such distributions
would be taxable as ordinary dividends to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.
Conflicts of Interest Risk
Guggenheim Partners, LLC (“Guggenheim Partners”) is
a global asset management and investment advisory organization. Guggenheim Partners and its affiliates advise clients in various markets
and transactions and purchase, sell, hold and recommend a broad array of investments for their own accounts and the accounts of clients
and of their personnel and the relationships and products they sponsor, manage and advise. Accordingly, Guggenheim Partners and its affiliates
may have direct and indirect interests in a variety of global markets and the securities of issuers in which the Fund may directly or
indirectly invest. These interests may cause the Fund to be subject to regulatory limits, and in certain circumstances, these various
activities may prevent the Fund from participating in an investment decision.
An investment in the Fund is subject to a number of actual or potential
conflicts of interest. For example, the Adviser and its affiliates are engaged in a variety of business activities that are unrelated
to managing the Fund, which may give rise to actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest in connection with making investment
decisions for the Fund. As a result, activities and dealings of Guggenheim Partners and its affiliates may affect the
Fund in ways that may disadvantage or restrict the Fund or be deemed to benefit Guggenheim Partners and its affiliates. From time to time,
conflicts of interest may arise between a portfolio manager’s management of the investments of the Fund on the one hand and the
management of other registered investment companies, pooled investment vehicles and other accounts (collectively, “other accounts”)
on the other. The other accounts might have similar investment objectives or strategies as the Fund or otherwise hold, purchase, or sell
securities that are eligible to be held, purchased or sold by the Fund. In certain circumstances, and subject to its fiduciary obligations
under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Adviser or GPIM may have to allocate a limited investment
opportunity among its clients. The other accounts might also have different investment objectives or strategies than the Fund. In addition,
the Fund may be limited in its ability to invest in, or hold securities of, any companies that the Adviser or its affiliates (or other
accounts managed by the Adviser or its affiliates) control, or companies in which the Adviser or its affiliates have interests or with
whom they do business. For example, affiliates of the Adviser may act as underwriter, lead agent or administrative agent for loans or
otherwise participate in the market for loans. Because of limitations imposed by applicable law, the presence of the Adviser’s affiliates
in the markets for loans may restrict the Fund’s ability to acquire some loans or affect the timing or price of such acquisitions.
To address these conflicts, the Fund and Guggenheim Partners and its affiliates have established various policies and procedures that
are reasonably designed to detect and prevent such conflicts and prevent the Fund from being disadvantaged. There can be no guarantee
that these policies and procedures will be successful in every instance. Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk
The Fund does not know and cannot predict how long the securities
markets may be affected by geopolitical events and the effects of these and similar events in the future on the U.S. economy and securities
markets. The Fund may be adversely affected by abrogation of international agreements and national laws which have created the market
instruments in which the Fund may invest, failure of the designated national and international authorities to enforce compliance with
the same laws and agreements, failure of local, national and international organization to carry out their duties prescribed to them under
the relevant agreements, revisions of these laws and agreements which dilute their effectiveness or conflicting interpretation of provisions
of the same laws and agreements. The Fund may be adversely affected by uncertainties such as terrorism, international political developments,
and changes in government policies, taxation, restrictions on foreign investment and currency repatriation, currency fluctuations and
other developments in the laws and regulations of the countries in which it is invested and the risks associated with financial, economic,
geopolitical, public health, labor and other global market developments and disruptions, such as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and
its risk of expansion or collateral economic and other effects.
Technology Risk
The Fund and its service providers and markets generally have become
more susceptible to potential operational risks related to intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund or a service provider
to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. There can be no guarantee that any risk management systems established
by the Fund, its service providers, or issuers of the securities in which the Fund invests to reduce technology and cyber security risks
will succeed, and the Fund cannot control such systems put in place by service providers, issuers or other third parties whose operations
may affect the Fund. Cyber Security, Market Disruptions and Operational Risk
Like other funds and other parts of the modern economy, the Fund
and its service providers, as well as exchanges and market participants through or with which the Fund trades and exchanges on which its
shares trade and other infrastructures, services and parties on which the Fund, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser or the Fund’s other
service providers rely, are susceptible to ongoing risks related to cyber incidents and the risks associated with financial, economic,
public health, labor and other global market developments and disruptions, including those arising out of geopolitical events, public
health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics and epidemics), natural/environmental disasters, war, terrorism
and governmental or quasi-governmental actions. Cyber incidents can result from unintentional events (such as an inadvertent release of
confidential information) or deliberate attacks by insiders or third parties, including cyber criminals, competitors, nation-states and
“hacktivists,” and can be perpetrated by a variety of complex means, including the use of stolen access credentials, malware
or other computer viruses, ransomware, phishing, structured query language injection attacks, and distributed denial of service attacks,
among other means. Cyber incidents and market disruptions may result in actual or potential adverse consequences for critical information
and communications technology, systems and networks that are vital to the operations of the Fund or its service providers, or otherwise
impair Fund or service provider operations. For example, a cyber incident may cause operational disruptions and failures impacting information
systems or information that a system processes, stores, or transmits, such as by theft, damage or destruction, or corruption or modification
of and denial of access to data maintained online or digitally, denial of service on websites rendering the websites unavailable to intended
users or not accessible for such users in a timely manner, and the unauthorized release or other exploitation of confidential information.
A cyber incident or sudden market disruption could adversely impact
the Fund, its service providers or its shareholders by, among other things, interfering with the processing of transactions or other operational
functionality, impacting the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV or other data, causing the release of private shareholder information
(i.e., identity theft or other privacy breaches) or confidential Fund information or otherwise compromising the security and reliability
of information, impeding trading, causing reputational damage, and subjecting the Fund or is service providers to regulatory fines, penalties
or financial losses, reimbursement or other compensation or remediation costs, litigation expenses and additional compliance and cyber
security risk management costs, which may be substantial. The same could affect the exchange through which Fund shares trade. A cyber
incident could also adversely affect the ability of the Fund (and its Adviser) to invest or manage the Fund’s assets. Cyber incidents and developments and disruptions to financial,
economic, public health, labor and other global market conditions can obstruct the regular functioning of business workforces (including
requiring employees to work from external locations or from their homes), cause business slowdowns or temporary suspensions of business
activities, each of which can negatively impact Fund service providers and Fund operations. Although the Fund and its service providers,
as well as exchanges and market participants through or with which the Fund trades and other infrastructures on which the Fund or its
service providers rely, may have established business continuity plans and systems reasonably designed to protect from and/or defend against
the risks or adverse consequences associated with cyber incidents and market disruptions, there are inherent limitations in these plans
and systems, including that certain risks may not yet be identified, in large part because different or unknown threats may emerge in
the future and the threats continue to rapidly evolve and increase in sophistication. As a result, it is not possible to anticipate and
prevent every cyber incident and possible obstruction to the normal activities of these entities’ employees resulting from market
disruptions and attempts to mitigate the occurrence or impact of such events may be unsuccessful. For example, public health emergencies
and governmental responses to such emergencies, including through quarantine measures and travel restrictions, can create difficulties
in carrying out the normal working processes of these entities’ employees, disrupt their operations and hamper their capabilities.
The nature, extent, and potential magnitude of the adverse consequences of these events cannot be predicted accurately but may result
in significant risks, adverse consequences and costs to the Fund and its shareholders. The issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject
to the ongoing risks and threats associated with cyber incidents and market disruptions. These incidents could result in adverse consequences
for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investment in such securities to lose value. For example, a cyber incident involving an
issuer may include the theft, destruction or misappropriation of financial assets, intellectual property or other sensitive information
belonging to the issuer or their customers (i.e., identity theft or other privacy breaches) and a market disruption involving an issuer
may include materially reduced consumer demand and output, disrupted supply chains, market closures, travel restrictions and quarantines.
As a result, the issuer may experience the types of adverse consequences summarized above, among others (such as loss of revenue), despite
having implemented preventative and other measures reasonably designed to protect from and/or defend against the risks or adverse effects
associated with cyber incidents and market disruptions.
The Fund and its service providers, as well as exchanges and market
participants through or with which the Fund trades and other infrastructures on which the Fund or its service providers rely, are also
subject to the risks associated with technological and operational disruptions or failures arising from, for example, processing errors
and human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, errors in algorithms used with
respect to the Fund, changes in personnel, and errors caused by third parties or trading counterparties. Although the Fund attempts to
minimize such failures through controls and oversight, it is not possible to identify all of the operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop
processes and controls that completely eliminate or mitigate the occurrence of such failures or other disruptions in service. Cyber incidents, market disruptions and operational errors or failures
or other technological issues may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV correctly, in a timely manner or process
trades or Fund or shareholder transactions may be adversely affected, including over a potentially extended period. The Fund does not
control the cyber security, disaster recovery, or other operational defense plans or systems of its service providers, intermediaries,
exchanges where its shares trades, companies in which it invests or other third-parties. The value of an investment in Fund shares may
be adversely affected by the occurrence of the cyber incidents, market disruptions and operational errors or failures or technological
issues summarized above or other similar events and the Fund and its shareholders may bear costs tied to these risks. In addition, work-from-home
arrangements by the Fund, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser (or their service providers) could increase all of the above risks, create additional
data and information accessibility concerns, and make the Fund, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser (or their service providers) more susceptible
to operational disruptions, any of which could adversely impact their operations. Furthermore, the Fund may be appealing targets for cybersecurity
threats such as hackers and malware.
|
Effects of Leverage [Text Block] |
Assuming that the Fund’s total Financial Leverage represented
approximately 18.9% of the Fund’s Managed Assets (based on the Fund’s outstanding Financial Leverage of $343,499,795 and interest
costs to the Fund at a combined average annual rate of 3.93% (based on the Fund’s average annual leverage costs for the fiscal year
ended May 31, 2023) with respect to such Financial Leverage, then the incremental income generated by the Fund’s portfolio (net
of estimated expenses including expenses related to the Financial Leverage) must exceed approximately 0.74% to cover such interest specifically
related to the debt. These numbers are merely estimates used for illustration. Actual interest rates may vary frequently and may be significantly
higher or lower than the rate estimated above. The following table is furnished pursuant to requirements of the
SEC. It is designed to illustrate the effect of leverage on Common Share total return, assuming investment portfolio total returns (comprised
of income, net expenses and changes in the value of investments held in the Fund’s portfolio) of -10%, -5%, 0%, 5% and 10%. These assumed investment
portfolio returns are hypothetical figures and are not necessarily indicative of what the Fund’s investment portfolio returns will
be. The table further reflects the issuance of Financial Leverage representing approximately 18.9% of the Fund’s Managed Assets
and interest costs to the Fund at a combined average annual rate of 3.93% with respect to such Financial Leverage. The table does not
reflect any offering costs of Common Shares or Borrowings.
Assumed portfolio total return (net of expenses) |
(10.00%) |
(5.00%) |
0.00% |
5.00% |
10.00% |
Common Share total return |
(13.25)% |
(7.08)% |
(0.92)% |
5.25% |
11.41% |
Common Share total return is composed of two elements—the
Common Share dividends paid by the Fund (the amount of which is largely determined by the Fund’s net investment income after paying
the carrying cost of Financial Leverage) and realized and unrealized gains or losses on the value of the securities the Fund owns. As
required by SEC rules, the table assumes that the Fund is more likely to suffer capital loss than to enjoy capital appreciation. For example,
to assume a total return of 0%, the Fund must assume that the net investment income it receives on its investments is entirely offset
by losses on the value of those investments. This table reflects the hypothetical performance of the Fund’s portfolio and not the
performance of the Common Shares, the value of which will be determined by market and other factors.
During the time in which the Fund is utilizing Financial Leverage,
the amount of the fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund (and by the Adviser to the Sub-Adviser) for investment advisory services will be
higher than if the Fund did not utilize Financial Leverage because the fees paid will be calculated based on the Fund’s Managed
Assets which may create a conflict of interest between the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser and the Common Shareholders. Because the Financial
Leverage costs will be borne by the Fund at a specified rate, only the Common Shareholders will bear the cost of the Fund’s fees
and expenses. The Fund generally will not use Financial Leverage if the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser anticipate that such use would result
in a lower return to Common Shareholders for any significant amount of time.
|
Return at Minus Ten [Percent] |
(13.25%)
|
Return at Minus Five [Percent] |
(7.08%)
|
Return at Zero [Percent] |
(0.92%)
|
Return at Plus Five [Percent] |
5.25%
|
Return at Plus Ten [Percent] |
11.41%
|
Latest Premium (Discount) to NAV [Percent] |
27.15%
|
Capital Stock, Long-Term Debt, and Other Securities [Abstract] |
|
Outstanding Security, Authorized [Shares] |
119,342,322
|
X |
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